Page 54 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

“What’s wrong with that?”Ashley asked.

“It was snowing.”

Ashley’s head tilted.“Okay, and…?”

“And she was in four-inch heels.”

“Oh.”

“Exactly.She just had to ask.”

“I prefer not to pester when I’m perfectly capable of handling a situation on my own.Ashley, you seem like an independent woman like myself; I’m sure you can relate.”

“Absolutely.Though I might have kicked off the heels first.”

“Not my best moment, I’ll say that.”

Ashley laughed.

“But to drive it home,” Lena said, gathering her papers into her ugly-sweater-printed folder.“We’ve never dated.Carter closed himself off a long time ago, and I respect that.”

“Closed himself off to what?”Ashley asked, but it seemed to dawn on her almost immediately.“Oh.”

Carter clapped his hands together, wanting to get the focus off him and his inability to move on from a woman for almost a decade.“Is that everything?I’m needed in the kitchen for something.”

“That’s it,” Lena said.“If you want, I can stop by tomorrow and help you set up the guest house so it’s ready for the hot cocoa station.”

“I think I can manage,” Ashley said.“But if I need any help, I’ll definitely give you a call.”

“Perfect.Carter knows where all the supplies and decorations are.”

“Decorations?”Ashley asked.

“The house needs to be decorated.But from how it looks in here, I know you’ll knock that out of the park, too.”

“I can help you,” Carter offered before his brain could stop his mouth from moving.

Ashley’s attention shifted to him.The corners of her mouth edged up, plumping her cheeks and making him regret every decision that had kept her away from him for so long.“I’d like that,” Ashley said.

The simple words settled deep in his chest.

“Good.”The word came out rougher than he meant.“Everything is in the attic of the guest house, and anything we don’t have I can get.”

Ashley’s smile widened.“Sounds like a plan.”

Carter held her gaze, remembering every time he’d gotten lost in those eyes.How he once saw his entire life through those blue lenses.A house with a wrap-around porch so she could drink her coffee in the morning with the sunrise and the birds.A family of their own.A little girl with her eyes and smile and a little boy with her strong independence.Christmases spent exactly like this one, recreating traditions, starting new ones, and spending time with far too many Wetherbys.

He’d been young enough then to believe wanting something was enough to make it happen.

Life had taught him otherwise.

Yet sitting across from her now, with her cheeks flushed, her bangs slightly parting in the middle, it was alarmingly easy to forget all the reasons why he stepped away from that dream.

“Awesome!”Lena announced as she snapped her binder shut.“Now that we've established who is doing what, I’m going to go meet with the light guy before he electrocutes himself.”

Carter raised his brow.

Ashley laughed.“Is that a concern?”