Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Kate tugged on her snow boots, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and pulled on her mittens.
When she opened the door, her driveway was plowed and her steps shoveled.
Confused, she checked to see if anyone was around.
They must have come early when she was still asleep.
Her mom always said she slept like the dead.
She’d decided to walk to the lodge, so instead of brushing the snow from her car, she set off on foot, her canvas tote containing her spare shoes and her recipe book slung over her shoulder.
The Deer Creek Lodge was on the other side of town—technically two blocks down Main Street.
Multiple business owners were clearing the fresh snow from the sidewalk in front of their establishments.
Kate waved to Nate as he shoveled the sidewalk in front of Gus’s Hardware. Rural Chic hadn’t opened yet.
Multicolored Christmas lights and pine garland hung from the lodge’s entrance. Kate opened the heavy wooden doors and stomped the snow from her boots on the rug inside the breezeway.
“Good morning, Kate.”
“Hi, Cole.” Kate unwrapped her scarf and unzipped her coat as she walked toward the check-in desk.
The Reid brothers were all handsome. Cole’s brown hair was a few shades lighter than Nick’s, and he had the same brown eyes, but Cole had a small dimple that graced his right cheek.
“Come on back and I’ll show you where you can put your things,” he said.
Kate followed Cole to an office off the kitchen. Being a gentleman, he helped her with her coat and hung it on the deer-antler hook by the door. “You can put your purse in the bottom drawer of the desk.”
“Great. Thanks. I brought shoes to change into.”
“Meet me in the kitchen when you’re settled. This will be your space while you’re here, so make yourself at home.”
She sat in the soft leather chair facing the desk, slid off her boots, and placed them on the plastic mat near the coat hook.
She stretched and regarded the surrounding space.
The office window offered a view of the iced-over lake and the surrounding pine trees, their boughs heavy with freshly fallen snow.
Inhaling a deep breath, she allowed her shoulders to relax.
She recited her daily mantra: Today will be a great day.
Kate gathered her cookbook and apron and walked into the kitchen.
Her focus was drawn to the commercial-grade stainless steel mixer, causing her to collide with someone.
She bounced off a solid wall of muscle, and her cookbook and all her notes slid across the waxed tile floor. At least she stayed on her feet.
“Way to go, bro. Trying to take Kate out won’t help our situation,” Cole said.
Embarrassed, Kate straightened her sweater. “I’m so sorry.”
Nick had her arm in his grip to keep her from falling backwards, and he let go when she was steady on her feet.
How she wished he hadn’t. His touch sent shivers through her body. She ran a hand over her arm where Nick had touched her. Flustered, she bent down and collected the loose sheets. She reached for her grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe at the same time as Nick, and they knocked heads.
“Ow.” She rubbed her forehead and sat back on her haunches.
Nick extended a hand to help her up.
“I’m not usually such a klutz. Please don’t hold it against me,” she said.
Cole chuckled and handed her the papers he’d gathered.
The brothers smiled at her. “Never. You’re doing us a favor,” Cole said.
Nick cleared his throat. “I thought I’d stop by to see if either of you needed help today.”
“Thanks,” Cole said. “Let me get Kate situated, and I’ll take you up on your offer.”
He pulled a three-ring binder labeled “Santa Days” from the shelf above the prep area.
“I spoke to Mom this morning, and she told me where to find this.” He opened the book and slid it closer to her.
“Mom said everything you need to know will be in this book. She wanted to make sure I thanked you again and told you how much she appreciates you stepping in for her.”
“That’s sweet. Again, I’m happy to help.”
Nick observed Kate as she flipped through his mom’s notes. He wanted to tuck Kate’s silky dark hair behind her ear as it fell forward while she scanned the pages. Her lips, a shiny pink, puckered in concentration.
Kate’s V-neck sweater accentuated curves he hadn’t noticed until she bent forward, making it difficult not to stare.
He glanced at Cole instead, and a smirk appeared on his brother’s face.
Busted. Nick needed to stop this train of thought.
No good could come of hooking up with the newest resident.
He didn’t have time to date, and he sure wasn’t capable of a relationship.
In his mind, being a cop had cemented his future of never having a family.
“Wow. Your mom’s really organized,” Kate said, continuing to page through the binder. “All the recipes and the daily schedules are here, leaving no question how to proceed.”
“Great. I’ll be around the lodge all day. If you need something, text me. My number is in the office,” Cole said.
“Perfect.”
Cole glanced at his phone. “Follow me, Nick, and let’s leave Kate to something neither one of us is any good at.”
