Her Christmas Prince (Love in the Keys) by Caroline A. Godin Page B

last few days.”

    “ I'm
only a phone call away if you need me.”

    “ Ditto!”

    The
girls waved goodbye and headed to their cars, Erin's already full of
luggage and presents. Erin headed north on A1A and Callie made the
short drive home. S he
had Christmas preparations to make before she met up with Henry
later.

    Yesterday
at church, she'd figured out what to give him for Christmas. A new
Bible. It wasn't technically cheating because she wasn't going to
buy one, she had an extra one on her shelf. But she was going to
make a nice cover for it that had room for a pen and a notebook.
She'd looked through her crafting box and found a fabric scrap that
should be just big enough. I t
was a lovely striped pattern in multiple shades that was eye catching
yet manly at the same time. She also planned to embroider the cover
with his initial. It was the only thing that had come to her as a
gift option and she hoped that he would like it. No one should be
without a Bible, especially at Christmas.

    Callie
got to work measuring and cutting and sewing and in just over an
hour, her monogrammed Bible cover was wrapping up a Bible, a
leather-bound notebook and a pen. She was pleased with her
handiwork, and wrapped it carefully in a festive back with lots of
tissue. She'd also tucked in a tin of her magic bars, just in case.
She knew for sure Henry loved desserts. Her last task to complete
his present was to make a card. On the front, she drew a cartoon
Henry holding a fish, standing on a festively decorated boat in the
marina. Inside, she simply wrote:

    Henry,

    This
Christmas would not have been
    the
same without you. May the new
    year
bring you every blessing.

    xo
Callie

    There
was so much more she wanted to say but couldn't put into words. She
also was unsure of his feelings and couldn't bear the thought of
another rejection. Though, surprisingly, in the few days Henry had
been on the scene, Callie felt much better about things. She was
realizing that Brian was actually not that nice a person, and didn't
seem to want the same things she did. So he'd really done her a
favour. Because she'd never have experienced the camaraderie she
felt with Henry if Brian hadn't dumped her. It taught her what love
should feel like.

    Callie
sat down abruptly. She loved Henry. It seemed ridiculous after a
few days, but it there it was. Her heart knew what it wanted. It
frightened and amazed her at the same time. Because Henry was going
home after Christmas.

    She
moved to the kitchen and began making the pies that were her
contribution to her family's holiday dinner. Most people had apple
or pumpkin, but for the Meyers, it wasn't Christmas without pecan and
key lime. Because of the number of people expected, and the
likelihood there would be second helpings, Callie was making four
large pies of each kind.

    As
she worked, she continued to reflect on her situation with Henry. It
was a horrible thing to realize you loved someone and they were gone
to be nothing but a distant memory in days. But what could she do?
He'd made it clear he had to go home and he hadn't said anything
about staying in touch.

    When
the pies were ready, she put the pecan ones on her dining table and
the key lime ones in the refrigerator, ready to go in the morning.

    She
checked her watch and realized she had less than an hour to be ready
before Henry picked her up for their Key West outing; she'd best hurry. She decided on jeans, sandals and a light cotton
sweater. It could get breezy down island and she didn't want to
catch cold before the holiday. As she gave herself a spray of
perfume as the finishing touch, her buzzer rang. Henry was here.
Callie rushed downstairs, exited to see him.

    “ Good
evening, pretty lady.”

    Henry
was standing beside the SUV, waiting to open her door for her as she
exited the condo lobby. He smiled at her and waited for her to be
seated comfortably before closing the door. He ran around to his
side of the vehicle and got in quickly.