Page 29 of The Christmas Blueprint
Zhang poured a finger of whiskey for both of them. “To the challenges ahead.”
Killian clinked his tumbler with Zhang’s. What had he gotten himself into?
“To laughing in the face of challenge,” he answered.
Chapter Nine
Sophia walked alongRiver Bend Park path briskly even though her day had started at dawn. Today had been the first official day of the shopping season, and business had been brisk, but she wasn’t done. Tonight was the First Friday Art and Wine Walk after the Santa parade and tree-lighting ceremony. She wanted to meet with Killian first to settle a few things.
Tradition called for a small parade to wind down Main Street—the high school band, local groups and organizations including 4-H, in which she’d once adored raising baby goats with her friend Luna. The parade culminated with Santa arriving in a sleigh on wheels pulled by reindeer from a local reindeer farm in River Bend Park, and then there would be caroling and the tree lighting.
Businesses temporarily closed during the parade and tree lighting but opened back up for the First Friday event, which had been christened First Friday even though the Friday after Thanksgiving was never the first Friday of the month. For Sophia, the magic had always happened when the choirs would sing “Silent Night,” and then, after a moment of near unbearable silence, the tree would light up and the crowd, too, would be electric.
This year was going to be a little different, as Riley’s Light Garden would also be lit. Riley had not even told her the theme. She wondered if Zhang knew. Riley might act like an overly enthusiastic golden retriever puppy in a curio shop at times, but she excelled at secrets.
She gulped in a deep breath and then another and then one hand went to smooth her hair in her fishtail braid before she nearly slapped her own hand. Her appearance didn’t matter. Yes, it was Killian, but no, no, no. For so many reasons. First, he likely wasn’t staying. Second…there shouldn’t even be a second reason required. She loved living in Bear Creek. Her family was here. Many of her friends. Her business. This was her community. Killian lived his life like he was in the proverbial U2 Chorus of the iconic ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.’
But for all her mental coaching, when she rolled back the door and saw him sitting at a long, rustic picnic table underneath the light-filled canopy, her heart nearly leapt into her throat. She approached, not feeling nearly as breezily confident and professional as she’d intended.
“You’ve been decorating,” she said softly, noting that the picnic table was actually a huge, rustic, slightly battered farmhouse table. There were six unmatching wood chairs pulled up around the table. There was another work area that looked like it was an old door, formerly a sky blue, held up by two wine barrels with Fire Ridge imprinted on them. One of Riley’s vine chandeliers hung from a beam and cast a warm orange glow.
Killian had also added a vintage-looking red fridge and a seating area—two chairs made out of former wine barrels with red cushions and a low sofa with a quilt thrown over it. He didn’t respond to her question, so she walked closer. He was on his computer, working on renderings of this building—without her. Lips firming, she reached out and tapped his shoulder.
He startled and turned around. Her fingers still registered the softness of his cashmere burgundy sweater, contrasting with the hardness of his trapezoids. His chestnut hair was rumpled. He pulled out earbuds.
“Sorry, Soph,” he said. “What’s up?”
“You didn’t answer my text earlier, and I’m glad I stopped by.” She looked at his computer screen pointedly.
“Oh.” He looked bemused as if he’d been a long way away and had just entered a room where he wasn’t sure he belonged and had no idea what was going on.
Nice try.
Her eyes narrowed. “We’re supposed to be working on this together.”
“Just pulling some ideas together,” he said. “Spitballing.” He didn’t even have the decency to look or sound guilty. He pulled his phone out of his computer bag that was plopped on one of the chairs and looked at the screen. Several texts from her, and she saw one from Hunter.
“Sorry,” he said again and smiled. His green eyes glowed in the light, and he looked way more handsome than any man had any right to in an abandoned building at the end of a long day. “When I get a project, I like to let my mind free-range—nothing’s off the table initially.”
“Only this is not just your project.”
He finally twigged that she was upset. He stood up with the grace of an athlete. “I know we are collaborating,” he said slowly. “And that we will need to work with Les and Bruce and the others and bring the city council on board and even the mayor, so it’s not only our baby.” He weighed every word.
“We are a team.” Sophia tapped her chest with her finger and then poked his chest. She was not going to be shut out or sidelined. Not this time. Not when she was making her big stand. This project was important, and Bear Creek was her town.
“Sophia, it’s day one. Pace yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Planning a mixed-use site takes time and ingenuity and a lot of compromises. I have a lot of experience and education in this field. I have a master’s in urban planning focusing on environmental sustainability and a…”
“And I don’t,” she interrupted.
“I wasn’t going there,” he denied.
“You were thinking it,” Sophia said.
“Sophia.” He put his large hands on her shoulders and then quickly removed them as if she were radioactive. Her eyes narrowed. Her father and brothers often acted a little patronizing if she were particularly passionate about something, as if she were too involved and not seeing clearly.
