Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,23

good.” He watched her set a plate in the microwave. The kitchen wasn’t as glossy as the renovation he’d just completed, but the oak cupboards looked solid enough. Tasteful. Homey.

He’d never really had that. With Julia, the kitchen was merely an elegant staging area for caterers, with a fridge to store restaurant leftovers. He’d learned to cook since being on his own, thanks to Katri’s urging to eat healthier, but he’d never invested in an upgraded kitchen until this renovation and, then, only because he’d had a clean slate. What would Winnie think of the house he had yet to move into? Everything would be done by Christmas. Maybe he could invite her over. Cook for her.

Or, maybe he could offer to cook dinner for her and the boys sometime here. That would probably go over better. He needed to win them over, too.

She set a plate holding a warm muffin in front of him. Butter melted in rivulets. “Here you go. More decaf?”

“Please.” His fingers poised over the aromatic muffin. Why was this suddenly so important?

Because he was lonely. Because he’d had a glimpse of how a real family operated, even in the absence of a husband and father.

Because Winnie attracted him.

That was the real truth.

And he was going to go for it, slow and easy. He lifted the muffin and took a bite. “Thanks. This is great.”

One step at a time. Like a dance to music only he could hear.

They sat at the island, their muffins down to tiny crumbs, lingering over their cups of decaf. Winnie couldn’t remember ever sitting on these tall stools this long. Generally, if she had this much time, she’d get more comfy in the living room, but then she wouldn’t be within inches of this interesting man. Also, if she suggested they move, he might take that as a hint he should leave. After all, their business for the evening, the video call with the kids, had been completed half an hour ago.

She didn’t want him to leave. She didn’t want to think about why that was.

He didn’t seem to want to leave any more than she wanted him to. He’d asked her out a few days ago, and she’d hedged until he’d turned the discussion elsewhere.

Charlie actually liked her. And she sort of liked him back.

The dual realization turned her hands clammy. What was she going to do about this? They had months of closeness as they worked out the details of Dom and Katri’s wedding. Would it be so bad to see if they could be more than friends? More than future in-laws? But what if it didn’t work out, and they were stuck with planning the wedding?

But what if it did work out?

“You’ve been rather quiet. Have I overstayed my welcome?” Charlie’s quiet voice broke into her scrambling thoughts.

“Not at all. Sorry. Thinking.”

His shoulder pressed against hers. “I’d offer you a penny for your thoughts, but my daughter told me that was too cheap. How about a coffee at the bistro again one day soon?” There was more than playfulness in his tone.

Winnie drew a ragged breath. “That assumes you’d like the direction my thoughts are heading.”

“Won’t I?”

She didn’t dare look at him, but all her awareness focused on the spot where their shoulders lightly touched. She turned her coffee cup slowly on the countertop for one full turn. “I was thinking about your question the other day.”

“Which one?”

“You said...” Winnie sucked in a huge mouthful of air. “You said you’d like to take me out.”

Charlie increased the pressure on her shoulder as he leaned closer. His breath whispered on her cheek. “I would like that, very much. You fascinate me, Winnie.”

“Thanks. I think.” She managed a little chuckle.

“Is there an evening that works best for you? A night the boys have an activity?”

So thoughtful. “They have youth group on Fridays.”

“Friday sounds good. Do you ice skate?”

Visions of Dickensian characters skating arm-in-arm twirled through her mind. “Some.”

“I hear the Skate Ribbon downtown is pretty cool. They hadn’t set the ice yet when Katri and I wandered through Riverside Park, but I hear it’s good to go now.”

“I haven’t skated there, though the boys have. They raved about it. It’s only been open a couple of years.”

“Do you have ice skates? I believe they rent them out, if you don’t.”

“I have skates.”

Charlie nudged her. “You once had designs on being the next Michelle Kwan?”

“And win Olympic medals on the ice?” She chuckled. “I had no such aspirations. The guy I