Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nick pulled up in front of Ethan’s home. By the look of all the vehicles, he was the last one to arrive for what once was a daily workout for him. Since being elected sheriff, he was lucky if he made it to Ethan’s twice a week.
Ethan’s workout room was filled with anything and everything needed for a full-body workout: free weights, medicine balls, resistance bands, weight machines . . . you name it, Ethan had it. And the best part was the way it overlooked the lake from the lower level of his mammoth log home.
Zeke sat on the bench next to the bank of lockers in the entryway where they kept their gym shoes and spare workout clothes, tying his shoes. Nick sat down next to him. “Hey, Zeke.”
“Sheriff.” Zeke grinned.
“How’s the televised show working out?”
“The remodel is going well, and Alexis is getting more comfortable on camera. It’s a long day of filming, wearing a mic, and shooting on-the-fly interviews.”
“Sounds intense.”
“And that’s why I’m here almost daily,” Zeke said. “I heard you’ve been busy in your new role as sheriff.”
“Paperwork, politics, and training, but we’ve gotten permission to hire another deputy, so it’s all good.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad. He’s on the mend now?”
“He is, and cranky as hell.” Nick chuckled. “Thanks to Kate taking over all the baking, Mom’s been able to spend time helping him with his rehab.”
“I haven’t seen Kate since she arrived and when I met her, it was in passing. Alexis has only good things to say. I know she’s pleased with the work on her living quarters.”
“Yeah, she is. Do-Over did great work.”
“Thanks.” Zeke slapped him on the back. “I hear you’ve been spending time at her place.”
“Not you too.” Nick stood, and they walked into the workout area and joined the others, who were already lifting weights.
Large-screen televisions mounted over the windows in front of the treadmills played the morning news. Owen held the punching bag for Pete; they stopped and raised a hand in greeting. Nick stepped onto the treadmill next to Ethan, and Zeke loaded weights onto the barbell.
“Nick. Glad you made it,” Ethan said.
Nick dialed the treadmill to an easy pace. “Glad to be here.”
After moving around the gym for an hour and completing their cooldowns, they gathered at the snack bar. Ethan handed each of them a bottle of water from the fridge.
“So,” Cole said as he dropped onto a barstool beside Nick. “You and Kate seem to be hitting it off. Are you bringing her to the wedding?”
Ethan and Paige would be tying the knot in just over two weeks. “I wasn’t planning on it,” Nick said.
“Then you don’t mind if I ask her?” Cole asked his brother.
Nick downed half his water. “Do what you want. We’re just friends.”
Ethan tipped his bottle toward Nick. “You don’t need to be dating to bring a plus-one.”
Nick shrugged. “Kate will be at the wedding. I don’t see why we need to arrive together.”
Glances around the room told him the guys thought otherwise.
If he asked her to the wedding as his date, they’d be wading into dangerous territory.
The pact he and Kate made was to remain friends, though he didn’t like the idea of Cole asking her.
Nick figured a subject change was in order.
“So, Owen, when are you leaving for Aruba?”
“After New Year’s.” Owen finished his water, and Ethan handed him another. “Maggie doesn’t want to miss the annual New Year’s gala at the lodge. She hasn’t missed one yet, and she doesn’t plan to. Besides, she’s already bought her dress.”
“How about you, Ethan? When and where is the honeymoon?” Nick asked.
“We’re heading to the Dominican Republic in the new year.
Paige doesn’t want to miss the gala either, and with Christmas the week after the wedding, we booked a few nights at the Grandview Lodge.
Speaking of the wedding, Paige asked me to remind you guys the final tux fittings are this Friday at Chloe’s shop. ”
Zeke threw his bottle into the recycle bin. “I’ve got it on my calendar.”
“Me too,” Owen said.
“I’m on duty, but I’ll stop by when I have a chance. Besides, I can go in after hours if I need to,” Nick said.
Cole gathered his things. “I’ll see you guys on Friday. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat afterwards and talk about the bachelor party. I have a few ideas.” He checked his watch. “I’ve got to go. I’m bringing Dad to his doctor’s appointment.”
Nick stood and addressed Cole. “I’ll meet you at Mom and Dad’s.”
“Say hi to your dad. Tell him we’re all thinking about him,” Zeke said.
“I better get going too,” Pete said. “I’m due at the church. Take care, guys, and see you at the bachelor party.”
* * *
After spending a few hours at his parents’ visiting with his dad, Nick headed for the grocery store. He had a craving for vegetable beef soup, a recipe he had perfected over the years and one of the few dishes he made from scratch.
