“It’s preeetty nice outside,” he said as he held the door open for her.
Sofia rolled her eyes, and he let out a laugh.
“I’m telling you—it’ll freeze again. It always does.”
“I’m already planning what song you’ll be singing at karaoke. Allison’s been educating me on pop music at the café. I’m thinking maybe… ‘Party in the USA’?”
Sofia’s jaw dropped, and he grinned.
He began to sing, and she quickly pressed the unlock button on her keys to cause a loud beeping sound then slid smoothly into the driver’s seat.
“No need for a preview,” she said once he was inside the car. “I’ll get to hear your voice when you’re singing the song ofmychoice at karaoke.”
Isaiah laughed. He couldn’t help finding her ridiculously cute when she was in a spicy mood, which was often. “So, tell me more about Valentine’s karaoke night. Does it happen every year?”
“Yep. One of Emerald Hollow’s many traditions. It’s open to anyone—singles, couples, et cetera. Just a time to belt out love songs whether you love or hate the holiday itself.”
“And which camp do you fall into?”
“Hmm?” Sofia’s eyes drifted over to him as she whipped her car onto Main Street. The woman drove like a police cadet during their defensive driving course, gliding around corners as if they didn’t exist.
“Do you love or hate Valentine’s Day?”
Her brow furrowed. “I’m in the craft business, so I’m not against a greeting card holiday. I usually make some decent sales off Valentine’s earrings.”
Isaiah rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I usually spend the day at home with ice cream, watching a rom-com. I’m a romantic—don’t get me wrong. But it’s just kind of an…” She paused, and he thought she was searching for the right word. “Awkward holiday if you’re single. I know a lot of people who aren’t in relationships love going to the karaoke event, but as Ash mentioned, I don’t sing.”
“And why is that?” Isaiah studied her face as she pulled into the library’s parking lot.
“I just don’t.”
“So there’s no story there?”
He watched in interest as her lips pressed together in a tight line, but she shook her head. “Nope, no story.” She parked, and they both climbed out of the car.
As Isaiah held open the library door, he leaned in and whispered, “Liar.”
Sofia scowled, and he followed her inside. Isaiah took a seat at his usual computer in the sitting room and expected Sofia to sit at the window table she typically occupied, but instead, she disappeared into one of the other rooms of the renovated old house. He wondered if the ‘liar’ comment, which he’d meant in jest, had annoyed her.
He spent ten minutes on the internet, sending inquiries and doing searches, but his mind kept wandering to Sofia. He glanced over his shoulder to the window table, but it was still empty, so he stood and walked into the hallway, peeking into the other rooms.
After seeing no sign of her in the kitchen or dining room, he turned to the right, where a round hobbit-style door led to the children’s section. He opened it and found her sitting in the empty room in a small, fluffy kids chair, jewelry parts strewn on the floor around her.
“Why are you doing that there?” he asked.
Sofia jerked, a piece of jewelry flying out of her hand.
He walked over to retrieve it from where it had slid under another seat then stood to see that Sofia was glaring at him.
“What? Am I not allowed to be sitting here?”
“That’s a kids’ chair.” He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. The wall behind her was painted with a bright rainbow, and a large arched window showed the forest outside. She looked like a human inside an elves’ home in the room with furniture built for small children.A very cute human,he thought as she blew a curl out of her eye.
Sofia looked down to where her hips were spilling over the sides of the cushion as if it was perfectly normal. “And?”
“Why aren’t you working at the table in the sitting room? Or the kitchen island? It seems like it would be easier.”
