Page 67 of Always Be Mine
“Is everything okay?”
No.Nothing was okay. Not with Ross right there. She hadn’t seen him since she kicked him out of her apartment that final time, and she did not want to see him now. Not with Craig there. She couldn’t tell Ross that she’d walked away from her career to be a small-town nanny. Wasn’t there some sort of rule that when you ran into an ex, you were supposed to show off how much better you were doing without them?
She hated to admit it, but Ross looked good. Way better than was fair, really. And she already knew from Mandi that his restaurant was doing well. Of course it was with Mandi in charge. He hadn’t suffered from their breakup at all. Hell, his wife didn’t even know about her. It was like nothing happened.
“Everything’s fine.” She pasted on a smile that probably looked a lot faker than it felt, but she hoped Craig wouldn’t notice. “I just need a minute, okay?”
If he didn’t believe her less-than-convincing act, he didn’t say so.
“As long as you’re not upset with me.”
Craig flashed her a grin that in any other moment would have flipped her stomach and had her thinking all kinds of things. He really was a charming man.
“I’m not,” she said honestly. “Promise.”
“Can we hug on it?”
And there it was, the little stomach flip that Craig always seemed to incite in her. She really didn’t have time to entertain any such thoughts about him right then, but she stepped into his waiting arms and returned his gentle squeeze.
Damn. He smells good.
She knew now the slightly sweet smell that clung to Craig wasn’t from the ice cream shop, but because he used his daughter’s cotton candy-scented shampoo in the mornings.
Any other time, Lucy would have lingered in Craig’s embrace, but there was no time. She gave him a quick pat on the back and stepped deftly away. “I’ll be right in, okay? And maybe I will have a scoop after all. Something sugar-free.”
Craig laughed. “What is it with you women and your disdain for sugar?” He shook his head and turned for the door. “Don’t be long, okay?” He gave her a wink and disappeared inside, with no time to spare.
“Lucy?”
She turned slowly at the familiar voice, taking a quick second to put a smile on her face before she faced him. “Ross?”
She didn’t miss the way Ross glanced toward the door Craig had just gone through.Was that a frown?
“What are you doing here?”
“I think I should be asking you that question.” His handsome, a little too self-assured smile was back in place. “I didn’t think you’d ever been to Trickle Creek.”
“I hadn’t. Until recently.” She didn’t owe him any further explanation. Or really, any explanation at all.
“You look…” He waved his hand before dropping it to his side. “You look really great, Lucy. I’ve never seen you so…casual.”
She glanced down at her outfit of jeans and a flannel. It was true that she’d never owned an outfit like this before and Ross had only ever seen her in dresses or the business casual—with a side of sexy—outfits she wore as manager.
“Well, mountain living requires a bit of a different dress code.” She tried to keep her voice light.
“You’re living here now?”
Lucy panicked for a moment, unsure how to answer that question without telling him about her job. “Well, my boyfriend lives here and?—”
“Your boyfriend?”
She hadn’t meant to lie; it had just slipped out.
“Is that who I…” He gestured toward the ice cream shop. “I thought I saw you with someone…but it doesn’t…”
“Yes.” She doubled down on the lie. “That’s my boyfriend. I should actually get?—”
“Rossy? Where did you go? I saw the cutest placemats in the store there and—who’s this?”
