Page 8 of Christmas for Keeps

He glared at me. “Can’t you see I’m trying to straighten this out?”

“It sounds like she’s done all she can.”

“You mean all shewill.”

I looked at the woman behind the desk. “If my friend stays, does he need to check in with you again?”

“Yes, sir, for a key card to give him access to the facilities.”

“Thank you. Excuse us, please.” I picked up Connor’s suitcase, and though I expected him to protest, he didn’t. With a hand on his elbow, I guided him away from the desk.

“What’s so damn important we need to talk right this minute?” He pulled his arm free and screwed up his face like he was about to cry. “What am I going to do?”

I set his suitcase back on the floor. “The way I see it, you have two choices. One, stay here in the lobby, where there isn’t even a chair left to sit in. Or two, come to my place and stay with me.”

He gave me an incredulous stare while his mouth opened and closed. “Stay with you?” he asked. He didn’t sound eager, to say the least.

I nudged him with an elbow, trying to make him relax. “Don’t make it sound like a punishment. My house is small, but you’ll be much more comfortable there than you will be leaning against a wall and using a gym shower.”

He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Nice of you to offer, though.”

I put my hand back on his arm. “Look, I know we parted under difficult circumstances, but that was years ago. We’ve both grown up since then. I’m sure we can stay in the same house without making everything weird.”

“I don’t know what to say. I was such an asshole, and here you are, being incredibly nice.”

“You weren’t an asshole. You weren’t anything, and I was no better. We haven’t had any contact for years, so could we let the hurt go?” When he remained quiet, I asked, “What do you say? Start over?”

He blew out a breath and his face relaxed. “Considering what we had, I don’t think we can start over, but I’m all for letting the hurt go. Are you sure about this?”

“As sure as I am that my name’s Zach.” I let his arm go and reached for his suitcase again. “Let’s head home while we can still get there.”

CHAPTER3

Connor

We leftthe resort and drove down Stowe’s picturesque Main Street. The storm had transformed the quaint New England town into a snow-covered fairyland. Bright holiday lights adorned the storefronts and trees, casting a warm, inviting glow, and festive outdoor decorations lined our path.

As we left the town behind, Zach switched on soft holiday music. Its soothing melodies were perfect for our drive through a landscape blanketed in pristine snow, with icy trees on both sides of the road. Eventually, Zach turned on to a side road, the surface hidden beneath a thick layer of white.

We came to a stop in front of what could have been a scene from one of his paintings. The two-story log home had a covered porch running across the front and a gable that made it look like a gingerbread house. The snow on the roof could have been icing, and the area around the house—presumably a yard—was covered by mounds of white. Snow-burdened evergreen trees bordered the property.

Zach turned off the engine and faced me, wearing a big grin. “We made it. Home sweet home.”

“This is stunning. I feel like we’re in a holiday storybook.”

“Thank you.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go inside. Doesn’t look like there’s too much snow on the porch, so I think we can make it without getting the shovel back out.”

I chuckled. “You make it sound like business as usual.”

Shrugging, he said, “In the winter, it is. Not usually this bad, but we get a lot of snow here.”

He insisted on carrying my suitcase, and we waded through snow up to my knees on our way to the porch. He handed me the bag while he unlocked the door, and when we stepped inside, he indicated I should set it against a wall. I put my backpack beside it.

“It’s warm in here,” I said, “and I smell cinnamon.”

He nodded. “I made cookies before I left this morning. We’ll have some in a bit.”

After hanging our coats on hooks by the door and placing our shoes on a nearby boot rack, I stepped through another doorway into the living room and looked around. “Holy shit, Zach! This is amazing.”

---