Snowdrop Kisses Part Twenty-One
A Christmas love story featuring a plucky florist and a tall dark and handsome entrepreneur
Previously… in Part 20 James and Wendy share a romantic moment in the conservatory and have a late night encounter.
Chapter 41
The morning dawned bright and clear, but Wendy’s mind was as befuddled as the night before. She had slept fitfully after the late night smooch, tossing and turning to disturbing dreams of James’ lopsided grin morphing into Martin’s lying sneer.
Despite her unsatisfying sleep, Wendy was pleased she had woken at her usual early hour. The morning light made clear to her confused mind that she needed to get out of Stonehaven, and away from James, as quickly as possible. Creeping out of bed, she took a shower and returned to the room in her faded blue jeans and t-shirt. Kim was still asleep.
Wendy wouldn’t wake her friend now, but the more Wendy thought about it, the clearer it was that Kim and Harry had hatched a plot to get her to the party and alone with James. She wanted to know exactly what they were up to and she’d raise it with Kim before going back to Ottawa.
Wendy snuck through the sleeping house. With luck she’d be done with the takedown before James even woke up. She began unwinding the floral garland from the stairs. Wendy usually loved doing this part. It meant the stress had passed and her work was almost done. This time, however, she was too tense to enjoy it. She carried the garland to the workroom, and pulled the blooms apart. They were wilted now, but Wendy didn’t have the heart to throw them away. There was something sad and defeated about putting flowers into the garbage. Instead, she gathered up some mason jars from the kitchen and put the blossoms into water. Hopefully, with a little drink they would perk up
An hour later, she headed to the ballroom, but in the foyer heard a male voice at the top of the stairs. It sounded like James. Panicked, she raced to the mudroom, grabbed her coat and darted outside.
She didn’t have a plan beyond avoiding awkwardness. She decided to have a little walk and then go back to finish her work. The grounds were beautiful under their dusting of snow. She could see the outlines of flower beds, carefully trimmed hedges and well-maintained trees, sugar maples, burr oaks and tall white pines. This late in the year, the sun was only just rising, but it painted the sky a spectacular symphony of pinks, reds and oranges that soothed her troubled mind. The day was mild, likely above freezing.
The birds were awakening, and she heard the chattering of sparrows and the sharp piercing cry of a blue jay. The noise reminded her of home, and she wished she could take time off from the store and head to the east coast for the holidays.
Wendy passed the conservatory. It glittered like a crystal in the morning light. She reflected on James’ story about maintaining it for his mother’s memory. There were depths to him, despite his playboy image. “I’ve got no chance against depths,” she muttered to herself, leaning forward to sniff the Christmassy scent of a balsam tree.
“Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity. Should I be worried?”
“James!” She jumped as he rounded a hedge. His thick black hair was wet and plastered to his head, making his prominent cheekbones and electric blue eyes all the more noticeable. His face wasn’t what stopped Wendy, however. James wore sweatpants, hung low on his hips and he was wrapped in a blue bathrobe, which gaped open. A towel was draped over his shoulder and he carried swim goggles. His chest was lightly tanned and covered in a downy layer of dark curls. Wendy’s eye followed the path of that hair from the chest, past the belly button to his waistband. She swallowed hard.
With a cough, James pulled his bathrobe closed, his gesture breaking the erotic trance that gripped her. Oh, man, he actually had to cover himself to stop her from gawking at him! To ease her embarrassment, Wendy said “You’re up early, James! And swimming already!” She sounded like an over-enthusiastic gym teacher.
“Yeah, I like to hit the pool in the morning. It clears my head.”
“A pool, what a marvellous amenity!” Wendy exclaimed, now sending like a crazed realtor.
“It’s indoors, obviously. Easiest to get to it by cutting through the garden, otherwise there is a long passageway that smells increasingly of damp and chlorine. I probably need to redo it all, but I can’t face what horrors tearing up fifty-year old plumbing will reveal.”
He sounded so calm, so casual. They’d shared two amazing kisses the night before, but here he was talking about plumbing. Wendy took heart from his lead. There was no need for her to act like a nitwit, just because he turned her knees to jelly.
“You were up late last night,” she commented. Great going, remind him of their sexy hallway moment.
“The last guests went to bed at around three a.m. How did you sleep?”
“I slept well,” she said. “Really, really well. Only, I woke up thinking about your bed.”
Chapter 42
“Bed?” James cocked an eyebrow.
With a flush of mortification, Wendy hurried to explain. “Beds! Plural! Flowerbeds! I kept thinking about your flowerbeds, all those plants in the conservatory, and then your grounds here. Dirt, water, sunshine, grow, grow, grow.” She was manic, but unable to stop babbling. ”Chlorophyll! Photosynthesis! Plants are Mother Nature’s little miracles!”
