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“That was before you left me at the rest stop.” I blink hard multiple times, trying to make sense of the crazy that’s spilling from his lips.
He laughs. “You’re so dramatic. I didn’tleave youat the rest stop. I told you I was leaving, and you refused to come.”
“You what?No!I told you I needed more quality time together, and you stormed off.”
“Storming off is a pretty big indicator that I’m going to leave.” He laughs.
I stare at him, wondering how I ever looked past his way of thinking for nearly six months. “I think we’re good here. You can go.”
His grin gets wider and reaches around me, taking a perfectly crisp gingerbread off the counter. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I’m not sure what I’m angrier about. The fact that he’s ruined a perfectly good cookie, or the fact that he’s so arrogant.
Arnie’s big hands land on my shoulder and he carefully moves me to the side before stepping toward Jack. His fists are balled, and though I reach forward to stop him from doing anything he’ll regret, he continues with his punch regardless.
Jack is unphased. He wipes blood from his cracked lip and chuckles. “An old man that can throw an actual punch. I’m impressed. Why are you fighting for her, though? You two have something going on?”
Arnie hauls back and punches him again. This time, Jack lands on his back, sliding against the tile floor with a heavy thud.
I’d love to say he’s learned his lesson, but the man is still laughing.
Arnie stalks toward him, gripping the back of his collar before tossing him out of the side door and locking it behind him.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” I reach out for his hand as I run the warm water in the sink. He’s split his knuckles with the punches. “I’ll get the gingerbread out of the oven, and we should head out for tonight.”
“You’re not going home.” Arnie’s gaze meets mine with more seriousness than I’ve ever seen from his gentle eyes.
I smile and grab a towel from beneath the sink, blotting the water off his cracked hand. “And where am I going?”
“With me.”
“With you where?” I laugh. “Your cabin? No, I’m fine. Jack was drinking. Couldn’t you smell it all over him? He acts stupid when he drinks.”
“The man acts stupid all the damn time. I don’t care what made him come here. I’m not letting you go home alone.”
I twist off the sink and leave the towel wrapped around Arnie’s hand. I appreciate his concern, and while I agree Jack is a complete psycho, I don’t think he’d follow me home. He’s had the opportunity to come after me for weeks now and he hasn’t.
“You’re sweet, and I appreciate you, but we have this gingerbread contest in two days. I need a good night’s sleep.”
“Nope.” He slides the first two cooling racks into the fridge. “I’m off the next two days, and so are you.”
“Technically, but I should come in to bake since I still have thousands of cookies to finish.”
“You can bake at the cabin.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“It’s going to this time.”
I’ve only known Arnie for a few weeks, but in that time, he’s only ever been a cinnamon roll. This is… weird.
I laugh. “What do you think is going to happen? I don’t even think he knows where I live.”
“He could follow you.”
“Okay, so he follows me. Then what? I’ll see him behind me and I won’t go home.”
Arnie sighs as though this answer isn’t the one he was looking for. “Do you have anywhere else you can go tonight? Maybe some friends or family?”
