“I’ll guess I’ll be playing Mrs. Claus in the parade.” Kate gave in with good grace.
Sarah smiled. “I knew I could count on you.” She made a tick on her notebook and stuck it back in her handbag. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” she added casually. “Mr. James has got the flu as well. Flynn’s going to be Santa Claus.”
Kate’s eyes widened. She was still processing that last sentence when her friend slid off the stool and looked out the window.
“Now I really have to go.” Sarah winked at her. “I think you’ve got a customer.”
Kate watched Sarah exchange greetings with the tall, dark-haired man striding into her bakery. Flynn Winters. Her parade husband.
“Hi, Kate.” The gorgeous hunk walked up to the counter.
“Hi.” She knew she sounded breathless, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She just hoped her cheeks hadn’t reddened too much.
“Got any sourdough left?”
“Sure.” She wrapped up one of the last loaves, hoping he wouldn’t notice her hands trembling. Get a grip. “Here you go.” Kate placed the loaf of bread on the counter. Say something.
“Sarah tells me--”
“Sarah just told me--”
They spoke at once.
Flynn chuckled. “You first.”
She took a deep breath. “Sarah tells me we’re going to be in the parade together.” As husband and wife. She really had it bad.
“That’s what she just told me too. I’ve never done anything like this before.” He paused. “Have you?”
“No.” She shook her head, desperately wishing she could say something besides a one-word answer. Why was she so shy around guys? Or was she only shy around Flynn?
“So … do you want to get together to rehearse? Sarah gave me a copy of the script yesterday.” He gazed at her speculatively.
“Lines? We have lines?” She stared at him. When Sarah had asked her to play Mrs. Claus, she’d imagined herself riding on a float, waving to the kids lining Main Street. Not speaking lines in public.
“Yeah.” He gave her a crooked grin and her heartbeat quickened.
“Sarah didn’t mention anything to me.” She frowned. Was this her friend’s idea of matchmaking?
“Maybe she forgot. Chase said a couple of days ago that organizing the Christmas parade isn’t as easy as it looks.”
“You’re right.” She nodded. It had been crazy to suspect Sarah of setting her up with Flynn. Just because she’d admitted a few weeks ago that the man was yummy didn’t mean her friend had somehow managed to get both of them to appear in the parade. And that they’d have to rehearse together…
“How about tonight?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.
“Tonight?” she echoed. She’d been so busy thinking how gorgeous he looked that she’d missed his question.
“To run lines. The parade’s next week.”
“Oh.” Her heart skipped a beat. “Sure. Do you want to come over to my place?” Praying her cheeks hadn’t reddened again, she waited for his answer.
“Sounds good.” He grinned. “Seven-thirty okay?”
“Fine. I live at 125 Main Street.” She tried to smile, wondering if she would hyperventilate instead. As she watched him walk out the door, she felt like a giddy teenager.
***
Kate checked her reflection one last time. Tendrils of light brown hair framed her heart-shaped face, while the green sweater she wore highlighted her dark green eyes. Dove-gray pants cut to flatter her curvy frame completed the outfit.
Flynn should be here any minute. The doorbell rang and she darted to the hall, before taking a few seconds to control her breathing. When she thought she was ready, she unbolted the heavy wooden door.
“Hi.” She gazed up at him, noticing the snowflakes studding his dark brown hair and heavy black coat.
“Hi.” He smiled at her, and her knees wobbled.
Belatedly, she remembered he was barely dodging a flurry of snow. “Come in.”
“Thanks.” He hung up his coat on a wooden peg in the hall and followed her through to the living room. “This is cozy.”
“I think so.” Kate looked with satisfaction at the cream walls, light blue carpet and comfortable furniture. She rented the cottage furnished, and had been pleasantly surprised when she’d moved in. “Libby used to live here, before she and Jake got married.”
“I know.” He nodded. “Cade told me.”
Since Flynn had arrived in town, whenever she saw Cade, Emma’s husband, she immediately thought of Flynn. Although they were of similar height, build and attractive, Kate privately thought Flynn was the slightly better looking of the two. Or was that just because she’d been drawn to him from the first moment she saw him?
“Would you like a drink?” She crossed to the small kitchen. “I make hot chocolate with European chocolate.”
“That sounds great.” The corners of his mouth tugged upwards. “I was hoping it wouldn’t snow much tonight so I could get through from the ranch, and so far it looks good.”