AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Morning, Robin. Do you have an update on the Gingerbread Ball? Have they started setting up yet?”
Robin took a seat in the chair across from Andrew’s ornate cherrywood desk and pulled up the spreadsheet she shared with Nick Patterson. In addition to being the town’s favorite husband of a movie star and running the inn with his mother, Nick was also a handyman, volunteer firefighter, and commander in chief of the town’s annual holiday event. It was a tradition his parents had started many years ago, and everyone knew he took a lot of pride in his work now that the torch had been passed to him.
“Looks like they’ve begun working on the set for theNutcrackerperformance.” She flicked out of the spreadsheet and looked up at Andrew. “It’s the most time-consuming part, so this year he’s trying to get it out of the way as early as possible.”
“Good. My parents are coming up from Florida for the ball and for Christmas this year, so I want it to be perfect for them.”
Robin smiled. “Good, I’m glad to hear it. How many years has it been since they’ve been to the ball?”
Andrew leaned back in his chair and blew air through his pursed lips. “Close to a decade, I think. And I have to say, I’m grateful that my wife and kids will get to spend thewholeholiday season in Snow Hill instead of making the trip to Florida on the twenty-sixth. Traveling during the holidays is exhausting.”
“I’d imagine traveling any time of year with five kids would be exhausting,” Robin replied with a wry smile.
“You have me there. That’s why we don’t get out of town much.”
“Well, it’s not like you don’t have plenty to do here in town, Mr. Mayor.”
“Another good point,” he allowed, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his desk. “And speaking of to-do list items, I’d like to go over to the police station for a meet-and-greet with the new officer. My dad may not be able to come to Snow Hill very often because the weather messes with his arthritis, but he was still the police chief once upon a time, and I want to show the new guy my support.”
Robin swallowed, trying to banish the images of “the new guy”from her mind so she could focus on the business at hand. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, and I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”
“You know him, right? Pick a date that works for your schedule, too, since I’d like for you to come with me and make the introduction. I feel like it’ll be more casual if you’re there. The last thing I want is for him to feel like he’s being sized up by the mayor.”
Robin’s heart sank. Visiting Snow Hill PD was a task she avoided unless it was necessary. It was too painful to walk the halls where her husband had spent most of his time while getting pitying looks from everyone she knew there. But now… the reason behind this particular visit would be even worse.
The new officer Andrew spoke of was none other than Holly’s drop-dead-gorgeous brother, Jack. She’d first met him while he was employed as Holly’s bodyguard during the filming of her final movie, and the sparks between them that Christmas were brighter than all of the town’s light displays combined. Not that either of them acted on the connection she was positive they both knew was there. And as silly as it sounds, she was grateful for that.
Right after Holly decided to stay in Snow Hill, thus not in need of a bodyguard anymore, Jack left town to focus on a dream he’d had before his sister hired him. And the thing he’d decided to do—go to the police academy and become an officer in nearby Philly—was the one thing that would destroy any hope she had of them ever being together. He visited often, and no matter how much she wanted to take the familiarity that’d grown between them over the last three years to deeper levels, she couldn’t let herself.
Yes, Robin wanted to find love again someday. She wanted to share her life with someone again, and she wanted Abby to have a father figure. But the absolutelastthing she wanted to do was marry another police officer and risk putting herself—or her daughter—through the heartache they’d felt when they lost Matthew.
Sparks or no sparks, Jack Rhodes had spent the last three years firmly in the friend zone. Or, even more safely, in the brother-of-a-friend zone. And that was where he would stay.
CHAPTER3
Jack
“Tommy,I’m telling you, it was a disaster,” Jack said into the phone as he walked toward the cafe. He needed some caffeine, and his realtor needed time to come up with better houses to show him before he lost all hope.
His old partner from the Philly PD chuckled. “Come on, man, it probably wasn’t that bad.”
“Bro, it was terrible. Every house the realtor showed me was practically Holly’s dream house if she had four more kids.”
“Why would she show you houses like that? Didn’t you tell her you were a single guy looking for an apartment?”
Jack opened his mouth to answer his friend, but since he’d also just opened the door to the cafe and caught sight of Robin standing at the counter, his brain completely shut down.
“Uh, did I lose you?” Tommy asked. “Jack, you there? Maybe I’m in a spotty area.”
Jack shook his head and focused on his call again. “Sorry, I’m here. Uh, I gotta go though.”
“What? You’re just gonna leave me hanging? I see how it is. ‘Nothing will change,Tommy. We’ll still be friends and talk all the time,Tommy.’”
Jack laughed, picturing the big, bad cop who’d grown up on the hard streets of Philly as he said those words. Tommy could be a scary dude if he needed to intimidate a criminal or if a routine arrest got hairy. But underneath all that, he was a total teddy bear, and the friendship they’d built while working together had meant a lot to both of them.
“I’ll call you in a few, I swear,” Jack said.
He got off the phone with Tommy, then approached the counter and stood in line behind Robin, drinking in the sight of her from behind. He hadn’t seen her face, but being able to recognize people regardless of the angle came with the territory as a cop. And not only that, but every time he’d visited Snow Hill to see Holly, he’d spent more than his fair share of time looking at Robin.
