An Alaskan Family Thanksgiving by Beth Carpenter

Author:Beth Carpenter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-08-16T12:46:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

SUNNY PAUSED IN the hallway outside Adam’s office, feeling every bit as awkward as that first day when she’d discovered the man she’d thought was Linda’s grandnephew was really her boss. They’d gotten past that and developed an easy working relationship, but somehow, after her birthday yesterday, everything was different. It all came down to that hug.

Sunny was a hugger. She hugged her daughter at every opportunity, hugged the residents at Easy Living and had even been known to hug the mail carrier when he delivered a long-anticipated package. But yesterday, when she’d hugged Adam, it was different. When his arms came around her and she’d breathed in the woodsy scent of his aftershave, it all felt so warm and inviting and...right.

It had been all she could do to pull away instead of snuggling closer. Did he feel the same? For a second or two before the hug, she’d almost gotten the feeling that he’d wanted to kiss her, but maybe she was wrong. It wasn’t as though she was tuned in to that sort of thing anymore. Ever since the fiasco with Piper’s father, when she’d come to realize just how little she really mattered to him, she’d deliberately avoided anything close to romance. She’d probably just imagined that nonkiss because of her own attraction to Adam.

And yes, she was attracted. No use lying to herself. But obviously there was no future in a relationship with her boss—who was only in town temporarily. Just because he looked good and smelled good and gave nice hugs was no reason to lose her common sense.

“Sunny?” Linda came to the door. “You’ve been standing there for five minutes. Are you okay?”

“Sure, just remembering something I need to take care of later.” Sunny walked into the outer office. “I just need to talk to Adam for a second.”

“Okay.” Linda seemed perplexed, as well she might since Adam’s door was standing open behind her and Adam had long established that when the door was open, everyone was welcome.

“Hi, Sunny,” Adam called through the doorway. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.” Sunny stepped into his office, but hovered at the door.

“Do you want to sit down?” He motioned toward the visitors’ chairs in front of his desk.

“No, I just, um...” Sunny closed the office door behind her. “I just want to thank you again for the wonderful birthday gift. And for all the time you’ve been spending with Piper lately, teaching her photography.”

“It’s been a pleasure. And I mean that. I’d forgotten how much enjoyment I get out of taking pictures. And Piper’s an excellent student.”

“She’s really into it. She’s been doing portrait sessions with her stuffed animals and explaining the difference between key lights and fill lights to me.”

Adam grinned. “That’s great.”

“Yeah. Anyway, that one picture you took of Piper and me? Would you mind sending me the digital version of that?”

“Sure. Although if you just want to print more copies, I’d be happy to do that for you.”

“No, I just want a backup, in case something happens to the original.

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