Page 92 of Wilde Flame

“Are you closing the store tonight?”

“No, I opened. Moreen is closing today.”

“How about I take you out to dinner?”

“Caden, if we go out to dinner, gossip will start.”

I snorted. “My mother and father told me that gossip has already started. Apparently after my visit on Christmas night.”

“Oh dear.”

“How about I make us dinner at my place? We can talk more about you moving in.”

“Are you sure? I can pick something up and bring it.”

“Just bring yourself. What time do you think you’ll be by?”

She paused, and I could hear her moving papers around. “I’ll need to go home and take a shower to get all of this perfume off of me. Maybe six?”

“Anything I should avoid?”

“For the love of God, nothing with bacon.”

Laughing, I said, “You’ve got it.”

Lilibeth pulled into my driveway right behind me. I got out and walked over to her car.

“Perfect timing. I hope you’re not starving and were hoping for dinner to be ready.”

She got out and smiled, walking with me back toward my vehicle. “Running late?”

“Winter on a cattle ranch can be…interesting.” I took the bags out of the back of my truck.

“Need me to get anything?” Lilibeth asked.

“Nope, just head on in. Do you remember the code?”

We walked up to the front door since I hadn’t pulled into the garage.

“I think so.”

She typed it in and then we were inside, taking off our winter things before heading to the kitchen.

Setting the bags on the counter, I said, “I got stuff to make pizzas. I hope that sounds okay.”

Lilibeth smiled, and it lit up the entire kitchen. Her face was even more beautiful than usual when she smiled.

“That not only sounds good, but it also sounds like fun.”

We worked together to empty the bags.

“Something to drink?” I asked, as I pulled a beer out of the fridge for myself.

“Do you have orange juice?”

Never in my life was I so happy that I had fucking orange juice in my house. I reached back into the refrigerator and pulled out the brand-new carton I’d bought this morning when I was in town.

“I never buy orange juice, but something told me to grab it just this morning.”