well wrap her up in a bright red bow and gift
her to him. Geez, Cole. I thought you were in love with Rachel.”
“She has to be able to freely choose.” Cole turned and escaped
the confines of the small office at the back of the store. Seeing how his plans
with Rachel were canceled, he figured he’d give Haley the day off and work the
shift she’d already agreed to work for him. “Don’t you have friends to spend the
day with?” he said over his shoulder. “You’re free, kid. Shoo.”
His sister trailed after him. The store didn’t open for another
thirty minutes, which meant she would badger him until the second he unlocked
the door. He wasn’t exactly happy that Rachel had canceled, but what he’d said
to his sister was true. There were many, many actions he was more than willing
to take to achieve his goal, but he refused to do anything that could
potentially hinder Rachel’s ability to choose.
That was paramount. If he were fortunate enough to have this
whole mess work out well, then he needed to know she’d chosen him for the right
reasons. And yup, that meant stepping back and understanding that she currently
had a boyfriend she wanted to spend time with.
Even if the images of what they might be doing together just
about killed him.
“You’re pitifully lacking in the how-a-female-thinks
department, aren’t you?” Haley asked, skidding to a stop next to him. “If there
was a man that I ‘might’ have feelings for, and I canceled a date with him, and
he didn’t utter one word of complaint, I’d think he couldn’t care less. So, I’d
do everything I could to expunge my feelings for him.”
“Hmm,” Cole murmured in a non-committal way. Food for thought,
he supposed. But not enough to alter his decision. “It wasn’t a date.
Technically speaking.”
“ And if I had canceled said date to
spend time with another man, that man would suddenly appear much more
interesting to me than he had before. Interesting enough that I might forget all
about man number one and focus all of my loving attention on man number
two.”
“Too much information.” Haley might be a full-grown adult, but
she was still his baby sister. He had no desire to hear about her bestowing her
loving attention on any man. No matter how generic the description might be.
“What would you have me do? Kidnap her?”
“Um, no. That would just tick her off.” She tapped her bottom
lip with one finger. “Unless...you know, if you did it right, a kidnapping could be romantic.”
“While I adore you and thank you kindly for your advice, I
believe I’ll avoid breaking the law,” Cole said with a laugh. “You really don’t
have anything better to do today? Because if not, I’m sure I can find other ways
to occupy myself. Or I can always call Mom. She mentioned last night that
several employees were out sick.”
Like all the Fosters, Haley helped where help was needed, but
her main role in the family businesses was more detail oriented. She took care
of the books, purchased supplies, updated the websites and kept everyone else
organized.
“Unfair.” She wrinkled her nose. “I was there all last weekend,
on top of a full week in the office. I know Reid is off somewhere saving the
day, but where’s Dylan?”
Cole chuckled again at the reference to their oldest brother.
Reid did his duty by the family, but his primary gig—especially during the
winter months—was as a member of the national ski patrol. So yep, Reid was very
likely saving the day somewhere.
“I don’t know where Dylan is. Shall I phone Mom and ask?”
“No, no,” Haley said quickly. “I have plenty to do, thank you
very much.”
He gestured toward the front door. “Then what are you still
doing here?”
“Leaving!” With a quick grin and a wave, she hot-footed it
across the store, only to stop three short steps from freedom. “Did Mom mention
how many employees are out sick?”
“Go. Have. Fun,” Cole ordered his sister. “If Mom
her to him. Geez, Cole. I thought you were in love with Rachel.”
“She has to be able to freely choose.” Cole turned and escaped
the confines of the small office at the back of the store. Seeing how his plans
with Rachel were canceled, he figured he’d give Haley the day off and work the
shift she’d already agreed to work for him. “Don’t you have friends to spend the
day with?” he said over his shoulder. “You’re free, kid. Shoo.”
His sister trailed after him. The store didn’t open for another
thirty minutes, which meant she would badger him until the second he unlocked
the door. He wasn’t exactly happy that Rachel had canceled, but what he’d said
to his sister was true. There were many, many actions he was more than willing
to take to achieve his goal, but he refused to do anything that could
potentially hinder Rachel’s ability to choose.
That was paramount. If he were fortunate enough to have this
whole mess work out well, then he needed to know she’d chosen him for the right
reasons. And yup, that meant stepping back and understanding that she currently
had a boyfriend she wanted to spend time with.
Even if the images of what they might be doing together just
about killed him.
“You’re pitifully lacking in the how-a-female-thinks
department, aren’t you?” Haley asked, skidding to a stop next to him. “If there
was a man that I ‘might’ have feelings for, and I canceled a date with him, and
he didn’t utter one word of complaint, I’d think he couldn’t care less. So, I’d
do everything I could to expunge my feelings for him.”
“Hmm,” Cole murmured in a non-committal way. Food for thought,
he supposed. But not enough to alter his decision. “It wasn’t a date.
Technically speaking.”
“ And if I had canceled said date to
spend time with another man, that man would suddenly appear much more
interesting to me than he had before. Interesting enough that I might forget all
about man number one and focus all of my loving attention on man number
two.”
“Too much information.” Haley might be a full-grown adult, but
she was still his baby sister. He had no desire to hear about her bestowing her
loving attention on any man. No matter how generic the description might be.
“What would you have me do? Kidnap her?”
“Um, no. That would just tick her off.” She tapped her bottom
lip with one finger. “Unless...you know, if you did it right, a kidnapping could be romantic.”
“While I adore you and thank you kindly for your advice, I
believe I’ll avoid breaking the law,” Cole said with a laugh. “You really don’t
have anything better to do today? Because if not, I’m sure I can find other ways
to occupy myself. Or I can always call Mom. She mentioned last night that
several employees were out sick.”
Like all the Fosters, Haley helped where help was needed, but
her main role in the family businesses was more detail oriented. She took care
of the books, purchased supplies, updated the websites and kept everyone else
organized.
“Unfair.” She wrinkled her nose. “I was there all last weekend,
on top of a full week in the office. I know Reid is off somewhere saving the
day, but where’s Dylan?”
Cole chuckled again at the reference to their oldest brother.
Reid did his duty by the family, but his primary gig—especially during the
winter months—was as a member of the national ski patrol. So yep, Reid was very
likely saving the day somewhere.
“I don’t know where Dylan is. Shall I phone Mom and ask?”
“No, no,” Haley said quickly. “I have plenty to do, thank you
very much.”
He gestured toward the front door. “Then what are you still
doing here?”
“Leaving!” With a quick grin and a wave, she hot-footed it
across the store, only to stop three short steps from freedom. “Did Mom mention
how many employees are out sick?”
“Go. Have. Fun,” Cole ordered his sister. “If Mom
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