“Room service.” A rap on her door. Sophie let the teen wearing reindeer antlers in. She took the tray with her bowl of beef stew and slice of French bread and placed it on the table.
“Will there be anything else?”
“No, this is great. Thanks.” Sophie was not interested in taking the chance of running into Sam in the restaurant. Not now. Not ever. She’d gotten through day one at least. Six more to go. She could do this.
Unbid memories snuck into her mind. She and Sam had met in a hardware store of all places. She had been looking for something to stop her toilet from running. He had helped her pick out the toilet kit and offered to fix it for her. And standing at the doorway, watching him fix it like a pro, his broad shoulders and muscular arms in fluid motion. Who knew she would see a guy as a hero just because he fixed her toilet?
Sophie took a bite of her stew and stared out the window. The setting sun shot streams of light through the snow-covered branches. It had been such a fun day. Seeing the laughter, creativity and smiles on the kids was the fox’s socks. She couldn’t think of a better profession.
She checked Pinterest for a few more ideas for the next day’s activities and pinned shots of today’s snowmen. She had to admit, Darby was a cutie. Not as cute as she and Sam would have had together, but. . . Nope. She would not let herself go there. It was over.
She stretched, changed into a pair of sweats. She grabbed the fuzzy throw that was on the couch, her new Christmas romance and headed down for a cup of hot cocoa. She slurped some of the whip cream, and cradled the cup in both hands, her throw around her shoulders and book under her arm.
She had intended to sit on the couch by the fireplace, but when she saw all the Christmas lights shining outside, she thought it would be more fun to sit on the deck. It would be warm enough. The lodge crew had thought of everything. A fire pit was blazing, and tall patio heaters stood next to each Adirondack chair.
She backed out of the glass door and caught sight of Sam. He had his guitar and was strumming chords to Silent Night. Her heart raced.
Making a sudden retreat, she tripped on her blanket. She let out a squeal. Sam jumped out of the chair and ran to catch her. Her breath caught at the woodsy scent of him. Hot chocolate and whip cream flew spraying Sam’s cozy flannel and soaking her throw.
“Are you okay? Let me help you clean that up.”
She pulled away. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t need you.” Sam started to wipe up spilled cocoa with her blanket. Sophie let it fall to the ground and turned to go back inside.
“Wait. Sophie.” He stood and reached for her elbow. Her gaze swept over his brown eyes and the sharp angle of his chin under that full beard.
“I’m really sorry about how I ended things.”
Sophie turned. “A text, Sam? Really? You couldn’t have called or emailed?”
Sam hung his head. “I know. I was a real coward.” Sophie crossed her arms. Claire had said to hear him out. Well then, she would give him five minutes.
“I lost my job. I didn’t think you would want a guy who couldn’t provide for you.”
“I bet your boss had the decency to fire you in person.” She shook her head. “And that wasn’t a decision you had a right to make for me.” Her voice was sharp. “I’m not your parents, Sam. I was always there for you. You didn’t leave for me. You left because you were afraid.”
She didn’t care about the pain in his eyes. He deserved it. She turned. “Nice to see you’ve moved on. What a great place to spend with your family. I find it odd that you’d take them where you proposed to me.” This conversation was through. She grabbed the wet blanket and slammed through the door.
* * *
Sam watched her go, her long red curls bouncing on her back. The same red hair he had loved to run his hands through when he kissed her. He swallowed. Her words pricked at his heart. She was right. He hadn’t given her the chance to make that decision. He sat back down and warmed his hands by the flame. He picked up his guitar and mindlessly strummed chords. He couldn’t undo what he’d done. But he wasn’t the same man anymore. How could he let her know that?
After he had lost his job, he had faced the wrath of his parents, not able to live it down once they knew. “Here we spent good money for you to go to college and get your accounting degree. And you had a good job. A great job. I pulled strings to get you in with that team.”
Sam knew he could have gotten a job at any number of places on his own merit. But his parents were all about control. And they had made him feel so ungrateful and incapable that it had been easier to let them run his life and ignore who he really was.
The truth of the matter was, he had been laid off because the company was downsizing. It wasn’t even his fault. And truth be told, accounting was not what made his heart sing.
His mind played back to every test he took to achieve his parents’ ultimate goal of getting into the right college. If he went on a date, he had to have the right girl, from the right family, who wore the right clothes. It didn’t matter if he didn’t have feelings for her.
No matter what he did, he was never going to be worthy of their love.
Sam set his guitar down and watched the twinkle of the white lights wrapped around the trees. The moon had peeked through the clouds and shone on the snowmen. Darby had such a fun time today. She couldn’t stop telling him all about the elf that picked her up, the other kids, building their snowmen. And Miss Sophie.
But what had she been she thinking? A snow gal with long red hair like Sophie’s? Who knew it would be Sophie leading the activities? This was supposed to be a fun get away with his little girl. But now? He wasn’t so sure being around the only woman who had ever stolen his heart was a good thing.