Santa Maybe (The Duchess Hotel #1)

Chapter 13

Thirteen

Outside the hotel, the rain had finally let up, leaving a fine mist lingering in the air. After spending two hours in an overheated room, while wearing a Santa suit, Drew appreciated the cooler temperature. He was tempted to sprint back to the gym and change into his regular clothes, but if he left now, Rosie might take that as her cue to head home. He wanted to steal a few more minutes alone with her, so he suggested they walk for a bit.

They crossed the street and headed toward the Inner Harbour, where Victorian-style lampposts were decked out with wreaths and holiday lights that glowed in the mist. Despite the damp, chilly weather, crowds of people were out enjoying the evening. A few boats in the harbor had twinkling white lights strung along their masts, and in the distance, the city’s iconic Parliament Buildings were lit up; a flourish of red and green lights adorned the dome atop the largest one. Seeing all the décor put Drew in a festive mood.

They’d just walked down to the causeway that ran along the waterfront when Rosie turned to him. “I’ve been meaning to ask. What happened with that fitness manager position at your gym? Did Bones find someone to take over for Jared?”

Drew responded with a touch of pride. “No one wanted the extra responsibility, so I told Bones I’d do it. We’re meeting to discuss it on Monday.”

“That’s great.” Her voice rose with excitement. “What made you decide to go for it?”

“You did. Well, partly the raise and the benefits, but you were the catalyst.”

“Me?” She placed a hand over her heart. “I’m flattered, but I hope I didn’t pressure you.”

“You didn’t. But I’ve spent the past month watching you engage with your team at the hotel. You don’t just give them orders, but you also play on their strengths and listen to their suggestions. I’ve been thinking about ways we could improve the training program at Northlife, and I’d love to get all the staff on board.”

When he’d told Bones he was hoping to make a few changes, his boss’s positive reaction confirmed that he’d made the right decision.

“What kind of improvements?” Rosie asked.

“I’d like us to customize our sessions to better accommodate elderly clients or people recovering from injuries. I also want to make sure our trainers aren’t so elitist that they’ll only take on clients who are already in great shape.”

“Do trainers actually pick and choose like that?”

“Yeah. Jared’s one of the worst examples.” Drew didn’t want to rag on the guy yet again, but thinking about that selfish prick made him heat up with anger. “Hannah told me that he’s made disparaging comments about her and some of her friends. Like, they’re not worth training if they’ve got one foot in the grave.”

Rosie scowled. “That’s horrible. I think it’s so inspiring that they’re still going to the gym on a regular basis. I hope I’m half as active when I’m their age.”

“Same here. He’s also criticized gym members who are overweight or out of shape, which is total bullshit. Trainers like him make people hesitate to join a gym. I don’t want that. Fitness is for everyone.” He gave a short laugh. “Sorry if that sounded like a PSA.”

“Don’t apologize. Your attitude rocks. For me, joining a health club wasn’t just about getting fit; it also made me feel good about myself. You always emphasized that when I worked out with you.”

Her words of validation enveloped him like a warm hug. “Exactly. I want to be more thoughtful and inclusive around all our clients.” He’d been formulating his ideas over the past two weeks, but only now was he able to fully articulate them. Rosie’s presence had that effect on him.

“This is such a great opportunity for you,” she said. “Now I have to stay on at the Duchess. Otherwise, I won’t get to see you as much, especially if I can’t find a job in Victoria.”

The thought of her leaving sent shock waves through him. “I didn’t think you’d have to move.”

“Hopefully not, but I need to be flexible. I’d start with hotels in the Greater Victoria area, then look up island, like Nanaimo or Duncan. But I’d rather not move, not with my family and friends so close by.”

On impulse, he took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I don’t want you to move, either.”

Time stood still as she locked eyes with him. He yearned to take her in his arms and promise her everything would be all right. But if he held her, he’d want to do more than just give her a hug.

When she whispered his name, like a gentle caress, he reacted instinctively, brushing his fingers against her cheek. Giving a soft little sigh, she leaned toward him, her lips parted. Having her this close was too hard to resist. He no longer cared about their boundaries. All he wanted to do was kiss her again.

Before he could claim her lips, a loud whistle shattered the stillness.

“Woo! Get it, Santa!” A pack of teenage boys strolled by, laughing at the two of them.

Rosie pulled away abruptly. “I…I should probably go. It’s been a long day.”

Damn . “Yeah. Of course. I’ll bet you’re exhausted. I can walk you back to the hotel. I need to head over to the gym and change out of my Santa gear.”

“Thanks. Now that my adrenaline is wearing off, I just want to go back to my apartment, change into my pajamas, and spend the rest of the night watching Christmas movies.”

He wished he could join her. Hang out at her place, make popcorn, and watch Elf or A Christmas Story . But he didn’t suggest it because he didn’t trust himself to be alone with her right now. If she gave him even the slightest encouragement, he’d end up kissing her again.

After parting ways with her at the hotel, he went back to Northlife Fitness, changed in the locker room, and headed home. Once he got to his apartment, he called out to his roommates but didn’t get a reply. No surprise since it was a Saturday night and they usually went out drinking, then ended up at a club. No, thanks. Drew had tried the club scene when he first moved to Victoria, but he wasn’t much of a night owl, especially since some of the classes he taught started at seven in the morning.

