Chapter Seven
Caleb was far from the only one who’d noticed Emma’s ungraceful tumble. He managed to shield Emma from the gaze of other guests as she righted herself.
“Can I give you a hand?” Caleb extended a hand to her before he could change his mind.
Her hand shot up toward him. He took it without a second thought. He brought his hand to the crook of her elbow and helped guide her to her feet. She winced her eyes shut as he helped her.
“Did everyone see?”
He took the opportunity to notice the smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks before answering. “No, just me, I think. Everyone else is too preoccupied with the dessert table.”
He gestured to where coffee and snacks had been laid out along the bar. The few remaining guests were piling up their plates.
Her eyes snapped open. “I’m not sure if that’s better or worse.”
He released her hand, unsure of what to make of her comment. “Are you okay? No twisted ankles or fractured wrists?”
Emma snorted. “The carpet has sufficient padding. The only thing hurt is my pride. This seems to be this week’s trend, so…I’ll live.”
He found himself at a loss for words. He wasn’t exactly the nurturing type, except when it came to his kids. He was chief boo-boo healer, tantrum calmer…god, he missed his kids.
He exhaled and took a step back. She didn’t need to know his life story. “I installed the carpet, so I’ll take that as a compliment that it was easy to fall on.”
She cocked her head. “I thought you were the activities director. You’re a jack of all trades, too?”
It was his turn to laugh. “The activities director job is a temporary gig over the holidays. I help run my family’s construction and renovation business.
I helped renovate this place. You should’ve seen what it looked like before.
” He paused. “Well, I can show you.” He motioned for Emma to follow him.
They exited the hallway and entered the lobby.
Off to one side was a collection of photos documenting the renovation.
Emma leaned forward to look. Caleb realized seconds too late that one of the photos featured him and Brandon shirtless on the roof, shoveling off old shingles.
She cleared her throat. “Um, yes, I can see that now.” She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Well, since you are the temporary activities director, would you mind showing me what’s available for tomorrow and beyond? Since my plans have erm…changed?”
Caleb clasped his hands together. “Oh, you’re planning on staying, then?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You mean since my fiancé’s…ex-fiancé’s unceremonious exit? Yeah, I’m staying.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Before he could interject, Emma told him that not only had she lost her fiancé, but also her job and place to live.
Toward the end of her tale, she seemed to realize she’d overshared and sputtered to a stop. “I’m so sorry. You didn’t need to know all the ins and outs of my personal life. You have your own worries.”
Normally, Caleb would’ve agreed with her. He wasn’t the type to show interest in strangers’ lives. But he found himself engaged with Emma’s plight.
“No, I’m sorry you’re having such a shitty holiday season. I kind of am, too, if I’m to be honest.”
Emma tilted her head to the side. “You work in a holiday wonderland.”
He chuckled. “Not by choice. I was…” He paused.
She’d overshared. He might as well. “This is the first Christmas since my divorce has been official. Last year, we were separated, but still together as a family at the holidays. This year, my daughters are with their mom and her fiancée out of state.”
Emma’s eyes widened. “Oh, that must be so hard. I’m sorry. How old are your kids?”
“Five and two and a half. Poppy and Emerson.”
Her face lit up. “Oh, what lovely names! You must really be missing them. I don’t know. It makes me feel a little less lonely amongst all the holiday cheer to know I’m not the only one having a crappy Christmas.”
Their eyes met. God, she was adorable. But also sexy, with her dark brown curls, brown eyes, and dimples in each cheek.
Oh, crap. He was staring. He cleared his throat. “If you’re really going to stay with us through the holidays, we’ll work on making your stay the best possible. Starting with dinner tonight.”
She blinked her beautiful doe-brown eyes at him. Ah, shit. His brain needed a second to catch up with his mouth.
“Dinner? I was planning to get room service and watch a Hallmark movie in my cabin. Is there a special dinner on that wasn’t on today’s daily list of activities?”
Caleb’s brain fired on all cylinders. Normally, he overthought nearly every word that came out of his mouth, especially around a woman as lovely as Emma. Maybe the fatigue of a very long day had him choosing honesty.
Even if he’d just stuck his foot in his mouth. What had happened to what he’d learned in that stupid HR training video?
“No, there isn’t. I was suggesting dinner since you’re alone and, well, I am too. My sister decided that I would be the overnight staff on duty for the foreseeable future.”
Emma shyly looked away. “So, a dinner for strays, then?”
“Sure, if you want to call it that. If any other strays are lingering around, I’ll invite them. But in the meantime, would you like to meet in the dining room around seven?”
She still wasn’t looking at him. He followed her gaze, toward the grand Christmas tree. An older couple sat in one of the overstuffed leather loveseats facing it, their hands intertwined.
“I’ll see you at seven, then.” Her dimples deepened as she held eyes for a moment before retreating.
