Not Just for Christmas

Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two

A s they sat close together on the couch, Erin beamed in response to the twinkle in Lewis’s eyes. When Molly sniffed around their feet, he patted the space between them and she jumped up into it, snuggling down and resting her face on Lewis’s thigh.

“I’m keeping her,” he said, running a hand from her head down her back.

“I thought you didn’t have time for a dog?”

“I didn’t, but I want a dog. I want Molly, so I’ll make time.” He took Erin’s hand and entwined their fingers. “I still think my dad was nuts to buy me a dog without discussing it with me, but I think he was right. I’d never have got one myself because I’d got it into my head that I had to work crazy hours, but I don’t. Since I won the money, I feel as though I’ve been in this wild spin. It shot my life in a different direction and I got dragged along doing whatever it was I thought I should be doing.”

“Without stopping to think about what you actually wanted?” Erin guessed.

“Exactly. Throwing myself into running the hotel was my way of hiding from the world. Especially since I found it so awkward to be around people after I won the money. It was easier to spend all my time at the hotel. I knew what my role was there.”

He sighed as he ran his thumb back and forth across her palm. “As soon as you mentioned me hiring a manager for the hotel, it made total sense. And it’s not as though no one suggested it to me before, but I’d always brushed the idea aside.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Yes. When you asked if I’d take time off work to visit you, I hated that you doubted whether I’d do it. I want to make time for you. I want to start doing things I enjoy instead of hiding away in the hotel.”

“I think it’s a good idea to cut down on work,” she said. “For your health as well.”

“I already knew I should slow down. I just couldn’t bring myself to make changes.” He looked at her intently. “When I came back from London, I had a feeling of dread at going to the hotel. And I got thinking about what you said about creating the life you want. I’m in such a privileged position and I want to stop feeling so guilty about it.”

“You feel guilty for being rich?”

“Yeah, I think I do. It seems unfair.”

“You do a lot of good with the money,” she pointed out.

He gave her a reluctant smile. “I’ve been thinking about that, too. I’m going to find a new financial advisor. I’ll keep Mr Garrett on for the hotel accounts, but I really think philanthropic work shouldn’t feel soul destroying.”

“It really shouldn’t,” Erin agreed.

“I need to find someone who can rein me in if I get carried away, but with Mr Garrett everything felt like a battle. We aren’t on the same page.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” She grinned at him. “What else are you going to do?”

“I want to spend more time at home. I have this beautiful house which I hardly make use of.” He looked thoughtful. “I’d like to spend a lot of time in London, as well.”

Her smile spread wide. “Would you really?”

“I’ve never spent much time there,” he said, mischief dancing in his eyes. “I think I’d like to play tourist.”

“So you’re just interested in sightseeing?” she asked, cocking her head playfully.

“There’s one specific attraction for me.” His silky-smooth tone sent a shiver through her as he leaned in to kiss her. It was only a soft brush of lips at first, but a moment later he nudged Molly off the couch and pulled Erin closer. “I’m so happy you’re here,” he said between kisses.

“You might not be so happy when I make you go back to the hotel.”

He pulled back. “What are you talking about?”

“We should put in an appearance at the party.”

“Now?” He blinked slowly. “Did you miss what I said about cutting down on work? I want to spend the evening here, with you. I’m not working on New Year’s Eve.”

“No, but we could join the party without you working. Your sisters and Ivy are there, and they’re all worried about you.”

“I’m not sure I can be in the hotel and not end up working.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I won’t let you work. I think it would be fun, though.”

“Okay. Here’s what I’ll agree to. We can go for one drink and then come back here for our own party.”

“You sound very demanding,” she told him. “What happens if I want to stay for a second drink?”

He rolled his eyes. “Then we’ll stay for another drink, of course, but can you at least let me feel like I’m making the rules?”

“Okay.” Grinning, she hopped off the couch. “Let’s go now, because I actually like the sound of ending the night with our own private party. ”

Despite only having been away from the place for two days, Lewis was greeted like the proverbial lost sheep when he walked back into the hotel. Ivy made a big fuss of him as soon as she spotted him, as did his sisters.

Watching the other staff work while he did nothing wasn’t a comfortable feeling, but Erin had him pinned at her side as they propped up the bar with Anna and Carla.

“They are being paid,” Erin said, squeezing his hand and drawing him from his trance.

His eyes darted to her. “What?”

“The staff who you’re staring at as though they’re slaves who need to be freed. They’re being paid and they did have a choice in whether they worked this evening. You don’t need to feel guilty.”

Rationally, he knew she was right, but it was hard to get rid of the guilt that squeezed at his chest. At least he had a good distraction from it with Erin beside him.

