The New Year's Wish by Dani-Lyn Alexander Page A

fridge.
    â€œI like her.”
    â€œI like her, too, Gracie.”
    â€œSo why isn’t she your girlfriend?”
    Frustration started to creep in, and he worked to keep it from his tone. “She’s just not. We’re friends.”
    â€œDon’t you want to have a girlfriend?” She looked at him hopefully.
    â€œGracie, I don’t have time for a girlfriend.” Not to mention the fact he didn’t trust anyone anymore. Stephanie’s involvement with the man who’d been embezzling from the company in Florida had seen to that. Had it not been her father’s company, she’d have had a lot more explaining to do, and he probably wouldn’t have been fired. He pushed the thoughts aside. It didn’t matter anymore. He was happy now and so was Gracie, and that was all that mattered.
    â€œâ€”come for Christmas, too?”
    â€œWhat?” His thoughts had strayed too far and he’d lost track of the conversation.
    â€œI said, is Livvie coming for Christmas, too?” She blew her bangs off her forehead in a far too mature gesture of frustration.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    He put the bowl of popcorn and two drinks on a tray, lifted Gracie from the counter, and put her on the floor. “Olivia has her own family, Gracie. I’m sure she’s spending Christmas with them.”
    â€œOh.” She looked at him with disappointment clouding her eyes, and a pang of regret shot through him. Then her eyes cleared. “I know! She can come to Times Square with us on New Year’s Eve!”
    The regret turned to guilt. He held her gaze but still didn’t have the heart to tell her he couldn’t take her to Times Square on New Year’s Eve as they’d planned. Couldn’t even spend the night with her at all, actually. “We’ll see, Gracie. Maybe.”
    Her answering smile soothed him, but only for a moment. He had to figure out what to do about New Year’s Eve. How would he attend the Harrises’ party without disappointing his daughter?

SEVEN

    O LIVIA TOSSED THE FOLDER onto the desk and leaned back. She rubbed her eyes, hoping to ease some of the strain, but it didn’t help. She just couldn’t read another thing. “I need a break.”
    Garrett looked up from the computer screen. He hesitated, glanced back down, and closed the top. “You’re right.” He massaged the back of his neck.
    Olivia stifled the impulse to move behind his chair and do it for him. A smile played at the corners of her mouth. I wonder what he’d do. Maybe if I just—
    â€œWhat’s so funny?”
    She looked up to find him staring at her. “Ummm . . . I was just thinking about something.” Yikes, better change the subject. I do not want to go there. She stood and stretched her back. “You know what? I’m going to take a break and grab something to eat. Do you want to come with me? We could come back and finish organizing these files after we’re done.” She held her breath and waited.
    He glanced at his watch and pushed his hand back through his thick, dark hair, a move he’d repeated numerous times throughout the night, leaving it sticking up in tufts around his head. “All right. We may as well. I’m not getting anywhere here.” He pushed up from the chair and almost ran into Olivia. His gaze locked onto hers. Held. “I’m sorry . . . I . . .” He lifted his hand to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, brushing a featherlight caress along her jawline.
    She couldn’t look away. Her heart rate kicked up, hammering through her. She didn’t bother to resist the urge this time. She raked her fingers through his hair, smoothing the mess he’d made of it back into place.
    The rhythm of his breathing changed, increased, and became more shallow. He didn’t pull back. His fingers traced a line down