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He pours a little hot chocolate into each cup and hands one to me. We tap our cups together and as I take my first swallow of hot, rich chocolate, the driver makes a clicking noise at the horses, and we’re off.
“I always wanted to do this when I was a kid,” I admit. “I thought that a carriage ride was incredibly elegant.”
Callum slides his free arm around me and pulls me in close. “See? I’m already fulfilling your wildest dreams.”
I giggle and snuggle into the hollow of his shoulder. “Helping me make up for lost time?”
The arm around me flexes slightly, and I can feel the rumble of his deep voice as I cuddle in closer. “Oh yeah,” he says. “But that goes both ways.”
I twist my neck up to look at him. “How do you figure?”
He grins at me. “Do you think I surprise every gorgeous woman with a carriage ride? This was a first, and I was worried you’d think it was a totally weird gesture.”
“Nah,” I say, and swallow some more hot chocolate. “It’s really cute, honestly. And I love the jingle bells and all the lights.”
A few fat flakes of snow drift down to land on the brim of his Stetson. He gives me a long, intense stare, and my belly flips.
“Just cute?” he says. He reaches out and brushes a stray drop of hot chocolate away from my lip.
“More than cute,” I tell him. “It’s really romantic.”
My eyelids flutter closed as he leans in and presses his lips to mine. It’s thorough and leisurely, and he tastes like hot chocolate and minty toothpaste. When he pulls back, his blue eyes sparkle at me, and I sigh happily as I snuggle back against his shoulder. We don’t say much else as the ride continues and just enjoy the glittering lights, the cold kiss of the falling snow, and the merry jingle of the bells as they echo through the square. He holds me tightly the whole time, his chin resting lightly on the top of my head. Every so often, I feel him shift and press his lips into my hair.
“I take it back,” I say as he helps me out of the carriage half an hour later back in front of my office. “You’re not a dork. This was perfect—all of it.”
“It’s going to be hard to top,” he admits. “I’m going to need to book a string quartet or something, or maybe a partridge in a pear tree.”
I rest a hand on his chest as I look up into his smiling face. “Not necessary. The pleasure of your company is my favorite part.”
“Callum Locklear,” I hear Hal boom out from behind me. I turn around and see my boss leaving the office.
“Hi, Hal,” Callum says. “Thanks for letting me steal Hazel a little bit early.”
Hal waves a hand as he pulls his keys out of his pocket. “Don’t worry about it,” he says. He inserts a key into the lock and turns it. “Hazel works late all the time. It’s not a problem to cut her loose so someone can sweep her off her feet.”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks, Hal. I appreciate it.”
“Well, I’m glad you had a good time.” Hal looks over at Callum. “Callum, I received those records you had sent over and reviewed them today. I’ll go over everything with you tomorrow.”
I look up at Callum as Hal walks away. “Go over everything for what?”
His expression shifts. “We can talk about it later,” he says.
It feels a little dismissive, and it lands hard. “Oh,” I say. “Well, I understand.”
Callum leans down and gives me another quick kiss. “I have to go,” he murmurs. “But I’ll see you tomorrow when you come by for tea with Grandma Ruthie?”
“Yeah,” I reply. “I’m looking forward to it.”
My gut churns during my drive back home. I was on cloud nine right after our carriage ride, but I came crashing back down to the ground after Callum avoided my question. He’s not my husband and we just met—I’m not entitled to every bit of his private information. Iknowthat.
Maybe it’s a sign that I’m not ready, I think as I walk through my kitchen door and hang my coat on its usual hook. I wanted to start a new chapter in my life, maybe move on with someone new, even start a family, but if I can’t handle someone not answering my nosy question, maybe I still have some healing left to do.
And then there’s the letter. I haven’t handed it over to Callum yet, and it’s starting to make me feel guilty. I get so caught up in my feelings for him every time we’re together that I don’t even think about it. I enjoy his company so much. But when I get home, I have to admit to myself that I’m at least a little bit worried—what does it mean when I finish this final task for Tom? Am I ready to move on and how serious are things between Callum and I?
I can’t put it off any longer, I decide. Tomorrow, I’m giving Callum the letter. Then we’ll see if I have the courage to start something new.
Chapter 6
