“That’s your problem, Cassidy,” Miles said gently. “You always try to fix people.”
“Fatal character flaw,” she muttered.
“No,” Julian said. “It’s not a flaw. It’s one of your best traits. But there’s a difference between helping others and hurting yourself.”
She swallowed hard, eyes prickling. “Yeah. I know.”
“Good,” Julian said. “Because the Cassidy I know wears snowflake earrings in July and bakes Christmas cookies for the Easter Bunny.”
“And don’t you dare let some brooding lumberjack make you forget it,” Miles added.
Cassidy laughed, the sound soft but real. “Thanks, you two. I needed that.”
“Anytime,” Julian said. “Now go hang up and put on something obnoxiously festive.”
“I already am,” she said with a smile. “And Muff’s in a reindeer sweater, just for the record.”
After they’d caught up a bit more, she hung up, her phone slipping from her hand as she leaned back against the couch, warmth still buzzing in her chest from the call. But the second her mind quieted, it shifted straight to Liam.
She wondered what he was wearing. Maybe that fitted thermal shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders, the sleeves pushed up over strong forearms dusted with a hint of dark hair. Maybe those worn jeans that hugged his hips in a way that made her mouth go dry.
Or maybe nothing at all.
Heat bloomed low in her belly, the thought of him fresh out of the shower, droplets of water sliding down the lines of muscle across his chest, disappearing beneath a towel slung low on his hips. She imagined the way his hair would be damp, curling at the ends, the scruff on his jaw darkening as he ran a hand over it, those deep eyes meeting hers, dark and hungry.
Cassidy squeezed her eyes shut, pressing a palm to her flushed cheek.
Get it together.
This was Maple Falls, not one of those steamy romance novels she kept hidden on her Kindle. But God, it was getting harder and harder to remember that when it came to Liam Hawthorne.
Was the no-men vow really that important to her anymore? The year was nearly up anyway.
Yes, she told herself. It had to be. She’d gone almost the whole year—she couldn’t just give up now. And she couldn’tafford to be swept away with romance. Her shop had only been open for a week. She had a major Christmas competition to get ready for: Her light-up slot was in just under two weeks.
And she couldn’t lose herself again. She’d already toned down her Christmas outfit once for him. It didn’t matter if she’d done it to be kind. She couldn’t change herself, reduce herself, risk heartbreak all over again, for a man.
No, she needed to stick to her vow, stay true to herself, and focus on launching her cocoa empire.
She’d see him tomorrow on the hike, and she’d be ready—head held high, holiday earrings firmly in place.
TWENTY
LIAM
Sunday, December 7th
Liam had to admit, it felt good to be packing up his hiking gear that morning. Sure, they weren’t going backpacking in the mountains. It was just a hike around the beautiful glacier lake in Maple Falls. Maybe a little bit of elevation, nothing too hard for his hamstring, but it felt good to get out of the downtown area and into the fresh, open air.
Everyone had agreed to meet at the trailhead and were already there when Liam pulled in with his truck. The parking lot was covered in snow, at least a few inches deep. The only treads in the lot were from their cars. The trees were bare, except for the evergreens, their branches weighed down by thick blankets of snow, and the air was silent, except for the call of a blue jay in the distance.
Liam was glad to see Cassidy back to her full Christmas self, wearing a bright green wool coat and a red knit stocking cap. Her blonde hair was braided into two neat plaits, and she’d even woven woolen tinsel into them.
Muff was there too, wearing a bright green bow on her collar and waiting patiently for the hike to begin.
“Hot cocoa?” Cassidy offered, holding out a flask.
Liam grinned. “Of course,” he said, accepting it gratefully. He unscrewed the metal cap and took a swig. The warm, velvety liquid filled his mouth, and he shook his head. “You definitely have a winner here.”
