Some Kind of Wonderful: A Holiday Novella (The Cupcake Lovers) by Beth Ciotta Page A

shove another man between them? Or was this Zach’s way of making sure he wasn’t treading on another man’s turf? Not wanting to muddy waters, she answered directly. “He wants to marry me and I’m not crazy about the idea.”
    “Not ready to settle down?”
    “I’m ready.” She’d been restless all year, anxious for her happily ever after. There had to be more to life than work. As much as she loved Cupcakes & Dreamscapes, the thriving business no longer filled her every need. She wanted more. A husband and kids. A family of her own. But not with Charlie Banks.
    “Giselle described Charlie as a nice guy. Good job. Worships the ground you walk on. What’s the problem?”
    “I never wanted to get naked in a freezing-cold barn with Charlie.” Her words had been heated, yet Zach iced over. She saw it. Sensed it.
    His phone rang.
    He eyed the screen, then answered. “Hi, Uncle Dan. … No. I wasn’t aware. How far out?” Zach checked his watch. “We’ll beat it. No worries. It’s not like Marx is going to invite us in for a Christmas feast, right?… You take care, too. I’ll check in later. … Yeah. Bye.”
    “What is it?” Maya asked as Zach thumbed through apps on his Android.
    “A blizzard’s blowing in.”
    “More snow on top of what we got yesterday?”
    “According to the Weather Channel, an estimated twelve inches.” Zach pocketed his phone and retrieved his cane.
    Maya followed him out of the barn, mindful now of the freezing wind and a landscape already blanketed with several inches of glistening snow. The main roads had been adequately plowed. The back roads were another story. If this new storm hit hard and fast some of the mountain roads would be perilous, if not impossible. Yes, Zach’s Hummer was reliable, a veritable monster that ate up rough terrain. But what about if they got stuck? She thought about the physical aspect of digging or pushing their way out. Not knowing the full extent of Zach’s injuries, she had to wonder what kind of toll that exertion would have on his body.
    As if reading her mind, Zach glanced down at his cane as he opened the door for her. “If you’re worried about me keeping you safe, I can take you back to Sugar Creek.”
    “I trust you to keep me safe, Zach.” It was him she was worried about, but she stifled that thought, knowing it would hurt his pride. “If I’m concerned about anyone it’s Roscoe Marx. He sacrificed who knows how much for our country. The least I can do is weather a storm for him.” She buckled in and met Zach’s gaze. “I don’t care if he’s the grumpiest cuss in Franklin County. Roscoe Marx deserves some Christmas cheer.”
    Zach leaned in then and brushed his mouth over hers. “You’re killing me, Maya.”
    A barely there kiss, yet she felt it to her toes. “Back at you, Zach.”

Chapter Eight
    It blew in out of nowhere. A massive, blinding snowstorm.
    “Son of a b.” Zach kicked up his windshield wipers.
    Maya dialed down the volume of the radio. A bouncy version of “Let It Snow” faded to background as fat swirling flakes obscured the mountainous landscape. “I thought you said the storm was several hours out.”
    “That’s what Dan said and that’s what I saw on the forecast.” What the hell?
    “Maybe there’s an update on the local news station.” She scanned the radio but was stonewalled by static.
    Up until now, reception had been fine. “Storm interference,” Zach guessed as Maya continued to search. She’d even lost the station they’d been listening to for the last hour.
    Rather than hashing out what had happened between them in the barn, they’d tuned into a station featuring holiday classics. A mutual distraction while searching their souls. Did they or did they not want to pursue this attraction? More was at stake than scratching an itch and “doing it.” Their friendship. The future.
    Maya had given Zach a lot to absorb. She had written those sexy, engaging letters. She was hot for