"Andi, that's way too basic. I have a great idea and I know where we can get some costumes last minute."
"Like, really last minute," Andi said. "You know you need to be here in a few hours."
"Don't you want to hear the idea?"
Andi's eyes tracked Colin's movements across the room to the dresser, where he pulled out a pair of jeans and a clean shirt. She sat up in bed, letting the covers fall to her waist. For one delicious moment, she thought he might drop his towel right in front of her. Instead, he bundled up the clothes and, with a smirk in her direction, made his way back to the bathroom.
"Tell me the idea," Andi said to Eva, with a small sigh.
"I think we should go with The Night Before Christmas," Eva announced. "I can get some mice costumes, and sugar plum fairies. We can even have the staff break into small skits throughout the night. And, wait for it," Eva said. "I found the best soundtrack to play at the end of the night. It's the sound of reindeer hooves and then we get a Santa to call out, Merry Christmas to all-"
"And to all a good night," Andi finished for her. "I'm familiar with it. It sounds great. Let's do it." Andi kept her eyes on the bathroom door waiting for Colin to reappear. "How did you think of that?"
"Well," Eva paused, "it came to me when I saw that invitation on your desk last night. You know, the one from the Porters."
Andi's stomach clenched the way it always did when she remembered the family she'd once thought of as her own. The same family who'd dropped her the minute their son did.
"Are you okay, Andi? I'm sorry, I really need to learn when to shut up, but I-"
"It's fine," she said and then realized that it, in fact, was fine. The feeling in her stomach was gone as quickly as it came. "I actually kind of forgot all about the party."
"For real? That must be some guy," Eva said and laughed. "Well, I guess I'll get to meet him tonight anyway. I'm looking forward to it. Anyone who could convince you that not only is Christmas okay, but inspire you to throw an actual Christmas party. Well, he's got to be amazing."
"He is pretty amazing," Andi said with a laugh and then added, "Now stop talking to me and get in the car. We have so much to do."
"Hey," Eva said. "I'm on it. You get out of bed with Mr. Wonderful and get your butt moving."
"I am not in bed with Mr. Wonderful," Andi protested. It was remarkable how well her friend knew her. More often than not, Eva knew her better than she knew herself.
"Whatever. I'm out," Eva said. Andi heard her laughter come through the line before she disconnected.
Tossing her cell to the pillow next to her, she leaned her head back against the headboard and sighed.
"So, I'm Mr. Wonderful, am I?"
Colin's voice spooked her and she sat up sharply to find him standing at the end of the bed with a big smile on his face.
"That was Eva," she said. "She's on her way."
"You didn't answer my question."
"Eva thinks she's funny."
"So, it's just your friend who thinks I'm wonderful? Not you?"
"Stop it." Andi threw a pillow at him, which he caught with one hand. "I have a million things to do." She pushed the quilt off her legs and started to climb out of the bed.
Colin moved around the side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pushing her gently back into the mattress. He kissed her soft and sweet on the lips and said, "Well, for what it's worth, I think you're pretty wonderful."
Andi murmured her appreciation against his mouth and then firmly pushed him to the side. She straddled his waist and planted a quick kiss on Colin's forehead. "Save it," she said. "We have a million things to do."
He smiled a wicked smile and said, "Oh I can wait. Because tonight will be our second official date."
"I suppose it will be," she said and jumped to her feet. She headed for the door but before she left, she turned back to see him sitting up.
"And then there won't be anymore excuses," he said.
She opened her mouth to protest. They weren't excuses. Were they? She closed her mouth and blew him a kiss before turning and running down the hall to her own room.
***
Colin moved quickly through the halls of the main Lodge. Andi had put him in charge of making sure the party room was set up properly and he wanted to be certain that it was perfect. She was really excited about planning the Holly Berry Ball, which felt like a big deal since up until a few days before, she hadn't wanted anything to do with Christmas. Besides, it was a total turn on to see her in her party planning element.
