Page 69 of Lighting Up Christmas

“Zhang,” she said breathlessly, her red lips curved in a smile. “I’ve been looking for you for at least thirty minutes. What is this madhouse? Have you, Mr. I don’t celebrate Christmas or Valentine’s Day or anniversaries or birthdays, completely lost your mind?”

She held on to his shoulders, stood on the tiptoes of her sleek leather over-the-knee black boots with spiked heels, and kissed both of Zhang’s cheeks.

“Brin?” He stared at her seemingly dazed, and Riley felt her heart thud to her work boots. “Why are you here?”

“That’s some greeting.” She tucked her arm through his. “I made a detour to see you. I wanted to talk about something important, but now I feel I need to save you from yourself,” she said drily.

“I don’t need saving.”

“Says you.” She looked up at him, her expression searching. “It’s good to see you, although I’d imagined country living would have bored you to tears by now. Clearly not.”

“What do you want to talk about?” Zhang sounded curt, so much like when she’d first met him, Riley thought, not sure what she should do. Interrupt? Try to explain? Slink away?

“It’s potentially delicate,” Brin said slowly, her voice low, carefully modulated.

“What?”

Brin heaved a sigh and tugged on him again. “Not here out in the cold. Jackson said you finally released a wine. Let’s get a glass and—”

She finally noticed Riley.

The look she angled her way was an enviable blend of perfected scorn and haughty disinterest.

So this was Brin. They looked beautiful together. They had work in common. A history. Riley tried to keep her heart firmly in her chest. Zhang was her client. Maybe they’d blurred the lines a little, skewing toward friendship, but that could have been all her.

Zhang turned back toward the ice dragon, still opening its black eyes, stretching up, blowing ice, then blinking off and then blinking back on to “run” up the wall of the winery. Riley felt like the dragon was mocking her gesture, her hopes and dreams, freezing them out. Then Zhang looked at her, and Riley felt like his regard was even colder.

“Riley,” was all he said and walked off, Brin trying to keep up, clinging to his arm until he slowed down, helped her through the hard-packed snow.

Riley watched them go, feeling like she’d swallowed a block of ice. She’d thought she was so clever—blending his heritage with what she hoped would be his new home—at least part-time. And trying to add her own personalized vision. But he hadn’t understood. Not. At. All.

And he hadn’t even tried.

And now he’d left with Brin.

“Better now than later,” she tried, but she failed to comfort herself.

“Riley Flanagan, hello, you really created something here.” Jeffrey Bane Sr. walked up to her with his son and Jeffrey Jr.’s newly announced fiancée, who’d maneuvered her off the Bear Creek festival committees.

Could her night get any worse? She was about to find out.

“I know you had a part in the initial plan of the Christmas market, and I was worried about the traffic and trash that would be left behind, but this event does look like it has a lot of community support,” Bane Sr. said pompously.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say if he and his son would ever let the community speak, they’d learn a lot more, but instead her good manners kicked in.

“The last-minute change of venue doesn’t seem to have hurt it,” she said diplomatically, wishing she could just go home now that all the anticipation of the night had frozen up like the poor light trees breathed on by her stupid ice dragon.

“We’ve just walked through your Christmas Garden. Jennifer on the city council said that you were hoping to create an annual one along the river trail and the park to celebrate the holiday, the town’s history, and surrounding nature.” He looked at hisson. “We look forward to your pitch in January’s work meeting, don’t we, Junior?”

Jeffrey looked like he’d swallowed a bird.

“Yes,” he choked out. “If you can get your bid and plan together in a timely manner. A little organization goes a long way,” he said mendaciously.

“As does an open mind,” she replied. Her pitch had been completed months ago, and now she had live examples of her work. At least something had gone right tonight, though her heart felt crushed by Zhang’s unexpected reaction. She’d really hurt him, and that felt worse than anything had for a long time.

“Happy holidays and merry Christmas to you all,” she said, digging deep for politeness and professionalism. “And congratulations on your engagement, Jeff.”

The Banes strolled off. Riley didn’t feel up to entering the event space. She had no desire to see Brin cuddled up with Zhang drinking wine and discussing whatever it was she’d come more than three hundred miles to say. And for once Riley didn’t want to get any sympathy or comfort from Sophia. Everyone was busy. This was their weekend. She just had to big girl it up.

---