Baby, It's Cold Outside

by Cathy Yardley

  “What? It’s true!”

  “You’re upsetting her,” he said a little louder than he’d intended.

  “What do you have to do with this anyway, Colin?” This came from old Mr. Carlton, a well-respected member of the community. “You’re not even a part of this town! Haven’t been for years!”

  Colin turned, surprised at the vehemence in the man’s voice. “Emily’s my concern.”

  “Obviously you’re her concern, too,” Phillip said snidely, “since she never considered selling the place before you showed up and moved into her apartment.”

  Colin’s jaw clenched, and the muscles in his arms bunched. That was hitting below the belt. He suspected that Phillip had a thing for Emily, and now that Emily was connected with Colin, Phillip was lashing out in the only way he knew how.

  Unfortunately, his verbal assault was doing its damage. Emily looked sick, and she held on to the back of her chair for support.

  “That’s none of your business,” Colin barked. “And it is not fodder for the town meeting.”

  “Colin,” Emily said, shaking her head.

  “What?” he asked, confused. “It isn’t. We’re adults. And our relationship has nothing to do with anything in Tall Pines.”

  “She’s talking about selling the Stanfield house,” Tim said, his voice mild even though his expression was dismayed. “It’s one of the oldest houses in the town, on one of the biggest parcels of land. Which she got rezoned for commercial.” He sighed heavily. “I hate to say it, but it does affect the town. If she sells—or if she’s even considering selling—it’s a matter of public debate.”

  “She said she wasn’t sure,” Colin prevaricated. He looked at Emily. “You’re not sure, are you?”

  She looked pained. “No.”

  “There you have it,” he said. “Now leave her alone….”

  “This is all your fault!” Phillip shouted, undeterred. “You never gave a damn about what happened to this town. You just wanted to get out as soon as you could. This place could burn to the ground for all you cared! So don’t pretend that you’ve got any say in what she does or doesn’t do. You don’t belong here. You never did.”

  “Will you shut up?” Colin growled.

  He glanced around at the faces staring at him. He saw it then—the sentiment that Phillip had shouted so crazily echoed in their expressions.

  He didn’t belong here. He was jeopardizing the town by affecting one of its leading citizens and convincing her to not only leave but to possibly destroy one of their most famous homes. He was changing things.

  He might be grown-up, but he was still Hell-Raiser Reese, the troublemaker. The kid that didn’t fit in.

  He grimaced. “Come on, Emily,” he said, pain and alienation slamming through him like a freight train. “I don’t think I’m wanted here.”

  “I’ll be there in a moment,” she replied, looking at him imploringly. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”

  He stared at her, then nodded curtly. He turned on his heel, stalking out of the auditorium, feeling every pair of eyes watching his exit.

  In that moment he’d never felt more like a stranger. And without Emily, he’d never felt more alone.

  10

  EMILY’S BLOOD WAS pounding in her temples as she watched Colin walk out of the auditorium, surrounded by the judgmental gazes of the townspeople that she’d considered her friends for so long.

  She had been quiet, the model citizen, for her entire life. But in one moment something inside her had snapped.“How dare you?” she demanded, addressing the group at large. “What gives any of you the right to discuss my private life this way or to talk to Colin Reese that way?”

  “Now, Em,” Tim said, trying to get control of the situation. “We’re just—”

  “No, Tim,” she said, walking up to the podium. She felt as if electricity were sizzling through her skin as she grabbed the microphone, tugging it down to her chin. “You ask me if I’m going to sell the hotel. Say that it’s something I’d need to discuss with the town. Well, the thing is, if I had decided to sell, I would have told each and every one of you. I would have brought it up at the town meeting and at Evelyn’s salon and at the post office, the grocery store and every committee meeting. You all know me and you know I don’t do anything lightly.”

  There was a general murmur of assent. “Which is what makes this all the more disappointing, dear,” Mrs. Carlton said, sounding confused.

