Snapping her jaw shut, Evie blinked a few times. She was relieved to see that, other than a few loosened buttons and an untucked shirt, both Trisha and Aaron were fully clothed. “I was coming down for a midnight snack. I guess that’s what brought the two of you down here, as well.” Only Evie had had a bowl of ice cream in mind.
“Aaron, um, was letting me try his risotto before we, um, add it to the menu for the New Year’s Eve Ball.” Trisha’s face was nearly as red as her hair as she sneaked a glance at the man by her side.
“I take it you like mushrooms after all?” Evie asked wryly.
“Right? I mean, who knew?”
Evie had. Or at least she’d suspected the bickering couple had been fighting over something other than black truffles.
“We didn’t plan for anything like this to happen,” Trisha confessed, misery and maybe a hint of shock filling her voice. “It’s so totally unprofessional. We work here. And in the kitchen of all places!”
The poor woman looked so horrified, Evie couldn’t help but reassure her. “I don’t think kissing will lead to too many major health violations.”
“So you’re not mad?”
Maybe she should have been. After all, Trisha and Aaron were employees, and making out on hotel grounds was pretty far from appropriate behavior. But what if she had run into Griffin along the shadowy, moon-kissed path leading to the hotel? If he’d pulled her into his arms, even in full view of the towering Victorian, did she really think she would have had the strength to resist?
Evie knew she had a reputation at the hotel as an ice queen, no-nonsense and no fun, but she wasn’t a hypocrite. “You’re both mature, responsible adults. What you do on your own time is your own business.”
The tension in Trisha’s shoulders fell away. “You know how important Hillcrest is to me. And I promise you I would never let this relationship interfere with work.”
Conviction rang in the other woman’s voice, but Evie knew it was one promise she might not be able to keep. Trisha and Aaron’s working relationship was bound to change if their personal relationship went up in flames.
But what if it doesn’t? Griffin’s voice whispered in her ear.
As Aaron stepped up beside Trisha, taking her hand, the two of them presenting a united front, Evie thought maybe they had a chance of making love last. Maybe someday, if she were willing to take that chance, she would, too.
* * *
The next morning, following his run on the beach, Griffin phoned the assistant project manager to get an update on the hotel in Dubai.
“I hear congratulations are in order!”
As Kevin Montoya’s excited voice came across the line, for a split second, Griffin thought of Evie and their teasing banter the night before. The playful implication that their relationship had progressed to a point where they were discussing marriage.
From the moment he’d taken Evie’s hand and led her toward the gazebo, visions of standing in that same spot, waiting while she walked toward him, her slender frame draped in white, had teased him. Only Griffin wasn’t laughing.
Still, neither the thoughts in his head nor the Clearville grapevine could have reached halfway across the world. “Congratulations for what?”
“I heard your dad pulled off the deal in Tokyo. Sounds like you’ll be heading to Japan!”
Excitement lifted the younger man’s voice an octave, but Griffin’s own response barely registered above a low murmur. “Great.”
“You know,” Kevin said, clearing his throat, “I was wondering if maybe I could assist on that project. The hotel here will be up and running by then, and I mean, Japan!” So much excitement thrummed in the other man’s words, Griffin was surprised the cell phone wasn’t vibrating in his hand. “That is, if you were happy with the job I did here.”
The hotel in Dubai had been Griffin’s first time working with Kevin, and the kid had done an amazing job. He’d taken every roadblock as an exciting challenge to be conquered, and he’d risen above each time. “I guess we can both make that sake toast tonight.”
“Seriously? This going to be so awesome! Thanks, Griffin!”
“Don’t thank me. You earned it. You’ve worked hard, Kevin.”
After spending the next few minutes going over the details, Griffin ended the call and tossed the phone onto the suite’s floral couch when what he really wanted to do was chuck it into the ocean.
Japan.
His gut clenched at the thought of spending another year or two of his life overseas and away from home.
Home. That was a joke.
The mansion where he’d grown up had stopped feeling like a home after his mother died. As far as his father was concerned, home was wherever a James hotel was. But for Griffin, just because his name was on the sign, that didn’t make it home.
Just because he was the heir to the empire, that didn’t make James Hotels his dream, either. It was his father’s. Despite all the years he’d tried to put in the effort, to focus on the work, to take pride in all he’d accomplished, Griffin had to face that he would never be happy following in Frederick’s footsteps. Not when each step he took in that direction seemed to cement him more firmly to the ground, when all he wanted was to be in the air.
But how was he supposed to quit the family business without quitting the family? Without quitting his father?
As the walls closed in on him, Griffin knew of only one thing that would set him free. He needed to fly. This was the first time, however, that he didn’t want to be flying solo.
* * *
Evie blinked at the computer screen, but the numbers seemed to blur and dance as she tried to reconcile a stack of vendor invoices. If there was anything that normally gave her a sense of satisfaction, it was the logic and certainty of numbers. When it came to accounting, one plus one always equaled two.
