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“I’m going to go over the plans you brought over,” I said. “In the meantime, pick an actual restaurant for dinner.”

“I’m on it.” She held up her phone. “I’m sure there are plenty of suitable places.”

“Whatever you want.” I glanced down at the cookie platter as I scooped the plans off the table. “But first, you need to get me that information.”

“The diner?” she asked. “What’s the obsession with the greasy spoon?”

“I’m buying it.”

TEN

Ivy

How could the Andersons have sold the diner? That place had been a staple in Harlow for years. When I walked in there last night, I never thought that would be my last shift.

What an odd couple of days.

After breaking my celibacy streak, my life became a little too complicated.

As I emptied the dishwasher, I glanced around my drab kitchen. The same table and chairs I grew up with were still here, the ceramic gingerbread houses that Gram Cracker and I had painted when I was ten were prominently displayed on top of the cabinets for the holidays, and the old artificial tree still stood at its post by the glass slider doors. Some of the lights didn’t blink, and a few of the ornaments needed glue, but it was still pretty to me.

Nothing had changed except everything. I was the only one left. How could that be?

I scrolled on my phone, checking the inn’s email account. No new reservations. No surprise there. Even if someone had booked a night or two, it wasn’t as if I could accommodate them. The hot water heater was on the verge of dying. I couldn’t afford to heat the whole house anymore. I wouldn’t even be able to cook a proper breakfast for any potential guests.

After getting my associates’ degree in hospitality, I had such high hopes. But that summer, it all went downhill. My grandmother and I had so many plans for the inn. That was why she had left it to me in her will. Neither of us expected that she would get sick so fast and never recover.

Maybe if she had known she was going to die so soon after changing her will, she wouldn’t have burdened me with this house. One that I couldn’t afford to keep. The mortgage was paid off, but that didn’t help with the upkeep. The property was old and needed serious cash flow to be sustainable.

I was smart enough to know that. But my grim outlook didn’t stop me from wishing for a Christmas miracle.

A knock at the front door piqued my interest. Jay had a date tonight, so it couldn’t be him. I didn’t get many visitors. The snow had already sprinkled a little over an inch on the ground and most of my neighbors had already moved away.

Maybe it was a holiday package? I sprinted to the door like I was a kid, hoping for a fun delivery. Something to make me smile, someone to…

Make my panties wet…

“Hello.” Silver stood on the porch, holding a large shopping bag in his hand and a garment bag slung over his forearm. “Special delivery.”

Snowflakes dusted his striking hair and caught in his beard. His dark gray wool jacket hit mid-thigh, highlighting his muscles against his black dress pants. A scarf wrapped his neck, but it was those baby blue eyes that truly captivated me.

“Can I come in?” He stepped toward me. “It’s cold out here.”

I hesitantly widened the door to let him in. I wanted to see him, but I wasn’t sure why. Despite the obvious reasons: he was charismatic, attractive, flirty, and smart. If he had just stayed Silver, things would be different. But now that he was Huxley, I couldn’t allow myself to get close. But if he had stayed Silver, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see him again. So, he had to become Huxley.

Why is this so fucked up?

“Thank you.” He entered the house. “I didn’t realize how much it was snowing until I embarked on the path.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I brought you something.” He handed me the shopping bag before hanging the garment bag on a hook in the entryway. “I had to estimate your size, but I can have a seamstress here in the morning.”

“A seamstress?”

“I want this dress to fit you to perfection.” He lowered the zipper on the bag and revealed a shimmery red dress that gathered at the hip and featured a long slit. “You’re going to look stunning in it.”

“Anyone would look stunning in that.” I trailed my hand along the silky material. “Why are you giving me a dress?”