'Twas the Week Before Christmas (6 page)

“I think I’ll stick around, actually,” Max said easily and Holly’s heart rate quickened. She hadn’t seen that coming.

Evelyn could barely suppress her vicarious glee. “How lovely!” she exclaimed, fixing her large bright eyes on Holly in a less than subtle fashion.

Holly bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from laughing and Max’s eyes twinkled ferociously. The fact that he was just as in tune with Evelyn’s matchmaking as she was didn’t bother her anymore. If anything, the private joke they now shared only made her feel more bonded to him than ever. A hidden secret was shared between them, lost on sweet Evelyn.

“I was actually coming down to see if I could extend my reservation,” he said when he had collected himself.

Extend?
Holly still couldn’t believe her good fortune. Why on earth Max was deciding to stay longer as opposed to leaving early was beyond her understanding, but she wasn’t going to question it. “Of course,” she said, regaining her composure. She forced herself back into a professional role, but in the company of her favorite guests, it somehow felt unnecessary. “How long will you be needing the room for?”

“Until Christmas Day.”

Holly paled. Five more nights. “Christmas Day?”

Max scrutinized her reaction. “If that’s okay. I can move rooms if mine has been reserved.”

Holly cleared her throat, refusing to so much as glance at Evelyn, who she could see from the corner of her eye was radiant with joy, her palm placed dramatically on her heart. “No, it’s fine. Your room is free. In fact, all the rooms are free, actually.”

Max spared her a quizzical look. “All the rooms?”

“We’re not the only ones heading out early,” Evelyn said. She rubbed her hands together as the plan was hatched. “So it looks like it will be just the two of you in this big, beautiful house!”

Holly watched as Max’s eyes widened and quickly darted to hers, searching for verification. On instinct, Holly lowered her gaze, unable to look at him in that moment. Her pulse raced as her chest rose and fell with each breath. Alone in the house with Max. How would he feel about that?

“I take it that dinner has been cancelled for tonight?” Max asked, breaking the awkward silence. When Holly nodded, he suggested, “Perfect. Then you can take me up on my earlier rain check. Maybe you can show me the town tonight.”

“But the roads!” Evelyn said.

Max shrugged. “The storm hasn’t hit yet. By the time it does, we’ll be all tucked into bed, safe and sound.” He turned to Holly and grinned. “What do you say, Holly?”

Holly glanced from Max to Evelyn, whose expression was frozen in anticipation. “I’d love to,” she said easily.

With that settled, Evelyn released a long sigh of content. “We should get going,” she said and Nelson took his cue to take the bags out to the car.

“It was a true pleasure meeting you, Evelyn.” Max smiled down at her warmly and more awkwardly reached in for a hug.

Breaking free, Evelyn giggled like a schoolgirl and Holly noticed her cheeks were stained with pleasure. Holly shook her head, unable to suppress the contagious energy that Evelyn carried with her. “Drive safely, Mrs. Adler. And Merry Christmas,” she said.

Holly pulled her in for a hug and only released her when Nelson called from the doorway that the car was ready. Evelyn slid her sharp blue eyes to Holly before joining her husband. “You have fun, dear,” she purred.

Holly felt her cheeks color. She had a feeling she would do just that.

Chapter Five

H
olly walked back to the kitchen as though floating on air, completely unable to banish her smile. As much as her heart ached that Evelyn and Nelson had left, she couldn’t deny the glee that was building with each passing second at the thought of five whole nights with Max. Alone.

“Dinner is off!” she announced to Stephen and Abby. They both froze midaction in their tasks, their expressions transforming from concern to bewilderment.

“The Adlers are leaving?” Abby asked slowly.

“Already left.” Holly shrugged. Giddily, she all but hopped over to the cookie tray and reached for a piece of fudge before stopping herself. She was about to spend a week with the most gorgeous man she had ever met. An image of the way his broad shoulders strained against the confines of his sweater filled her mind and she snatched her hand back. Now was not the time to be indulging in sweets. Now was the time to be indulging in something altogether better.

