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"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Patterson," the woman said, her voice melodic and friendly. "I'm Sofia. Tommy's told me so much about this place, and I'm excited to spend Christmas here."
"Please, call me Joan," the older woman insisted, her eyes twinkling with genuine warmth. "And we're equally excited to have you here. And through the New Year, no less!"
Grace couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Staying in Snow Hill through the New Year?
She'd never imagined herself wanting to linger in one place for so long, but something about this town had wormed its way into her heart. Maybe it was the warm, inviting atmosphere or the charming, festive decorations that seemed to transform the inn into a winter wonderland.
Or maybe, she thought, sneaking another glance at Tommy's broad back, it was thepeople, not the place.
"I offered to let her stay at my place, but she says I'm messy," Tommy said, making Grace's heart clench as he gave the woman a nudge with his elbow.
Their familiarity was apparent, and if she knew him well enough to know his cleaning habits...
"You are messy," Sofia replied with a playful grin. "And it's your fault I'm staying here. You talked this place up so much, I knew I'd regret it if I didn't check it out."
Grace took a deep breath and tried to shake off the green-eyed monster that had taken up residence in her chest.
There was definitely something in the water in this town. Not only had she considered extending her stay, but now her emotions were running wild over a man she didn't have a future with?
Who was she, and what had this man done to her after only one date?
But dang it… Sofia was gorgeous.
Maybe last night hadn't even been a date. Perhaps he'd taken her out to dinner and around town purely to help her with her work, and maybe this woman was his girlfriend.
One that he hadn't mentioned while telling her all about himself, but still. Anything was possible.
She hardly Tommy, and she definitely didn't have any sort of claim over him that would justify the level of jealousy coursing through her. And yet here she was, experiencing an ache she hadn't felt since her high school boyfriend cheated on her with the captain of the cheerleading squad.
But then she remembered how careful she’d been with her words the night before. It was just... how she was. Not necessarily closed-off… but her responses were kind of like postcards—picturesque and inviting but without the intimate details of a long letter.
Maybe that was why he hadn’t told her he had a girlfriend. If she wasn’t opening up to him about anything real, maybe he took that to mean that she wasn’t into him?
Tommy's laughter filled the room once more, and Grace couldn't help but sneak another glance at him, her heart fluttering like a frantic hummingbird.
She was in trouble. Big trouble. Because shewasinto him… but based on what she was seeing right now, he likely didn’t feel the same way.
CHAPTER6
Tommy
Joan gave Sofia a warm,knowing smile as she opened the door to her cozy room at the Snow Hill Inn. The dim light of the table lamp illuminated the Christmas pattern of the red and green quilt on the bed, and matching braided rugs carpeted the floor.
"Tommy!" Sofia swatted him in the gut, making him cough out a laugh. "You said it'd look like Santa threw up in here, but it's cute!"
Tommy's gaze flew to Joan, and he held his hands up. "Never. I'd never say that, Mrs. P. I swear."
"Uh-huh," she replied. She crossed her arms and lifted a brow.
"I'm teasing," Sofia finally allowed after Tommy shot her a mock glare. "He said I'd love it, and I do."
"Good," Joan said with a nod and wink for Tommy. "Now, please make yourself at home, Sofia, and then come down for breakfast," she said before closing the door.
Sofia let out a breath that Tommy thought was a contented sigh as she stood by the window, scanning the view of the town below. He waited while she stood with her back to him, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. But when she turned back to Tommy, her brows were furrowed. Her deep brown eyes seemed lost in thought, and there was a touch of sadness hidden behind them.
"I'm glad you decided to come out here for the holidays," Tommy said, testing to see if his instincts were correct. He knew her well enough to notice when she was holding something back.
"Thanks, me too," she replied, the corners of her mouth lifting only slightly. "It's a good excuse to escape my own life for a bit."
