Page 58 of Love Me Like You Do

“I guess so.”

“There’s no problem with waiting until after Christmas, if that’s what you want.” He waited patiently for her to decide.

“No, it’s fine. I think I’d feel differently if Lindsay had mentioned them.”And that’s the problem right there. “It keeps coming back to that, doesn’t it? If they had anyone other than us, we wouldn’t be here right now.” That’s what she was worried about.

“It does. But we’ll give them a chance?”

“Yes. Of course.” Unsettled, she needed to change the subject. With a sweep of her hand, she took in the island and hutch. “Who has a room for wrapping presents?”

He broke into a grin. “Crazy, right? It’s the former owner’s.” He looked around. “I’ve never been in here before.”

“What?” She acted shocked. “But where do you wrap your presents?”

He laughed. “Usually, I let the company I order from wrap it.”

“Well, good news. On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a wrapping party in here. Just you and me, some jacked-up eggnog, a charcuterie board, and…” She made a grand gesture to the big-screen TV. “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“Sure, and when I wake up, we’ll watchDie Hard.”

“Yeah, but isDie Hardreally a Christmas movie?”

“One hundred percent.”

This. All this goodness that flowed between them…it was exciting and fun and everything missing in her life.

He took in her sewing machine, fabric, and all the supplies. “What’re you working on?”

“I’m making robes for the girls.”

“Robes? That’s kind of random.” He touched the fabric. “I like that.”

“I know, right? Yeah, it’s definitely a departure from what I usually make.”

“Which is?”

“Sexy lingerie.” Just for a moment, she held her breath, waiting for his reaction. From the time she was a teenager, sketching bustiers, corsets, and lacy bras, people had been making remarks about how naughty she was or suggesting she model it for them.So insulting. And so dismissive of her art.

But Cole didn’t react like that at all. He just asked, “So, you went from that to flannel nightgowns at Abbott’s?”

She smiled. “Yep. It was the best offer I got out of college.”

“No lingerie companies?”

“I had interest from some start-ups, but I really wanted an established, high-end company. And with this job, I can do the work in my sleep, and then have the nights and weekends for creating my own line.”

“So, what got you into robes?”

“As you can imagine, the materials for lingerie are specialized, and one day, a couple years ago, I was buying supplies and I discovered this new fabric. I fell in love with it. And since then, I’ve been working with the textile factory to come up with my own patterns and colors. Here. Let me show you.” She pulled up some images on her phone.

“I like that. Have you been selling them?”

“No, not yet. I’ve been building inventory… Well, I was. Unfortunately, my mom gave them all away.” It still made her furious, but it was her mom, and she wasn’t about to badmouth her. “She saw an opportunity for me to launch my business, and she gave them away. It won’t take me long to make new ones.”Ha. Really? It took eighteen months to make them.

“How many did she give away?”

“A couple dozen.”

“I’m stuck on the way you worded it. You said your momgave them away.Shesaw an opportunity… Were you looking for one?”