Get a grip, Holly!
He was still her guest. Why was she having so much trouble remembering this?

“The Adlers already left?” Abby cried in disbelief and Holly nodded her head cheerfully. It was sad, yes, but in light of the other news... “Then why are you smiling like that?”

Holly reflexively frowned. “Am I?” she inquired. Stephen shook his head and began cleaning up while Abby stepped away from the counter, her face pale with concern and her eyes wide with something close to fear.

“I’m seriously getting worried about you now, Holly,” she said gravely.

Holly smiled as Abby silently followed her back to her quarters, and only once the door was firmly closed behind her did she triumphantly proclaim, “Max invited me to dinner tonight. Even better? He extended his stay. For five more nights.”

“He’s staying through the
week?
” Abby’s eyes flew open in shock and she threw herself down on Holly’s bed and stared at the ceiling in disbelief.

“Yep.” Holly leaned into the antique ivory-framed mirror above her dressing table and massaged a dollop of moisturizer under her eyes. She looked tired and stressed from the events of the day, but it was nothing a little makeup wouldn’t fix. “Until Christmas Day.”

“Really?”

“That’s what he said.” A surge of fresh glee washed over Holly’s insides. Five more days with Max. Anything could happen in that time period.

Abby rolled onto her side and tucked her feet behind her. She propped herself up by an elbow and cupped her head in her hand. “But why did he decide to stay longer?”

Holly stared at Abby’s reflection. She wondered the same thing herself. The mysterious nature of his visit was certainly odd. “He says he’s here on business. That’s all I know.”

“Business?” Abby scoffed. “In Maple Woods? Over the holidays?”

Holly frowned and considered her friend’s words. “It is strange. Isn’t it?”

Abby was incredulous. “Strange? Uh, yes! Just a little. He didn’t say what kind of business?”

Holly shrugged. “He didn’t elaborate.”

Abby pushed herself up to a sitting position dangled her legs over the side of the four-poster bed. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Business is boring. Besides,” she said, coming to join Holly in the mirror, “you can find out all the details tonight. On your date.”

A flutter of nerves caught hold of Holly’s stomach at the term. Date. Was that really what it was? It seemed so unlikely when she stopped to think of it—he must have an entire life in New York, so what more could he want with her than a friendly face to keep him company while he was in town? Yes, they got along, and yes, he seemed to like her. But liking someone took many forms, and with someone as gorgeous as Max Hamilton...well, chances were he wasn’t often without equally beautiful female companionship. There must have been many girls who fell under Max’s spell. Holly would be foolish to think she was the only one who could sense this magnetism.

Her stomach churned. A guy like Max probably had his pick when it came to pretty girls. And she was hardly exceptional. Nothing glamorous. Not rich. A plain Jane, in many ways.

She had to brace herself for disappointment. Max’s intentions—on every level—were a mystery to her. Getting swept up in romantic notions would only result in heartbreak and tears if the evening turned out to be nothing but platonic, albeit pleasant. She couldn’t go giving her heart to a man who would rather peruse a spreadsheet than listen to what she had to say. She’d promised herself after her last failed relationship that the next man she allowed herself to develop feelings for would at least have the same priorities as she did.

Maybe Max wasn’t so different from Brendan, after all. Despite his friendliness, he seemed a lot more interested in whatever business he had going on over Christmas than the spirit of the holiday itself.

“Why are you frowning?” Abby eyed her through the mirror.

“What? Oh...I wasn’t frowning.” Holly forced herself back to her surroundings and dabbed some gloss on her lips.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about Brendan.”