Nick spotted Kate walking toward him in the canned foods aisle. “Hey, stranger.”
“Hi, Nick.”
He glanced into the basket she carried and smiled. “Almond flour is a thing?”
“It is. I use it for my own cookies.”
“You have cookies you don’t share with others?”
“Yep. Healthy ones.” She glanced at his cart. “You look like you’re making something healthy as well.”
“Vegetable beef soup. Care to join me for dinner?”
“At your place?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Of course not. It’s just, you’ve never invited me over before.”
“I’m sorry. That’s terrible of me. I’ll text you the address.” He glanced at his watch. “How about four o’clock? That way, it’s still light out and you’ll be able to find your way. I’m a few miles out of town.”
“Sure. That works for me.”
“Great. See you soon. Oh, and Kate—bring some of those healthy cookies.”
She reached around him and grabbed a jar of green olives. “I will.”
He caught a whiff of her citrusy scent before she walked away.
She really had no idea what she did to him.
Just being in close proximity, she made him feel like maybe he could entertain the idea of a relationship.
He smiled more when she was around, and he found himself whistling on the way to the meat counter.
“What has you so happy, Sheriff?” Rosie seemed to appear out of nowhere, interrupting his thoughts. Probably a good thing because they were turning the corner on inappropriate.
“My dad had a follow-up appointment today and he’s doing well,” Nick said.
Rosie pulled him in for a hug. “I’m so glad. We’ve been praying for him.”
“Thanks, Rosie. That means a lot.”
As Rosie talked with the butcher, Nick chose a large beef roast, then headed for the checkout.
* * *
Kate pulled off the highway and onto a snow-packed road surrounded by large pines.
She was glad Nick suggested an earlier dinner because trying to find his house for the first time in the dark would have been difficult.
She snaked around a few S curves until she found the highway marker by his drive.
The tree-lined driveway was narrow and long.
Just as she was starting to think she might have turned down the wrong drive leading to nowhere, Nick’s two-story home came into view.
Impressive. The caramel-colored wood siding and the steep line of the green steel roof reminded her of a romantic getaway.
A Hallmark-worthy cabin in the woods. The small Christmas tree tied to her roof would probably look ridiculous.
She parked in front of the garage and stepped out, slipping her gloves on.
The front door opened, and Nick stepped onto the wraparound porch. Like Vanna, she held her hands out and announced, “I brought you a Christmas tree!”
“I see that. Let me help you,” he said.
“I hope you don’t have one yet. The last time we spoke, you didn’t.”
“Nope, haven’t had a chance. Thank you.”
Kate started to untie the bindings, but Nick shooed her out of the way. “I’ll get it. You open the door.”
“Deal.”
She reached into the front seat for the tin of cookies and bottle of wine she’d brought and rushed ahead to open the front door. “I didn’t know if you had wine, so I brought a pinot noir. It should pair well with vegetable soup.”
She slipped her boots off and set them to the side on the rug in the expansive foyer.
Nick set the tree down on the slate tile inside the entrance. “I’ll need to grab the tree stand and decorations. Want to help?”
“Lead the way. It smells fabulous in here.” She handed him the wine and tin of cookies and followed him into the kitchen. There were four colorful cookie tins already on the island. “It looks like you don’t need any more treats.”
Nick shrugged and joked, “What can I say? I’m popular. One is toffee, one is peanut brittle, and two are miscellaneous treats.”
Kate wondered who they were from and if they were trying to land the sexy sheriff by dropping off their Christmas goodies.
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” he said.
“Whatever do you mean?” She’d never had a great poker face.
“The single women in this town aren’t beating down my door, if that’s what you’re getting at.” Nick gestured toward the tins. “These are all from elderly women.”
“That’s very sweet. No pun intended.”
He shook his head, a smile on his face. “Come on. Follow me.”
If only he knew she’d follow him anywhere.
Thoughts like these popped into her head often when she saw Nick.
Even when he wasn’t in uniform. Her gaze trailed down the back of him.
The faded jeans and blue Henley he wore hugged his muscles.
Her mouth watered. She had to stop envisioning him naked or she’d never get through this friendship pact.
“Your place is amazing.” Kate tilted her head back to look at the high ceilings and the wood beams running the width of the living room.
“Thanks. I’ve done a lot of work to it. The house is one of the original cabins on the property. My grandparents had a small resort on the lake before they built the lodge.”
“Some cabin. Can you see the lake from here?”
