A Hamilton Family Christmas - Donna Kauffman Page 0,81
And given what he and his wife have devoted their lives to, I really don’t see where they’d be the grasping, greedy ones, wanting to screw a potential blood relative out of what was rightly theirs. So, I thought I’d start there.”
Holly smiled. “I think you did amazingly well in only a few hours.”
He smiled back. “I have to keep up with you, don’t I?”
“So…what happens next?”
“Trevor was planning on coming up to see his great-uncle for the holidays anyway. Apparently Lionel has been in ill health for some time now. So I set up a meeting with him. His wife will be with him. And we’ll talk about what is the best step to take.” He shrugged. “Then, I guess I’ll start working from this end, to figure out if it’s really true, if someone in my family is really related, then put them in contact and…let the rest work itself out however it happens.”
She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him. “Thank you.” She smiled. “For reaching.”
He grinned. “Holly, I know sometimes I seem like I know everything, like having my background makes things easy for me. It’s different, and it’s wonderful, but I’m just as apt to make mistakes as anyone. I don’t want to make a mistake with you. And I don’t want my possible single-and sometimes narrow-mindedness when it comes to my clan, to prevent someone I love from finding out what might truly be meant for them. And that includes me.”
Holly stared into his eyes and knew this was a man she could spend the rest of her life falling in love with. “Sean Gallagher…how in the world did I get so lucky?”
He laughed. “I’m really glad you see it that way.”
“I really, really see it that way.”
He was still smiling but looked more closely into her eyes. That was another thing she was coming to love about him. He didn’t miss much. Which could prove to be a problem, she supposed, when she’d rather remain more enigmatic about something…but she wouldn’t trade it.
“What else is going on behind those beautiful browns?” he asked. “You look…”
“Happy? Excited? A bit terrified?”
“Uh…yeah, actually. Is it about the shop?”
She nodded. “And you. And me. And my future.” She looked directly into his eyes. “Here in Virginia.”
He went still. She swore, in fact, that she felt his heart stop. The hope that sprang to his eyes, no matter how much he might be trying to restrain it, was all she needed to see. This was as huge, as important, to him, as it was to her.
“Virginia?” he asked.
She nodded. “Mrs. Gillespie dropped her lease proposal off with me today. She wants to lease the first and second floors of the building, but she wants me to retain the third floor. And use it as an art studio. Then sell my paintings and artwork on commission through her antique and collectibles store.”
Sean’s eyes went wide. “That’s…brilliant, actually.”
“I know, right?” Holly jumped up and down a little, unable, any longer, to keep her excitement under control. “It’s terrifying as hell…and yes, brilliant. And…I really think I’m going to do it! It feels really, really right.”
Sean laughed and stood up and spun her around. She was starting to like that about him. A lot.
“Do you have a little more time,” she asked, “before you need to go back?”
“I brought dinner for two; I thought I’d eat with you. Then yes, I do have to go back, but Holly, we’re going to celebrate, in style, I promise. I just have to—”
“Take me for a ride? Right now? We can eat our stew in the truck.”
He tilted his head, but his eyes were dancing. “Okay. Where are we going?”
“Christmas lights.”
“You want to do the tour again?”
She shook her head. “I want to go buy some.”
His grin was slow and devastatingly sexy. “Really.”
“Yes, really. I was thinking on the bushes and the trees on either side of the front stoop.”
His forehead wrinkled. “The shop doesn’t have—” Then his expression cleared. “You mean…?”
“You’re the Christmas spirit guy. I’m thinking your place could use a little holiday twinkle. And maybe a little practice in holiday spirit wouldn’t kill me.”
His expression softened and he let her slide down his body until she was sheltered in his arms. “I think maybe we need a lifetime of practice.” He leaned his head in and kissed her. “Merry Christmas, Holly Berry. Welcome home.”
She smiled against his mouth and thought she’d finally figured out what was so magical about this