AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Miller,” Colby said, the corners of her mouth fighting a smile. “I’d be his head pastry chef, running his pastry and bread lines for his restaurant, Chess, and for the ground floor storefront they have in the building.”
“Shit, Colby.”
Her smile died. “I’m sorry, I know the timing sucks—”
CC threw her arm back around her sister and hugged. The last thing she wanted to do was make Colby feel guilty for jumping at an amazing, well-earned opportunity. “No, Colby, don’t you dare apologize for being an awesome chef that another awesome chef recognized.”
Colby heaved a giant sigh and relaxed against her side. “I wanted you and Al to work out so you’d have someone in New Orleans. I know you’ll stay. You love it there, and you don’t do snow.”
Laughter beat out the lonely panic scratching at CC’s throat. “I hated those ski weeks in Tahoe.”
“She’s good for you too,” Colby continued, undeterred. “I’ve seen you smile more the past month than you have in six years.”
“I need to be able to trust her, Col. We won’t work without it.”
Colby twisted again to face her, expression serious. “Has she given you a reason not to?”
“The deal—”
“Has she, CC? Al. Was she the one who actually betrayed your trust, or was she just the unfortunate messenger?”
CC reclaimed her mug and sipped at the lukewarm wine, mulling over Colby’s question. While it had felt like a personal betrayal to CC, Al had looked just as betrayed that day at Dram. But she’d put aside the betrayal she’d suffered to try and fix the one against CC and her client. She’d gone to Bo, who’d done the best he could with the box others had put them all in.
“This isn’t like Quinn,” Colby said. “Al didn’t crater the deal on purpose, and she didn’t out you to anyone. At least not that I’m aware of.”
CC had no indication of that either. If anything, Al had been better at respecting the boundaries CC had drawn than CC, who had wanted to blow right through them multiple times the past month. While CC’s mind replayed each of those instances, Colby swung her legs out from under the table and stood.
“You’re the smartest person I know, CC.” She kissed the crown of her head and plucked the empty mug from her hands. “Be smart about this too.”
She turned to go, but CC snagged her wrist, needing to tell her one more thing, the most important takeaway from this conversation. “I’m proud of you, Col.” And the second most important. “I also expect regular care packages.”
“Was already planning on it,” Colby said with a wink.
Colby continued back inside, a swell of Elvis’s “Blue Christmas” fittingly cresting before she shut the door behind her. Silence surrounded CC once more. The opposite of the last holiday that had been filled with light and laughter and love. A gathering that Al had gone out of her way to invite her to and make her feel welcome. She had trusted CC with her family and them with her.
CC reached for a bit of the trust from where it had been misplaced the past few days. She flipped the phone over and fired off a return text. Merry Christmas to you too.
Chapter Eighteen
“Was Santa good to you?”
Molly and Michael excitedly babbled over each other, telling Al all about the presents they’d unwrapped that morning and showing off whichever ones they could lay their hands on. Sloan had set up Ezra’s laptop on an ottoman in front of Miller and Clancy’s tree where the kiddos still sat on the floor surrounded by mounds of wrapping paper and new toys. Al breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the sparkly reindeer paper she’d wrapped her gifts in. She was afraid they wouldn’t ship there in time, given her abrupt change of plans.
“I wish he brought you, Nana,” Molly said, further reminding Al of her unexpected absence and making her heart hurt more than a little.
“Nana had to work,” Sloan said from nearby, off-camera. “We got to see her at Thanksgiving and Hanukkah already this year.”
Molly’s gaze darted between Al, her mom, and the presents. “But what if Santa brings better gifts when Nana’s here?”
Al chuckled at the little lawyer in training. “Oh, I see.” Grinning, she leaned closer to the screen like she would if they were there together, right before she’d boop her grandbaby on the nose. “That’s why you want me there.”
“Yes!” Molly clapped and dissolved into giggles, along with Michael, who wanted to mimic his sister in everything.
Sloan was laughing too when she hauled her pajamaed kiddos to their feet and shooed them toward the kitchen. “Go, you rascals. See if lunch is ready yet.” They ran out of the frame, and then the frame itself—the laptop—was being moved. Sloan didn’t go far, just to the larger sofa in the room, the laptop placed on the coffee table in front of it. “That’s not the only reason they want you here.”
“I know, but her argument was compelling.” They shared another laugh, and Al slumped into the corner of the built-in breakfast nook in Greg and Tony’s kitchen. “Was Santa good to you too?”
“If by Santa you mean the giant I was once married to whose beard looks more and more like St. Nick’s every year, yes. I have eaten my weight in hotel butter and cookie dough this weekend. And I feel zero guilt about it.”
