Unexpected Gifts: (The Steamy Version) (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance Series Book 1) (13 page)

As successful as the party had been, Andi couldn’t keep herself from scanning the party room, searching. The voicemail she’d received earlier had thrown her and she was on edge. If she could only find Colin and talk to him, she’d feel better, but he was nowhere to be found. She turned and looked out over the room again. The dance floor had been filled all night with parents dancing with their children, happy kids grooving on their own, and even a few couples enjoying the spirit of the night. A few months ago, heck, even a week ago, if someone had told Andi she’d be at a Christmas party, watching happy families having fun, she wouldn’t have believed them. There were a few times when she’d felt the familiar ache and the loss of the child she should have held in her arms, but it didn’t linger the way it used to. Instead, thoughts of Colin and the fun she’d had with him took over. Andi didn’t want to admit it yet, but her entire attitude towards the holiday may have been forever changed by the presence of one man.

“Well,” Eva said, appearing beside her. “What do you think?”

Andi turned to look at her friend. She looked stunning in an emerald green dress, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. Impulsively, Andi pulled her into a hug. “It’s amazing, Eva. You’ve totally outdone yourself.”

She released her friend, who was smiling from ear to ear. “It is pretty awesome. I think I actually surprised myself,” she said.

Andi tried to smile.

“Hey,” Eva said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing really, but, have you seen Blaine?”

Eva choked a little. “Blaine? What on earth would he be doing here?”

“I got a voicemail earlier,” Andi said. “He said he missed me, and the girls at the office told him we were here. I think he might have come.” Andi scanned the room again.

“Seriously,” Eva said. “I don’t think even Blaine is stupid enough to show up on Christmas Eve. Don’t worry. Just focus on that yummy Colin and—“

“Who’s yummy?” Carmen asked, joining the women.

“The gingerbread,” Eva answered seamlessly. “I was just saying that the staff here is so easy to work with, I wish we had them all the time.”

“Maybe you could,” Carmen said. “I need to thank you ladies. This is the best Holly Berry Ball we’ve had for years. The guests can’t stop gushing about it. You both really saved Christmas.”

Andi and Eva laughed. “Glad we could help,” Andi said, putting thoughts of Blaine out of her head. “Honestly, it was our pleasure.”

“Well, I’ve been talking to our manager and he’s pretty impressed too. How would Party Hearty like to host all of our major Castle Mountain Lodge events?”

“Really?” Eva said and then remembered her composure. “Well, I mean, we could see if it fits into our schedule.”

All three women laughed and Andi added, “We’d be honored to accept such a generous offer.”

“Thank you,” Carmen said to her. “It’s funny how things worked out, isn’t it? Please let me apologize again for the villa mix-up.”

“I think that’s another thing that worked out,” Eva added, with a devilish grin.

Andi could feel herself start to blush, but she didn’t care. She looked around again for Colin. “Where is Colin?” she asked Eva. “I haven’t seen him all night. He didn’t leave, did he?” The thought came to her in a flash and her stomach dropped.

“Settle down,” Eva said. “He’s here.” She laughed and added, “I guess he didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“I needed his help with something.”

Andi followed where Eva was pointing and saw Santa, who’d been surrounded by children all night. He was taking turns with the kids, each one sitting on his lap. Andi had noticed a few times that the kids were mesmerized by the jolly old elf and she’d been meaning to ask Eva where she’d found him. She looked back to her friend, realization dawning. “You didn’t?” she said.

“Well, you said he liked kids and, well, look at him,” Eva said with a grin. “He’s clearly a natural.”

“The best Santa we’ve ever had,” Carmen added.

Andi felt a surge of pride, which was ridiculous, but she felt her smile grow bigger as she watched him.

“Why don’t you go over there and tell Santa what you really want for Christmas?” Eva said and tried not to giggle. “Unless, of course, you’ve been nau—“

“That’s enough,” Andi said and swatted her friend on the arm. “Don’t you have something you should be doing?”

Andi didn’t wait for an answer. She started walking across the room towards Colin. She quickened her pace, the thought of sitting on Santa’s lap suddenly more exciting than it’d ever been before.

