Page 53 of Cooped Up for Christmas

But here’s the fun part. Because the Visit was over, alcohol was allowed.

Lunch was very boisterous indeed.

The party lasted late into the night, from what I could tell. I can’t know for sure, because Coop and I decided to spend the night in the guest house away from all interruptions. I chose one of the smaller rooms because it was the most secluded corner of the house, and also because I knew I had to clean it in the morning.

When Olivia and Wren found out what I had planned, they snuck in and littered the bed with leftover flower petals from the wedding, and left an iced bottle of Prosecco and a bowl of strawberries.

I have no idea what the chocolate syrup and whipped cream were supposed to be for, but I know how we used them.

This was the best night yet.

Breakfast the next morning was quiet. Everyone was thinking about what was next for them. So I wasn’t alone in that. I sat next to Coop at the table, enjoying his warmth as we all ate.

Of course, I was preoccupied. With myself.

I realized that these were probably my last few minutes with my staff, and as frustrating as this week had been, I’d come to really care about them all.

“So, Olivia,” I said. “What are your plans now?”

She froze and then looked at me with wide eyes. “Management training?” It was a question. It shouldn’t have been.

“Good. You’ll be great in that program.” I turned to Wren. “And how about you?”

“I’m thinking about that, but I’m also enrolled in a community college class in business starting in January.”

“Awesome. Jed?”

He grinned. It was a crooked grin. “Right after this, I’m going snowboarding with my buds.” Okay. I tried. Can’t win ’em all.

“I have another Visit in the Bahamas,” Ken said, chop-sticking a California roll into his mouth.

“At the new property?” I asked. How exciting. Eden’s Emerald Isles had just opened there. “I’d love to get that gig.”

Ben was planning to hit the slopes for a couple days and Coop’s team was returning to their base in Seattle.

It seemed like everyone had something planned.

All but me.

I hadn’t really wanted to think about it until now, and now, thoughts were flooding my head. Too many to make any real sense of it. I didn’t really know what I wanted, but I knew I wanted it to be with Coop.

“How about you, Vic?” Olivia asked, and I stilled.

“Uh, heading back to LA I guess.”

For some reason, everyone looked at Coop. It was almost a challenge. Are you going to let her do that?

Apparently. Because he said, “And I’m heading home as well.” But then he paused, and added, to me, “Unless I get a better offer.”

Oh. So the ball was in my proverbial court.

All right. Fine.

“Do you want to talk?” I asked him. He stood and took my hand before all the words were out.

He led me to the living room, where we could be private. Sort of. I saw Jed leaning over in his chair so he could see what we were doing around the doorjamb.

For some reason, Coop took the single seat, so I sat on the sofa. We kind of looked at each other for a moment. Neither of us knew where to start. A sudden panic rose in my gullet, flooding my mouth with bitterness. What if, after all he’d said and done, he’d decided all those one-night-stands we’d had—as well as a couple in the afternoon and early morning and middle of the night—had been enough for him?