Your Christmas Love (The Bennett Family 10)

“I had a bout of inspiration after meeting him at dinner,” Nadine said.

“Same for me. Might have designed an engagement ring with you in mind,” Pippa added. “Between us girls, we already have your entire wedding planned.”

I sighed, feeling my heart just grow from being surrounded by so much love. But I still felt completely overwhelmed, still hoped my phone would ring soon.

On second thought, why wait? I rose to my feet, heading toward the counter where I’d left my tote.

I was going to take matters into my own hands and text Winston. The second I tapped the screen of my smartphone, I realized the task wouldn’t be as easy as I’d hoped. I was already tipsy, but I persisted.

The drinks might not have boosted creativity, but you know what it did boost? Courage.

Oh, yeah.

I typed at an embarrassingly low speed, but once I’d pressed Send, I returned to the girls feeling relieved and overwhelmed at the same time.

“You texted Winston, didn’t you?” Pippa asked.

I nodded.

“Atta girl.” She patted the floor again. “Come here. I know just what you need.”

As I sat down, she reached for another take-out bag I hadn’t seen until now.

“More roast duck?” I asked.

“Nope. Cupcakes.”

“Why didn’t you take them out right away?”

Grinning, she opened the carton. “Saving the best for last.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Winston

After the board meeting, I moved my flight back to San Francisco from the evening to one o’clock. In the half an hour I had between packing my bags and the Uber pickup time, I went for a walk. It was supposed to clear my mind, but it wasn’t working.

I’d left my laptop and phone at the hotel. I’d wanted to walk off the tension, clear my mind. Leaving all electronic devices behind was a calculated move: I didn’t want to give myself the opportunity to do anything rash, like calling the board and giving them a piece of my mind. I had more important things to think about, such as mapping out my next steps.

The longer I walked, the more worked up I became, though. Last time I’d been on these streets, the opposite had happened. I’d felt relaxed, free, happy. It hadn’t been Burlington, or the snow. It had been all Sienna. She’d changed the way I looked at certain things, how I experienced them. She’d changed me.

On the drive to the airport and the six-hour flight, I was restless. I only turned my phone back on once I landed in San Francisco. I had a dozen missed calls from the HR department, and as many from Sienna. What was going on?

Then a message popped up, and my stomach sank.

Sienna: Why did u not tell me untl now? If you’re jst going to sprng on m that you’re leaving, Ill b VERY VERY mad.

My stomach sank at the same time my pulse exploded in my ears. The message was missing several letters, but I got the gist of it.

I checked my email next. The board had already sent out an email?

What the hell? We had not agreed on sending this. Even though I was getting madder with every word, I forced myself to read until the end.

They’d even mentioned Paris? Jesus Christ, what a mess. Sienna must think I was a dickhead of the highest order. Just the thought that she could be hurting right now ate at my insides. I called her immediately.

She answered after a few rings.

“Well, hello, Mr. Broody Boss.”