When she’d point-blank refused Connor’s offer of personal investment, he’d understood. She needed to do this on her own terms. Instead, she’d gone to the bank and explained the reasons behind her father’s loan. They had paid back the loan in full, using funds from the quick sale of their father’s house. A friend of Jake’s had wanted the house and had offered a fast closing to move in before Christmas. But she’d asked the bank to consider providing her a new loan. She’d shown them production volumes, expansion plans, and with thanks to Connor, a new sales and marketing strategy that would boost income considerably.
And the bank had been impressed with the plan. They were prepared to write the sheet clean, treating Emerson as a new business owner. They’d asked her to come back once the distillery had achieved three months of back-to-back improvement, and they were well on their way. Her plan included expanding the events hall into a new distillery, while the old distillery would be renovated into a larger, multi-functional events hall.
Connor let her go and walked to the roller shutter doors of the warehouse, lowering them to block out the cold flurries fluttering their way onto the concrete floor of the warehouse. “Jake’s just shutting everything down, and Olivia is setting up for the wedding tonight.”
Emerson thought about the small Christmas Eve party that was a surprise wedding for one of the Denver ice hockey players. She’d offered to work, but Olivia had assured Emerson that she and the team she’d hired had it covered. Still, she’d planned to stay the night at Connor’s anyhow, it being Christmas and all. That and the fact that his space was big enough to host both their families for Christmas dinner.
“Is it wrong that I’m so relieved Liv said she didn’t need my help?” Emerson asked as they walked toward the offices.
Connor threw his arm over her shoulder. “Is it wrong I’m relieved I get to take you home and make out with you all afternoon?”
Emerson laughed. “You wish. I have things to bake, make, and stuff. And you have things to wrap.”
Connor pouted. “I’d rather be unwrapping you.”
“Maybe if you get all your chores done, you can get a reward like a good boy.”
“Always the negotiator,” he muttered.
They grabbed their things from their respective offices. Connor had unofficially moved into the spacious cluttered storage closet down the hallway instead of sharing an office with Liv as Emerson had done. He’d moved Emerson’s old desk in there after asking Emerson if it was all right to clear out the space.
On their way out, Emerson checked in on the tasting rooms. Everything was decorated in sprays of flowers and greenery, in white and sage green. It smelled glorious. “Liv,” she called out.
“One sec.” Olivia clambered from beneath the white tablecloth covering a long bank of tables. “Sorry, needed an extension cable. How does it look?”
Emerson took another look around the room. The wedding planner had done an incredible job of creating the theme, and Liv had been equally successful in helping pull it all together. Round tables stood alongside the windows. The fairy lights outside would really highlight the snow later. On the other side of the room, there was a small dance floor. Discretion had been the name of the game. They’d not been allowed to tell anyone what they were hosting, with the whole distillery held to a nondisclosure agreement. There was a private deal for photographs with a high-end magazine that Emerson hoped would shine the distillery in a positive light. “You’ve done a wonderful job, Liv. Really. Dad would be amazed by all this.”
Liv smiled. “Thanks. I think he would, too.”
“Right, I’m heading out. Are you sure I can’t help? Connor is still here. He would be good for any and all heavy lifting.”
Liv shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “I’ve got this.”
“Well, you know where I am if you need reinforcements tonight. I’ll only be—”
“I’m fine, Em. Honestly. Leave this to me.”
Emerson took her sister’s hand and squeezed it. “Fine. I get it. Break a leg.”
By the time she got to the parking lot, Connor had cleared his car of snow and had the engine going to heat up the inside.
“Everything good?” he asked as she slipped inside. The leather seat already felt warm through the denim of her jeans.
“Everything is perfectly fine.”
Connor squeezed her knee before driving them home. It was funny how in such a short time she had come to think of their places interchangeably. Especially as the weather changed and there was less for her to do in her garden. It was nice to stay at his place. It was bigger than hers. And she appreciated the view of the Denver skyline. But if she stayed there too long, she got claustrophobic, and needed to get out of the city.
Once inside his home, Connor helped her out of her coat and hung it on the hook by the door. The seasonal lights they’d strung over the balcony on Thanksgiving weekend sparkled, even though snow swirled around them. And when Emerson switched on the lights to the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, everything began to take on the magical glow of Christmas. She grinned as she recalled the stoic look on Connor’s face as they’d tied the tree to the top of his Mercedes to bring it home. They’d decorated it together, and once done, Connor had tugged her down to the floor and taken her on the blue rug, again.
“Want to get naked with me?” Connor said, slipping his arms around her waist, nuzzling into her neck.
She turned in his arms. “I was just thinking about the afternoon we decorated the tree. But as truly wonderful as that idea sounds, what I need to do is switch on some Christmas carols and do some baking. Want to help?”
Connor grinned.
