“You’re shitting me,” Jaime said quietly.
“All that’s missing is a dog,” Declan said. “To bring your pipe and slippers.”
With two Christmas trees, a festive garland strung along the stone mantle, a fire crackling in the hearth, and little white lights blinking everywhere—his house looked like a scene from a holiday movie.
But what made it a home were the two little girls and the gorgeous woman sitting around the coffee table, making decorations, drinking hot cocoa with clouds of whipped cream on top, and happily chatting away. Busy bopping their heads to the Christmas carols piped in through the speakers, none of them noticed the men who’d just entered.
Declan clapped him on the back. “No wonder you’re rehabbing in town.”
A mix of emotions grabbed hold of him, and he stood on a precipice between wanting to see their faces light up at his approach, get wrapped up in all their warmth and happiness and sweetness…
And walking right back out the door.
Because Coach was right.Hedidbelong with his team.And Hailey’s doing a great job.All she needs is a nanny and my financial support. She’s got this.
But right then, he noticed her expression. Awareness bloomed on his skin.Something’s wrong.She sat with the kids, helping Evvie wipe a gob of glue off a popsicle stick, acting like everything was good in the world, but she kept glancing at her phone, the tension pulling on her features.
“What’s wrong?” When all three of them jerked their gazes over to him, he realized he’d sounded too aggressive.
As always, Jaime broke the tension by joining them.“Hey, girls. What’cha workin’ on?”
Evvie got to her feet, showing him their pipe cleaner and glitter stick decorations. She danced in place, eyes wide with excitement, and Jaime acted like it was the most incredible thing he’d ever seen.
Meanwhile, Cole held Hailey’s gaze.Talk to me.
Without breaking the connection, she stood up and walked over to him. She only broke away to greet Declan. “Hey, I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Hailey Casselton.”
“Of course. Hailey.” He reached out a hand. “Declan Cadell. And that’s Jaime Dupree.”
“It’s nice to see you both again.”
“What’s going on?” Cole turned Hailey away from the group. “You get some bad news?”
“I don’t know. It might be nothing.” She waved her phone. “My company’s in the news today. They’re saying they could go out of business by the end of the year. But that doesn’t make sense. I mean, I know they’re not as popular as they once were, but it’s Abbott’s of London. Part of the reason I wanted to work there was that I knew they’d never shut down.”
“What’s Abbott’s of London?” Declan asked.
“If you have sisters, I guarantee they wore the nightgowns when they were little. They’ve been around forever. I mean, honestly, it’s not the most exciting job in the world, but it’s prestigious, so it’s a gold-plated, you know? With that on your résumé, you can go anywhere. I’m sorry. I’m babbling. I just never in a million years imagined they’d go out of business.”
“Crappy time to find out the news,” Declan said.
“I know.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Who’s hiring around the holidays? The thing is, they don’t have to close. They just have to diversify. They’ve been making the exact same thing for a hundred years.” She glanced at her phone again. “A few of us in the design group are talking about it. Everyone’s freaking, talking about polishing résumés and calling on connections. But it’s such an obvious fix. They need a stronger online presence. They could add a men’s line or partner with a brand like Disney to produce princess gowns. There are just so many things they could do to reach a new audience while remaining conservative.”
“Have you pitched your ideas?” Cole asked.
“Oh, no. No, they’re a family company, and it’s only in the last decade that they’ve let in outsiders. They make all the big decisions.”
“If they’re in crisis, they might be open to ideas,” Declan said. “Couldn’t hurt to try.”
Hope flickered in her eyes. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’m good at designing and sewing and sketching… I know texture and textiles. What do I know about the business side of things?”
“Actually, my girlfriend’s opening a store in town,” Declan said. “She didn’t know much either, so she joined a group called the Petticoat Rulers. It’s all about women supporting other women in business. You can join them and get all the help you need.”
“Oh, no. I’m only here for a few weeks. I’m not part of the community.”
“Phinny moved here in the summer, so she’s only got a few months on you. Don’t worry about it.”
“You think?” She looked so hopeful.