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“Figured you would. Kinda goes with the town’s Bourbon theme and all.” Del grinned. “So, is she okay?”
“She will be. After some nudging, she confided in Alex that she was having a hard time digesting the whole baby thing.”
“And she doesn’t know you were standing in the hall eavesdropping. So, be careful what you say to her, or she’ll think I ratted her out,” Alex said.
Mia grinned. “Don’t worry. You already told her you were going to tell me, and she knows I tell her aunt Del everything.”
“It takes a village,” Del said with a shrug. “Anyway, hopefully, she makes it back tomorrow before the worst of the snow hits, or she’s gonna be stuck at her dad’s a few extra days.”
Mia frowned. Maybe the snow was going to hit after all. She gave Delaney a quick hug before her sister hurried back to the tree lot, then pulled up the National Weather Service on the store’s computer.
“Winter storm warning in effect until three a.m. Monday morning. Yikes. They’re calling for significant snowfall overnight, with high winds that could cause blowing and drifting.” She looked to Alex. “Maybe you shouldn’t stay for dinner after all.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve waited all week for another chance at Gina’s chicken and dumplings.”
“The Sweet Mash serves that every Saturday, silly. I’d rather you make it home safe this weekend so you can come back and enjoy them as many Saturdays as you’d like.”
“And I would rather have it both todayandnext weekend.” He set his coffee on the checkout counter and came around to read the report over her shoulder. “See? Significant snowfall overnight. If we cut out of the cookie baking early, we’ll have plenty of time to grab a quick dinner before I head out.”
She still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to help bake cookies this afternoon, in preparation for next weekend’s bookstore event. Poor guy had absolutely no idea what he was walking into. She’d warned him that he’d be the only guy there, but he said he’d gone to similar events with his mother many times.
Yeah, but not in Bourbon Falls, buddy.
“Do you really want to chance it?”
“It’ll be fine, trust me. And look—Indy is only in the one- to two-inch range. As long as I get south of here before it gets nasty, it’ll be easy sailing.”
Why, oh why, did men have to do this ridiculous bravado act instead of play it safe all the time? Rather than belabor the fact that this snowstorm appeared to be real, she let it go. Alex was a big boy and could make his own decisions.
“It’s your hide.” Mia gave his butt a small smack. “Though I am rather fond of it.”
Alex hooked his fingers through the belt loop of her jeans and pulled her closer. “And I’m rather fond of you being fond of—”
“If you’re going to make out,” came a deep voice from the hall, “the best place in here to do that is behind the back row, away from the front window. Or so I’ve heard.”
Mia stepped back on a sharp inhale and found Isaac walking in from the back door. “I am not even going to ask how you know—wait, is that what you were doing the day Brooklyn and I stopped by and found you trying to sneak out the front door?”
Isaac’s forever-tanned cheeks reddened. “I’ll plead the fifth. Anyway, Del told me to get my ass over here and introduce myself to Alex while I was in the area.”
“So, you were out for more cobbler, huh?” Mia said.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He winked at her and extended a hand to Alex. “Isaac Manning.”
“Alex Wellington.” He shook Isaac’s hand. “I hear you’re the town’s new website guru.”
“Eh, I’ve been known to do a little dabbling.”
Mia shook her head. “And you all say I’m not good at taking compliments.”
“Well, yourdabblingwith the Tipsy Barrel Bourbons site looks killer. If you ever want to take a stab at designing an author website for me, just name your price. My agent has been hounding me to get one for months now.”
Isaac laughed. “Sure, man. Let me get past this next round of proposal deadlines and we’ll talk.”
He stayed a few minutes more before heading out, his deadline—and carryout cobbler—calling for him. Once the store was quiet once more, Alex clicked away the weather page and took Mia by the hand.
“Where are we going?”
“Away from all this doom and gloom. Besides, I hear there’s something we need to see in the back row.”