But reconciling the $225.37 discrepancy couldn’t hold her attention as it usually would. She leaned back in her chair, wincing as her spine gave a series of loud sequential pops. She was tired, that was all. Between the holiday rush, the wedding in two days, and the New Year’s Eve Ball the following week, she was burning the candle at both ends. Add in a sleepless night, and no wonder she was exhausted.
And yet...her schedule, demanding as it was, hadn’t really changed much in the past months. She’d been pushing to prove herself ever since Evelyn had handed over the reins in her absence.
So why did Evie feel like something was...missing? Some spark, some excitement, something...more. Something that made her want to turn off her computer, escape the isolation of her office and—find Griffin.
“Get a grip, Evie,” she muttered to herself as she grabbed her coffee cup and winced at the taste of the cold, bitter brew. “You have a job to do.”
She didn’t need Griffin James in her life. She didn’t need his laughter or his sexy smiles or the way he made her feel as if he’d uncorked a bottle of champagne inside her and she could float around on a cloud of fizzy bubbles.
She was too smart, too serious, too focused to need any of that.
But, oh, how she wanted it!
Evie didn’t have to look at her calendar app to know their time was running out. She sucked in a sharp breath that did little to ease the pressure building inside her chest. She was going to miss him. The endless days stretched out in front of her and she could scroll through month after month after month with nothing but Hillcrest House events in sight.
But wasn’t that what she wanted? Wasn’t the hotel all she wanted and the only reason she’d started the charade of dating Griffin in the first place?
“Evie?”
She jumped at the sound of her aunt’s voice, startled to realize Evelyn had stepped into the office without her noticing. “Aunt E, good morning. How are you?”
“I’m fine. But how are you this morning?”
“I’
m fine. Last night was...” Her voice trailed off, unable to come up with a fitting description. She’d gone from almost dreading the Holly and Vine event to enjoying herself more than she could have imagined. Even filling in for Rory had been a huge success—thanks to Griffin.
“Ah, yes, I heard about last night. Rory called me first thing this morning. She mentioned you might have some exciting news to share.”
News? Evie tried to focus on the number of couples who had signed up for tours or the email addresses they had gathered for the hotel’s newsletter, but like with the inventory, the facts and figures normally so easily within her grasp eluded her. “I, um...”
She reached for her tablet, but her aunt beat her to it. Perched on the edge of the desk, Aunt E placed a hand over the closed cover. “About you and Griffin?” Her aunt practically glowed. “Getting married right here at Hillcrest House?”
“Married!” Evie shot to her feet as if launched from her chair.
“Has he already proposed?”
“What? No!”
“But you think he’s going to, right?” her aunt pressed.
“Why...” Evie’s voice trailed away as she realized exactly why her aunt thought she and Griffin were getting engaged. All because of what they’d said the night before.
I’d never get married anywhere other than Hillcrest.
Then there you have it. Hillcrest House it is.
But they’d been joking. And while Evie certainly knew better than to take Griffin’s words seriously, Rory did not.
No, her cousin, with her fairy-tale belief in happily-ever-after, would grab hold of any hint of another McClaren wedding in the future. Even one as preposterous as Evie McClaren to Griffin James...
“You talked to Rory,” Evie repeated.
“I did, but it’s not like I—like all of Clearville—couldn’t see for myself.” At Evie’s confused look, her aunt lifted the tablet and called up a familiar website—one that documented local events. And there, right beneath the headline touting the success of Holly and Vine, was a photo of Evie and Griffin kissing in the middle of the gazebo—for all of Clearville to see.
Evie hadn’t noticed anyone taking a picture. But what was a camera flash compared to the very stars exploding inside her whenever she and Griffin kissed?
Looking at the image, Evie couldn’t blame her aunt or cousin for believing what they were seeing. Because for a pretend couple, the emotion, the passion captured in that one photo looked very, very real indeed...
“This is so wonderful, Evie! It’s the best Christmas present ever! I’m so happy for you and so proud.”
Proud? Despite the excitement written on her aunt’s face, the last thing Evie was feeling was proud. If she had a word to describe the overwhelming, dizzying emotion spinning through her brain, it would be closer to panic. Dating was one thing. People casually dated all the time.
But an engagement? That was serious. That was a commitment. That was...a short walk down the aisle away from marriage!
“I’ve been worried about you. Ever since Eric... Well, I saw how you closed off your heart and how work took over your entire life. We’re so alike, you and I, and I’ve been so afraid of you making the same mistake I did. But seeing you with Griffin... It’s made me realize that we’re not so alike after all.”
“But, Aunt E—”
“You’ve been brave enough to give love a second chance. When it comes to having a career and following your heart, Evie, you’ve found a way to have both.”
Hillcrest House and a life.
That had been her plan all along, hadn’t it? A goal that finally, finally seemed within reach. All thanks to her pretend boyfriend turning into her pretend fiancé.
* * *
Griffin headed down the hallway toward the lobby. He skirted around couples and young families heading to the dining room for the continental breakfast or out to do some holiday sightseeing.
