Their Yuletide Promise by Stacy Connelly

Author:Stacy Connelly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-07-10T15:26:08+00:00

* * *

By the end of the evening, both the number of email addresses and the couples signed up to tour the hotel as a potential wedding venue had far exceeded Evie’s quotas. It was all thanks to Griffin. Not that that was any surprise. People—and not just women—loved him.

For Evie, speaking with strangers, even making small talk, often made her feel self-conscious and awkward and far too likely to say the wrong thing. But every time she tried to ease away, Griffin pulled her back to the center of the conversation. He encouraged her to discuss the hotel’s past with a man who was a retired history professor. To talk about the rose garden with the woman who boasted an I Heart Flowers pin on her floral denim jacket. To inform couples who wanted their wedding to take place outdoors when the grounds and weather were at their best. To promise longed-for solitude during the off-season to a man looking for a secluded retreat to finish his first novel.

And instead of simply taking one of their brochures with half-hearted interest, more and more people had stayed longer, asking questions, signing up for the mailing list and even using the gazebo as a backdrop for photographs.

The energy and excitement surrounding the event created more of a buzz inside Evie than if she’d visited every wine tasting booth in the square. And the way Griffin looked at her—a combination of pleasure and pride—had her head spinning in a way that no fruit of the vine ever could.

“So, is it true?” a young woman asked before glancing at the man by her side with a teasing smile. “Is Hillcrest House really magic?”

Evie’s heart sank a little at the woman’s excitement and expectation. Tailoring facts and figures to suit a potential guest’s interest was one thing. Weaving tales about magic and the promise of happily-ever-after, that was something else. “Hillcrest House is a gorgeous place for a wedding,” she said, gesturing toward the tablet and the streaming slideshow set up on the sign-up table. “My cousin Rory is the wedding coordinator, and the work she does is—” do not say magic, do not say magic, do not say magic “—remarkable,” she finished.

The brunette’s face fell ever so slightly, and Evie rushed to try and recapture her interest. She held out the clipboard and pen. “If you’d like to sign up, my cousin can arrange a tour for you.”

Stepping closer to Evie’s side, Griffin wrapped an arm around her waist. “This is an amazing replica, but it’s nothing compared to the real gazebo. It’s a special place to us, isn’t it, sweetheart?”

“It is,” she admitted, not having to embellish the truth at all. The warmth in his smile was all the encouragement she needed to add, “It’s where I kissed you for the first time.”

“And Hillcrest House is where we met.”

“I knew it!” the woman practically crowed. “I knew it was magic.”

“That is something you’ll have to see for yourself,” Griffin advised, half challenging,

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