“I still can’t believe you’re here,” he said, easing his arm around her waist to pull her in for a kiss.

“You two are a little sickening.” Carla’s voice interrupted them after a moment. “Happy for you and everything,” she added, when Anna gave her arm a shove. “Just not so keen on the public displays of affection.”

Lewis pulled away reluctantly and was immediately distracted by Warren appearing beside them with a tray laden with glasses of sparkling wine.

“You all need to grab one of these and head into the lounge so you don’t miss the countdown,” he said. “While you’re there you can protect me from the drunk old lady who keeps flirting with me.”

Carla’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Would you like one of us to pretend to be your girlfriend?” she asked, linking her arm with Anna’s while she plucked a glass from the tray. “Who would you prefer?”

“I think I’d prefer to take my chances with the old lady,” Warren said without missing a beat. He raised an eyebrow at Lewis as he dished out the rest of the drinks and took the last one for himself. “Come on,” he said, setting off for the lounge.

Lewis took Erin’s hand and glanced back at Carla. “You really love winding him up, don’t you?”

“I would love it,” Carla replied with a frown. “Except he’s not easy to wind up. I think he’s immune to my brand of teasing.”

“I wish I was,” Anna muttered. “You’re so embarrassing!”

“You wouldn’t have found it at all embarrassing if you didn’t have a crush on Warren.”

“I don’t have a crush on him,” Anna hissed. Her cheeks had gone bright red but she was also prone to blushing at nothing so it didn’t necessarily mean anything.

“Come on,” Erin said, tugging on his arm and leaving the sound of his bickering sisters to fade as they moved out of the dining room.

“Do you think Anna does have a thing for Warren?” he asked, utterly confused by his sisters. A familiar feeling.

“Maybe,” Erin said as they entered the lounge.

Lewis frowned. “I hope not.”

“Really? You’d have a problem with that?”

He glanced around to check his sisters weren’t within hearing range. “Only because she’s not Warren’s type. He’d never go out with her. Carla, maybe, but not Anna. Although, I don’t think he’d go near either of them on the basis that they’re my sisters. He has strong principles about that sort of thing.”

“I guess things could be a little awkward if he dated one of your sisters.”

Lewis shrugged. “Maybe.” Glancing across the room, he caught Warren glaring at him while an elderly lady pawed at his arm. “Someone should probably save him.” He looked around at his sisters who’d just wandered in. “Anna can you go and help Warren?”

Her eyes flashed with the kind of annoyance she usually reserved for Carla. “I do not have a crush on him!”

“I never said you did,” he pointed out. “Just go and rescue him.”

“Can you both leave me alone, please?” she snapped before taking a long swig of her drink.

“What did I do?” he asked Erin. “And why did you make me leave my house?”

She nestled against his side, grinning. At least his squabbling siblings seemed to amuse her.

“Thanks a lot for your help,” Warren said mockingly as he and Ivy joined their little group. “If Ivy hadn’t come and saved me that little old lady would have had her tongue down my throat on the stroke of midnight.” He draped an arm around Ivy’s shoulders and leaned his head close to hers. “I suppose that means you get the pleasure of kissing me at midnight!”

“Don’t even think about it,” Ivy said, wriggling out of his clutches. She turned her watch to him. “Someone loud needs to start the countdown.”

“I’m not sure why you’re looking at me.” He turned her wrist, pointing the watch in Carla’s direction. “She’s the mouthy one.”

Carla looked as though she might protest, then gave a resigned shrug and stood on her tiptoes to look over the room. “Ten,” she shouted, making Lewis wince. “Nine, eight, seven…”

Everyone joined in, but Lewis was feeling impatient and didn’t wait for the countdown to end. Instead, he turned to Erin and cupped her face with his hands. A glorious wave of contentment washed over him as their lips met. He only vaguely registered the remainder of the countdown and then the shouts of ‘Happy New Year’ which rang around the room. Distant pops of fireworks had him glancing down at Molly who seemed unperturbed by the excitement around her.

“Happy New Year!” Erin said, giving him another peck.

“Happy New Year,” he muttered in reply as she moved away to hug his sisters and Ivy. His eyes were still fixed on her when Warren enveloped him in a bear hug.

“Look at that grin,” he said, tugging on Lewis’s cheek.

“Get off,” Lewis said, swatting him playfully away.

His friend remained with an arm around his shoulders, turning to follow his gaze which he couldn’t seem to drag away from Erin.

Warren sighed. “You really do have all the luck, don’t you?”

It was something that Lewis had been told a lot over the last few years, but he’d never felt quite as lucky as he did in that moment.

Finally, he felt as though he’d got everything he’d always wanted.