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“I’ll follow you out,” Rowan says as he motions toward the door.
We stand on the porch, and I scan the streets to make certain no one’s spying on us. I’m not ready for the gossips of Winter Falls to invade my sanctuary.
Rowan claps me on the back. “Will you join us for Christmas next week?”
The idea of spending a day with all five of the West sisters and their partners makes me want to run away as fast as I can. Crowds are bad enough. But a crowd of people who haven’t seen you in years and think they have the right to know every single thing you’ve been doing in the meantime? I dread the thought.
I shrug and he sighs. He knows my shrug is a no.
“Will you at least promise to not leave town without letting me know?”
“Yeah.”
It’s an easy enough promise to make since I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. I might not be ready to get involved in the daily life of Winter Falls, but I’m not ready to flee town yet. My gut is telling me to stay for a while.
“Good. I’ve missed you, brother.”
Chapter 6
Attachment – something that wouldn’t happen if Cassandra would stick to her rules
“Can you pick up some eggs on your way to my place?” Archer asks.
His words should shock me. Hell, they should send me fleeing as fast as my car can drive me away from Winter Falls. A man expecting me to pick up some groceries for him on my way to his place is not the norm in Cassandra’s world. Except, when it comes to Archer, nothing is normal.
“Anything else?” I ask as I switch on my turn signal to make a U-turn as I’m now driving in the wrong direction.
“If you pick up some corn tortillas, I’ll make you Huevos Rancheros for breakfast.”
He’s assuming I’m staying overnight. Awesome.
“I like how you think. See you soon.”
“Drive safe, princess.”
My body warms at his nickname for me. Princess. I wish I was a princess. I’m not. I’m a thirty-three-year-old woman who doesn’t deserve this kind man. But I’m not stupid. I’m going to enjoy him while I can.
When I arrive at the parking area as near to Archer’s tiny house as I can get forty-five minutes later, he’s waiting there for me.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Didn’t want you carrying the groceries,” he grumbles as he opens the trunk and picks up the bag.
“It’s some eggs and tortillas. I think I would have managed.”
He grunts in response. Over the past two months, I’ve learned Archer doesn’t talk much. Fine with me. I can talk enough for the two of us.
He grasps my hand to lead me through the woods to where his tiny house is located. Holding hands with a man is another big no-no in Cassandra’s rules of life, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I enjoy the feel of his calloused hand in mine.
I need to watch myself with him before I get emotionally attached, but there’s no need to worry since he’s leaving soon. He never stays in one place for more than six months and he’s already been here for three. I’ll be sad when he’s gone, but it’s for the best. I don’t deserve love.
He opens the door to his tiny cottage on wheels and the smell of rosemary hits me. “Yum. What are you cooking?”
“Baked pumpkin gratin with rosemary and goat’s cheese.”
My stomach growls at the description.
“It should be ready in about thirty minutes,” he says as he puts away the groceries. “Do you mind if I deal with an email in the meantime?”
