“Well, thanks again.” I grab a few of the containers and start toward the doors.
“The letters,” Callum calls after me. “What are they for?”
I pause, turning to face him. “What do you mean?”
He closes the distance between us. “You made sure every kid wrote a letter to Santa. And I noticed you cross referencing them when the kids were playing games. Why?”
I shrug. “All those kids… Santa doesn’t visit their houses. Not unless I do something to help. So that’s what those lists are for.”
“You buy them presents?”
“I know what you’re going to say,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “That it’s a waste of resources, considering this place is so far in the red right now it’s laughable. But I’d sooner stop paying every single one of my bills before I stop making sure each of those kids gets at least one present from Santa.
“You look at this place and see excess and commercialization. But that’s not what Christmas is about. Not to me. It’s not about the tree or the lights or the decorations. It’s about bringing joy to those who’ve had their lives turned upside down. Who are on the brink of losing all hope. Who think no one cares about them. This is why I can’t give up without a fight. Because I can’t give up on them.” My voice quivers slightly, and I curse myself for showing emotion around him.
For allowing him a peek beneath the surface.
“Now if you’ll excuse me.” I grit a smile, then spin, my steps determined as I hurry away from him.
“Would you like to have dinner with me?” he calls out just as I’m about to slip through the open barn doors.
I come to an abrupt stop, his question slamming into me like a boulder. I glance over my shoulder.
“I beg your pardon?”
He slowly advances toward me, each inch he erases causing my heart to beat a little faster, the warmth in his eyes holding me captive.
“I’d like to take you to dinner,” he says evenly. Calmly. Confidently.
“D-dinner?”
“To discuss a few things pertaining to the property,” he adds quickly. “I know you have your reservations about selling to me. But I’d like to try and meet somewhere in the middle.”
“I don’t—”
“I understand you’re…manifesting a solution to magically fall into your lap. But in case it doesn’t, maybe it’s in both of our best interests to see if we can come to a compromise. It’s obvious you care about this property and don’t want to entertain the idea of losing it. But isn’t it better if it went to the devil you know versus the one you don’t who snags it at auction for pennies on the dollar?”
I part my lips, torn about whether to agree. Hedoeshave a point.
I can manifest for the universe to provide me with a solution but still be smart enough to explore other options. And Callum seems willing to listen to my concerns regarding his initial proposal, which is more than I can say for him last week.
But another part of me knows nothing good can come from this. Not when I already find myself thinking about him more than I should.
This was easier when there’d been a wall between us. When I vilified him as the Grinch trying to steal Christmas at Holley Ridge.
It’s different now that he’s proven himself capable of being a decent human.
“It’s just dinner,” he continues, moving toward me. “Nothing more. If it makes you feel better, you can call it a business meeting with food.”
Every voice in my head tells me this isn’t a good idea. But something about his pleading expression coupled with how sexy he looks with that Santa jacket hanging off him has me ignoring all rationale.
After all, he did me this favor. The least I can do is go to dinner with him and listen to his proposal.
“Okay.”
As soon as the word leaves my mouth, a brilliant smile spreads across his face, like that first ray of sun peeking through the clouds after a storm. For being so cantankerous, Callum Reed has a gorgeous smile.
He should do it more often.
