He shouldn’t be thinking about her–or any other woman, for that matter. Women were off limits as his life centered on Collin and the business.
Speaking of business. He was here for a reason.
Her little pink nose told him it was getting nippy inside the house.
“I’m so sorry. It took longer to get Collin settled at the school than I thought it would.” He’d pictured dropping him off at the curb, but all the other parents were walking their kids in, so he did too. Inside, the gym was Christmas in chaos, and he didn’t feel good leaving until he was sure an adult had eyes on Collin. “I feel bad you’re cold.”
Valerie motioned for him to come inside quickly. “Don’t worry about that. I’m tougher than I look. Follow me. I think the problem is in the Christmas room.”
She didn’t look tough at all. She looked cuddleable.
He did his best to keep his eyes on the paintings, furniture, and bare floor as he followed her through the house. She used her phone flashlight to show the way. He pulled a small flashlight from his jacket pocket and added his beam to hers.
“I’m not sure what happened,” she explained. “I was just plugging in the lights, and then everything went off.” She stopped at the doorway to a stunning sunken living room with a wall of windows overlooking Moose Hollow. Stars and sky were visible at eye level. He had to walk toward the window and look down to see the town. Instead of being inside a castle, they were in some kind of spell. The scents of vanilla, cinnamon, and pine infused the air–probably coming from The vast amount of The Christmas Shop merchandise strewn about the room in semi-organized piles.
But it wasn’t the room that drew him–it was the sky. Like the Grinch looking down on Whoville, he could practically hear singing and bells ringing. He stared. “This is incredible.”
She came to stand next to him and sighed. “I know, right? I keep thinking this is what Santa sees on his Christmas Eve ride.” She chuckled at herself. “What I wouldn’t give for a ride in his sleigh.”
“Right. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for sure.” Ethan’s lips twitched with a grin. “This view changes a person’s perspective,” Ethan said.
“How so?”
He shrugged, coming out of the spell the room cast over him. “Everything I worry about and stress over is down there.” He pointed. “But up here, it all seems manageable, like it’s just a few cogs in the whole scheme of things.” He leaned forward and blew on the glass, creating a cloud. He traced a snowflake. “It’s the Frosty the Snow Man effect.”
“The what now?” She turned slightly toward him, and Ethan’s cheeks heated. He hadn’t meant to get so philosophical, but something about this place got to him, and Valerie was all too easy to talk to.
“You know the story, right?” She nodded. “When the kids make Frosty, and he comes to life, they forget everything and play all day. No worries. No holiday shopping. No homework. No bullies. No problems. Just a day to play. This space has that feeling.”
Valerie also blew on the glass and drew a snowman. “I felt that too. That’s why I picked this room for Christmas.”
“How did you narrow it down?” He widened his eyes and exaggerated the lift of his shoulders as he swung from side-to-side to include the whole house in his gesture.
She chuckled. “It wasn’t easy.” She glanced back at their window drawings that weren’t fading away as they would if the room was warmer. “I’ve been sitting here watching this view and can’t get enough of it.” She rubbed her arms. “Although, I’d trade it for some heat.”
He noted the temperature. It was in the low sixties and dropping. The utilities on this place probably cost more than his mortgage. He flashed his light around the room until he found the socket with a bunch of plugs hanging out of it. Overloaded circuit? He made his way over and unplugged them all.
“Where are you from?” He imagined her in Florida on the beach. Her blonde hair had highlights, and her blue eyes were the color of an ocean with flecks of green and gray. He shouldn’t notice things like that about her. The fact that it was dark in here, and he picked up on that kind of detail with nothing but his flashlight to guide him bothered him.
“Nashville,” she replied. “But I’ve lived all over the country.”
He digested the information as he reset the outlet. Nothing happened. “I’ll check the breaker and be back in a minute. Do you know where the utility room is?”
She nodded. “There’s one on each floor.”
He didn’t doubt it. A place like this would need several furnaces and electrical boxes.
“What about you? Where are you from?” she asked, leading the way down the hall.
Ethan put his flashlight beam in front of her feet so she could see where she was going. Not that there was anything in the way. The house was spotless. They probably had three maids on staff. What he wouldn’t give to have a maid. Even though it was just the two of them, he had to wipe off the kitchen counter at least five times a day. His mother assured him that was normal when a kid was in the house. She also thought it was hilarious that he’d complained about it since he never wiped the counter growing up. Karma was a mother’s best friend.
“Right here,” he replied. “Born and raised.”
She opened a door and motioned for him to go first. He did, and then he started diagnosing the problem.
“That must be nice,” she said quietly.
He shrugged. “I don’t know anything else.” The breakers were all on. “Curious.” He pulled out his phone while explaining, “Everything here looks fine. I’m calling my buddy at the power company to–” His buddy picked up on the first ring and said hello. “Joe! Hey, I’m up the canyon at this house, and there’s no power.”
