Page 13 of One Sweet Taste (Love with a Price)

He’d invited her earlier in the week to come, but she’d turned him down. Now, here she was. She just had to find the guts to get out of her car and go in.

“Mom, what are you waiting for?” Georgia asked from the passenger seat.

She turned to look at her daughter. “Just trying to gather my nerve.” But her nerves were getting the better of her. She leaned her head against the steering wheel. “What if he laughs at me, Georgia? What if this is all in my head, and he doesn’t really have feelings for me?”

“Seriously, Mom?” Linzee could almost hear her daughter roll her eyes. “I rode back to the festival with him from the train station,” Georgia said. “I heard the way he talked about you. Trust me, he has feelings. I’d give anything if a man’s eyes lit up that way when he talked about me.”

She turned to study her daughter. Georgia was probably around the same age as the blonde she’d heard talking about Foster at the coffee shop the other day. What if he just didn’t want Linzee because she was too old? How could she compete with girls her daughter’s age?

“I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re only forty, Mom. That’s young!”

Linzee practically snorted. She thought of her daughter’s teenage years when Georgia had once referred to her as old and out of touch.

“I’m serious. And if people think differently, who cares? Didn’t you always teach me to stand up for myself and not care what anyone else thinks of me?” Georgia sighed. “I love Dad, but I’m not stupid. He never treated you well, Mom. You spent way too long in an unhappy marriage. You finally have a chance to be happy, and if you don’t take it, I’ll … I’ll…” Georgia fisted her hands. “Well, maybe I’ll takeyouovermyknee.”

Linzee laughed despite herself. “When did you get to be so smart, little girl?” She reached over to pull her daughter in for a hug.

“I’ve always been smart,” Georgia said. “I’m just like you.”

Chapter Fourteen

The laughter and chatter of his family swirled around him as Foster sat on Ethan’s couch and nursed a cup of eggnog. He’d looked all over the festival for Linzee, but she wasn’t there. He’d thought about tracking her down, but she needed to spend time with her Georgia.

Tomorrow, he’d find her. He couldn’t wait any longer to tell her how he felt about her. He just had to control his urge to jump up and go in search of her this very second.

“Who’s going first?” Becca asked. She held her gift on her lap, vibrating with excitement like a little kid.

He grinned as Dylan laughed. “You ask that every year, Bec. You know damn well we go from oldest to youngest.”

“Oh yeah?” Becca huffed. “Well, screw you guys. I think it’s time to change that rule. I say youngest goes first.” When she started to rip the wrapping paper, Dylan snatched the gift out of her hand.

“Hey! Gimme!” Becca leaped at her brother.

Foster was about to jump into the fray when the doorbell rang. “Who on earth could that be?” He looked at Ethan, who shrugged, making no move to get up from his big club chair.

Foster rolled his eyes. “Gee, don’t bother to get up or anything. I’ll get it.” His family was all here. He didn’t know anyone else who would be at the door after eleven on Christmas Eve.

“Maybe you’ll get lucky, Foster.” Becca’s eyes glimmered. “Maybe it’s Santa.”

He chuckled as he got up to answer the door. His breath stilled when he opened it to see Linzee standing there with her daughter.

“Linz,” he breathed. She looked so beautiful. Her cheeks were pink, and her green eyes sparkled as she looked at him. What ever made him think he could let her go?

“You made it!” Ethan boomed from behind him. He nudged Foster aside to take Linzee’s hand and lead her into the room.

“Oh, yay,” Becca squealed. She ran over to grab Georgia’s hand and led her over to the couch. “I hope you like eggnog. Ethan’s is the best.”

Tori appeared from the kitchen and handed a glass to Georgia before she came over to wind her arm around Ethan’s waist. “I’m so glad you guys made it, Linzee.”

Foster still couldn’t take his eyes off of Linzee. That pink tongue snaked out to swipe over her lips, and he immediately felt himself harden.

“Me too,” she said, looking at him. “Uh, Foster,” she said nervously as she tucked a flyaway curl behind her ear. “Can I talk to you, um, privately?”

She looked down, but he wanted her eyes on him. He reached down and put a finger underneath her chin, tilting her face up. Even though she was nervous, she looked much more relaxed than she had last time he’d seen her. Open. Was it just having her daughter here, or had she started to let those walls down?

“Absolutely,” he said. He took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers, and was more pleased than he could imagine when she didn’t try to pull away. “We’ll be back,” he said to no one in general, but grinned wider as his mom smiled and winked at him.

He led Linzee to Ethan’s master bedroom at the end of the hall. He knew the door had a lock on it, and he wanted to talk to her without threat of his siblings walking in.

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