Page 80 of Maybe This Christmas
E
There was a fifty-fifty chance Davis would let it go.But either way, she wouldn’t be bullied into submission, not anymore.
She placed the letter atop his keyboard as Caleb appeared in the doorway.“You ready to go?”
She dropped the fountain pen back into the drawer and closed it.“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Chapter Thirty
They arrived back at Sky House sometime after sunrise.Caleb and Emma walked in, hand-in-hand.Emma took a moment to pause at the front desk.
“It’s hard to believe it was only a couple of weeks ago when I first saw you standing there.It feels like years.”
He chuckled.“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“A good thing.It feels like I’ve known you forever.”
Caleb wrapped both arms around her.“When you know, you know, right?”
She rested her head against his chest.“Thank you again, Caleb.”
“For what?”
“For not giving up on me.Even when I gave up on myself.”
He exhaled and pulled her closer.“I think we both knew you’d find your way back here eventually.I’m glad it was sooner, rather than later.”
Sabrina and Brandon appeared from around the corner, wearing matching ugly Christmas sweaters featuring a choir of cats proclaimingMeowy Christmas.
“There you two are.I figured you’d want a moment to yourselves after spending the last day with the biddies.”
Caleb snorted at that.“Like you aren’t in cahoots with them half the time.”
She gave an impish shrug.“I mean, they do get things right sometimes.”
“They’re two for two now,” Brandon added.
“So now maybe you’ll all stop protesting and just listen to us from now on?”Lainey popped out from behind the big Christmas tree.
“Maybe when you stop spying on us,” Sabrina countered.“I see you, Inez, you can come out.”
Inez appeared from the other side of the tree.
“Fine, come on.It’s time for breakfast, anyhow.”
Over breakfast, plans were hashed out for where Emma would be living once her stay at Sky House ended on January first.She decided to take up Sabrina’s offer to live in her guest suite in her beautiful home in town.It was the busy season at the lodge, so Sabrina wouldn’t be home as much.In exchange for a reasonable rent, she would take care of her two cats, Sarah and Jareth, and perform general upkeep on the property.
She was grateful that Sabrina had offered this opportunity.As much as she wanted to move in with Caleb right away, it was too early for such a drastic step.After all, they had his children to consider.She had her first unofficial meeting with the girls when Caleb video-called them after breakfast.She stayed in the background, only popping in the frame to say hello at the insistence of Caleb’s ex-wife, Olivia.
It still felt odd…knowing Caleb had a family of his own.All the more reason to take things at their own pace.After all, there was no rush.Still, a part of her loved the idea of having children in her life, aside from Aniyah’s kids, who she only saw a few times a year.She tried not to get ahead of herself, but she loved the idea of getting to know the girls.
They retreated to her cabin after breakfast to spend some much-needed time together.Emma took a moment to take it in as they entered, remembering the feelings of doubt and dread she’d had when she’d fled this place.
Now, as she looked around, she felt only comfort.She’d made the right choice.
Caleb sat on the edge of the bed.“Hey.”
She grinned.“Hey.”
