Page 4 of All I Want For Christmas Is You

We have no savings.

I’ll be working every day for the rest of my life.

I am completely alone.

In the bedroom, drawers slammed shut and hangers whacked the wall as he pulled off his shirts. Minutes later, he came out with his bag bulging.

At the door, he stopped. “I’m sorry, Margot. I am.” For a split second, remorse flashed in his eyes, but it died like a spark hitting the lake. “Like I said, I’ll cover the rent and the car. The only thing I ask is that you’re out of the apartment this Saturday, so I can get the rest of my stuff.”

The moment he left, Margot got busy. First, she quit her job. Then, she made phone calls, looked at maps, and evaluated possibilities.

On Thursday morning, she packed her car.

They’d only taken enough from the Greenwich house to outfit a one-bedroom apartment. Everything else they’d ever owned had been sold, dumped, or shoved into a storage unit. Besides, she didn’t need much anyway. She took her clothes, the fancy new television Owen bought them for Christmas, the toaster—because she was all about buttery bread—half the silver and dishware, her computer and office supplies, two sets of sheets and towels, and the lovely duvet she’d ordered from Switzerland for their twentieth anniversary.

And then, she blocked his number, walked out the door, and drove off.

Destination unknown.

Chapter One

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

Beau Gentry didn’t know what it was about their server, but he couldn’t stop watching her. There was something so genuine about her. She interacted with customers as if she truly enjoyed them—not because she was looking for tips.

And her scent—it was probably just perfume, but it stirred up feelings of clean sheets, warm bodies, and lazy Sunday mornings. Bagels and coffee in bed. Whispers and quiet laughter.

He shook his head. What the hell? He’d never thought about a woman that way before.

His daughter came back from the bathroom and dropped into her seat. “Do you want dessert?”

Normally, he wouldn’t. He’d enjoyed his steak and potatoes with a side salad, and that was enough. But his girl had a sweet tooth, and since she wouldn’t get to come home for Christmas this year, he wanted to spoil her rotten. “You bet.”

“Oh, good.” When she opened the menu, her long, curly hair spilled forward, and she had that intense look of concentration she’d had as a little girl trying to figure out where to put a puzzle piece. “The salted caramel cheesecake sounds yummy.” Her eyes widened. “Oh. Chocolate lava cake?”

Beau smiled. He didn’t care what she got. He was just happy to be here with his princess. The bluegrass band played a lively tune, the decor in this historic lodge was festive, and if he didn’t have to get home, he’d stay in town longer. He didn’t want to leave her all alone over the holidays. But with a few weeks to go until she earned her master’s degree, she had to stay in Merry Falls to finish her thesis, and it required work in a lab.

“Then again, that trio of gelatos sounds amazing.” Jessa’s forehead creased with concern.

Knowing his youngest was overwhelmed with stress, Beau reached across the table and closed the menu. “Let’s get one of each.”

“Really?” In that moment, she might as well have been ten years old, trampling down the stairs to see whether Santa had brought the mountain bike she’d requested. “I can get one of each dessert on the menu?”

He smiled. “Merry Christmas, sweet pea.” He picked up the server’s scent before she came into view, and he didn’t understand his body’s reaction. Smell and emotion were stored as one memory, so he had to assume she wore the same perfume as someone from his childhood. Though he couldn’t imagine who.

“So, what did you guys decide?” She gave them a warm smile.

While other staff wore name badges, this woman didn’t. Then again, she didn’t seem to have one specific job here. When he’d checked in, he’d noticed her scattering salt on the driveway in anticipation of snow. The next morning, he’d found her in the lobby café working on her laptop. That same afternoon, he’d come upon her on his walk through the woods.

Maybe she owned the place?

Honestly, he didn’t know why he was so preoccupied with her.

“Apparently, my Christmas present is one of each dessert.” His daughter had a teasing glint in her eyes as she handed over her menu.

“Lucky girl,” the server said. “Coffee with that?”

The simple question triggered the realization that he knew exactly what this woman would order. Each morning, when he got some work done at the coffee bar, he noticed she ordered two drinks: a skim decaf latte and a vanilla chai latte.

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