As soon as I landed in California, I went straight to my office. It was Sunday, but I wasn’t surprised to see Noah in his office and Jeanine at the front desk. Dressed in a pair of green pants and a navy shirt with tiny flowers, Jeanine’s face brightened when she saw me walk through the door.

“You just can’t get enough of us,” she teased and stood.

I pulled her into a big hug. It was probably the last time I was going to see her for a long time. “I had to come in and make sure I grabbed everything out of my office. I’m glad Noah’s here. I can go ahead and fill him in on Stan Whitfield.”

“You could’ve done that tomorrow, during normal business hours.” She smiled. “Not unless you have a reason to get back to Asheville in a hurry.”

I shrugged. “I think I might.”

“What do you mean?” She gasped, shrewdly narrowing her eyes. “Did you meet someone?”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “I did.”

She followed me into my office. “Who is she? I want all the details.” Jeanine was like a mother to me. When I worked all hours of the day, she made sure I had plenty of food. I was going to miss her when I moved back home.

Chuckling, I opened my top drawer and pulled out Stan Whitfield’s file. It was the only one in my desk. Everything else was cleaned out. I never thought I’d see the day when I moved back home. But it felt right.

Jeanine leaned against my desk with her arms crossed over her chest. “Tell me about her,” she demanded impatiently.

I held up my hands. “Okay, okay. She’s my sister-in-law’s best friend. Her name is Adeline.”

“Aw,” she replied sweetly, dragging out the word. “I love her name. What’s she like?”

I didn’t even know where to begin. She was everything I’d always looked for in a woman. “She’s beautiful, smart, funny, and genuinely a good person. She’s not interested in me for the money I make or the car I drive.” Closing my eyes, I could see her smiling face. “She’s real.”

Jeanine squealed. “I’m so happy for you, Will. I could tell something was different when you walked through the door.”

“Oh yeah, how so?” I asked.

She looked into my eyes. “It was in your smile. I’ve never seen you look so happy. Hopefully, she feels the same way about you.”

There was a connection between me and Adeline, for sure. I knew she felt it too. “I hope so,” I replied. “I’ll find out more when I go home.”

“Are you getting her anything for Christmas?”

My pulse spiked. “Would it be too soon for that?”

“Of course not,” she blurted incredulously. “Surely, you’re going to see her on Christmas day, right?”

“As a matter of fact, she is having a huge Christmas party.”

“There you go. It’s always polite to bring the host a small gift. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Just think about the things she likes.”

Furrowing my brows, I sat down at my desk. “She’s a history teacher. Other than that, I know she likes to ride horses, hike, and go white-water rafting. Oh, and she doesn’t like coffee.”

Jeanine sighed and tapped her chin. “Let’s see . . . I can’t think of anything for the outdoor stuff, but with her loving history, I’m sure you can think of something good. Maybe go to an antique store?”

And just like that, I had an idea in my head. I’d just have to wait until I got back to Asheville to find it. “I believe you’re right.”

Noah knocked on the door and walked in. “What’s up, Will?”

I stood and slapped his shoulder. “Nothing much. I just wanted to wrap everything up before I head on my way.” Grabbing Stan’s file, I handed it to him. “Did Jeanine tell you about this?”

Grin wide, he glanced down at the file. “She sure did. This is huge for us.”

“It is. And I’m leaving it in your very capable hands.”

Noah was a couple of years younger than me, but I wouldn’t have hired him on as a partner if he couldn’t handle the clients. He nodded and held out his hand. “I won’t let you down.”

Shaking his hand, I looked over at Jeanine and then back to him. “I’ve got all the faith in you. And if you ever need anything, you know how to reach me. You’ll have to come out to North Carolina sometime and let me show you both around.”

Noah’s phone rang, and he sighed. “I’m down for it, brother. If I don’t see you before you go, good luck in Asheville. I’ll hold the fort down out here.”

“You better.” I laughed and shook my head as he ran off.

“I’d love to visit North Carolina,” Jeanine gushed. “My husband and I could rent a cabin and go to the Biltmore House. I’ve always wanted to see it.”

Her comment sent a light bulb off in my head. “I think you just gave me an idea.”

“Let me guess . . . you want to take Adeline there?” When I nodded, she giggled. “It’d be a perfect first date.”

I sat in my chair and smiled. “Yes, yes it would.”