Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2) - Sarah Morgenthaler Page 0,4
place where Lana was an outsider, being reminded of her and Zoey’s shared history caused a rush of affection to wash over her. And she wasn’t the only one overwhelmed with affection for Zoey Caldwell. Graham’s face split into a broad, almost silly grin as he strode across the room, ignoring the leg lamp and heading straight for them. He dropped into the seat Zoey had saved on her other side and kissed her.
“Hey there, Zoey Bear.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her the perfect place to snuggle for warmth at his side. Over Zoey’s head, Graham offered Lana an amused look. “Greetings, supreme overtaker.”
“Graham, stop.” Zoey frowned at him, poking his stomach with a finger. “You’re going to make her feel bad.”
“He’s only teasing me,” Lana said. “Graham teases the people he likes.”
“See?” Graham flashed her that charming look of his, the one that always got him out of trouble. “L knows me.”
That was true enough. Most importantly, Lana knew that of all the locals, Graham hated her plans for Moose Springs the most. He’d spearheaded most of the attempts to delay her condominiums, and he wouldn’t mind one bit if her project failed. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t her friend. He’d still hug her when he saw her and get mad if someone called her a rude name. He’d let her throw rambunctious parties at his diner if she needed a distraction for the evening, and he’d break pretty much every “no tourist” rule he had for her in the name of a friendship they’d been cultivating for several years now.
They just didn’t always agree on the tourism thing.
“I’m going to get myself a treat.” Lana stood up, smiling warmly at her friends. “Would you like anything?”
“Usually I’m the one tossing food your way. I’m happy to sit back and let you be the bearer of delicious things.”
“I’d like a coffee, please,” Zoey said.
“A complicated, no-one-can-get-it-right, super coffee with the exact right amount of everything, or she’ll give you hell for it.”
“Lana will get it right.”
“Einstein couldn’t get it right.” Graham winked at Zoey.
“Lana’s much smarter than you, and even if she did get it wrong, I wouldn’t say anything. Unlike you, who has deliberately screwed up my coffee every day this week because you think it’s funny.”
“You get the cutest little scrunchy face when it’s too sweet—”
“Graham.”
“Or not sweet enough.”
“Graham.”
“Or if there’s regular dairy instead of nondairy creamer—”
Lana left them to their conversation, having been exposed to their antics enough to know how this would progress. Graham’s particular brand of affection was exactly what Zoey needed in her life. And if Graham following her around like a lovesick puppy was any indicator, she was exactly what he needed too.
Lana didn’t know what she needed, but some eggnog would be a pleasant start.
A table had been set up along the wall, complete with coffee urn and cookies, the little hard ones from a Christmas-themed tin. So far, no one was eating the cookies, preferring a large Tupperware container full of homemade party mix. Sadly, there was no eggnog and not enough hands, so Lana fixed coffees for three instead. Taking a small portion of party mix and two cookies out of politeness instead of any real desire to consume either, Lana turned and bumped cookie plate to cookie plate into the man behind her.
“Oops, sorry. Oh. Hello, Rick.” Lana glanced up at the only person in town who made her heart skip an extra beat.
“Hey.” The quiet, rumbled word was nice, especially from a man more known for nodding than talking.
Hazel eyes a shade greener than she remembered gazed down at her over his own coffee. Normally clean-shaven, Rick Harding must have slept in late that morning, because the light stubble on his face was as unusual for the pool hall owner as it was attractive.
There had been a time when Lana had considered Rick somewhat average. Average height, somewhat larger-than-average muscular build, with a strong jaw on a pleasantly attractive face.
Then he’d come to her rescue the previous summer after some disgruntled and inebriated townsfolk had taken her to task for announcing the condominium project. Someone had caused her to deliberately fall, hurting her arm. After helping her off the ground, Rick had promptly punched the lights out of the man who tripped her.
There were many people in Lana’s life but very few heroes.
“It’s really good to see you again,” Lana told him sincerely.
“I didn’t realize you were back in town,” Rick said