Griffin’s anticipation grew with every step he took. He had everything arranged. Now all he needed was to get Evie to say yes. After the way she’d opened up about the past the day before, after the kisses they’d shared, he wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted to slow things down. To take a step back...
“Griffin!”
He’d barely set foot inside the lobby when he heard Evelyn McClaren call out his name. As she and Evie walked out of Evie’s office, tucked in behind the concierge’s desk, a bright smile lit the older woman’s face and she greeted him with an exuberant wave.
Evie’s expression was somewhat less welcoming, but as far as taking a step back went? That wasn’t happening. After saying something to her aunt, Evie made a beeline straight for him. Tucking a lock of hair behind one ear, she seemed to take a deep breath as she headed his way.
Her narrow pin-striped skirt and sapphire silk blouse were strictly professional, but Griffin saw signs of the real woman beneath in the color highlighting her cheeks and the hands clasped nervously at her slender waist.
“Morning, sweetheart.”
“Griffin, we need to talk.” Casting a glance over her shoulder at her aunt, Evie stuttered, “I—we—” As she tried without success to get the words out, Griffin took advantage. Leaning close, he brushed a kiss against her parted lips.
He’d meant nothing more than a light touch, but the fires banked the night before needed only a single spark. She tasted as sweet as the chocolate they’d shared under the stars, and it took everything inside him not to pull her into his arms and kiss her for real.
For real...
As if anything he was doing, as if anything he’d done since setting foot in Clearville, hadn’t been 100 percent genuine.
Almost as if reading his thoughts, Evie said, “I thought you didn’t want to kiss me for show.”
“That wasn’t for show, Evie. That was for me.”
After staring at him for a moment, she shook her head and muttered, “Just remember, this is all your fault.”
“Well, that’s no surprise. But what exactly am I to blame for this time?”
“After last night, my cousin and aunt think we’re practically engaged.”
“Engaged?” Even as the word seemed to echo through the lobby, even as Evie sternly shushed him, images rebounded through his brain. Kissing Evie at the gazebo, the very spot where she’d once dreamed of saying “I do,” the unspoken loss and longing when she’d stared at the wedding dress at the shop in town. And then memory and imagination collided until Evie was wearing the wedding dress, walking toward the gazebo where he waited...
“Evie...”
“I know! It’s crazy, right?” She filled him in on Rory’s call to her aunt and the evidently infamous photo. Then she added, “But what was I supposed to say when she told me how proud she was of me? How could I tell her that none of it was real?”
And just like that, the images disappeared.
Not real.
Evie had impeccable timing. He’d give her that. Just when he was on the edge of forgetting, leave it to her to remind him.
“My aunt wouldn’t come right out and say so, but I know she’s having second thoughts about selling the hotel. It’s a lot to ask, but we’re already pretending to date. Is it really that much more of a stretch to pretend we’re in love? And it’s only for a little longer.”
Pretend he was in love with Evie for a few more days? If Griffin wasn’t careful, he’d spend the rest of his life pretending he wasn’t.
Taking refuge behind the comfort of a carefree smile, he said, “Leave it to you to overachieve. You wanted a boyfriend to prove to your aunt that you have a life, but hey, now you can add another F to your plan. What was it again? Friends, family, fun...and now a fiancé.”
“Something like that,” Evie murmured. “So...you’re okay with this?”
“It so happens I already have some experience in the pretend-f
iancé department.” He’d been 100 percent sincere when he’d proposed to Alexa, thinking at the time that friendship could make for a successful marriage. That the caring, the lasting, if platonic, love he had for her was as strong as any emotion he could ever feel. It was little wonder Alexa had been reluctant to say yes.
He’d been a complete fool.
“But what about what happens later? I realize it’s not how you and I handle things, but most people actually get married after getting engaged.”
“We’ll still stick with the plan. After the New Year’s Eve Ball, we’ll keep up the charade of a long-distance relationship. Once Rory and I have convinced my aunt not to sell, we’ll announce that the relationship didn’t work out.”
“Just like that?”
Evie nodded, but he couldn’t help noticing the small movement wasn’t quite as decisive as her words. “Just like that,” she whispered.
Thinking of the arrangements he’d made, of the day he’d planned for the two of them, Griffin knew he should be the one taking a step back. But like the fool he was, he was going to keep rushing blindly toward the heartbreak dead ahead. “All right, then, but first we need to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
“Well, we did just get engaged, didn’t we? And how better to do that than to sneak away from work for a romantic rendezvous?”
Chapter Twelve
Evie said yes.
She still couldn’t believe she’d said yes to a romantic rendezvous with Griffin James. And not because her aunt wanted her to go out and have fun. To pursue a life outside work. No, Evie hadn’t said yes because of what her aunt wanted for her.
She’d said yes because she wanted this, because she wanted Griffin, all for herself.
Even if he was driving her crazy at the moment.
“You’re not going to tell me where we’re going?” she demanded, and not for the first time, as he guided his rental car down the winding road leading out of town.
Their Yuletide Promise Page 12
