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Emmie laughed. “Neither was I. But this time away has made me think about a lot of things.”

“Well, don’t think too hard,” said Gemma, attempting to laugh.

“No worries. Have you talked to Lauren?”

“Yes, we talked before I went into work. She’s excited about the baby. She said it’s his first Christmas.”

“I guess that’s true. Congratulations on receiving such an honor from the family. Good night. Love you.”

“Love you, too. I’ll talk to you later.”

The call ended, and Emmie sat back against the pillow, pleased by how well Gemma had responded to the thought of her dating. Tomorrow, she’d talk to Lauren about it.

She got a text message from Kate, wishing her Merry Christmas. She sent a text back, but it wasn’t enough. She needed to talk to her best friend.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next morning, Emmie decided to take an early walk on the beach to get rid of her troublesome dreams. Though it was a bit chilly, it was much warmer than it would be in Ellenton facing a winter storm, according to the Weather Channel.

She pulled on a pair of cropped jeans, put on a sweater, grabbed a pair of sandals, and headed out.

It was quiet as Emmie walked through the lobby and out to the pool area. No doubt adult and child guests were sleeping in after holiday celebrations. She walked to the beach and stepped onto the sand, delighted that not many people were there—just a few joggers and some shell collectors stooped over, looking for nature’s treasures.

At the water’s lacy edge, she lifted her face to the sky. Seagulls and terns were swirling above her, emitting their cries as they searched for food. Sandpipers and sanderlings hurried along the packed sand near the water, leaving tiny footprints behind. Continuing to stand still, she was delighted when a trio of pelicans flew low above the water, hoping to gather food with their unusual beaks.

Feeling at one with nature, she closed her eyes and felt a peace come over her. She told herself that she wouldn’t hide from what life had in store for her. She’d embrace it.

She turned away from the water and walked away from the hotel, in the opposite direction from the houses on the property.

Emmie hadn’t gone far when a trim, gray-haired man approached and stopped her.

“Hello. Are you new to the area?” he asked. His gaze roamed over her and settled on her chest.

“I’m just a guest at the hotel,” she said, feeling uncomfortable.

“Well, I’m Brock Goodwin, the President of the Neighborhood Association. Have you noticed anything interesting at the hotel? Famous guests?”

There was a sleaziness to the man she didn’t like. Guests signed an NDA, protecting guests’ privacy. “No. Nothing to report. Sorry, I can’t stay to talk. I’ve got to get back.”

Emmie moved away from him, walking at a fast clip. She might be interested in dating in the future, but that didn’t mean she’d spend time with just any man. She had high standards.

Thinking of that and how she felt about Ted, she called Kate. “Morning. How did your Christmas go with the boys?”

“It was very pleasant. Hank and Janelle were here, and for the first time, they talked about having a family. Jared brought his latest girlfriend, and both Brad and I like her.”

“That sounds great,” said Emmie. “You won’t believe what I’ve been up to.” She told Kate about acting as Mrs. Claus, decorating cookies, and delivering gifts.

“It sounds like fun. Who played Santa Claus?” asked Kate.

“That’s who I wanted to talk to you about. His name is Ted McAllister, and he owns a couple of automobile dealerships in New York State. His wife died two years ago. He’s here at the hotel with his son and daughter and their families.”

“And?” asked Kate in a teasing voice.

“And I’m very taken with him. He has a great sense of humor, and he loves his family. He’s pleasant to look at, too. We’ve gone to lunch and talked a lot about things in general. More than that, I realize I’m ready to move forward. Sometimes, I think this must be what Earl wanted when he gave me this unexpected gift.”

“Aw, Emmie, I’m glad for you,” said Kate. “I can imagine Earl doing that exact thing. What, if anything, do you think will come from meeting Ted?”

Though Kate couldn’t see her, Emmie shrugged. “I don’t know. His daughter told me she wasn’t ready to have her mother replaced. Ted said he’d talked to her about it, and she was feeling better. I have no idea what they discussed, but it could be an issue in the future if anything happened between Ted and me. We’ve done nothing but talk.”