Read Online Totally Worth Christmas (The Worth Series, Book 4.5: A Copper Country Novella) by Mara Jacobs - Free Book Online
Authors: Mara Jacobs
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It had only been moments ago since he’d held her in his arms, and already she missed him.
Sliding the boots onto her feet, he looked up at her, and she knew he was feeling the same tumult of emotions that she was. When he finally stood, he skimmed his hands up her sides. Then he reached inside the locker and pulled out her scarf, which he gently wrapped around her neck. A neck he’d kissed and nuzzled and marked as his own. He helped her on with her coat and did up the toggle buttons for her. She then took his coat, which she’d swung over the locker door, and bundled him in it.
“Time to go,” she said. Damn, if she started tearing up, she’d just die.
Charlie had a look of frustration on his face. “How do I see you again? You wouldn’t even let us do last names. Mine is—”
She put a hand over his mouth, stopping him. “I know what I said. And I still stand by it. Even after we…even after.” Giving him a warning look, she slowly took her hand away. “I’m here tonight. I start at four. I’m on until midnight.” She took a deep breath, scared to do this and yet determined. “I really want to see you again, Charlie. But, after taking the day to think about it, if you only want it to have been one lovely night, I want to be okay with that.” He started to interrupt her, but she held her hand up like she’d muzzle him again, and he stopped. “And it will be easier for me to be okay with it if I don’t know anything more about you. Trust me on this.”
“At least give me your last name,” he said, with pleading in his voice.
“Just come back tomorrow. Tonight, I mean. I’ll tell you then. I’ll tell you every way to contact me that you want, but only tonight. And only because you want it to be for more than one night.”
“That’s crazy. What if something happens?”
That’s what she was afraid of—something happening. But not the kind of thing he was thinking of. She was thinking that he’d change his mind and not show, and then Phoebe would be armed with too much information. She’d been a bit…aggressive in the past with boys who blew her off—following them on Facebook, hanging out in places she knew they’d be. But she’d worked past it, and for the first time in her life she didn’t feel like she needed a man in her life to be complete.
And then Charlie had walked into her diner and rocked her world.
This guy is different. She knew it deep in her soul. And as warm and tingly as it made her feel, it also scared her a little. “If something happens, then it wasn’t meant to be.” Way more Zen than she actually felt, and yet she did feel that there was some cosmic serendipity at play here, had been the entire night, for her to feel so strongly so quickly.
“No. I can’t…” He didn’t finish his sentence, seeing the resolve on her face. He knew her well, even after such a short time.
“Tonight. I’ll see you tonight,” she said and kissed him goodbye.
Three weeks later
C harlie left the kitchen, but instead of heading back toward the great room, he made his way down the hallway to the entrance, stopping at the little alcove room that held all the outerwear. He reached for his boots, wanting to make his escape before the wedding ceremony began. He was happy for his friend, but all the memories of Phee that had been wafting around him all night had finally caught up with him, and he had to leave. The apron had been the last straw.
His boots stood in a pile of melted snow, and he flashed to his memory of standing Phee’s tennis shoes out of the puddle at the bottom of her locker so they wouldn’t get wet.
God, why did everything seem to remind him of her and that beautiful, magical, way-too-short night?
He’d been devastated the next evening when he’d gone to the diner only to find that she’d quit her job with no notice and left town. Or so they’d said. The owners of the diner refused to give him any other information about her, not even her
Sliding the boots onto her feet, he looked up at her, and she knew he was feeling the same tumult of emotions that she was. When he finally stood, he skimmed his hands up her sides. Then he reached inside the locker and pulled out her scarf, which he gently wrapped around her neck. A neck he’d kissed and nuzzled and marked as his own. He helped her on with her coat and did up the toggle buttons for her. She then took his coat, which she’d swung over the locker door, and bundled him in it.
“Time to go,” she said. Damn, if she started tearing up, she’d just die.
Charlie had a look of frustration on his face. “How do I see you again? You wouldn’t even let us do last names. Mine is—”
She put a hand over his mouth, stopping him. “I know what I said. And I still stand by it. Even after we…even after.” Giving him a warning look, she slowly took her hand away. “I’m here tonight. I start at four. I’m on until midnight.” She took a deep breath, scared to do this and yet determined. “I really want to see you again, Charlie. But, after taking the day to think about it, if you only want it to have been one lovely night, I want to be okay with that.” He started to interrupt her, but she held her hand up like she’d muzzle him again, and he stopped. “And it will be easier for me to be okay with it if I don’t know anything more about you. Trust me on this.”
“At least give me your last name,” he said, with pleading in his voice.
“Just come back tomorrow. Tonight, I mean. I’ll tell you then. I’ll tell you every way to contact me that you want, but only tonight. And only because you want it to be for more than one night.”
“That’s crazy. What if something happens?”
That’s what she was afraid of—something happening. But not the kind of thing he was thinking of. She was thinking that he’d change his mind and not show, and then Phoebe would be armed with too much information. She’d been a bit…aggressive in the past with boys who blew her off—following them on Facebook, hanging out in places she knew they’d be. But she’d worked past it, and for the first time in her life she didn’t feel like she needed a man in her life to be complete.
And then Charlie had walked into her diner and rocked her world.
This guy is different. She knew it deep in her soul. And as warm and tingly as it made her feel, it also scared her a little. “If something happens, then it wasn’t meant to be.” Way more Zen than she actually felt, and yet she did feel that there was some cosmic serendipity at play here, had been the entire night, for her to feel so strongly so quickly.
“No. I can’t…” He didn’t finish his sentence, seeing the resolve on her face. He knew her well, even after such a short time.
“Tonight. I’ll see you tonight,” she said and kissed him goodbye.
Three weeks later
C harlie left the kitchen, but instead of heading back toward the great room, he made his way down the hallway to the entrance, stopping at the little alcove room that held all the outerwear. He reached for his boots, wanting to make his escape before the wedding ceremony began. He was happy for his friend, but all the memories of Phee that had been wafting around him all night had finally caught up with him, and he had to leave. The apron had been the last straw.
His boots stood in a pile of melted snow, and he flashed to his memory of standing Phee’s tennis shoes out of the puddle at the bottom of her locker so they wouldn’t get wet.
God, why did everything seem to remind him of her and that beautiful, magical, way-too-short night?
He’d been devastated the next evening when he’d gone to the diner only to find that she’d quit her job with no notice and left town. Or so they’d said. The owners of the diner refused to give him any other information about her, not even her
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