by Sarah Title
Billie blushed.
“Well, you were right. I have worked hard, and I raised you right, and you’re a beautiful young woman who can take care of herself. And her old man, but you don’t need to do that.”
“Dad, if you’re going because of me—”
“No, honey. Haven’t you been listening? Miami? The beach in winter? This is what I’ve wanted. But I promise I’ll come back to visit. As often as you’ll have me.”
“Oh, Dad,” Billie wailed, and launched herself into her father’s arms. “Yes, yes, whenever you want. I’ll always want you to visit.”
Her father kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, my sweet girl.”
She stood there, soaking in the scent of her father, leather and mint and love and strength. She would have stood there all night, anything to get him to stay, but then the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” she asked, wiping her eyes.
“How should I know? But you’d better answer it. I’ve got packing to do.”
Still dazed, Billie shuffled her feet in front of the cavalcade of furry animals and cracked the door open.
“Hi,” Andrew said, twisting his wool cap in his hands.
“What are . . . Did you get lost?”
He laughed. “No. Well, I thought I did, but it turns out this is where I was supposed to be going all along.”
“What?”
“Would you mind? If I stayed for a little while?”
Billie couldn’t speak. She couldn’t move. She let the door go and it opened a little more. Andrew bent down to scoop up Pepe and then he was inside, standing right in front of her.
She pushed the door closed behind him before he could change his mind.
“I know you have plans tonight, and tomorrow, too, but I was just hoping—”
“Yes! Yes, stay!”
“What about Christmas?”
“We’re going to the Carsons’. There will be tons of room there. Libby will be really glad to see you.”
“Here,” he said, putting Pepe down and handing her a box of Junior Mints. “Sorry, I didn’t have much time to shop.”
“I didn’t get you anything,” she said helplessly. “I didn’t know—”
“It’s OK,” he said, taking the bow from her hand. He stuck it gently to the top of her head. “Perfect. Merry Christmas to me.”
Merry Christmas to me, she tried to say, but she was swept up into Andrew’s arms, his lips pressing gently against hers. She tightened her grip around his neck, wrapped her legs around his waist. Merry Christmas to me.
Don’t miss Sarah Title’s delightful novella in
Delicious, available December 2013.
With a full moon hanging over the apple
orchards of Delicious, Ohio, romance is in
the air, and three couples are about to
experience the magic of falling in love.
Down on Jonathan Avenue, the shy proprietor
of the quaint bookstore can’t seem to keep her
fantasies about a famous writer to herself. While
at The Old Orchard Inn, the tempting smell of
spiced hot cider lures an out-of-town investor to
investigate the magnetic attraction of his sultry
but strangely old-fashioned manager. And over at
Apple of My Pie, a play-by-the-rules accountant
wants much more than tasty treats from the
pop-up food truck’s capricious baker.
Satisfaction is just a bite away.
Sarah Title has worked as a barista, a secretary, a furniture painter, and once managed a team of giant walking beans. She currently leads a much more normal life as a librarian in West Virginia. Kentucky Home is her first novel. She comments irregularly and insightfully on her blog, Title, Author (http://www.sarahtitle.com).
eKENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
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Copyright © 2013 by Sarah Title
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ISBN: 978-1-6018-3116-3