The words echoed through the speaker on her phone. Right, the call was still connected, and they were yelling at each other inthe street. In a town this small, someone was sure to come along and ask what the heck they were doing.
Cordy supposed since Chance had answered the ad, she owed him an explanation.
“Come up,” Cordy said with a sigh. “It’s unlocked.”
“That’s not safe.” Chance looked dangerously close to a frown.
“It’s Star Crossed Springs. Who’s going to rob me? Besides, I’ve got a guard dog.”
Cordy popped back inside. Her “guard dog” had rolled onto his back, legs in the air like a dead cockroach. Very intimidating.
“Keep up the good work,” she told Iggy dryly.
She opened the door as Chance, a paper bag clutched in his fist, was coming up the steps. He took them two at a time. Dark blue denim hugged his long legs and strained over his thighs. Heat flushed through her.
Tomcat, Cordy reminded herself. She was going to politely refuse his help—he wouldnotbecome her indoor cat.
“I don’t hear any dog,” he said as he neared the door.
“Iggy doesn’t bark.”
Chance frowned. “Then how is he a guard dog? Is he actually a cat?”
“Ooh, don’t say that. You’ll hurt his feelings.” Cordy stepped back to let Chance in.
Her attic apartment was funky, with weird angles and odd nooks. The kitchen was a stove, fridge, and sink along one wall, while her bed was cordoned off with some fancy screens from a store in Fordsville. The bathroom was the only actual room in the place.
The place was squat, a little claustrophobic with the roof dipping in, but Cordy loved it. What it lacked in size, it made up for in charm. She preferred homes with imperfect personalitiesrather than luxurious blandness. And the commute was a short walk downstairs to the Swing Inn.
After a childhood spent roaming the world with her parents, she’d learned to roll with the punches, including the less-than-ideal parts of this apartment. Like the window she was going to fall out of one of these days.
“Huh.” Chance took it all in. “I like those screens. When Justin lived here, he had the bed out in the open. Used it as a sofa and dining table, too.”
Justin was Glenn Wallen’s son, and Glenn owned the Swing Inn. Justin had moved away to Denner’s Pass, so Glenn had been advertising for a new bartender when Cordy applied for the job. The apartment came with the job—it had been the perfect opportunity.
“You knew Justin?” she asked. “I never met him. He doesn’t come often to visit.” Much to Glenn’s loud displeasure.
“Oh yeah. Everyone here knows everyone else, either from school or 4-H or sports, or they’re siblings of someone you did all that with. Or their parents.”
Which was why Cordy was the odd one out here. Reed was the guy who’d been in their class or 4-H or played baseball with them. People’s loyalty was to him, not her.
She assumed Chance’s loyalty was to Reed, too. Not that Chance was ever rude to her when he came into the Swing Inn. He always had a smile and a wink for her, same as he did for everyone. A smile and a wink, but not much more. It wasn’t like they were friends.
Yet here he was, in her apartment, ready to be her birth coach. She never would have guessed he was the kind of guy to do that. Quite the opposite—tomcats weren’t known for their selfless natures.
Wait, so whywashe here? Some kind of lingering loyalty to Reed? Or something else?
Cordy’s eyes narrowed. Her parents had told her she could only trust herself—which meant she couldn’t trust anyone else. Chance was the king of one-night stands, but Cordy wouldn’t be one of his conquests. If that’s what this was even about.
She put a hand to the swell of her belly. A deep instinct had the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She had to protect the baby.
Not noticing her suspicions, Chance handed her the bag. “Two strawberry shortcake donuts. Liberty said they were your favorites.”
Cordy peered into the bag, at a loss for words. “You brought me donuts?”
“You don’t like those?”
She closed the bag against her chest. “No, I do.” She’d never guess Liberty knew what her favorites were. Or that Chance would have taken the time to bring them to her.
