The Coldwater Warm Hearts Club by Lexi Eddings

it was that wicked part—was glad she was back in Coldwater Cove, too.

Chapter 5
    The trick to maintaining a beneficial relationship with one’s human is to never let on how much one needs the silly thing.
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    â€”What Effie the Disdainful means when she makes that “ meh-eh-eh -ing” sound
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    A solid knock on the door startled Lacy and made her yank her hand away from Daniel. Guilt constricted her chest. She glanced heavenward.
    I haven’t done anything wrong. Honest. I only thought about it.
    But the knock at the door had broken the spell and Daniel was putting on his hat again, adjusting the brim low over his forehead. She wondered if places like Coldwater Cove had their own thought police for the ethically challenged. If so, she’d been well and truly busted.
    â€œLacy, it’s me.”
    The voice on the other side of the door belonged to Jacob Tyler. Feeling silly at the way her heart rate had shot up when Daniel touched her, she breathed a sigh of relief that she’d been spared from making a fool of herself over it and hurried to let Jake in. She’d never have believed it, but she now considered the heartthrob of Coldwater Cove High completely “safe.”
    At least compared to the married guy in her kitchen.
    â€œGlad to see the stairs aren’t a problem for you.” Lacy, you idiot. Could you be any more insensitive? If there’d been a way to shove the words back into her mouth, she’d have done it, even if she choked on them.
    He didn’t seem to take offense. “I’m a little slower on them, but since my knee joint is still intact, I manage. In fact, my place is above the grill so I do stairs all the time.”
    Arms full, Jake moved past her into the small kitchen. A savory scent with a hint of garlic streamed in with him.
    â€œFigured you wouldn’t have time to cook.” He found an empty place to set the insulated catering bag on her counter. Then he looked pointedly at Daniel. “Didn’t expect to see you here, officer.”
    Officer? Daniel and Jake had been inseparable in high school, and they’d been friendly enough to each other in the Green Apple the other day. Neither of them looked especially friendly now. If they’d been dogs, both their ruffs would be straight up.
    â€œI was just leaving.” Daniel paused at the door. “Remember what I said, Lacy.”
    She patted the pocket where his card rested. “I’ll remember.”
    As long as he’s still wearing that ring, God help me to forget.
    â€œLester’s back in town,” Jake said without glancing Daniel’s way. “Thought you’d want to know.”
    â€œWhy? He’s nothing to me.”
    Daniel and his dad had been estranged before she’d left for Boston, but she’d hoped after all this time, Daniel had made peace with the old man. For his own sake. “He’s still your father.”
    â€œNo, he’s my sperm donor,” Dan said curtly. “I don’t have a father.”
    Once the door closed behind Daniel, Jake made a low noise deep in his throat. She couldn’t decide whether it was a grunt of satisfaction or disgust.
    â€œMeat loaf okay with you?” he asked.
    Based solely on the heavenly aroma, Lacy suspected Jake’s meat loaf was good enough to serve at a state dinner at the White House.
    â€œMore than okay. You brought enough for you, too, didn’t you?” She took a couple of plates from the cabinet. The used Bruins mugs seemed to be the only survivors in the cup box, so she opened the box marked “glassware” and fished out two heavy Coke tumblers. She filled the glasses with water from the tap.
    Her friend Shannon in Boston would have been embarrassed to offer a man who’d brought her meat loaf nothing but tap water, but Lacy felt no shame. Coldwater Cove didn’t get its name for nothing. The artesian wells that served the town