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“I’m forever grateful.” I went up on tiptoes so I could kiss him. My heart was full between the potential of the inn and living with Heath. When I pulled back, I asked, “Should we go downstairs and greet the guests?”
“You’re the guest of honor. They can’t start without us,” Heath said as he interlaced his fingers with mine and led me out of the room.
I squeezed his hand. “I think you’re the man of the hour since you made this place beautiful again. Gram would have loved it.”
He slowed my walk and leaned over to kiss me softly. “She’d be happy you’re home and happy.”
“I think so, too.” Downstairs, the butler took the guests’ coats as they arrived, and they mingled in the living room, then took the stairs or the elevator to the third-floor ballroom.
We greeted arriving guests for a while and then moved into the living room, where cocktails were being served.
There were two trees in this room, one green and one red. Both were large, reaching almost to the ceiling, with elegant decorations. It helped that we knew the owners of a Christmas tree farm and they provided the perfect trees.
We mingled for a while, talking about the renovations, the plans for the inn, and the lights at Monroe Farm, which had been a hit this season. Then we congregated by the green tree with Lori, Knox, Sarah, Ireland, Emmett, Talon, Sebastian, Holly, and Hanna. Ember was playing with Addy’s hair in front of the fire.
The Christmas tree farm was closed tonight, and we’d invited all the employees and vendors.
Hanna had been staying with Sebastian for a few days because her roommate moved out, and the lease was up.
“Have you decided where you’re going to live?” Lori asked Hanna.
“I’ve been looking at places, but they’re expensive when you don’t have a roommate. Most of the teachers I know are already living with their significant others.”
“You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you need,” Sebastian said.
“My parents won’t be happy, but I don’t have a choice unless I want to move back in with them.” Hanna shuddered at the idea.
“I’d love your help in the shop. We’ll need to pack up the holiday items and store them for next year.”
“You know I’m always happy to help,” Hanna said, touching Lori’s hand.
“Hanna will watch Ember after school during tax season when I’m working late. It helps that she’ll be staying with us.”
Talon raised a brow. “A live-in nanny?”
“She’s my friend and a roommate,” Sebastian said with an edge to his tone.
“Whatever you say,” Talon mumbled into his glass.
Heath told me one night how they’d teased Sebastian over the years about Hanna, but he insisted they were just friends. Seeing Hanna’s cheeks redden at Talon’s ribbing probably only strengthened his suspicions that she liked him. It was too bad he was too dense to see what was right in front of him.
“I made this for you,” Holly handed me a painted ornament. She turned the ivory bulb so I could see how she’d drawn the inn and inscribed Matthews Inn underneath.
I took it from her, admiring it. “This is beautiful. Thank you.”
Holly provided a lot of the ornaments for our trees. Guests could purchase them here, so it was a good advertisement for her and her business. “Could you make more of these? We could sell them, and maybe you could make one new one each year with the year on the actual ornament.”
“You’ll have guests who visit every year who’ll want to purchase a new ornament,” Heath said.
“I could make one for the light display, too. Maybe the one with Santa and his reindeer,” Holly said to Talon.
It was the first time they’d spoken to each other, and we held our breath for Talon’s response.
“That would be nice.” Talon’s tone was soft and gentle, devoid of the irritation we heard when he spoke about her or their relationship.
Was it possible he was irritated with how things ended, and not something Holly had done? I was invested in the Monroe family now, and I wanted Talon and Holly to mend whatever their issues were and find happiness just like Heath and I had.
“Can we dance now?” Ember tugged on Sebastian’s hand.
