“I hate it.” Which was why a slice of pie sounded better with each passing second. “I don’t want to have to live with my mom and her new husband, so I need to decide what I should do while I’m here.”

  “You just arrived. Don’t put pressure on yourself.”

  Easier said than done. “I know, but a part of me—”

  She pressed her lips together.

  “What?” he asked.

  Oh, boy. She hadn’t meant to say that. “Part of me hopes my father changes his mind, and things go back to the way they were.”

  “Will he?”

  “No.” That was the truth, especially with Remy living in the apartment and working full-time at the gallery. “It’s been three weeks. No rumors suggest things aren’t working out. So, if I listen to my gut, the answer is no.”

  Michael’s expression softened. “Does your heart agree? That’s what my sisters would ask.”

  A lump formed in her throat. She swallowed around it. “Honestly? I have no idea. I’d like to believe he would come to his senses. I mean, fathers are supposed to love their kids, right?”

  Michael placed his hand on her shoulder. “They are.”

  His touch comforted her. It was all she could do not to lean in to him. But she needed to handle this situation on her own. Her mom had Max now. They might be in their fifties, but they were also newlyweds. Sheridan didn’t want to be a burden. She straightened.

  “I’ll figure it out.” She would keep telling herself that until she had. “So, are you going to travel now or later?”

  “In the new year.” A wide grin spread, lighting up his face and taking her breath away. “With no job to tie me down, I have the freedom to do whatever I want.”

  “You’re fortunate.” He must have received a generous severance package. Sal hadn’t paid her for the days she’d worked that last week, saying it was in lieu of a two-week notice.

  People heading to the door walked by on their left. She moved out of their way.

  A woman smiled at her. “Merry Christmas.”

  Ugh. Sheridan forced the corners of her mouth upward. “Same to you.”

  Okay, repeating the words wouldn’t kill her, but she wasn’t in the holiday mood.

  The two men in front of them stepped up to the counter to order.

  “Where would you go if you had the chance and money was no object?” Michael asked.

  “Where wouldn’t I want to go?” Chills formed on Sheridan’s arms thinking about having the ability to travel with no concerns about affording it. “There are museums all over the world. I’d build an itinerary around all the art I’ve dreamed of seeing in person.”

  “You love art.”

  “It’s my passion.” And she’d better stop before she rambled again. “Where do you want to go?”

  He rubbed his fingers over his beard. “I might let my taste buds decide.”

  She wouldn’t have guessed that based on what he ate yesterday. “A foodie, huh?”

  “Nah.” He winked. “I just like to eat.”

  The men ahead of them stepped aside.

  “Hello, welcome to Sweet Caroline’s Café.” A fifty-something woman greeted them with a smile. Her gaze zeroed in on Sheridan. “I’ve seen you in here before. You’re new in town or visiting?”

  “Visiting. I’m from the Pacific Northwest.”

  “Lovely part of the country. Very wet and green.” Caroline exuded small-town warmth. “What brings you to our little spot of heaven in South Carolina?”

  “I’m house-sitting.”

  “For?” Caroline asked, which brought a chuckle from Michael.

  Sheridan guessed people enjoyed knowing everyone’s business as they did back home. “Hope Ryan.”

  As Caroline’s forehead creased, she looked at Michael. “You’re Marley’s brother.”

  It wasn’t a question. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Caroline focused on Sheridan again. “Von told me Mikey was house-sitting for him.”

  Michael’s posture went ramrod straight. The woman’s use of his nickname must have caused the reaction.

  “He is, too,” Sheridan clarified. “There was a miscommunication with Hope.”

  Caroline’s gaze bounced between her and him. “So, you both…”

  “Are house-sitting together,” Michael said.

  The woman clapped her hands. “Neither of you will be alone for the holidays. How wonderful!”

  That was one way to look at it. Sheridan nodded.

  Caroline’s fingers hovered over the cash register. “Before I tell you the must-dos in town, let me take your order.”

