“So what do you do?” Sam asked.
Emmie turned to face him. “I run a community center. We try and do as much as we can for families who need a little extra help, and we run a lot of after-school programs. This time of year, with the holidays, we’re especially busy.”
Sam looked impressed. “I bet. That’s really cool, what you do, how you’re helping others. You’re really making a difference.”
“Thank you,” Emmie said. She could hear in his voice how genuine he was, and it meant a lot to her. “It’s not easy. My parents started the center and I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps and do all I can.”
“I’m sure you’re doing an amazing job,” Sam said. “I know you’re great at creating scavenger hunts.”
Emmie laughed. “Am I? Because you’re here and my boyfriend isn’t, so . . . I’m thinking I’m not so great at it. I need to try calling Grant again. He’s probably waiting for me in Seattle wondering what’s going on.”
As she turned to leave, Ruby entered. “I’m really sorry about this mix-up,” Ruby said.
“Me too,” Emmie replied.
“I should get going back to the city,” Sam said.
Ruby looked out the window at all the snow piling up. “The snow is really coming down. We have a room if you want to stay the night and not deal with the icy roads. It’s on me. My gift. Then you can get a fresh start in the morning, at daylight.”
Dasher ran in and sat at Sam’s feet and looked up at him and barked. When Sam, smiling, leaned down to pet him, Dasher happily wagged his tail.
Ruby laughed. “See, even Dasher thinks you should stay.”
Sam looked over at Emmie. “Would you mind?”
Emmie looked back at him. She knew she wouldn’t want to drive all the way back to Seattle in this snow. “Of course not. You do whatever you think is best.”
Dasher started running circles around Sam. Sam smiled down at him. “Well, it looks like I’m a hostage here. I don’t think this guy is going to let me go anywhere.”
When Emmie looked out the window and saw all the swirling snow, she started to worry about Grant making it up the mountain pass tonight. She headed for the stairs. “I’m going to go upstairs and try to get ahold of Grant again.”
“Good luck,” Sam called out after her.
“Thanks,” Emmie said as she headed up the stairs and hoped her luck was about to change, because so far this surprise vacation for Grant had been a total bust.
She started calling Grant as soon as she got into her room. When he finally picked up, she breathed a sigh of relief. “There you are!”
“Hey, where are you?” Grant asked. He sounded upset. “I’ve been waiting for you all day. I thought we were going on vacation?”
Emmie flopped down on her bed and didn’t even know where to start. “You’re not going to believe this,” she said. “I’ll explain everything once you get here, but the snow is really starting to come down.”
“Snow? What snow? Where are you?” Grant sounded confused.
“I’m at the Christmas Point Inn at Christmas Point.”
“Christmas what?” Grant asked.
“Christmas Point,” Emmie said and took a deep breath. She knew none of this was Grant’s fault. “I’m sorry, let me slow down. I’m at Christmas Point. It’s up in the mountains about three hours from Seattle.”
Grant laughed. “Okay, hold on. Let me get this straight. You’re in some Christmas town up in the mountains. It’s snowing and you want me to come up.”
“As soon as you can,” Emmie said. “I’ve planned all these Christmas activities for us, just like we talked about. Wait until you see this place. It’s really amazing. You’re going to love it. Everything’s all set.”
“I’m confused. Why didn’t we drive up together, and why are you just calling me now, so late?” Grant asked.
Emmie got up and walked over to where she had hung her and Grant’s stockings on the fireplace. “You were supposed to get some clues for a scavenger hunt and get here by six. I was going to give you your first clue last night at dinner.”
“But I couldn’t make it,” Grant finished for her.
“Right,” Emmie said. “So I dropped off your present with the first clue with your doorman. I told him to make sure you got it.”
“I did,” Grant said. “I got the fruit basket.”
“I didn’t drop off a fruit basket,” Emmie said. “That’s the problem. There was a mix-up, and you got the wrong present.” Emmie took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry things got so messed up. I promise to explain everything when you get here.” When Emmie walked over to her window and saw all the snow coming down, she looked concerned. “Grant, it’s starting to snow even harder. I don’t want you driving up tonight, in the dark, in this weather. You better wait until the morning.”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Grant said. “I’ll head out first thing in the morning to this place—what’s it called again?”
“Christmas Point,” Emmie said, trying not to sound as disappointed as she felt.
“Okay,” Grant said. “Then I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
Emmie got her list of Christmas activities off her dresser and scanned it. “If you can be here by ten, that would be great. We’re scheduled to go ice skating.”
“I don’t think I’m going to make it by ten,” Grant said. “I have to run by the office first, but you go ahead and go ice skating, and I’ll meet you for lunch. How’s that?”
“That’s fine,” Emmie said, even though the last thing she felt was fine. “Just drive safe and I’ll see you when you get here.”
“Okay, good night.” Grant hung up before Emmie could say anything more.
As she stared at her phone, Dasher came trotting into her room and sat down next to her. Petting him made her feel a little better. “It’s going to be okay,” she told Dasher. “He’s coming up first thing in the morning.”
Dasher turned around and ran off.
