Chapter 10
Joshua
Three days later, I’m in the car with Tessy, making our way to a small town that was right outside a ski resort.
She didn’t know we were going, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to take her. I wanted to give her something she hadn’t done before, something that would be special. I wanted to see the look on her face of happiness more than anything else.
And let me tell you, that’s unusual.
Not that I don’t like giving. But because this woman was starting to mean more to me than I thought anyone could be.
And it was bugging me just how much I always overlooked her.
I hated that thought.
Tessy was a great PA; she always had things lined up in a smooth line for me whenever I needed it. Or hell, even when I didn’t know I needed it. But beyond that, she was also funny, and beautiful, and I never really thought of her like that.
Not till the auction.
I don’t know how, but I would have to give my thanks to them later on.
And then her words from the other night were on repeat in my head. It didn’t matter to me that she wasn’t Hollywood elite; I didn’t need her to be.
I just needed her to be herself, because that was refreshing enough for me, and I really hope she knew and understood that. On top of that, I wanted something real with her.
Hence the spoiling.
Had I fallen in love?
Not sure, but I do think I was pretty damn close.
“Okay, I see mountains and snow, where are you taking me?”
I glanced over at her, shaking my head.
“Are you always so impatient with surprises that you’ll love?”
“Yeah, pretty much. You can’t blame me, Joshua. You’re never this secretive and I’m not sure I like it. You’re always an open book with me.”
“You would be right. But this time, I needed to do this for you.”
I gave her a big, cheesy grin as she looked my way and then I nodded to a sign on the side that was coming up.
She looked at it and then squealed.
“Colorado? You brought me to my dream place?”
“I did. There’s a ski resort we’re right next to, it’s a small little town that has all kinds of Christmas things. I figured a little break before we go to your mom’s was needed. Merry Christmas.”
She leaned over the counsel and kissed my cheek, her smile wide and her eyes bright.
And that look would always be something I’d remember.
“Oh, this is just amazing,” she mumbled as she sat her bag down in the little cabin that I had rented. She looked out the window, staring at the mountains and the snow. “It’s picture perfect. I can see why so many romance stories are filmed here or even set in places like this. Isn’t it romantic?”
I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, taking in the view with her.
I filmed in locations like this, they weren’t fun. But I could see her magic with them, and I would not dare take that away.
“Shall we check out the town?”
“Duh! I want to do everything they have to offer. Hot cocoa tents, light events, sleigh rides.”
“I take it you’ve never been on one, huh?”
“No, how did you guess?”
I took her hand as we walked out of the room and into the cold. Thankfully, it wasn’t freezing, but there was a nip in the air that could not be ignored.
“Oh, they have a movie theater, shall we go check it out?”
I opened my mouth to protest and then closed it, smirking at the titles that were there.
“I think we should. There are a couple of good movies and I can’t even recall the last time I sat through one that was a premier of some sort.”
She eyed the names before rolling her eyes.
“Oh my gosh, you want to see yours, don’t you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh, grabbing two tickets for us, along with two drinks, and a big bucket of popcorn.
Three hours later, I came out of the theater, laughing so hard. I hadn’t watched myself on the screen, other than for special screenings, and I laughed the whole entire time, making Tessy roll her eyes over and over.
“It’s not that funny, you know.”
“It is when you’re on this end. Man, that was one of my first films and I sucked as an actor. How the hell that even scored points in the box office is beyond me.”
“You weren’t bad, Joshua.”
“Yeah, I was. I’ve come a long way though.”
“Well, I guess someone in Hollywood thought you had enough talent to keep casting you, right? Or giving you scripts so you can audition, if and when you do.”
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, tucking her into my side as we walked down the street, the vendors on full display and the kids dashing from one to the other, trying to see what they could buy.
“Something like that,” I told her, steering her to a booth that had hot cocoa. I got two, handing her one and sipping the other. “Oh, that’s good.”
“It is. I usually don’t like mine too chocolatey, but this is perfect.”
She took my hand, slowly strolling, and I found this to be divine.
Laid back.
Restful.
And up here, I wasn’t worried about my status.
Not that I didn’t think people wouldn’t notice. But we’d be long gone before they actually picked up on it.
“Didn’t you say your sister liked the journal I picked out for her?” she asked.
“Yeah, why?”
I followed Tessy’s gaze to another vendor. We walked over, and I picked up a gorgeous, custom-made journal.
“Because I think she’d love this one.”
“You’re so right. Such a good eye for gifts. What would I do without you.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. Be lost, I guess.”
I paid for the journal, holding on to the bag and taking her hand again.
“So true. I’m hopeless. That’s how my family knew I wasn’t shopping anymore.
They often tell me to find a way to keep you forever so that you can do all my shopping.
” We paused and I spun her into my arms, making her laugh.
“They just don’t know how right they were. I don’t plan on letting you go, ever.”
And in the middle of the street, in the downtown of this little town, I kissed this woman, putting my very heart and soul into, and I hope she could feel what I was saying, what I was feeling.
Because the last thing I wanted her to do was think this was some act.
I needed her to know it was real.
And I need to know if it was real for her as well.