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And in a world often filled with darkness—yes, even in a town plagued with reindeer robbers and tinsel thieves—Tommy found himself increasingly drawn to her light.
* * *
Tommy pushed openthe door of the inn, a gust of warm air and the scent of cinnamon wafting out to greet him. Abby and Noelle were in the front room, their heads bent over a book as they whispered excitedly about something.
"Hey, girls," he called out, causing both to look up with grins. "How's it going?"
"Well, my baby brother's taking forever to bake," Abby replied, rolling her eyes. "But Aunt Holly says I need to stop bugging my mom about it. She said babies are like cookies."
"Cookies don't takethatlong to bake," he shot back.
Abby nodded in approval. "That's what I said! But she said it's just that you can't rush them."
"Ah, right." Tommy chuckled. "And where's baby Chris, Noelley?"
"With mommy and daddy," the toddler informed him.
"They're in the kitchen," Abby supplied.
"I'll have to go see them in a bit." He paused for a moment, then asked casually, "Abbs, any idea where Grace is?"
"Upstairs," she replied. "She helped me with my schoolwork earlier. She's really smart, you know."
"Oh, yeah? You don't think she's too smart for me, do you?" he asked. Abby tilted her head, considering, and Tommy waved her off. "Don’t answer that. See ya later, girls."
Heading upstairs, he couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. He had no idea what would happen when he saw Grace again. Would it be awkward? Would they kiss again? Would she tell him that not only had she decided to stay for the Gingerbread Ball, but for the rest of her life, too?
Okay, probably not that last part,he admitted to himself.
But he couldn't deny how much he wanted to be near her.
As he reached the top of the stairs, he nearly ran into Ethan again. "Whoa!" Tommy said, catching himself just in time. "We really have to stop meeting like this."
Ethan chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Seems to be our thing, doesn't it? I was thinking about going for a walk before dinner."
"Sounds nice," Tommy agreed, eager to get to Grace. "Enjoy."
"Thanks, I will." Ethan hesitated, then asked curiously, "So, what are you up to?"
"Me? Oh, you know, just planning a little surprise for one of your fellow guests." Tommy did his best to sound nonchalant.
"Ah." Ethan's smile was warm and genuine. "Well, good luck with that. See you later."
"See you."
As Ethan walked away, Tommy continued down the hallway. He took a deep breath to steady himself before knocking. And when the door opened, he found Grace standing there, looking as stunning as ever. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she wore an oversized sweatshirt over black leggings and fuzzy socks.
It was the most adorable sight he'd ever seen.
"Hey," she said, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What brings you here?"
"Uh..." For a moment, all words fled from Tommy's mind. All he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her.
He struggled to maintain his composure so he could focus on his original plan, but when their eyes met, he knew he couldn't resist.
"Grace," he murmured, reaching out to her.
When she didn't pull away, he seized the opportunity, tugging her against him and capturing her lips with his. He kissed her right there in the middle of the hallway, his heart pounding and his senses reeling.
