Looking outside I see large, fluffy snowflakes starting to float down from the sky.Nick can’t have real feelings for me. It’s simply not possible. He called it quits a long time ago and I’ve moved on. There’s nothing more between us than a mutual agreement to pretend to be married for a short while—nothing more.
“The snow is rolling in already, radio to the guys to hurry up and get those rugs laid out so no one slips and falls when they come in,” I direct, brushing past her to do some bookkeeping in the office simply to avoid having to talk to her anymore.
“You got it boss.” She leans into the office when I take a seat at the antique desk and pull my computer out of my bag. “But don’t think I’m letting this go. You and Nick are written in the stars. One day you’ll realize that and admit to yourself that you never stopped loving him either.”
Then she’s gone.
For the next few hours I try to keep my brain on the dollars and cents staring back at me on my computer screen.After rereading the same line item for the fourth time, I know it’s time to call it quits and go home for the day. Stepping out of the office with my bag over my shoulder and coat in hand, I’m about to head home when I’m met with a smug looking Belle leaning against the check-in desk.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, just because. You have a visitor. Or maybe I should call him a suitor?” Her voice peaks as her smile only grows. When she turns on her heels and takes a few steps to look into the library, I follow to see what she’s looking at.
Sitting on the old, over-stuffed love seat is Nick flipping through one of the Christmas themed coffee table books I set out at the start of the week.
“He said he was here to walk you home. Something about how he doesn’t want you walking alone in the snowstorm.” She raises her brows in my direction and waits for my response.
“Goodbye, Belle,” is all I give her before walking towards him.
“Hey,” I say, kicking one of his feet. When he looks up at me, his entire face lights up.
“There she is, my beautiful wife. You ready to go home?”
“I could have walked by myself, you know. I’ve walked home in the snow all on my own for the last twelve years just fine.”
“Well now I’m here so you don’t have to. Here, let me help you with that.” He pushes to his feet and steals my bag from me before I can protest. Then, he takes my coat from my arms and holds it open for me to slip into. I glare at the coat for a beat before putting my arms into it. When I turn around, I spot Belle standing in the hallway looking at us with one hand over her mouth like she’s witnessing the cutest thing she’s ever seen. Once my arms are in he spins me around so I’m facing him and starts to button it closed for me.
“I can do that on my own,” I say, batting his hands away and doing it myself. He chuckles through his smirk.
“I know you can, sugar. I just want you to know that you don’t have to do everything alone anymore if you don’t want to. I’m here to help you.”
“Yeah, temporarily,” I mutter under my breath so only I can hear. I take a few steps towards the front door but hear him close behind me. “Goodnight, Belle. I’ll be in tomorrow for a little bit.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she says a little too enthusiastically. “Tomorrow’s Saturday; you should take the day off, do something fun.”
“I agree,” Nick pipes up from behind me. I turn and glare at him over my shoulder before looking back at her.
“I’ll be in tomorrow.”
“I told you so,” she calls out as we step out onto the porch. I send her one more threatening look before rolling my eyes and closing the door.
“Told you what?” Nick asks.
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” I take a few steps down the front porch but slip on the last one. I feel his hand come to my arm to prevent me from falling completely to the ground.
“See, now aren’t you glad I came and got you?”
Yes. But I’m not telling you that.
I pull my hand from his and start down the sidewalk towards home. His hand reaches for mine and takes it, pulling me closer to him. Glancing up at him, he doesn’t look back. He keeps his eyes forward with a big goofy smile on his face. I almost reach up and poke his dimple like I like to do.Almost.
“You know, you should really be wearing a hat and maybe even a scarf these days. It’s freezing outside. You don’t want to catch a cold when you’re so busy at the inn.”
“What are you, my mother?”
“Your husband, actually,” he says quickly before winking at me.
We’re halfway through town with my building being the next street over. I’m about to cross the street to head that way when Ms. Joy calls out to us.
