A Hamilton Family Christmas - Donna Kauffman Page 0,80
in trying to quell the burgeoning hope before thinking the whole thing through with a more rational, practical eye, that she apparently didn’t hear the sleigh bells ring on the shop door. So she about jumped out of her skin at the knock that came on her door. She really had to get better about locking the damn shop door.
“Hey, there…hungry?”
She looked up to find Sean filling her doorway. And everything inside of her bloomed to life. That was the effect he’d always had on her, even as a little girl. Why was she fighting so hard to figure out why things wouldn’t work between them, instead of fighting to find any way possible to keep him around forever? Well, thanks to Mrs. Gillespie, of all people, now she just might have the remaining answers she needed to do just that.
“Starved,” she said. She tossed the letter aside, excited to discuss everything with him, get his take, realizing how much she’d already come to value his opinion. It was comforting, and the sense of real security she needed, the first building block of a foundation to a new life that was so vital…. Oh, my God, she thought, she was really going to do this. But first things first. She pushed her chair back and stood, coming around the desk as he entered with delicious smelling take out boxes.
“Beef stew again, but—”
“It smells like heaven, and I probably should feel horrible for taking you away from your busiest time at the restaurant, but—”
“You know,” he said, putting the boxes down on the chair and leaning against her desk so he could pull her into his arms. “I’m starting to discover that I’ve trained my people better than I realized. As it turns out, the world doesn’t come to an end after all if I step out for a few minutes, or hours.” He grinned and it was cutely self-deprecating. “In fact, I’ve been informed that there is a general appreciation for me getting a new life and not micro-managing theirs for a change.”
“Anything I can do to help with that?” she asked, smiling back.
“As a matter of fact…” He pulled her in closer and kissed her.
He smelled of warmth, and kitchen cooking, and everything she’d ever wanted. After a life of feeling like she didn’t fit in, from childhood on up, and always being that square peg…she finally felt like she was fitting in. Right where she was supposed to be. And when she kissed him, she poured all of that into it, everything she was feeling—her excitement about the possible new chance for her future, to reach her own goals, goals she’d never allowed herself to even contemplate.
When he finally came up for air, his gaze was more than a little unfocused. “Wow,” was all he said. “I…wow.”
She laughed a little, then grew more serious. “Sean, I’m sorry about the way I acted with the diary. I just—”
“No, don’t apologize. Sometimes, coming from such a large family, from such a broad foundation of love and support, I forget that other people don’t have that, and I felt kind of selfish in being more concerned with preserving that than really thinking that what might be best for that one person is worth a little disturbance. I should trust in the strength of the very foundation I do have.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I think we need to find out who Trudy Haversham-Hamilton gave birth to…and if he’s a Gallagher. In fact, I’ve already put things in motion.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You have? Already? But I just gave you the diary—”
“You started the path, and I’m going to finish it. I contacted the great-nephew—”
“You contacted a Hamilton first? Sean, do you think that was wise? They’re the ones who stand to lose—”
“I did some digging, on Lionel’s only remaining heir, Trevor Hamilton. He lives in North Carolina and has built what amounts to a private social services firm designed to help those in need, especially young entrepreneurs. His wife, Emma, used to work for Lionel. They’ve been married about three years now and, from what I could dig up, she’d started a pet-sitting service down there but moved on and branched out into building her own rescue service and permanent sanctuary for animals who can’t be placed in homes. Everything, apparently from hamsters to horses. It’s really quite the operation.”
“They sound like an amazing couple.”
“I thought so, too. Trevor has built his business from the ground up. No Hamilton money.