Page 76 of The Clause in Christmas
The embrace lasted mere seconds.
But the moment would stay with Cassie forever.
Imprinted on her heart as a banner of hope.
* * *
Standing on the corner of the tiny residential street, Cassie almost smiled at the row of lovely Victorian homes draped in miles of multicolored Christmas lights. But any enjoyment she would normally have experienced ticking off the day’s task on the Christmas Calendar evaporated with the chill of Derek’s voice.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late. It took me twenty minutes to find a parking spot.” Derek rounded the side street, halting mid-stride when he caught sight of Cassie.
Her stomach lurched at the obvious sign of approval plastered across his face.
“You look great,” he breathed, scanning the length of her body.
Cassie squirmed inside her peacoat. She hadn’t gone to any extra trouble, wearing her cinched black coat over skinny jeans and a cream sweater. Although her red knit cap and plaid scarf could be considered festive. She flushed, recalling the first time she’d glimpsed Luke noticing her appearance. But somehow, his appreciative glance felt much different than Derek’s.
“Hi,” she said stiffly, tightening her collar against the cold—and Derek’s unwanted gaze.
“Why exactly are we meeting here instead of the coffee shop?” His breath escaped in a puff of white as he rubbed his bare hands together for warmth.
“Because I want to look at the lights.”
“Since when?”
“Since now.”
Derek tilted his head, narrowing his blue eyes, but he didn’t press her further. “Did the wire transfer go through okay?”
“Yes, thanks.” Cassie dug her hands into her coat pockets as she started down the narrow sidewalk, trying to ignore how closely Derek fell into step beside her. He still wore the same musky cologne, and it irked her that she noticed. “I want to talk to you about that, actually. You understand it’s simply a loan, right? I plan on paying you back soon.”
Derek shrugged, his broad shoulders straining beneath his fitted cashmere overcoat. “Sure. Whatever.”
“Not ‘whatever,’ Derek.” Cassie paused in front of a particularly beautiful three-story Victorian draped in silvery lights. Huge falling snowflakes drifted across the front, cast from a laser projector hidden somewhere in the well-manicured yard. “This is important. Our partnership is only temporary. I’ll work with you for as long as it takes to get the coffee shop open and running smoothly. And I’ll help you hire the perfect manager. Someone you can trust to run the place while you’re gone.”
Derek opened his mouth to protest, but Cassie held up her hand. “We can both agree on a fair wage, but I don’t want equity. When I’ve earned enough money to pay you back, I want out of the arrangement. Understood?”
Derek’s lower lip protruded, as though he were about to pout. But then his lips spread into a boyish grin. “Understood. New businesses can take alongtime to set up.”
Cassie groaned, not bothering to muffle the sound as she continued her stride.
Chuckling, Derek caught up with her. “You may not want to admit it, but working together is going to be fun.”
Cassie knit her eyebrows together in response. But Derek was undeterred.
“I’m serious,” he insisted. “I guarantee this will be the best decision of your life.”
Incredulous, Cassie snorted. The man had a lot of nerve! She could guarantee it most certainlywouldn’tbe the best decision of her life.
She could only hope it wouldn’t be her worst.
Chapter 28
Sliding his key into the lock, Luke took one last look at the driveway. Cassie’s blue Prius was nowhere in sight, which meant she was still in San Francisco. Only two days had passed since she left, but it felt like forever.
As Luke pushed through the front door, he marveled at how quickly he’d come to view the cottage as Cassie’s home. The once familiar scents of lavender and lemon oil gave way to Cassie’s heady perfume and the lingering aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Her white snow jacket hung from the vintage hall stand, and Luke gently ran his hand over the puffy sleeve, his pulse quickening at the memory of their bodies sprawled in the powdery snow.
Tucking the tiny package under his arm, he stepped into the living room, surprised by how empty the space felt without Cassie’s presence. He also noticed the disarray, as though she’d left in the middle of gift wrapping.
