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Blythe glared at him, and then looked at Renie, who was smiling. Thank God. She didn’t want any crap from her today. She had her hands full between Jace and Tucker.
“Want some hot chocolate, darlin’?” Billy asked Renie, walking toward the bar before she had a chance to answer.
Blythe laughed.
“What’s funny?” asked Jace.
“You two—with all your ‘darlins’ and ‘pretty girls.’ You’re both such cowboys.”
She looked over at Renie, who was still smiling.
“What’s with you?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“Come on, Renie, speak. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I’m happy.”
“That’s it? You’re happy.”
Blythe looked at Jace, who was looking at Renie, but turned to look at her. He smiled, too.
“I feel like there’s something going on and no one is telling me what it is.” It was beginning to irritate her.
Renie reached over and squeezed Blythe’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, nothing is going on. I mean it. I’m happy.” Renie looked between Blythe and Jace, shook her head, and then looked toward the bar.
“I’m gonna go see if Billy needs any help.”
“What was that about?” Blythe asked Jace once Renie was gone.
“I have no idea. But I get the impression she likes seein’ the two of us together. Don’t you?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
Jace didn’t either. Irene’s reaction was…unusual. Especially given it was such an abrupt departure from her attitude earlier. It didn’t matter though. He liked Blythe. She was fun to be around, and he intended to be around her as much as possible.
“Where were we before they came in?” He pulled her back onto his lap. “I like you better closer.” He reached up and pulled her hat off. She put her hand on his, trying to stop him.
“I wanna run my fingers through your hair, darlin’. Let go now.” He eased her hat away from her hand and put it on the table.
“Hat hair,” she said and blushed, like she was embarrassed.
It was such a simple thing, but that vulnerability did something to him. He shifted her so she couldn’t feel his reaction to it. What was it about her that made him want to keep her feeling that way? Vulnerable. Shy. A little off kilter.
“So sweet,” he whispered and kissed her again. “You wanna keep skiing, sweetheart, or should we find somethin’ else to keep us busy?”
Renie and Billy came back to the table before Blythe had a chance to respond.
“I got a text from my mom,” Renie said. “She wants to know when we’re coming back to the house.”
“Everythin’ okay?” asked Billy.
Renie texted something back to her mom and waited for a response.
“Yeah, everything is fine, but they’re wondering.”
Jace looked at Blythe again, who still hadn’t spoken. “I think we’re ready to call it a day,” he answered for both of them. “I’ll go turn our skis in. You wanna get out of those boots, darlin’?”
