Page 32 of Love in the Details

His nearness caused her heart to pick up speed. She just needed to forget him, finish this event, and move on. That’s what he would do.

They walked back inside, and she gathered up her notebooks.

“Where are you going so fast? Don’t you need to stay and take pictures of another room or something?” He waved his arms around, his gaze trying to find something to latch on to.

Kassidy raised an eyebrow, trying to gauge what he meant by that. “Are you feeling a little lonely up here by yourself on a Friday night?”

“Maybe. I feel like I’m the parent when it comes to my grandmother. She and Margritte are gone a lot, and they’re so secretive when they get back.” He leaned against a doorframe and smiled. “We could watch a movie or something.”

“I can’t stay tonight. It’s the gingerbread competition. Are you still coming?” She tucked the notebooks and small tablet next to her body, waiting for his answer. She couldn’t decide if she wanted him to come or not. Sledding with her family had already brought on countless jokes about the two of them. But maybe she could pretend for one night that something could happen in their future.

“How long does it usually take?” Dustin’s expression was neutral, meaning still no decision.

Kassidy leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at him. “When was the last time you decorated a gingerbread house?”

Dustin closed one eye and looked up to the ceiling, his lips moving. “Probably fifteen years ago. I got into that too-cool-teenager stage, and my grandmother stopped pushing it.”

“Well, that’s ridiculous.” She paused and smirked. “To be honest, my family is the most competitive of any family I’ve ever met, in case you couldn’t tell from sledding. I think that’s why we’re all still willing to do it. To see who will win this year.”

“Who won last year?” Dustin asked, his voice conveying his disbelief.

“Hunter did. He went for a ‘Christmas in the Jungle’ look, complete with a mini treehouse. I do have to say it’s going to be hard to top that one.” Kassidy laughed, and Dustin joined in. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of candy to decorate and eat.”

For a heartbeat, Kassidy was sure he was going to say no. But then he nodded, and she had to hold back a squeal, nodding her head and giving him a quick smile.

“Beats going over reports all night.” He straightened and walked over to get his suit jacket off the back of his chair.

“Wait, there’s one rule when it comes to the decorating.”

Dustin paused, his jacket dangling over his head as he waited. “A rule to decorating a gingerbread house? Of course, I should’ve guessed that would happen with you.”

“You can’t come—or I should say, shouldn’t come—in your nice clothes.”

He glanced down at his typical slacks, button-up shirt, and tie. “I can’t just wear this?”

“I know you probably just walk out of the shower wearing a suit and tie, but my family is a bit more casual than that. And if a food fight breaks out, I don’t want to be responsible for replacing…that,” she said, waving her hand up and down in front of him, gesturing toward the clothes. “Do you own sweats or jeans or anything like that?”

He slowly replaced his jacket and retained a shocked expression while he walked past her. “There won’t be any more strange rules when we get there? Something you’ve kept hidden?” he said, doubt in his voice.

“I promise I’m doing this for your own good. Food fights aren’t unheard of during this thing.”

He laughed as he disappeared up the stairs and down the hall. For a moment, she wondered which of the rooms she’d passed on her way to the attic was his. And then she brushed that off. That was too intimate, and she was already slipping against the onslaught of feelings over this guy who just kept surprising her.

She’d seen him as the evil emperor when he’d first arrived, and now he was just a guy who worked too much and didn’t know what to do with his money or who to trust completely.

When he came down looking like a model for one of the athletic-gear lines, Kassidy had to look away quickly before she started drooling.

He’s just going to leave in a couple of weeks, she kept trying to tell herself.She headed over to the garage door.

“Do you want me to drive?” he asked, shutting the door behind them.

“Maybe just follow me down? Then we don’t have to come back for my car.”

That was a good answer. Give space between the two of them. She shouldn’t have invited him to come tonight in the first place if she wanted a full separation. But it would be so lonely and creepy to stay in the mansion all by himself, and she could semi-dream that something might happen between them. Maybe it wouldn’t feel so awkward with Easton and Walker and their wives if Kassidy had someone with her tonight. Not awkward, just envy-provoking.

“Okay, yeah. Probably a good idea.”

Giddiness flowed through her as they descended the hill and onto the main road back in the direction of the main part of town. It was like she’d never grown up. She loved this time of year, and the gingerbread contest was one of her absolute favorite traditions.

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