Page 85 of A Newport Christmess

“It’s fine,” I interrupted, still unable to look at him. “It’s no one’s fault.” No one’s but mine. If I were a competent, rational person, I never would have chosen to stay in a house full of random men to finish the gingerbread. I had put a damper on their whole party, and now some of them were forced to feel bad about what had happened, all because I’d wanted to stay here with Landon.

The silence continued, soon followed by retreating steps and the sound of a closing door.

Landon stepped up behind me. He didn’t say anything, but he wrapped his arms around my ribcage, securing me into him, and rested his chin against my shoulder. I leaned my head against his, allowing his strength to bolster me and his support to calm me.

After several minutes locked in his embrace, I glanced up at him. “I’d better get to bed. I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

* * *

The sound of Landon’s truck pulling in sent me to the window. I glanced out to see several guys unloading, quickly dropped the blinds back into place, and hurried upstairs.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see Landon. I did. For the most part. But it was late, and I’d had a rough day. Not only because I’d been up before the sun to start over on decorating Rosecliff—which meant I’d spent almost twenty-two hours straight on the darn thing—but I’d also been alone with my thoughts for way too long. Thoughts that constantly shifted with each new tag on Nikki’s account from all those who had been able to spend the day celebrating with the soon-to-be bride and groom. The play-by-play of what I’d been missing had sent me spiraling on more than one occasion, especially when I saw Landon among the faces in the photos. But apparently, I was a masochist, because I’d kept looking. All day.

I locked the door behind me and switched out the lights, wishing I’d thought to do a quick glance around the room beforehand. It was too late now. I could hear male voices downstairs. But if there was someone hiding in here, they would end up on one of those dumbest-criminals-ever podcasts. I’d literally been inside and alone all day long, and now I was one scream away from several guys breaking down the door to save me. The odd thought calmed me as I crept toward my bed in the dark and hopped beneath the covers.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs, and one guy laughed.

“Shhh. Quinn’s sleeping.” Simply hearing Landon’s voice made me want to go unlock the door and pull him inside. But instead of kissing him like I currently had the urge to do, I’d probably start bawling like the emotional wreck I actually was. I wouldn’t ruin his perfectly wonderful day with a dose of crazy.

The bathroom door opened and shut several times as the guys readied for bed, and after the last one, footsteps paused by my door, and I was sure it was Landon. After a few slow breaths, the footsteps retreated again. For the second time since lying here, I wanted to get up and unlock the door. I wanted to see Landon and thank him for having lunch and dinner delivered to the house so I wouldn’t have to cook today. I wanted to tell him that, as hard as today was, his sweet text messages kept my spirits up. But I couldn’t.

For Landon’s sake.

Because if there was one thing I’d realized during my day of forced introspection, it was that I really wasn’t in a place for a serious relationship. I was still very much a mess. And where Cody had walked away, I was beginning to think Landon might not. He would suffer in his stoic kindness. And he deserved better than that.

TWENTY-ONE

LANDON

When I finally headed downstairs in the morning, Quinn was already at the table, working. Tyler and Vince sat next to her, the compliments rolling off their tongues. I knew they both felt awful about what had happened, so between that and the fact that Tyler kept a healthy distance from Quinn, the sight didn’t irk me too much. And it didn’t hurt that just seeing her lifted my spirits. It had been a long day yesterday, made longer by the fact that she’d already been asleep when I’d gotten home.

“Look who’s joining the land of the living,” Tyler said when he caught sight of me.

Quinn glanced over her shoulder and sent me a brief smile. A generic smile. Or maybe I’d read it wrong.

“How’s it going?” I asked, resting my hands on the back of her chair.

“I’m just finishing up, with only a few minutes to spare before the driver gets here to collect the houses.”

I scanned the building, amazed anew by her talent. Not only was the gingerbread replica of Rosecliff impressive, but the detail work was stunning. Until Quinn’s creations, I hadn’t realized gingerbread houses could look like this—classy and artistic. No wonder Nikki had hired her. “It turned out amazing.”

“It really did,” Vince said, nodding in agreement.

“Thanks.” Quinn smiled at him, and I tried not to feel slighted that he’d been rewarded with her gratitude.

“Do you get to come to breakfast with us, then?” I asked. “Since you’re done?”

Quinn kept her focus on the house. “I was actually going to go with the driver to make sure the houses all get there in one piece.”

“I could follow him over so—”

“I thought I’d stay and see if I could help with the setup.” She glanced up at me with an apologetic look.

I shrugged. “That’s fine. I’ll go with you.”

Her brow creased. “You can’t miss breakfast.”