  Michael motioned for Sheridan to go first.

  She studied the menu. The cinnamon roll sounded delicious, but so did pie. “I’ll have a slice of peach pie and a coffee.”

  “For here or to go?”

  She looked at Michael. “Here?”

  He nodded.

  “What do you want, Mikey?” Caroline asked.

  “We’re not together,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

  His words stung more than Sheridan cared to admit. “Order what you want. I’ll pay since you drove me to the B and B.”

  He hesitated. “Thanks. I’ll have a cinnamon roll and a coffee.”

  Caroline passed the order to a young red-haired barista, took Sheridan’s twenty-dollar bill, and rang up the total. “Now, the first thing you must do is buy an ornament for the community tree. On December twenty-fourth, people line up to make a wish on their ornament and hang it. Then, at five o’clock, our wonderful mayor will turn on the Christmas tree lights.”

  “Hope mentioned the ornaments.”

  “The wishes are the biggest part of the tradition and why folks return each year.” Caroline handed over the change before leaning over the counter and lowering her voice to say, “Christmas wishes are stronger than birthday ones.”

  Michael snorted.

  Sheridan elbowed him. “I hadn’t heard that.”

  “Marley never mentioned it,” he chimed in.

  “Well, she might not have known that since she dumped Von, so they were apart last Christmas.” Caroline shrugged. “At least they’re back together and getting married this summer.”

  Not knowing what to say, Sheridan nodded.

  That seemed enough for Caroline, who motioned to the area with tables. “Take a seat. Someone will bring out your food.”

  They found an empty table and sat.

  Michael laughed. “Marley told me some people hated her for breaking Von’s heart, but I assumed she was kidding.”

  “Caroline must be fond of Von. She seems the motherly type.”

  He nodded. “And Marley did a number on him, so I understand. He’s a good guy.”

  “He sounds like it, to travel across the country to have Christmas somewhere else.”

  “Von and Hope are tight. It’s a twin thing.”

  “How does your family feel about being apart?”

  “This is the first year the Patterson clan isn’t celebrating Christmas together. Usually, we have extended family gatherings from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve, but everyone decided to visit their in-laws instead.”

  “I guess we’re meant to be here.”

  Another barista, a teenager with his hair pulled back in a man bun, placed their coffee cups and food on the table. “If you need anything else, please let us know.”

  Sheridan’s mouth watered. The pie was just what she needed.

  “I knew you would order that.”

  “I’m going to savor each bite.” She scooped up a forkful and then stopped, holding it in mid-air. “You don’t have in-laws, so why are you in Indigo Bay and not with your parents?”

  “This is the perfect time for me to make plans for the new year.” He added a pat of butter to his cinnamon roll. “I also didn’t want to be surrounded by my mom’s family in North Carolina. It would be too crowded and noisy.”

  Sheridan swallowed her pie. “It’s funny. We’re living parallel lives.”

  “It must be fate.” He raised his mug in the air. “Here’s to being homeless, jobless, and clueless about what comes next.”

  She tapped her coffee against his. “You make that sound almost fun and not so overwhelming.”

  “Hey, we’re staying in a great beach cottage, in a quaint town, and it’s Christmastime. What’s not fun?”

  “The holidays part.”

  Wide-eyed, he set his cup on the table. “You don’t like Christmas?”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” She ate another bite of pie.

  His food remained untouched. “What would you say, then?”

  “I don’t like it this year.”

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re not skipping Christmas.”

  She didn’t understand how he knew that was what she wanted to do. Not that it mattered. “I am.”

  “No.” He leaned forward. “Your father took your job and your apartment. Don’t let him take Christmas from you, too.”

  As her jaw dropped, Michael’s words swirled in her head. Talk about a lightbulb moment. “I never thought about it that way, but you’re right.”

  “I usually am.” With a satisfied grin, he ate a bite of his cinnamon roll.

