Of course, none of those people knew her true identity, either. She’d always wear a wig and dress in baggy T-shirts and faded jeans that she’d picked up at a secondhand store. She’d quickly learned just how comfortable those casual clothes could be—
“And what are you thinking about?” Jackson asked as he placed a hook on a glass ornament.
What would it hurt to share her thoughts? After all, they were living here together for the foreseeable future. It wasn’t like she was going to open up and spill her whole life story.
“I was thinking about what I would be doing now if I were at home.”
“Let me guess, shopping at the mall. Your arms would be full of shopping bags with gifts for your family.”
She shook her head. “Not even close.”
He blinked as though shocked by her denial. “Hmm...let’s see. You’d be on holiday on a cruise ship.”
“Although I like the way you think, that’s not it.”
He shrugged. “Okay. I give up. What would you be doing?”
“Working in a soup kitchen.”
He didn’t say anything, but the shock was quite vivid in his eyes. And he wouldn’t stop staring. He made her want to squirm, but she held her ground.
“Why are you looking like I joined the circus?”
He visibly swallowed. “I’m sorry. I think what you do is great. It’s just that I’m not used to people around me being so giving with their time. Everything in my world is rush-rush.”
Surely he couldn’t be that impressed. She’d watched his show regularly and knew that he attended fund-raisers. “And if you were in New York, what would you be doing?”
He shrugged. “Not much.”
“But it’s the holidays. Come on. Maybe you’d be attending some prestigious event.”
He shook his head. She glanced into his eyes and noticed how the light in them had dimmed. And then it dawned on her that the look in his eyes was one of pain and loss. His wife had died a while back. And now that she thought about it, she hadn’t glimpsed any photos of him at the various gala events since his wife had passed away.
So he knew what it was like to lose someone close—just like she’d lost her father. Even though her parental relationship had been complicated, it didn’t mean that she hadn’t loved him.
“My...my wife,” Jackson said, drawing Serena from her thoughts, “she was always busy with one charity group or another. I don’t attend the fund-raising events now—not without her.”
The way his voice cracked with emotion didn’t get past Serena. She recalled how he and his wife had appeared inseparable. It seemed like every Monday morning there were photos of them on Hello America. Serena recalled how they always looked so happy—so in love. It was obvious that he was still in love with her.
Serena’s gaze immediately sought out his left hand. No ring. And then realizing what she was doing, she glanced away. There may no longer be a physical link to his wife, but in his heart, he would always love her. The proof was in the pain reflected in his eyes and the catch in his voice when he spoke of her.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” And now she understood why he wasn’t anxious to decorate the Christmas tree. It probably reminded him of his wife and their holidays together. “If you don’t want to help me, that’s okay. I’m sure celebrating Christmas alone isn’t easy.”
He continued putting hooks on the ornaments. “I lost her a couple of years ago.” He paused as though that was all he was going to say. “At first, after she died, I didn’t know how I was going to go on. We did everything together. She even traveled with me when I did travel segments for the morning show.”
“Did you two make it to Austria? Is that why you’re here?”
He shook his head. “She didn’t like snow. I had the option of picking the places for the Christmas segment. And I wanted something different—a place without memories.”
Serena was surprised that he was opening up to her. It made her feel guilty for keeping so much of herself a secret. But a part of her liked having him treat her like a normal human being and not like a superstar or a part of Hollywood royalty.
Her parents had had the most notorious, glamorous love story on- and offscreen. There was even a movie about their stormy, passionate relationship. Serena had never watched it and never planned to. She’d been there for the real thing and that had been enough for her. Real life was never like the lives portrayed on the big screen. In fact, in her case, reality was as far from glamorous as you could get.
Serena was lost in the past when Jackson spoke.
“What about you? Why aren’t you with your family?”
This was her moment to solidify whatever this was growing between them. Dare she call it a friendship? She glanced at him. At that moment, he looked up and their gaze caught and held. Her heart beat wildly. Friendship wasn’t exactly the only thing she was feeling where he was concerned.
No other man had ever made her feel this way. Sure there were gorgeous on-screen heroes. But she never let herself get caught in those romances. Growing up in a Hollywood family, she knew that love was fleeting at best. And then she’d met Shawn. It’d been after her father’s death and perhaps her defenses had been down. Whatever the reason, she’d let him into her life. And what a mistake that had been.
But she wasn’t going to repeat that mistake by making another one with a world-renowned television journalist. With all her effort, she glanced away. She turned to climb the ladder to place the ornament high up on the tree.
“Aren’t you going to share?” he asked.
She did owe him an answer. It wasn’t fair to expect him to open up when she wasn’t prepared to do the same. “My father died last year. I don’t have a reason to be home.”
“I’m sorry.” There was a pause as though he was considering what to say next. “What about your mother?”
