Page 26 of Christmas in Watch Hill
“Okay,” I replied, too exhausted to resist. I was already dreaming about my warm bed and the sleep I sorely needed. “Let’s go.”
Somehow, I found my way to the parking lot and my car, parked a short distance from the restaurant. If I wasn’t sick, I would have been embarrassed, but the sloshing in my stomach stopped me from caring. I told Ian several times on the way to my house how much I appreciated his efforts, and he replied every time that it wasn’t a big deal. Soon, he pulled my car onto the gravel driveway of the small Tudor revival I purchased the year before I took over Already Perked.
“This is your place?” He shifted from drive to park, then turned the engine off. “It’s really cute.”
“Thanks. It’s the first thing I’ve ever truly owned. I bid on it back when I still had my old job after finding it one day on the MLS listings. I always thought I’d move to Watch Hill, but it was years earlier than I expected. Sort of an impulse buy, but I’m glad I did it.”
I sent up a silent thank you that I’d forced myself to decorate for Christmas, getting up on the ladder to string lights along the lower gutters and then around the front doorway. From the street, the house looked cozy. Warm.I bet my bed is all those things, too.
“It’s getting cold. Let me help you get inside,” Ian insisted. “You really don’t look well.”
“No, I—”
“Let me. Please.”
He scrambled out of the driver’s seat and helped me out of my car. I was too weak to protest much as he fumbled for my house key, unlocked the door, and led me into the small living room. I kept thinking about the shower I needed to take, and the sleep that awaited me.
“I really appreciate this,” I told him as he helped me sit down on the leather couch. He backed away and went to the ottoman instead of sitting next to me. “You didn’t have to do it.”
“I wanted to. What are friends ...”—a nervous laugh escaped his lips— “anyway, yes. I wanted to make sure you got home safely.”
“It’s been good seeing you again,” I admitted. “I wasn’t sure it would be.”
“Me either.” A smile pulled at Ian’s lips. “We had a fun weekend, didn’t we?”
“Best trip I had all year.”The only one, in fact.
“It was a memorable time. I’m glad you were there.”
An awkward moment passed between us as we stared at each other.
“This is probably just a stomach bug,” I tried. “Once I sleep it off, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.” Ian took his phone from his pocket. “If you’re sure that you’re okay, I’m going to call myself a car.”
“I’m fine. I don’t want you to miss any more of The Sleigh Bells.”
Ian’s grin turned into a laugh.
