eyes.
“Isn’t she adorable?” I smiled, thinking about how fun it would be to have children of my own. “I wish ice cream made me that happy.”
He leaned toward me, and smiled. “Maybe you just haven’t tried the right flavor.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t been looking.” He bent down and studied Goosebumps tickled up my spine, along with a rush of heat to my face, as I found my own secret meaning in his comment. Then I straightened, remembering this gorgeous man was here to buy women’s jewelry. He didn’t have a wedding ring, but he obviously had a special someone. Lucky girl. “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”
some of the sterling silver and amethyst pieces in earnest. “But when I saw your booth, I knew I had to come over.”
My heart squeezed. This guy had decided spontaneously to scope out a gift for his girlfriend? Quite the opposite of my ex-boyfriends who—even for a holiday or birthday—always held off until the very last minute to buy a gift.
“Where are you from?” I asked, even though it had more to do with curiosity than making rent.
“Seattle.” He lifted a silver and topaz bracelet—one of my favorite pieces—and examined it. “Well, I used to live there. Seems like eons ago, but my buddies and I would come out to Whitefish every spring break to ski. The place has grown a bit.” He glanced at me, then held my stare. “Gotten better, I’d say.”
A shiver ran through me.
“Never thought I’d be able to work from home and move here.” He twisted the bracelet and the sun reflected off the orange gem. “Lucky me, though. I bought a place on the mountain, near the ski resort.”
My stomach did a forward flip. He wasn’t a tourist, he actually lived here, and . . . oh yeah, he’s taken .
He picked up one of my cards and put it in his pocket. “Probably more information than you needed to know . . .”
Oh, I wanted to know everything about him. I just didn’t want to want to know it.
“Congratulations on your new place. I’m sure you’ll love it here.” I took a deep breath, inhaling the musty smell of fallen leaves and his sandalwood cologne. I took a step back, giving him some space. “Well, let me know if you have questions on any of the pieces.”
He gave me a sideways glance. “Which would you want your boyfriend to buy for you?”
I stiffened. “Me? I don’t have a boyfriend . . .” Then, my cheeks went up in flames. “Oh, um. You were just asking my opinion, weren’t you? From a girl’s point of view.”
He chuckled softly. “Sorry, I’m not being very clear. It’s been awhile since—”
“No, it’s fine. That’s my job. Of course, I can help you pick one.” Lovely. Why didn’t I just broadcast my unexpected crush in neon lights across my booth? Keeping my head down, I searched my display, the beads rolling through my fingertips. He needed help choosing for his girlfriend and my dismal checking account balance told me I should lead him toward the more expensive items.
I looked up and our eyes met. Held. There was just something about this guy. Something that made me want to give him my honest opinion. So, I bypassed all of the higher priced selections and gestured toward his hands. “You’re actually holding my favorite one.”
“Really?” He swirled his thumbs over the precious stones.
Watching the tender way he touched the stones, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want the bracelet to go to more. “Yes, definitely.”
“All right, then.”
I smiled. Not just at the sale, but at how my treasured creations were inspired. “I beaded that one last week. I’d just put the first stone on when a movement outside my window caught my eye. This black bear cub sauntered up to the berry bush at the edge of my yard, yanked a branch toward his mouth, and chomped on those berries right there in front of me.”
“Wow.” His eyes crinkled as if he were really trying to picture it. “That’s
“Isn’t she adorable?” I smiled, thinking about how fun it would be to have children of my own. “I wish ice cream made me that happy.”
He leaned toward me, and smiled. “Maybe you just haven’t tried the right flavor.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t been looking.” He bent down and studied Goosebumps tickled up my spine, along with a rush of heat to my face, as I found my own secret meaning in his comment. Then I straightened, remembering this gorgeous man was here to buy women’s jewelry. He didn’t have a wedding ring, but he obviously had a special someone. Lucky girl. “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”
some of the sterling silver and amethyst pieces in earnest. “But when I saw your booth, I knew I had to come over.”
My heart squeezed. This guy had decided spontaneously to scope out a gift for his girlfriend? Quite the opposite of my ex-boyfriends who—even for a holiday or birthday—always held off until the very last minute to buy a gift.
“Where are you from?” I asked, even though it had more to do with curiosity than making rent.
“Seattle.” He lifted a silver and topaz bracelet—one of my favorite pieces—and examined it. “Well, I used to live there. Seems like eons ago, but my buddies and I would come out to Whitefish every spring break to ski. The place has grown a bit.” He glanced at me, then held my stare. “Gotten better, I’d say.”
A shiver ran through me.
“Never thought I’d be able to work from home and move here.” He twisted the bracelet and the sun reflected off the orange gem. “Lucky me, though. I bought a place on the mountain, near the ski resort.”
My stomach did a forward flip. He wasn’t a tourist, he actually lived here, and . . . oh yeah, he’s taken .
He picked up one of my cards and put it in his pocket. “Probably more information than you needed to know . . .”
Oh, I wanted to know everything about him. I just didn’t want to want to know it.
“Congratulations on your new place. I’m sure you’ll love it here.” I took a deep breath, inhaling the musty smell of fallen leaves and his sandalwood cologne. I took a step back, giving him some space. “Well, let me know if you have questions on any of the pieces.”
He gave me a sideways glance. “Which would you want your boyfriend to buy for you?”
I stiffened. “Me? I don’t have a boyfriend . . .” Then, my cheeks went up in flames. “Oh, um. You were just asking my opinion, weren’t you? From a girl’s point of view.”
He chuckled softly. “Sorry, I’m not being very clear. It’s been awhile since—”
“No, it’s fine. That’s my job. Of course, I can help you pick one.” Lovely. Why didn’t I just broadcast my unexpected crush in neon lights across my booth? Keeping my head down, I searched my display, the beads rolling through my fingertips. He needed help choosing for his girlfriend and my dismal checking account balance told me I should lead him toward the more expensive items.
I looked up and our eyes met. Held. There was just something about this guy. Something that made me want to give him my honest opinion. So, I bypassed all of the higher priced selections and gestured toward his hands. “You’re actually holding my favorite one.”
“Really?” He swirled his thumbs over the precious stones.
Watching the tender way he touched the stones, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want the bracelet to go to more. “Yes, definitely.”
“All right, then.”
I smiled. Not just at the sale, but at how my treasured creations were inspired. “I beaded that one last week. I’d just put the first stone on when a movement outside my window caught my eye. This black bear cub sauntered up to the berry bush at the edge of my yard, yanked a branch toward his mouth, and chomped on those berries right there in front of me.”
“Wow.” His eyes crinkled as if he were really trying to picture it. “That’s
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