Page 104 of Christmas in Paradise

“She’s so tired. It’s way past her bedtime,” Mrs. Barton explains, with a touch of accusation in her voice, while rubbing Charly’s back. “We’ll take her home now and get her into bed,” she says, leaning past me to Hope. “We really enjoyed your show, Sebastian.”

“Thank you.” I nod to her and Mr. Barton, then wave to Charly as they all make their way to the exit.

As soon as they’re out of sight, Hope tugs on my hand. “I have something to tell you!”

I let her lead me out of the gym to a classroom filled with empty plastic totes, boxes, and extra supplies they didn’t use to set up. We let the heavy door close behind us, shutting out the noise and lights on the other side. The square window in the door lets in the only light.

“First, I have something for you, but you can’t open it until Christmas. Just be warned, it’s silly, but also a sign of what I hope lies ahead.” She grabs a gift bag from a desk near the door and hands it to me.

“You expect me to wait ten more days after that description? Why can’t I open it now?” I try to peek inside, but she clamps the bag shut.

“Because it’s not Christmas, and I want you to focus on the news I have.” Shadows hide her face, but I feel her eyes searching mine.

“Fine.” I loop the bag handles around my fingers, then put my hands behind my back. “What do you have to tell me?”

“Carson is booked. He offered me a full-time job.” She offers me a cautious grin, and I feel her holding her breath.

“He did? Of course he did!” I throw my arms around her waist and lift her off the ground. “He’d be crazy not to. Look at everything you’ve done!”

The bag is light enough that it bounces up and down on the back of her legs as I spin her around. When I set her down, I kiss her hard to keep from bursting with excitement. I think this means she’s staying in Paradise, but I force myself not to say that out loud. I know she wants the job, but there’s always a chance she won’t take it.

I willnotinfluence her one way or the other.

But I do have to ask, “What did you tell him?”

She takes my hands and moves them from her waist to her side, holding them tight while also putting distance between us. My mind races with what that might mean.

“I haven’t told him anything yet, but I’m going to say yes.”

I can’t stop the smile that comes out. “So, you’re staying in Paradise?”

She takes a breath, and the pause that follows makes me hold my own breath.

“Maybe… he says I can work here or back in Kansas. That’s what I have to decide. Stay here or work remotely.”

She glances at me for a reaction, but I keep my emotions in check and just nod, doing an excellent job of not influencing.

“There’s going to be travel involved,” she continues. “Carson is concerned I’ll need Mom’s help with Charly, so he’s made it possible for me to work from Kansas, if that’s what I want.” Her eyes drift to mine.

I wish I had enough light to read the expression on her face, but I’m grateful it’s too dark for her to see what I’m sure mine reveals.

I want her here more than anything. Every part of me wants to beg her to stay. Not just in Paradise, but with me. She won’t have to worry about who would take care of Charly—Iwill.

I fell in love with her the first time I saw her, and I’ve fallen deeper in love every single day since. But I can’t tell her that.

Because if I count all those days, they aren’t many. And the days we’ve been together as an actual couple are even fewer.

The fact of the matter is, we’re still not a couple. We never will be.

There are three people in this relationship, and Charly’s needs come first. Not mine. Not even Hope’s.

So as much as I want to say, “stay,” I don’t. Instead, I put Charly’s needs first.

“It won’t be easy for you to leave her. You’d have to find new doctors for Charly, too. If you came here,” I say slowly. “But you’ve probably already thought of that.”

Hope nods and steps back. She doesn’t drop my hands, but she doesn’t hold them either. She keeps a couple fingers hooked around the tips of mine and her face pointed to the floor.

“Yeah. I’ve thought about that. I started looking at doctors in Florence weeks ago.” She let’s go of one of my hands and rubs her forehead. “It’s just a long drive, especially if I’m working full time.”

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