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He’d been going to say they still had to work together but that would come too close to letting it be known that the object of his affection was Cara, and he couldn’t let the king know how utterly he had taken leave of his judgment.
Also,didthey still have to work together? Perhaps if she came back in the new year. But for now? It was sinking in that he wasn’tgoing to see her again on this trip. She was flying out tomorrow, and since she’d been dismissed from today’s board meeting, she was not likely to cross his path again.
And if shedidn’tcome back in the new year, he wouldneversee her again. He’d been thinking, a moment ago, about how Ms. Delaney had been scrupulously honest with him from start to finish.
It appeared this was the finish.
His chest felt like it was going to crack open. The sensation was so strong that he doubled over in place, folding himself over his lap.
“Benz, I’m far from an expert on matters of the heart.”
Matteo was making an utter fool of himself. He forced himself to sit up in his chair and pay attention.
The king was looking at him with a kindness in his eyes that Matteo had previously seen directed only at his family. “But,” he went on, “it would seem to me that a person would want to beentirelysure he had exhausted all avenues, that he had made his feelingscrystalclear, before he gave up.”
He had done all that. Hadn’t he?
As he took his leave of the king, he cast his mind back to the chairlift. He had told Cara that he... Well, he’d told Cara that he greatly esteemed her. But he was almost certain he’d used the phrase “declaration of love.”
But... he had referred to having made a declaration of love. Had he actuallysaidhe loved her? Had he said why?
It was almost amusing, or it would have been if it wasn’t so pathetic. Matteo was so good at bringing other people together, but apparently he didn’t know how to take his own advice.
It probably didn’t matter, wouldn’t make a difference, but the king was right. He had to try. At the very least, he couldn’t let her leave like this.
Having nothing to do was an odd feeling. But as Cara walked down the hill, she realized she was free. The report was done, and she didn’t have to attend this afternoon’s board meeting. She was leaving tomorrow morning, but between now and then, there was nothing she had to do.
Why didn’t it feel better, being free?
As she approached the village, she decided she would buy some Christmas presents for her parents. She drifted around and picked up a few things—some leather gloves for her dad, a teapot for her mom. What she really wanted, though, was one of Kai’s snow globes, she thought, as she plopped onto a stool at the pub.
“Coffee?” Imogen asked, strolling over to greet her.
“I think I’ll have a pint of that pumpkin stout.” Yes, it was eleven in the morning, but she was free, right?
Imogen raised an eyebrow. “All gone, I’m afraid. The seasonal tap at the moment is a cranberry ale. It’s brewed with cinnamon and honey—and of course cranberries.”
“Great,” Cara said, and she was aware that her tone didn’t suggest “great” at all.
“Here you are,” Imogen said when she was back with the beer. “Ale for what ails you.” When Cara could only manage a weak smile, Imogen asked, “What’s got your knickers in a twist?”
“Nothing.”
“Having some trouble surfing the waves of change, are we?”
Cara gestured at the snow globes behind the bar. “I know Kaidoesn’t want to sell his snow globes, but how come no one around here sells anything similar? If I want to ride an ice slide or drink some seasonal beer”—she lifted her glass and took a sip—“I can do that. This country seems to be full of Christmas experiences—and consumables. But where’s all thestuff? I’ve been poking around in the shops trying to find something Christmasy for my parents, and there isn’t much. What I did find was kind of generic.”
Imogen shrugged. “I guess people who live here already have all the Christmas stuff they need, so there’s not a market for it?”
“And you don’t have tourists, it doesn’t seem.” She thought back to Matteo talking about how all the ski tourism was on the Riems side of the mountains.
“Not many. There’s a reason I had a room free for you so close to Christmas. We’re not really a tourist destination.”
“But you’re so stinking cute.”
Imogen preened. “Well, thank you very much.”
“You know what I mean! Whydon’tyou have more tourists?”
