I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 47

As they stood there lost in each other's gaze, Gavin slid his hand around the back of her neck. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She braced herself, entirely certain he was about to kiss her, paralyzed between leaning in and pulling away.

Instead, he simply flipped the hood of her winter coat over her head. He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "Cold?"

She shook her head, feeling a sudden flare of ridiculous embarrassment over her own frantic anticipation.

They were dating now. Hugging and kissing were supposed to be completely natural.

Traffic was a nightmare, so they ditched the idea of catching a cab and walked hand in hand toward the movie theater.

It was only a few blocks away. The sidewalks were packed with other couples braving the chill, some of the girls twirling sparklers, their smiles burning brighter than the flames.

Noticing how intently she was watching them, Gavin detoured to a street vendor and bought two sparklers of his own.

Sophie lit hers and waved it through the dark air, feeling a sudden, giddy rush. Sometimes, letting yourself be totally immature was the fastest route to pure joy.

Hearing his deep chuckle, she tilted her head up. "Do I look stupid?"

"You look beautiful. I rarely get to see you smile like this."

The smile on her face was radiant and completely unguarded. It was nothing like her sterile corporate mask or her polite social default; it was bursting with raw, magnetic life that made his chest ache in the best way possible.

The golden sparks reflected in his eyes, burning hot in the darkness.

"Sophie." He murmured her name, leaning in close.

"We should hurry. The movie is about to start," she stammered, overwhelmed by the sudden intensity.

Gavin simply tapped his forehead against hers, tightened his grip on her hand, and led her down the street.

When she found out he was flying in, she had immediately booked tickets. The truth was, she had zero clue how to actually celebrate Christmas, so she just defaulted to the standard dating script.

She had never genuinely celebrated it before.

In high school, the holidays were the busiest retail season. Her mother would be trapped at the store running promotions and wouldn't get home until long after midnight.

In college, she spent every Christmas hustling side jobs, sweating inside massive mascot costumes while handing out promotional flyers to happy couples.

Once she entered the corporate world, she fell into her twisted entanglement with Luke, who reliably abandoned her to fly to France every December.

In the beginning, she used to wander the crowded streets, watching the city celebrate, only to find the isolation crushing her.

After that, she spent Christmas Eve locked in her apartment, binging classic cinema. That was how she developed her taste for old movies.

She hadn't even set foot inside an actual theater in three years.

The last time, she had sat totally alone amidst a sea of lovers, silently weeping through a 3D re-release of Titanic.

While everyone else romanticized the eternal power of love, all she saw was the brutal finality of death.

This time, she had chosen a gritty crime drama, wrongly assuming it was an action-comedy based on the director's past work.

He had been MIA all of yesterday, and every so often, a harsh cough racked his chest.

"Still fighting that cold, Mr. Lawrence? Would you like to swing by a clinic?" Gwen asked, plastering on a fake smile.

"No. It's fine," he dismissed her coldly, his eyes locked dead ahead.

Gwen babbled for another ten minutes, trying desperately to fill the suffocating silence. When it became painfully obvious he had no interest in acknowledging her existence, she finally surrendered and stared out the window.

They arrived at the distillery just past eleven. Director Sutton gave them a whirlwind tour before steering them toward a two-story rustic lodge.

The director was incredibly hospitable, ordering a massive feast and offering to show Luke the scenic hiking trails.

"This place is a hidden paradise. We've got stunning views, bottomless drinks, and incredible food. Why don't you stay a few nights and relax?"

Director Sutton led them toward a row of luxury cabins. It was only then that Sophie realized Mr. Baxter's true agenda: he expected her and Gwen to spend the entire weekend here as Luke's personal entertainment.

That slimy bastard. He hadn't breathed a word about an overnight trip. If she had known, she would have quit on the spot rather than get in the car.

"Director Sutton, I apologize, but my boyfriend flew in from out of town. I need to head back tonight."

She put her foot down immediately.

Director Sutton's welcoming smile vanished instantly, his face darkening with displeasure.