13

So much for clarity. All her little jaunt that day had done was roil up even more confusing emotions. She shouldn’t have just shoved the book in his hand and bolted, but she’d panicked a little. It wasn’t that she truly cared what Sean decided to do with the diary, but their entire exchange, his talking about his family with such pride and fierce loyalty, had only served to make her feel that much more an oddball in contrast. Her life was so vastly different from his. Had she really thought she’d so seamlessly fit in? Yes, it was easy when she was with Sean, but that was only so many hours of each day. What about all the rest of them?

The bells on the shop door jingled out front, making her heart lurch. She wasn’t ready to see him again, talk to him again, but it wasn’t Sean. It was one of the appraisers. Mrs. Gillespie was really on the ball with this thing. Holly greeted him and was soon swallowed back up in the ongoing, and for the first time, blessed distraction of dismantling her mother’s old life.

It wasn’t until much, much later, that she had another chance to think about her own.

Sitting in the office, she finally closed the folder on the growing stack of papers she was accumulating as the final closing of the shop was all coming together. She rubbed her eyes, then the back of her neck, as she thought about what her mother would say when she returned from her trip to find that Holly had sold off the stock…and leased the store to Mrs. Gillespie. Maybe she should have found someone completely out of her mother’s orbit to take over the space, or just put it up for sale. “Lock, stock, and creepy Santa Clauses,” she muttered.

But she was helping make someone else’s dream come true, and ownership of the building was an asset for her. It was something solid, a move toward building some kind of future for herself—at least investment-wise—beyond renting a flat and working in a field that was more security blanket than passionate goal. She picked up the envelope that Mrs. Gillespie had dropped off earlier. The woman might be old and eccentric, but now that she had her own passionate goal clearly within her grasp, she certainly wasn’t wasting any time. Holly smiled briefly, remembering Mrs. Gillespie’s response to her when she’d made a similar comment as she’d been handed the legal-size package.

“I’m seventy-eight years old; time isn’t exactly a commodity I can afford to waste.” She’d folded her hands in front of her once Holly had the envelope in her hands, and added, “It’s not at any age, if you truly understand the value of life.” Then she’d walked out and left Holly to deal with the appraiser.

She thought about going for some dinner before opening up the packet and seeing exactly what her new tenant was proposing. Apparently unwilling to wait for Holly to come up with a price, she’d gone ahead and put together a proposal. Which, as far as Holly was concerned, was a relief. She’d run it by her lawyer and the accountant he’d recommended she retain and see if they thought it was a viable offer, and barring any wild requests or lowball rent arrangements, she was certain they’d have a deal.

And then what?

Her thoughts shifted to Sean. She wasn’t even sure what to do this evening, much less the rest of her life. After her little theatrical exhibition in his office, he’d left her to her own business, presumably to regain some semblance of sanity. Which, to be honest, she appreciated. It had been both an emotionally charged and an emotionally draining week. She just hoped he understood that. And was fairly certain he did. In fact, that was the thing about Sean that drew her the most. He was understanding, willing to talk things out, a good communicator, and not afraid to tell her when he thought his ideas might have more merit.

So, did she go over there, talk with him? He was probably in the midst of the dinner rush at the moment, so probably not the best time. Was she supposed to just show up back at his house tonight? She felt like they should talk again first, reconnect, before she just strolled into his house. Goldilocks, indeed.

Deciding that looking at the proposal was less complicated, she slid out the documents and slid the cover letter to the side to glance over the basic setup of her proposed lease agreement. The payment structure actually seemed fair, though she’d still vet it with her lawyer and accountant, but…she peered closer. What was that part about…“commission for works sold will be kept separate and apart from any and all tenant–owner contractual obligations for the…what?” Frowning, Holly flipped through the rest, then finally went back to the cover letter. “What the hell is she talking about, commission on works done? Done by what? Or who?”