  “Yes, it is disappointing, Mrs. Carlton,” Emily retorted. “Disappointing that because of one…one loudmouthed butthead, you all decided that I somehow have impaired judgment and believed that I’d hurt the town. You believe that not only do I have a responsibility to disclose every detail of my private life, you actually think that you’ve got a right to interfere with it. And, finally, you believe that because I’m sleeping with Colin Reese that somehow he’s the one to blame!”

  Tim had the grace to look shamefaced. Ava and Harry Reese simply looked shocked. Phillip still looked angry but also a little nervous. Not as nervous as he should be, Emily thought acidly, but it was a start.

  “Well, you know what? I’m tired of being the town’s golden girl.” She slammed her palm down on the podium, punctuating her statement with all the passion of an evangelical preacher. “I’ve loved living here, so I’ve put up with the interference and the gossip and the meddling. But I am not going to watch you righteously stomp all over me and hurt Colin simply because you feel like I’m not doing what’s best for the town.”

  “What are you saying?” Mrs. Rutledge said, sounding aghast.

  “I’m saying that the hotel is mine,” Emily replied. “Selling it is not a matter of public debate. You can gossip about it, you can be disappointed with it, but none of you has a say in what I decide.”

  “And I suppose Colin has a say?”

  She looked at Phillip, noting the undisguised hatred in his eyes, the fury in his voice. “It’s my decision,” she shot back. “Just like this one—Phillip, you can consider yourself fired.”

  Phillip finally looked stunned.

  “Now, Em.” Tim stepped in. “Let’s all calm down here. Things are getting out of hand. You’re acting too emotionally and you’re going to say and do things that you’ll regret later….”

  “That’s the thing, Tim,” Emily said, her voice clear and even. “I’m not. I’ve thought about selling the place a million times since I inherited it, but I never said anything. I worried about what my father would think or what you would think or what would happen to the town. But now I know that you all think that what happens to the town is more important than what happens to me. And I don’t agree with that.”

  “Come on, Emily.” The mayor crossed his arms. “That’s not fair.”

  “No, it isn’t,” she agreed. “Mrs. Carlton, did you once think that it might be hard for me to run the hotel by myself? That some months I’ve had trouble making ends meet? That I can’t afford staff and I did a lot of the work myself, starting out?”

  “Well, no,” Mrs. Carlton said.

  “And Mrs. Reese, you say that my father would be heartbroken if I sold the place. Wouldn’t you think that he loved me enough to want me to be happy?”

  Ava didn’t say anything. She just looked away, embarrassed.

  “None of you know me,” Emily said. “Not the way I’d hoped you would. The fact that you think it’s okay to jump into my life like this…well, let’s just say I’m disappointed in you.”

  With that, she stepped away from the podium, heading down the aisle and walking toward the door.

  Phillip stepped in front of her. “You don’t mean that,” he said. “I know it was wrong of me to say all of this in front of everybody, but I just wanted to shock a little common sense into you, that’s all.”

  “Well, surprise,” she said, trying to sidestep him. “You betrayed me and made an ass of yourself. Oh, and lost your job. Congratulations on that.”

  “I only did it because I
care about you,” he protested, sounding desperate. He put his hands on her arms. She tried to shrug them off, but his grip was tight. “I’ve been in love with you since I started working at the inn. Longer. You just never saw me!”

  She should’ve suspected—there were plenty of clues. The way he always volunteered to work late. How he’d sometimes deliver dinner to her apartment, staring as if he were waiting to be invited in. It had made her a little uncomfortable, but he’d been such a good manager, and she’d needed the help…maybe she just hadn’t wanted to see. She shook her head.

  “I don’t feel that way about you,” she relented. “And I’m sorry. But you had no right to do what you did tonight.”

  “You’re making a big mistake with Colin,” he said, sullen as a child. “I’ve stood by you, just like this town has. He doesn’t have any loyalty. He’s just in it for himself.”

  She stiffened. “And you’re the prime example of loyalty in Tall Pines?” she asked. “Get your hands off me.”

