“I love that you’re here,” she said, wanting to be fully honest. “It’s…a lot. But I’m very, very happy you came back, Matt. I’m happy you’re so interested in Park City.”
He smiled, taking both her hands. “I am interested in Park City, along with a certain someone who lives here. In fact…” He made a face as though he didn’t expect her to like what he was about to say. “That’s what I wanted to do today.”
“Tour the town?” she guessed, knowing he’d been everywhere last year.
“Tour an…open house. It’s Sunday and there are a lot of them.”
An open house? She just stared at him.
“I have to live somewhere,” he said. “And…you’re here, so…”
“You’re moving here.” It was a statement, but her voice cracked with surprise.
He didn’t say anything, but there was a glimmer of disappointment in his eyes, and she hated that she’d put it there.
“Not if I’m not welcome.”’
“Matt!” She gripped his hands. “You’re more than welcome. It’s just…”
“I know, I know. Let’s take it slow. I’ll stay as a guest at Snowberry for the holiday season. I can do that, right?”
“Of course! We love having youandyour nephew. It’s perfect timing before we go into the high ski season.”
“Then we’ll slowly pick up where we left off. No big…changes. Just continue to get to know each other and see how that goes.” He eased her closer. “But you need to know I’ve really missed you, Mary Jane.”
She managed a shaky breath. “I really missed you, too, Graham Matthew.”
He chuckled and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. “Dinner this week?”
“Of course.”
“Maybe a sleigh ride, a trip to town, and you’ll let me help you make my favorite scones.”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Okay. I’m going to peek at those houses alone or with Wade, though. I do love it here and I sold my house in Florida.”
“Give me a few days and I’ll go with you,” she said, letting him wrap her in a hug. “I’m still getting used to all of this.”
He agreed, gave her a light kiss, and left to go back to his suite upstairs.
She took a minute to let it all sink in, then walked to her spacious pantry to get her pancakes started, a few more threads of confusion wrapping around her heart.
Maybe that’s all the message from George really was—a warning call to not get swept up into something too fast or too serious. If that was the case, her late husband was, as usual, absolutely right.
“Poor Olivia,” Benny said, shifting in his seat behind Gracie as she navigated the road that might have seen a snow plow this morning. Or maybe not, judging by the occasional whine of her bakery van tires.
“Poor? Not in this neighborhood,” Gracie joked, getting glimpses of some of Park City’s nicest real estate in the upscale and gated community that Marshall Hampton and his daughter, Olivia, called home.
“But she has to go to Los Angeles for Christmas!” Benny shook his head, cuddling Newt, his Cavapoo, closer for comfort. “I feel bad for her. And, trust me, she’s not happy.” On the next turn, he balanced the big Christmas bag with exploding tissue on the seat next to him. “I wonder if she’ll be allowed to pack this science experiment kit in her suitcase so she has something to do.”
Gracie laughed softly. “I’m sure her mom has plenty planned for her to do—there’s a beach in L.A., you know, and…stars.”
“Well, yes, there is an incredible observatory called Griffith. She’ll definitely go there, since all she wants to do is be an astronaut. But, still, it’s a horrible fate.”
“Going to see her mom?” Gracie asked, not following. With one glance in the rearview mirror, she knew the fate was horrible for him, not Olivia. Benny and his best pal would certainly miss their time together, but…did that mean Gracie wouldn’t see Olivia’s father over the holidays?
She hoped not.
