Page 15 of Maybe This Christmas
“You know this place has a way of bringing people together or pushing them apart.”
That was the joke.Brandon and Sabrina had gotten engaged shortly after he’d purchased the place and had grown closer as they renovated it.Several other couples had gotten engaged here.More than a few had broken up.
“Maybe there’s something about being in the middle of the woods with limited cell reception and spotty Wi-Fi that has something to do with that,” Caleb said.
Brandon shrugged.“Look, it doesn’t matter to me much one way or another.I just like seeing the lights turn on behind your eyes, Caleb.It’s been a while since I’ve seen you look at anyone like you look at her.”
Caleb winced.Was it that obvious?“Let it drop, please, Brandon.And for the love of god, don’t bring your wife into it.”
He laughed at that.“We both know Sabrina is a biddie in training regarding her sleuthing skills.I won’t say anything, but she’ll put two and two together soon enough.”
That was what Caleb was afraid of.
* * * *
The maple bacon-stuffed French toast deserved better.Emma stared at her half-eaten plate while Davis tapped away on his phone.The Wi-Fi was better in the lodge than in the cabins, so he was far from the only person reconnecting to the outside world over breakfast.
However, he was the only one ignoring his partner because of her supposed flirting with the activities director.She’d hardly call it that.She’d been helpful and friendly.After all, it was one of the things he’d claimed to love about her.They’d met when she’d helped him find his friend Beau, who had the nickname ‘the wandering drunk’.It hadn’t been love at first sight or anything, but they’d ended up together soon after.
She pushed her plate to the side and reached for her coffee cup.Before she could bring it to her lips, one of the staff members refilled it for her.When she murmured thanks, Davis looked up.
He reached for his fork to shove a mouthful of hash brown casserole in.
She couldn’t imagine spending the next two weeks like this.Nor could she imagine spending the rest of herlifewith someone who seemed to only tolerate her, at best.
“Davis.”She cradled her coffee cup between her hands.
“Hmm?”He didn’t look up as he scrolled furiously through his phone.
“Davis, I don’t think this is going to work.”
That caught his attention.“What do you mean?I’m sorry I got jealous when you flirted with the activities director, or whoever he is.But you were making it obvious.”
Emma managed a subtle eye roll.“I was being friendly.I wasn’t flirting.And that wasn’t what I was talking about.”
He had the decency to set his phone down.“Then whatareyou talking about?”
She exhaled.“We both know this isn’t working, Davis.It hasn’t been in a while.I’d hoped maybe we’d come here, and it would reignite our romance.But we’ve been here less than twenty-four hours.We’ve been pretty much constantly bickering when you haven’t been working.”
He narrowed his eyes.“What are you saying, Em?I came here, even though you know it’s not my vibe.I wasn’t aware I’d have to playact like I was into this sort of thing.”
“You don’t have toplayact.But you don’t have to act like a dick, either.So, please, I think you should head back to DC.”
They sat there in stunned silence.Emma, for having said the words, and Davis, for hearing them.
“What do you mean?”He raised his voice loud enough to be overheard by a nearby table of older women.
With blood roaring through her ears and trembling hands, she slipped the too-fancy engagement ring off and slid it over the table.“Don’t act like you’re surprised, Davis.Neither of us has been happy for a while.It was foolish of me to think a change of location would change that.”
He stared at the ring, mouth agape.She braced herself for a tantrum for the ages.
Instead, he exhaled, his shoulders visibly relaxing.“I’m sorry, Em.I’ve been preoccupied with this promotion—”
“This has been going on far longer than that,” she interrupted.“I don’t want things to be horrible between us, Davis.So why don’t you go back to DC and focus on getting ready to move to New York?When I get back, I’ll pack up my things and help get the condo ready to show.”
His mouth opened and closed like a guppy.“Wait, you’re serious?You’re ending things?And you’re stayinghere?”
It was funny—she’d said the words in her mind a thousand times.She figured she’d stutter or struggle to get them out when it came to have the conversation for real.