  “Emily…”

  “Now.”

  He released her. She walked out the door.

  There was a light snow flurry, fat flakes dancing out of the dark blue sky. She walked carefully toward the inn, letting the cold air clear her head.

  Emily felt heartsick at what had just happened. How could it have gotten so out of control so quickly? She knew how much the inn meant to the town, but she had no idea that they thought they could actually dictate to her what she should and shouldn’t do. She wasn’t a child. And as much as she loved the town, it wasn’t her family.

  She wasn’t going to keep worrying about what people would think. She was making this decision on her own.

  She walked into the hotel. Sue was at the front desk, looking concerned. “You all right?” she asked.

  “No,” Emily answered. “I need you to work some extra shifts.”

  “Uh, okay,” Sue said uneasily. “For how long?”

  “Until I can find a replacement for Phillip.”

  “You fired Phillip?”

  “Yes. I’ll tell you the whole thing later,” Emily said, cutting off Sue’s barrage of questions. “Right now I’ve got some things I need to do.”

  She left Sue wide-eyed and shocked. Instead of going up to her apartment, she headed to Joy Webster’s room.

  Joy answered her knock. “Hey, there,” she said. “What’s up?”

  “When we talked before, you mentioned financing,” Emily said. “Do you know people who might buy a hotel?”

  Joy looked surprised. “Well…yes. But are you sure you want to sell?”

  Emily took a deep breath. “I’m not positive. But I do want to get the ball rolling.”

  Joy nodded. “It’s such a lovely place. I haven’t had this relaxing a vacation in I don’t know how long. I am in love with this town.”

  I’m not, Emily thought but bit back on the urge to share her current bitterness. “It’s got its moments,” she said instead. “But I’ve lived here all my life and I’d like to explore some new options.”

  “My father buys hotels.” Joy rubbed her chin slowly. “He’d snap up this place in a heartbeat. But…I don’t know that I can recommend that.”

  “Who else might buy?”

  “I’m not sure,” Joy answered. “I could look, but it’d take some time.”

  “But your father would buy it in a hurry,” Emily echoed.

  Joy nodded, looking unhappy.

  “I know it’s a big favor, but would you contact him?” Emily paused, her expression pleading. “I’ll even give you a finder’s fee.”

  “I’ll do it for free,” Joy said. “But…are you sure?”

  Emily closed her eyes.

  “Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  “All right, then. I’ll get the ball rolling.”

  Emily suddenly felt dizzy. “I appreciate it.”

  “I was going to pack up and leave tomorrow,” Joy added, “but I guess I’ll hang out for a while longer. See how this deal goes. I don’t have anything pressing and I enjoy it here, anyway.”

  Emily nodded, barely hearing what Joy was saying. “I have to go,” she said finally. “I will call you.” She left in a rush, heading upstairs to her apartment. She opened the door to find Colin pacing in the living room in front of the fireplace. His face was like a storm cloud.

  “What happened?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

  She smiled. He was angry, and rightfully so—but not because of how they’d treated him. He was angry because he was worried about her.

  He always put her first.

  She threw her arms around him, kissing him fiercely. After a moment’s surprise, he kissed her back with the consuming passion she’d grown accustomed to. When they parted, she rested her forehead against his broad chest.

  “I’m selling the inn,” she murmured. “At least I think I am.”

  “You don’t have to make any decision tonight,” he reassured her, stroking her back.

  “Can you get me out of here?” she said, curling into his arms like a cat, enjoying the comfort of his touch. “I just…I want to get out of town for a while. I want to feel better.”

  He smiled at her. “Sure, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I think I’ve got just the place.”

  “COLIN, THANK YOU,” Emily breathed. “It’s so beautiful. I had no idea.”

