Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(28)

Don’t get attached. Don’t get used to his presence here.

“I’ve never seen someone cook the way you do,” he said. “You don’t use recipes?”

She dropped his plate in front of him. “Not anymore.”

He pushed the Mason jar to the far edge of the table. To keep the flowers away from his food, she guessed.


“Do you have a set menu you make every day of the week?” he asked.

She got the feeling he was making small talk so they wouldn’t have to talk about what happened last night. It was a mighty fine idea.

“I try not to make the same meal in a given week,” she said, “as most people stay about that long.”

He dove into the corned beef without making a sound. Cheeks full, he mumbled, “Do you fill up here?”

She brought over the pot of coffee for a refill, but he set his hand over his mug. Fumbling to swallow the food in his mouth, he circled his hand over his head and pointed upstairs.

“You’re asking if the rooms fill up?”

He nodded.

“They’re full year round, for the most part.” She brought the frying pan to the sink and scrubbed. “That’s the great thing about Blue Lake. There’s beauty in every season. In winter, it storms pretty hard. The windows fill up with pillows of snow and Dom plows his way up and down the street. Moose Valley Ski Lodge is up the road so we have an influx of skiers and snowboarders who want to hit the slopes and stay somewhere cozy for the night. In spring and summer, the place is full of visitors from the bay area. They frequent the wineries up here and want a close place to stay so they don’t have to drive back home. There are lakes and rivers up the road that rival the most beautiful in the country. People flock to them when the weather heats up.”

She slid the pans under the cabinet and washed off the counters. Anything to keep her eyes off Cole.

“Sounds busy. Ever thought about expanding?” he said. “The building out back, the one on the east side of your lawn, would be perfect.”

She spun, leaning back against the counter. Had someone told him?

“I’m working on it, actually,” she said, and her gaze landed on his empty plate. “Do you want more?”

“God, no.” He put his hands on his stomach and arched back, the chair creaking beneath him. “If I eat any more I won’t be able to play tonight.”

She checked the clock on the wall. Eight a.m. Did he not plan on eating until the show? Didn’t they have dinner plans with Lucy? Not that she’d been looking forward to them or anything.

“Do you own it?” he asked.

“What?”

“The building out back.” He drank his coffee slowly, eyeing her over the top of the mug. “Is it yours?”

“Yeah, I’ve owned it for years.” As she finished cleaning the kitchen, she glanced out the front window. A black Tahoe pulled up to the curb. “But I’ve been stuck in Remodel Hell.”

“What’s the problem?”

The doorbell went off.

“It’s nearly finished, but I haven’t had the funds to furnish it the way I want,” she said, walking into the dining room. “Until you showed up and rented every room for quadruple what I’d normally charge.”

“Glad I could help.” He followed her through the dining room, winding around tables. “Have you ever thought about renting out that building and keeping the inn for yourself?”

Forcing out a laugh, she strode through the living room and paused before opening the door. “There are nine rooms in this building. What would I do with that much space?