“She’s off on a Caribbean cruise with her latest boyfriend.” She didn’t bother to add that the aforementioned boyfriend was Serena’s age. “My mother was never very maternal or traditional.”
Jackson didn’t say anything. He probably didn’t know what to say because he’d had the idyllic childhood and the picture-perfect family. She was happy for him, but sad for herself. Some would say that it made her a stronger person, but she just thought it made her more cynical about life.
Jackson moved to the ladder to hand her another ornament. “Mae, I’m sorry.”
She turned to tell him that he didn’t have to be sorry. But before she could tell him, she dropped the Christmas ball. It fell to the floor and Gizmo let out an excited bark. He’d been waiting all this time for something to play with.
“No, Gizmo.”
But it was too late. The dog chased the ball under the ladder. She moved too quickly. She’d never know if it was her sudden shift in weight or Gizmo running into the ladder, but the old wooden ladder swayed. Serena reached out, but there was nothing to grab onto. The ladder tilted to one side.
Serena started to fall. A shriek tore from her lungs.
And then her body crashed into Jackson’s.
His strong arms wrapped around her. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
“Gizmo?”
“Is fine.”
She turned her head to thank Jackson and that was when she realized just how close they were. She breathed in his scent—a mix of soap and pure masculinity. It was quite a heady combo.
For a moment, neither spoke. They didn’t move as they stared deep into each other’s eyes. It was just as well that he didn’t say a word, because she’d have never heard him over the pounding of her heart. In fact, it was so loud that it drowned out any common sense.
She was in the arms of Jackson Bennett—her morning eye candy. He was the man that she had had a secret crush on for years now. How was it possi
ble that it took them both traveling to Europe for their paths to cross? When people said that life was stranger than fiction, they were right.
And then his gaze dipped down to her lips. He was going to kiss her. The breath caught in her throat. She’d always wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him. And this was her one and only chance to answer that question.
With the Christmas lights twinkling in the background, Serena’s eyes drifted closed. Letting go completely of the ramifications of her actions and just giving in to what she wanted, she leaned forward. His lips pressed to hers.
The kiss was slow and tender. After being unceremoniously groped in the past by eager suitors, this cautious approach caught her off guard. As the kiss progressed, she realized that Jackson was unlike any of the other men in her past.
She wondered what it would be like to have a real relationship with a mature, self-assured man like Jackson. While she could never picture herself long term with Shawn, she could envision a life with Jackson—marriage, kids, the whole nine yards!
The image was so real—so vivid that it startled her.
She pulled back. Her eyes fluttered open. As soon as his gaze met hers, heat rushed to her face. She felt exposed and vulnerable.
She knew that there was no way he could read her thoughts, but that didn’t ease her discomfort. Of all the men to imagine a future with, Jackson wasn’t the right one. He still loved his late wife.
Jackson didn’t say a word as he lowered her legs to the floor. He went to straighten the ladder before he retrieved the Christmas ornament from Gizmo. And all that time, Serena stood there trying to make sense of what had just happened.
That kiss had been like a window into the future. But how was that possible? She immediately dismissed the ludicrous thought.
But she was left with one question. Now that they’d kissed, how did they go back to that easy, friendly coexistence? Because every time her gaze strayed to him, she’d be fantasizing about what would have happened if she hadn’t pulled away.
CHAPTER NINE
THE NEXT MORNING, Jackson made his way to the kitchen. He yawned. He’d been restless most of the night. All the while, he’d been plagued by memories of the kiss. It had been an amazing kiss. The kind of kiss that could make a man forget his pledge of solitude—forget the risk he’d be taking with his heart if he were to let someone get close.
Even knowing the risks, there was a part of him that wished it hadn’t ended. Chemistry like that didn’t happen every day. In fact, he’d be willing to bet that it only happened once in a lifetime.
His thoughts had circled around all night, from how much he wanted to seek out Mae and pull her close to continue that kiss to wondering why he’d let his resolve weaken. What had he been thinking to kiss Mae? And what did that say about his devotion to June?
He still loved June. He always would. That acknowledgment only compounded his guilt.
And now what must Mae be thinking? She hadn’t seemed interested in him. In fact, in the beginning he wasn’t even certain that she was going to let him seek shelter from the storm in her cabin. But had that kiss complicated their relationship?
He paused at the kitchen doorway, not sure what to say to her. Perhaps it was best to act as though the kiss had never happened. With that thought, he pushed open the door.
An array of cereal boxes sat on the table next to an empty bowl and fresh orange slices. It appeared Mae had been up early that morning. He wondered if she’d had problems sleeping, too. He scanned the kitchen but didn’t find any sign of her.
Gizmo came wandering into the kitchen.
“Hey, little guy, where’s your momma?”
For once, the pup didn’t say anything. Instead, Gizmo yawned. It appeared no one in the cabin had slept well. Maybe it was just from being cooped up for so long. But he knew that wasn’t the case. It was the kiss...
