Page 36 of A Gingerbread Romance

He sounded like he was at his wit’s end, honestly. Heavy-hearted, sad, almost.

“Then why were you so distant with me all night?” It was like they barely knew each other. His family and friends had shown more interest in her than he had. “You practically ignored me.” She waited, but he didn’t respond. Her voice fell to almost a whisper. “What’s going on, Jonathan?”

He let out a heavy sigh.

They reached the next block. “We’re friends, remember? You can tell me.” She urged. As much as she wanted to believe it, however, she’d begun to have her doubts. He hadn’t acted like her friend all week. An acquaintance, maybe, but the last few days had proved he didn’t want to see much of her anymore. She just needed to know why.

Jonathan suddenly stopped walking. They’d reached the edge of town and had entered Greta’s tree-lined street full of large, stately old homes. The street was deserted and dark save for the twinkling Christmas lights on the houses and the occasional snowman standing at attention in a quiet front yard.

She stopped and turned to face him, her eyes bearing questions, her heart sore. They’d stopped next to a neighbor’s archway, which was covered in flowering vines in the summer but, for now, danced with soft white lights.

Jonathan’s gaze remained on her. “We’re not friends, Greta.”

Her brow creased. It was just as she’d thought. He was done with her. Finished. He didn’t want her the way she wanted him, the way she’d refused to admit. It was all coming apart now, their fragile little arrangement in which she pretended not to be attracted to him, and he pretended not to mind. And ironically, just as soon as his real estate deal had finished. She swallowed, her stomach churning. “And why not?”

“Because I can’t just be friends with you,” he said, his voice feeble. “I’m in love with you.”

She stared, her heart lifting. He wasn’t smiling, but he was in love with her? He wasn’tfinishedwith her?

“And that makes you unhappy?” she ventured, taking a gloved hand to his cheek. “You look so upset.”

“Iamupset,” he said, dropping his eyes to the ground and then back to hers. “Greta, I can’t be in love with you. I have to go back to Baltimore soon, but you have to stay here.” He put his arms to her waist. “And, I’m a mess. I’m not the type to settle down anymore. I only know how to play the field these days. I’d just hurt you if we were together.” He gazed into her eyes. “The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt you.”

Greta’s heart soared, despite his melancholy outlook. She wasn’t afraid. They’d figure it out. “Jonathan, you’re getting too far ahead of yourself.” She smiled, cupping his face in both hands.

He dropped his gaze again.

“I’m in love with you, too,” she said slowly, letting it sink in. She stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “And that’s all that matters right now.”

Jonathan lifted his eyes slowly to meet hers. “You are?” How could he not know this? She’d known it since their first kiss, more or less.

“I am.” It was time to stop lying to herself, stop trying to avoid her feelings for this man. This incredible man whom she did not want to lose. “I can’t just be friends with you, either. I’ve tried, but it’s impossible.” She gazed up at him.

Her building’s sale was complete. Her rent increase had been issued for the bakery’s lease. Baltimore wasn’tthatfar away. There was no reason she couldn’t become romantically involved with him now. No reason at all. And her feelings for him had only grown.

She felt the minty warmth of his breath on her face as he gently lifted her chin, his thumb caressing her cheek. The cool winter breeze rustled through her hair, but her eyes remained locked on his.

"Greta," he whispered with an intensity to his voice.

Her breath quickened as she responded, the world around her seeming to vanish. "Jonathan."

He leaned in, capturing her lips with his. He pressed his mouth against hers more firmly, and she tasted the hunger he felt for her.

Finally, she was close to him, could feel his heart beating against hers. Finally, the kiss she’d dreamed about since that first, fated night together was happening, and she couldn’t be more elated.

She felt his hands move to cradle her face, one thumb tenderly stroking her cheek, while the other reached around to wrap her in a warm embrace. She responded with equal fervor, her heart pounding, and pulled him closer.

* * *

The next daybrought endless grins to Jonathan’s face. He’d stopped by Tim’s for four hours to watch the twins for Trista while she finished her shopping. School was out for the holidays, and James and Ethan were now energetic nine-year-olds in the fourth grade.

The morning’s temperatures were perfect, and the sky was blue, and they’d asked to go outside for a snowball fight, to which he’d gladly obliged. They’d finished off the morning working on some model airplane sets that Tim had just bought them, so they’d have something to keep them busy over winter break. Jonathan had enjoyed kicking back and spending time with them.

When Trista had returned, he’d headed out after some high-fives with the boys, then stopped in town and grabbed some hot sandwiches from his favorite Italian place. He’d brought them to the bakery to surprise Greta with lunch, and she’d been thrilled because the store had been slammed all morning, since there was only one more day until Christmas Eve.

Greta took his hand and led him to the back, introducing him to those on her staff he hadn’t yet met, and they ate in the store’s office, with the door open, but that hadn’t stopped him from kissing her as soon as they’d stepped inside. She’d returned his affection with just as much enthusiasm before they’d unwrapped the sandwiches and dug in.

“Just for the record, you don’t mind if they all know about…this, now, do you?” He gestured from himself to her and back.

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