The Holiday Swap(55)

Jake was just about to throw yet another snowball for Bonnie when he turned toward her. “Hang on . . . How do you know Cody had one floppy ear?”

Charlie started to stutter out a reply, then held up her hands. “Okay, full disclosure. I may have taken a peek at your photos before I brought the camera back. I wasn’t prying, I promise. I just . . . I saw the pictures you took of the bakery, of me, and I scrolled back a bit too far. Sorry. I know it’s really none of my business.”

“I’m glad you liked the pictures, Cass.” Charlie felt the flush rising up her neck to her face.

“I did,” she replied, managing to ignore for the moment that he still thought she was her sister. “And while I’m sure you miss Cody, Bonnie is as lovable as any dog I’ve ever met.”

“She really is.” Jake laughed at Bonnie as she frantically dug into the snow, trying to find the last snowball he’d thrown for her. “And Cody’s better off with Nadia, honestly. She always spoiled him.”

Nadia. His ex, with whom he shared a dog, but not a child. Definitely less complicated than she initially imagined. But then her mind went back to their kiss . . . How was she going to fix all of this?

Jake nudged her gently with his shoulder. “Hey, where did you go?”

“Just thinking about the bakery.” Specifically, about their kiss in the bakery. Charlie shook her head to bring herself back to the present. “I have a lot still to do this morning. Dough can only be patient for so long.”

“Then let’s head back, okay?” Jake said, and Charlie agreed. He called to Bonnie, and she came running, eager for whatever fun awaited her next. “Good girl,” he murmured, rubbing his gloved hand over her snow-dampened fur.

Bonnie was delighted, her tail wagging as she shimmied closer to Jake for more attention. Was it weird to be jealous of a dog? It was, of course, but Charlie wished she could be forthcoming with Jake, about who she was, and how she felt about him.

“After you.” She gestured to the trail, and before Jake could take a step forward, Bonnie raced ahead, leaving a flurry of flying snow in her wake as she barreled down the trail. They sprinted after the dog as quickly as their boots allowed on the snow-covered path.



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There was snow on their cars when they got back to the small parking lot at the base of the hiking trails, and Jake made quick work of brushing off his truck and Charlie’s car before he put Bonnie in his truck. Then he turned back to Charlie.

She checked her watch, not sure what exactly to say. “I really need to—”

“Cass, I really need to—”

They smiled at each other, then both looked away. Jake let out a long breath. “Look, I need to apologize,” he said.

“For what?” Charlie asked, her teeth chattering with the cold. Jake reached over and tugged at the knotted sleeves of her jacket around her waist. He was so close to her that she almost felt like there wasn’t enough air between them to take a full breath. Untying the knot, Jake took the coat and then held it out for her.

“Thanks, that’s better.” She was less chilled now, because of the coat, but also because of Jake’s proximity. The desire to just go ahead and kiss him already was intense, but she resisted. “And you don’t have anything to apologize for.”

“I shouldn’t have let things . . .” Jake began, pausing a moment before adding, “I should have respected the boundaries better, Cass, and I—”

Charlie interrupted him, desperately wanting to move past this gut-wrenching moment because she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up this facade. “Again, you have nothing to be sorry for.” If anyone should be apologizing, it was Charlie. “How about we agree to just forget all about it, and move on?”

Jake looked surprised, and not in a good way, and Charlie immediately wanted to take back what she had said.

“Oh right. Sure thing,” he said, his face set in a frown.

“I’m sorry.” Charlie was flustered, hating that she had just hurt Jake and now wondering what he had been about to say before she interrupted him. “I just thought you meant—”

Jake took a small but meaningful step away from her then. “No worries. I completely understand. And probably for the best.”

“Probably for the best,” Charlie repeated. She offered Jake the warmest smile she could, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. “I hope we can be friends?”

“We already are friends, Cass,” Jake replied, his voice soft. “That won’t change.”

She nodded, tears welling up and taking her by surprise. To avoid Jake seeing how emotional she was, she bent down to retie one of her boot’s laces, glad for the temporary distraction.

“So, hey. It was nice running into you,” Jake said, now at the driver’s side door of his truck.

Charlie stamped her boots gently to rid the treads of snow, raising an eyebrow as she looked pointedly at Bonnie. The dog had her furry face pressed against the glass of the truck’s window, whining as she watched Charlie and Jake outside. “Quite literally.”

Jake laughed, but it was short and didn’t carry much joy. Charlie knew exactly how he felt.



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