“Oh, it must be the annual potluck,” Kim said.
“Right. I remember we went last year. There was so much food. I hung out with my friend Jenny, since her grandma and grandpa live at the Shelter Inn.”
“Are you okay if we miss it this year? I’m not sure I’m up for a big party tonight. I’m sorry.”
“Totally fine,” Audrey assured her mother. “I didn’t think you would want to go either, so Holly offered to drop off some of the soup and breadsticks she’s taking to the dinner.”
Exactly the sort of thoughtfulness he might have expected from Holly. Every day he found something else to admire about her.
“I’m making dessert,” Audrey said. “Which reminds me. I have one more batch of peanut butter cookies to put in the oven.”
She hurried into the kitchen, leaving him and Kim beside the cheerful Christmas tree.
“I can’t believe Holly is bringing dinner. That is so sweet of her,” Kim said. “I adore that woman. While I was in rehab, I had time to write down my blessings and Holly is right at the top. She’s a dear friend and a wonderful boss. A truly amazing person.”
Kim seemed to expect a response from him. How could he possible tell his sister about all the jumbled emotions inside him when he thought of Holly? He wasn’t even ready to examine them himself.
“Yes,” he finally said. “Amazing.”
“It’s too bad you were only pretending to be in a relationship. Holly would be perfect for you. And you would be perfect for her.”
He stared at her, even as her words filled him with raw yearning. “Wow. Maybe you’ve been away from reality a little too long. Holly and I are completely the wrong people for each other.”
“Why? You deserve someone wonderful in your life and Holly deserves a good man like you. I’ve been shipping the two of you since the first day I met her.”
“You should know better than that,” he said, his voice more curt than he intended.
“Why?”
“I really don’t want to talk about this right now,” he said. Somehow his words only seemed to intrigue his sister.
When the doorbell rang seconds later, his pulse kicked up like he was trying to thread his bird through the eye of a storm on a moonless night.
“I’ll get it,” Audrey said cheerfully. She pulled open the door where Holly stood holding a large pot of something while Lydia stood at her side cradling a bag in her arms like a baby doll.
“Hi, Holly. Hi, Lydia,” Audrey said.
“Hi there. We were just talking about you.” Kim sent him an impish grin.
Holly looked disconcerted. “Were you?”
“Yes,” Ryan said, rather desperate to steer the conversationaway from how right or wrong he and Holly were for each other. “I was telling Kim how helpful you were in decking our halls.”
It wasn’t a lie. Exactly. They had talked about it a few minutes earlier, before his sister made such a ridiculous claim about them being perfect for each other.
As he had hoped, his words distracted Kim. “Oh, Holly. Thank you for everything. The house is beautiful.”
“You’re more than welcome. I’m so glad you’re home before Christmas.”
“So am I. And you brought dinner, too. You’re an angel.”
Suddenly aware he had left her holding the pot too long, he stepped forward to take it from her. As he reached for it, his hand brushed hers and a spark leaped between them. Her gaze flashed to his and for an instant, he thought he saw an answering awareness there before she turned to hug Kim.
“I have to say, you look terrific.”
Kim rolled her eyes. “You’re not the only one who has told me that. I’ve looked in the mirror. If everyone thinks I look good now, I must really have been haggard before.”
“You were beautiful then and you’re beautiful now,” Holly said firmly. Ryan could tell it wasn’t an idle compliment, that she meant the words completely.