By the time he got to the banquet room, most of the work had already been done. Buffet tables had been set up in two stations. Andi told him the food would be mostly children's finger food, with a few selections for the parents thrown in. Traditionally, the ball had catered mostly to adults, which she said was ridiculous since the Lodge was filled with families for Christmas. She wanted to make it more fun for the kids. Every time Andi mentioned children, she got a sad, distant look in her eyes. He'd noticed it when they met Kirk and his family at the ice. There was something else going on there too. Something she hadn't told him yet.
Colin weaved through the tables and chairs, checking everything had been positioned according to the hand drawn plan Andi had given him. There were small stages set up throughout the space that would hold minor performances at various stages throughout the night. Everything looked just as it should.
"So, what do you think?" a woman's voice said. Colin turned and saw a tall, striking blonde, with a body to rival any he'd seen in on the Caribbean beaches. "You must be Colin," she said and thrust her hand out.
He took her hand and shook it, realization dawning. "And you, must be Eva."
"How did you know?" she put her hands to her chest in mock surprise before laughing.
"How on Earth did you get here so fast?" he asked.
"Let me tell you, Colin. When I have somewhere to be, I get there. I like to think that I drive with purpose."
He laughed along with her. She was an easy woman to be around and it wasn't a stretch to see why she was in the party planning business. "Have you seen Andi yet?" he asked. "She sent me to check on the room, but honestly, I don't really know what I'm doing."
Eva started walking and gestured for Colin to follow, which he did. "She has you working already, does she? Well, the room looks great. The staff here are total pros. I'll tell you, when Andi told me about organizing the ball last minute, I was worried. But I think with a staff like this, I could pull off any event in only two days. This is amazing. And you should have seen how professional they were when I gave them the costumes."
"Costumes?"
"Andi didn't tell you?" She glanced at him. "It'll be a surprise then." She adjusted chairs as she moved through the room, talking non-stop. "You know, Colin. I don't know what you did to her, but she was dead set against Christmas this year. After everything she's gone through the past few months..." Eva trailed off, shaking her head.
"What do you-"
"Anyway," she cut him off as if he hadn't spoken. "I think she would have canceled it all together if she could have. But after only a few days with you, she's ready to plan the biggest holiday party around."
What had Andi gone through in the last year? Colin's mind whirled. She hadn't mentioned anything, just a failed relationship. Had the breakup been that bad?
Eva stopped walking and stared at him. "You must be pretty special." She was smiling, but there was something else behind it. A warning played in her eyes and her voice.
Colin didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all.
"Speaking of Andi," she started talking again, her tone light once again. "I need to find her, I have a million things to go over. Do you have everything under control in here?"
Colin shrugged. "I think I can handle it."
"Good." Eva winked at him and turned to leave. "I'll see you later, Santa."
Santa?
"Wait," he called after her but she'd already left the room. "What do you mean, Santa?"
Chapter Eleven
"How about a break?" Eva said as she opened yet another bag of candy.
Andi wiped her forehead with her wrist and moved to the next bowl. She'd been pouring peppermints into glass vases for twenty minutes, and they still had more to go.
"I don't think we have time for a break," she said. "But go ahead. You've been working non-stop for days, plus you drove up here this morning and it's -"
"I meant you," she said. "Besides, we need a Christmas tree. Maybe you can go get one."
"We have a tree, in the lobby."
"And that, my dear, is the problem," Eva said. "The lobby has a tree, but the party doesn't. Now go find that yummy mountain man and get us a tree."
Andi shot her a look that said, do not bother me with this right now. Eva ignored it. "Seriously, Andi, he's gorgeous. And he's crazy about you."
"He is not," she protested, but secretly she was hoping for her friend to disagree with her. "Besides, what would make you say that?" Andi turned so Eva couldn't see the smile that took over her face.
"You can drop the act anytime, Andi. I'm not falling for it. Besides, anyone can see it." Eva grabbed her arm to spin her around. "I mean really, here it is Christmas Eve and he's in the banquet room with a plan you gave him, ordering around the staff to make sure everything is perfect for you. Of course he's crazy about you. I think he deserves a break too. Go find him."
