Christmas at Evergreen Inn (Jewell Cove 4)

Chapter Three

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Todd rolled over, blinked, squinted, and reached up to rub the grit from the corner of his eyes.

He was on Lainey’s couch, still in his hoodie and jeans from yesterday, curled up and covered by a thick quilted blanket. The perfect quiet told him that the storm had ended overnight, and sun filtered weakly through the curtains as day began to break.

He sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

Last night had been unexpected.

There was a reason why he’d never asked Lainey out. Even when they were teenagers, he’d kind of felt like she was out of his league. Lainey was just … different. And Todd had always been a little afraid that he’d be shut down if he made a move.

Then, when she’d come home from college, she’d been joined at the hip with this Jason guy. Even if he’d finally had the courage to ask her out, by that point she was strictly off limits.

Last night, though … nothing had stood in their way. They’d both grown up. His fast-and-loose days had been over for a while now, and she was most definitely single. Plus she was feeling really down about the holidays, and he’d hated seeing her so sad. In his family the holidays were a time of love and hope and happiness. Instead there’d been this melancholy look in Lainey’s eyes, and when she’d wondered how she’d measured up short he’d given in to an urge he’d had since he was sixteen. He kissed her.

It was supposed to give back some of her confidence, make her smile.

Wow, had that backfired.

It was his reaction that had kept him from falling asleep. From the moment he’d taken her in his arms, he’d known this was something different. Something special that he couldn’t take lightly or laugh away in the morning. Something that had never happened to him before, ever.

It went deeper than simply fooling around to pass the time. It was stronger than simple physical desire and need. He cared for Lainey. Maybe he always had, which was why he’d never gotten up the nerve to ask her on a date. And why it had taken a couple of whiskeys and a blazing fire to give him the nerve to kiss her like he’d wanted to for years.

Lying under a blanket on her couch, he considered the unlikely truth that she mattered more than he’d realized. Despite what she’d said, last night hadn’t felt like a one-off; it had been a first step to something new.

The question was, did he want to pursue it? Did she?

And when the hell had he started thinking about stuff like this, anyway?

“Good morning,” she said, her voice soft and a little timid. He pushed himself to sitting and saw her standing in her bedroom doorway, dressed in baggy gray sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt. She looked adorable, and warm, and still sleepy.

“Looks like the storm’s over,” he said, thinking that probably wasn’t what he should have said at this moment but at a loss for anything else.

“Now it’s time for cleanup,” she answered, and moved away from the door. “I’ve got to get over to the main house to get breakfast for that crew. Take your time and come over when you’re ready.”

She disappeared into the bathroom and he flopped back on the sofa. Hardly a smile from her this morning, definitely no mention of last night. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

A few minutes later she emerged, her hair gathered up in some sort of knot, and he noticed a sheen to her lips that hadn’t been there before. She went straight to her bedroom and popped back out in no time flat, dressed in skinny jeans and an oversized sweater.

“I’m late,” she said, going to the door for her coat and boots. “I can’t really hang around. But in twenty minutes or so there’ll be scrambled eggs and pancakes if you’re hungry.”

He was. Starving. The few muffins he’d had last night, coupled with the alcohol, had left his stomach raw and rumbling this morning.

“I’ll be over soon,” he replied, getting up from the sofa. He picked up the blanket and started folding it. “I’ll start some of the shoveling, too.”

“You don’t have to do that. You’re probably wanted at work.”

Wow. Talk about wanting to get rid of him.

“Well, I kind of have to shovel out so I can get to my car, don’t I?”

Lainey shoved her arms into her coat sleeves. “Oh, right. We’ll just have to figure it out one thing at a time, won’t we?”

She opened the door and stopped. “Oh,” she said.

He went up behind her and started to laugh. A good two feet of snow had been packed against the door and now formed a semi-wall.