Page 23 of Maybe This Christmas
Caleb looked up and found the one member of the wait staff with whom he was familiar—Dutch, Sabrina’s best friend Eleanor’s son.They’d lived with Sabrina until last summer, when Eleanor and Dutch had moved into a farmhouse outside of town.She’d recently retired as Falling Leaves sheriff.
“Yo, Caleb!I heard you’re going on a date with one of the guests.Since when can we do that?Because there’s a hottie in cabin—”
Caleb clamped a hand over Dutch’s mouth and pushed him into the bathroom.At seventeen, Dutch was several inches taller than Caleb.No wonder he was currently weighing which Division One college he wanted to attend on a basketball scholarship in the fall.
“It’s not a date.It’s dinner.It was supposed to be in the dining room with the rest of the guests, but Sabrina thinks she’s funny.”
Dutch slapped off Caleb’s hand.“You know I wasn’t serious?I mean, hell, you can hook up with guests if you want to.If Sabrina thinks that none of us are, well…” He trailed off and held up his hands.
“Don’t tell me things I don’t want to know, Dutch.Seriously.You know I’m not good under biddie interrogation.Sabrina is well on her way to joining their ranks.”
Dutch mimed zipping his lips.“I know how that is.They’ve been trying to recruit my mom ever since she retired.Now she’s playing into their schemes.Your secret is safe if mine is.”
“It’s not a secret!”
Dutch grinned.“Okay, okay.Call it what you want.Be glad that I’m your waiter tonight.I’ll keep things light and fun.Considering you look like a deer about to jump in front of a truck.”
God, his anxious energy must be bad if a teenage boy, of all people, was picking up on it.
He groaned and edged past Dutch.“Don’t make her uncomfortable.This is just a nice, hospitable gesture.”
Dutch headed for one of the stalls.He stuck his head out before he closed it.“Whatever you say, boss.”
Caleb groaned as his phone buzzed with a message from Sabrina.Apparently, some of his messages had made it through after all.
Just tell her that a couple had to cancel at the last minute due to the weather.Don’t scare her off with one of your gloomy glares.
He groaned.Of course, Sabrina had an answer for everything.She was their mother’s child, after all.
He made his way across the hall toward the private dining room.Both doors were closed, although a flickering light could be seen through the frosted glass.He checked the time on his smartwatch.Seven on the dot.He rubbed his hands together.Why was he so nervous?This wasn’t even a date, and besides, it wasn’t like he hadn’t dated since the divorce.He’d gone on three dates in total.Two setups were arranged by the biddies.The last was by Olivia—which was awkward, as he’d imagined it would be.He’d forbidden her from setting him up after that.Once or twice, women he’d met in passing.But he put himself out there on occasion.
So, what was this strange feeling?
As if the universe was in on some divine joke, Emma rounded the corner.She’d come in through the back door, but somehow he’d missed her.Snowflakes clung to her dark hair and jacket.Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled.
Well, fuck.So much for keeping this platonic.
“Hi, Caleb,” Emma said softly.“It’s really starting to come down out there.”She took off her gloves and shoved them in her coat pocket.“Are we eating in the dining room?”
He tried to speak, but a boulder had taken up residence in his throat.He coughed into his arm.“Actually, no.We’re going to eat in here.Sabrina said that a party canceled at the last minute.She didn’t want the room to go to waste.”
He pushed open the doors.Emma stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
“If it’s too weird, we can totally eat in the dining room.”
Emma turned toward him.“I’m not weirded out if you’re not.”She took in his expression.“You kind of look like you are.”
He cleared his throat and shifted his weight.“No!Not at all.Well, maybe a little.But it’s nothing to do with you and everything to do with Sabrina being pushy.”
Emma grinned.“Well, I suppose I should take off my coat then, if we’re going to stay?”
Her hands worked on the last button, and she began to shrug off her coat.Caleb came behind her and drew it over her shoulders.His fingers grazed against a tendril of the dark hair at the nape of her neck.She was ice cold.
He pulled her coat off and she turned to face him.In the dim light, he could make out a pattern of reindeer along her dark dress.
“Your dress is adorable,” he said.“Not everyone can pull off reindeer.”
She pulled at the fabric.“They’re subtle—not everyone notices.”
