Angi wasn’t sure what came next, but she curled into his embrace while he placed gentle kisses on her head like she was precious to him. She understood that whatever was between them would change her—had changed her. From this moment on, Angi would never be the same.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

LATER THAT WEEK, Angi waited near the loading dock at the old mill. Gabe had found a rental company about an hour away that was willing to donate a portable stage and parquet floor they could use for the big dance.

She appreciated his dedication to the cause, although she felt strangely nervous around him again after the night spent in his arms. Neither had talked about the intimacy, and she was unsure where it left their relationship. All she knew for certain was she liked him way more than she should.

The latest donation was a huge savings and would mean nearly a thousand more dollars could be donated to the local charity instead of using ticket revenue to cover their costs for the event. She’d visited Carrie yesterday to go over their progress on all of the Christmas on the Coast activities and felt so proud when the soon-to-be mom had cried happy tears at everything Angi and Gabe were accomplishing.

That almost made up for the fact that she was relying even more this week on caffeine and sheer willpower as she continued to try to balance all of the things on her to-do list.

A car door slammed, and she stepped to the edge of the open door, waving Mariella to that side of the building. The shop owner had offered to meet Angi today to help put together the stage and make a plan for decorating the large space. She had an intrinsic eye for design, and Angi appreciated not having to handle every last detail on her own.

“This place is creepy,” the cool blonde commented as she approached, pulling the sides of her camel-colored trench coat more closely around her. It amused Angi that Mariella thought she blended in with the small town of Magnolia. To Angi, her friend gave off big-city fashionista vibes for days with her wedge-heeled boots and trendy tattered jeans.

Although they still liked to tease and banter, for the most part the animosity that had bloomed between them like an aggressive weed when they’d first met had all but disappeared. At this point, Angi couldn’t even remember why the hostility had started, but she was relieved not to deal with it any longer.

“Are you sure it’s the right place for a holiday event?” Mariella mock shuddered. “I’m getting definite horror-movie vibes.”

“Dylan said they’ve just about inked the deal to lease the space to a sportswear company. This time next year, it will be unrecognizable. And with your help, we’re going to transform it into a Christmas on the Coast winter wonderland.”

“What company?” Mariella came to stand next to Angi, obviously examining the empty mill with new eyes.