LITMIR.BIZ

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to take anything from you, and I am not paying you for the muffin.”

      “You know what? That’s just petty, is what that is. You were going to pay me for the muffin, and then I told you not to, but now I want you to, and you won’t.”

      “That’s because you’re being retaliatory. And I think it’s small.” He was more amused by all this than he should be. More amused by her than he should be. But she was quick, and she was a lot more fiery than he remembered her being in high school.

      “Oh, so now I’m small? Yeah, I’m small. That’s what I am. A small business owner. And I’m being crushed by The Man.”

      Jake had never been accused of being The Man before in his life. He didn’t exactly have the look for it. “I am not crushing you. And I’m going upstairs now. Where I can eat my muffin without being abused.”

      “Abused? I would’ve thought you were a bit sturdier than this, Caldwell.”

      “I’m very sturdy. I promise you that. I just also happen to have an aversion to histrionics.”

      He turned and headed back toward the door,. He didn’t have the luxury of worrying about Cassie Ventimiglia and her coffee shop. Yeah, it would suck if whoever bought the place took it out from under her. But he was sure there were terms that could be worked out. And yeah, maybe her rent would go up, but she was underpaying. He also knew she didn’t have a predetermined amount of time on her lease. So she didn’t have any protection in that manner either.

      And sure, it made him feel bad. But not enough to willingly submit to holding onto a piece of Copper Ridge. Not enough to submit to holding onto a piece of the Caldwell family.

      There was a reason he had left all those years ago. And the reason was as valid today as it had been then.

      Cassie didn’t know. Nobody did. And that meant the way he handled things was nobody’s damn business but his.

       Chapter Four

      CASSIE HAD SPENT the rest of last night feeling incredibly annoyed, and stirred up, and like her entire life was being upended yet again. She felt like she’d already had enough upheaval for one lifetime. Yes, it had only happened once. But once was enough. She did not want to start over again. How many times was a woman supposed to reinvent herself?

      She of course had not found that answer while pacing around her apartment growling. And today, the answer continued to elude her as she sat in the driver’s seat of her car, unable to get it to start. The hits just kept on coming.

      She cursed and got out of the car, fighting the urge to kick her tires. She had errands to run, and this was one of her only days off. So of course, the car that she rarely used refused to perform its function.

      She released another growl into the universe and slammed the door shut, stomping around toward the front of the coffee shop. She was going to have to call her accountant and let her know she was going to be late. Liss would do her best to reschedule her, but Cassie hated to put the other woman out.

      Just as she was about to go inside The Grind, Jake appeared from around the back of the building. She froze, feeling slightly sheepish about the way she had behaved toward him yesterday. She was justified, but she’d been childish. And she really could’ve been a little bit more mature. If only because she imagined having him feel positively toward her was better than having him angry with her. All things considered.

      And she wasn’t usually one to make waves, but then, Jake had always brought out feelings in her that were less than typical.

      “Good morning.” There, she had greeted him. And she hadn’t even spewed any fire and brimstone in his direction.

      “Good morning.” He raised his brows, clearly just as surprised as she was that she’d managed to be civil.

      “I hope you slept well.” She hadn’t heard him showering last night, so thank heaven for small favors.

      And that was not what she wanted to think about right now. Not when she was annoyed. Not when she was looking at him, and would probably start blushing.

      “Yeah, I slept fine.”

      She bit back a rude comment. “Well, that’s good.”

      “You sound thrilled. You don’t work this morning?”

      “No, I have the day off. Which means I have to do the business things I can’t do while I’m in the shop.”

      “Exciting times in Copper Ridge.”

      “You aren’t lying.”

      “So where you headed?”

      “My accountant’s. To drop off financial stuff.”

      “Ahh, I see. As opposed to dropping off badger-related things at your accountant’s.”

      “Charming. Now, while you do a very good impression of the sarcastic jerkface, I am in a bit of a rush, and of having car trouble so...”

      She couldn’t really figure out why Jake made her feel so damned obstinate, only that he did. And that she didn’t really mind. To the contrary, she sort of liked it.

      He gave her something to kick against when she generally felt like she was simply drifting downstream.

      “I’m going to ignore the fact that you called me a name I haven’t heard since I was in elementary school. What kind of car trouble are you having?”

      “I don’t know.” She hated that feeling of not knowing. Or more accurately, of knowing she was in over her head, and that she needed help, but didn’t have it.

      Frankly she couldn’t afford to get the car repaired, and she had no idea how to replace anything herself. Her husband had done that stuff, and these were about the only times when she felt his absence. Most of the time she felt like she was better off without him—enriched even. But when the drain was clogged, a car needed repairing, something heavy needed lifting, or a jar lid was being particularly stubborn, she really missed the bastard.

      “Well, if you show me your problem I’m sure I can tell you what it is.”

      “The thing is, I’m late to meet Liss.”

      “Where is her office?”

      “It’s up the road about five miles, not something I can sprint. Even if I started walking now, I would still be late.”

      “If you wait down here for a second I can come back with a solution to your problem.”

      She blinked rapidly. “Well, that sounds... almost too good to be true.”

      “I promise you it’s not.” He turned and walked back around the building and she just stood there gaping. And staring after him. Because even though she was officially annoyed with him, he was still nice to look at.

      Something about being exposed to Jake was a whole lot like jumping from a sun-soaked rock into a freezing river. For the past five years she’d been comfortable. Comfortable right where she was, finding her feet again, letting go of a marriage that had lasted six years instead of a lifetime. Once she’d done that she’d settled in and found purpose in her new life. She hadn’t wanted what she’d lost again.

      Jake made her want things. Not love and commitment type things, other things. Naked things. Sweaty things.

      It made her feel a little bit flushed just thinking about it.

      And right on cue, just as her face was overheating from her libidinous thoughts, Jake reappeared, holding a motorcycle helmet.

      “I’m not sure what you think you’re doing with that.” She eyed him suspiciously.

      “I’m offering you a ride.” He extended the helmet, her face reflecting in the shiny black surface.

      She looked up from her own wide-eyed stare,

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