by Helen Lacey
“How did your meeting go?” she asked, worried for him.
He shrugged. “As expected. They made their announcement about selling the inn and left.”
“So, what’s next?” she asked, struggling to remain calm and poised, while his touch held the power to buckle her knees.
“Why don’t we go back to my apartment? We’ve got a lot to think about.”
She slipped her hand into his as they walked down the corridor past the spa to his apartment door. “Luckily, Ethan’s not here right now. Mary’s got him helping her and Charlene to double-check all the linens for the Christmas Eve dinner. Max has been swearing and cursing all day, which means that the meal will be a masterpiece.”
She could hardly wait for this evening, as she hoped to be able to tell him her brothers would back his purchase of the inn. “This is so exciting. I’ve never spent Christmas Eve at an inn,” she said.
“There’s so much going on,” he hedged.
Her heart skipped a beat. “Want to fill me in?”
He moved so quickly he practically dragged her down the hall. “This time I’ll be careful that all the doors are closed. Far too much of my life seeps from beneath a door, I swear.”
“I’m all for closed doors,” she offered, feeling his fingers on the small of her back as he maneuvered her into his apartment ahead of him.
The sun slanted through the windows in the dining room, highlighting the row of photographs on the wall, and the pile of toys in the adjoining living room now arranged in a path leading to the kitchen. Over in the corner of the living room was a beautifully decorated tree covered in gold and red ornaments and strings of popcorn. She stopped to take in the sight. “Someone has done a lovely job decorating the tree.”
“Mary did it. She and Ethan worked here for hours the other day. She loves him so much.”
“What a great group of friends you have in your life.”
“They really are.”
“Should I make a pot of coffee?” she asked, turning to him just in time to be kissed. An excited kiss filled with determination, sending her thoughts whirling over the possibilities. He led her to the sofa in the living room, and pulled her down beside him. “First I want to tell you that I’ve come to a decision.”
“You have?”
He snuggled her into the crook of his arm, his powerful body pressed against hers. She leaned into him, her fingers tracing the edge of his shirtfront.
“Until The Mirabel sells to whomever—and that doesn’t seem to be a certainty as yet—I’m going to look for another managerial position nearby. Leaving here is not my first choice, but I figure that the new owners, whoever they turn out to be, will want to put a management team together that they’re familiar with. That means that my time here is limited, and I want to find a new inn to manage as soon as possible. I’m even considering buying a smaller inn and setting up my own business.”
As she listened to him, she barely managed to contain her excitement. Within a few hours she’d be able to present her own plan to him. A plan that involved her brothers providing at least part of the financial backing for her and Luke to purchase The Mirabel, a plan that would allow Luke and Ethan to stay right here with her and his entire hotel family.
She listened as he talked about his prospects, the potential for a new job, his words coming fast. He went on to talk about helping Ethan with any changes that might be necessary. As much as she wanted to, she didn’t dare interrupt him with her own thoughts. And if what Jack said was true—that Luke didn’t like people messing around in his life—she might regret putting forward her ideas too quickly.
Besides, she was perfectly content knowing that he loved her. He’d said so, even told Jack about how he felt. But a new relationship was a very tenuous thing—she’d had firsthand experience in that department.
“I believe my plan will work, don’t you?”
He referred to it as his plan—not theirs. He hadn’t mentioned how she would fit in with his plan, what her role would be. She eased out of his arms, wanting to gain a little perspective on what was going on. She hadn’t expected him to have a plan already in place. She’d believed he’d want to discuss all the options with her first so they could make a decision together. Wasn’t that what couples did?
“Why don’t we go over all the possibilities?”
“Like what?” His voice didn’t hold much enthusiasm.
“Maybe there’s an investor willing to offer financial support so you can buy the inn?”
“Who were you thinking of?” he asked skeptically.
His tone hurt. Why did he sound so surprised that she might have an idea about what to do? Weren’t they supposed to be in this together? She loved Luke and Ethan, and she had built her hopes on the idea that he felt the same—the same depth of love and commitment.
With dread seeping through her mind and blocking her voice, she got up and went over to the tree, needing to put a little space between herself and Luke. She knelt down, and saw the gifts wrapped and ready for tomorrow morning. She could almost hear Ethan’s squeals of delight as he opened each gift. More than anything she wanted to be part of Luke’s Christmas as they planned their future together. She wanted to wake up tomorrow morning filled with happiness and hope.
But if Luke talked only in terms of what the sale of The Mirabel meant to him, their future as a couple was in serious doubt. Feeling spent, she sank to the floor and stared up into the tree.
“Marnie, what’s going on?” Luke moved to sit beside her on the floor, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Did I say something to upset you? I didn’t mean to, you must realize that.”
