When their meat was almost cooked, she held both sticks while he prepared their buns. Thomas, who had a surprisingly bright voice, led them in a chorus of Christmas songs while they cooked and ate. He started withIt Came Upon a Midnight Clear, moved toLittle Drummer Boy, and then toFrosty the Snowmanand several others before the singing faded to chatter.
Rill wandered among the guests and their drivers and made small talk. She watched Owen doing the same. He was good with people. He held their skewers, brought them buns or drinks. He made them laugh. She tried not to watch him, but her eyes were drawn his way again and again. He brightened her day like a beautiful sunrise, and she couldn’t stop staring.
All day, he was attentive to her needs, showing her again and again that she was important to him. He made himself indispensable to her. And by the time they climbed into the carriage for the journey home, she was one hundred percent totally gone on him. Head over heels in love. She had been before, but the depth of her love was staggering and somewhat surprising.
As she drifted to sleep that night, she was lost in thoughts and dreams of his dark hair and bright blue eyes.
Chapter Seventeen
Morning brought withit the harsh reality that she had a decision to make. Would she end her relationship with Owen so she could return to the city, or would she terminate her employment to stay at the inn, with the man she loved? Because she did love him. There wasn’t a hint of doubt in her mind, or her heart. Yesterday had sealed her fate. He’d been entertaining, attentive, kind, generous. And handsome. Yes, seeing the beautiful smile on his face as he worked with everyone had helped turn the tide.
She’d never had trouble making decisions. Job troubles she could handle. Arguments with friends, no problem. In all the times she’d changed jobs, she’d never felt paralyzed by having to make a decision. She just decided and leaped. But having to choose between a career and Owen was more than she could handle.
This time, she didn’t want to stumble to a decision or race to the wrong one. She wanted to make it with full understanding of all the factors. Owen had demonstrated that he loved her. She loved him. She liked working here. She was enjoying small-town life and the extra relaxation it afforded over her hectic city life. She’d read five books in the weeks since she arrived.
It was Christmas Eve. Decision time. She refused to go into Christmas Day without a decision firmly in hand. She just didn’t know what to decide.
She met Owen in the common area as he was starting a fire in the massive fireplace. “Owen, do you have a minute?”
“Sure thing.” He closed the fireplace grate and rose. “What’s up, Amaryllis?”
“I want you to be with me when I open this.” She pulled the tattered envelope from behind her back. The edges were bent and torn. It was wrinkled and had three coffee rings on it. She’d carried it with her every day since it arrived. Not once had she gathered the courage to open it.
“I’m not sure why you need me, but okay.” He stepped closer until everything in the room disappeared, except his broad shoulders and bright eyes. His enticing scent bathed her in peace.
Suddenly, she knew that no matter what the envelope said, she wasn’t going back to the city. This was where she wanted to be. Here, at the Sleigh Bells Inn, with Owen, with her aunt and all the guests.
She stepped past him and threw the envelope toward the fire.
“What are you doing?” he snatched the thick packet from the air before it landed.
“I don’t know what it says. I just figured out my life.” She tingled with happiness and certainty.
He tipped his head and looked at her, his expression half smile and half frown. “What’s that?” There was a hint of hope and fear in the tremor of his voice.
“I need to be here. I want to be here. At the inn. With you, and Auntie O, and the guests. I know why I job-hopped so much. I mean, I just realized this second. Like now. I was looking for what I left behind. It’s also why I loved my job, loved past tense. You called it right off the top. Working for Splitz is exactly like running the inn. It’s what I was looking for. It was like home.” She sucked in a breath.
