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“Sorry.” She took her phone out and glanced at the screen. “Umm…”

“Do you have to take it?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.”

“Thanks, I won’t be long.” She answered as she hurried toward the door. “Uncle Travis, what’s up?”

Travis? What does he want?

“Can I help you with anything?” The little, old Italian woman behind the table straightened up the ornaments. “Would you like that one?”

“Yes, I think I would.” I handed her the ornament I had in my hand.

“How sweet.” She smiled. “Your first Christmas together.”

“It is.”

“Well, sir.” She looked me over from the top of her glasses. “She’s a lucky girl to have landed such an attractive man.”

“Grandma!” A teenage girl joined her grandmother at the table. “Stop flirting.”

“What?” The older woman pointed at me. “He’s handsome.”

“I’m the lucky one.” I nodded. “She makes me less grumpy.”

“Would you like us to personalize it?” the younger woman asked.

“Please, it’s Huxley and… Actually, it’s Silver and Forest.”

“Sure.” She picked up a silver marker from her stash on the table. “Give me a few minutes.”

As she got to work, I paid her grandmother for the item and waited for her to write our fake names. I wasn’t as patient when it came to Ivy who still hadn’t returned.

I debated whether I should ask Ivy to spend Christmas with my family. It could be overwhelming for her. There were fifteen of us spending three days in the home I had purchased for my parents. It was big enough to accommodate all of us. I even brought in a personal chef to cook for us.

Would she think we were too pretentious? Too entitled? Maybe she liked spending a quiet day at home. But who wanted to spend Christmas alone?

After my ornament was finished, I tucked the bag into my inside pocket. I maneuvered across the crowded market, taking in all the people so eager to celebrate the season. The last few years had been a blur. I had been too busy working and strategizing over how to become more successful. How to have it all.

But really, what did I have? Millions of dollars, but did that matter if I couldn’t enjoy it? If I didn’t have someone to share it with? How had I allowed a young, lonely woman to make me rethink my entire existence? I thought I had been content. I was wrong.

I found Ivy in the foyer, still talking on the phone as she gazed out the windows. As I approached her, I noted her body language didn’t look as relaxed as it had when she’d been with me. She had planted her hand on the back of her neck; her tell-tale anxiety sign.

“I don’t know what I want to do,” she said. “As soon as I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

She paused for a moment, probably to let Travis speak.

“Okay.” She nodded. “Give me a few days. I’ll know by then.”

What would she know in a few days? The timing of Travis’ call bothered me. Had word gotten out that Ivy had paid her taxes? Travis had dropped off my radar for a couple of days. I needed to find out why.

My instincts told me something was off ever since the night of that reception when Angelica had been so interested in the Girardi brothers and having them work with me.

My gut was never wrong.

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