“Me? You want me to help you choose? Are you thinking somewhere warm?”
“The place I have in mind is technically warmer than Bellevue, but I wouldn’t call itwarm.”
He narrows his eyes. “Is this some strange Christmas game we’re playing? A riddle or a guessing game like twenty questions?”
“No.” I suck in a deep breath and blow it out slowly. My palms are sweaty and my hands are shaking slightly. “Earlier today when you brought my wallet, you said you’d changed your mind about coming for dinner and hoped I’d give you a second chance and reissue my invitation. Now it’s my turn to hope for the same.”
Spencer cocks his head to the side. I watch him closely, aware of the moment his whirring thoughts turn from confusion to understanding to hope. “And what invitation would that be?”
“The one where you asked me to spend Christmas in London with you.”
“Christmas in London,” he says softly, bobbing his head. “You’re right about it being warmer than here, but not warm. It is beautiful, though. Stunning, really. And the shame of it is, I’ve only ever enjoyed it from afar. I think I’ve had quite enough of enjoying things from afar, though.”
He closes the distance between us, stopping directly in front of me. His eyes sweep slowly over my face, taking in every inch, his smile growing by the second. “Hollie, will you come home with me for the holidays? There’s no one else I’d rather experience my first proper London Christmas with.”
“That depends. Would I spend Christmas with you in London as your girlfriend?”
“Yes, of course, as long as that’s what you want. It’s whatIwant.”
“And you don’t think this is too big of a step?”
Spencer lets out a bewildered half-laugh. “Hollie, please don’t tell me you asked me to invite you again only so you could say no a second time.”
“No, no, I just want to make sure. It feels like we’ve known each other forever, but it hasn’t actually been all that long.”
His expression sobers. He inches closer, cupping my face with one hand. “We may not have known each other long, but sometimes you just know. For example,Iknew before we even met in person, and I was heartbroken when I didn’t have a chance to explain things to you and you thought the worst. I’ve been equal parts elated and terrified these last few weeks, getting a second chance to be in your life, but afraid to mess things up by not being able to give you my all. If you come with me, we can figure things out as we go. Make up our own rules.”
“I like the sound of that.” My voice shakes with barely contained excitement. “Hey, Spencer, remember earlier when I asked you to kiss me and we were interrupted? You said ‘to be continued’...”
He makes a show of glancing over my shoulder.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Wondering how long it’ll take one of the others to interrupt us again.”
“Better act fast, then.”
Once again, he accepts the challenge. He cups my face in his warm hands and swoops in, kissing me until I forget I have a houseful of guests. This is going to be an amazing Christmas.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The reality of the situation hits me when Fergus pulls up outside Pearson International Airport in Toronto. It’s Christmas Day and I’m going to London for a week. London! With Spencer!
“Come on, quick,” Louisa says, giving me a shove to get out of the car. “We’ve only got a few minutes.”
I blink and realize my door is open. Spencer is standing there, looking like something out of a dream: bright smile, tousled hair, snow swirling around him. I scramble to unbuckle my seatbelt and then accept Spencer’s outstretched hand and climb out on shaky legs.
“You okay?” he asks, keeping my hand clasped in his and lifting it to brush a kiss over my knuckles.
“I’m great.” Nerves and excitement make my voice come out high and shaky.
The last two days have been a whirlwind and a continuation of the emotional roller coaster I’ve been on for the last month or so. Jordy left on Friday afternoon; I wanted to drive her to the airport, but she insisted on taking the Megabus.
“You stay here in your little love bubble with Spencer,” she said to me on Thursday night after everyone left. “The four or five hours round-trip to Toronto would be better spent packing and getting ready for your time away.”
“But a road trip would be fun!” I’d argued. “We could leave early and make a few stops along the way. I’d pack road trip snacks, and I’d even let you be in charge of the car playlist.”
“Wow, you really are serious.” Her smile had faded quickly as she pulled out her phone and showed me the confirmation email from the bus company. “I can’t bear a long goodbye at the airport. I might change my mind and beg you to bring me back to Bellevue with you. Please don’t fight me on this, Hol.”
