Page 75 of All I Want For Christmas Is You

Lorelei’s eyebrows shot up, and Walker smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Margot stepped forward, taking the young woman’s hand. She couldn’t help noticing how cold it was. She’d grab a hot drink to warm her up. “You’re too polite to ask what your dad means, but we met in North Carolina, and your dad asked me to manage the mall for him.”

His daughter’s skeptical look had Beau laughing. “That was the least important part of it. All that matters is I fell hard for her and asked her to move in with me.”

“You what?” Lorelei’s eyebrows hit her hairline.

“I just don’t see how we can spin this.” Shaking her head, Margot handed off Colt and headed into the kitchen. She lit the fire under the pot and skimmed off the skin that had settled on top of the leftover cocoa.

In the living room, she heard Lorelei ask, “Have I landed in an alternate universe? Dad fell hard for a woman and brought her home?”

“Wait’ll you get to know her,” Beau said. “You’ll understand.”

“I don’t even know what to say. I have no words.”

“Good. Because this little guy’s waited long enough.” Paper crinkled, and then Walker said, “Here. This one’s yours. It’s from me and Colt.”

Margot pulled a mug out of a cabinet and filled it, then came out to join them. “Here you go. This should warm you up.”

Lorelei took the mug and sipped. “Oh, my God. This is insanely good. Almost as good as Coco’s Chocolates. We totally have to take Colt there.”

“How do you know about Coco’s?” her brother asked. “Before the music festival, you didn’t eat sugar.”

“Yeah, well, the Singing Baker’s pastries changed me. They were to die for.”

A strange sensation came over Margot, like she was on a rocking boat. Her vision wavered.

Music?

Hadn’t Beau said Lorelei and her mom were in the music industry? She looked more closely at the woman. Over Lorelei’s face, she superimposed bright red lipstick. She slapped on a wig with straight, blond hair, and she exchanged the overalls for a sequined dress.

And she got—

Holy shit. It’s Lorelei Calloway.

The world’s biggest pop and country star.

That’s Beau’s daughter?

But…how did that make sense in a cozy cabin on the outskirts of Calamity?

It took a moment for the pieces to start falling into place.

He’d said Courtney had broken contracts. Right, so, Courtney Jarrett. Lorelei’s mom’s the woman who’s been all over the media for breaking contracts.

And then, it all came rushing in. Margot had been deep in her cave, so she’d missed most of it, but she’d seen the media reports of Lorelei’s ex and best friend in a store in Montana or camping in Idaho. It had been big news since Lorelei hadn’t been heard from, and no one knew if the band was still together.

The moment turned surreal, and Margot got a woozy feeling.

As the family opened presents and drank cocoa, Margot stared at the singer. Without makeup, she looked pale, and her darker roots were noticeably growing out.

The woman must’ve felt her staring because she looked up.

Margot had made her uncomfortable, but she just couldn’t wrap her head around it. “You’re Lorelei Calloway.”

The singer’s attention jerked to her dad, but Beau stood up and came over to her. “Yes.”

“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me?”

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