“It doesn’t matter to me. You’re the important part.”
“People say that until reporters start chasing you down on the street asking you questions.”
“In Haven?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, in Haven. I’m even worried about going to the opening. The Chronicle mentioned me by name. People have Google alerts for me. They could come to the?—”
“Hey, shhh.” I stroked her hair. “We’ll deal with it.”
“But what if they ruin it for you?”
“They won’t.”
“You don’t know that. You saw what happened at the orchard. That’s without anyone knowing I was supposed to be there.”
I sat up, drawing her into my arms. “Amber, we’ll figure it out.”
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. For God’s sake she was trembling. “Hey. Babe, it’s okay.”
“You haven’t seen what can happen.”
I eased her back. “If it gets overwhelming run to the Rudolph building. You can’t miss it. I’ll meet you there, no matter what.”
“Rudolph is supposed to save us?”
“He’s good enough to lead Santa, right?”
“You’re ridiculous.”
I laughed. “Maybe, but it can be our code word.” I rolled her onto her back. “It can be our code word for a lot of things.” I shifted over her. “Just say Rudolph if it’s too much.” I lowered my mouth to her neck, then down to her breast.
Her fingers dug into my shoulders as I covered her breast.
I could take the time to distract her.
Because there was no way I was letting her be afraid of being with me, or what it would do to me.
For me, it didn’t matter what I needed to face.
She was it for me.
23
amber
Thankfulthat I had left clothes at Tate’s house, I escaped when he was leaving to take care of something with the village. I made it back to the house before James woke up.
Guilt followed me across the path. I darted across the yard, the snow crunching under my feet. Snowfall this early in the season wasn’t a good sign. I climbed the steps to the back door I’d added to the music room. I’d needed a larger door to get some of the instruments and equipment in.
I winced at the chaos from the previous night’s write-a-thon. We’d started with Diet Coke and ended with tequila shots. Which is what had given me the nerve to show up at Tate’s place in the wee hours of the morning. Pathetic as it was, I’d missed him.
I’d gotten used to sleeping with him a little too easily.
Two years with Julian and I’d never longed for him in my bed as I did with Tate—and not just the sex. Though that had shot past incomparable after the second time we’d been together. The warmth of him at my back was what I craved. Feeling safe. Wanting to share everything with him.
That was the scary part.
I’d molded myself to fit Julian.