Nick led her into the basement. “Yes. From the master bedroom suite on the second floor. I added the second floor for the view and the basement for storage and storm shelter.”
The basement was clean and organized. The boxes were all labeled in bold black lettering and arranged neatly on shelves. “You’re very organized and tidy,” she said.
“It makes life easier when you know where everything is.”
“I’m sure it would,” she said with a laugh. “If only I were as organized as you.”
“Here, you take this box and I’ll get the rest.”
“I might be small, but I can take something else.”
Nick’s eyes crinkled in the corners. “Okay, you can carry the stand too.”
It didn’t take long to erect the tree and string the lights. “How about we eat and then hang the ornaments,” Nick suggested.
Conversations with Nick always flowed easily, and the same was true as they sat at the table enjoying their meal, talking about work, about family, about the quirky characters in town.
“That was delicious. Feel free to make soup for me anytime.” Kate set her spoon to the side and sat back.
“I’d be happy to. Would you like more?”
“I couldn’t eat another bite. Thank you. I don’t cook much, so this is a nice treat,” she said, and took a sip of her wine.
“Then we make a good team, because my idea of baking is buying a cake mix and following the directions.”
Nick gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink. She stood to help, but he waved her away. “I’ve got this. Meet me in the living room. I have something for you. Be right back.”
He left the room, and she walked around the kitchen. He hadn’t skimped on the appliances, all top-of-the-line stainless steel. She would have put the same stove in her living quarters if she’d had the funds.
With her wineglass in hand, she stopped at the large stone fireplace and picked up a framed family picture.
“That was taken a few Christmases ago when I moved back,” Nick said, arriving at her side.
The entire Reid family smiled at the camera, wearing a combination of white and beige and standing in front of a line of snow-covered birch and pine trees. Kate placed the picture back on the mantel. “Nice.”
“Here. This is for you.” Nick held out a silver box tied with a delicate gold ribbon.
Touched he’d bought her something, she placed her wine on the mantel and accepted the gift. “You didn’t have to buy me anything.”
“I know I didn’t, but you’ve been doing so much for my family and when I saw this, I thought of you.”
She untied the ribbon and lifted the top off the box.
Inside sat a wooden Christmas tree ornament shaped in the outline of the state of Minnesota and featuring Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.
She held it up by the red ribbon. Her name and the year were engraved on the back.
Touched that he remembered her ornament collection, she said, “I love this. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I noticed you didn’t have Minnesota on your tree.”
“I don’t. It’s perfect.”
They had so much fun decorating the tree it was almost ten before Kate noticed the time. “I should head home.” She started stuffing the wrapping from the ornaments back into the boxes. “Thanks again for dinner. I had fun.”
Nick walked her to the door and helped her into her jacket. “Thank you for sharing your cookies. They were good.” He nodded toward the living room. “And thanks for the tree. I wouldn’t have gotten one this year.” He threw his coat on and opened the door. “I’ll walk you out.”
Kate took a deep breath. Woodsmoke swirled from the chimney, its smell filling the cool night air. She pressed the button on her remote starter to warm her car, then looked to the clear sky. “Wow. The stars are on display tonight.”
Nick stepped close behind her and pointed. “There’s Cassiopeia.”
She turned her head slightly, and his face stayed close to her cheek.
She swallowed down her attraction and managed to say, “I don’t know my constellations.
The big dipper is the only one I can pick out.
” Of course at the moment, she wasn’t staring at the sky; instead, she stared at Nick’s sensual lips, envisioning how they’d taste. Nick’s eyes crinkled at the corners.
He smiled and said, “Follow my finger. It’s the ‘W’ shape.”
She didn’t want to stargaze; she wanted to gaze into the deep chocolate eyes of the handsome sheriff. Nick’s other hand rested on her shoulder. She reluctantly followed where he pointed.
“I should have shown you my bedroom,” he said, dropping his arms to his sides.
She gulped, not sure how to respond.
“I have a map of constellations on my bedroom wall and a telescope I bring out to the deck,” he said. “It’s a hobby of mine.”
Glad Nick had finished his thought, Kate unzipped her jacket; she was sweating despite the below-freezing temperature. Nick led her to her car and opened the door. She slipped behind the wheel and he leaned in, his lips dangerously close. “Have a good night, Kate.”
“You too. Sleep . . . well.”
He shut the door and waited for her to pull out.
Kate had no doubt he knew what she was thinking. Part of her felt mortified at reacting to his charm. The other liked his teasing and craved his touch.