Every time she glanced over at James, who was staring at her in bemusement, she glimpsed his bare chest beneath the robe, which made her remember their kiss, which plummeted her into further confusion. “I love growing things, you know. The feel of the soil between my fingers, the lazy hum of bumblebees, the warm sun caressing my skin.”
James met her eye. Something hot and sexy passed between them. She licked her lips and continued, “The plants pushing themselves through the yielding earth to thrust up into daylight.” Now it sounded like she was describing a porno. James didn’t seem to mind; in fact he was staring intently at her lips. She finally wound down. “So, yeah, I wanted to have a look at your garden beds.”
It seemed to take James a moment to refocus. Then he ran his hand through his hair. “You certainly are enthusiastic.”
Enthusiastic? Wendy felt like she needed a cigarette. Her voice was overly bright as she answered, “Yup, that’s me. I’m a regular pep squad for peonies, a cheerleader for cherry blossoms.”
There was an awkward silence as the full dorkiness of her speech penetrated. How humiliating. She cleared her throat. “I’d better get back to the house. I’ve got to take down all the flowers in the ballroom.”
“Leave them,” James said. “They’ll look nice at brunch. You’re staying for the food, aren’t you?”
“No, I have to get back to Ottawa. Viv’s opening the store, but I need to be there to close.”
“Stay a while longer. You’ll be back in plenty of time.
Wendy’s heart sang at his words, and she nodded her agreement before realizing what she was doing. She took a calming breath. She needed to stick to comfortable, neutral topics. That way she might avoid making more of an ass of herself. She pointed toward some trees. “I see you’ve got an apple orchard just past that little pond.”
They walked towards the orchard, passing more raised flowerbeds, their shape still distinctive under the snow. “You have an extensive garden. What kind of flowers do you grow?”
James shrugged sheepishly. “I’m not really certain. A gardener handles all that. I know we have a lot of lilies though.”
“Oh, I love lilies, they’re my second favourite flowers.”
James coughed. “My mother’s name was Lily. In fact, LCC is named after her. Lily Crofton Corporation.”
“I’m sure she would be very proud of you.”
“Thank you.” He met her eyes and smiled.
Wendy saw a vulnerability there that squeezed her heart, and caused a fizzing sensation like swallowing champagne bubbles. She wanted him to smile at her like that forever.
He continued, “It’s funny. I never talk about my mom. I hardly even let myself think about her, but around you it’s easy.”
Now it was Wendy’s turn to smile as they walked amongst the wizened old apple trees. Their silence was comfortable.
James cleared his throat. “Second favourite flower? I didn’t know people had rankings. What’s your favourite?”
“It’s kind of embarrassing for a florist to admit, but I love the humble snowdrop.”
Seeing his blank stare, she hurried to explain. “They are these tiny white flowers that pop up almost before the snow has melted. They’re small and delicate, but also incredibly hardy. The sight of them means that winter is over and the growing season is about to begin. I love them because they symbolize rebirth and a fresh start. They’re hope on a stem.” She stopped, appalled by her cheesiness.
James grinned. “‘Hope on a stem’ — You are one of a kind, Wendy.” They reached the end of the orchard, and began walking back toward the house.
James looked at his watch. “The brunch should be laid out by now. Let’s take a look.”
She nodded. “Sounds good.”
They walked into the foyer, and James excused himself. “I’d better throw a shirt on, so I look respectable for my guests.”
Wendy bit back her request that he remain shirtless, instead waving him off. James ran up the stairs and Wendy walked into the ballroom. The cleaning staff had been through while she was out, because the room looked fresh and bright in the morning sunlight. A long table was set up in one corner, laden with croissants, pastries and fruit.
She looked around for Kim. When she couldn’t see her, she asked Tonya, the receptionist she’d chatted with the night before, where she was.
“She left about a half hour ago. She had to get back to the city.”
Damn, there went Wendy’s chance to grill her friend about what she’d been up to. Instead, Wendy filled a plate with pastries and fruit. She surveyed the room, but James still hadn’t appeared.
She sat down with Tonya and her gang. They were eating and gossiping about the night before when Catriona arrived, standing in the doorway. She was dressed casually in jeans with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, but managed to look stunning.
Tonya seemed to read her thoughts. “Sick, isn’t it? Catriona was still up when I went to bed at 3 a.m., but she looks as fresh as a frigging daisy. Some women have all the luck.”
At that moment, James came up behind Catriona, saying something to make the other woman laugh. Wendy’s stomach tightened and she felt a wave of jealousy. Her reaction was completely irrational and silly, but it was also sickeningly familiar. This was the same feeling she had all the time with Martin. She could not go down that road again.
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