Holly didn’t dare admit the truth. Something told her the night ahead was going be both spontaneous and romantic, and she pushed back the wary hunch that threatened to disturb the chance of hope that was playing out in her mind. It was hard not to think about Brendan sometimes—he’d let her down when she needed someone the most, destroying any hope of a brighter future, when hope was all she’d been clinging to. She hadn’t dated anyone seriously since then. And the thought of going into town with Max tonight, while thrilling, was also a little terrifying. The entire concept was so far out of Holly’s normal routine that she struggled to grasp the logistics of what a real date would require.

“I’m not thinking about Brendan,” she said firmly. And she wasn’t. She was thinking about Max.

“Good, because all you should be thinking about right now is what you’re going to wear on your date.”

“It’s not a date!” But even as she protested, Holly couldn’t resist the warm glow that filled her.

“Then what would you call it?”

Holly considered the question. “Companionship.”

Abby chortled. “Oh, please. A man like that does not need companionship.”

“What does he need then?”

Abby pulled a face. “I think you already know the answer to that one. Believe me, there’s only one reason that man is hanging around you so much, and it isn’t because he’s looking for a friend.”

Holly bit her lip and considered Abby’s point. And hoped to God she was right. She studied her reflection in the mirror and smiled with anticipation. She hadn’t felt this nervous or alive in longer than she could remember, and her heart was hammering with possibilities. She hadn’t been alone with Max in anything other than a professional setting and she suddenly felt seized with the terror of finding nothing to talk about other than the inn. She supposed they had managed just fine at the diner, but then Lucy always had a way of putting people at ease.

“You’re frowning again,” Abby pointed out.

Holly shifted her eyes to Abby’s reflection and smiled through a sigh. “That better?”

“Nervous?”

Holly felt her shoulders slump in resignation. “Just a little.”

Abby’s smile widened and Holly could see her eyes begin to dance, even from this distance. “Good, that means you like him.”

Of course I like him,
Holly thought. “It’s just been a while since—”

“Since you’ve had any fun?”

Holly shrugged and returned to the mirror so she could add an extra bit of blush to her cheeks. She hadn’t really thought about it but, yes, it had been a long time since she’d had any fun...unless you counted knitting circles, book clubs, and Friday movie night with her married guests as fun.

“It’s just too bad that he doesn’t live closer,” Holly said, pursing her lips in displeasure.

“So?” Abby quipped. “A hot guy has asked you out to dinner tonight, Holly. When’s the last time that happened?”

Holly pinched her lips and narrowed her gaze at her friend. Abby knew exactly how long it had been and she wasn’t about to help prove her point.

“Take it for what it is, Holly! You get to dress up, go out, and have fun. And maybe if you’re lucky, the date will last straight through to morning,” she added with a mischievous grin.

Holly picked up a cosmetic brush and tossed it in Abby’s direction. “Stop it!” She laughed, but she knew Abby wasn’t joking.

“What?” Abby cried. “Come on, you can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. The man is gorgeous, Holly...you may as well enjoy him!”

Holly shook her head firmly. “I’m not looking for a one-night stand. You know what I’m looking for.”

Abby met her sharp gaze and tipped her head in response. “I know...but all I’m saying is...be open-minded. You’ve been sitting here alone night after night for as many years as you’ve been running this inn.” Abby lay back on the bed and dramatically ran her hands over the cotton comforter. “Has this bed ever experienced anything more exciting than a pair of flannel pajamas and a romance novel?”

Nope,
Holly thought, but she couldn’t help but laugh. Abby had a point—Holly
had
closed herself off to love over time. But was Max really the one to make her open to the idea of it again?

* * *

Max was already waiting in the lobby when Holly came around the corner at their designated meeting time. He was dressed casually, in dark jeans and a charcoal cashmere sweater. A heavy parka was slung over his arm along with a scarf.

Holly glanced down at her own ensemble, feeling grateful that Abby had stuck around to help her pull together her look. Gone were the uptight work skirt and heels. In her slim-fitting jeans tucked into knee-high leather boots and a black V-neck top, Holly figured she looked equally ready for a night out with a new friend...or something more. As Max’s eyes roamed appreciatively over her, she couldn’t help but hope it might be the latter.

