Page 58 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“What?” Katie asked.

“I’m going over to my dad’s now,” Mal said. “I was going to bring him some of your baklava, Katie.”

“Yes, and the new treat,” Katie said, her eyes filled with excitement.

“I’m also going to try and convince him to put out the Christmas decorations,” Mal said. “He’s been feeling a little down, but I think he’ll regret it if he doesn’t do our tradition.”

Harrison nodded, his serious expression telling her he understood—of course he did.

“Anyway,” Mal went on. “I wondered if you two might want to come with me.”

As soon as the words were out, she felt foolish. Harrison had the whole farm to tend to. And Katie didn’t want to spend her evening visiting someone else’s dad.

“Can we, Dad?” Katie asked right away.

Harrison’s blue eyes went to Mal, his expression so intense that it almost hurt to look at.

But she couldn’t have broken his gaze, even if she had wanted to. She was transfixed, a haze of confusing emotions rising in her chest.

“We’d love to,” Harrison said, tearing his eyes from Mal’s.

13

HARRISON

Afew minutes later, Harrison stood beside Katie on the front lawn of a cute colonial house on the corner of Oberlin and Lafayette. It was dark out now, but a little light glowed through the front windows.

Mallory had invited them up to the door with her, but Katie had held back. Her open feeling about Mallory herself clearly didn’t extend to Mallory’s dad.

Please let him be as patient as Mallory, Harrison thought to himself as the cold breeze ruffled his hair. Katie deserves to have fun today.

He tried not to let himself think about how important it was to him for Mallory’s father to like the two of them.

She didn’t even say yes, he reminded himself. I said my piece and she said she’d think about it.

The thing of it was, he believed to his bones that she was thinking about it. It wasn’t a blow off.

At least he hoped that was the case. He was trying not to overthink the fact that she wanted them to meet her dad.

But maybe his gut instinct was nothing more than wishful thinking. The beautiful young baker had him so far out of his comfort zone that he really couldn’t tell up from down anymore.

The porch light came on and the front door opened, revealing a large man with broad shoulders and a surprised but pleased expression.

“Hey, Dad,” Mallory said. “I hope it’s okay that I brought some friends.”

The man’s eyes moved down to Harrison and Katie.

Harrison thought maybe he should wave or shout hello, but his own reserved personality held him back. He managed to nod in a friendly way.

Katie froze by his side, and Harrison put an arm around her stiff shoulders.

“Is this your little baklava cook?” Mallory’s dad boomed in obvious delight. “Did she bring some for me?”

Harrison could feel Katie’s shoulders relax a little. She nodded and held out the tin that was clutched in her small hands.

“Hot dog,” Mallory’s dad declared. “Well, come on in. I’ll whip up some cocoa to go with it.”

Mallory held out her hand for Katie, a smile on her face.