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Sweet. Not an adjective used to describe him possibly ever. It was enough to make Cole laugh as he took his change from Lou and put his wallet back into his pocket.

He took the bowl from her while she grabbed some packs of crackers and her hot chocolate.

Rather than go to one of the few tables set up to try to squeeze in around folks already eating there, Sophie went to the garland-and-white-lights-draped gazebo with its big red bows at the top of each section. A fully decorated Christmas tree was in the center of the gazebo. Several people sat around on the seats along the perimeter, so Sophie sat down on the steps.

Cole handed over her chili. If he was going to walk away, now was his chance.

Only, he wouldn’t leave her to sit alone on the gazebo steps.

What kind of person would he be if he did that? After all, she’d always been nothing but kind to him, despite knowing what she knew.

He sat down next to her, the cold from the steps cutting through even the thickness of his utility pants. In her thinner clothes, Sophie had to feel as if she was sitting on an ice block. But rather than complain, she awarded him another happy look.

Meeting her gaze, the smile he’d been fighting broke free. He didn’t even know why he was smiling, just that he felt the lifting of his facial muscles as his mouth curved.

“Finally,” she breathed. “I thought you’d forgotten how.”

Still feeling a bit like a puppet with her holding his strings, as if she controlled his body more than him, Cole grunted, “That makes two of us.”

Looking a little caught off guard at his response, her smile wavered—but that only lasted for a moment. He could almost have missed it because she recovered that fast. “Well, I’m glad you remembered, because I like your smile.”

“Why?” Wasn’t that the million-dollar question? Why was Sophie so nice to him? Why did she light up brighter than the square’s Christmas tree when she looked at him? Was it all a ruse? All founded in benevolence?

Blowing on a steaming spoonful of chili, she eyed him. “What do you mean, why? Doesn’t everyone prefer smiling people to unsmiling people?”

She had a point.

Cupping his gloved hands, Cole blew into them, as if he thought that was going to warm them. Had he been hoping her answer would warm his soul right down to his fingertips? He wasn’t physically that cold, so he must have been hoping for something.

“I guess so.”

Sophie ate her spoonful of chili. “Mmmm, this is good enough to make the whole world smile. Yum. Want a bite?”

She planned to spoon-feed him? Neck muscles tensing, Cole shook his head. “I already ate.”

“Don’t say I didn’t offer to share.”

“No worries. Those stars in your crown are safe.”

“What does that mean?” She gave him a blank look as she wrapped her lips around the spoon again.

“Nothing,” he murmured, feeling guilty that his own shortcomings were seeping through.

“Did you see the tree lighting earlier? Wasn’t it gorgeous? I was at the booth, so I only saw it from a distance, but it’s always so impressive.”

Cole had gone to the tree lighting by default as he and Andrew had been canvasing the square at the time.

“What’s your favorite Christmas memory?”

“Huh?” Cole turned back to Sophie, wondering how it was even possible for her brain to jump from one subject to the next so quickly.

She waved her spoon as she spoke. “Your favorite Christmas memory, what is it?”

“Same as any kid. Christmas morning and unwrapping presents.”

“Presents are good,” she agreed, taking another bite, then asking, “Did you get lots of presents or was it mostly lumps of coal? Coal for Cole. Ha, ha.”

Cole’s lips twitched. Yeah, he’d been hearing all types of coal jokes from his buddies, now that they were in the Christmas season. Usually in conjunction with something about Sophie.