Page 19 of Christmas in Paradise

But since Evie met Adam, things have been better with our dad. Her dad, really, but Glen raised me, so he’s always been more than a stepdad to me. I think Evie resented Dad for that, so it’s a pretty big deal that our relationship is as good as it is. I also think part of the reason she hooked me up with Carson was to patch things up with Dad.

“Hey yourself.” Her voice is light and friendly. This is the best thing that came out of my weeks in Paradise—the easy banter that’s developed between us. “Are you sitting down? I’ve got amazing news for you.”

“I’m driving. Say hi to Charly.”

“Hi Charly!”

I look back to see Charly smiling and looking around for her Aunt Evie. They’ve been FaceTiming regularly since this summer when I talked to Charly every night while I was in Paradise.

“She says hi back, and she can’t wait to meet you. Only four weeks.”

“Or sooner.” Evie lets her words hang in the air, strung with suspense.

“What? You can’t move the date.” Panic rises to my throat with the thought she or Georgia may want to change things that can’t be changed. Carson hasn’t said anything to me about it, and we already have so much that still needs to get done, my chest tightens just thinking about it.

Evie laughs. “Are you crazy? The producers would kill us.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “If they didn’t Carson and I might.”

“Hope.” I glance at my screen in time to see Evie’s grin grow even wider. “They want you in the wedding episode.”

“What are you talking about? Why would anyone care about having me in Georgia’s wedding special?” I turn from the paved highway down the gravel road leading to Mom and Dad’s old farmhouse.

“They want footage of the pre-wedding planning, and Georgia and I both said that has to include you and Carson.” Her eyes are wide enough to fill her whole face as she pulls in her lips.

I’m so focused on processing what she’s said that I’ve slowed to a crawl. “Really?”

Evie nods.

Charly hums in the back seat as we bounce over a pothole-covered road.

“It took some convincing, but Hope! You get what a huge opportunity this is, right? It’s one thing for Carson’s company to be in the credits, but when viewers have faces to put with the incredible work you’ve done, his business is going to blow up the way every other business in Paradise has since Georgia’s show.”

I park my car and look hard at Evie. “If it does, you think he could hire me full time?”

It’s not really a question. I’ve talked through the possibility with her and Carson separately a dozen times. They both want it as much as I do.

“Exactly.” Her confidence this will happen radiates across the screen and the thousand miles between us.

I let out a nervous laugh and Charly yells, “swing!” and points to the swing she loves—the same one I loved as a kid.

“Too cold today, baby,” I say and her lip juts out.

“Swing!” she shouts again, warning me a meltdown is coming.

I check the temp in my car dashboard. We have time for one quick push on the swing if it’s not too cold.

Thirty-nine degrees.

I decide to risk it.

Adrenaline is pumping through my veins, and I need to release it somehow. I can’t just pick up and head to Paradise. I’ve got to think things through, even if every impulse is telling me to say yes.

“Hold on,” I say to Evie. “I’m going to switch you to my AirPods.”

After I’ve made the switch, I zip Charly’s coat up tight and pull up her hood before walking to the swing.

“Okay. Give me all the details, but make it fast.” I sit Charly on my lap, holding her around the waist, and push the swing back and forth with my feet. “I’ve got to get Charly fed and into bed before she loses it. She’s had therapy and a doctor’s appointment today so she’s really tired.”

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