  Sal had taken so much from Sheridan. Did she want to give him Christmas, too? “Not that it matters now, since I’m on the opposite side of the country from my mom.”

  “Hey, what about me?”

  “You?”

  “We can celebrate Christmas together.”

  She stiffened. “We’re staying out of each other’s way.”

  He grinned. “We did last night, but that hasn’t worked so well today.”

  “True.” That didn’t mean he wasn’t offering out of pity for her. Her insides twisted. “But we don’t have to change anything.”

  “No, except I’m enjoying getting to know you.” He sounded sincere. “It would be fun to spend more time together.”

  Fun. That appeared to be one of his favorite words. She used to enjoy having fun. Maybe she was allowing Sal to take even more from her. Still, she hesitated. “Yesterday, you were adamant about wanting to be alone.”

  “Today, I’m changing my mind.” He set his fork on the plate. “We don’t have to make a big deal out of Christmas. We’re both unemployed, so no presents, but we can go to the ornament-hanging thing on the twenty-fourth and get a tree for the house. Von left out ornaments for me. What do you say?”

  Anticipation made her shift in her chair. For the first time in weeks, the dark cloud over her parted, giving her a glimpse of clear skies. “That does sound fun.”

  “We can see what stuff Von has and get a tree tomorrow.”

  She took a closer look at the decorations in the coffee shop. Even a few items made a big difference. “Caroline probably knows where to buy a tree.”

  “We’ll ask her on our way out.”

  A contentment Sheridan hadn’t experienced in weeks settled over her. Embracing Christmas instead of ignoring it might be what she needed right now. And she had one person to thank—Michael. She’d never believed in fate, but maybe she and Michael were meant to share the cottage together.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  On Sunday afternoon, Michael inhaled the scents of sap and pine. It reminded him of when he hiked with friends a month ago, but he wasn’t in a forest today. He stood in a corner lot with Sheridan, who beamed brighter than a gold star tree topper, reaffirming his suggestion to celebrate the holiday together was the right one.

  So what if he couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone shopping for a tree? It was probably when he was in high school; his parents took care of that, but not much had changed since then.

  Christmas carols played. Two women wearing candy cane–striped aprons, Santa hats, and snowman name tags, stood behind a table covered in tree needles underneath a white pop-up tent, decorated with garland and lights. The table held bottles of tree food, packages of mistletoe, a cash box, and cups of coffee.

  As people made their way up and down the rows of trees, a kid skipped while another spun with her arms extended. Two men debated the merits of a tree. One thing, however, was the same—everyone was smiling.

  As Sheridan studied the price board, she shook her head. “We’re definitely not in Berry Lake.”

  “More expensive than home?”

  She nodded. “But since we’re splitting the cost, it won’t be that big a hit. And a few trees are on sale. We should buy one of those.”

  Her tone was upbeat, but a weight pressed against him.

  Just pay for the tree.

  That way, she wouldn’t worry about money, and she could buy the tree she wanted. So what if his winnings wouldn’t hit his account for a few weeks? His team hadn’t decided what date a representative from Michael’s trust would turn in the ticket, but they would soon, according to his most recent phone call with them.

  “We don’t have to find one on sale.” He didn’t have a lot in his bank account, but he had a credit card and planned to pay off the growing balance once he claimed his winnings. “I’ll get the tree.”

  Her hands flew to her hips. “You’ll do no such thing. We’re in similar positions, and we agreed to split it.”

  They had, but that was before she’d mentioned the price.

  Her gaze narrowed. “We’re both paying.”

  It wasn’t a question. Based on the set of her jaw, she wouldn’t give in. With three older siblings, he’d learned to pick his battles early in life. “Okay.”

  Saying that, however, only brought a bitter cough syrup taste to his mouth. No matter what Sheridan believed, they weren’t in the same situation. Not even close. He would have millions—hundreds of millions—in the bank, and she would need to find a job and a place to live.

  But he couldn’t tell her the truth. If he wouldn’t share the news with his family, how could he tell a near-stranger?

