Unexpected Gifts: (The Steamy Version) (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance Series Book 1) (15 page)

“I don’t think so, buddy.” Blaine emphasized the last word. He squared up in front of Colin.

“And what exactly would you like to do about that?” Colin knew he was being a jackass, but he couldn’t help it.

“I see what’s going on here,” Blaine said, his voice full of bitterness. “It’s just like old times, hey, Colin?”

Colin’s entire body tensed and he might have taken a swing at Blaine if it hadn’t been for Andi’s hand on her arm.

“Colin,” she said softly. “Don’t do this.”

He looked in her eyes, and let his body relax.

“We can’t let him sleep in the lobby,” she said.

“Sure we can,” Eva chimed in.

“Colin,” Andi said, ignoring her friend. “It’s Christmas.”

Colin looked around the small group. Eva shook her head and stuck her nose in the air. He skimmed over Blaine, who was looking pompous and sure of himself. Colin’s gaze landed on Andi. She didn’t look very happy with the way the evening was turning out either. He could barely remember the closeness they’d shared earlier in the woods; it seemed so long ago. Her kiss still lingered on his lips, but the promise of another was fleeting.

Colin swallowed hard, knowing he would regret his decision. He didn’t take his eyes off Andi when he said, “It is Christmas. I’m sure we can find room.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

December 25

Andi woke with an elbow to her ribs. Her eyes popped open and she stared directly into a mass of blonde hair on the pillow next to her. She’d forgotten how awful sharing a bed with her best friend was. Andi was convinced Eva’s wild sleep patterns were the reason her friend was still single. Any man would wake up black and blue after sharing a bed with her.

She looked at the bedside clock. Seven. Andi groaned and rolled over. Maybe if she slept all day, she wouldn’t have to deal with Blaine. Or Colin. She knew it couldn’t have been easy for him to offer the extra room to Blaine. Lord knows it wasn’t easy for her either, but even she knew it was the right thing to do. Andi flipped to her back and stared at the ceiling. How did everything get so messed up?

“Are you done?” Eva asked, her voice thick with sleep and annoyance.

“Done what?”

“Tossing and turning,” Eva said. She flipped over so she was staring at Andi. “I swear, I don’t know how anyone can sleep with all your thrashing.”

“My thrashing? Right.” Andi returned her gaze to the ceiling.

“Merry Christmas?”

Andi rolled over to her side. “What a mess. I don’t suppose you’d get rid of him for me, would you?”

“Blaine, I presume?” She laughed. “You probably want to keep the other one, right? Or at least you certainly did yesterday.”

“I don’t know what I want anymore.” Andi hugged a pillow to her chest. “It doesn’t seem so simple anymore.”

“Was it ever?” Her laughter stopped, and Eva’s voice softened. “Andi, you don’t do simple. I’ve been trying to convince you for years, but even I know you aren’t built for flings. That’s okay.” She paused. “Heck, it’s better than okay. I could probably learn a few things from you.”

“Because I’ve been so successful in love.” Andi rolled her eyes.

“You have.” Eva sat up in bed, jerking the covers with her. “I may not like Blaine, and it’s no secret that he’s totally not right for you, but you still had something special with him. I consider that a success. But what I consider an even bigger success is that you learned from it and you’re still willing to try again. And now look at you. There is a very handsome man out there who is totally diggin’ you. I consider that a monumental success.”

“I told you yesterday, he’s not into relationships. And I tried to be casual, Eva. I really did. But you’re right. I’m just not wired that way.”

Eva slipped out of the bed, tossing the covers over Andi’s head. “Well, the way I see it, you’re not going to know either way until we get out there. Now come on. I need some coffee, and with any luck there’ll be some Baileys in it.”

After a quick shower, Colin was ready to face whatever craziness was going to be waiting in the living room. Maybe Blaine would have figured out he wasn’t welcome and would be long gone. But somehow, he didn’t think that was very likely.

Sure enough, when he walked into the room, he was greeted by Blaine, who, much to his dismay, had not only not left for the city, but had also made himself quite at home.

“Morning,” Colin muttered in Blaine’s direction and moved into the kitchen area to grab a cup of coffee. “Roads clear yet?”