Miraculously, the crowd of kids started to thin as Andi approached. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. He’d made her so happy and now seeing how good he was with the children, it couldn’t be more perfect. She’d worry about what their relationship was, if it was anything, later. For the moment, she was so focused on Colin, that she didn’t notice the man who stepped out from beside the buffet tables, until he grabbed her arm and spun her around in mid-stride.

“Merry Christmas, Andi,” he said.

It took her a moment to recognize who was standing in front of her, a full few breaths before she realized it was her ex who was holding her by the arm and smiling as if he expected her to be happy to see him. It took her even longer to realize what was happening when he said, “Looks like we’re standing under the mistletoe.” Blaine wrapped his arms around her, and his mouth met hers in a kiss that was all at once comfortably familiar and completely horrifying.

Colin hadn’t had a chance to recover from his chat with Blaine, let alone have a chance to find Andi to talk to her before Eva had pulled him out to the banquet floor to fulfill his role. With one look at the children, their faces full of magic for the season, Colin knew he wasn’t going to be responsible for ruining the Santa fantasy. He’d taken his place on the chair in the corner and ever since, he’d been so busy taking last-minute present requests and listening to children explain away their not so perfect behavior over the last year, that he hadn’t been able to focus on Andi. Sure, his thoughts had strayed to her throughout the evening, and he’d seen her walking around, taking charge of the catering staff and making sure every little detail of the night was perfect. She looked amazing in her tight little red dress, and every time she came close, his thoughts definitely strayed to what she might or might not be wearing under that dress.

He was still hoping to have a chance to talk to her about Blaine. If he was going to have a relationship with her, which felt more and more like what he wanted, he was going to have to talk to her, and soon. When he’d looked up from a bossy little girl with red hair and freckles, who had been sitting on his knee for the last five minutes listing her holiday demands, he noticed the group of women standing together, chatting. A moment later, Eva pointed in his direction and Andi’s face lit up in a smile.

When she started walking towards him, Colin quickly managed to convince most of the kids who were hovering that they could get an extra piece of dessert if they hurried to the buffet. The thought of Andi sitting on his lap, whispering to him exactly what she wanted for Christmas, was almost too much for him to take. The anticipation grew, building fast. But then, before she could reach him, a man came out of nowhere and grabbed Andi. Colin was halfway out of his Santa seat before he realized it was Blaine.

He spun her around, so Colin couldn’t see Andi’s reaction and before Colin could take a step, Blaine swept Andi into a passionate kiss. She didn’t push him away. Hadn’t Blaine told Santa that the engagement was a long time coming?

The air sucked from his lungs and Colin fell back in his chair. A child immediately clambered up on his lap. Colin knew he should put his Santa voice on and get back into the act. There were kids depending on him. He stared at the little blonde girl looking up at him from beneath thick glasses. She blinked once, twice, waiting for him to say something.

He couldn’t.

“Santa?” the little girl asked in a small voice. “Are you okay?”

Colin looked up to where Andi had been kissing Blaine. They were gone. Had he imagined it? He looked back to the girl.

“Santa?”

“Ho, ho, ho, sorry about that.” Colin gave it his best effort, but he could tell from the girl’s face that he hadn’t done a very good job. He couldn’t focus. His mind spun with thoughts. Where was Andi? Was she still with Blaine?

Colin put his hands to his head, trying to clear his thoughts. They didn’t have a relationship, he rationalized. She didn’t owe him anything.

“Hi there, sweetie,” Eva’s voice came from behind him. “You know, I think Santa’s getting a little tired and he has a big night ahead of him. Why don’t you take this candy cane and I’ll help Santa get some rest?”

The little girl gave Colin one more strange, yet concerned look and slid off his lap. She took her candy cane and ran off, no doubt to tell her parents that Santa was having a breakdown. He didn’t care. He needed to get out of there. The suit was like a sauna. The beard, suffocating.

Eva grabbed his arm and hauled him from his seat. In a daze, he let her lead her out a side door and into a service corridor. She didn’t say a word until they were in the staff room, with the door closed behind them.

“Are you okay?” she asked him as she took off his hat.

“I’m boiling in here,” he said, and yanked off his gloves. “I need some water.”

She found him a bottle in the fridge, which he chugged while she watched. “I meant, how are you with what happened out there?”

