“Breaks your heart, I know,” he teased before patting down his jacket to locate his wallet. Ah, left-hand pocket. When he fished around for it, he discovered a folded piece of paper tucked in the pocket, too.
After handing his credit card to Jessie, he scanned the handwritten note:
I hope I make you as happy as you’ve made me, cowboy. XOXO, K
He reread it, grinning, and then tucked it in his pocket before Jessie noticed. Two weeks ago, his entire world had turned on its axis. Aside from an occasional doubt, he’d been coping with his new reality just fine. More than coping. If he were being completely honest with himself, he liked his growing closeness with Kelsey.
“You know,” Jessie began while she finished bagging the items, “people are taking bets on how long you and Kelsey will stick it out.”
“Excuse me?” Trip set his hands on the counter, heat rising to his neck.
“Basic stuff, like whether you’ll still be together by the time the baby comes.” She pushed the bag of goodies toward him, smiling like she hadn’t insulted both him and Kelsey. “Based on your conquests during your first eight months in town, odds are long on that one.”
He drummed his fingers against the counter, trying to maintain an unaffected air. “Guess gossip is a pitfall of my legendary reputation. But if people spent more time worrying about their own sex lives instead of analyzing mine, they’d be more . . . satisfied.”
“Since when have you been touchy?” She laughed, which told him he’d failed to hide his feelings. “In a town this small, you had to know news of the most desperate romantic snagging the most notorious playboy with an ‘accidental’ pregnancy would set tongues wagging.”
Trip’s nerves caught fire at her tone and accusation. He glared at her. “Watch it, Jessie. There’s nothing desperate about Kelsey.”
“Sorry, Trip.” Jessie’s eyes widened, as if surprised he’d rushed to Kelsey’s defense. “Just joking around.”
“It’s no joke to imply she tried to trap me. That’s not what happened. And, by the way, I feel damn lucky, so consider that before you place your next bet.” He turned without looking back and marched out the door into the first snowfall of the year.
Normally giant snowflakes boosted his mood. Right now, they weren’t even helping to cool him down. Jessie’s disbelieving expression still lingered in his mind, pissing him off. He’d walked two blocks before the muscles in his neck and shoulders finally loosened.
Couldn’t Jessie see he was happy, dammit? Calling Kelsey desperate. Please! Kelsey was sweet and sexy and sassy all rolled into one.
Thinking of Kelsey reminded him of the message she’d snuck into his wallet. The last time he got surprise love notes had to have been tenth grade, when they were stuffed through the slats of his high school locker.
Those had usually been anonymous, which had been fun because he would spend the next day or two trying to figure out which girl had a crush on him.
Now there were no questions about who had the crush. For all the casual indifference she’d shown prior to the pregnancy, Kelsey’s behavior had now returned to the woman he’d met last year. The one who’d had her heart set on Grey.
That memory brought an instant scowl to his face. Not only had Kelsey chosen Grey over him that night so many months ago, but she’d gone on to pursue Grey for months afterward.
Luckily Grey hadn’t been interested, Trip thought, as he breezed into the back office at Backtrax and brushed the snow from his hat.
“That’s the first pout I’ve seen on your face in a while.” Grey crossed his arms and shot Trip a smug smile. “You have a fight with ‘the little woman’?”
“No.” Trip had talked smack for so long, he knew he had to suffer whatever digs Grey took now that he’d succumbed to being in a relationship. Still, he didn’t have to endure too much if he could change the subject. “Have you been outside? Another little snowfall. I spoke with Jon yesterday. He’s available to help out this year until you’re cleared to ski.”
“Jumping the gun, aren’t you? It’s only October fourth, and we’re only expecting three inches today.” Grey unwrapped a grape lollipop and shoved it into his mouth. “Such a tease.”
“It won’t be long now. El Niño, baby.” Trip sank into his chair and crossed his legs at the ankles. “When do you think you’ll be ready to ski?”