When Emmie went back downstairs and found the living room empty, she walked back into the dining room and sadly started blowing out all the candles that had been set up for her romantic dinner. She took a picture with her phone so Grant could see how beautiful it looked.
Ruby walked in. “Did you get ahold of your boyfriend?”
Emmie nodded sadly. “Yeah, he’s not going to be able to make it until tomorrow morning. I don’t want him driving in this weather.”
“So it will be just you for dinner?” Ruby asked. “Everything’s ready. Would you like to start now?”
Emmie blew out the last candle and shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m not really hungry anymore.” She’d lost her appetite.
Sam breezed in, smiling. “Ruby, I’m all set. Thank you.”
“So you’re staying?” Emmie asked. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. The wrong guy couldn’t leave the inn because of all the snow, and the right guy couldn’t get there because of the weather. She was starting to rethink her love of snow.
“Yeah, I’m going to head out in the morning,” Sam said. “I need to get back to work. Is your boyfriend headed up?”
Emmie sighed and shook her head. “Not until tomorrow morning.”
Sam gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry this didn’t turn out like you planned.”
“Me too,” Emmie said.
As she started to leave the room, Sam turned to Ruby. “I smell something amazing cooking. What’s on the menu tonight? I’m really looking forward to dinner. I had to skip lunch when I was following all the clues to get up here in time.”
“I’m really sorry,” Ruby said, “but the dining room is closed. We were just doing Emmie’s special dinner tonight with her boyfriend.”
Sam took a step back. “Got it. I can just run into town and grab something.”
Ruby gave Emmie a thoughtful look. “You know we actually already have all this food prepared. It’s a pretty spectacular menu. It would be a sha
me for it to go to waste.”
Emmie knew Ruby had gone to a lot of trouble to make this special meal for her and Grant. She looked over at Sam. “Ruby’s right. We have all this food. Please, be my guest. Enjoy it.”
As Emmie went to walk past Sam, he reached out and gently touched her arm. “You’re not eating?”
Emmie shook her head. “No, go ahead, it’s all yours.”
Sam looked into her eyes. “Oh, come on. You need to eat something. I’m guessing planning all of this, you didn’t have lunch either today? You must be hungry?”
Emmie looked over at the table. “No. Not really. Not anymore.”
“Well, you have to stay, because you owe me,” Sam said.
Emmie’s attention snapped back to Sam. She gave him an incredulous look. “I owe you? What are you talking about?”
When Sam smiled back at her, his eyes were sparkling with mischief. “You stole my Christmas Spirit Wreath.”
Emmie put her hands on her hips. “I didn’t steal anything. You gave me that wreath.”
Fascinated, Ruby looked back and forth between the two of them. “You know each other?” she asked.
“Yes,” Sam said.
“No,” Emmie said at the same time. “It’s complicated.”
Ruby laughed. “Apparently.”
Sam turned back to face Emmie. “You know the way you were going on and on I had to give you that wreath. I didn’t feel like I had a choice.”
Emmie boldly looked into his eyes. “You always have a choice.”
When Sam smiled his sexy smile and met her stare, Emmie, feeling flustered, was actually the one to look away first.
“I did appreciate you giving me the wreath,” Emmie told him. “It was just what I was looking for, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Sam said.
Ruby was enjoying their banter. “You know, I did make a very special dinner. So what would you like to do, Emmie?”
When everyone looked at Emmie, including Dasher, she finally gave in.
“Fine. I’ll have dinner with you,” she told Sam.
“Fantastic,” Sam said as he went over to the table and held out a chair for her. “I know I introduced myself to you when we met, but in case you forgot, I’m Sam, otherwise known as the stealer of scavenger hunt clues.”
Emmie gave him a look.
He laughed. “Too soon? Sorry. And you are?”
Emmie took the chair he was holding for her. “Emmie.”
Ruby looked pleased. “So dinner is back on!”
Sam took his own seat and smiled back at Emmie. “It sure is.”
Seeing Sam’s excitement made Emmie feel a little better. She couldn’t help but admire his positive attitude. He’d come all the way up here for the wrong reason and now he was stuck, but he sure seemed to be making the most of it. What was that old saying? she thought. It’s not what happens to you, but how you handle it. She knew she needed to start handling it better and be a little more positive herself. So what if her surprise vacation wasn’t a surprise anymore and was delayed getting started. It wasn’t the end of the world. Everything was going to work out fine once Grant arrived. She was thankful at least someone was going to enjoy the special dinner.
When Ruby came back and poured the champagne, Emmie picked up her glass and held it out to Sam. “A toast,” she said.
Sam looked surprised and pleased as he picked up his glass.
“To Christmas,” Emmie said.
Sam clinked his glass with hers. “To finding Christmas with your scavenger hunt. Merry Christmas, Emmie.”
Emmie smiled back at him. “Merry Christmas, Sam.”
Chapter Thirteen
Emmie and Sam were just finishing up dinner when Emmie was surprised to realize she’d actually had a really good time. Despite being disappointed by the whole scavenger hunt mix-up and Grant’s delay in getting there, she’d really enjoyed Sam’s company. She found he was witty and smart, easy to talk to, and he’d kept her entertained with all his stories about all the places he’d traveled to while doing research for his novels.
