“Nicholas...” Mrs. Kerstman’s said softly, staring at him.
Nicholas glanced around the room before he looked back at his mother, wanting to make sure he wasn’t missing anything that would put him in a state of awe as well. “Mom?”
“It’s nothing. It’s nothing.” Mrs. Kerstman waved her hand as if she was waving away her own thoughts. “Will you be staying in town at least one more night? Please say yes. We’ve missed you at our The-Night-Before-The-Night-Before Christmas dinners.”
“Yes,” Nicholas replied with a nod. “I don’t think I’ll be leaving until Christmas Day.”
Nicholas did his best to smile and look at the wall behind his mother before checking the time on his watch. He hoped she couldn't see through him and guess what his real reason for staying was.
The truth was that he had to stay in town until Christmas Day since he needed to meet with the investors on Christmas Eve.
“Wonderful!” Mrs. Kerstman clasped her hands together. “You’ll be able to meet Molly’s parents. I think you'll get along with them wonderfully.”
“Now why would it matter if Nick got along with Molly's family? Are you already planning a wedding for these two?” Mr. Kerstman groaned, waving a finger back and forth between Molly and Nicholas. “They’ve barely known each other for a second. And they’re not even interested in each other. You know our son only has eyes for expense reports.”
Mrs. Kerstman gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes at her husband.
Mr. Kerstman tapped Nicholas on the shoulder. “And there’s nothing wrong with that, son. You know how much I respect that head on your shoulders.”
“I know, Dad. Thanks,” Nicholas told him.
“Howard, it only takes a second to fall in love. You should know that, most of all,” Mrs. Kerstman continued, her mind still on marrying off her son. “Or were you mistaken when you proposed to me after a week of me tutoring you between my classes? You Kerstman men may not fall often, but when you do fall in love, it’s fast and hard.”
“How could I not?” Mr. Kerstman ask. “How could I not fall head over heels with you?”
He gave Mrs. Kerstman a sweet, lingering kiss on her cheek, and it looked like she was so filled with happiness that she might burst on the spot.
Nicholas folded his arms across his chest, sneaking a glance over at Molly, only to find that she was sneaking a glance over at him, as well. That warm happy feeling of his insides turning to jelly washed over him.
He could have stood there all day, sneaking glances with Molly except the chiming at the front door alerted everyone inside that there were more customers coming into the shop.
Chapter 22
Nicholas
“Luke, this better be very important. I’ve already told you that I’ve got a dinner to get ready for,” Nicholas said, holding up two ties in the mirror. He had Luke on loudspeaker as he dressed himself for the evening.
“It’s very important, sir...” Luke hesitated. “It’s about the offer for t
he store.”
“Is the offer off the table?” Nicholas asked, his stomach twisting. He took a deep breath. “Did we already let any other interested parties know that we had an offer to begin with? We should’ve already been setting the stage for a bidding war—”
“No, the offer’s still on the table...” Luke hesitated once more. “But they’ve decided that they hate the name.”
“They hate the name?” Nicholas asked, slightly surprised.
“They really loathe it, sir,” Luke replied. Nicholas could hear the grimace on Luke's face. “They said it’s too cutesy and it would be awful for search results online. The SEO alone would be disastrous.”
“What are their suggestions, then?” Nicholas asked, half afraid to hear what the store might be called in the future.
“Gotta Love Christmas.”
“What?” Nicholas nearly dropped his ties.
“Gotta Love Christmas, sir. And with each different season, they said they could just switch out the holidays,” Luke explained. “Gotta’ Love Christmas, Gotta’ love Halloween, Gotta’ Love Easter...”
Nicholas scoffed over the phone, his brain reeling from the absurdity of a store suggesting they love each and every holiday, while also shifting through them at the most profitable time.