Page 3 of The Sugar and Spice Kitchen

It only got worse from there.

She’d been perfectly content pretending he didn’t exist since he’d moved back to Maple Falls two months ago.

Temporarily, according to town gossip. Thank God. Emily was used to people walking out of her life. This time, she’d gladly hold the door open.

Cole brushed snow calmly from his shoulders as she stared at him.

“Can I help you?” she snapped finally.

“Jackson texted. Said you were trapped. Needed a rescue.”

Emily narrowed her eyes. “I don’t need rescuing.”

He glanced toward the snow-packed back door.

She sighed.

Then his eyes dropped to the headless gingerbread man on the counter.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and cleared her throat.

“The doors are both blocked,” he said. “Snow’s still coming. We go out the way I came in. You’ll climb onto the fire escape first. I’ll be right behind you.”

Not, are you okay?

Not, how long have you been stuck here?

Just orders. Typical Cole.

Then he turned back and looked at her with those inscrutable gray eyes.

“You got a bag? Coat?”

“And a cat,” she added, chin lifting.

“Of course you do.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m not surprised.”

“Because…”

“You seem like the cat owning type.”

“I fail to see the insult.”

“It wasn’t one.”

That somehow irritated her even more.

“I’ll get you onto the fire escape first,” he continued. “Then I’ll come back for the cat.”

“Nutmeg,” Emily said.

“Pardon?”

“That cat’s name is Nutmeg. He’s asleep out front.”