“Not sure,” Blaine said. “I haven’t checked. What’s the rush, right? It’s Christmas, after all.”

Colin turned and said, “Look—“

He stopped, distracted by the sight of Eva and Andi coming down the hall into the living room.

Before he could put down his mug, Blaine was already across the room, trying to pull Andi into a hug. “Merry Christmas,” he called. The man behaved as if this were a normal holiday morning instead of some twisted facade. Colin smiled a satisfied smirk when Andi pulled away from his attempt at a kiss, just in time for his lips to land on her cheek. She twisted out of Blaine’s embrace and looked in Colin’s direction.

“Merry Christmas, Colin.” Her voice was quiet, but her eyes connected with his and a glimmer of hope sparked deep inside him. Maybe the day wouldn’t be a total loss. He moved towards her, ready to take her into his arms. Spending the night without her next to him, he’d been acutely aware that something was missing. She filled a space he hadn’t even realized was empty.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked when he was only inches from her.

She nodded but he knew she was lying because she looked down and would no longer meet his eyes.

“And what am I, the Grinch?” Eva’s voice came from beside him. He’d forgotten she was there. “Merry Christmas, guys.” She laughed and Colin turned to give her a hug.

“Sorry,” he said.

“Oh, that’s okay,” Eva whispered into his ear. “I know I’m not your Christmas wish right now.”

She pulled away and gave him a wink. “Okay, okay. That’s enough of the schmaltzy stuff. Why does everyone get all sappy on Christmas morning anyway? Let’s have some coffee and Baileys.”

Andi laughed. “You know what? I actually think that’s a great idea.”

After they all had a coffee in their hands and were seated in the living room around the tree, songs playing in the background, Eva looked at Blaine and asked point blank, “So when are you headed back down the mountain?”

“I thought I’d stay today,” he said.

Andi choked on her coffee. “I don’t think—“

“It’s Christmas, after all,” he said as if Andi hadn’t spoken. “Andi shouldn’t have to spend it alone.”

“She’s not alone,” Eva and Colin said at the same time.

Blaine looked at each of them in turn. “Don’t you have some family thing today?” he asked Eva.

Eva nodded. “Yes, but—“

“Like I said, Andi, you shouldn’t be alone.” He shot Colin a pointed look.

Colin squeezed his hands in a fist. What the hell did Blaine think he was playing at? He’d done his charitable holiday deed; he’d given him a bed for the night. But he was just about done with their little high school reunion.

“I think you should go home,” Andi said to Blaine, with a quick glance to Colin. “We can talk when I get back.”

Ignoring her again, Blaine jumped out of his seat. “I brought something,” he said. “I think we should all have some.” He disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later clutching four glasses in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

“Champagne? In the morning?” Colin asked.

“Do you need some orange juice in yours?” Blaine retorted. “You always were a lightweight.” He popped the cork, letting the froth spill over the top. He poured and handed the glasses around, oblivious of Colin’s building rage and the growing discomfort in the room. When he was done, he said, “Before I make a toast, there’s one more thing.”

Damn! The ring. Colin had forgotten all about it. Or more likely, blocked it from his memory. He stood up from the couch ready to…do what? He didn’t know. Before he could think of anything to do or say, Blaine had dropped to one knee and was pulling out the box.

“You have to be kidding?” Colin heard Eva say.

It was too late. Colin froze and fixed his gaze on Andi, whose face had taken on an unnatural shade of white.

“Blaine, what are you doing?” Andi managed to say.

Blaine didn’t appear to hear her, or more likely, didn’t want to, because he launched into what must have been a prepared speech. “Andi,” he said. “The other night at my family’s party, the one we always attended together, I looked around and realized something. I realized I needed you by my side. I missed you.”

He just realized it? Colin thought.

“I missed the way we were together,” Blaine continued. “We were good together. And yes, we had a few rough patches, but we should have stayed and fought it out. We gave up too easily. And, I think it’s time we did this thing properly. Andi Williams, will you marry me?”

That was his idea of a proposal? Colin almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Blaine obviously didn’t even realize what an amazing woman he was proposing to. A woman who deserved a hell of a lot more than some canned speech.