His tone was so sweet and concerned. She couldn’t tell him she felt left out of his life, his plans. She couldn’t risk discovering that her impetuousness had once again gotten in the way of her happiness. “Christmas is such an emotional time for me,” she said, trying to tamp down her feelings.
If Luke wasn’t interested in her plan, she’d have to make some sort of explanation to her brothers when they called, and once again she’d be exposing her life and her feelings to another round of her family’s discussion and dissection of her life.
She looked into his eyes, touched his chin, felt the warmth of his skin and decided that one way or the other she had to tell him how she really felt—no hiding behind humor or self-deprecating behavior. She loved Luke too much to hide behind anything. If he really loved her, he would want her to share what she was thinking, and how she saw their life together. If he didn’t… It was better to face that now.
“I’ve been thinking over what you said, and what Advantage intends to do. Have you considered having a partner? Someone who could help with the financing and management of The Mirabel?”
“Have you someone in mind?” he asked, his eyes going from narrowed slits to slowly widening in surprise. “You and me?”
“Why not? Don’t you think we’d make a good team?”
“I do, it’s just that you have a life back in Boston, but I didn’t realize that you—”
“That I cared enough to stay here?”
Just when she needed her guy to sweep her off her feet, he shows off his insecurities.
“It’s all over the inn that we’re in love, that the owners were here and are going to sell the inn. It only makes sense that you and I do something about the situation.”
“So where do we go from here? We can look for an inn to purchase while we wait for this one to sell,” he said, scrubb
ing his fingers through his hair, a wry expression on his face.
“I’ve got a call in to my brothers.”
“To do what?”
“To act as our financial backers.”
He hesitated. “You’re sure you want to do that? From what you’ve told me, it doesn’t sound as if you’re convinced that they’ve got your best interests at heart. Besides, what if they want to take charge of what we’re doing? What if they’re convinced that I’m using you to get funding for the inn?”
“They won’t. Scott and I have come to an understanding, and he’s the one who’s getting the other three together for a conference call. I’m ready to exert some pressure on them to fund our purchase of The Mirabel.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes. They should be calling me any minute now. I imagine Liam and Gordon are at my parents’ house already, and Alex is on his way from Philadelphia. Scott is probably leaving his office.” She checked her watch. Why hadn’t they called back by now? In all the excitement, she hadn’t paid attention to what time she’d talked to Scott, but it had to be an hour ago at least. “Have you seen my cell phone?”
“It’s on the sofa,” he said, a quizzical expression on his face. “You’d do this for me? You’d go into business with me?”
She scrambled off the floor, grabbed her phone and returned to sit next to him. “Why not? If we’re going to be together?”
“But loving someone is not the same as being financially involved with them. We’d be working together, living together…”
She nodded, feeling completely exposed and vulnerable. “I’ve been accused of never doing anything halfway.”
He twined his fingers with hers and pulled her into his arms. “If I could, I’d marry you tomorrow.”
“On Christmas Day?” she asked, fighting back laughter.
There you go again. When someone is being serious, you fall back on humor.
“On any day you like,” he said, as he pressed his forehead gently to hers.
She clung to him, and in that quiet instant she saw her life laid out before her; a life filled with the family she and Luke would have, the friends they’d share and children of their own maybe.... “You mean that,” she whispered, her arms going around his neck as she leaned into his embrace. Driven by the groan of need emanating from him, she moved her mouth to his neck and the lovely warm V of his throat, lightly nipping at his skin.
“I do.” His powerful hands swept her shoulders, pulling her closer.
“Why didn’t you say this earlier? For a while I thought that maybe you weren’t really serious, that I’d made a fool of myself before the entire staff.”
“Never a fool, my love, never that,” he murmured as he stretched out on the floor and pulled her on top of him.
She squirmed in pleasure. “Do you have any idea what I’ve been up to since I last saw you?”
“Talking to Scott?”
“Yes, and a few other things.”
“I’ve had a few things on my mind, as well,” he said, smiling up into her eyes as he pushed his body up into hers, forcing a gasp from her lips.
“If my plan works, you’re going to owe me big time when this is all over,” she said, reaching to undo his shirt.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HE CUPPED HER HEAD in his hands, and drew her down into a deep, demanding kiss that had her moaning with delight as she hurried to unbutton his shirt. Desire, hot and insistent, claimed her, drawing the air from her lungs in a long sigh of need. Running her hands down his body, she reached the zipper on his pants.
A buzzing sound came from somewhere near her side, distracting her. “Wouldn’t you know?” she groaned, and rolled off him, retrieving the cell phone.
