Small Town Christmas (Blue Harbor #4) - Olivia Miles Page 0,44

to someone from the city looking for a seasonal vacation home. If you list them both in January, I can probably have them both under contract before March.”

“That soon?” From their original call, he’d expected to get things underway, but he hadn’t expected closure to come so abruptly.

Lanie smiled proudly. “You came to the right agent. I’m the best in the county.”

She was, and he’d known that when he made the appointment with her originally. Only back when he’d made the appointment, he was sitting in his corner office in the West Loop of Chicago, checking an item off his to-do list.

Now, everything felt muddled, and permanent. And selling the properties wasn’t about scratching off another task.

It was about losing something. For good. And he wasn’t so sure how he felt about that anymore.

Only one thing was for sure. If he wanted to go through with selling the property on Main Street, he’d have to tell Cora, and soon.

*

Georgie listened to the Christmas story with rapt attention, more than once causing Bella to give Cora a wink as she turned the page in the picture book. It was an old classic, one that Cora knew by heart, of course, and she turned to Georgie when they finally reached the end.

“Have you heard that story before?”

“Sure I have! But not since last Christmas!” Georgie flashed her a grin and lined up behind the other children who were eager to grab a sugar cookie from the tray before they were gone.

“She’s a sweet kid,” Bella said, scooting up beside Cora.

Cora suppressed a smile. She could only assume that one of her sisters had either told Bella directly, or that one of their mutual cousins had. It had been a long time since Cora was seen even talking with any eligible guy other than Bart, after all. She had reason to assume that bets had already been placed on when they would finally get together.

“They’re visiting for the season,” Cora said. “Georgie is actually the Keatons’ great-granddaughter!”

Bella raised her eyebrows. “Well, now that you say it, I see the family resemblance in the eyes.”

“Beautiful eyes,” Cora murmured, and then, catching herself, she cleared her throat. “I mean, doesn’t she? Georgie, I mean?”

Bella just pressed her lips together and said pertly, “I heard from Maddie the father is rather handsome too.”

Cora blushed. There was no sense in denying that, and no reason to either. Bella was a friend, bordering on family, and besides, there was Phil coming through the door now, looking exactly as handsome as Bella had claimed.

“Daddy!” Georgie waved him over and crammed the rest of her cookie into her mouth. “We read a Christmas story and a Christmas song, and there were even Christmas cookies!”

Phil laughed as he brushed some crumbs from the corners of her mouth. “I can see that! Did you save any for me?”

Cora chimed in, “You just missed them, I’m afraid.” She motioned to Bella, saying, “This is Bella Clark, she owns the store, and she also happens to be an almost cousin of mine.”

Phil looked perplexed. “Almost cousin?”

“We share cousins,” Bella explained. “I’m on the mother’s side of the family. Cora is on the father’s side.” She extended her hand. “My sister Natalie also works at Harbor Holidays during the busy season.”

“I see,” Phil said, grinning at Cora in a way that made her stomach roll over and her heart begin to speed up. “It certainly seems that everyone in Blue Harbor is connected somehow.”

“That’s small-town life for you.” Cora pulled in a sigh, noticing that Bella was giving her one of those subtle looks. A look that said that Cora should try to drag out this social opportunity a little but longer. She should probably get back to the shop, but it wasn’t pressing. And she had spent such a lovely hour here with Georgie in this cozy room.

A room that was beginning to feel a little warm now as she took her coat from the hook and shrugged it on.

A parent of a little boy that Cora recognized as a fan of her North Pole model train set pulled Bella into a conversation about gift ideas for her husband, leaving Cora, Phil, and Georgie alone near the front door. Once Georgie was securely bundled in her winter gear, Phil held open the door, letting them both pass through.

It was still early in the day, and Cora had the impression that Phil wasn’t exactly sure how to entertain his daughter for the rest of the