Page 36 of The Holiday Clause

She elbowed him in the side.

When the characters reached the inn in Vermont, Wren sighed. “Tell me this doesn’t scream Hideaway Harbor.”

“Meh, there’s not enough coastal charm. Throw a fewlobstahtraps in there, more alcohol, and a sea breeze, and then we’re talking.”

The general appeared. “He reminds me a little of Magnus.”

“Yeah, right. Maybe if Magnus discovered emotions.”

“Your dad has feelings, Logan.”

“Agree to disagree. Besides, Magnus would never allow Christmas music. Too much joy.”

By the final scene, she was nearly asleep. Or maybe she had already drifted off. Logan pulled the covers over her and shut off the lights. “You need anything?”

He’d set her up with a pillow from his bed and put a glass of water on the coffee table for her. “I’m good. Thanks, babe.”

He kissed his fingers and touched her forehead. “’Night, Wren.”

She turned into the cushions and fell right to sleep.

CHAPTER 6

“Out of All the Reindeer,

You Know You’re The Mastermind”

Wren pacedby her front window, chewing her fingernail to a nub. How could she have agreed to this? She should have canceled.

Lights panned across the snow, and Logan’s black truck came into view. Too late to cancel now.

She meant to get out the door as soon as he pulled up, but she needed a moment to calm her breathing. It took longer than usual to pull herself together. She flinched when he knocked.

With a shaky hand and an unsure belly, she pasted on a smile and opened the door, doing her best to play it casual. “Hi.”

“These are for you.” He revealed a stunning bouquet of sunflowers and eucalyptus branches.

“Oh, Logan, they’re beautiful.” She took the flowers inside, and he followed.

“I remember you telling me once that sunflowers were your favorite.”

She looked back at him, surprised. “You do?” He was right, of course, but Wren had no recollection of that conversation.

“Yeah. Sometime after our moms died. You said lilies used to be your favorite, but there were so many at the funeral that you no longer liked them. I asked what your second favorite was, and you said sunflowers.”

She was speechless. She hated the scent of lilies now, but had forgotten why. He was right. She associated the smell with sadness.

“Well,” she breathed in the sunny blooms. “These are beautiful. I don’t even know where you find sunflowers this time of year.”

“I have my ways.”

“I’ll just put them in a vase and then we can go.”

“No rush. How was your day?”

She wasn’t used to anyone asking her about her day and it caught her off guard. “My day was good.”

“What did you do?”