* * *
Kate slipped her black “Sometimes you just need to eat a cookie” apron over her head and tied it around her waist. She inserted her wireless earbuds and went to work finding ingredients and cookie sheets.
Within the hour, she had the chocolate chip and sugar cookies mixed.
She’d roll out the cutouts tomorrow. The freezer would hold all the cookies she planned to make for Santa Days.
Removing the first two pans from the oven, she placed them on the cooling racks and moved to the music from her baking playlist, which ranged from Katy Perry to Stone Temple Pilots.
The kitchen layout allowed her to bake in her own space while the other cooks were at the grill in a different section.
Kate admired the design: two large stainless steel tables with all the kitchen utensils she needed, and her own wall ovens.
She felt free to enjoy her designated area.
Nick inched his way into the kitchen so he wouldn’t startle Kate.
When she tucked her hair behind her ear, he noticed the earbuds and understood why she hadn’t responded to his greeting.
She turned sharply and bumped into him. Her hands rested on his chest, her palms fitting naturally against his pecs.
She pulled out one of the earbuds and placed it in the pocket of her apron. “We have to stop meeting like this,” she said and wiped flour from his T-shirt.
With Kate’s fingertips brushing his shirt, he wondered what they would feel like on his skin. “I don’t mind,” he said, his voice growing husky.
Kate took a step back and glanced over the dozens of cookies cooling on the racks.
Nick shoved his hands into his front pockets to avoid touching her. He cleared his throat. “I’m here to help. Put me to work.”
Her brow furrowed. “You bake?”
“I have, yes. Are you surprised?”
“A little. I was under the impression you didn’t spend much time in a kitchen.”
“While that’s technically true, it doesn’t mean I can’t cook or bake. You’ve been talking to my mom, haven’t you?”
“She mentioned something like that yesterday when I told her I fed you dinner.”
He leaned against the stainless steel counter and crossed his arms. She was so darn cute in her apron, with her hair pulled into a high ponytail. “I hold my own when I have to.”
One of Kate’s brows rose. “Okay, if you really want to help, sure. But don’t you have to work?”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
Kate crossed her arms, mirroring him. “Not at all. You were the one who said you’re a workaholic.”
“Pot calling the kettle black. I have three days off. Shouldn’t you be working on getting your business up and running?”
“Touché. But, since Pete won’t be over until tomorrow to start the seating-area renovations, I have plenty of time to help your family. He knows how to reach me if he has questions.”
“All right then. Let me help to repay the favor.” Nick rubbed his hands together. “Where do we start, boss?”
The thought of spending time with Kate intrigued him, and he hoped she’d come up with something. He enjoyed watching the imaginary wheels turn in her head.
Kate smiled at his use of “boss” and thought about the last conversation she had with his mom.
Ruth worried about her firstborn son. He hadn’t dated or done anything fun since moving back to town—her words.
Kate didn’t know how long that had been, but it had piqued her curiosity.
She’d help Ruth with Santa Days, and she’d help Nick have some fun.
Besides, he was nice to look at, and what single woman wouldn’t want a swoon-worthy man around?
It’s not like she would fall for him. Her dating life was on hiatus until her shop opened.
She thought about the article in Aunt Helen’s magazine, the “Ten Ways to Keep a Guy in the Friend Zone,” and an idea formed.
“Okay. If you really want to help me, leave the baking to me,” Kate said.
“I know very little about this town and since you know everything, you can help me by showing me all the fun activities this town offers. That way, I can direct my future customers to experience the best parts of Deer Creek Falls.”
Nick’s brow furrowed in concentration. He took a cookie off the rack and bit into it. “I can’t promise you my undivided attention.”
“I totally understand. Whatever time you can spare would be appreciated. Besides, I don’t open until spring, and I’m busy too.”
“I’m not sure how to say this . . .” Nick dropped his hands to his sides and shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not dating anyone, but I’m also too busy to date.”
Relieved but surprisingly disappointed, Kate said, “Good. I’m also not looking to date. I just ended a long-term relationship and I’m focusing on myself and my business and, well, getting all these cookies baked in time for Santa Days.”
Taking her apron’s advice, she bit into a cookie and leaned against the adjacent counter.
“Let’s agree on a friendship pact. You help me get to know the town and what it offers, and I’ll help your family with baking—until Cole finds someone to take my place.
Just friends helping each other.” She held out her hand. “Deal?”
Nick grasped her hand and shook. “Deal.”