“Is my shift over?” he asked, ignoring the question.

Eva lifted her perfectly groomed eyebrow but didn’t push it. “Pretty much,” she said, lifting her clipboard. “I just need you to put on your best jolly old elf voice for the microphone in about five minutes. I want to broadcast you saying—“

“Let me guess. ‘Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night’?” He spat out the words.

“You got it,” Eva said. “Just try to make it a whole lot jollier. That was pathetic.”

Colin yanked at the buttons of his coat. “Excuse me if I’m not feeling so festive right now.”

Her face morphed into a mask of concern. “Can I talk to you about that?”

“There’s really nothing to talk about.”

“What happened out there with Andi,” she said. “You are her—“

“We’re nothing,” he said, his voice laced with bitterness. “She’s just staying in my villa. That’s all.”

“I don’t think that’s all there is going on,” Eva said. Her voice was filled with concern and she tried to take his hand but he pulled back.

“You’re right.” He paused, glaring at her. “I was hoping there might be a whole lot more going on later, but I guess that’s probably off.”

Eva recoiled.

He didn’t mean to sound so bitter and angry. After all, it wasn’t Eva’s fault her best friend had been playing him. But with Andi nowhere in sight, likely gone off with her soon-to-be fiancée, she was the closest target.

“That wasn’t necessary,” she said.

“Wasn’t it?” He pulled the jacket off, throwing it to the floor.

“Stop it,” Eva said. “Just stop the tough guy act, because you aren’t fooling anybody. I can see how much you care about her. I don’t care what you say, you have feelings for her.”

“Screw you.”

“I didn’t deserve that,” she said.

Colin sat down hard in the seat and hung his head. “No,” he admitted in defeat. “You didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Look,” Eva said. She sat down in the chair across from him. “Just give me five more minutes and then you’re off the hook for the night. Go find Andi and talk about what you think you saw. Besides—“

“What I think I saw? I’m pretty sure I know what I saw.”

Eva let out a deep sigh. “Just give me five more minutes,” she said. “I’ll go get the mic. Then you’re done.” She pushed up from the chair and left the room.

As soon as she was gone, Colin felt bad. She didn’t deserve the way he’d treated her. She was here doing a favor for the Lodge, and for Andi.

Andi.

His stomach flipped. Damn her. Eva had touched a nerve with what she’d said. He did care about Andi. Probably more than he should after only a few days. But what had his mother always told him? You couldn’t plan on when love would find you; you only had to be open to it. His mother would have loved Andi.

He sighed and rubbed his face hard with both hands. Eva was right about one thing for sure—he needed to talk to her. He quickly stripped out of the rest of the Santa suit and pulled on his jeans and the sweater he’d worn to cut down the tree. He’d hoped to have something nicer to wear, but it would have to do. He wasn’t even sure if it would matter anymore.

As promised, Eva was back promptly. He pushed thoughts of Andi out of his head and gave his best Santa performance into the mic. Even to his own ears, it sounded pretty good. Colin could imagine all the kids in the banquet hall getting excited and their parents shepherding them off to bed. He actually smiled when he clicked it off and handed it back to her.

“Thank you,” Eva said. “You did great. And now you’re done.” She smiled warmly and turned for the door. Before she left, she turned back, and said, “Colin?”

He looked up from the table.

“Go talk to her,” she said. “Before you make a decision you’ll regret, go find her.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Andi handed out goody bags to smiling, excited children and did her best to smile and say Merry Christmas to each of them. Just because her life was spinning out of control didn’t mean she couldn’t be professional. She tried not to think of Blaine, who she hoped was behaving himself in the lounge where she’d sent him. Her thoughts kept returning to Colin.

She needed to explain things to him. He must have seen Blaine. And the kiss. What could he be thinking? But maybe Colin didn’t care. After all, it wasn’t like they were dating, and despite the connection she’d had with him, Colin wasn’t into relationships. Her chest ached at the idea that Colin might not view their time together the way she had. It didn’t matter, she told herself.

But it did matter. It mattered a lot.

She couldn’t think about it yet. For the moment, she still had a party to run. One of the elves had fallen ill, so Andi jumped in to hand out the goody bags. It was a mindless job, which left her brain free to replay what had taken place.