Page 33 of The Christmas Blueprint

She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to save herself that badly. She was feeling a sense of anticipation that had been lacking for the past eighteen months. She’d never been one to close herself off from the world. Why start now just because she was afraid? She was strong. She had deep roots she could share. Besides, no one had a crystal ball. No one.

But Sophia knew one thing. She was going to leverage this opportunity to help a young girl feel safe and happy during the holidays—not just to help Hunter, Harlow, and Killian, but also to persuade Killian to see the possibilities Bear Creek offered if someone only gave it the chance. And she’d show Killian—even if she had to bop him over the head—the true potential of this building—a community hub where small businesses could start and grow and thrive.

“The Harlow Project,” she whispered.

Chapter Ten

“Iknow you’renine.” Sophia turned her attention to Harlow. “But I’m off to see Santa at the parade, and I’d love some company.”

Harlow looked at Killian. He looked back at the young girl. And then it dawned on him. He was in charge. He dug in his memory vault, rusty from time and lack of use.

“I dimly remember there is peppermint hot chocolate at the parade. Does that still happen?” He glanced back at Sophia, who looked elegant and a little amused—likely at how he was going to stumble with this new and daunting task.

“There have been so many changes in town since you moved away, Killian, but there is always peppermint hot chocolate.”

“At school I heard there’s candy canes in the hot chocolate.”

“And whipped cream.” Sophia licked her lips and rubbed her tummy. “It’s not hot chocolate without both of those.”

“Definitely.” Harlow smiled and then turned back to Killian, her eyebrows raised.

“I’m in,” he said.

“We can watch from my store,” Sophia said.

He put Harlow’s bag in the trailer, grabbed his jacket, hat, and gloves and then the three of them walked back toward downtown.

Less than half an hour later, he and Sophia sipped their hot chocolates and stood together in the doorway of her store. She had her Christmas lights—woven through a distressed metal trellis that framed her store’s entrance. The lights caught the gleam of excitement in her eyes, gave her skin a deep gold glow and caught the few sparkles in her red lip gloss.

“Did you mean that about team?”

Killian took a sip of his hot chocolate. He had to forcefully look away from Sophia and toward the street where the parade was in full festive progress. “Yes,” he admitted, shifting his focus to Harlow, who’d found a friend from her new school, and the two of them had cozied up in one of the front bay windows.

Watching the parade from Sophia’s store had been a brilliant idea on her part. They were warm and protected from the very light and sporadic drizzle. Sophia had given Harlow and her friend Charleigh elf hats that she gave out to her high school interns during the holiday season.

“I’m feeling more off balance than I’d like to admit,” he said opting for honesty. “But I do want to ensure that Harlow has as fun a holiday as she can have even though her dad’s been called up, and her grandma is doing disaster relief somewhere in the world.”

“That’s not totally what I meant,” Sophia said softly, and he heard the emotion in her voice.

She was even harder to resist than he’d imagined, and he had to keep reminding himself why he should. But noble wasn’t one of his stronger attributes. Never had been. He was the one who walked. Disappointed his family as he floundered to please himself.

“I know,” he finally said.

She nudged him.

“And yes about being a team with the building plans even though you are only unofficially speaking for the planning commission and I am not yet officially the city planner, and I imagine that when I am, the only plans our good mayor will expect to see are his own.”

“You got his measure.” Sophia grimaced as she sipped her coffee. “But just because that’s what he expects doesn’t mean we have to give it to him. Jeffrey’s had his way too long. It’s time people started pushing back. Riley did with her Christmas Light Garden last year. Zhang did by buying the Tully property and then the mill. Now it’s our turn.”

Her eyes gleamed as she looked at him, and he realized how close they were standing. How easy it would be to kiss her. So tempting. His knees felt weak. He’d fantasized about kissing her for years. The thought made him a little dizzy.

He sipped his chocolate, trying to pull himself together as the innocent sweet richness melted with the tang of peppermint.

“I’m only here for a year, Soph,” he choked out, needing to be honest.

She didn’t immediately respond. “Then make that year count, Killian,” she said and looked him directly in the eyes.

There was nowhere to retreat. His tension ratcheted as he felt her chocolate-scented breath on his skin, saw the determination in her expression, heard the husk of her musical voice. She was finally close enough to touch. Longing swept through him so fiercely that he had to remind himself to breathe and not reach for her. It was a craving, ferocious. He’d felt nothing like it with any other woman ever.

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