Page 74 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“She’s right,” Harrison said. “He’s into it.”

“Wow,” Mal sighed, stealing another peek.

Sloane and Kai were headed up Park Avenue now, but she could see they still had the pretzels in their hands.

“Will you be famous?” Katie asked Mal with solemn eyes.

“Definitely not,” Mal said, smiling. “But if he mentioned our treat in his article, it would be really cool. Though I doubt he’ll do that, since there are so many wonderful things going on in this town.”

“I would write about them,” Katie said. “I’d write all about the bakery and the tools and equipment, and the way you invented jingle bell knots after you had a candy adventure with my dad.”

“Thank you, Katie,” Mal said, feeling warm inside at those kind words.

“Why don’t you hold hands?” Katie asked suddenly.

“What do you mean?” Mal asked her.

“If you’re in love, why aren’t you holding hands?” Katie asked, sounding a little worried as she looked back and forth between Mal and her father.

“Oh, Katie, we’re n—” Mal began.

“Mal hasn’t decided if she wants to go on a date with me yet, Katie,” Harrison broke in. “If she says yes, and then she wants to hold hands, we will.”

Mal blinked at him, not sure what she had expected, but somehow surprised at how honest he was being with his daughter.

“Don’t you want to go on a date?” Katie asked, turning to Mal. “Great-aunt Alice says when you go on a date with my dad I can go to her house and help her make pumpkin pies.”

Harrison let out a funny sound. Mal looked up and was stunned to see that he was trying not to laugh.

She turned back to Katie, who was observing her with pleading eyes.

She wants this, she realized.

Suddenly, Mal didn’t care anymore about making a fool of herself, or what tomorrow might bring.

“I would love to go on a date with you,” she told Harrison.

The hard angles of his handsome face suddenly softened into a smile so bright, it took her breath away.

“If I get at least one slice of pumpkin pie,” she added, turning to Katie with a pretend stern expression. “Otherwise, forget it.”

Katie melted into giggles.

“I’ll make sure you get whatever you want,” Harrison said firmly, holding out his hand for hers.

Mal took a deep breath and tentatively placed her hand in his.

As the warmth of his fingers surrounded hers, she felt a wave of rightness wash over her.

“That’s better,” Katie said, grabbing Mal’s other hand. “Now let’s get cookies.”

17

MALLORY

The night of her date with Harrison, Mal closed the bakery early, grateful that there was no one lingering over a cup of coffee.

It had been the most incredible day.