Chapter 4
At first Mason didn’t think she’d actually take him up on his offer. She’d give him a tour of the place, they’d have lunch, but no. Not at all. She had work to do and she meant to get it done.
He found himself flat on his back under the stage, lying in years worth of dust, his fist full of nails, while Holly pounded away at the floorboards a foot above their faces. With every nail she drove in, dust and flakes of wood floated down on them. His three hundred dollar jeans and eighty dollar t-shirt he’d worn the day before to try and impress Amanda were as good as ruined. They’d already changed at least a dozen light bulbs, oiled some squeaky hinges, took hundreds of pictures of the fall foliage for the hotel website, replaced one huge portrait with another huge portrait (it was seasonal, she’d explained) and stocked the gift shop.
He prayed this was the last of their chores because he was exhausted and starving. And yet, he hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. Even with all the hard work she had to do, Holly never griped about any of it. She had him in stitches a few times with some of her quips, and he was definitely impressed to see her expertise with power tools. He’d never once given it a thought, but a fine looking woman with a cordless drill in her hand was a very sexy thing. It made him even sorrier he’d missed his chance at a kiss last night. And glad he had six more nights to keep trying.
“I hope everything’s okay with your sister,” he said tentatively, coughing slightly at a fresh downpour of dust. They’d been keeping it light all day, and he hoped he wasn’t overstepping. He wanted to know why she’d run off the night before, too.
She stopped hammering for a moment and turned to him, a slight frown at her lips. She opened her mouth, closed it, and shook her head. “Everything’s all right,” she said, holding out her hand for another nail. “Ivy lives in Brooklyn so I don’t see her too often. I try not to miss her calls.”
“Wait. Your sister’s name is Ivy? Holly and Ivy?”
She pounded in another nail, laying it flush with the wood in three perfect taps. “Yes, we’re named after a Christmas song. My mom’s name is Betty. That’s a character from White Christmas, the old movie this place is named after.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it,” he said.
She looked aghast. “It was basically my grandfather’s life, that movie. My uncle’s name is Clarence.” Mason shook his head and she scrunched her brows together. “It’s A Wonderful Life. Clarence was the angel who needed his wings.”
“Yeah, I think I remember that one,” he said, not remembering at all.
She chuckled ruefully. “I guess I forget that not everyone is totally immersed in Christmas the way we are.”
“You never get sick of it?”
Her frown was so fearsome he wanted to bite back the question. “Never.” She nailed the last loose boards with furious efficiency and motioned to him that they were done.
“Will I get to see Santa tonight?” he asked as they edged their way out from under the stage. He groaned as he stood and stretched the kinks out of his back. “Honestly, he’s one of the main reasons I decided to stay.” He risked a wink. Prayed she wouldn’t find it cheesy. She blushed a little and he couldn’t hide a grin.
“Santa is Monday and Wednesday only, except of course in December. So, hopefully he’ll be well enough by Monday so you can see him.”
“Yeah, the crowd last night did not take kindly to his absence,” he joked.
When the young woman who’d also been an elf in the show had announced she’d be doing the finale in Santa’s place, there had been a mass groan and one lone but passionate boo. The girl took it in stride and let the audience call out requests to ease the pain. Winter Wonderland had won.
Holly nodded, completely serious. “I know. It was a real blow, especially to the people who drove a long way. But, what can we do? The poor man got sick.”
For the life of him, he couldn’t imagine anyone who did dinner theater having that special of a voice, and chalked it up to people being fond of the man who played Santa. “So, what’s on for tonight?”
“You’re in luck tonight,” she said. “Since it’s Thursday, after the regular show it’s open mic comedy. Some of the regulars are really funny.”
“I hope my assistant gets my things sent up in time or I’ll be eating alone in my room in the complimentary bathrobe.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t let you eat alone,” she said, then turned red.
He grinned, imagining her imagining him in nothing but the bathrobe while she dined with him in his suite. Candlelight, soft, non-Christmas music playing in the Feliz Navidad room. He liked the idea of that intimate setting, actually. Much better than amateur comedy acts. Still, she was so enthusiastic about it, he’d drive to the town and buy up whatever they had so he wouldn’t miss it.
Fortunately the messenger arrived with a suitcase so he didn’t need to leave Holly’s side the entire day. As long as she didn’t act like she was sick of him, he’d continue to hang around. It was odd, because he’d never displayed such puppylike behavior before. A couple times he tried to call up his pride, but it refused to be summoned. He only wanted to be with Holly.
They ate lunch standing in the kitchen while she went over a long list of things with the sous chef. He zoned out for that, enjoying the chicken salad with cranberries and green onions.
