Snowy Encounters (4 page)

Cole shoved his hands into his pockets. “I do
need a decorator at least for Tall Oaks. I could do it on my own
and let my staff help me, but I’m trying to get ready for the grand
opening for Limestone. The Christmas Eve party is all set, but I
definitely need decorations for the place.”

Maddy set her cup on the table next to the
couch. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be seen
together. You’re the town hero and everyone thinks I left you with
a broken heart. I don’t need the gossip, nor do my parents.”

Anger rose to his throat.
“You
did
leave.
You said our marriage isn’t working for you then went off to the
big city, and I got divorce papers six months later.”

Maddy drew in a deep breath and her breasts
lifted under the soft cashmere sweater, drawing his gaze to her
chest. His feet moved involuntarily closer towards her. “We fought
too much. It was always one thing or another and we barely saw each
other.”

Cole stiffened. No matter how hard he’d tried
to please her, it hadn’t been enough. He’d pushed himself, worked
harder, hoping she would never leave him once he’d accomplished
building a life for them here. But she’d run anyway. He’d thought
the baby would keep her tied to him, but she’d only shown him how
unreliable her love for him was once she’d had the miscarriage. It
wasn’t as if he’d tried to stop her from making a career for
herself. She was talented and passionate. But she wanted things he
couldn’t give her, just like his mother had never been happy with
his father. “I’m not asking you to stay. I’m asking you to decorate
my lodge. That’s it.”

Her lips thinned, and then she straightened,
indifference taking over her features. “Fine. I can decorate. If
you tell me what you need, I’ll make it happen and I would also
need a few staff members to help me.”

He studied her for a second. The stubborn
tilt of her nose, the proud jut of her chin. Maddy never backed
down from a challenge. Neither did he. The opportunity appeared and
he seized it. Once she saw his lodge and how well he was doing,
maybe she’d…she’d what? He frowned, more to himself than her.
“Fine. Meet me at the diner tomorrow at noon. I should be able to
get a list for you by then and we’ll go shopping for whatever you
need.”

“Fine.” She grabbed her cup from the table
and walked past him, avoiding his eyes.

Cole drew in a deep breath. He felt like he’d
just won a battle. Over what, he wasn’t sure.

“And Cole?”

He whirled around.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll wish you
had asked someone else. Don’t blame me if I set your lodge on fire.
By accident.” Maddy seethed then stalked off.

Cole watched the gentle sway of her hips as
she marched down the hall to the kitchen. He blinked. Then laughter
rumbled from within his chest. She wouldn’t destroy his business on
purpose, but her natural disaster tendencies did seem to get her in
trouble.

He couldn’t wait for her to start
decorating.

Chapter Six

Stumps Diner was the hangout of Five Oaks.
With only a few restaurants, antique stores, gift shops and other
specialty businesses, the town had grown since Maddy left. She’d
used to love wandering the streets with her mother, and she and
Cole had spent many dates at the diner in their usual booth. The
food was great, even though the place had needed some heavy
remodeling and change.

After the tow truck dropped
off her rental, Maddy left the house to meet Cole. She’d arrived at
the place a little after noon. Surprise struck her when she’d
spotted a couple locking lips against the side of the building. Jo
Button and Ash Delaney. Never would she have imagined them
together. Maybe the town had changed more than she'd assumed since
she hadn't been home in so long. She ignored them and made her way
to the entrance. The bell above the door rang when she jerked it
open, and every pair of eyes turned in her direction. Maddy scanned
the room, swallowing hard at the shocking stares she’d received.
Her gaze circled the area for Cole, and she glanced down at her
watch to check the time. He was later than her.
The jerk.

Making her way through the restaurant, she
picked a booth next to a window and slid in. She sighed. Even more
aware of the nosy speculations of her appearance, she cleared her
throat and picked up a menu behind the napkin dispenser.

“What ‘cha gonna have, honey?”

Maddy didn’t recognize the waitress. In a
pink uniform, white apron tied around her waist, wisps of
strawberry blonde hair loose from the thick mass on top of her
head, she was cute. The waitress popped her gum, giving Maddy the
same all-around look over.

