“All right,” she said, giving him a quick smile, then turning away. “Oh, Burt had a terrible fall and hurt his back. He’s recovering, but he’s in a lot of pain, so he spends his days drugged. Poor guy. Belle has appointed herself his nurse. She rarely leaves his side. They’re becoming quite the couple.”

Toby couldn’t help thinking that there was something going on with Reggie. She was keeping her distance physically, and she wouldn’t look at him—not the way she usually did.

He cleared his throat. “Nate, my sales manager, wants us to expand into the frozen food market. It’s tough to break into, but if you can make it there...”

She smiled. “You get a film deal in Hollywood?”

He chuckled. “Something like that. He’s trying to convince me it’s the right direction for the company. I remain difficult to convince.”

She tilted her head. “I’m not sure how I feel about Judy’s Hand Pies in the grocery store frozen case. I think the store experience is worth having. But that’s a limiter.”

“That was my exact conversation with Nate. But he’s not someone who gives up easily. We have frozen pies and are taste-testing them. As we speak, I have pies in my freezer that are three months old. Want to come over and have some previously frozen hand pies? I could make a salad, as well.”

Was it just him, or did he sound pathetic? And why was he suddenly nervous?

Reggie looked at the floor, then back at him. “Thank you for the invitation, but I need to get home. My folks have plans for tonight, and I have to babysit Burt.”

She picked up the last of the totes and started out of the room. “But you have fun. I’ll want to hear all about the experience.”

She walked away without looking back, leaving him with the distinct feeling that he’d been dismissed. The obvious solution to the Burt problem was for her to invite him back to her place. He could heat the pies there and they could spend the evening together. Only she hadn’t suggested that at all. If anything, she seemed eager to not be with him.

He grabbed his coat and gloves and headed for his SUV. As he slid onto the cold seat, he told himself he should be happy. Reggie had gotten the message, and now he didn’t have to worry about misleading her. Nothing was going to happen between them. Not now and not anytime soon. He should be celebrating. But instead of feeling happy, he was filled with a sense of dread that came from knowing he’d just lost something important—something he hadn’t realized he would miss until it was gone.

As the snow fell,

I fell

And you fell.

The past was gone,

Only love remained.