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me.”
    “I have some stored here, in the loft. We sometimes advertise this as decorated for Christmas.”
    “Oh,” was her only reply.
    “What do you say? Take a step with me,” he urged.
    “I’ll try.”
    Her smile was forced, but they were making progress. Yes, she was going to like Christmas again if it was the last thing he did.

Chapter Ten
    “This is really good.”
    “I’m not just a pretty face.” Zach smiled broadly. “I was thinking we could decorate tonight, after supper. We can turn on some Christmas music and get into the spirit.”
    “You’re really one of Santa’s elves, aren’t you?” She sipped her orange juice.
    “No, they’re much shorter. So, what else would you like to do today?”
    “I…um, haven’t really thought about it.” She avoided eye contact. Alex was afraid of what he might suggest next…like sled riding.
    “I was thinking I’d try to get the generator working on the back porch.”
    “There’s a generator?”
    “It hasn’t been used in a while and there’s limited fuel, but we have to get those Christmas lights on, right?”
    Alex peered out the kitchen window while putting her plate in the sink. The snow was blowing violently, blocking her view of anything farther than a foot away. “I don’t think you should go out there.”
    “Worried about me?” He walked up behind her and reached around her to put his plate in the sink. He, then, wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”
    She cleared her throat, turning toward him, which probably wasn’t a good idea. They were chest to chest. “I would rather you not go out there. It looks dangerous.” The trembling in her voice was obvious to her. He had to know he was getting to her.
    “Okay, I’ll wait. Maybe we’ll get a break in the snow. I’ll get the decorations from the loft and you can do some writing.” He grabbed the orange juice and opened the refrigerator, quickly closing it.
    Alex hadn’t thought about the food spoiling with the electric off. Zach was right. She had no business up here by herself. “I’ll get that. You made breakfast.”
    “Go get some writing done. I’m as anxious as you for it to be finished.”
    One thing for sure…Zach Camden always said what was on his mind. “Remember, my computer runs on electricity?”
    “You can do it the old-fashioned way, paper and pencil. There’s a notebook in the desk.”
    Apprehension filled her mind. She wasn’t ready to start this book. She had no idea what to write—how to write for a man that broke her heart. “I don’t know…” Her voice trailed off.
    “Why not? That’s what you’re here for, right? The sooner you get this done the sooner you can move on. You said it yourself.”
    He continued to challenge her. “Because I don’t know how to write a book for a man that dumped me,” she blurted.
    “Are you writing it for him?” He stopped clearing the table and turned in her direction.
    What did she see cross his face? “Not for him, but his image is burned in my brain. He’s been in the last three movies. He is the character.”
    “So approach it differently.”
    “How do you mean?” He had her attention.
    “Write it for me.”
    “For you? I’m not sure I understand.”
    “You authors use visualization, right?”
    “Some do,” she conceded.
    “Then envision me…us…when you’re writing.”
    “I wouldn’t know how. Besides, there is no ‘us’ and this series has been about them from the beginning,” Her voice turned sour thinking of the co-star that stole her life.
    “Was he your inspiration when you wrote the first book?”
    “No. I didn’t know him then. My inspiration was my hopes and dreams, I suppose.” It was so long ago.
    “Forget the movies. Write the book. Write our story, or what you’d like our story to be,” he encouraged.
    She tossed the idea around. Could she do that? “You and I don’t have a story and I told you I’m