“Can I have a diet Coke for now, please?”

The woman chewed her gum before giving it
another loud pop. “You waitin’ for someone?”

Maddy nodded.

“You gonna wait and order?”

“Well—”

“She’s with me.”

The waitress swirled around. Cole moved into
view, tugging at his collar and taking off his gloves. “Cole,
honey. You’re back so soon.”

“Hey, Brie.” Cole unzipped his jacket as he
moved closer.

“I missed you last night. I was hoping you’d
show up.”

Maddy’s eyes narrowed. The waitress’ easy
smile turned sensual at the sight of her ex-husband.

“I got busy. Can I get a cup of coffee
though?” He slid into the seat across from Maddy and flicked her a
puzzled look.

“Anything you want, doll. I’ll be back.”

Maddy watched the waitress skid off to get
Cole’s drink. Fingering the edge of the menu, she stared at the
glossy food pictures, but didn’t see anything. Her mind ran
rampage. What was the relationship between the two? How long had
they known each other? Did Cole like her? Was he into blondes
now?

“What’s going on with you?”

She jerked her head up and frowned. “What do
you mean?”

“You’re curling the edge of that menu. Chris
isn’t going to like it if he has to print more menus.”

Her hands fell to her lap. “I was
thinking.”

Cole chuckled. “About what?”

She bit the inside of her cheek. It wasn’t
any of her business. They were divorced. Who he saw, who he dated,
wasn’t her problem. At all. “Is that one of your girlfriends?” she
blurted and inwardly cursed herself. Of all the things she could
have asked, she’d asked that. But she kept up a stony expression
anyway.

His eyes widened before the corners of his
lips curved upward into a slow smile. “Are you jealous?”

She had that coming, of course. Maddy
shrugged and pretended to peruse the menu in front of her. An
annoying ache formed in the pit of her stomach, the green monster
threatening to claw out. “Think whatever you like.”

Cole laughed, just as Brie returned with his
coffee, her Coke missing. Maddy glared.

“What ‘cha gonna have today?” Brie pulled out
her notepad.

“I think a tuna melt with fries and onion
rings sound good. A side salad, too, please.”

Maddy kept her gaze down. She didn’t want to
see them making goo-goo eyes at each other.

“What are you going to have, Maddy?”

She flipped the menu close. “Nothing. I
already ate.”

Cole frowned. “She’ll have the same thing,
along with a diet Coke.”

“Sure thing,” the waitress said, brightly, as
she leaned in closer to Cole. “I’ll bring you a piece of pie after,
sweetie.”

“Thanks, Brie.” Cole smiled, warmly.

Maddy wanted to reach over
and pull at the woman’s hair and then tell her off. She
stopped.
What the hell am I
doing?

“Friend of yours?” the waitress asked
Cole.

Maddy crossed her arms. “No. We don’t know
each other.”

Cole gave her a warning glare. “Maddy is
going to decorate the lodge for me and get it ready for Christmas
and New Year’s.”

Brie, the annoying waitress, clapped her
hands together. “Oh, that’s great! Then you should have some time
off. We could go catch a movie or something.”

“Well, I suppose—”

“Excuse me.” Maddy slid out of the booth and
strode to the restroom. She couldn’t listen anymore. How dare the
woman hit on her husband right in front of her? Who the hell did
she think she was? Maddy threw the bathroom door open and moved to
the sink. Tears rushed to her eyes.

Realization struck. As much as she wanted to
be over Cole, she wasn’t. He still wreaked havoc on her emotions.
Being a thousand miles away from him was easy to forget he’d ever
existed until she’d return to her lonely apartment with thoughts of
Five Oaks and her family. He’d be the first to appear in her
dreams.

But he wasn’t her husband anymore. She’d
divorced him and she had to accept the truth. She couldn’t go back.
It was too late.

If she hadn’t lost the baby, then maybe….

She turned the faucet on. No matter how many
times she dwelled on the past, it wouldn’t change anything. Cole
wasn’t hers any longer. He could date whomever he pleased, sleep
with whomever he wanted.

