Page 20 of Hensley Manor
But I wasn’t anyone special. I couldn’t be the one to make him happy.
After breakfast, I decided to explore the manor. Some areas were marked withstaff only,but the majority of the place was free to roam. The drawing room Ian and I had been in last night was quiet when I poked my head in. The chess board was exactly as we’d left it and the fire was unlit.
I continued down the hall and came across several small sitting rooms and one massive one. It must’ve been the room used to host parties. I walked farther inside, craning my neck as I looked at the high ceiling. The room was mainly empty, with the exception of a piano and some tables. Built-in shelves on the wall held various items, like decorative vases and plates on gold stands.
“Find anything interesting?”
I jumped at the voice and flipped around to see Ian leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His blue eyes were too beautiful as they held me prisoner.
“Is this where the Christmas Eve party will be held?” I asked, tearing my gaze from his and motioning to the wide space.
“It is.” Ian walked into the room, and even without looking at him, I was acutely aware of his closeness. “The tree will be cut down the day before the party and decorated by everyone here. A tradition at the manor.”
How long had it been since I’d decorated a tree? Not since the last Christmas with…
No. Stop.
“Sounds fun,” I said, walking over to the piano in the corner and gliding a hand across the lid.
“Do you play?”
Memories of Mom surfaced—me sitting on the piano bench beside her as she playedSilent Night. She had smiled as she positioned my hands over the keys, teaching me the song.
“No.” I faced Ian. He stood two feet away, hands in his pockets. “Do you?”
“I know a few songs,” he answered with a tight smile. “I’m not very good, though.”
“Much better in the kitchen?”
His smile was genuine this time. “Yes.”
Something occurred to me. “How long is my reservation for?”
“Until Christmas,” he answered.
“Today is the fifteenth, right?” I asked.
Ian nodded. “And there’s much to do to prepare for Christmas. For me, at least.”
Ten more days? I had the vacation time at work, but holy shit. My drunk self a few nights ago must’vereallywanted to get away for a while. I hoped I’d at least told Lance where I was going, so he didn’t worry.
“Would you like help?” Surely, there was something I could do, even if it was just cleaning or carrying boxes. Anything. He’d done a lot for me, and I owed him.
“I actually need to run some errands today in town.” He focused on the piano as a blush crept to his cheeks. “You could join me if you like.”
Honestly, there was nothing else I’d rather do.
***
Ian and I walked down Main Street, and the sun in the clear sky provided a layer of warmth even though the temperature was below freezing. He talked about the activities he had scheduled for the manor leading up to Christmas, and I listened to him, enjoying the excitement in his voice.
Along with the tree decorating the day before Christmas Eve, he also planned to have a night of baking where everyone made cookies together, an afternoon where we went to town and attended the winter festival, and an evening of movies and board games.
They might’ve been kind of corny to some people—and hell, before meeting Ian, I would’ve thought it was cheesy, too—but they were activities that brought everyone together. And that seemed to be important to him.
The sun hit the snow, making it blinding in some spots. Not as blinding as the man beside me, though. Ian was unlike anyone I’d ever met; patient, generous, kind, and easy on the eyes.
Reallyeasy on the eyes.
