She rolled her eyes. “Call a tow truck and come inside until it gets here.”
He slowly shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. Her eyes were beautiful. They got him every time he looked into them. He was such a sucker. “I can sit out here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Josh.” She rested her hands on her hips, looking pretty despite the bulky jacket and thick scarf wrapped around her neck that made her look like she was wearing some sort of bright red brace. “It’s freezing. Come up to the house with me.”
“Are the boys there?” He’d always liked Kyle and Chandler. They were good kids. Took after their mom.
“No. Um, Marty has them for the holidays.” She bit her lip, looking distinctly uncomfortable and he decided to drop the subject. No way was he about to get into the middle of a discussion about their divorce. “I have sugar cookies though.”
If they were her mom’s recipe, then he couldn’t turn them down. “Well, if you’re making the offer, then I’m taking you up on it, Min. I’ll call a tow when we get inside.”
The very last place he wanted to be.
Chapter Two
“So the tow company said they can’t get anyone here for another three hours,” Josh said after he ended the call, setting his phone on the dining table beside him.
Mindy almost dropped the cup of coffee she was bringing him, the liquid sloshing over the rim and dripping onto her otherwise-pristine kitchen floor. “Three hours? Are you serious?”
Noting she didn’t sound too happy about it, he nodded grimly, taking the cup from her when she offered. Their fingers grazed each other’s in the transfer and a zing went straight through him at the innocent contact—unbelievable. “The dispatcher said they’re the only company working at the moment since the other tow truck is helping with the snow plow. I guess everyone’s calling. The roads are a nightmare. Frankly, I think her three-hour estimate was being generous and kind.”
Meaning he had a feeling he’d be here a lot longer than three freaking hours. All alone with Mindy in her big ol’ house, sans kids, during the year’s worst snowstorm. Whatever could they do to fill the time?
Yeah, he could come up with quite a few ways to make the hours go by…
Don’t go there, dude. She’s probably not interested, and don’t you forget it.
“Wow. Sounds awful.” She turned to look out the kitchen window but it was already dark outside, so she couldn’t see anything. “I’m guessing it’s coming down pretty good.”
The kitchen was small but looked like it had been completely remodeled within the last couple of years, filled with the latest appliances and granite countertops. The house was old, had once belonged to Marty’s parents before they gifted it to their son and his wife when they retired and moved to Florida—or so Josh’s mom had told him.
It still blew his mind that Marty had been so hot to get away from Mindy, he’d given up his childhood home just so he could divorce her. The jackass.
Pushing all thoughts of Marty Fenton from his brain, Josh took a swig of coffee, impressed with how delicious it was. He took another sip, savoring it. Damn, Mindy made a good cup of coffee. The stuff he brewed at home was usually complete swill. “The operator did mention the snow was piling up on the roads at breakneck speed, direct quote.”
Mindy didn’t say a word as she moved to the back door just off the kitchen, cracking it open and letting in a whoosh of chilly air,
the wreath hanging on the door rattling with the wind. She flicked on the light switch, illuminating the porch and he stood, moving to just behind her.
“The wind is so loud,” she murmured, opening the door wider so she could venture out onto the porch.
“Maybe you should stay inside. It’s freezing out there,” he said, standing in the doorway and squinting into the darkness. From what he could see, the snow fell in heavy sheets and was already piled a few feet deep on the ground.
Hell. He was never going to get out of here at this rate. Stuck at Mindy’s house, probably for the night. Back in high school, he would’ve killed for this opportunity. One night, all alone with Mindy, so he could show her how he really felt? A fantasy come to life. Now, he’d rather run.
Right?
Liar. You still wish you had a chance with her.
“Yeah, it’s bad.” She turned to face him, her brows wrinkled with worry, her arms wrapped around her middle. She was wearing jeans and a heavy sweater and her teeth were starting to chatter.
“Come inside. You’re getting cold.” He stood to the side just as she entered, the scent of her hair lingering in the air as she walked past. Breathing deep, he inhaled her smell, feeling a little high on the essence of Mindy.
Ridiculous but true.
“So we need to make the best of this,” she said as she shut the door and flipped the lock. She turned to face him, resting her hands on her hips, drawing his attention to her curvy figure. Stick-thin women had never done a thing for him. He’d always wondered if that was Mindy’s fault. “I know we haven’t been…close these last few years, so I feel bad that you’re stuck with me for most of the night.”
“There’s no reason to feel bad, Min,” he said, keeping his voice soft, not wanting to freak her out. She looked a little upset and he wondered why. “We’re adults. We can handle this, right? Besides, as soon as the tow truck shows up, they’ll haul my truck back home and we’re out of each other’s hair.”