Troping Through the Snow: The Complete Bundle, page 27
The girl in the bakery sent me to the dress shop on Main Street, but when I got there, it was closed. I ended up eating lunch at the diner so I could keep an eye on it. Afterwards I went back, but there’s still no sign of Caroline.
Frustrated, I decide to walk back to the inn and keep an eye out there. Most of the people in Troping seem to pass through at some point in the day. Either for the free cider, to look at the gingerbread houses on display, or to say hello to the locals. It’s probably my best bet on finding her besides standing in the street and screaming her name. Which is plan B.
I was close to doing it earlier, but the town deputy has kept a close eye on me. After the second time I went to the dress shop, I caught her glaring at me from inside her car. I don’t want to cause any trouble; all I want is to find my girl and make her fall in love with me. That shouldn’t be too hard.
When I walk into the inn, the receptionist gives me a friendly wave before she texts something on her phone. It feels like she’s watching me too as I go to the bar and take a seat. From this vantage point, I can see everyone that walks in or out of that door, and I don’t plan on moving until I see my Caroline.
A few minutes after I sit down, I see the deputy come in, followed closely by the person I think is the owner of the inn. There was a photo of him with a few of the staff in the lounge area. I stared at it for a long time, making sure Caroline wasn’t in it.
“More cider?” one of the staff says as she comes over and glances down at my empty cup.
“Yes please,” I say and then reach into my wallet and pull out a hundred-dollar bill. “And I’d like a little information too, if you’ve got some.”
CHAPTER 3
CAROLINE
“I’ve got cupcakes and sugar cookies,” Frostie sing-songs through my door, giving away the fact that she’s up to something. It’s not abnormal for her to bring me sweets, more so now that I’m pregnant and had a small scare last week. The suspicious part is that she was here two hours ago. My small dining room table is still filled with the last batch she dropped off.
This time it’s a hard knock on the door, and I know who it’s going to be before she utters a word.
“The police, open up!” Tins shouts.
“Don’t scare her; she'll go into labor,” Frostie snaps.
“She can’t go into labor, it's too soon.”
“You cheated off me in biology. You have no clue about anything,” Frostie hisses back at Tinsel.
“Yeah, I cheated off you and still got a C, so you don’t know shit either.”
“I’m coming, you dork balls. Stop bickering.” I turn off my alarm and open the door to my tiny cottage that’s close to downtown. Tins’s patrol car sits out front, and I shake my head.
My place is close enough that I can walk to the dress shop. I moved here a month ago, knowing the little apartment I had over the dress shop wouldn’t be enough space for me and a baby. It was barely enough room for me because I filled the space with fabric. I swear every day I get more and more orders, and I can’t keep up. I had to put a hold on orders for the time being, but I’m glad that my new place has two bedrooms.
The second I see the two of them, Tinsel is walking right on in. “We need to talk.” She walks over to the dining table and inspects the desserts. I don’t think she gets her fill of Frostie’s treats as much as she once did now that she doesn't live over the bakery and has moved in with her fiancé.
“Is that a paperclip in your hair?” I ask her. She feels around for a second before pulling it out. “Desk sex,” she mutters and tosses it on the table.
“You don’t have cupcakes or cookies,” I point out to Frostie as she comes in behind Tinsel. I don’t know what I would do without these two. Since the moment I found out I was pregnant, they’ve been my support team.
They don’t even push about who the father might be, though I think they’ve already narrowed it down to not being someone who lives in our little town. That wasn’t a hard one to figure out, though. Hell, we’d all been shocked when those two little lines showed up. Tinsel and Frostie were because they didn’t know I’d been with anyone and me because what are the freaking odds?! I spent one night with the man, but apparently that’s all it took.
“I needed you to open the door.” Frostie shrugs shamelessly. “Sweets always do the trick.”
“Have you ever knocked and I didn’t answer?” I laugh. They are both being really weird.
“Sit down, Caroline. You should be taking it easy.” Frostie pulls out one of the chairs for me, and I wonder what the heck is going on.
“Wait, let me grab something.” I go back into the living room where I was sitting on the sofa with my drawing pad and watching a marathon of holiday movies.
My eyes linger on the scrap of paper sitting on the end table. I never keep it far from me even though I know the number by heart. The smell of Colden is long gone from it, but I know at some point I’ll have to use it. I almost used it a week ago when I had that small scare, but once I got to the hospital and they told me I was okay, I decided to hold off for a little longer.
The doctors didn’t put me on bed rest or anything, but I’m still taking it easy. I think I gave myself more of a scare than anything that day. I’d dreamed of Colden all through the night and when I woke up, I felt some funny cramping. Once I saw a few drops of blood, I panicked. I know it’s me working myself up, but I’m doing this alone, even if the girls say they’re going to be with me on this journey. At the end of the day, it will be me and this little boy all alone. Tins is starting her own love life, and I’m pretty sure something is up with Frostie. I’m just not sure what it is yet.
“Stop stalling,” Tinsel calls after me with a mouth full of cookie. I’m pretty sure she’s pregnant but hasn’t taken a test.
