The Framptons were the kind of family she’d wished she had, and the way Mrs. Frampton made the house so inviting was exactly how she wanted her own house to be. She and Sandy, their daughter, were allowed to play anywhere in the house, and they always seemed to be happy people.
“I wonder what happened to them? Their daughter and I lost touch in middle school.” She didn’t miss Sandy as much as the house. Another memory hit her as she stepped into the living room behind Connor. This was the house she used to dream about her and Connor raising a family and growing old in together. The inside was basically the same as she remembered—the grand staircase, the cozy kitchen. She bet the big climbing trees in the back with room for a tree house were still there, in a yard big enough for an ice rink in the winter.
Fate. Fortune. Rarely are they separate.
Whoa. No. She stumbled over something on the floor. Connor caught her, his arms encircling her, pulling her closer.
“Sorry. Jake doesn’t always pick up his trains.”
His arms tightened around her waist. She leaned forward, enjoying the strength of his embrace. He abruptly let her go and stepped back, sweeping the scattered metal toys under the coffee table with his foot. Right. We need to stay on target.
“Let’s get it all out. I can’t take guessing anymore.”
“I don’t know where to start.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and laced his fingers behind his head.
“You broke up with me on Christmas Eve, and I never saw you again. How about you start with what my mother had to do with anything.” The hurt came tumbling out with her words.
He blew out a deep breath. “I went to your house that afternoon. You were out shopping, but your mom was home. She asked me to come in and talk. I had just had a big fight with my parents and needed to get away, so I was willing to wait for you.”
Genny sat on the sofa and watched as he busied himself making a fire in the fireplace.
“She asked me point-blank what my intentions with you were. I told her how I felt about you. I always looked to her as the kind of mom who would understand.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her I wasn’t sure if being together was the right thing for you, but I loved you. I was a kid. I didn’t know what kind of plans to make. How we would work after you graduated that spring. I was barely surviving and finding time to keep up with my homework and come home most weekends to see you.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me to leave you. That it would be best for everyone if I broke up with you.”
“What?” Genny stood, confusion sending restless energy through her. “Why would she say that?” She needed to move. Her body itched to let loose some of its tension.
He stopped his own pacing and faced her. “I don’t know. But at the time, I thought she was right. It was the same thing my own parents were saying. I didn’t know how to stay with you and make you happy, but I did know how to leave.”
Shock held the tears at bay as she took in what he had revealed. Did everyone think she had been some spineless waif unable to take care of herself? Anger laced with sadness pushed through every other emotion pummeling her.
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have taken such stupid advice.” She grabbed her purse and raced out the door and down the steps.
“Genny, wait,” Connor called after her.
“Leave me alone, Connor. I need to think.” Looking back, she watched him slump against the door. The door to the house she had dreamed of one day living in and the man she had wished to marry and raise a family with. Her former best friend. Her first lover. Pain squeezed her lungs. Her breath shortened. She could barely see through the pool of tears.
What did he expect her to say? What boy takes his girlfriend’s parents’ advice to stop seeing their daughter? Wasn’t that supposed to make him want her more? Why the hell hadn’t anyone given her the chance to decide anything for herself?
Because you wouldn’t. But you can now.
***
“More tinsel,” Jake exclaimed from his perch on his dad’s shoulders. “Do we have any more ornaments?”
“We went through all we’ve got. Here’s the last bit.” Connor handed him the box of shiny silver threads. Half landed on his head, and half made their way to the tree. He set Jake down and tried to spread out the clumps.
“What do you think?” He dropped next to Jake on the sofa and admired the tree they had spent all afternoon setting up and decorating. The large window in the front of the house showcased the eight-foot monstrosity that hardly fit without the star scraping the ceiling. The tree’s width took up most of the view of the front yard.
With cups of warm cocoa, mostly marshmallows, the Christmas-all-the-time station on the radio, and the fire blazing, it felt like a real holiday for the first time in years. This holiday he didn’t have to work at the ER to make extra money. No arguments with the grandparents over whose house Jake would sleep at on Christmas Eve while he worked. He was off, and they had a new home. A new start.
“It’s perfect, Daddy.”
Everything was almost perfect.
The empty spot next to him was waiting to be filled by Genny. She had always been the one, and he’d been too stupid and scared to commit and maybe make the mistakes his parents had made.
Not anymore, and if this year wasn’t the best yet, she was here and she was single. Leaving after Christmas. And she hated him. His confidence deflated. Maybe Cilla would help him figure out a way to make her stay. He could get her to talk to Genny for him. No. Not talking to her himself wasn’t the answer.
“I need more marshmallows.” Jake’s voice shook him out of his considerations.
“Sure thing; I think I need some more, too.” Connor took the mugs into the kitchen.
The doorbell rang as he was putting cocoa in the cups. Jake was unlocking the door as he walked out of the kitchen.
“Whoa, buddy, wait for me.” He opened the door and froze at the sight of Genny shivering on the doorstep, half turned away as if to leave.
“Uh, hi?” She slowly faced them. He rushed out onto the stoop, socks soaking in the piles of wet snow on the steps, before she could get away.
