I watched as more snow fell around him, my mind still shocked he was standing there.
Is this real? Or am I imagining it?
My fingers squeezed the skin on the back of my hand hard, and a sharp shooting pain traveled up my arm. I definitely wasn’t sleeping.
Garner and I ended on good terms. There was no reason for me to turn him away. Except one big one.
If I invited him in, he’d end up in my bed before the night ended.
I pushed the thought away as I opened my door wider and stepped aside. “Come in.” I was an adult. I could handle this.
It would probably help if I got dressed.
I closed the door behind him as he wiped his feet on my welcome mat and shook off the snow. “I can take your jacket.”I offered. He handed it to me, and I hung it on the rack by the door.
“The living room is right through there.” I pointed to the right, off the entryway. “I need to run upstairs and get dressed first. I wasn’t expecting company.”
“I don’t mind if you’re in your pajamas. You’re beautiful either way.”
My cheeks flushed, and my defenses dropped slightly.Here he goes, working his magic already…
“Thanks. I’ll just be a second.”
I ran up the stairs before he could say another word, fetching my robe from the bathroom. I slipped it on and tied it tight around my waist. At least I was a little dressed now.
Garner is here.
Garner is in my house.
On Christmas Eve…how?! Why?!
Grabbing my brush, I ran it through my hair quickly and smoothed it down, the little flyways still doing their annoying thing. With one last look in the mirror and a deep breath, I hurried back downstairs and nearly skidded into the living room, Garner pacing back and forth in front of my couch.
When he saw me, his eyes lit up and he chuckled. “Still the same Mags I remembered.”
I forced a smile, still too curious why he was here to let my guard down completely. “Let’s just cut to the chase. There’s no bad blood between us. There never has been. But to say it’s shocking you showed up on my doorstep is an understatement. Especially on Christmas Eve.”
“I know. I had…I had nowhere else to go. My parents are in France and think I’m schmoozing it up with movie stars and producers. I couldn’t be alone.” He explained.
The sadness in his eyes formed a thick lump in my throat.
What has he gone through?
My heart softened as my shoulders fell. I didn’t enjoy seeing anyone struggle, especially not those I cared about.
I’d never admit to anyone, but I never stopped loving Garner. Not once since he left.
I tried dating others, but nothing compared. Nothing felt like what it did when I was with him.
And now here he was, in my living room, on Christmas Eve, hurting and alone. I couldn’t turn my back on him. Not now, not ever.
Yet there was a bit of a hiccup standing in our way.
I was engaged to someone else.
CHAPTER TWO
Garner
