Page 120 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

“It wouldn’t have hurt,” Mara grumbled. She set the church on top of parchment paper inside its own box.

“It wouldn’t have solved his trust issues though,” Kaitlyn pointed out, shaking her head. “That man was dead set on suspecting you ofsomething. It probably would have continued to be a problem.”

Mara sighed and tried to latch onto that as the final word in the matter. But it was hard. Because every time she came across a different part of her village that Chris had helped set up or decorate, her mind flashed back to him. Back to those tender, real parts that she’d seen during their time together. The parts that she’d fallen for, once upon a time. The parts that she’d fallen for again, so quickly. So easily.

The real Chris was still in there, and she’d found him.

But the real Chris doesn’t want to hear you out.Not that she’d given him much of a reason.She had been secretive and mistrustful of his motives, and she’d assumed the worst about him before he’d arrived back in Glenford.

They were both to blame. Not that there was anything she could do about it. He was off to travel the globe and Mara would remain here. Alone. And that was that.

Kaitlyn and Mara transported the gingerbread village to the local charity with care. Once it was safely deposited and setup in its new home, Kaitlyn gave her sister a hug before darting off to a dinner date as she announced that this was their third date. Mara watched her go, smiling wistfully.

Thinking of Chris yet again.

The only option was to get busy. In the wake of her reality show loss,busymeant diving headfirst into her catering business. She got to work getting her receipts in order for the end of the year, spent some time communicating with customers about upcoming events, even fielded a few new client calls now that her name had appeared in local papers and online. People were interested in what she had to offer. Losing to Chris wasn’t all bad. Maybe her dream of opening a bakery wouldn’t have to be pushed too far back.

Chris was a distant memory. Even though he crossed her mind no less than thirty times each day as she wondered where he was, whether he was halfway to Dubai, and whether he still thought of her even half as often as she thought of him.

When a knock sounded on her front door Wednesday afternoon, she jolted from her desk in the front room. She approached the door hesitantly. She wasn’t expecting anyone, that was for sure. She peered through the peephole, her mouth parting at the sight beyond.

Mara clamped a hand over her mouth.

Chris stood on the other side of her door. Tall and handsome as ever, his dark hair expertly styled. Those blue eyes focused right on the peephole, as though he could sense her looking through.

She brought a shaky hand to the doorknob and slowly cracked the door open. She peered through the slit.

“Can I help you?”

He held up his hands, showing off the wreath he carried. It was an enormous green monstrosity, decked with holly and a huge golden bow. It was the type of Christmas gaudy that sheloved. “Hey. I noticed you don’t have a wreath.”

She blinked a few times, letting his odd intro settle into her. Then suddenly, a laugh burst out of her.

“Uh, you’re right.” She opened the door a few more inches, tucking some hair behind her ear. She was definitely in work-from-home mode, which meant leggings and an oversized shirt with no bra. Not at all like the glossy New Yorker before her. “Is that why you came over?”

He shrugged, eyeing her door. “Want me to hang it?”

“Sure.” There was already a hook on the door, one of the pre-Christmas preparations she’d managed to get done, without any of the decorations that should follow. Chris delicately lined up the hook with the metallic coil behind the wreath, his tongue poking out as he arranged it just so.

“There.” He offered a small smile, his gaze shifting to her. “Now you have a wreath.”

She rolled her lips inward, feeling awkwardness blossom between them. This was…strange. But it wasn’t unwelcome. “I haven’t gotten to the decorations yet. I keep meaning to, but I’ve been so busy catching up…”

“Is your tree up?” Chris asked.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Can I see it?”

She eyed him a moment, unsure of his angle. Coming to her house for a pre-Christmas decoration inspection? It seemed like a plot to get inside her house, and if it was, well…she was a willing victim. “Sure.”

She stepped aside, welcoming him in. His leather shoes clicked on the wood floor of her foyer as he stepped inside, looking around. This was the first time he’d been to her house…and come to think of it, she wasn’t even sure how he knew where she lived.

“How’d you get my address?” she asked quietly.

“Your mom.”

“Hm.” Mara nodded as she headed for the tree in her living room. When she turned to look back at him, his gaze sizzled over her. There was so much unspoken between them. So much yet they had to say.

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