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She shrugged into her coat, which she’d hung on the same hook as yesterday, and looked around, noticing several ornaments that had been swiped off the tree and broken. “You know, you should tell your boss to add a kids’ corner in here. The reception area is plenty big enough, and it would save you a lot of hassle if the kids had something to occupy themselves with.”
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Crystal agreed as she picked up the broken baubles and put them in the dustbin.
“Well, I’d better see if anyone else has any vacancies,” Holly said, plastering on a smile that was more hope than confidence, and heading toward the door. “See you later, Crystal.”
Four hours later, Holly was forced to concede that it was a lost cause. Not only that, but she couldn’t even buy tickets for the coach that would take her out of there and back home again, because that was fully booked, too.
Tired and dejected, she wandered along, checking out the window displays, hoping they’d lift her mood, when she came to a toy shop. An idea popped into her head, and she hurried inside. It was like a Santa’s grotto, situated as it was, here in Leavenworth. There was everything anybody could possibly want. But what Holly was looking for was simple and inexpensive.
Thirty minutes later, she exited with a bag and a smile, and hurried back to Winter Lodge. The queue wasn’t unmanageable right now, but there were still plenty of kids running around.
Holly made her way to the low, chunky table that was pushed against one of the side walls. She removed the bowl of Christmas spiced potpourri, which had mostly been spilled across its surface, sweeping the colorful dried leaves and cones back into the dish with her hand. Then she moved it to the top of the high mantle, where it was out of reach for little fingers, and replaced it with several coloring books, some washable pens that wouldn’t mark the walls, and a couple of jigsaw puzzles before she whispered to several children who were acting out through boredom.
The noise level decreased immediately. Enough that Crystal looked up to find out what was going on. Holly just gave her a wave and went on her way.
She’d walked a few hundred yards when she heard her name called. Looking around, she found Nick hurrying towards her. “I thought it was you,” he said with a charming smile as he caught up. “I was just heading for the cafe for a late lunch.” He checked his elegant gold watch, which screamed wealth. “A very late lunch,” he added with a sigh. “Would you care to join me?”
“You must have read my mind,” Holly laughed. “That was my next stop.”
“My treat,” Nick insisted as he opened the door, guiding her toward a free table with a gentle hand on the small of her back. His subtle touch sent a frisson of unexpected pleasure through her body, causing Holly’s pulse to quicken ever so slightly.
Damn, that was embarrassing. She had to get a handle on her reactions before she made a fool of herself.
“What would you like?” Nick asked as Holly perused the drinks menu. “If I were to guess, from our short acquaintance, I’d say you were a hot chocolate kind of girl, and I can genuinely recommend the hot chocolate here. It’s made with real chocolate and a cinnamon stick.”
Holly nodded, unable to suppress a smile at how well he read her. “That sounds wonderful.”
He placed their order, and the service was remarkably quick, considering how busy it was.
"Thank you," she breathed, her voice soft and touched with gratitude. The warmth of the spiced chocolate, heavy with whipped cream, tiny marshmallows, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder, spread through her body, chasing away the chill from outside.
As they sipped their drinks, the warmth of the café seemed to wrap itself around them like a comforting embrace, lending an air of intimacy to their conversation. Holly found herself drawn to Nick in a way she hadn't anticipated. Their words flowed easily, as though they had known each other for years.
"Have you always lived in this town?" Holly asked, her curiosity piqued by the sense of familiarity that surrounded him.
"Most of my life," Nick replied with a smile. "I moved away for college but couldn't resist coming back. There's something about this place – the mountains, the snow, the community…” he shrugged. “It’s home."
As their conversation flowed, they discovered more shared experiences – favorite books, travel adventures, and a shared love of gourmet food. Each revelation seemed to bring them closer together, weaving an intricate tapestry of connection between them.
Throughout their exchange, Nick's gaze never wavered from her own, his dark eyes filled with genuine curiosity and attentiveness. The lingering glances and subtle touches that punctuated their interaction spoke volumes of the growing attraction between them, fanning the sparks of attraction into a slow-burning flame.
Except that wasn’t what this was; Holly kept having to remind herself. Nick was in a relationship… with another man.
Perhaps he’s bi-sexual.
No! She really needed to stop projecting and seeing things that weren't there. Was she really so desperate that she had stooped as low as imagining a gay man was attracted to her?
Yes. Yes, she was. How pathetic was that? There was an emptiness inside her that seemed to have grown since she arrived here, and it gnawed at her like an insatiable hunger. A desperation to find someone like Nick who would not only share her interests, but her life.
“Is everything alright, Holly?” Nick brushed his fingers against the back of her hand. The subtle touch sent a shiver down her spine, igniting a fire within her that she hadn't felt in years.
Fuck my life! She screamed in her head.
"Everything's perfect," Holly assured him, her cheeks reddening slightly as she realized she'd been lost in her thoughts. "Thank you again for recommending the hot chocolate, Nick. It’s delicious, and I'm enjoying our conversation."
Mary, mother of Jesus, why did the universe hate her so much that it would play this kind of sick joke on her; tormenting her with such a fierce attraction to a man that wasn’t available in any way, shape, or form?
Damned Naughty List.
