Page 8 of Maybe This Christmas
Caleb ran a hand over his jaw.“They need help.Their activities director quit right before Christmas.You know how Sabrina and Brandon are.It’s the first year the resort has been open, and they want everything to go perfectly.They need an extra set of hands—it doesn’t matter who it is.”
She leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee.It was still early in Park City, but Olivia was never one to sleep in.
“Well, maybe it’ll be good for you to step outside your box a little bit.I didn’t love the idea of you being holed up in your place until we came home anyway.”
“Ugh, I was hoping you’d be the one to try and talk me out of it.I’m not exactly the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed type.”
“Well, no, you’re not exactly like a cruise director fromThe Love Boat.But that doesn’t mean you won’t be good at it.It’s only for a few weeks, anyhow.”Olivia took a long pull from her coffee cup.“Besides, you’ve been lingering for a while now, Caleb.You should talk to your Dad about the future of the business, especially since he wants to fully retire soon.Do you want to take it over, for good?”
Olivia still knew him better than anyone.There was no point in hiding it from her.“I don’t know.You’re right, though.I need to make up my mind about my future.”
When they’d lived in North Carolina, he’d taught the odd university class here and there.It was fine, but the kids were more concerned with using AI to finish their papers than learning anything.
She let out a laugh.“Yeah, I know.You worked sixty hours a week and barely saw the kids.You seem happier now.But like your life is missing something.You need to give that big brain of yours something to do.”
He groaned and stood up, taking his phone with him.“If you even say I’m missing romance, I’m gonna reach through this phone and poke you in the eye.”
She laughed.“My dude, you are a romantic at heart.It’s not good for you to be by yourself.”She leaned closer to the camera.“You know—”
He set the phone face down as he opened the cupboard.“If you’re going to tell me you know the perfect person to hook me up with, I’m going to hang up on you.It’s too weird, Olivia.”
“Turn me right-side up, Caleb.”
He did as she’d asked, dropping a coffee pod into the machine.“I wasn’t going to say that.I was going to say that it might not be a bad idea for you to do this job to broaden your horizons.And to maybe get used to talking to women that you aren’t related to, formerly married to, or are one of the biddies.”
He groaned at the mention of the biddies.He’d received a message from Babs Dodge about their toy drive, basically voluntelling him that he’d be participating even though he was working at Sky House.The only upside was that he’d been relieved of Santa duties, which his father would now handle.If there was one thing he didn’t miss about living in a small town, it was the biddies—especially now that his sister was starting to meddle like one of them as well.
“So, you’re saying I should hunt for women at my sister and brother-in-law’s business?”
Olivia groaned.“Stop being willfully obtuse.I just mean that this would be a good opportunity for you totalkto people.And women are people.You and I met in college.You had one high school girlfriend before me.You need to get comfortable small talking.Then you can move up to flirting from there.”
The coffee machine hissed as it poured coffee into hisBest Dad in the Galaxymug.“Okay, fine.You have a point.I’ll give it a try.Because we both know my family isn’t going to leave me alone either way.”
She laughed.“This isn’t the hill you want to die on, Caleb.”
A sleepy-eyed Ashley appeared behind Olivia.“Not that I’ve been eavesdropping the entire time, but she’s right.It’ll do you good.”
Olivia leaned back and kissed Ashley on the cheek.“We’ll give you a call back later when the kids wake up.Bye, love you!”
The video call ended abruptly.Caleb tapped open the messaging app on his phone and typed a one-handed message to Sabrina.
Fine, you’ve got me.Tell me when to be there.
* * * *
“All I’m sayingis that a weekend away is quite a bit different from over two weeks at a mountain lodge in the middle of nowhere.I barely have one bar, how am I supposed to make calls?”
Emma was only half paying attention to Davis as they rolled up to the resort.The scene before her was straight out of a holiday movie.A large A-framed lodge sat front and center of a circular drive.The lodge was decked out with decorations.Garlands with holly and ribbons wrapped around the wooden posts holding up the expansive carport to the side.Through the picture windows, she saw the hustle and bustle in the lobby.The high-pitched ceilings had to be at least twenty feet tall.A Christmas tree stretched as far as it could toward the roof.
This was the kind of Christmas she’d always dreamed about.Gram had tried her best, but they’d never had much, living on government assistance.Before Mom died, she’d tried to make Christmas magical for Emma.But she’d had other priorities.
“Emma.”Davis’ tone was as frosty as the newfound snow clinging to the windshield.“Are you even listening to me?”
She gestured toward the window.“Would you please take a minute to look around you?I’m impressed, and we haven’t even gotten out of the car yet.”
“You know I’m not exactly a Christmas person.”
Oh, Emma knew.She’d hoped to find a new family when she and Davis married.Unfortunately, his family was the type to go on ski trips on the holiday, stopping only to bicker while they got drunkaprès-skistyle.