As usual, the kitchen was a disaster, with dirty dishes piled in the sink and the trash overflowing with takeout containers from Wing’s Chinese restaurant. Not for the first time, he wished he had his own place, but rent in Victoria was sky-high. He’d deal with the mess later. Right now, he needed to cool off with a beer.

He plopped down on the couch with a bottle of Labatt Blue and turned on the TV, flicking through the streaming services until he found one of his favorite ’80s action flicks—the first Terminator movie.

For a moment, he was tempted to text Rosie and suggest they do a watch-along, but he didn’t want to come across as too intrusive. Besides, she’d probably settled in with a Christmas movie by now. When his phone rang, he answered it quickly and was pleased to hear his sister’s voice come on the line.

“Hey, Drew,” Kate said. “How’d it go at the Duchess? I wish I could have helped instead of being stuck at Lola’s bridal shower. It was the worst .”

Uh-oh . For the past week, Kate had been looking forward to the shower. Had she hit her limit? He turned off the TV. “What happened? Too much socializing?”

“That part wasn’t so bad. But Lola’s obnoxious younger sister organized the shower, and she went the raunchy route. We’re talking games like pin-the-junk on the hottie, dirty Pictionary, and Truth or Dare. I’d just as soon block it from my memory, so tell me about your event at the hotel. Were the crafts a big hit?”

“They were fantastic. The kids loved them.” At her urging, he filled her in but didn’t stop there. With some reluctance, he told her about kissing Rosie and the awkwardness that had ensued afterward.

“I screwed up,” he muttered. “But now I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“When you told me about this pretend-dating scheme, I was all for it. Anything to show Evelyn you’d moved on. But it’s not just about that anymore. Right?”

“Yeah. Rosie and I…we’re friends now. I like spending time with her.”

“Then why not go out with her for real? She’s obviously into you. When I dropped off the craft supplies with her friend Charlie, we both agreed you need to stop with the fake shit.”

“You were talking about us?” He cringed, imagining the conversation.

“It just came up. But seriously, tell Rosie you’re done pretending. It’s that simple.”

“No, it’s not,” he grumbled. Usually his older sister’s advice was spot-on, but not this time. “She’s too busy at the hotel. And if she doesn’t meet her boss’s demands, she might be looking for a new job in January. Which means she could end up anywhere. She won’t want to be tied down by a romantic relationship.”

“That’s weak, and I don’t buy it,” Kate said.

“I’m serious. She’s dealing with a lot of stress.” Over the past month, he’d seen how overwhelmed she was. Even though she claimed to love a challenge, she was being pushed to her limits.

“This isn’t about her. It’s about you and your fear of getting hurt. It all boils down to your trust issues.”

He peeled the label off his bottle and crumpled it into a ball. “I don’t have trust issues.”

Which was a lie, because of course he did, after years of growing up in a family where his parents had heaped abuse on each other. And then turned on him whenever he tried to intervene.

“You totally do, and I get it. Our folks did a number on us. Every time I’m around them, I think, ‘How the fuck could I ever trust anyone enough to marry them? Why put in all that effort if it’s going to turn out like that?’ But just because we spent years watching them tear each other down doesn’t mean we’re gonna end up like them.” When he didn’t respond right away, she drove out a harsh sigh. “Listen, bud, I know I sound like a broken record, but I think you should consider therapy. It’s helped me a lot.”

He didn’t want to revisit this argument. The one time he’d asked his parents if they’d ever tried counseling, they’d called it a waste of money—a crutch for people too weak to solve their own problems. Even though he knew they were wrong, their comments had stuck with him.

“Most of the time, I get by okay,” he said. “It’s just hard for me to open myself up to anyone. And then, when I finally did—”

“She screwed you over royally.”

“To be fair, it wasn’t one-sided. She claimed I wasn’t letting her in completely, and she was right.”

“Yeah, but she didn’t have to cheat on you with her old boyfriend and then gaslight you for weeks. She was manipulative as hell. I should know, seeing as how I dated someone just like her.”

True enough. Kate’s last girlfriend hadn’t been much better. If anything, she’d been worse because she’d stolen money from Kate. Since then, his sister hadn’t dated anyone new.

“I guess we’re both kind of broken,” he said.

The minute the words were out, he regretted them. He didn’t want to think of himself that way. He wanted to be good old Drew Richardson, the easygoing personal trainer everyone liked. The happy-go-lucky Santa who loved making kids smile.

When Kate spoke up again, her voice was weary. “The thing is—we don’t have to stay broken. We can do better, and it starts with trusting the right people. Rosie sounds like that kind of person. If I found someone like her, I’d be willing to take the risk again.”

“Kate…”

“Just think about it, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks.”

But even as he agreed with her, he knew he wouldn’t follow through. Better to enjoy what he and Rosie could offer each other—friendship, support, and camaraderie—than try for something that would leave another scar.

He’d just have to make sure he and Rosie didn’t end up in a situation where they’d be tempted to blur the lines again.