Page 40 of All Snowed Gin

Tizzy opens her mouth to respond, but is cut off by my brother appearing at her side.

“Rosie, mind if I steal this beauty for a moment?” Cary asks.

“Go for it. I didn’t mean to monopolize her. Besides, I should check to make sure that everything is going okay. I’ll catch you guys later.”

I step around them, not waiting for a response, making my way to the storeroom. I’m not two steps into the large, cool area when I hear a voice cry out.

“Yes! Right there, fuck!”

I freeze. It takes another full second for me to fully register that voice—Willa Hayes. Oh shit. I slowly back away, completely cognizant that I just stumbled onto something I shouldn’t have—and wanting nothing to do with it. It also occurs to me that now might be a good time to find Milo and keep him far, far away from here, allowing Willa her fun. She and I have never been super close but have always gotten along, and well, just because I can’t be as happy as she sounds right now, doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be.

“Rose!” Brandt calls as soon as I shut the door to the storeroom. “Milo back there by chance?”

“Nope,” I laugh. “I was just about to go find him though.”

“If you find him, let him know our special guest is here.”

Special guest? What special guest? I wasn’t in charge of the guest list, but at the same time, I feel like that is a piece of information that would have been shared. Unless I missed it. Which, given where my thoughts have been all week, is entirely possible. My face must betray my thoughts, because Brandt laughs.

“Follow me, and I’ll introduce you,” Brandt says, nodding in the direction of the bar.

We weave our way through the crowd, dodging all the town’s characters, trying our best not to get caught up in more than a quick hello with each one. It still takes us fifteen minutes, since both Hattie Burch and Gail Chamberlain—co-captains of our small town’s rumor mill—stop us, offering up their opinion on improving the event for next year. Because, of course.

When we finally squeeze past the last cluster of guests, making our way to the small alcove in the far corner of the bar, we find Milo facing us, talking to a tall, muscular, dark-haired man who is turned toward him. This must be the “special guest.” Whose backside, I must say, is fabulous.

OMG, focus, Rose…not the time…

“Hey Rose!” Milo greets. “Glad Brandt found you. I’d like…”

Milo’s words fade into the noise of the party as the special guest turns around, and my heart stops. My stomach flips and my knees wobble just as my heart kicks back into high gear, a small, audible gasp escaping.

Pierce Adams is here.

“Rose.”

His voice is deep, gravelly, and delicious, waking up all sorts of things inside me. Fuck, how does he do that?

“Pierce.”

It takes everything I have to say his name, and still it comes out as a squeak. My heart is racing too fast for me to think. The only thing I can focus on is it clamoring against my chest. Because Pierce is here.

“We’ll give you two some space,” Milo says with a wink.

He and Brandt are gone before I remember to tell him to avoid the storeroom, but I can’t worry about that now. Willa is on her own. Because the sexiest man I have ever met in my life is standing before me, a crooked grin on his face, looking like he could eat me for dinner.

And I would gladly let him.

“Hi beautiful,” Pierce says.

Beautiful. He’s still greeting me with that. My insides melt, and I grasp at something, anything, to respond with.

“Hi.”

It’s lame, but it’s all I have.

“How’s your family? Everyone happy you’re home?”

“Y-yeah. They’re…good. I…errr…just…Pierce…” I stumble. I take a moment, sucking in a breath that makes my lungs hurt, trying to find my words. “You’re here. In Hickory Hills. H-how? Why?”