Every time he’d closed his eyes, Mae’s image had been there. It wasn’t right. He shouldn’t have done it. He shouldn’t have gotten caught up in the moment.
He knew that June was gone and was never coming back, but he’d promised to love her forever. He also recalled how June had made him promise to move on with his life—to love again. The painful memories came flooding back.
June had been so unwell and yet her last thought had been of him. He hadn’t kept his promise—at least not until now. Not that he was going to pursue Mae. He just couldn’t move on as though June had never been a huge part of his life. How could he put his heart on the line again?
The grief of losing June had cost him dearly. The thought of being so vulnerable again had him withdrawing from friends and social settings. Until Mae...
She made him remember how things used to be—think of how things could be if he’d let himself go. She made him feel alive again. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, but it didn’t work. Mae was still there in the front of his mind.
With a sigh, he sat down at the table and filled the bowl with corn flakes. He didn’t really have an appetite, but his stomach growled in protest. Perhaps some food would help his attitude.
He glanced down to find Gizmo had wandered off, leaving Jackson alone with his thoughts. The cabin was quiet. As he stared out the window, he was pleased to find the sun was out. Today would be the day when he was able to get on with his life. He knew the thought of leaving here should bring him a sense of relief but it didn’t.
The truth was, he’d really enjoyed the time he’d spent with Mae. She had a way about her that put him at ease. Maybe it was because they’d each shared a recent loss or the fact that neither had a loving, devoted mother. Whatever you wanted to say, they shared a special connection. One he wouldn’t soon forget.
But Christmas was only a week away and if he didn’t get this last segment shot, it’d be too late to air. The slot would get filled and everyone would move on.
If only he could put a special spin on this segment, something more than Christmas in a quaint village in Austria. He knew what they’d already planned would pull on the viewers’ nostalgic heartstrings, but his thoughts needed to be on the head honchos in the front office. He only had until the first of the year to prove that he was the man for the evening news slot.
Jackson heard the kitchen door creak open. He turned expecting to find Mae, but instead it was once again Gizmo. He strolled back into the kitchen with something in his mouth. Jackson smiled and shook his head. That dog was forever stealing things. He wondered if Mae would find everything the dog had stolen before she left here. Well, he could help her out this time.
He got up and approached Gizmo. “Hey, boy, what do you have there?”
The dog tried to get around him, but Jackson blocked him. That definitely wasn’t a dog toy in his mouth, and this time it wasn’t a pink lacy bra, either. The memory of that piece of lingerie combined with the kiss last night heated his veins—
No. Don’t go there. It was a onetime thing. Let it go.
He knelt down to pet the dog. Luckily his ankle was starting to feel a bit better with the aid of over-the-counter painkillers. Still, he kept his weight on his good leg.
His fingers wrapped around what appeared to be Mae’s wallet. “Give it to me.”
Gizmo clenched tighter and started to pull back. He gave a little growl, all the while wagging his tail. Gizmo’s head shook back and forth as he tried to work the wallet away from Jackson.
“You’re a strong little guy, aren’t you?”
Gizmo let out another little growl as his tail continued to swish back and forth.
Well, this was one game of tug-of-war Jackson didn’t want to lose.
“Let go.” No such luck. “Gizmo! Stop.”
Suddenly, Gizmo let go.
Not prepared for the dog’s sudden release, Jackson fell backward. He lost his grip on the wallet
as he tried to catch himself. He landed squarely on his backside.
Gizmo didn’t tarry. He turned to make his escape. Jackson sat on the floor and watched as the dog pushed the swinging door open with his nose.
Jackson couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. He wondered if this was what it was like having small children. He would never know since he and June were never blessed with any. It was yet another thing that they’d put off too long—another dream that would never be fulfilled.
He went to pick up Mae’s wallet when he realized that it had come open and some of the cards had scattered across the tile floor. He picked them up and started putting them in the wallet when he noticed the name on them: Serena Winston.
He immediately recognized the name. How could he not? Serena Winston came from a legendary family. He’d tried repeatedly to interview her, but for one reason or another, it had never worked out.
This had to be some sort of mix-up. The Serena Winston on these cards couldn’t be the famous actress. But if that was the case, why did Mae have them? He held the California driver’s license closer. He studied the similarities. If Mae were to be a blonde and add makeup—
His mouth gaped.
It was her. The driver’s license read: Serena M. Winston.
Serena Mae Winston?
Jackson sat there stunned. He’d thought that they’d formed a friendship. He’d trusted her with intimate details of his life, but she hadn’t even been honest about her name—at least not her whole name.
Everything started to fall in place, such as her ability to lease this luxury cabin for herself and her dog. She’d been hiding in plain sight with her strawberry blonde hair and lack of makeup. He’d never seen any photos of Serena Winston with reddish hair. She was known far and wide for her honey-blond strands. And it explained what had happened to her—how she was able to drop off the radar.
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