Love Lessons Read Free

pinched. 
    He straightened and coughed into his hand.  “No, why?”
    “You look like you’re in agony.”  She gestured toward his laptop.  “Is that piece giving you trouble?”
    He glanced at the article on his screen.  “Not at all.  It’s coming together great.”  Jesus, how could an article on the winter activities at the resort cause anyone grief?  Not much happened here in Deerfield, nothing he considered newsworthy anyway, which was why he was currently covering the winter festivities and upcoming Valentine events at Stone Cliff.  But looking at his article did give him an idea on where to start with Gracie. 
    Audrey gave a slow nod.  “Good.  I expect it on my desk at the end of next week.”
    As soon as Audrey left and he saw Gracie walk back to her cubicle, Nate turned his attention back to his laptop and messaged her privately. 
    Be ready at seven. 
    Where are we going?
    The resort.
    Why? 
    Wear something warm.
    You know I can’t ski.
    Just trust me, okay?
    He listened as she tapped on her keyboard and then came back with , I really have no idea how skiing is going to help me with my comic strip.
    Do you always have to be doubtful?
    You’ve seen my track record, right?
    Oh yeah, he’d seen the kind of guys she went out with.  Douche bags—every last one of them.
    You just haven’t been with the right guy, Gracie.
    She stopped typing, and he could hear the wheels on her chair squeal.  He looked around his ugly orange wall and saw her staring at her computer, like it had a live virus and she was about to catch it.  When she started to turn his way, he pushed back in his seat so she couldn’t see him watching her. 
    A long moment passed, then she finally wrote back.  Are you saying you’re the right man?
    The right man to show you what love looks like, sure.  He rubbed his palms together in anticipation, determined to open her eyes and show her firsthand how good they could be together.  He knew he couldn’t come right out and tell her.  Gracie had a cynical streak a mile wide, and he was going to have to navigate it carefully. No, he needed to take it slow and get her to open her eyes and see him as something more than her pizza and movie pal before he made a move. 
    Okay, I guess if anyone can, it’s you.  Considering you’re in love every other week.
    He stared at his computer a moment longer, surprised by her comment. Is that what she thought?  Jesus, she had it all wrong.  Sure, he dated—a lot—to keep his mind off the one girl he really wanted.  When he did go out, he spent the majority of the night wishing he was with Gracie and that they could move from the friend zone and really give a relationship a shot.     
    He decided to change the subject.  What’s for dinner?
    Your night to cook, remember?
    Right. Let’s eat at the lodge, then.  You’re on a deadline, and it will give us an earlier start.
    Wow, you’re going all out for me.
    Nate frowned at the screen. Was there sarcasm in that text?
    No way.  I’m just thrilled you can help me. Honest!
    It’s what friends do.
    Okay, meet you at the apartment later.
    She signed off when Audrey stepped into her cubicle.  For the rest of the day, Nate went over his article, made a couple phone calls, then left the office to talk to a few vacationers and compile some quotes on Stone Cliff.
    Night fell early over the mountain town in the dead of winter, and instead of heading home, he made his way back to the office.  Their apartment wasn’t far from their work building, and normally, Gracie liked to walk home, but it was cold and the zipper on her jacket was broken.    
    He pulled open the front door just as she was exciting the building.
    “What are you doing back?” she asked, dark lashes blinking over those almost too big brown eyes as she lifted her chin to meet his glance.
    Instead of answering, Nate looked over her navy blue pea coat, noting the way it was open at the neckline.  He reached out