  Colin looped an arm over her shoulders, breathing in the crisp winter air as they walked together. They were crossing one of Paris’s many gardens, the Tuileries, and had spent the morning in the Louvre after having a breakfast of coffee and pastries in an open-air café. They’d wandered through the city for the past two days. Emily wanted to go everywhere, see everything. More importantly, Colin wanted to show her.She’d asked him to take her out of town, so he’d taken her on a long weekend…to France. With any luck, it would be a short jump from convincing her to take a vacation, to convincing her to stay.

  “What else do you want to see?” Colin asked, feeling like a conquering hero. “Anything. The city’s your oyster.”

  “Actually…I’m getting tired,” Emily said, looking embarrassed. “Would it be all right if we went back to your apartment for a bit?”

  “Sure, sure,” Colin said quickly, feeling badly. “Jet lag?”

  She made a noncommittal noise. “I don’t know. Haven’t flown this far before.”

  He was so used to flying around the world, he’d forgotten how tough it could be for other people. She hadn’t gotten her clock adjusted to European time.

  He brought her back to his apartment, just off Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It was three stories up, an older building with an irregular circular staircase and a great view of the street. She stood at the window, wrapping her sweater around herself while he made them espresso.

  “I made these strong,” he said, handing her a small cup and saucer, “but if you’d rather nap, maybe…”

  “No, no,” she said, taking the coffee. “I need to get used to Paris time.”

  She sipped at the drink, still staring out the window.

  He sighed to himself. She wasn’t content—and it had nothing to do with Paris. She was still feeling guilty about the hotel and the sale. She’d already spoken with Joy Webster several times since they’d arrived in Europe. She wasn’t backing down, but she obviously wasn’t happy.

  He wasn’t sure how to feel. On the one hand, he loved the idea of her being free to move as she liked, especially since he wouldn’t mind having her stay with him for a while to see where things would lead. But on the other hand, she was obviously having seller’s remorse. She had been hurt by Phillip’s accusations and the small town’s knee-jerk response to any sort of drastic change. He didn’t know if she wanted to keep the hotel, but he knew that deep down she didn’t want to sell it like this.

  He rubbed her shoulders. They were like slabs of ice, cold and stiff. She moaned softly as he worked out the knots of tension.

  “That feels wonderful.” She sighed, lea
ning back against him.

  “I offer full massage services,” he murmured against her ear. “You’d have to get naked, of course.”

  “Well, if that’s the only way,” she teased, then put her cup down and followed him to the bedroom.

  Emily stretched out on the bed, pulling off her sweater, then unbuttoning her prim white blouse. She tossed both to the floor. Then she undid her jeans, sliding them off her legs, taking off her socks with them. She was left in matching underwear, a black bra and French-cut panties. “Completely naked?” she asked innocently with a gleam in her eyes.

  He rubbed his hands together. “’Fraid so.”

  She chuckled low in her throat, then reached back and unhooked her bra, tossing it by her sweater. Then she inched the panties down, slipping them over the long length of her legs before kicking them also to the floor. “Ooh, it’s chilly,” she said, tugging back his covers and crawling under. “Turn the heater on.”

  “All right,” he said, doing as she asked, “but trust me—in a minute you won’t need the heater.”

  She pulled the covers up to her chin. “Why, what do you mean?”

  He took off his clothes, then dived into bed with her. She laughed as they tussled briefly beneath the covers. “This isn’t a massage!” she cried, shrieking with laughter.

  “It’s better,” he huffed, playfully wrestling with her. “Hey, you want to get relaxed or not?”

  The two of them collapsed in a heap, laughing madly. Then he settled himself on top of her, his naked skin covering hers, and all humor ended. He kissed her slowly and tenderly, his lips nipping at hers. He captured her full lower lip between his teeth, sucking softly, and she gasped, her nipples turning into hard pebbles, raking against his bare chest. His cock went hard, pressing against her stomach, and the kiss turned more serious.

  “Emily,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin. He sucked at her neck with gentle pressure, and she gasped, arching against him. The edges of her nails clawed down his back gently, and she scooted up so his erection was nestled between her thighs, cradled against her moist heat. “Wait a second. Let me get a condom….”