  Besides, she’d never know, anyway. He had no reason to feel guilty.

  “Now…” She rubbed her palms together, looking cute in her faded jeans, oversized sweater, and suede boots. “Let’s find the perfect Christmas tree.”

  Her enthusiasm was a one-eighty from how she’d acted at the coffee shop yesterday. Today, she appeared lighter. It pleased him to know he’d played a part in that. “You pick the tree.”

  Her smile disappeared, leaving parted lips in its place. “I thought we were doing this together.”

  “We are.” The words rushed out. He’d do anything to light up her pretty face again. “But you’re better suited to be the tree picker. Me? I’m a pro at carrying heavy stuff to cars.”

  The corners of her mouth tugged upward. “Teamwork.”

  “Yes, teamwork.”

  For two strangers, they made a good team. Yesterday, while Sheridan checked out more of the shops on Main Street, he’d returned to the house and brought in the boxes of decorations Von had left. They’d fixed their own dinners but ate together, discussing their favorite shows, movies, and music. They didn’t have as much in common with those, but that made it more fun. This morning, she’d stayed in her bedroom until it was time for lunch. Funny, but he’d missed having breakfast with her.

  “So, any preferences? Thin or bushy, short or tall?”

  “I defer to your expertise, but it has to fit in or on my SUV. But don’t let the pressure get to you.”

  “No worries.” She surveyed the rows of trees. “I’ve done this many times. You’re looking at an expert tree-picker.”

  She was attractive, but her confidence appealed to him at a gut level. “Excellent, because I spoke to my mom this morning. She wants me to send her a pic once the tree is up.”

  “That’s funny. My mom said the same thing to me.”

  “Can’t disappoint the moms.”

  “Nope, but thankfully mine is easy to please.” Affection filled her voice.

  “You’re close to her.”

  “She’s the best. I mean, she has her moments, as any mom does, but she’s so devoted to me, Max, and the rescue.” Sheridan’s gaze softened. “When I was younger, I accused her of loving the animals more than me. Now, I realize animals often face life-and-death situations, and that must be her priority. That doesn’t mean I come second or don’t matter as much.”

  “Your mom sounds like a special person.”

  With a nod, Sheridan headed to the first row of trees.

  He would have enjoyed hearing more about her mom, but this probably wasn’t the best time, given how fast Sheridan moved.

  She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes bright and a wide grin on her face. “Are you coming?”

  “Walk, don’t run. Or you’ll set a bad example for the kids.”

  “I’m not running.” She stuck out her tongue at him. “I’m hurrying. We don’t want someone else to end up with our tree.”

  “If that happens, then it wasn’t meant to be ours.”

  “Philosophy major?”

  “Social media quote. I can’t remember what platform.”

  She laughed.

  He caught up with her. The row had Noble firs, but he’d noticed Douglas firs when they parked. “Do you have a favorite tree?”

  “Not really. My mom has her favorite, but I’ve always just picked one I’ve liked. How about you?”

  “My mom always gets a Douglas fir. My sister Madison is all about Nobles. For me, a tree is a tree. Put some lights and decorations on one, and they all look nice.”

  “Good to know you’re not picky.” As she peered around a tree, her gaze narrowed. “I’m spoiled with trees. In Berry Lake, we get a permit and cut our own.”

  “In the forest?”

  “Yes, but there are local farms you can visit, if you prefer to do that.”

  “Sounds fun.”

  “It’s a tradition in my family. Well, my mom’s side now.” Sheridan moved on to another tree. “We got ours two weeks ago. Snow flurries were coming down. It was almost…”

  Michael noticed she didn’t mention her father and hadn’t since their visit to Sweet Caroline’s Café yesterday. He wouldn’t bring up the loser. The guy didn’t deserve a daughter like Sheridan. “What?”

  A wistful expression crossed Sheridan’s face. “Magical. That was the only Christmassy thing I’ve done this year until now.”

 

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