The Cowboy's Valentine by Donna Alward

Author:Donna Alward
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-09-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

As resolved as Lacey was to keep her distance and perspective where Quinn was concerned, she wasn’t so good at it when it came to Amber. The girl was just too cute, even when she got frustrated with writing the names on her Valentines and put down her pencil in disgust. They took a break and chatted about what kind of cookies Amber wanted for her class party. Quinn might puff and bluster about Lacey usurping Marie’s place, but Lacey wasn’t about to deny Amber a few cookies for her first Valentine’s Day party. Quinn certainly didn’t have time for it and grabbing ones from the grocery store just wasn’t the same.

During the day, though, she worked in Quinn’s office when he was in the barns, converting the accounts over to the new program. She spent one morning at the Brandt ranch, and met with two other prospective clients in town. Her full-time inquiries garnered two new interview appointments. Maybe the argument with Quinn was exactly the kick in the pants she’d needed to really find her gumption. Up until then she’d just been going through the motions.

Signs had gone up around town, advertising the Valentine’s Day event, with no mention of the proceeds going to the Solomons. It amazed Lacey that the secret hadn’t got out and back to Quinn, but he seemed to know nothing about it. The biggest challenge, it seemed, was going to be actually getting him to go. That bit was Kailey’s job, a detail for which Lacey was grateful to have been spared.

February 13th rolled around and Amber and Lacey spent the afternoon making tiny heart-shaped chocolate shortbreads. As the cookies cooled, they decorated them with pink icing and left them to set a bit before packing them in cookie tins for the next day’s event.

Lacey looked around the messy kitchen and realized it was going to be harder than she expected, leaving this house. It felt like a house should feel—warm and welcoming. Of course that could all change when Quinn and Amber left again. It wasn’t really made for one person. If she moved out, and Quinn went back home, the big house would be empty again.

“There,” she said, dusting her hands off on her apron. “That’s the last pan in the oven. And there are extra. What do you say, should we taste test?”

“Yes!” Amber bounced up and down on her toes, then looked at Lacey speculatively. “How many extra?”

Lacey burst out laughing. “Enough for you to have two and no more or you’ll ruin your supper.”

“Okay.” Amber made a close examination of the cookies and plucked two off the rack. Lacey expected her to pop the cookies in her mouth but instead she hopped off the stool, came around the counter and handed them to Lacey. “These ones are yours,” she stated, then popped back around to choose her own.

“Thanks,” Lacey said, and waited until Amber was ready, then they took their first bites together.

Crumbs flaked away from the buttery cookie onto the floor.

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