Loving Mindy (Lone Pine Lake 2.50)

A little smile curved the corners of her lips as she continued frosting. “They’re as good as my mom’s?”

“Maybe better.” Her mom had always made them a little thin. Mindy’s were thicker and soft. “You learned from a master though.”

“I like to think I’ve improved on her recipe. The boys love doing this. It’s a Christmas tradition I’ve carried on from my childhood, you know? That’s important. Tradition.” She set the finished cookie on her plate and picked up another one.

He couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so beautiful, her blond hair tucked behind her ears, her mouth screwed up in concentration as she frosted, green eyes narrowed, her elbows propped on the edge of the table. He remembered many Christmases doing this very thing with her. Maybe an extra McKenzie sibling or two sitting at the table but usually it was just them.

Just Josh and Mindy.

He’d heard their names said together so many times over the years it had felt weird not to hear it. Eventually, he’d grown used to no more Josh and Mindy.

But he missed it. Missed them. It felt good, sitting in the kitchen with her, quietly frosting sugar cookies. Silly but true.

Being with her like this, made him feel like he’d come home.

“Tradition is definitely important,” he finally said, his voice low, his entire body tight with longing. She lifted her head, her gaze snagging with his and she stilled. “So are old friends.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes. Old friends. They’re definitely important.”

Nice to know they both agreed on that matter.

After they finished frosting—and eating—the cookies, they moved into the living room. He’d stoked the fire, stacking fresh wood in the fireplace and sitting back on his haunches, watching the flames dance high. It was warm, the crackle and sizzle of the wood burning the only noise in the otherwise quiet of the house. The television had been turned off before dinner, the heavy snow falling obscuring the satellite dish and making it hard to stay in tune. Mindy’s Christmas playlist had ended long ago and she hadn’t bothered to restart it, which was fine with him.

“Nothing like having an expert keeping up the fire, right?” Mindy teased.

He glanced over his shoulder to watch as she sat on the couch, curling her legs beneath her. Damn, she was pretty, her blond hair falling in soft waves to her shoulders, her green eyes sparkling as she smiled at him. “I’d say I’m a professional fire starter,” he answered.

“Don’t let that get out since you’re the arson investigator around these parts. People might start suspecting you of wrongdoing.” She laughed and he joined in, shaking his head, turning so he faced the fire once more. The flames warmed his skin, heated his cheeks, and he cleared his throat, wishing he had the courage to say more, something significant but instead he kept his mouth clamped shut.

It was easier that way.

“It’s the ones you least suspect who’ll wrong you the most,” he finally said after a few minutes of neither of them talking. He was referring to his work. The amount of arsonists who were actually firefighters was astounding.

“Isn’t that the truth,” she mumbled.

Hell. He closed his eyes and hung his head, feeling like a complete jackass. His comment probably made her remember how she’d been treated.

“Not everyone you’re close to wants to screw you over,” he said after a too-long, too-quiet moment.

“You’re right,” she said, sounding weirdly cheerful. “My family is always there for me.”

“Exactly. You can count on them no matter what.” Josh nodded.

“And I have a few close friends who are always watching out for my back. Then there’re my sons. They would never purposely hurt me.”

“They’re good boys, I’m sure. Just like their mom.”

She rolled her eyes so hard he swore he heard it. How he knew she was even doing it, he hadn’t a clue but he’d bet money she was. “Right, because I’m a saint and perfect.”

“No, that’s Chloe McKenzie’s position. Remember, she’s the town princess?” He turned again to look at Mindy and saw that she was really laughing now. Relief flooded him. He didn’t want her sad. He wanted her happy. More than anything, he thought he might want to be the one who made her happy.

And that sort of thinking blew his mind.

“The town princess? Really?” Mindy asked.

“What? You know it’s true.”

Now she was Cam’s queen—and quite happy with her regal role as wife to the town’s former bad boy.