When dinner was over and the comedy show rolled around, he was as surprised as he’d been at the musical show. Holly was right again. Some of the people made him howl with laughter. He realized he’d become a snob, thinking nothing good could ever come from outside the city limits. He’d grown up in Connecticut and had never wanted to be like that. Being at the inn was bringing him back to his roots and he didn’t mind the centering feeling it gave him one bit.
After the show, he feigned ignorance once again. Fortunately, Holly laughed and went along with it and guided him to the door of his suite. Could he invite her in? He wanted to and he sensed she wanted to be invited. But there was something holding him back.
She was different somehow from the women he was used to. She was driven and hardworking, so what was it? She didn’t have that sharp edge, the ambitious veneer that advertised to the world that she was going to be the best in her field and everyone in her way better move.
Holly probably was the best in her field. He certainly didn’t know of any other Christmas themed hotels that stayed packed every night all through the year. She didn’t have anything to prove. No, she didn’t have any edges at all and he thought that might have been what made him falter. How could he like her so much after only two days? Liked her, not just wanted her. It was strange and it spooked him.
She swayed forward on her toes and looked at him expectantly. Okay, so he wasn’t going to invite her in tonight, but he was going to kiss her. A good, long one that would give them both something to think about. He leaned forward and once again her dress buzzed furiously.
“Seriously?” he asked, shaking his head with a rueful smile. He turned to meet the crinkling eyes of a jolly, red-cheeked Santa leering at him from a painting on the wall. Did Saint Nick have it out for him?
Holly’s cheeks were as red as the merry old elf in the painting and she plucked her phone out of her cleavage. Mason couldn’t help focusing on her cleavage for longer than he should have, but managed to drag his eyes away. He didn’t want to look at that judgmental Santa so turned to find himself face to face with a painting of a benevolent angel. He couldn’t catch a break and ended up looking at his feet while she fumbled with her phone.
“Hang on,” she muttered to him or the phone, he wasn’t sure. He was going to hang on all right. He prayed she wouldn’t ditch him again to take the call. “Ivy, call me back,” she snapped. He looked up to find her stuffing the phone back down her top. The smile on her face was radiant. Still expectant, but more alluring than ever with her cheeks all rosy. “Sorry,” she said, tilting toward him again. “Where were we?”
“Yes, where were we?”
He took a step forward and placed his hands at her waist, letting them slip a little bit to rest on her hips. Her cheeks grew rosier and he dipped his chin— His pocket buzzed furiously, making him jump away from her.
“Pants alarm?” she asked with a giggle.
He groaned, ready to ignore it. He leaned close again. Then a niggling anxiety overtook him as his pants continued to vibrate. He’d already ignored three text messages from Amanda. What if she was going to cancel their meeting? Why didn’t he take ten seconds earlier to respond to her? Because he’d been having too much fun under Holly’s holiday spell. Finally, he stepped back and pulled it out. As he’d feared, it was Amanda’s number.
He hissed with frustration. “I’m really sorry,” he said. “This is a prospective client who I need to schmooze. I have to take it.”
She nodded understandingly, her eyes full of disappointment. He wanted to yell and toss the phone. But the only reason he was even still at the White Christmas Inn was because of Amanda. He bit his lip hard and slid his key card across the lock, backing into his room as he answered the phone. He cast one last apologetic look at Holly as the door clicked shut.
***
“What did the bank say?” Holly asked.
Her sister called back while she’d been sitting in her room that night, mooning over Mason like she was in tenth grade. She still couldn’t believe he had tagged along with her the whole day, helping out without a single complaint. He’d acted like he was having fun. She couldn’t have dinner with him due to so many people still being out with the flu, but she’d managed to sit for a few of the comedy acts.
She knew he was probably used to a more sophisticated crowd. And all the acts were strictly family friendly. She thought many of the local wannabe comedians were hilarious, but wondered what a city slicker like Mason would think. He had howled at most of the acts and snickered appreciatively even at the ones that fell a bit flat. He applauded loudly for everyone. Working with up and coming talent must have given him empathy for people who took the risk of going up on a stage and laying themselves bare. It made her swoony to be honest. Everything about him made her swoony.
She realized Ivy had been talking and yanked herself back to the present. She knew she needed to be more concerned about the mortgage. The mortgage should have been making her toes curl with terror. But her toes were curling with something else. Something warm and fuzzy and completely related to Mason.
“I said, it’s not that great, Holly. They don’t seem interested in getting a percentage and offering an extension. They say they’ve given us three months already. They want the whole amount or they’re going to take it.”
“Why would they care so much about a small resort in upstate New York?” Holly asked. “Do they think they can run it better than we can?”
Her sister sighed so deeply Holly thought she might get blown off her bed by the gusty sound. “They want the land. If they foreclose, you can bet the inn won’t be standing in a month’s time. It’ll probably be condos or something eventually.”
“Condos?” she cried. “Soulless condos? That can’t happen. We’re practically a historical monument. Hey, do you think we can get some kind of protection?”