When she answered, the cheery voices of Scott, Liam, Gordon and Alex rang in her ear.
“Would it be asking too much for you guys to work on your timing a little?” she teased.
“Did we catch you in the act?” Liam said, his loud laugh filling the line.
“They heard about Luke. I didn’t tell them, I swear,” Scott said over the din. “But between you and me, I believe their curiosity over your new boyfriend was what got them on this conference call.”
She glanced at Luke who had climbed to a sitting position beside her. “Who is it?” he whispered.
“My brothers,” she whispered against his ear.
He smiled and began playing with the hair at the nape of her neck, driving her insane with desire.
“Are you there?” Scott asked.
“Yes, and I’m delighted to call this meeting to order,” she said.
“First things first. When are you going to come home? We miss you and want to see you. It won’t be Christmas without you, sis,” Liam said.
“I second that,” Gordon chimed in.
“The sooner the better,” Alex offered. “Scott and Mom have filled us in about your man who’s keeping you away from us on Christmas. You realize you’ll have to deal with us when you finally do return.”
“Don’t I always?”
“So, what’s up? What’s so urgent that we have to hold a conference call on Christmas Eve?” Scott asked.
“I have an investment opportunity for you. It’s a beautiful inn near Wakesfield in upstate New York. It’s presently owned by Advantage Corporation, and they’ve put it up for sale.”
“So what’s your connection to it? How did you get involved and how did you do it so quickly?” Gordon queried.
“Luke, the present manager, and I want to buy it, and we want to form a partnership.” His intimate gaze moved lazily over her, and the love and pride in his eyes delighted her.
“You’re in love after only a couple of days with a man none of us have met, and you want us to help you buy an inn without anyone in the family seeing it first, or doing any sort of appraisal?” Liam asked, incredulously.
“Did I say anything to any of you when you decided you’d found the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?” she countered, compressing her lips in annoyance. Why did they always behave this way?
“But Scott says he’s a widower. How do you know he’s not just on the rebound?” Gordon asked. “We don’t want to see you hurt.”
“And what will you do about your plans for the inn if he suddenly develops cold feet? You remember what happened to my best friend, Louie, after his wife passed away. He hooked up with a woman, only to change his mind a few months into the engagement.” Liam’s words were hurried.
“Yeah, and add that to your track record with men,” Alex said, and she could picture him shaking his head, counting himself out. Worse still, his words were met by a long stretch of silence from the rest of them.
Did that mean none of them approved of what she wanted? Had they ganged up on her yet again? She remembered those other moments when her brothers didn’t approve, how defeated she’d felt facing their arguments against what she’d wanted.
Would their attitude ever change where she was concerned?
With her gaze locked on Luke, she organized her thoughts. The worst that could happen was that they would refuse her request, and if they did, she’d find money somewhere else. She wasn’t going to let her brothers ruin their plans.
“Look, I’m offering you a great chance here to be part of a new business venture of mine. This is a great inn. It’s got a solid clientele. Luke is the manager and he’s a good manager and he’s got years of experience. If we don’t buy this inn
we’ll buy another one. But we would prefer to pool our management experience and make The Mirabel the best inn in the area, even the country,” she said in a heated defense of her plans.
“Sounds great, but what’s the deal? Do you get half ownership for putting up half the money? And do you need a contract with this guy?” Gordon asked.
Anger burned her throat. Why couldn’t they see what this meant to her? “Okay, here’s the deal. I know that you four have seen my life to date as your personal preserve, a place all of you felt you had a right to interfere whenever you wanted, all in the name of giving me advice you believed I needed. But what you seem to have forgotten is that I successfully ran a beauty salon for years, borrowed my own money for the business and sold my share at a good price. All without your involvement.”
“We wanted to help you with the salon but you didn’t tell us until it was a done deal,” Alex complained.
“That’s my point exactly. I had to go behind your backs to do what I wanted.”
“Sis, we didn’t mean it that way,” Liam said, to the tune of the other brothers’ muted agreement.
“It’s not about what you meant, but about how it affected me. Every time I ever went to do something—from buying my first car to choosing who I wanted to date—you guys jumped in with all sorts of unsolicited advice. I realize it all started with my health, but just because I’ve spent time in and out of hospitals doesn’t mean you have to treat me like I’m someone who needs your constant input. I’m thirty-five years old, for heaven’s sake!”
She looked to Luke for reassurance. He squeezed her shoulders and smiled encouragingly.
“We didn’t intend to make you feel that way,” Scott murmured, his tone contrite. “We love you.”
“You’re our little sister,” Liam chimed in.
“Well, I’m not your little sister anymore. I’m a grown woman with plans, and if you guys want to prove you want to change, you can start now.”
