Page 37 of Lighting Up Christmas

Was he going to kiss her?

Riley didn’t dare breathe or blink. She didn’t want to miss anything.

She stepped forward, but he released her and stepped back. Riley nearly groaned.

“My wine story.” He shoved his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat, turned around, and started walking back toward River Street.

“C’mon,” she urged, catching up to him. “I overshared, and this will be practice for spilling your guts for the winery website.”

“There will be no gut spilling.”

“Not even a little slash and drop of blood between friends?”

He didn’t answer. Riley didn’t have the urge to try again; she was too caught up in the beauty of his face and mystery of his soul. What made him tick? What did he think about late at night before he fell asleep? What did he long for and fear he’d never get?

Did he know the answers to those questions?

“What’s your weekend like?”

Was he asking her out? Excitement and terror duked it out in her brain.

“Ummmmm.”

“I have to fly to my headquarters Monday, so if you want to talk about the wine website, I have some time this weekend, or we can keep it all on email,” he said. “You just seem more like a hands-on, in-person person.”

Duh. The website. Not a date.

“Very hands-on,” she said. “I have a job tomorrow morning. I could come after that if you want, around noon. I can bring sandwiches from The Running Fox bakery.”

“I’ll be at the winery. I’ll make sandwiches.”

Riley nodded, both pleased and disappointed. It wouldn’t give her much time to research different winery sites, but sleep was overrated.

“Where’s the finish line of the race?” Riley teased as his long-legged stride ate up the trail back to town.

“It’s late. You promised your friend you’d help her tonight,” he reminded.

Ugh. She was so obvious. He knew she wanted to spend more time with him.

Stick to what you know.

Lighting up the world one bulb at a time.

As a motto, it wasn’t all bad.

*

“Moonlit night, skyfull of stars, chilly, and a long walk—what could be more romantic?” Sophia teased as Riley mopped the floor of Lost and Found Objects.

“We discussed his website,” Riley said, keeping her back toward her friend and scrubbing the battered walnut floor with more enthusiasm than necessary.

“Is that what the kids call it?” Sophia laughed as she folded a few sweaters after checking her inventory list. “You were gone more than thirty minutes, and knowing you, you dragged him down the river path and exhorted the virtues of purchasing the old mill and turning it into a shopping, entertainment district to revitalize and define our town.”

“Am I that predictable?” Riley demanded, whirling around, face flaming.

Sophia’s dark, expressive brows answered that question. “What encouraged me is how you looked at him all night.”

“All night,” Riley scoffed, her heart thudding to her boots. “I helped him sell wine for a few hours, and I sold a lot of other things.” She retrieved the iPad and brought it to the antique desk where Sophia kept her records. She tucked the iPad into its charger and locked up the desk.

---