Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy

Rosie waved her hand. “I just left him and Sheriff Roscoe. I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think they’re missing you.” She gave a little laugh, then patted his cheek with her gloved hand. “Go, be young. Take this hard-working girl to get some of Lou’s chili before it’s all gone. I swear that man puts magic into that pot when he makes his Christmas batch.”

Cole narrowed his gaze at the older woman. Did everyone in the whole place think they were small-town Cupids?

Scratch that, small-town Butterflies?

“I’ve already eaten.”

Rosie gave him a duh look. “Which is why I didn’t say for you to go get some of Lou’s chili but to feed our girl. Sophie, have you had anything to eat, dear?”

Our girl? Sophie might be Rosie’s girl, but she wasn’t his.

Looking a bit sheepish, Sophie shook her head. “I haven’t.”

“Just as I suspected. You work too much,” Rosie clicked her tongue. “Now, go and see Lou. Make sure he’s behaving himself because I swear, that Alberta keeps coming over there as if we don’t all know what she’s doing.” Rosie’s gaze shot imaginary daggers in the direction of Lou’s booth. “It ain’t like she’s actually eating all that chili she keeps buying and giggling over.”

Cole gave Sophie a blank look.

Laughing, Sophie linked her arm with his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It wasn’t.

“Come on,” she said, “and I’ll explain on our way to Lou’s. Sometimes it’s easier to not argue, and I am hungry. All I’ve had since lunch is a piece of gum a firefighter tossed out to me during the best Christmas parade ever.”

Sophie was right. Sometimes it was easier to just not argue.

But his sense of self-preservation was arguing right and left that he should not have his arm linked with Sophie’s, that he should step away, that he shouldn’t be looking into her smiling face.

That he shouldn’t be going soft inside just because she walked with her arm hooked with his and seemed oblivious to everything and everyone except him as they strolled toward Lou’s food truck.

That her arm linked with his, her warm presence next to him, felt right even when he knew it wasn’t.

Sophie talked non-stop while they made their way to where Cole had gotten his chili.

“Mmm, everything smells heavenly.” She inhaled deeply, then smiled at the older gentleman in the food truck. “I’ll take one bowl of your Spicy Hot Chili and a hot chocolate, please.”

Surprised she’d chosen the spicy version of Lou’s offerings, Cole got out his

wallet. He was still full, but the chili did smell good enough to make his own stomach growl.

Sophie’s gaze dropped to where he was pulling out some cash. “You don’t need to do that. I don’t think Rosie meant for you to buy my dinner.” Thinking on what she’d said, she grinned and acknowledged what he’d already known. “Well, she might have, but I didn’t mean for you to.”

“Rosie sent y’all over here?”

Sophie’s gaze shifted to Lou.

“Of course. Don’t you recognize spies when you see them?” She winked at Lou. “We’re taking notes on how many bowls of chili Alberta buys while we’re here.”

Lou grinned. “Be sure to tell her that Alberta bought a few dozen, and that I threw in a pie for free. That should get Rosie’s goat good.”

“Now, Lou,” Sophie mock-scolded. “You wouldn’t be purposely trying to make Rosie jealous, would you?”

“Darn tootin’ I am. It’s past time for her to make an honest man out of me.”

Sophie sighed. “Agreed. I’ll make it sound good and tell her about the twinkle I saw in your eyes.”

“Thatta girl.” Lou grinned, then gave her the total for her items.

“Here. I’ve got this,” Cole stepped forward, handing the man a twenty.

“Cole,” Sophie began again, but when her gaze met his, she paused and seemed to come to a conclusion, because rather than argue further, she smiled and said, “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”