“Sure, Madame Moonbeam. Maybe a government grant while we’re at it. Be sure to name all the US presidents who slept there when you fill out the application.”
“Don’t be sarcastic, it doesn’t help.” Holly picked at her chenille bedspread. Then punched her lace pillow. “I had such a nice day, too,” she said wistfully.
“You always have a nice day up in holiday heaven,” Ivy said, still bristling with sarcasm.
“I didn’t ask you to leave and join the rat race,” Holly snapped. Think about Mason, think about his eyes, his smile. Don’t let her steal your wonderful day.
Ivy took a long, noisy breath. “I’m sorry. It’s being on the phone with all those bankers. You’re right about the soullessness. Why was today any better than a regular day? Nothing needed fixing?”
“Oh, a ton needed fixing,” Holly said, perking up. “The guest helped me.” She let that sink in, waiting for Ivy’s reaction.
“The guest? We still have a guest?”
“Yes, we had dinner together last night. He has an appointment with a prospective client who’s meeting him here next week and for some reason he’s staying on. I don’t know why he doesn’t just drive back up for it, but I’m happy to take his money.”
“He?” Ivy said, seeming not to have heard anything else. “We have a male guest who you had dinner with and he suddenly decided to stay an extra week? And he volunteered as labor? Father Christmas, Holly, what did you do?”
“Nothing!”
“Nothing?” Her voice dripped with incrimination. “Nothing at all? I wouldn’t blame you, mind. Is he good looking?”
“He’s so handsome.” Holly had to pause, letting images of his smiling face pass through her mind. “He’s nice, too. He’s a talent agent in the city.”
“He has a crush on you. Why else would he stay up there? Seriously, tell me everything. It’s been ages since I had any interaction with a man that wasn’t some gross jerk hollering at me inappropriately on the street. I want to live vicariously.”
“Gross jerks holler at you?” Holly asked, disgusted. “Why do you like living down there so much?”
There was a long silence. “It’s not all gross jerks, that’s why. I came down here for the opportunities, to live a normal life. Anyway, don’t try to change the subject. Did you or did you not kiss the guest?”
“Yikes, when you say it like that it makes me sound inappropriate.” Holly shuddered.
“It’s fine. You’re both adults. I don’t know where else you’re supposed to meet anyone,” Ivy reassured her. “Your yearly hotel management convention?”
“It’s twice a year, and I guess so.” Holly had made good friends and contacts at the convention, but there had never been a single spark of romance. “And we haven’t kissed. Almost. But not … yet. We keep getting interrupted. Do you think that’s fate telling me to back off?”
“Why would fate want to mess with your love life?” Ivy asked reasonably. “You still have time. Don’t give up. And don’t make him work anymore.”
“He seemed perfectly happy today,” Holly groused. “I’m going to invite him to town tomorrow, show him around. As a thank you. And it isn’t a love life. It’s certainly not going to turn in to anything serious.” As she said the words, her heart sagged a little. Poor heart, still hopeful.
“Why shouldn’t it turn serious? It sounds like you really like this guy.”
Holly held her breath, not wanting years of bitterness to come crashing out of her. “You don’t recall my broken engagement two years ago? He started out as a guest. And you certainly must recall dad leaving? Actually, he started out as a guest, too.” Okay, so much for keeping it all in. “No one can hack perpetual Christmas for long.” She decided she may as well finish off with a bang. “Not even you.”
Her sister was silent for several seconds. “You’re still hung up on David?” she finally asked. Thankfully, she’d ignored the rest of the verbal bile and honed in on the easiest thing for Holly to answer.
“No, I’m not. I haven’t given him a thought in ages. But it was a lesson I won’t soon forget.”
“It wasn’t a lesson. It was some dumb idiot who wasn’t good enough for you, so bullet dodged. You can’t judge every man by David. If you like this new guest and he’s handsome and nice, then I think you should go for it, full throttle.”
“Gosh. I’m just happy to have someone to talk to who hasn’t known me my whole life or who works for us. There isn’t going to be any kind of throttle action. At all.”
“Well, good luck with your conversation, then.”
After rehashing the mortgage for a few more fruitless minutes, they ended the call. Holly wriggled under her covers and stared at the ceiling. The mortgage tried to worm its way into her thoughts but she shoved them away.
“Not tonight,” she said, closing her eyes to better conjure up memories of Mason. “Not tomorrow, either.”
A tiny stab of guilt poked at her gut for avoiding her responsibilities. But she honestly didn’t know what to do about the looming payment they just didn’t have. Perhaps a change of scenery would give her some fresh ideas. That was what she told herself anyway, because she was determined to take Mason into town the next day. Determined to continue the fun they’d been having. And maybe get the kiss she kept missing out on.