Christmas at Holiday House - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,107
happy.
“She said she would be late but gave strict orders not to let Christopher open any presents until we wake her up.”
She smiled a little at that, then realized what else he had said. He had used we. “You’re not going home?”
He looked surprised. “Didn’t Winnie tell you? I’m staying in my old room upstairs. I wanted to be here to enjoy Christopher’s Christmas morning, too. Having a child around makes everything seem more magical, doesn’t it?”
Another tear slipped out and she wiped it away, hoping he wouldn’t see. “Oh. That is so sweet of you.”
“Can I help you put his gifts from Santa under the tree?”
“I... Yes. Of course. I brought some of them, but I have a few more in the closet of the room next to ours.”
“I can get them for you.”
She quickly arranged the gifts she had brought in a suitcase from Phoenix and others she had purchased in town. She also put a few small wrapped toys in the stocking Christopher had hung near the mantel.
A few moments later, Ethan carried out several more boxes she had wrapped for her son. “Is this everything?” he asked.
“Yes. I think so.”
He placed them under the tree, then stood back to admire the festive room.
“I have one more gift I thought you could give him from Santa. I hope that’s okay.”
“Okay,” she said warily.
Ethan walked outside and returned a moment later carrying a set of Christopher-sized skis, a helmet, boots and poles.
“I went with the same sizes of the ones we rented the other day when we went, but we can always trade up for a bigger size if you want.”
She stared, not sure what to say. “That’s wonderful,” she finally said. “What a kind and generous gesture. I’m not sure where we’ll be able to use skis in Austin, but thank you.”
He gazed at her for a long moment and she had the oddest feeling that he was nervous. Ethan Lancaster, the CEO of a vast luxury hotel group, seemed uncertain for the first time since she had met him.
“I have something else.”
“For Christopher?”
“Sort of. And for you.”
His odd mood made her even more wary.
What was going on?
“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the sofa in the great room. Baffled, she complied and watched as he turned on Winnie’s big screen. For the first time, she noticed a laptop on the chair where he had been sitting. He opened the laptop and an image was immediately cast to the big screen.
It showed a town she easily recognized as this one, surrounded by soaring mountains and blue sky.
A title read Things to Love in Silver Bells.
She gave him a confused look. “What is this? Some kind of tourist bureau ad?”
“I know how much you like lists. So I made one for you.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I wanted to show you all the reasons why you should think about staying in Silver Bells.”
“Staying.”
Did he know how very much she wanted to do just that?
“Austin is great, I’m sure. It has good people, a great music scene, a lot of historical sights. But Silver Bells has a lot to offer, too.”
She looked at the computer and then back up at the screen. “Winnie said you were working on a project. Is this why you were late tonight?”
To her astonishment, Ethan shifted, color climbing his cheeks. “Do you want to see the rest?”
He wanted her to stay? He must. Why else would he have spent time working on a very polished presentation aimed at persuading her to do just that?
It even had music, she realized. A soft, jazzy version of “Silver Bells.” While the music played, images flashed on the screen.
Excellent schools, the first slide said, along with images of children playing in the snow and what looked like a stock image of a teacher in a classroom leading a discussion.
It stayed on the television for a moment before fading to another slide that read A thriving business district, accompanied by pictures of the downtown area of Silver Bells, crowded with shoppers.
Recreational opportunities, read the next one, followed by pictures of skiers, the tubing hill, hikers, a lake in summer.
Kind neighbors. The screen flashed to various pictures of the Silver Belles in the choir robes they had worn for the tours of Christmas at Holiday House.
Career opportunities. The next slide showed at least a dozen medical facilities, all with nursing positions available, circled in red.
“Where did you find all those positions?”
He shrugged, again looking embarrassed. “I reached out to people I know