She smiled shyly. She was attracted to this man like she had never been attracted to any other.

“You got some new clothes!” Holly pointed to the hat in Max’s hand.

His face lit up in response to the recognition. “I picked these up in town today.”

Understanding took hold. “Ah. So that’s when you met Bobby Miller. Interesting kid, that one.”

Max shrugged into his heavy coat and zippered it closed. “I warmed up to him by the end,” he admitted. “He sort of reminded me a little of myself at that age.”

“Really?” Holly hadn’t seen that one coming. She couldn’t think of anyone who seemed more different than Max than the Miller boy. Max was...well, every adjective Abby had cited earlier that morning. Dashing. Smooth. Warm. Bobby Miller was just...unpleasant.

She couldn’t see Max ever behaving that way and she wasn’t sure she wanted to either. Allowing Max to hold the door open for her, she crossed into the cold evening. Snow fell softly on her uncovered head.

“What’s this?” Max scolded, lifting a lock of her hair and then letting it drop back against her coat. “You don’t have a hat? My, my, Miss Tate. And here I thought I was unprepared.”

Holly hadn’t wanted to look too casual on her possible date and she now realized her error. “I forgot,” she lied with a smile. “It’s okay.”

Max questioned her with his eyes. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.” Holly climbed into the passenger seat of Max’s car. She hadn’t even considered driving into town. Somehow, without a word, Max had taken charge of the evening.

It felt nice to be the one being taken care of for a change.

“So tell me more about your exchange with Bobby,” Holly said, once Max had turned the car off the driveway. She placed her hands in front of the vents to warm them. “I have to admit that I see absolutely no resemblance between the two of you.”

Max gave a small smile. “You mean you don’t think I have a chip on my shoulder?”

Holly laughed. “No.”

“Joking aside,” Max said, flicking on the windshield wipers, “I wasn’t that much different at one time. I don’t know Bobby, of course, but it seemed to me like he wants more from life than Maple Woods can offer.”

Holly bridled. “Gee, thanks.”

“Oh—Holly, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” Beside her, Max winced.

If he wasn’t so damn cute... “It’s okay. I know what you meant.”

But something inside her twisted. Max had a point about Bobby. Maple Woods
didn’t
offer much. Certainly nowhere near the amount of opportunities that a major city could. If Max saw something of his younger self in Bobby, then it must have meant that a town like Maple Woods wouldn’t work for him. That he could understand why Bobby would want to leave. That Maple Woods wasn’t glamorous enough.

Already sensing the evening was headed in a disappointing direction, Holly changed the subject, feeling suddenly weary and deflated. “There’s a tree lighting in the town square tonight. They always do it the Friday before Christmas.”

A long pause followed as Max said nothing. Holly shifted uncomfortably in her leather bucket seat, regretting the suggestion. Max had invited her out, and if city life was something he seemed to so clearly prefer, a tree lighting was probably hardly his idea of an exciting time.

Holly chewed the inside of her lip and battled with the pang in her chest. She had been looking forward to that tree lighting, but she was hardly going to trade it in for a chance to spend the evening with Max.

Finally, Max’s warm, thick voice filled the silence. “I have to say, that I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone with so much holiday spirit.”

The observation was pleasant but Holly detected a subtle, underlying edge. “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing.”

“Eh.”

“You don’t celebrate Christmas?”

“Not if I can avoid it,” Max said simply and Holly’s stomach clenched. It was one thing not to celebrate the holiday, and it was another to actively dislike it. She considered asking Max the reason behind his lack of Christmas spirit, but decided to let it go. The night was already off to a shaky start as it was.

Slumping back into her seat, Holly stared passively out the window at the snow-covered trees, but as soon as Max turned the car onto Main Street, she couldn’t help but smile.