And with my life and career in Chicago—messy, but still everything I’d worked for all these years—I couldn’t stay. Not for good.
I’d just have to make this the best Christmas season in a long time. Like Griff said, we were creating Christmas magic. Creating an experience.
Creating memories that would last us forever.
I just hoped that would be enough.
CHAPTER 18
HOPPER
I shook Noel’s shoulder.“Hey, sleepyhead.”
Noel’s nose scrunched up, and he made a quiet sound of complaint. He was curled like a pill bug, hair splayed across the pillow, and it was the stillest I’d seen him be since he’d returned home.
He’d been planning, shopping, and experimenting with recipes ever since he’d agreed to take on that dinner party. And that was on top of two more events he’d set up for the tree farm. We’d all eatenverywell as Noel figured out the dishes he wanted to serve, but he was running himself ragged.
Especially when he was staying up late with me every night.
Maybe I should just leave him to sleep. I could pick up the supplies for our Scavenge with Santa and tree-decorating contests coming later this week.
I tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, and Noel’s eyelids fluttered. “Wha’s up?”
I hesitated. The guy really needed more rest. “Nothing. Sleep more. I’ll take care of the supply run.”
His eyes shot open. “I’m awake.”
“I can handle it. You could sleep in.”
He sat up. “Give me ten minutes to shower. I told Kevin we’d meet up so I could give him the menu to review.”
Noel was rolling out of bed before I could offer to deliver the menu for him. Trying to get him to relax was a lost cause. I smiled as he went to the dresser and tugged out a pair of jeans and a forest-green fleece pullover.
“What?” he asked, noting my expression.
I shrugged. “You’re like the Energizer Bunny. I don’t know how you keep going and going.”
“It’s second nature by now,” he said. “You think this is busy? You should see some of the shifts I pulled in restaurants.”
I frowned. “That can’t be healthy.”
“Nope,” Noel agreed as he picked up a small zippered bag of toiletries. “But it has its perks.” His eyes skimmed over me. “None quite as good as you, though.”
With a sexy grin that sent a charge of electricity through me, he slipped out the door and headed for the shower.
True to his word, he was ready to leave ten minutes later. We poured him a mug of coffee and walked out to my pickup.
We buckled into our seats, and I started the engine. “Couldn’t you have just emailed the menu?”
“Yeah, but I want to go over it,” he said. “Make sure they’re really happy.”
I shifted into drive and turned onto the rutted lane that led out to the highway. “If it’s anything like that chicken potato soup you served, they’ll love it.”
“The chowder? I decided not to serve it.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s too heavy. It threw the rest of the menu out of balance.”