Andi grabbed a bag of jube-jubes and starting filling a new vase. "I don't know."
"You don't know about Colin, or about taking a break?"
Andi stopped what she was doing and stared at her friend. "Both?"
"No way," Eva said. "That's a cop out and I'm not going to accept it. Andi it's been months since Blaine left, you need to get back out there."
"I am out there." Andi picked up a jube-jube and stuck it in her mouth.
Her friend raised her eyebrow but didn't say anything else for a moment.
"Do we have any more of these?" Andi said with a mouthful. She held up the empty bag and Eva swiped it out of her hand.
"That's enough," she snapped. "Don't insult me by pretending that this guy doesn't mean anything to you. I've known you too long."
Andi risked a glance up at her friend and saw Eva's normally smiling face, twisted into a frown. "I...he..." she started.
"Tell me," Eva demanded.
"I don't want to get hurt again." The words came out in a rush. "He's not the relationship type and I thought I could just do a fling, I even tried."
"You tried?"
"I did." Andi sank down into an empty chair. "But at the last minute I came up with this 'no sex on the first date' thing. So we cuddled all night instead."
Eva swallowed back a laugh. "For real?"
Andi shot her a glare. "Well, I used to have that rule. Once." She swallowed hard. "I got scared." She wouldn't look up. Andi knew if she made eye contact with Eva, her friend would know just how scared she really was. It had taken a long time to get over Blaine, or more accurately, his desertion when she needed him.
"Andi," Eva's voice was soft and she crouched in front of her. "You don't have to sign up for forever right now."
"You don't understand," Andi said finally looking up. "He's not into relationships. He's more or less spelled it out for me."
Hot tears stung at her eyes and she blinked hard to keep them away. She would not cry. Not over a guy she barely knew.
"Here," Eva said and thrust a bag of chocolate into Andi's lap.
"What's this for?"
"Well, since you're being stupid, you might as well eat yourself into a chocolate coma too."
Eva turned and walked back to the counter and the endless vases that needed to be filled. Andi pushed up from the chair and stalked after her. "What are you talking about? I'm not being stupid."
Eva spun, confronting her. "Oh no? Here you are crying like a little girl instead of taking a look at the facts."
"What facts?"
"Andi," Eva said, struggling to keep her voice even. "This man that you say is a relationshiphobe, is currently working his tail off for you and all this after spending the night cuddling with you because you didn't want to have sex. The way I see it, that man is seriously into you and you are being an idiot."
"I am not." Andi knew she sounded childish, but at that moment she didn't care. She popped a chocolate into her mouth and chewed hard.
"Then prove it," Eva said. Her eyes gleamed with challenge. "Go find Colin and go get a Christmas tree."
Andi tossed the bag of chocolates down on the counter and said, "Fine."
As she left the room, she could hear Eva laughing as she called out, "Just be back in time for the party."
***
Colin reflexively put his arm out to brace Andi as the truck bounced over yet another rut in the road. He hadn't driven in deep snow for years, and the way the truck was working, he was starting to worry that his lack of experience might get them into a little trouble if he wasn't careful.
"Sorry. This road is ridiculous."
"I'm fine," she said. Andi's hands were gripped on the door as she tried to keep from flying out of her seat. "Are you sure you know where you're going?" She bit her lip like she hadn't wanted to ask the question.
"Are you suggesting that I'm lost?" he teased.
Andi shot him a look before shading her eyes with her hand again. The sun was shining bright overhead, causing a sharp glare on the snow, making it difficult to see. "I wasn't trying to offend you, I know men are touchy about asking for directions, I just thought-"
"It's okay, Andi. I was kidding." He smiled at her and reached over to squeeze her thigh. She'd been distracted and distant since they'd been in the truck. At first he'd thought she was just nervous about his driving, but the longer they spent together, the more he could sense something was bugging her. "Besides," he said trying to lighten the mood. "I know exactly where I'm going. Look." He held up a piece of paper with some roughly drawn lines. The guys in the maintenance garage who'd lent him the truck had drawn it for him.