As soon as Emma rounded the corner, the reality of the situation dawned on him.
However innocent it seemed, he was having dinner with a guest. He should probably run that by Sabrina and Brandon.
Not that he even cared about keeping his ‘job’ at Sky House, but he didn’t want to get on his sister’s shitlist.
He needed to catch Sabrina and Brandon before they left for the night. He cast a glance at the busy lobby. Everyone was occupied watching guitar players by the big tree. He squinted and realized it was his father’s twin, Uncle Gordon, who seemed to be wrapping up his set.
Shit. If his uncle caught sight of him, he’d be tied up in a conversation for the better part of an hour. He needed to get to the opposite side of the lobby, and fast.
He ducked behind one of the smaller Christmas trees. Then he did his best impression of an Olympic speed walker until he finally reached one of the locked doors leading to the lodge’s offices.
He fumbled with his badge at the reader and pushed the door open, nearly colliding into his sister and brother-in-law.
“Whose ass is on fire?” Sabrina asked.
Brandon started to laugh until Sabrina leveled him a look. “Remember that one kid who almost walked into the fireplace last month? This is not a question out of left field.”
“And the reason we now have a toddler-proof grate on our extra-large fireplace,” Brandon said. “So, I’m sure it’s not that.”
Caleb let the door shut behind him, forcing Sabrina and Brandon to take several steps back. “Can we talk, please? In private?”
The two of them shared a look Caleb interpreted as what the fuck? before Sabrina unlocked her office door, since it was closest.
His sister’s type-A personality was on full display in the small space. She’d once had to share an office with their father above their uncle’s hardware store. Now everything had a place. He’d probably end up with a label on his ass if he stood in one place long enough.
“What is up, big brother? You’re freaking me out a little.”
Caleb ran his hands through his hair. “I somehow asked Emma Dale on a date. I didn’t mean to, honestly. Well, not a date so much as dinner, since we’re both alone—”
“Is that all?” Sabrina reached out and smacked his biceps. “Of course it’s not an issue.”
“Well…” Brandon started. “As you saw in that ridiculous video, it’s not exactly something we encourage. But this isn’t Dirty Dancing. She isn’t Baby to your Johnny.”
“And, honestly, I haven’t even decided if we’re paying you or not for this. We’ll have to see if it’s in the budget,” Sabrina mused.
“You’ll be paying me one way or another,” Caleb replied.
“All right, all right, knock it off, you two. I swear, every day you make me glad I’m an only child,” Brandon said.
“He knows I’m kidding,” Sabrina said. “Of course we’re paying you.”
“So, is it okay? It’s just dinner, I promise. She’s our only single guest, and I’m up here by myself…”
“Caleb. I think we can trust you to act with integrity. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for our staff to share a meal with guests. As long as you’re not doing the horizontal mambo while you’re on the clock, we’re all good,” Sabrina said.
He groaned. “I would rather get a prostate exam in front of the whole town than continue this conversation.”
Brandon laughed, but Sabrina had a look he liked to refer to as the Lainey—after their mother. Like she was about to start on some self-serving monologue where she reminded him that it was her idea that he work here, so he headed toward the door.
“Not a mambo or cha-cha will be seen. It’s just dinner.”
* * * *
It was just dinner.
Emma stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself for what must’ve been the tenth time in the last two minutes.
Dinner with a man after you ended your engagement just yesterday!
She shook off the voice. To be fair, she’d dumped him. Sure, she should be sadder that he’d left her here all alone. He hadn’t gotten in touch since he’d left, either. Not that it would change anything.
But that was the least of the problems she’d face once this vacation was over.
All the more reason to have fun, before the new year and all those responsibilities settled on her. She thought about calling Aniyah for her thoughts. But she already knew them.
“Only way to get over one man is to get under another!” She did her best impression of her sister’s voice, then started laughing.
Not that that’s what this was. No. Caleb Ellis was a nice man who’d taken pity on her single self.
A tall, broad, curly-haired man with impressive shoulders, hands…
“Rein it back, Emma. He was being hospitable. After all, this is a hotel.” She blinked at herself in the mirror.
She reached for her coat—she’d packed three—a pale pink pea coat that complemented the dress she wore. Dark green, long-sleeved and dotted with teeny-tiny pink reindeer.
Whimsical enough to fly under the radar at dinner with Davis. He liked her whimsy locked up tight—like in her closet office back at his condo.
She finished buttoning her jacket then slipped on a cashmere beret. She shoved her hands into matching gloves and made her way out of her cabin.
The door locked automatically behind her. She took a moment to gaze around her. This place was beyond magical. Snowflakes fell lazily in front of Christmas lights and wind blew through the trees, making the lights dance.
She felt a flutter of something new in the bottom of her belly. Whether she liked it or not, her life was different now.
It was time to embrace it.