“I understand, Andy. Christmas is always such an intense time. So emotional.”

“I’ll be here after Christmas,” Andy said. “I’d like to be with you, Christina. I’d like to be with you all the time.”

Christina raised her hand to her forehead. What was Andy saying? It was too enormous to take in. “Can we wait just a few days to talk about the future? I’ve got to concentrate on this rent problem before I can focus on anything else. I need to get some rest for tomorrow.”

Andy nodded. “I understand. Let me walk you to your door.”

“Fine,” Christina said, “but no more kissing. I’m sure some neighbors woke up to that horn blast and are peering out their curtains to see what I’m up to.”

Andy grinned. “We could give them something to talk about.”

She punched his arm lightly.

He walked her to the door, gave her a gentle peck on the lips, and returned to his car.

Christina entered her house. Before taking off her coat, she plugged in the Christmas tree lights.

“Mittens,” she said to the cat yawning on the sofa, “I believe I have stars in my eyes.”

Chapter 13

Christina awoke with a smile on her face. Mittens slept in her usual place in the curl of Christina’s knees. The cat purred loudly, content to be lazy and warm. Outside her window, the sky was a clear bright blue—it would be a perfect shopping day. She was eager to get to work, but for just a few more minutes she allowed herself to snuggle into her warm pillows and remember last night.

Especially the part of last night when she and Andy were kissing.

And the way he’d looked at her when he walked her to her door. She knew she saw love in his eyes, she’d felt it all the way into her heart. They had something special between them, she was sure of it, and everything else, including her shop, was somehow swept up in the magic glow of love. It would all work out. It would all be fine.

She rose, pulled on her L.L.Bean flannel robe, slid her feet into her warm fleece-lined slippers, and went down to the kitchen. She started her coffee maker, then opened the back door. The day was magnificent! Clear and crisp—and cold, yes, but the kind of cold that brightened her spirits.