The Christmas Plan - Samantha Chase Page 0,1

we all know how that goes.”

“You don’t know that. Have you talked to any of the other women? For all you know, this has happened before!”

But she shook her head. “I’m really only close to Joy–you know, the pastry chef. Angelo barely even talks to her so…”

“So? That doesn’t mean anything. There are other women who work there, Aspen. You need to call Joy and talk to her. Ask her to ask around and…”

“It won’t matter. He’s the boss, the owner. No one’s going to say anything bad against him and risk their job. Especially not at this time of year.”

“That’s no excuse,” he said with one hand still on the doorknob, ready to leave at any moment. “Someone needs to go tell him what a colossal jackass he is!”

As much as she loved how he was defending her, she had more bad news to deliver.

“Can we please just…sit down?” she asked, carefully leading him away from the door.

“You can’t possibly be okay with this,” he argued even as he followed her back to the couch. “What are you going to do? Have you started looking for another job? And…wait. This happened on Monday? It’s Friday, Aspen! You waited all week to tell me this?”

Wordlessly, she took his coat from his hands and patiently waited until he was seated and a little calmer. Taking one of his hands in hers, she gave Gabe a weak smile. “I needed a few days to come to grips with some things.”

His eyes went wide but he didn’t say anything.

“I’ve been here in Atlanta for several years and I’ve worked for four different restaurants.” She paused and forced herself to say what she dreaded. “Things just aren’t working for me so…I’m moving back home.”

“To California?” he asked with disbelief.

Nodding, she said, “Yup.”

“But…you can’t!”

“Can’t?”

Now he switched positions and gently clasped her hand in both of his. “Aspen, I get that you’re upset but…you can’t just give up. Plus, you’ve always said how much you don’t want to move back to California.”

“I know, but…I really don’t have a choice. I mean, I wasn’t making great money at Angelo’s but I was making enough to live on. Frugally,” she added. “And honestly, Gabe, I just don’t have it in me to start job hunting during the holidays. I’m sure I can find a temp job, but…” She shrugged.

“I get that but…any restaurant in the city would be thrilled to have you–especially now! I’ll bet if you put the word out, you’d have more offers than you know what to do with.”

But she was shaking her head. “I appreciate how much you believe in me, but…I know when to throw in the towel. It’s time for me to move home, lick my wounds, and then I’ll re-evaluate things after the holidays.”

“Damn, Aspen.”

“Yeah,” she said wearily. “I know.”

They sat silently for several moments. “Well, I guess it will be nice for you to get to spend the holidays with your family, huh?”

“Well…that’s not going to happen either.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Since I don’t normally go home for Christmas or Thanksgiving, my parents started traveling more during the holidays. Last year they were in Italy for Christmas and on a cruise for Thanksgiving,” she explained. “This year they are going skiing up in Lake Tahoe for Thanksgiving and then heading to Hawaii for Christmas.”

“That’s just…bizarre. I couldn’t imagine being someplace tropical or even just warm for Christmas. It should be cold and snowy.”

That made her laugh. “A white Christmas?”

He nodded.

“Now that’s something I figured was mostly fake–just like the movies you were making fun of a few minutes ago. It’s always a white Christmas in the movies.”

“And it’s always a white Christmas in Silver Bell Falls.”

She shrugged. “Says you.” Then, because she felt like she deserved it, Aspen reached out and grabbed a couple of the dark chocolate mint truffles for herself. Leaning back, she did her best to get comfortable and focus on the movie again.

“So…when are you planning on leaving?” Gabe asked quietly.

“I already reached out to the leasing office here and I’m going to live out my security deposit so…a month.”

Beside her, he groaned. “I leave on Tuesday for Silver Bell Falls and my annual pilgrimage to go home and help with the Christmas tree business.”

That had her straightening. “Then this is it? This is going to be…like…the last time we see each other?” Tears stung her eyes because Gabe was such a big part of her life and the thought of possibly never seeing him again was almost