Page 26 of The Christmas Blueprint

He nodded, but still looked uncertain.

“I named my shop after him,” she confessed, wanting to lighten up the moment.

“Lost and Found Objects?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “Enrique and my mom thought I should name it Sophia’s. He loved my name.” He’d also wanted her to lease the annex shop next to her so she could use it as a studio, but she hadn’t wanted so much pressure to start creating art again to try to sell. “But after his death. I thought of how I’d found love and lost it, but Enrique was such a positive person that I knew I wanted his spirit to continue in me so I thought that what is lost can be found.”

Killian looked up at her. His eyes shone with emotion, but there was a smile tugging at his lips now, and her heart warmed. He stood.

“That’s a beautiful story, Soph. Thank you for telling me that. Thank you. I’ve been feeling out of my depth.”

“But Riley said you had a degree in architecture and urban planning.”

“Yeah, but not in substitute parenting, and I really have my fingers crossed that I haven’t committed to something that I will be an utter failure at.” Again, he raked fingers through his hair, blew out a breath and looked at her, his expression a combination of embarrassment and worry.

“Come again?” She had no idea what he was talking about.

“I’ve been feeling so torn up that I didn’t join Enrique here. I was finishing up my master’s and had a job offer at a pretty prestigious architecture firm that I really wanted to take, and…” He sucked in a breath. “And Enrique said he was going to come home and ask you out, and I…I figured he didn’t really need me, and I was so…selfish.” He had a faraway look in his eyes. “So when Hunter asked me for help, I figured it was a way to atone.”

“Hunter?” She felt like she’d missed a chunk of the conversation. And then something else he’d said regurgitated in her brain. “Substitute parent?”

“I know I’m the last person anyone should ask.”

Ask what?

“Not the last,” she said softly, silently urging him for more. She didn’t remember Killian being so shut down. He’d always been friendly, joking with his friends, popular in school, and spearheading so many activities.

“About a month ago, Hunter learned through some DNA thing that his sister did searching for relatives, that he was a father.”

Sophia blinked. The one sentence, though stark, was too much to assimilate.

“The mother had been a weekend leave’s fling, and though he’d given her his contact information, she’d never talked to him again. Her mom had raised the little girl—Harlow. She’s nine.”

“Nine,” Sophia yipped, her fingers covering her mouth. She was unable to believe that Hunter, who she remembered from high school as an intense athlete who’d watched out for his sister like a dedicated parent would, had not known he had a daughter.

“Poor Hunter,” she breathed. “Poor little girl.”

“Harlow,” Killian said. “The grandmother wanted to right the wrong, and Hunter got emergency leave, so he moved to Bear Creek with Harlow to join Lisa and her family who are moving here in February, but he has a year left on his contract. I’m backup if Hunter gets deployed before Lisa arrives. The grandma wanted them to have time together, but she also wanted to pursue a career advancement of sorts—get a chance to live her life. When she retires in a few years, she’s going to come here to be close to Harlow.”

“Killian.” Sophia stepped into him and hugged him hard and then stepped back. Her eyes swam with tears. “You don’t see yourself as you are,” she said. “You are such a good man. A good friend. You have nothing to reproach yourself for—leaving your job and home to come back to Bear Creek to help a friend and little girl you’d never met. I was right. This is a second chance for you.”

“That’s how I’m trying to see it,” he admitted. “I’m ashamed that I’m not as enthusiastic about being here as I should be, but seeing this building, working with you, spending time with Riley who seemed so blisteringly happy last night after she stopped trying to break my eardrums with questions and reprimands for not telling her I was coming, I feel like I am in the right place…for now.”

Sophia didn’t want to touch the ‘for now,’ but she needed to remember that he’d said it.

“I’ve got to get back to my shop soon, so I’m prepared for the First Friday event after Thanksgiving, but let’s do a quick tour of the building.”

“Fair enough,” Killian said, seeming to shake off the emotion lingering from the intense conversation easier than she could. “You’ve obviously given this building a lot of thought and a name.” He smiled, and her heart skipped a beat.

No. Not fair. Remember, Killian said ‘for now.’

“You’ve even named it. Mill Market.” He looked like he was tasting the words. Then he walked toward the trailer. “Is this part of the deal? It looks vintage but remodeled.”

Before she could formulate an answer, Killian opened the door and flicked on the lights.

“I was hoping we could use it as command center for the Mill Market while we’re in the planning stages of how to configure the spaces, getting the permits, advertising for tenants. Or it could be one of the shops or remain an office—” Sophia frowned as Killian ignored her.

She entered the trailer behind him.

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