“I’m grabbing this.” I hold up the notepad.
“Is that my wedding dress?” Tins wipes the crumbs off her mouth with the back of her hand before she takes the pad from me. “You really are amazing.” A sparkle lights up her eyes. It’s a sweet reminder of why I do this.
“Plus, I’m good at my job,” I tease.
Tinsel gave me a few details of what she wanted in a dress, but I added some of my own touches that I knew she’d love. She can be a tomboy at times, but there’s still softness to her. I wanted to put all of that into her wedding dress, and I wanted it to be hers. Not only because it’s custom but because it represents her.
“It’s perfect, but you’re supposed to be relaxing.”
“Drawing is relaxing for me.” I sit down in the chair and put my hand on my small baby bump. “Are y’all going to tell me what’s going on, because I know something is up.” They glance at each other before Tinsel’s face grows serious.
“Time’s up, Caroline. We’re done doing this dance. Who is the baby daddy, and does he know?” That’s Tinsel's version of getting right to it. I’m impressed she lasted this long, honestly.
“I’m going to tell him. I just haven't done it yet. He’s not from here.” I know I have to call him at some point. I’ll tell him about the baby and give him an out.
“Why haven’t you told him?” Frostie asks, and her tone is softer.
“Because he’s married.” They both gasp. “I mean, he wasn’t when we did the deed,” I rush to say as panic rises inside of me. I don’t want them to think I’d do that knowing he belonged to another woman. “He was engaged, but I didn’t know that until after, and then the next day, it was just all…I, ah.”
“Slow down.” Tins grabs my arm. “Take a breath.” I suck in a deep breath, knowing she’s right. I can’t let myself get stressed or worked up. “Now start from the beginning.”
I give them a toned-down version of what happened, at least when it came to the sex part. They didn’t need to know how many times we went at it. They’re shocked enough that I’d taken a random man to a hotel and given up my virginity.
“He’s married now, and I’m about to blow up his life,” I mutter as my eyes fill with tears. “I swear when I saw him, I thought my soul had found my other half. I know it sounds crazy. Clearly I am because I was wrong, but there’s a woman out there I’m going to hurt too. If he tells her.” A very sweet woman whose wedding dress I made.
“If he tells her?” Tins lifts a brow.
“I don’t know what to do. I’m going to give him a choice. He can be a part of the baby's life or not. I’m not sure if I should tell the wife.” Tears start to stream down my face because I hate thinking about him being married and in love with some other woman. How could he love someone and do what he did?
“Are you sure it was him getting married?” Frostie asks skeptically.
“Of course.” They said the groom was on the other side of the door, and I looked through the peephole. When I saw Colden was there, I never jumped back so fast in my life.
“Is this him?” Tins turns her phone toward me, and my eyes widen when I see his face on the screen. Not only that, I know where that picture was taken.
He’s here.
CHAPTER 4
COLDEN
“Hello, how can I help you?” the lady at the front desk asks.
“Yes, I’m wondering if you can help me find someone.”
Last night, I tossed and turned, even though the room at the inn was perfect. It was knowing that Caroline was so close, yet I couldn’t find her. I asked the bartender last night, but they said they were new in town and couldn’t help me. Deciding I’d do better in the daytime, I woke up this morning and went straight to reception.
The lady there with the name tag Emily told me that she didn’t know anyone by that name or if the town of Troping had a dress shop. I’m generally good at reading people, and she was definitely lying.
It was time to pull out all the stops and find my woman. The investigator I hired could only give me a last known address, which is her business, but there’s got to be more of a paper trail than that. Realizing that town records are my best option, I marched down the street to City Hall.
“I’ll do my best. I’m afraid I moved here not too long ago so I’m not familiar with everyone yet.” She has a little name plate on her desk that reads Joy, and she seems like a nice enough person. I’m going to tread lightly so she doesn't shut me down like every other person in this town.
“You see, I’ve got a family friend I haven’t seen in years, but she’s not living at the address I have. I don’t have an updated number, but I thought maybe she would be listed on the register of deeds.”
“That should be easy enough. What’s the name?”
“That’s another thing,” I hedge while thinking fast. “My mother swears she got married, so she doesn’t know the last name. I know she worked at the dress shop downtown and—”
“Caroline?” Joy pipes up and I nod. She waves her hand away dismissively. “Oh, she’s not married.” She turns to her keyboard and clicks on a few things as my heart begins to race. “Okay, I knew it was close. Let me write this address down for you.”
Just as she’s about to hand me the piece of paper, the door behind her swings open abruptly. “What’s going on?”
The man that walks out of the mayor’s office is almost as tall as me and just as wide. He’s a big son of a bitch, and the way he’s scowling between Joy and me makes me think that he doesn’t like how close I am to her desk.
“Just looking up an old friend,” I say and keep my pleasant smile in place so I can get the damn piece of paper and leave.
The mayor looks me up and down as he comes closer. “I don’t believe I know you.” His eyes narrow a little, and I think my time might be running out.
“It’s fine, North, he’s—”
Before she can finish her sentence, I snatch the paper out of her fingers and start backing up. “Thanks so much for the help. Have a great afternoon.”
