Page 77 of Flirty Fall Fling

“And that little cousin of hers came out swinging. Pointed her finger and everything, then shooed her away. Josie, I think, is her name.”

My interest piques. They’re talking about Blaire, and then I register what the woman said. Someone called her a circus act.

“Blaire was a class act through it all. Not sure I would’ve been had Maren spoken to me that way. Flora would’ve been so proud.”

As I listen to each conversation being had, it’s clear how protective the town is of Blaire. I add a dash of cream to my coffee and keep my expression neutral.

The door rings overhead, and Blaire walks through the door like I manifested her. My heart pitter-patters when I see her. She’s wearing a hunter-green coat with her hair down. I’m in the corner with my hat pulled down low, and she doesn’t see me yet.

A guy walks in and gets in line behind her. He’s wearing a flannel with the Xander Ski Resort logo on the chest. He notices her and says something that I can’t hear.

Blaire turns and grins back at him with a nod.

They hold a conversation, and jealousy bubbles inside of me. It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen her, and she’s looking gorgeous.

He laughs loudly, and Blaire looks pleased with herself. A stranger in flannel gets her attention without trying.

I sip my coffee because I made the rules back when I believed thirty days would be easy. Right now, I hate every second of this.

She gives him another smile, and I relax because I recognize her customer-service smile. It’s the same one she hands out at the shop when a tourist asks if her readings are real.

I cross to the condiment station for a napkin I don’t need. From there, I can hear better.

“So, what’s your specialty?” the guy asks her.

“Coffee grounds, mostly. And tarot.”

“What about love readings? Asking for a friend.” He winks.

My nostrils flare.

“Every reading’s a love reading if you’re not careful.”

He flirts too much. His buddy watches from a table by the door and shakes his head.

“Okay, so how do I book one? Or maybe you could join me later? The bar at the resort makes a decent old-fashioned. I have a feeling you’d be a good time.”

“Blaire,” the barista says, sliding the large coffee across the wooden counter.

“It was nice meeting you,” Blaire says to the guy, leaving his offer hanging.

She grabs her cup and walks straight toward me. I hold very still, angling my body away from her. She reaches past me for the cinnamon shaker, dusts her drink, and sets it back down. Her arm brushes mine, and tingles shoot through me.

“The hat isn’t hiding you from anyone. Especially not me,” she says quietly without meeting my eyes. Then she pushes the door open with her hip and walks out into the afternoon without looking back.

I glance down, shaking cinnamon on my coffee, then smile into my cup.

The resort guy drops into the chair across from his buddy.

“She was hot,” the buddy says. “I might go get her number.”

“You didn’t? She was into you.”

“Maybe. Hmm. Maybe I’ll work up enough courage to go into her shop.”

I finish my coffee at a table, watching the leaves rustle across the sidewalk. Every day, it’s gotten a tad colder.

Doris Jean sits by the door with a newspaper, but she hasn’t turned a page since I walked in. She speaks as I pass, without looking up. “Maze opens tonight at the festival. The orchard puts it on. The whole town goes. It’s tradition to do the maze right at dark.” She turns the page, not talking to anyone in particular, but I know it’s for me.