I lifted my foot slightly off the ground. “I’m an eleven. I have big feet.”
“Yes, you do,” he teased. He took off inside the inn and came back out with two pairs of skates. He handed me a pair. “Try these. They should work.”
He sat beside me on the bench, underneath the snow-covered tree, as we put on our skates. They felt heavy on my ankles. I tried to stand and wobbled on my feet. Colin took my hand to steady me. My breath hitched as electricity sparked between us. Judging by the look in his eyes, he felt it too.
“I won’t let you fall,” he murmured. I smiled up at
him, and he winked. “You might sue me.”
I smacked his arm. “Seriously? You know I’m not like that.”
Grinning wide, he dragged me out onto the ice. I squeezed his hand so hard I could barely feel my fingers. I’d forgotten how hard it was to ice-skate.
“I know, Layla. I’m just giving you a hard time.”
Slowly but surely, I glided across the ice beside him, enjoying the serenity of it all. Everything in Friendship moved a lot slower than I was used to, but I loved it. It was time the hectic part of my life took a break. I needed to concentrate on myself. So far, the outcome looked rather promising.
My grip on Colin’s hand loosened, but he didn’t let go. “I had a good time with you today,” he said. “I want to do it again.”
Heart racing, I tried to hide my smile and failed. “I’m good with that.”
He started to slow down, but my feet didn’t know how. Instead, I tripped over myself, and he caught me, pulling me against his body. I held on to him for dear life. A deep chuckle escaped his lips. “I like being around you, Layla. I’m hoping you feel the same way. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this about anyone.”
Looking into his emerald eyes, I couldn’t help but melt against him. “Same,” I confessed. “I guess the question is … what are we going to do about it?”
He leaned in closer. “I have some ideas.”
Closing my eyes, I waited for the kiss to come, but a car door slammed and broke me out of the trance. Colin and I glanced over at the inn, where some of his guests were headed inside. Cheeks burning, I reluctantly let him go.
“It’s getting late. I should probably get home.”
His grin made my heart jump. “Okay, but you owe me a kiss.” That was something I definitely looked forward to.
Chapter Eight
Layla
I went to bed all cozy warm until first thing that morning, but when the heat clicked off, I knew something was wrong. Wrapped up in Colin’s quilt, I hurried outside to the back of the house, only to see the frozen heater.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Hurrying inside, I grabbed my phone and called Colin.
“Good morning,” he answered.
“I wish I could say it was, but it’s freezing over here. The heater’s frozen solid.”
“What?” He sighed. “I don’t understand.”
“I know. That’s what’s crazy. Think you can come over and take a look?”
I could already hear him starting his truck. “Be there in a sec.”
When he arrived at the house, he appeared to be more baffled than I was as he studied the frozen heater. Rubbing the back of his neck, he stared at it. “I don’t understand. I’ve never seen this happen before.”
“Neither have I. We never really needed a heater much in Charleston.”
Sighing, he stopped beside me, still looking at the heater. “Until I figure this out, you might want to come back to the inn. You can have my cottage again.”
Excitement bubbled in my chest. I hated not being at my house, but I loved being at his cottage. “I’ll grab some of my things and my sketchpad and head right over.”