Page 16 of Christmas In Love

Her phone rang again, and without looking at the number, she answered.

She should have looked at the number.

“Natalie! I’ve been calling all morning!”

Quickly, she made some toast, folding it in half to eat faster. “Oh, hi mom. Sorry, I overslept… I don’t have much time though. I—”

“I’m coming home. I’ll be back on Friday. You’ll come spend Christmas, right?”

“Oh. Uh, mom, I have work, and this town event—”

“Tell them plans changed.”

“I can’t tell work my plans changed. I’m the boss.”

“Even better. No one will get mad if you close up for a few days. Come on sweetheart, you’re supposed to spend Christmas with your mom. We’re family.”

Natalie pressed her eyes closed. Mom hadn’t cared about spending Christmas with family a couple of days ago. She’d been spending it with—wait. “Mom, why are you coming home?”

“Oh, honey, it’s the most terrible thing. Gary is not at all the man I thought he was.” Mom sniffed.

Natalie bit into her toast. So it was happening again. Some really small—minuscule—part of her had thought this marriage might work out. Gary had seemed nice. She should be past disappointment by now, but it always took her by surprise. Just one more reminder that the Taylor women weren’t cut out for relationships.

The phone started ringing in the other room, and not a moment too soon. She wouldn’t even have to lie about it this time.

“I’m sorry to hear that mom. I’ve got to get to work, but I’ll text you about Christmas.”

“Okay. I can’t wait to see you!”

The phone was still ringing, so Natalie made a dash for it, hanging up her cell. Jumping headfirst into a busy day, she forgot all about her mom, the double date, and Cade staying at the inn.

Mostly.

“Hey, Nat.”

Natalie jumped ten feet into the air at the familiar voice. Or at least ten inches. She probably could have won a competition with her vertical jump at that moment.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Cade shoved his hands in his pockets as Natalie calmed her racing heart. “Again.”

“It’s fine,” she glanced at her computer, before looking back up at him. “Do you need something?”

“No, just saying ‘hi.’ What are you up to today?”

Natalie raised her brows. Just saying hi? Okay, then… “I’m finishing up some of the financials from last month, then I need to drive to Woodcastle to pick up stuff for the North Pole display.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Uh-huh.” Her gaze didn’t seem capable of staying on his. She kept thinking back to her conversation with April that morning and how she’d much rather take Cade on the date than one of the three guys she was currently considering on her new dating app.

But then she remembered the conversation with her mom and the reality of her situation. She couldnotreopen that door. Even a crack.

“Need any help?”

His offer surprised her. He’d been short and cold when they’d talked at the hotel—and he had every reason to be. That was the Cade she’d expected when he’d shown up at the B&B. She’d beenhorribleto him when she broke up with him in a letter. A letter. He’d probably only been nice over hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls because she’d caught him off guard when he’d been upset about his patient. He was probably regretting offering to help her then. But here he was doing it again? She needed to build up the walls around her heart a little more. Maybe add a moat.

“No, I’m fi—” she stopped. Actually, she did need help. But she didn’t really want to ask Cade.

“Maybe?” he asked, apparently noticing her sudden consideration.

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