Then she picked up the cover letter and started reading…and realized it wasn’t simply a form letter, but a descriptive part of the proposal. She read through the whole thing, slowly sinking back in her chair…as Mrs. Gillespie presented to Holly what her future in Virginia could actually be. All mapped out and wrapped in a very wonderful bow. “Huh,” she said, unable to articulate her stunned surprise any more clearly. It was all…a lot to think about, but already, she felt her pulse thrumming with excitement. Could she really do this? Did she dare?

She was so lost in thought, in trying to quell the burgeoning hope before thinking the whole thing through with a more rational, practical eye, that she apparently didn’t hear the sleigh bells ring on the shop door. So she about jumped out of her skin at the knock that came on her door. She really had to get better about locking the damn shop door.

“Hey, there…hungry?”

She looked up to find Sean filling her doorway. And everything inside of her bloomed to life. That was the effect he’d always had on her, even as a little girl. Why was she fighting so hard to figure out why things wouldn’t work between them, instead of fighting to find any way possible to keep him around forever? Well, thanks to Mrs. Gillespie, of all people, now she just might have the remaining answers she needed to do just that.

“Starved,” she said. She tossed the letter aside, excited to discuss everything with him, get his take, realizing how much she’d already come to value his opinion. It was comforting, and the sense of real security she needed, the first building block of a foundation to a new life that was so vital…. Oh, my God, she thought, she was really going to do this. But first things first. She pushed her chair back and stood, coming around the desk as he entered with delicious smelling take out boxes.

“Beef stew again, but—”

“It smells like heaven, and I probably should feel horrible for taking you away from your busiest time at the restaurant, but—”

“You know,” he said, putting the boxes down on the chair and leaning against her desk so he could pull her into his arms. “I’m starting to discover that I’ve trained my people better than I realized. As it turns out, the world doesn’t come to an end after all if I step out for a few minutes, or hours.” He grinned and it was cutely self-deprecating. “In fact, I’ve been informed that there is a general appreciation for me getting a new life and not micro-managing theirs for a change.”

“Anything I can do to help with that?” she asked, smiling back.

“As a matter of fact…” He pulled her in closer and kissed her.

He smelled of warmth, and kitchen cooking, and everything she’d ever wanted. After a life of feeling like she didn’t fit in, from childhood on up, and always being that square peg…she finally felt like she was fitting in. Right where she was supposed to be. And when she kissed him, she poured all of that into it, everything she was feeling—her excitement about the possible new chance for her future, to reach her own goals, goals she’d never allowed herself to even contemplate.

When he finally came up for air, his gaze was more than a little unfocused. “Wow,” was all he said. “I…wow.”

She laughed a little, then grew more serious. “Sean, I’m sorry about the way I acted with the diary. I just—”

“No, don’t apologize. Sometimes, coming from such a large family, from such a broad foundation of love and support, I forget that other people don’t have that, and I felt kind of selfish in being more concerned with preserving that than really thinking that what might be best for that one person is worth a little disturbance. I should trust in the strength of the very foundation I do have.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I think we need to find out who Trudy Haversham-Hamilton gave birth to…and if he’s a Gallagher. In fact, I’ve already put things in motion.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You have? Already? But I just gave you the diary—”

“You started the path, and I’m going to finish it. I contacted the great-nephew—”

“You contacted a Hamilton first? Sean, do you think that was wise? They’re the ones who stand to lose—”

“I did some digging, on Lionel’s only remaining heir, Trevor Hamilton. He lives in North Carolina and has built what amounts to a private social services firm designed to help those in need, especially young entrepreneurs. His wife, Emma, used to work for Lionel. They’ve been married about three years now and, from what I could dig up, she’d started a pet-sitting service down there but moved on and branched out into building her own rescue service and permanent sanctuary for animals who can’t be placed in homes. Everything, apparently from hamsters to horses. It’s really quite the operation.”

“They sound like an amazing couple.”