They both start to say something, but I’m already out the door and to my car that’s parked out front. The sheriff is usually parked close by, but thankfully, I don’t see her and make a quick getaway. Once I’m a few blocks away, I check the address and make a turn in that direction.
My heart is hammering against my ribs as I make another turn down a tree-lined street. In the distance, I spot the sheriff’s car and scowl. How is she always popping up? Pulling over, I check my watch and decide to wait it out. She’s clearly parked in Caroline’s driveway, and I don’t need an audience for what I’m about to do.
Time ticks by at a snail's pace, and finally, I see the front door open. The sheriff and another woman exit Caroline’s house, and I think it’s the woman from the bakery. Is the whole town against me?
I can’t get a glimpse of my girl because I’m parked too far away. All I see is her hand waving, but even that small amount of skin has me hard. Fuck, I’m so close.
Years go by before the sheriff finally pulls out of the driveway and goes in the opposite direction. Thank god, because I have a feeling if she had seen me, she would have taken me to jail. Something about the way she scowls at me makes me think she’s always ready to arrest someone.
Once I see them turn at the end of the road, I drive the rest of the way to Caroline’s house and park my car. What I want to do is run up the steps and kick in the door, but I don’t want to scare her either. I need to take things slowly and explain why I’m here.
My hand is shaking as I form it into a fist and gently knock on the door. I can hardly think straight as the sound of her feet coming closer fills my ears.
“Did y’all forget somethin—”
For a brief moment her eyes widen, and it’s not shock but relief when she sees me standing there. It’s only for half a second right after she stops talking, then it turns into a glare.
“What are you doing here?”
I should be gentle and soft as I explain how I found her. I should softly take her in my arms and whisper how much I’ve missed her. But I don’t do any of that. In fact, I do the exact fucking opposite.
“You thought you could run from me?” I take a looming step into her house, and she backs up as I slam the door closed behind me. “You thought there was a place on this earth you could hide?”
Her breathing is heavy as her mouth opens but no words come out. I shake my head as I move closer until her back hits the wall.
“The night you got in my bed was the night you sealed your fate.” My arms move fast and then they’re around her and lifting her off the ground. “Now this is right where you belong.”
My mouth comes down on hers in a hard kiss, and there’s a moment of hesitation from her. I hear the whimper in her throat as her lips part and my tongue sweeps inside to taste her. My hold on her is possessive, and I hitch up her knees so she puts her legs around my waist. I grind my throbbing length against her core and ache for relief inside her pussy.
“Mine,” I say before I bite her bottom lip and then kiss my way down her neck. She gasps when I graze my teeth over the tender skin, and it’s like a drug shot straight into my veins. “All fucking mine.”
CHAPTER 5
CAROLINE
My body melts into his, and still I can’t believe he’s here. My heart flutters with excitement, but at the same time, tears roll down my cheeks. Colden pulls back, and I watch his eyebrows furrow.
“Sweetheart.” His voice rumbles across my skin, but he doesn’t loosen his hold on my hair or his tight embrace. How can someone's eyes be filled with both compassion and anger? “Don’t kiss me like you’re sad to see me.”
Slowly he begins to run his fingers through my hair, and I want to lean into his touch. I know I’ve missed him, but seeing him in the flesh makes it ten times worse. I was sure in my mind I made Colden out to be more handsome than he really was. Yet here he stands in all his handsome glory, taking my breath away.
“Why are you here?” He must have found out that I’m pregnant. How did he pull that off unless he got some sly information from his wife? Which is messed up on so many levels.
“Why am I here?” he repeats, and when I step back, he matches it until I’m pinned to the kitchen counter. “You left me without a trace.”
“It was a one-night stand,” I blurt out, and his nose flares. I can tell he’s trying to keep his anger in check, but it’s so close to the surface. Why does that turn me on? Stop it, Caroline. He’s a married man! He’s not mine and I shouldn't want him.
“You and I both know that was not a one-night stand. You got my note. It was gone, so I know you saw it.”
“I did,” I admit. “And I was going to call you.”
“You were going to call me?” he repeats, but there is an accusatory tone in his voice.
“What are you, a parrot? Why are you repeating what I say?” I huff. I’m the one that gets to be angry here. “You can’t barge into my home. In fact, I think you should leave.” I point toward the door. “I’ll call the sheriff.” Tinsel can’t be far; she only left a few minutes ago.
“What’s she gonna do? Shoot me with a nerf gun? Does this town even have jail cells?”
“I think?” It might be a break room with vending machines, but Colden doesn’t need to know that.
He places his hands on either side of the counter, caging me in. “What am I going to do with you, Caroline?”
What the hell does that mean? I lift my hand to smack him, but he easily catches me by the wrist.
“You’ll hurt your hand,” he says right before he has the audacity to kiss the center of my palm.
Instead of smacking him, I do the next best thing I can think of. I try to knee him in the balls, but once again he’s too quick. Of course he is. You have to be one smooth operator to be hooking up with some random woman the night before your wedding then plan to hook up with her again after it’s over.
