Page 76 of All I Want For Christmas Is You

Lorelei got up. “Because my fame makes life difficult. A lot of people use my family to get to me.”

Wait, wait, wait. Did Beau not trust her? Did he think she was here for his money? “I would never do that.”

“No, I know,” Lorelei said. “It’s nothing personal. It’s just how we manage it, you know? It’s been a big problem, so the people closest to me talk about me as their sister, daughter, cousin, whatever, but not as the ‘singer.’”

Not personal? This is my life. On a whim, I ran off with a man I just met. “Of course. I understand.” Even if the motives made sense, she couldn’t imagine why Beau would drop her into this situation—his family Christmas—without giving her a heads-up. “It’s just a bit of a shock. Please, go on and finish opening presents.”

The warmth that had filled her went stone-cold. She sat with them, laughed when appropriate, even helped Colt put together his blocks—Lord knew she had a lifetime of experience with that—but the queasy feeling of distrust didn’t go away.

She couldn’t shake it.

She’d leapt right in. Trusted a man she’d just met because she thought they had some magical connection.

And it turned out, she hardly knew him at all.

Later, after dinner, after stories and bath time for Colt, everyone hugged and said good night and retreated to their rooms.

For the first time since entering the cabin, she was alone with Beau. She’d had a chance to calm down since recognizing Lorelei—but come on, what a shock!—and understood why the family would be so tight-lipped about her. Nobody wanted to be hounded by fans and paparazzi, especially when Colt had been traumatized by them.

But the whole situation highlighted the fact she barely knew this man. She had a sense of his kindness, his generosity. They’d swapped stories about their lives, but it was nothing more than a sketch. Maybe twenty stories out of a million that occurred over a lifetime.

What have I done?

He didn’t need to see her flipping out, so she headed into the bathroom and took a shower, brushed her teeth, and changed into her pajama bottoms and T-shirt.

When she finished, she looked at herself in the mirror. What do I do? Do I go out there and pretend everything’s okay?

No, they’d agreed to talk about their issues. Just do it. She came out to find him sitting on the edge of the mattress. Still rubbing lotion into her hands, she said, “That was quite a surprise.”

“I can imagine. I’m sorry.”

“I get it. The last thing any of us want is paparazzi following us, asking about Lorelei Calloway. I’m sure you’ve all seen the worst side of fame, but I mean, I just don’t get why you wouldn’t give me a heads-up about something this big. Did you think I’d go blabbing to my kids? Were you worried they’d tell their friends, and then the word would spread?”

“This isn’t about trust. You think I’d bring you into my home with my son and grandson if I didn’t completely trust you? I do.” He got up. “You have to understand. I didn’t have her in my life for fifteen years. She’s finally back, and I don’t want to give her any reason not to come here. I wanted to talk to her first, make sure she understood how important you are to me, but she didn’t answer my texts.”

Everything he said made sense. But it didn’t take away her unease because she wasn’t telling him the truth. I don’t know you. Not really. And I’m kind of freaking out about it. “I understand.”

What she needed was a good night’s sleep. She was sure she’d feel better in the morning. Less…lost. She really wished she could spend this first night in the lodge. Because it was one thing for her aunt to take her in—at least, they were related—but here, she didn’t belong. She was imposing on a family’s holiday. “We should get some sleep.” Head down, she moved around him to get to the other side of the bed.

Strong hands gripped her shoulders. “Sweetheart, my daughter’s been through hell. I was trying to make her feel safe, but I also should’ve done that for you.” He tipped her chin, directing her gaze to him.

“It’s just...” She stuttered out a laugh. “I packed up my suitcase and ran out the door. We didn’t think this through. We were impulsive.” She backed away from him. “I’m never impulsive. Just ask my kids.”

But he wouldn’t let her get away. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to a leather recliner. Sitting down, he settled her on his lap and brushed the hair off her shoulder and out of her eyes. “You’re right. We were impulsive. And what I didn’t think through was how it would feel for you to be dropped into my world. I’m thinking about it now, and I imagine you feel like you don’t belong. Like getting into my bed in my home with my clothes in those drawers and my children under this roof makes you feel like a guest.”

“Yes,” she whispered. He’d nailed it.

“There’s only one absolute, and that’s us. So, if you’re not comfortable here, then we’ll move. We’ll get a place of our own. Because we come first.”

“Your family needs you. And you just got Lorelei back.”

“I raised my kids. Now, it’s my turn, and I’m not willing to risk my relationship with you. Look, I can manage all the moving parts of my life if I know what they are. I need to know how you feel, what you’re thinking, and what you need. You need to know you’re my priority. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you feel you belong here.”

She softened in his arms. “I like that. And I’ll let you know how I feel. Even if it’s messy, and I haven’t quite figured it out yet.”

He nodded his agreement. “Nothing’s set in stone. We have to create a space that fits the two of us.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled up to him. “You’re a marvel. An absolute gift. I can’t believe I found you.”

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