His expression pinched for the first time since they’d entered the shop. “Nope.”
“Not even for Christmas?” Aunt Claudia looked aghast.
He shrugged. “I’d meant to go to the Keys when I left here next week.”
Next week?He was leaving that soon? Why did that make Isabelle’s chest hurt?
“Sarah insisted I spend the holidays in Pine Hill. I hadn’t planned to.” He glanced toward Isabelle, his gaze meeting hers. “But now, I’ve reason to stick around for a while.”
Three Butterflies and her sister collectively sighed and lit up like they were fireflies. Isabelle, on the other hand, was about to convulse like one of those popping bugs. Enough was enough. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have been sighing, too. Zach looked at her as if he truly thought her the most interesting, beautiful woman he’d ever met. Even knowing his visual caress was nothing more than his perpetual teasing, she found herself retracting lackluster from adjectives she could use to describe anything about him. Wowzers.
Panic hit that he could mess with her head so readily. Why had he insisted upon coming inside the shop? She’d told him there was no need and that she could carry their picnic items, but he’d insisted. Plus, there had been his need to retrieve Sarah’s gift.
“Oh, Isabelle,” Sophie practically cooed, clasping her hands as she glanced back and forth between her and Zach. “This makes me so happy.”
Ruby was all smiles. “A Christmas miracle.”
“She fed him my cinnamon bread!” Rosie stage-whispered to her friends, then, facing Isabelle, said, “We’re so happy for you both.”
Aunt Claudia nodded. “It’s about time some young man saw through your all-work-and-no-play façade to realize how wonderful you are.”
Moisture prickled Isabelle’s skin, making her palms clammy. Did they think her so hopeless that they got this excited over a first date? Their assumptions about her and Zach were misplaced. And would they please stop acting as if she and Zach were some smitten at first sight lovebirds?
Determined to set them straight, Isabelle put the picnic basket on the checkout counter.
“You have this all wrong. Zach and I aren’t—” she began, but completely lost her ability to vocalize when he leaned down and kissed her cheek fairly close to the corner of her mouth. Stunned, completely unable to vocalize, she gawked at him.
“I’ve got to go.” He winked at the women, causing another collective sigh, before his go-with-me-on-this eyes met Isabelle’s. “Walk me outside, Blondie.”
She’d walk him outside alright. Once there she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Walking behind the counter to grab the bag she’d put his quilt kits in, it was all she could do to keep her tongue in check. How dare he kiss her in front of the Butterflies and Sophie? How dare he kiss her at all? How dare he turn her to complete jelly at that simple gesture? How dare he look so calm when she wassonot calm? How dare—just how dare he?
“Zach, it was lovely seeing you again.” Sophie’s face radiated sunshine. “You really should consider that sewing class. I’d love to have you join us.”
“Thanks, but I’m going to pass. Isabelle’s giving me private lessons.”
Every female jaw dropped, including Isabelle’s. Her stomach had taken a dive, too. Shoving the bag at him, she grabbed his other hand and dragged him toward the front door.
“Bye, ladies,” he called, amusement heavy in his voice.
“Bye, Zach,” chorused from the counter in a he’s-so-dreamy singsong.
Once the shop door had closed, she turned her back to the display window so any spying Butterflies couldn’t read her lips. Or her expression because she was going to blast Zach.
“Do you have any idea what you just did?” she hissed. Then deciding they were still too visible to the eyes glued their way, she pulled him down the street until they rounded the corner.
“I know exactly what I did.” He had the gall to sound proud of it, too.
“By the time I get back in there, they’ll be planning my wedding instead of Sophie’s!” Realizing she was still holding his hand, his big warm hand, Isabelle let go, watching almost as if in slow motion as their skin parted ways. Instantly, she felt the loss of his touch. Had he felt that?
“You can thank me now or when I stop by later.”
“Oh, no, you aren’t stopping by later.” It was all she could do to keep from wagging her finger at him. If she knew Maybelle and John’s whereabouts, she’d be waving her hands with animation for sure. As it was, she shoved them into her pants pockets. “The last thing I want is to see you again today.”
Her brain and emotions were already a tangled mess that would take her hours to sort.
Eyes twinkling, he rocked back on his heels. “Then I guess you better thank me now.”
His calmness was infuriating. When her insides were raging, from his cheek kiss, from his lackadaisical attitude over flirting with her in front of the Butterflies, from having held his hand as she’d dragged him down Main Street, from everything about him, how could he act as if it were all no big deal? Then again, to him, it wasn’t. Soon enough, he’d be gone.
