His hard expression softens into a confused smile. “Cob loaf?”
I don’t bother checking. My eyes are laser-focused onhertentacles latched aroundhisarm.
“Cheese and bacon,” she says in the sweet tone she saves only for him.
“That’s my favorite.”
“I remembered. I miss the way we used to talk before…” Her eyes narrow on me.
A twinge of jealousy pinches under my ribs. Is there something going on? Are they together? Is that why Sawyer is acting so strange about whatever is happening between us? He should’ve shaken her hand off him by now.
“And you know me. I’m a fabulous cook.” Kristen shifts her cold blue stare back to me. “The cob loaf will be so much more satisfying than trying to choke down some awful beige rice dish.”
Sawyer looks down at me expectantly as he detaches Kristen from his arm. Oh. Does he want me to stand up for myself?
I square my shoulders.Okay, I can do this.“Kristen… You…” I sigh.There’s no way I can do this.“You look pretty tonight.”
She covers her shock with a shake of her hair. “Don’t I?”
Sawyer frowns at me. It’s like staring into the disapproving eyes of my woodwork teacher when he lamented about giving me anFbecause, honestly, who except me can’t craft something as simple as a cheeseboard? Sawyer’s disappointed in me.
“You know,” Kristen says. “I had thebestidea today. I talked it over with Luke. Where is he?” She whips her head around, and when she spots him chatting with a group of people by the bonfire, she calls out to him with a snap of her fingers. “What if we do a charity auction? After the work Elsie put in getting appraisals for the jewelry, it would be such a shame not to show off the best pieces.”
“We were just going to set up a nice display at the markets…” I trail off meekly.
“A display? Please. Let’s create a frenzy.”
A frenzy? I gulp. That’s the last place I want to be.
“Luke has agreed to do it,” Kristen adds.
The man himself passes me a glass of white wine. “What did I agree to?”
“Hosting the charity auction at the black-tie dinner,” Kristen says.
“I sure did.”
“He doesn’t know shit about jewelry and antiques,” Sawyer says.
Kristen’s face contorts into an expression like how I imagine a viper might try to smile. “Elsie can help him prepare.”
“W–what?” I say.
“Now, wait—” Sawyer tries to interject.
“Luke’s got the face and fame, and she’s got the inside knowledge to make the night go off without a hitch,” says Kristen. “It’s perfect. Luke and Elsie, up there, on the stage together.”
Luke beams.
Is he nuts? This is a terrible idea.
I want to lift the tablecloth, crawl underneath, and never, ever come out. “A s-stage?” God help us all.
Sawyer’s hand rests on my shoulder. “You okay with this, Hosko?”
No. “I, um…” I’d rather run naked through the grocery store. Fewer people will see me humiliate myself there.
“Of course she is,” Kristen insists. “Elsie knows how much good this will do for the community. We might even raise enough to buy a new bus for the nursing home this year.”