“I thought so, too. Trevor has built his business from the ground up. No Hamilton money. And given what he and his wife have devoted their lives to, I really don’t see where they’d be the grasping, greedy ones, wanting to screw a potential blood relative out of what was rightly theirs. So, I thought I’d start there.”

Holly smiled. “I think you did amazingly well in only a few hours.”

He smiled back. “I have to keep up with you, don’t I?”

“So…what happens next?”

“Trevor was planning on coming up to see his great-uncle for the holidays anyway. Apparently Lionel has been in ill health for some time now. So I set up a meeting with him. His wife will be with him. And we’ll talk about what is the best step to take.” He shrugged. “Then, I guess I’ll start working from this end, to figure out if it’s really true, if someone in my family is really related, then put them in contact and…let the rest work itself out however it happens.”

She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him. “Thank you.” She smiled. “For reaching.”

He grinned. “Holly, I know sometimes I seem like I know everything, like having my background makes things easy for me. It’s different, and it’s wonderful, but I’m just as apt to make mistakes as anyone. I don’t want to make a mistake with you. And I don’t want my possible single-and sometimes narrow-mindedness when it comes to my clan, to prevent someone I love from finding out what might truly be meant for them. And that includes me.”

Holly stared into his eyes and knew this was a man she could spend the rest of her life falling in love with. “Sean Gallagher…how in the world did I get so lucky?”

He laughed. “I’m really glad you see it that way.”

“I really, really see it that way.”

He was still smiling but looked more closely into her eyes. That was another thing she was coming to love about him. He didn’t miss much. Which could prove to be a problem, she supposed, when she’d rather remain more enigmatic about something…but she wouldn’t trade it.

“What else is going on behind those beautiful browns?” he asked. “You look…”

“Happy? Excited? A bit terrified?”

“Uh…yeah, actually. Is it about the shop?”

She nodded. “And you. And me. And my future.” She looked directly into his eyes. “Here in Virginia.”

He went still. She swore, in fact, that she felt his heart stop. The hope that sprang to his eyes, no matter how much he might be trying to restrain it, was all she needed to see. This was as huge, as important, to him, as it was to her.

“Virginia?” he asked.

She nodded. “Mrs. Gillespie dropped her lease proposal off with me today. She wants to lease the first and second floors of the building, but she wants me to retain the third floor. And use it as an art studio. Then sell my paintings and artwork on commission through her antique and collectibles store.”

Sean’s eyes went wide. “That’s…brilliant, actually.”

“I know, right?” Holly jumped up and down a little, unable, any longer, to keep her excitement under control. “It’s terrifying as hell…and yes, brilliant. And…I really think I’m going to do it! It feels really, really right.”

Sean laughed and stood up and spun her around. She was starting to like that about him. A lot.

“Do you have a little more time,” she asked, “before you need to go back?”

“I brought dinner for two; I thought I’d eat with you. Then yes, I do have to go back, but Holly, we’re going to celebrate, in style, I promise. I just have to—”

“Take me for a ride? Right now? We can eat our stew in the truck.”

He tilted his head, but his eyes were dancing. “Okay. Where are we going?”

“Christmas lights.”

“You want to do the tour again?”

She shook her head. “I want to go buy some.”

His grin was slow and devastatingly sexy. “Really.”

“Yes, really. I was thinking on the bushes and the trees on either side of the front stoop.”

His forehead wrinkled. “The shop doesn’t have—” Then his expression cleared. “You mean…?”

“You’re the Christmas spirit guy. I’m thinking your place could use a little holiday twinkle. And maybe a little practice in holiday spirit wouldn’t kill me.”

His expression softened and he let her slide down his body until she was sheltered in his arms. “I think maybe we need a lifetime of practice.” He leaned his head in and kissed her. “Merry Christmas, Holly Berry. Welcome home.”

She smiled against his mouth and thought she’d finally figured out what was so magical about this time of year after all. “Ho ho ho,” she murmured. Then kissed her very own personal Santa Claus. Best Christmas present ever.