Page 38 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

Her mom stood and went into the kitchen. Hopefully she’d have an idea to see them through this, because Tana was at a loss.

“I want my ski lessons. I want myskis,” Lindsey sobbed.

“We’ll get the skis,” she whispered fiercely in her daughter’s ear. “Of course I’m not going to leave your skis behind. But lessons...” The only words she had for Lindsey were the ones her mother had given her. “We’ll figure everything out.”

It didn’t seem to make Lindsey feel any better, and Tana understood it deeply. At this moment, knowing that they would figure things out wasn’t enough. They still needed to grieve the things they’d lost. Tana’s own dreams about Elk Lodge and Chase and the future had been a pipedream, and Lindsey more than likely had her own fantastic vision for their future.

But she reminded herself sternly as she stroked Lindsey’s hair and whispered into her ear, she couldn’t keep letting this shake her. What Lindsey needed now was a mother who had her life together. Someone who knew what was going to come next and tackled it without melting down. Feelings had merit—they did. She’d tried to instill that in her daughter. Still, there came a time when wallowing in feelings of heartbreak wasn’t productive. It wouldn’t do anyone any good.

Tana had broken her daughter’s heart for the last time. There would be no more passionate flings with men—not that she had them often, but now, that was all done. There would be no more casual friendships that led her daughter to believe that they would live happily ever after with a man who’d become her daddy.

The future stretched out in front of her, and as much as Tana was determined to make it by herself, it seemed...bleak. Empty. It wasn’t empty, of course. She’d have her parents, and she’d have Lindsey. She’d have a lot of hard work to do to get them back on their feet. The fierce burst of energy she’d had a minute ago faded.

“It’ll be all right,” she told Lindsey again. “Because we have each other.”

As the words came out of her mouth, a bone-deep weariness settled over Tana’s body. God, she was so tired of being alone, even if it was the right thing to do for her daughter. Tana’s throat went tight and her face heated. Oh, no—not again. She took a set of deep breaths—one, two, three, four, release—and calmed herself.

In that calm, another question surfaced among her thoughts. She hadn’t paused to think about what Chase’s position was in all of this. She’d driven away from him without giving him the chance to tell her what happened. Tana had left him in the rearview mirror and not looked back. Maybe she should go to him, give him a chance.

No.Tana wasn’t going to make that kind of decision tonight. Maybe not ever. What shewasgoing to do was take care of her daughter and take care of herself.

“Are you hungry, sweetheart?”Lindsey nodded against her shoulder and rested her forehead there, the familiar warmth of her settling into Tana’s skin. “Then let’s eat, and we’ll go to bed. It’ll all look so much better in the morning.”

By the time Tana tucked her daughter into bed, she knew what she had to do. There was no way she was going through this again. She might not be able to avoid talking to the police or the press, but she was innocent. And she was tired of being falsely accused and dragged through the mud by others. Even if she was charged, they had no proof since she hadn’t done anything wrong, but it wouldn’t stop the other employees and her bosses from wondering.

It was time to leave and start over. On her terms. She’d pack up her belongings and turn in her resignation once she’d fully moved out of the cottage, but she was done with Elk Lodge. And Chase.

22

CHASE

Chase sank into his sofa with a sigh. That hadn’t gone well.

The sun was finally sinking beneath the horizon on what turned out to be the longest day of his life. Tana had stormed off and left him there in the lobby, and she’d been right to do it. Leaving Jonas’s office had been ahugemistake. He picked up his phone for the hundredth time and scrolled through the apps to his gallery. He pulled up photos of Tana and Lindsey. He’d taken them one day after Tana’s lessons had finished for the day and she and Lindsey had skied together. They’d goofed off at the top of the hills by the chairlift, making faces for the camera and laughing. Lindsey had worn her brand-new Frozen skis. The picture twisted at his heart.

The doorbell rang, and Chase got up so quickly his phone tumbled to the ground. If it was Tana at the door—

His grandmother stood there, dressed neatly in a winter coat. She looked him up and down. “Hello, Chase,” she said finally. “I was wondering if you had time for a quick chat.”

He and his grandmother were almost never at odds, but right now he felt like a giant disappointment. If she told him he’d screwed things up royally for everybody involved, well...it wouldn’t be anything he hadn’t already told himself.

“Of course I do.” He stepped back to let her in. “Want to sit in the living room?”

“Sure, but I’m not staying long. I have a few things to say to you.” His grandmother stepped out of her boots and folded her coat over her arm. His parents had given it to her one Christmas when Chase was younger than Lindsey, and it looked almost as good as the day she unwrapped it. His grandmother had always been a woman of wealth who refused to spend it on what she considered excess.

Chase followed her back to the living room, where she took a seat in the wide armchair opposite the couch.

His grandmother cleared her throat. “Listen to me carefully. I have always loved you, and you know that.”

“I do,” he said miserably, sitting down on the couch to face her. “I love you, too.”

“And it’s not because you took after your grandfather and became a fantastic skier, though, of course, you were.” His grandmother smiled at him, and the warmth in her expression eased some of the pain in his heart. She’d spoken in the past tense and for the first time it didn’t seem to matter as much. “I’ve loved you because you’re my grandsonandbecause you have so many wonderful qualities. My favorite thing about your skiing career was that it let you showcase your persistence. Your dedication.”

She shook her head, her eyes going distant. “You’ve always gone after the things you wanted most with your whole heart, and it never seemed to matter that you won or made lots of money. It was about doing your best. And giving everybody around you your best.”

Chase swallowed a lump in his throat. Maybe he’d been that person once. “I—I don’t know what to say.” He felt wretched about it. Torn up. “That hasn’t been how.... things have gone lately.”

“Maybe not,” his grandmother said diplomatically. “Things have been hard. But I know deep inside you’re still my fierce and determined grandson. And I’m here to suggest that you should apply that same determination to make sure the woman you love doesn’t get away.” She looked him directly in the eye. “I heard all about what happened with Tana and I don’t believe a word of what that man says, but I also need to stand by Jonas until the investigation is over. However, no investigation should keep you from going after the woman you love. I’d sure love to have her sweet daughter as my great-grandchild before I die.”

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