and see Lou. Make sure he’s behaving himself because I swear, that Alberta keeps coming over there as if we don’t all know what she’s doing.” Rosie’s gaze shot imaginary daggers in the direction of Lou’s booth. “It ain’t like she’s actually eating all that chili she keeps buying and giggling over.”
Cole gave Sophie a blank look.
Laughing, Sophie linked her arm with his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It wasn’t.
“Come on,” she said, “and I’ll explain on our way to Lou’s. Sometimes it’s easier to not argue, and I am hungry. All I’ve had since lunch is a piece of gum a firefighter tossed out to me during the best Christmas parade ever.”
Sophie was right. Sometimes it was easier to just not argue.
But his sense of self-preservation was arguing right and left that he should not have his arm linked with Sophie’s, that he should step away, that he shouldn’t be looking into her smiling face.
That he shouldn’t be going soft inside just because she walked with her arm hooked with his and seemed oblivious to everything and everyone except him as they strolled toward Lou’s food truck.
That her arm linked with his, her warm presence next to him, felt right even when he knew it wasn’t.
Sophie talked non-stop while they made their way to where Cole had gotten his chili.
“Mmm, everything smells heavenly.” She inhaled deeply, then smiled at the older gentleman in the food truck. “I’ll take one bowl of your Spicy Hot Chili and a hot chocolate, please.”
Surprised she’d chosen the spicy version of Lou’s offerings, Cole got out his wallet. He was still full, but the chili did smell good enough to make his own stomach growl.
Sophie’s gaze dropped to where he was pulling out some cash. “You don’t need to do that. I don’t think Rosie meant for you to buy my dinner.” Thinking on what she’d said, she grinned and acknowledged what he’d already known. “Well, she might have, but I didn’t mean for you to.”
“Rosie sent y’all over here?”
Sophie’s gaze shifted to Lou.
“Of course. Don’t you recognize spies when you see them?” She winked at Lou. “We’re taking notes on how many bowls of chili Alberta buys while we’re here.”
Lou grinned. “Be sure to tell her that Alberta bought a few dozen, and that I threw in a pie for free. That should get Rosie’s goat good.”
“Now, Lou,” Sophie mock-scolded. “You wouldn’t be purposely trying to make Rosie jealous, would you?”
“Darn tootin’ I am. It’s past time for her to make an honest man out of me.”
Sophie sighed. “Agreed. I’ll make it sound good and tell her about the twinkle I saw in your eyes.”
“Thatta girl.” Lou grinned, then gave her the total for her items.
“Here. I’ve got this,” Cole stepped forward, handing the man a twenty.
“Cole,” Sophie began again, but when her gaze met his, she paused and seemed to come to a conclusion, because rather than argue further, she smiled and said, “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”
Sweet. Not an adjective used to describe him possibly ever. It was enough to make Cole laugh as he took his change from Lou and put his wallet back into his pocket.
He took the bowl from her while she grabbed some packs of crackers and her hot chocolate.
Rather than go to one of the few tables set up to try to squeeze in around folks already eating there, Sophie went to the garland-and-white-lights-draped gazebo with its big red bows at the top of each section. A fully decorated Christmas tree was in the center of the gazebo. Several people sat around on the seats along the perimeter, so Sophie sat down on the steps.
Cole handed over her chili. If he was going to walk away, now was his chance.
Only, he wouldn’t leave her to sit alone on the gazebo steps.
What kind of person would he be if he did that? After all, she’d always been nothing but kind to him, despite knowing what she knew.
He sat down next to her, the cold from the steps cutting through even the thickness of his utility pants. In her thinner clothes, Sophie had to feel as if she was sitting on an ice block. But rather than complain, she awarded him another happy look.
Meeting her gaze, the smile he’d been fighting broke free. He didn’t even know why he was smiling, just that he felt the lifting of his facial muscles as his mouth curved.
“Finally,” she breathed. “I thought you’d