It didn’t concern her.

Then why was it that she’d been in town less
than twenty-four hours and her heart had already broken again so
many times over?

Drawing in a deep breath, she stared at her
reflection. She wasn’t ugly, but she wasn’t cute like the waitress
either. Too short, slightly stumpy, and recent age lines knocked
her confidence down. Maddy could see it already. Her future was
going to consist of her, living alone in her cold New York
apartment, with her pet fish, and no one to come home to. Her hand
lifted to her stomach. She’d give anything to be pregnant with
Cole’s child again. If it’d bring him back to her.

But then it wouldn’t be fair to put the baby
last.

Maddy wouldn’t have it. If
she married, she wanted it all, a devoted husband and a loving
father for their children. She needed to come first. Cole had
taught her that. She pinched her cheeks.
Get a grip, Harmon.
Slapping a hand
to her forehead, Maddy glared at her reflection.
Dammit, Glover. Get your name straight
first.

Running her hands under the warm water, she
scrubbed fiercely.

She could handle
this.
Go in, get the job done, and get
out.
Mentally patting herself on the back,
she ripped a paper towel from the dispenser.

Cole Harmon could buzz off.

Chapter Seven

Maddy grabbed a pack of bows
off the rack and threw it into the cart Cole pushed behind her. She
perused the selections and frowned. They were at the party supply
store in Pentonville since Five Oaks had nothing with regard to
event planning.
Slim pickings.

She stopped when they came to a Santa display
with its sled and reindeers. Envisioning a white landscape set up,
she tapped her chin in contemplation and tried to recall the layout
of Tall Oaks. The place was a decent size and if she could get good
‘ole Nick on the roof, then maybe they could have all of the
reindeers running across the top.

“Are you serious?”

With an annoyed frown, she turned around.
“What?”

“You want that thing?” He pointed at Santa’s
belly.

“Why not?”

“It’s hideous and plastic. I want elegant and
tasteful.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “And you don’t think I
can do that with this thing?”

He grinned. “Not that I don’t have confidence
in your abilities. But, it’s tacky.”

Maddy bit the inside of her cheek. “Do you
want me to help you or not?”

Cole crossed his arms over
his chest. “And you really want that with
all
those plastic
reindeers?”

Her hands fisted at her sides. She had been
thinking about it, but now she knew she wanted the display for
sure. “Yup. That’s what I want.”

“Well, I don’t want that thing.”

She jabbed him in the shoulder with her
finger. “Do you want to do this by yourself?”

Cole glared. “Fine,” he said through gritted
teeth.

She smiled and walked on. Out of the corner
of her eye, she saw Cole pause and pick up plastic green trays and
cups. She backtracked to where he stood. “What are you doing?”

“What? I need these for the grand opening
party.”

Exasperation seized her. “Put those back. You
can’t use those at the party.”

“Why not? It’s a grand opening. The town is
invited. I figured it’d be more festive.”

Her hands settled on her
hips. “
Those
are
tacky.”

He gave her an amused glance. “And your Santa
isn’t?”

“Fine. Have it your way.”
Maddy whirled around and stalked down to the next aisle. Cole’s
chuckle followed her as she grabbed garland off the shelves.
Irritation whipped through her. Her decorator’s instinct cried out,
telling her he was making a mistake.
Plastic? Plastic at a party?
It was
repulsive.

They made their way to the counter and Cole
paid for their purchases. After they loaded up the truck, they
walked to the corner deli that offered catering. She could have
stayed outside since she wasn’t planning on helping him plan the
grand opening party, but curiosity forced her to follow. Maddy
stood next to him at the counter as he studied the menu. The place
was like a hole in the wall, but busy. A young girl, loudly popping
her gum, eyed them up and down.

“I need a few platters for New Year’s eve,”
Cole stated. The girl took out a pad and pen, waiting for Cole to
choose.

Maddy watched as he pointed to a tray of pigs
in a blanket and hot dogs. She gasped and gripped his elbow.
“No!”