“Or you could kiss me?”
John does, and my blood heats. I snuggle against him. “This was the best surprise.”
We return to where we started and say goodbye to our sleigh driver. As we walk to the car, I feel as if my feet are floating above the snow. “I can’t believe you took me on a sleigh ride. It was so incredible.”
“Yes, but the night’s not over yet.”
Snow falls from the sky, but this is more of a dusting compared to what fell on Christmas Eve. John drives us to a nearby lodge that’s made of wood. It almost looks like something from a movie.
John leads me inside to the lobby. A uniformed attendant takes us into a private room where we’re greeted by a roaring fire.
Steaming cups of hot cocoa and a plate of freshly baked cookies are waiting for us. I grin. “Dessert first. You thought of everything, didn’t you?”
“I tried. And since we didn’t get wet on the sleigh ride, there’s no reason to change clothes.”
After he put so much effort into our date, I wouldn’t mind getting dressed up for him, but this way, we can be comfortable instead of “fancy.”
We settle into plush armchairs by the fire, warming our hands on the cocoa mugs. As the snow falls gently outside the window, a sense of peace settles over me. “I’ve never even heard of this place.”
“I’ve been here a few times.”
That makes me wonder if this is a typical date for him, and unease surges through me.
“With my family,” John adds as if sensing my discomfort.
After the plate of cookies—which we put a huge dent into—is removed, a server brings a bottle of wine followed by a delicious-looking charcuterie board. I immediately think about eating something similar with his family on Christmas Day. This one is smaller but has lots of meat, cheese, and bread, not to mention veggies and dip. “This looks tasty.”
“It’s calledheartyand is supposed to be enough for dinner. If it’s not—”
“It will be.” I don’t want John to think what he’s done isn’t perfect, because it is. I eat and drink until I’m full.
The date has gone so well, but I keep thinking about the email I got earlier. John has a right to know as my boyfriend, but it’s complicated because he’s also my boss. Even though I want to tell him, I don’t want to ruin this wonderful date. Keeping the information to myself, however, feels wrong. And a part of me wonders if I should’ve said something right away instead of waiting.
He leans toward me. “Something wrong?”
I fiddle with my napkin on my lap. “I need to tell you something.”
His smile disappears, and lines appear on his forehead. I’ve never seen him look so serious—almost sad. “Go ahead and say it.”
I don’t understand the sudden change in him. Unless he’s reconsidering the relationship. That can’t be it. If so, why would he have gone to so much trouble planning such a romantic date?
“Abby?” he asks.
I take a breath, trying to still all the worst-case scenario situations filling my brain. “Like my coworkers, I was sure you would fire me. I wanted to be proactive,, so for the last three months, I’ve been applying for a new job.”
“You want to leave?”
“I thought you hated me, and so did our entire office.” My words shoot out, one on top of the other. I need to calm down. “I don’t have a family like yours. I need to take care of myself, so I wanted to make sure I found a new job before you let me go.”
“I wouldn’t—”
“I know that now, but then…”
“That’s on me,” he admits. “Please know I’ll support whatever decision you make. If you get an offer, I’ll give you a glowing recommendation.”
He’s saying all the right words and sounds sincere, but… “Even if it means I won’t be working for you anymore?”
“Even then.”