“Hey, what a surprise. Jake, I bet Ms. Genny needs some cocoa, what do you think? And she can be the judge of our Christmas tree.”
“Yeah, yeah. Come and see,” Jake cheered and grabbed her hand, leading her into the foyer.
Connor took her coat. He wasn’t letting her go this time. The narrow-eyed look she slammed him with told him she knew he did that on purpose. Yeah, okay, using Jake was unfair but he was a desperate man. His deepest wish had been answered. Her being there was an opportunity he would take full advantage of. But first he needed some time with her. Alone. No distractions and no leaving until she knew how sorry he was.
He trailed behind Jake and Genny as she inspected their Christmas-decorating skills. She took her time looking over the ornaments that ringed the bottom of the tree in a much heavier number than the top and the tinsel in clumps. Everything about it said Jake, and Connor thought it was just right.
She knelt next to Jake and declared the tree perfect. Connor’s heart swelled as much as Jake’s chest puffed with pride.
“Jake, why don’t you go finish your cocoa in the kitchen? I need to talk to Genny a moment.”
“Okay. I’ll save you some marshmallows,” he whispered to her on his way. She smiled and winked back.
“I love marshmallows.”
Connor wanted to kiss her. That instant. He wanted to take her head in his hands and kiss her luscious mouth. She glanced from him to the foyer and back. His knees nearly buckled at the quick flick of pink tongue along her lips before she blew out a heavy breath. She looked ready to bolt.
“Oh no, you don’t. I’m not letting you leave that easily.” He stepped closer to her.
“Into kidnapping now, O’Rourke?” she asked, eyebrows raised in question.
“If need be.”
Relief loosened a noose around his heart. Her sass was a surefire way of telling him she wasn’t scared. When she got scared or hurt, she got quiet. The spit and fire would get her talking.
“I’m curious why you’re here.”
“You haven’t paid me for my sitting services.”
She spoke so seriously and without any indication she was hiding something, he almost bought it, except she had a white-knuckled grip on the scarf around her neck. The soft, multicolored folds hung loose down her front, and she clutched each end in a hand. She wasn’t as comfortable as she portrayed. His Genny had learned a few things about bluffing, but she still couldn’t lie.
“Of course, but your services are still needed, until you leave for your new job, that is, and I have a few new requirements for sitting Jake.” What they were, he didn’t know but he’d say anything to stall her. “It’s way past Jake’s bedtime. Let me put him down and we’ll talk.”
Her quick nod eased more of the pressure urging him to do whatever he could to keep her talking, keep her from leaving again until he offered everything he could for a second chance. Connor let himself hope her being there was more than she said. An opening for them to try again at what he had screwed up so badly.
“Jake,” he called as they walked to the kitchen. “Let’s get Genny her cocoa and then time for bed, buddy.”
“Awww, do I have to? Can’t I stay up a little longer to play with Genny?”
“No, she’s not here to play tonight.” With you.
“Good night, Jake. Come by the store tomorrow, and we’ll have lots of fun, okay? I have a special recipe to bake tomorrow. Nona’s secret recipe cookies are a tradition on Christmas Eve.”
Jakes eyes grew wide. He smiled a conspiratorial smile at her and jumped down from his perch at the table. “I’ll be ready to crack the eggs.”
Her laughter, genuine and full of generosity, caught Connor with another stranglehold on his heart. He wanted to hear it the rest of his life. Careful, buddy, you’re getting ahead of yourself.
He tried not to rush through books with Jake. Nothing took precedence over reading to his son before bed. Tell that to the rest of his body. He paused every time the creaky old house made a noise, thinking she might try to make a getaway. By the time the third book was read and a story told, Jake curled on his side, tucked in, and ready to sleep. Connor prayed she wasn’t asleep on his couch. Though waking her held its own kind of appeal. He had to stop himself from running down the stairs.
Chapter Four
What the hell am I doing, barging into their evening?
Genny’s feet ached from walking around town all afternoon arguing with herself about whether to come or not. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. The day her grandmother predicted she would meet her true love, and he would open her wishing amulet.
Did he even have it? She had to find out.
Everything her grandmother had told her couldn’t be dismissed so easily. “What if” had always been a problem for her. She’d left Laurel Cove needing space to get over Connor and find herself and her passion. Seeing him again showed her what was missing. The one true love that meant more than anything else. Connor was supposed to have been that one. Leaving her sheltered life to pursue a daring career abroad taught her how to take care of herself and live a life of her own making. In a way, her mother and Connor were right. But it hadn’t been their decision to make. She never got over loving him and dammit, she needed to hear him say if he felt the same.
“You stayed.”
She jumped when his voice interrupted her thoughts. He was silent in bare feet. Sexy bare feet, jeans, and an untucked button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing muscled forearms.
A runner and swimmer in college, he obviously kept up with his physical conditioning. Her mind wandered in the wrong direction for the talk she needed to have with him.
“You sound surprised.” Knowing they needed to get out everything that was buried, she quieted the riot of nervous energy bouncing from belly to mind and back.
He opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it again and raked a hand through his hair in a gesture that was becoming familiar. “Look, Genny—”
“So what are these requirements?” She responded to his discomfort by deflecting the conversation, afraid of what he might say. Way to stay brave.
His smile almost sent her out the door as if she were Little Red and he the Big Bad Wolf. But she needed an answer. He turned the stereo on low and returned to the couch with two glasses and a bottle of wine from a bar set along the wall. This time the Christmas music was slow and melodic.
“Requirements. Right…. Wine?”
She inclined her head. Not sure she could get a word out. He set the mood fast. A fire, some wine, and music. How cliché. But it worked. The tension from earlier lessened, and a new feeling of closure started to set in.
Her resolve crumbled. Her heart ached with the fullness of unsaid words, but she wanted to forget all that and just enjoy a man’s company. One she knew for a fact could kiss her socks off and who was trying to seduce her. Old feelings needed to be put to rest to make room for a new start. Easier said than done.
She accepted a full glass of red, the firelight sparking into flames in the reflection on the crystal. How far was she willing to go? It had been so long since she’d let a man this close. Let a man work to be with her. If she liked him, she was all in. If she didn’t, she never gave him a chance. More often than not, she never gave them a chance.
“Merry Christmas.” He clinked the edge of his glass with hers and smiled at the toast. She took a sip, aware of him watching her.
“That was fast.”
“Always prepared. You know I was an Eagle Scout.”
Courage required another larger swallow. Trying to relax, she tucked her legs under her. Another gulp of wine and her light-headedness subsided, the blood rushing in her ears calmed, and she could focus.
“I remember you sneaking out of your pack meetings to meet me behind the bleachers at school. Always the resourceful scout.” They shared a laugh at the memories and almost broke the tension squeezing a vise around her heart. “You were going to tell me some requirements?” She set the glass on the coffee table.
“Of course. Right. One. Since the store is closed next week, I assume you can be here with Jake a lot. I’ll need you to make sure he does some picking up of his toys. It’s never too early to learn to take care of the things that really matter to you. I learned that very late in life, and my ignorance cost me a lot.”
Her breath caught in her throat at the implied meaning behind his words. He watched her with an unnerving intensity. And she wasn’t immune. Warm, she pulled the scarf from around her neck and shifted on the couch, fully facing him. Another sip and she drained the glass.
“Anything else?”
He scooted closer, thigh brushing her knees, and slowly shook his head. His weight dipped the middle cushion, causing her to lean toward him. His arm rested on the back of the sofa where Genny could feel his warmth on her shoulder. He played gently with her hair, smoothing strands through his fingers. The temptation to stay right there was strong.
How could she fall back into this need for Connor O’Rourke so easily? She backed off the sofa and took a step toward the fire, hugging herself at her belly, willing the tremble she felt to stop. Her skin went from overheated to chilled.
Could the hurt of the past simply be brushed aside? He rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward him. Refusing to close her eyes against her insecurity, she met his gaze. Could she take this step? An exciting job waited for her. The biggest of her career that could keep her employed for years while fattening her savings account. Not to mention the travel.
“Thinking over my requirements? If cleaning up after Jake is too much, I’ll hire a housekeeper, too. Tell me you’ll be here.” His voice softened.
“Why, Connor? Why, me?”
“Because you were always the one.” His hand
slid up her neck and into her hair, pulling her to him. His lips were warm and soft on hers, not demanding. He nibbled, stroking her with the tip of his tongue, requesting entrance. A small sigh escaped and his mouth slanted over hers, deepening, demanding. Gripping the front of his shirt, she leaned into him. Kissing him was better than she remembered. Every muscle in her screamed at her to never let go. The rush of her pulse drowned out every other thought.
He cupped the back of her head while his other arm gathered her closer, encompassing her in an embrace that felt so right.
She’d believed they were perfect once before. And she’d been wrong. The rush of feelings was too much, too fast. She needed distance from his desire while her own strained to be set free. Opening her eyes, she pushed at his chest until he broke contact.
“I can’t….” She swallowed against the pool of moisture clogging her throat. “What happens when Ellen comes back and you don’t need me anymore?”
Her words took the breath right out of him, as swift as a kick in the gut. He would spend the rest of his life making up for the pain he caused her. If she would let him.
“Genny. I don’t need you just for Jake…. Can’t you see that?” How could he apologize for what he did? I’m sorry wasn’t enough but was all he had. “I am so sorry for what I did. I regret leaving you. I always have, and I always will.”
“But you met someone else and had a child.” Her tears seared through him, followed by the bitter hurt in her voice.
“I thought you were better off. You left Laurel Cove and got your first job in California. I met Sylvia, we dated a couple months before she found out she was pregnant with Jake.”
“You knew I was in California?”
“I knew when you graduated culinary school. I knew when you got your first international job. I knew what you were up to until my mom moved away, and by then I had Jake.”
“What happened?”
Connor poured her more wine and sat on the edge of the sofa, hands hanging between his knees. Genny sat next to him, calm and quiet. He knew it was time. This was his last chance.
Her Wish Before Christmas (Holiday Hearts) Page 6