The room was silent. Andi hadn’t moved. She looked like she might throw up. Every fiber in his body wanted to go to her. But he knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t his situation to fix and he needed to see her reaction, just as much as Blaine did. Maybe more. After what felt like an eternity, Andi let out a slow breath. “Blaine, I—“

“You don’t have to answer right away,” Blaine said. He hopped up from the floor and pressed the ring box into her hand. “Think about it. Think about how great we could be. And now,” he said to the room, “a toast.” He raised his glass. “To Christmas and the power of love.”

In turn, everyone mechanically raised their glass, muttered something, and they all clinked at the farce of what had happened. Without drinking, Colin put the glass down. She hadn’t said yes, yet Blaine was behaving as if she had. It was typical for Blaine. But Andi also hadn’t said no, either. And for the first time since the drama had started, he tore his gaze away from Andi and stared out the window.

She didn’t say no, a voice in his head repeated.

From somewhere behind him, he heard Eva say, “I’m sorry, Andi. I really, really don’t want to leave right now, but I should get going.”

“So soon?” Blaine asked. “Things are just getting started.” Colin cringed and his shoulders tensed.

“Goodbye, Colin. Thank you for your hospitality,” Eva said. Still, Colin didn’t turn around. He raised his hand in acknowledgement and continued to look out the window at the snow-covered trees.

She didn’t say no, he thought again. Which meant he’d lost his chance.

Andi stood at the door for a few seconds after Eva left. She wasn’t sure how she was going to face the mess in the living room alone, but she understood that Eva had to go. Besides, it was her mess to clean up. And it shouldn’t be so hard. Should it? After a moment, she took a deep breath and returned to the living room, determined to put an end to the madness of the morning.

“I’m going to make breakfast,” Blaine announced.

Andi was about to protest, when she noticed Colin still standing at the window. She went to him.

“He seems to be making himself at home,” Colin said, without looking away from the window.

“I’m sorry, Colin,” Andi said.

“For what?” He turned then. His face was an unreadable mask. “Congratulations.”

“No,” she said. “It’s not…”

He moved past her and sat on the couch.

“Colin,” she said. She sat down next to him. “Don’t.”

“It’s okay,” he said. His face didn’t give anything away and she wanted to reach for him but she stopped herself. The closeness they’d shared only a day before seemed very far away. “You two obviously have unfinished business.”

Unwanted and totally unexpected tears sprang up in the corners of her eyes. She’d known Christmas was going to be awful this year, but nothing could’ve prepared her for experiencing her first marriage proposal from a man who had broken her heart, while another man, one she shared an undeniable attraction with, stood by and watched.

“No,” she said. “We don’t. I told you, it’s over between us.”

“Andi,” Colin said softly. “You didn’t say no.”

A tear broke free and slid down her cheek. No, she hadn’t. Was there a part of her that still wanted Blaine? That wanted the comfortable, successful life he represented? The family they almost had? She glanced behind her to the kitchen, and then back to Colin.

“Hey,” Colin said. “Don’t cry.” He reached out and with a touch so gentle she had to close her eyes, he wiped her tears away. His fingers lingered on her cheek. Andi held her breath, ready for the kiss she was sure would follow. She longed for the taste of him on her lips again. She leaned forward, ready.

He released her and Andi opened her eyes. “I have something for you,” he said. “A present.”

She swallowed her disappointment. “You do?”

“Well, it is Christmas, after all.” He rose from the couch and went to the tree. There was a box wrapped in red paper that she hadn’t noticed before. It had a simple green bow on it. He handed it to her, and said, “It isn’t much. But when I saw it, I thought of you.”

She looked up from the box, into his eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

He tried to laugh. “You haven’t opened it yet. Go ahead.”

Colin walked over to the window and looked out again, so she carefully tore at the paper.

Andi looked down at the present and carefully worked her fingers under the wrapping. She exposed the box and lifted the lid. Inside, nestled carefully in paper, was a snow globe. She lifted it out of the box and let out a gasp. It was a winter scene of a frozen pond encircled by pine trees. On the pond, a tiny couple skated hand in hand. She turned the crank and “Winter Wonderland” played from the tiny speaker. When she shook it, snow fell lightly over the pair. It was perfect.

“Colin,” she breathed.

“I told you, it isn’t much,” he said without turning around.

“This is the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received.”