Christmas in Angel Harbor - Jeannie Moon Page 0,19
really moving forward. He had a good handle on his main characters and the small-town setting was a familiar one. He didn’t know if Angel Harbor was ready for prime time, but he was going to find out.
While he was reading over his notes from the early chapters, he felt a warm weight settle against his leg. Looking down, he saw he had some company. Jane’s dog wasn’t just sitting next to him, the gorgeous girl had her head resting on the table next to his computer. Just beyond her reach was a croissant he’d gotten with his coffee.
The dark brown eyes shifted back and forth, between him and the pastry. Chloe was too well trained to steal it from him, but she obviously wasn’t above begging.
“You’re shameless,” he whispered to the dog. “You look at me like you’re starving, but I know you’re not.”
Chloe’s head lifted from the table, and she gazed up at him like she hadn’t had a meal in weeks. One paw came off the floor to rest on his thigh.
“Is that the way it is? Think I’m a soft touch?” Her ears were pinned back and the sweet look on the dog’s face was all love. He couldn’t resist and dropped his hand on her soft head, stroking the golden brown fur at the crown. “You are a beautiful girl, but you’re a hussy.”
“She’s a total hussy.” Jane had found her way back to the table area and she shifted her gaze between him and the dog. “She’d sell her soul for a piece of that croissant. Don’t give in.”
“Did you hear that? Your mother said no.” Chloe dropped her head, but both Dan, and Jane, could see the pooch shooting a very obvious side-eye at her human. This dog had personality in spades.
“She’s annoyed with me.”
He laughed, still petting the dog. “She’s great. What a beauty.”
“Did you hear that Chloe? He thinks you’re beautiful.”
Chloe tilted her head up and gazed at Dan with all the love he’d ever seen in a dog’s eyes. He, in turn, stroked her face and cooed at her. “Yes, you are beautiful and such a smart girl too.”
Chloe responded by licking his nose and swishing her big tail.
“Oh, brother,” Jane said. “I’m going back to work. You two have fun.”
He laughed at her exasperation. The banter between them, and the dog—who was most definitely part of the conversation—lightened the mood.
“I heard you telling someone your mother went away. How long will she be gone?”
“Oh, yes.” Jane folded her hands in front of her and stood needle straight, a stance he remembered from when they were kids. “She’ll be back on Sunday. It’s a short trip, just a week.”
“Where is she?”
“Santa Fe.”
“Nice.” He leaned back in his chair. “I love New Mexico. Every corner of the state has something different. Have you been?”
“No, never.”
That surprised him. He figured that she would have been everywhere by now. “It’s beautiful. So much history, great culture, and the food…fantastic.”
Jane took a step in his direction. “I’ll have to take your word for it. I don’t have the chance to get away much. The business keeps me here.”
When she was younger, all she’d wanted to do was explore the world. That she hadn’t saddened him. Jane kept her face neutral, but the tumultuous green of her eyes conveyed the regret. Dan wanted to tell her he’d take her anywhere she wanted. New Mexico, or Nepal. He’d book the flights right now if he could see the light bloom again.
This woman had mattered to him. He knew he’d sucked at showing it and he was sure he’d hurt her, but if there was some way to make up for it, he would.
“How is Tara doing?”
Her eyes lit up at the mention of her daughter. “Doing well. She’s the stage manager of the school play. It’s hell week, so I expect I won’t see her until late.”
“Ah, flying solo here tonight?”
“No,” she said. “My two part-timers are on. I’m taking the night off.”
A crazy idea flashed in his mind. It popped up and took hold, for better or worse. It could be a colossal miscalculation, but he was all in for taking a risk if there was a good payoff. “Would you like to grab dinner later?”
He dropped the words into the void and waited for her reaction, which seemed to take forever. She was stunned, which in his mind was a better look than disgusted. But she still hadn’t responded. “I guess you’re busy.”