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Leo didn’t like anything he was hearing A business deal he’d been working on for the last year had developed a last-minute hitch ‘Why hasn’t this been dealt with? He said what?’

Leo groaned The business associate he was dealing as an older otiations Joe trusted him He couldn’t leave this to anyone else He had to deal with these probleet the first flight’

He finished the call New York He’d wanted to go back there for days But soht back to Mont Coeur to spend Christet slimmer and slimmer

Here, he’d had the benefit of a little tienerally about work, even down to the Christated to attend As soon as he returned to the States

He looked back through theof the shop Anissa was talking to the store owner as they wrapped the cuckoo clock in tissue paper and bubble wrap His stomach clenched The Christmas ball The place he always took a date

For the first ti his little black book suddenly didn’t see He felt for his wallet and strolled back into the store to pay for the clock

‘Nearly done’ Anissa smiled as he approached

‘I have to go back to New York’

Her face fell ‘What?’

His skin prickled She was upset He hated that He hated that fleeting look of hurt in her eyes Within seconds she plastered a smile on her face ‘Oh, of course’

‘It’s business A particularly tricky deal’

Anissa pressed her lips tight together and nodded automatically

The seed of an idea that had partially formed outside burst into full bloom in his head He hated that flicker of pain he’d seen in her eyes when she’d talked about being in Mont Coeur and being permanently reminded of what she’d lost It had seemed so raw

Maybe, just s for her Put a little sparkle and hope back into her eyes So that he ached to feel in his life too

‘Come with me’ The words flew out of his mouth

Her eyes widened ‘What?’

He nodded, as it all started to make sense in his head ‘You said you’ve never really had a proper holiday Come with me Come and see New York You’ll love it in winter I can take you sightseeing’

Sightseeing The thing he’d never really got around to in New York

Anissa’s mouth was open ‘Butmy job I have lessons booked I have chalets to clean’

He moved closer to her ‘Leave them See if someone can cover If you can only come for a few days—that’s fine But come with me I have a Christmas ball to attend and I’d love it if you could come with me’ His hands ached to reach for her, but he held himself back ‘I called you Ice Princess before, how do you feel about being Cinderella? Going to the most spectacular Christmas ball in New York? It will take your breath away, I promise’

Her mouth was still open as her eyes widened He could al the invitation She was considering it She was actually considering it And that built a whole host of hopes in his chest that still took him by surprise

He h to drown out the Christmas scents from the shop and to let him just smell her Anissa

‘Come on, Anissa Live a little,’ he whispered

He could see her hesitation See her worries

But her pale blue eyes met his There was still a little sparkle there Still a little hope for him

Her lips turned upwards ‘Okay,’ she whispered back as he bent to kiss her

CHAPTER FIVE