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“Because you’ve just spent the last few minutes stepping right out of your comfort zone to talk to me. That’s all I ask. Be honest with me.” He nodded. “Okay, I think it’s time to find out what we’re doing today.”
Luke grimaced. “Your brother has a lot to answer for.”
“Yes.” She picked up the advent and studied the open windows. “If he hadn’t put this together, we’d have gone our separate ways and probably never seen each other again.”
“I’m glad we didn’t.” His quietly spoken words settled on her like a warm blanket. “I’m glad we had this month together.”
“Me, too.” She let out a low laugh. “I sort of dreaded opening it at the beginning, but now I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us.”
“Let’s hope you’re still saying that when you’ve opened today’s window.”
“Good point.” She peeled it open, feeling the usual pang of sadness when she saw Colin’s writing. It was still hard to believe only a few weeks ago he’d been alive and well enough to put the advent together. “Visit an animal shelter,” she read out.
Luke shrugged. “Could be worse. Do you know one round here?”
She recalled Nyx. “We could ask Pearl, she got her cat from an animal shelter.” Luke face paled and she laughed. “Worried she’ll bring us more mistletoe?”
His gaze turned heated. “I don’t need mistletoe, Anna. So be warned.”
Her stomach did the swoopy thing that had become a common reaction in his presence.
After a quick shower and change, she and Luke went to knock on Pearl’s door. The older lady greeted them with a warm smile. “My favorite non couple.”
Anna laughed. “Very good. Do you have a minute? The advent window today says we need to visit an animal shelter and I remember you got Nyx from a shelter. I wondered if you can remember where it was?”
“Oh yes, honey, I’ve still got their card. Let me fetch it.” She darted Luke a look. “I hope you made good use of that mistletoe, young man.”
While Anna cringed, Luke did something unexpected. He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
Pearl whooped. “Now that’s just made my Christmas. Let me go and get that card so the pair of you can find a cat to share your place with.”
“It’s Anna’s condo.” Luke’s voice was firm. “I’m only living there while we finish out Colin’s advent calendar.”
“And then what?” Pearl asked the question that had been on Anna’s lips.
Luke let out a heavy breath, his hands slipping into the pockets of his worn jeans. “And then I don’t know.”
Anna snapped her head around to look at him. “What do you mean?”
He shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. “The lodge I used to live in came with the job. When I handed my notice in . . .”
Her heart thudded. “You became homeless?”
He lifted his big shoulders up and down. “Technically yes. But when I get another job, I’ll get somewhere else to live.”
“Have you asked to go back there?”
He glanced down at the floor for a beat before finally raising his eyes to her. “I’ve not made any decisions yet.”
“Well, it seems to me that the answer is staring you both in the face,” Pearl said, giving them both a sunny smile. “Now, let me get that card.”
Helplessly she looked at Luke. “She thinks she’s played matchmaker.”
“Yes.” He shifted on his feet. “But she doesn’t know what we do.”
“No.” Except she wasn’t totally convinced by his arguments. So, they were opposites, unlike her parents. But didn’t that add excitement and . . . balance? He said she needed someone brave and honest about their feelings like she was, but hadn’t what he’d said in the kitchen proved he was both? “You know you can stay with me until you find somewhere, don’t you?”
He gave her a searching look, as if assessing whether she was being polite or whether she meant it. “Thanks, but it’s been a long time since I had roots. I’m not fazed at the thought of kipping in hostels for a bit till I find my feet.”
