Free Unexpected Gifts: (The Steamy Version) (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance Series Book 1) by Elena Aitken

laughed. “So not unexpected at all, then.”
    He shook his head and Andi couldn’t be sure, but it almost looked as if he blushed a little.
    “Come on,” she said. “If I’m going to get this ball organized, I better get started.” Eva was going to kill her with the extra work the Holly Berry Ball would be, but it would be fun. And if Colin was helping, well, all of a sudden, the idea of planning a dreaded holiday party held a certain appeal.

    Colin left Andi combing through the dozens of folders and files Carmen had sent to the villa and went to check out the shops that lined the courtyard and made up part of the Village. He hadn’t packed anything beyond jeans, t-shirts, and sweaters, and from the look of the menu at Oliver’s, going out for dinner was going to require a wardrobe modification.
    There were a surprising number of stores to choose from, considering they were up in the mountains away from everything. But maybe that was the reason. A vacation destination with shopping built right in—a little something for everyone. The more time he spent at the Lodge, the more he enjoyed it. Or maybe it was just the company he’d enjoyed. Either way, it was turning out to be a great holiday.
    It didn’t take long for Colin to find a menswear store and he was soon outfitted with dress pants and a blue shirt the sales girl told him brought out the sparkle in his eyes. Of course, she’d been flirting with him and he surprised himself by not flirting back, like he normally would. Instead, he couldn’t help but wonder what the sales girl would say if she knew it was Andi who’d put the sparkle in his eyes earlier. Or more specifically, the kiss they’d shared.
    His cell phone rang as he headed outside, bags slung over his shoulder. He dug it out of his coat pocket and answered it without checking the ID. No doubt Andi wanted him to pick up something for the party, or needed him back at the villa. Maybe she just wanted him home. His heart raced at the thought.
    “I’m on my way,” he said into the phone.
    “On your way where?” Rose’s grandmotherly voice came through the line. “I thought you were holed up in the mountains, having a traditional holiday or some such thing. Why you couldn’t get the same thing with my family is beyond me. There’s nothing wrong with the way we do Christmas, ya know?”
    Colin suppressed a laugh and rolled his eyes. Rose had worked overtime to get him to come to her house for the holidays. And as much as he wanted to experience everything the holidays had to offer, he couldn’t imagine being surrounded by her fifteen grandchildren. Even for him, it would be a little too much.
    “Merry Christmas, Rose,” he said. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying your family?”
    “I’m doing just that,” she said. “But I just had to call my favorite boss to see how he was doing. I worry about you in the mountains all by yourself.”
    “I’m not by myself.” Colin knew Rose didn’t approve of his playboy ways. She would love it if he would find a nice girl and settle down. He couldn’t help wondering what she would think of Andi.
    “Is that so?” He could almost see her wagging her finger at him. “Well, I guess there’s nothing I can say to change your mind about turkey dinner then, is there?”
    “Actually, Rose,” he said. “It’s not what you think.” He wouldn’t normally fill his assistant in on personal details, but Colin found himself telling her everything about Andi and the unlikely situation they were in. As he talked, he walked along the cobblestones, kicking at the snow that drifted across his path. The air was crisp, even with the sun high in the sky. It was the perfect weather for the end of December and he’d missed it. Too many years surrounded by the sandy beaches and blue ocean had made him long for the ice and snow. He didn’t think it possible to miss the feeling of his toes going numb, or the ache in your back after shoveling the driveway, but he