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memories. Reminded him just how much he missed her, enjoyed being with her.
    Not to mention the sexual chemistry between them. When they stood at the sink washing dishes together, when their fingers brushed under the water, it had felt like a jolt of electricity buzzing through his veins. Her scent, the way she looked at him, the sound of her voice…
    He could easily find himself falling for her again. Maybe he was right now…
    Did she feel the same? Probably not but hell, he was most likely speculating anyway. Getting caught up in old feelings and memories, thinking they had a chance when it was so very clear they didn’t.
    Once they’d finally finished cleaning the dinner dishes, they set up the cookies and frosting at the table, the two of them quietly going to work on decorating the cookies, Christmas music from Mindy’s iPhone playing in the background. Just as he remembered, the cookies were melt-in-his-mouth delicious, buttery and sweet, and the frosting was good, too. He ate one for every three he frosted, laughing when Mindy glared at him, pointing her green-frosting-covered knife straight at him in an accusatory way.
    “I saw you eat that cookie, Joshua Powers. I believe it’s the third one you’ve devoured in fifteen minutes.”
    “And I’ve frosted at least ten.” He waved a hand at the cookies he’d already finished, which sat on the cookie sheet. “You’ve frosted what, three?”
    His gaze dropped to the paper plate Mindy was using to set her frosted cookies on. They were like little works of art, frosted carefully, sprinkles scattered across the top, whereas he’d just frosted and moved on like he was some sort of machine.
    “Well, they are a little prettier than mine,” he conceded when she hadn’t said anything.
    She set a pretty green tree with red and white stars sprinkled on top on the plate, watching him with both brows raised. “A little prettier? Josh, your cookies are sort of…clumpy-looking.”
    “Fine, a lot prettier.” He sighed, then snagged one of the clumpy-looking cookies off the pan and shoved it in his mouth. “And clumpy is definitely edible, I might add,” he said once he swallowed.
    Shaking her head, she started in on another one, her knife moving precisely over the cookie. “You haven’t changed a bit. All about getting it done and not paying attention to the details.”
    “What are you talking about? I’m all about the details.” Now he was offended. He was an arson investigator for God’s sake. Looking for the details was what he did for a living.
    “Not when it comes to frosting cookies.”
    “I don’t need to make them look pretty. They taste so damn good, no one’s going to notice. They’ll be too busy shoving them down their throat like I am.”
    A little smile curved the corners of her lips as she continued frosting. “They’re as good as my mom’s?”
    “Maybe better.” Her mom had always made them a little thin. Mindy’s were thicker and soft. “You learned from a master though.”
    “I like to think I’ve improved on her recipe. The boys love doing this. It’s a Christmas tradition I’ve carried on from my childhood, you know? That’s important. Tradition.” She set the finished cookie on her plate and picked up another one.
    He couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so beautiful, her blond hair tucked behind her ears, her mouth screwed up in concentration as she frosted, green eyes narrowed, her elbows propped on the edge of the table. He remembered many Christmases doing this very thing with her. Maybe an extra McKenzie sibling or two sitting at the table but usually it was just them.
    Just Josh and Mindy.
    He’d heard their names said together so many times over the years it had felt weird not to hear it. Eventually, he’d grown used to no more Josh and Mindy.
    But he missed it. Missed them. It felt good, sitting in the kitchen with her, quietly frosting sugar cookies. Silly but true.
    Being with her like this, made him feel