Page 6 (1/2)

Chapter 1

The sh the small, sparsely populated and festively decorated diner as a waitress brought over a stea cup and laid it on the table in front of Cordi A s Cordi to bask in the dihts to sip her cider and wait in solitude

What was she waiting for? The h she really couldn’t answer that, either Her friend, Marta, had insisted she be set up with a guy she knew through her own boyfriend, Jake Cordi, as usual, had her doubts She agreed to the date, but she wasn’t getting her hopes up that Graha

Now, there was a word she was used to in the dating department Disappointment seemed to follow her around like a persistent house fly She was convinced she was a uys who still lived at home in their parents’ baseuy who ghosted her after only a couple of weeks, she thought she would just give up dating altogether At thirty-tho needed it?

She watched out the glass door covered in blinking Christ time drew closer The wind howled as it whipped an empty, Styrofoam cup in circles on the sidewalk outside It sent a chill through Cordi as she looked further past the door and up toward the clouds that held a pro in its warmth as she huddled in her chair

When a guyGraha blue eyes – approached the door and entered, Cordi found her hopes rise ever-so-slightly as she waited to see if her assumption was correct Could this hottie be her date?

Her eyes followed him as he stepped inside, paused to look around the e closer to her She was just about to stand and greet him when he took a seat at the table next to hers, effectively quashing the hopes that had involuntarily continued to build

Of course this fine-looking dude wouldn’t be her date She should be looking for someone a lot less yuuys she was instantly attracted to

She settled back into her chair as she continued to wait, in the ed out of his wool coat and gave his order to the lone waitress, black coffee and buttermilk pie

Michael Buble sang Feliz Navidad in the background as Cordi stole glance after glance at her watch, wondering as keeping her date When she got to the botto if she’d like another, and she agreed If her date hadn’t arrived by the time the next cider was done, she was out of there

“You waiting for souy asked once the waitress headed off toward the kitchen His voice was deep and smooth, Cordi noticed

She looked over to see hi to her, she realized, as her heart leapt in her chest Who else would he be talking to?

“Yes, blind date,” she ad for nonchalance “You?”

“I’rin spread across his face, lighting his handsome features

Cordi gave a knowing nod The local diner was known for their pies, and had it not been for the iht, the place would have been packed as usual As it was, it see it in before it got too bad out Everyone, that is, except for Cordi and this gorgeous lad at the table next to hers

“The pies are a,” Cordi said “The cider isn’t half bad, either,” she added with a smile as the waitress returned with her second cup

“I guess thatto the waitress to make sure she heard and understood the order

Cordi nodded, but reentleain

“Would you like to joinhis foot to push out the chair sitting next to his andto the empty seat as he looked to her for her response “I could use the company,” he added

Cordi hesitated for a moment What would her date think when he walked in to find her sitting there with this insanely attractive guy? If he walked in, she supposed At this rate, she was beginning to think she had been stood up, anyway, and if not, then Graha this late

“Alright,” she agreed Then she stood, pushing her own chair back as she grabbed her coat hanging fro with her cider that she picked up from her table, and moved the few steps over to join him

“I’m Cordi, by the way,” she said as she held her hand out for a handshake once she sat down beside him