He and Nora had fallen into an easy rhythm during the week since she’d come to K-Bay. Coop made coffee in the early morning when Zoe awoke and wanted breakfast. After her feeding, he walked and burped the baby while Nora ate. The snow had let up enough to re-open the car lot. Coop came home for lunch. He cooked dinner. He took Nora and the baby to the bar for an hour or so in the evening for informal mixers. But there’d been no more kisses, no more getting carried away on Coop’s part and nearly promising Nora more than he could give.
Nope. They talked about inconsequential things, as if they worked in the same office together. He didn’t admit he couldn’t stop thinking about fatherhood. She didn’t admit he continued to fall short of her fatherhood standards. And Coop was relieved because he didn’t have to choose between his dreams and responsibility.
“Not him.” The distaste in Tatiana’s rising voice killed the positive energy of the ATV crowd. “I’ve dated beards like that. Never again will these cheeks receive beard burns.”
Almost as one, the men placed hands over their bearded chins, even Coop.
A week. They’d been at this a week and no one had rung the bell. And no one would today if Tatiana kept this up.
Gideon drew Tatiana aside and spoke to her in a low voice. The women tried to pretend there was no tension in the air. The sun was out and the snow was melting, especially on the southern mountain trail they planned to ride today. Everything seemed promising except for Tatiana, who was playing Princess Pouty. And Ty, who was pacing.
Nora stood outside the Bar & Grill, shading Zoe’s eyes from the bright morning sunshine.
Time to get this show on the off-road. “I need everyone in the Suburbans. Ladies, you need to sit with one of the men Gideon brought to your attention.” Coop had taken two large SUVs off his lot and rented two large trailers, which he’d filled with every two-seater ATV he could borrow or rent in town.
The day wasn’t all about matchmaking. He was hoping to sell a Suburban to Mike. It was large enough he could take all his fishing buddies in the eight-seater. Coop was also hoping for a kiss for luck from Nora. One without strings.
He had a better chance of selling a Suburban.
“What time will you be back?” Nora asked when Coop came to say goodbye.
“Worried about me?” The wind whistled between the buildings. Coop adjusted Zoe’s stocking cap more firmly around her little ears.
“I’m a mother. I worry about everything.” At his frown she added, “I worry this matchmaking thing is going to blow up in your face. And I’m worried someone out here is going to get their feelings hurt.”
Mine. When you leave and take Zoe.
He had a thing for her. Couldn’t she tell? The wind reached its cold hands inside his jacket and shook the material, covering up Coop’s shock at the increasingly strong sentiment that he didn’t want Nora and Zoe to go.
“If you and your friends are serious about matchmaking, you should charge for these things.” She half turned away from him, sheltering Zoe from the wind.
“We’re serious.” About winning the bet and getting out of Alaska. “This kind of work can open doors for us.”
“I hope you don’t mean bedroom doors.” Her smile sparkled as bright as sunshine on a snowdrift.
Would Nora want to leave? To go through that open door with him? “Have you ever thought about moving away from Alaska?”
“No.” Her brow furrowed. “Why would I? My older brothers live here.”
The hopes he hadn’t acknowledged fell. Nora wanted to stay. He wanted to go. Yet he couldn’t quite let loose the idea. “What if there was a job waiting for you in another state?”
Her gaze turned suspicious. “I thought you were serious about the matchmaker business, about building something and...”
“I am, but I’m also not close-minded about better jobs elsewhere.” And then he made a tactical error. “We made a bet with Coach about the matchmaking and if we win...”
“You made a bet involving a job?” Clouds of frost emitted from her mouth and chilled him. “Is this a game to you?”
“No. Keep your voice down.” He took her arm and walked away from the vehicles. “These are my friends. I want them to be happy.”
“But there’s a bet involved.” Her face pinched, and not from the cold.
“Coop, let’s get this show on the road.” Ty climbed into the passenger seat of the lead Suburban.
Suddenly, Coop was all too aware that the clock was ticking on his and Nora’s time together. “You’ll be here when I get back? I’ll explain everything then.”
“Of course I’ll be here. Mary Jo is going with you.”
“Good.” He leaned in and kissed Zoe’s nose.
And then he kissed Nora’s, telling himself it wasn’t a final kiss goodbye.
“WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE, Zoe, and that’s that.” Nora fastened the baby’s diaper tabs in the Bar & Grill’s bathroom a few hours after the matchmaking group had left. “Your father may not be exactly like my father, but he’s still a flake.” Matchmaking on a bet? “Who needs him?”
Unfortunately her heart wasn’t on the same page as her declaration. She enjoyed Coop’s company. She wanted to talk about hockey and politics and Zoe’s future with him. She wanted to dance and kiss and laugh and smile with him.
“But I want chocolate, too,” she cooed to Zoe. “And I don’t keep that around the house.”
“I shaved my legs for this?” Mary Jo traipsed into the restroom, followed by a group of women. “I have mud up the legs of my jeans and down my backside.”
Tatiana followed her in, took one look at her reflection in the mirror and shrieked. “I have helmet hair? Why didn’t someone tell me?”
Nora snapped Zoe into her pink, footed jumper. The guys must be devastated. Not that they didn’t deserve some devastation for playing with people’s hearts. “I guess the trip didn’t go well.”
“Go well? Did you see my hair?” Tatiana pointed to the flattened hair above her ears with a comb. She began teasing it back to life. Soon it looked more like a lopsided dove’s nest than a swanky hairstyle.
“Look at my jeans.” Mary Jo showed Nora her mud-covered and unidentifiable-debris-spattered backside. “These were brand-new.”
“My mascara iced over and my eyes nearly froze shut.” Nadine rubbed at her eyes and then did a double take in the mirror. “Forget your hair, Tat. Why didn’t you tell me one of my eyelashes fell off?” She held out her sweater, searching for the missing beauty accessory.
“You sat in the front seat.” Tatiana went to work on the other side of her hair. “I couldn’t see your face.”
“Ah.” Nora bit back a smile as she picked up Zoe. “That’s what’s on Mary Jo’s jeans.”
“Ruined,” Nadine muttered, plucking the lash from her friend’s behind. With a sigh, she carefully peeled off the other eyelash. “Can I borrow your mascara, Tat?” Nadine didn’t wait for approval before digging in Tatiana’s purse. “This was stupid. The point of a social is to look good, be social