When Ruby brought them out their dessert, Sam’s eyes lit up when he saw the three-layered red velvet cake.
“Wow, this is some cake,” he said as he spun the plate around, admiring it.
“So I’m guessing you’re a fan of red velvet?” Emmie asked.
Sam laughed. “If I wasn’t before, I am now. But I’ve never seen one that looked like this!”
Ruby looked pleased. “I’d love to take all the credit, but Emmie gave me the recipe. It’s a three-layered red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and crushed candy canes sprinkled on top. I’m thinking of adding this to my holiday menu.”
“My vote is yes!” Sam said, still eyeing the cake. He looked over at Emmie. “You bake?”
Emmie laughed. “Oh no. Not me. This is Grant’s favorite. I got the recipe from a restaurant in Seattle where he always orders it. He’s usually not a big sweets fan. He’s always watching his carbs and working out, but this is the one thing he loves and will indulge in.”
Sam smiled. “I can see why.”
“I did, however, put my little Christmas spin on it,” Emmie said.
“Oh, really?” Sam asked. “How’s that?”
“I had Ruby add some peppermint to the frosting and crushed candy canes on top. It might be a little too much.”
Sam gave her a look like she was crazy. “Too much? Impossible. It’s Christmas, and this is perfect. I think adding the crushed candy canes is genius.”
“I do too,” Ruby offered.
Emmie looked pleased. “Another option was to also use strawberries. You could do a circle of strawberries around the rim at the top and then drizzle the cream cheese frosting on them, so they look like candy canes.” Emmie laughed. “I’m obviously going for a candy cane theme here.”
Emmie felt relieved. She’d debated adding the peppermint and messing with Grant’s favorite recipe but thought he’d appreciate her giving it a Christmas twist.
She looked up at Ruby. “Ruby, please join us.”
Ruby smiled back at her and handed her the cake knife. “I’ve already had more than my share. I made a test cake earlier today, to make sure it turned out okay for the dinner, and let me just say, it’s a little too good, and my waistline will be paying the price.”
“Well, you did an amazing job,” Emmie said. “Thank you again for all the trouble you’ve gone to.”
“Thank you,” Sam said. “The meal was delicious. Thank you to both of you for making it such a great night for me. Even if I am a party crasher.”
Emmie and Ruby both laughed.
“You two, enjoy dessert,” Ruby said as she left the room.
Emmie held up the cake knife and handed it to Sam. “Why don’t you do the honors?”
Sam looked surprised. “Why me?”
“Because cutting the first piece is always the hardest,” Emmie said.
Sam laughed. “So you’re setting me up for failure.”
Emmie smiled back at him. “Something like that. You have to earn your meal somehow.”
They shared a smile.
“So?” Emmie asked, motioning toward the cake. “Are you going to cut it or just keep staring at it?”
Sam laughed and without hesitation put the knife blade on the cake and made the first swift, clean cut so the three layers landed perfectly on the plate that he was holding out.
Emmie looked impressed. “Nice job.”
Sam handed her the plate. “Who knew I had such skills.”
“I sure didn’t,” Emmie said in a teasing voice.
After he cut his own piece, he gave Emmie an expectant look. “You have to take the first bite.”
“That’s fair,” Emmie said and took a bite. As the first rush of peppermint tickled her taste buds, it was balanced by the tangy sweetness of the silky smooth cream cheese frosting. She closed her eyes and savored the moment. When she opened her eyes, she saw Sam watching her
intently.
He smiled with anticipation. “Okay, now I really can’t wait to try it,” Sam said and then scooped up a big bite, making sure to get all three layers on his fork and extra frosting before putting it into his mouth.
Emmie laughed watching him. It was clear this was a guy who didn’t do anything halfway. He was going for it.
“So?” Emmie asked as Sam continued to chew his huge bite. “What do you think?”
Sam looked at Emmie and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s okay, I guess.”
“What?” Emmie shot back, confused. “Just okay?” She passionately pointed her fork at him. “This is not just okay. This is insane. It’s delicious. It’s like . . . it’s like . . . I don’t have the words.”
“How about . . . it’s like Christmas in a cake,” Sam said as he took another huge bite.
Emmie gave him a surprised look. “Exactly. That’s exactly what it’s like. I guess there are some benefits of hanging out with an author. You definitely have a way with words.”
Sam grinned back at her. “Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You’re welcome, because it was meant as one,” Emmie said.
“But seriously, you should sell these cakes,” Sam said. “This is great.”
“Well, then I’d have to have Ruby make them, and I think she’s a little busy running this inn.” Emmie got another big bite on her fork, too, and clinked her fork to his. “But thank you.”
When they both took their bites at the same time, they smiled at each other as they chewed. When Sam started humming “Deck the Halls” as he chewed, Emmie laughed so hard she had to fight to keep her cake down.
When they were both done, Sam put down his fork, sat back, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and gave her an appraising look. “I’m impressed.”
“With what?” Emmie asked. “The cake?”
“Clearly the cake,” Sam said. “But the whole meal, too. This really was amazing. The roast beef tenderloin with—”
Finding Christmas Page 9