A Very Crimson Christmas. Michelle Major

“Do you have a plan for breaking the news to dear old dad?”

      “Not yet.” Liam grabbed a muffin from the box on the counter and bit into it, the texture moist and the flavor out of this world. He looked at the name imprinted on the box, Life is Sweet. He remembered the small downtown bakery from his time in Crimson but didn’t remember the shop offering anything like this.

      “It’s good, right?” Tanner asked with a smile. “You should try one of her cookies. I half fell in love with the woman who runs the place because of the way she bakes.”

      “And...” Liam prompted.

      “And it doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous.”

      If Liam had a quarter for all the women Tanner “half fell in love with,” he’d have the money to fund his new company all on his own.

      “Why didn’t you tell me Crimson was such a great town? Whenever we were in Aspen, you went out of your way not to spend time here.” Tanner snagged a muffin. “I think it has a great vibe.”

      “Good,” Liam answered, “because I want you to look into headquartering the new company here.”

      Tanner’s mouth dropped open. “I meant a great vibe for a weekend away. You can’t be serious.”

      “Why not? I bet the town will offer incentives, the location will attract the kind of people we want working on the GPS software and it keeps us far away from Donovan Enterprises.”

      “And...” Tanner used the same tone Liam had a few minutes earlier.

      “And I told my nanny part of why I was staying in town was because I might start the company here.”

      “Bold move.” Tanner broke off a piece of muffin and popped it into his mouth. “Are you serious?”

      “I’m serious about making her believe it could happen.” Liam took a long drink of coffee, not wanting to admit how much the idea of once again calling Crimson his home appealed to him.

      “Got it. How was bingo?” Tanner asked with a smile.

      “A rocking good time.” Liam spun the laptop around and logged into his email.

      “Is there anything more you want me to check out regarding where your nanny is spending her money or who’s taking it?”

      Natalie’s soft “please” came to Liam’s mind, along with her big melted-chocolate eyes. Eyes that were haunted and hiding something. “Not yet.” He let out a small laugh as he checked his in-box for new messages. “I’ll be damned, word does travel fast from the bingo hall.”

      “Can you translate that sentence into English?” Tanner asked, pouring himself more coffee.

      “What time is the investor call?”

      “Noon eastern time.”

      Liam nodded, flipping the laptop shut. “I’m going to have breakfast with one of the Crimson town council members. He wants to talk about my plans for headquartering LifeMap here.”

      Tanner whistled. “Are there any secrets in Crimson?”

      “Sure,” Liam answered as he walked toward the master suite. “They just don’t stay secrets for long.”

      * * *

      He walked into a homey restaurant near the center of town a half hour later, trying to ignore the excessive amount of holiday decorations strewn up and down Main Street. Or maybe they just felt excessive to Liam. He’d never been a fan of Christmas, but Crimson clearly embraced the holiday with lights and garland strung between shops and ornaments and other trimmings hanging from every window.

      He looked around the oversize Christmas tree at the front of the restaurant to see Jason Crenshaw at one of the side tables. Jase had been one of the first kids Liam had met when he came to Crimson in high school. Back then, Jase was tall and lanky, a little on the nerdy side, a straight-A student and president of almost every club at the school.

      Liam had liked him a lot, but at that point in his life, he was more interested in getting in trouble to hack off his parents than getting good grades, so he and Jase had gone in different directions.

      Jase stood as Liam approached and reached out his hand for a hearty shake. He was still tall, at least a couple of inches over Liam’s own six-two, but he’d filled out and looked every inch the perfect representative for a town like Crimson.

      Almost immediately, an older waitress came over with a coffeepot. “Drive over from Aspen, hon?” she asked, pouring steaming liquid into Liam’s mug then freshening Jase’s cup.

      Liam glanced between the waitress and Jase, who shrugged. “I’m staying in Crimson,” he answered.

      “Is that right? I didn’t mean any offense. But we’re a beer and burgers town. You look more the steak and fancy wine type.”

      “I like beer,” Liam muttered, wondering why the woman’s assessment of him grated on his nerves. He’d put on a button-down shirt, black trousers and a dark leather jacket for this meeting, and as far as he could tell he didn’t look much different from Jase.

      “Ruth Keller was Liam’s nanny for years,” Jase told the waitress.

      Her eyes lit up. “The one bringing all the jobs to Crimson?” She gave him a maternal pat on the shoulder. “Breakfast is on the house for you.”

      “That isn’t necessary,” Liam answered quickly. “I haven’t made a final decision. There’s a lot that goes into—”

      “So you’re not starting your company here?”

      Jase shook his head but smiled. “Let’s not jump the gun, Mary. We’re meeting this morning to discuss the possibility. It’s great they’re even considering Crimson.” He tapped his menu. “I’ll have the breakfast burrito with green chili, hash browns on the side.”

      The waitress nodded and turned to Liam.

      “I’ll have the same.”

      She leaned toward Jase. “Do I buy him breakfast now or later?” she asked in a whisper that Liam could clearly hear.

      “I’ll take care of the bill this morning,” Jase answered.

      Satisfied with that answer, she turned from their table.

      “Is there some kind of news alert in this town that everyone subscribes to?” Liam asked when she was out of earshot. “I’ve never seen something spread so quickly.”

      “That’s Crimson for you.” Jase dumped a packet of sugar into his coffee. “Even if you don’t know your own business, chances are someone else can fill you in on the details.”

      “How do you stand it?” As much as he was in the public eye for his job, Liam liked to keep his private dealings close to the vest. That seemed impossible in a town like Crimson.

      Jase shrugged. “Keep my nose clean for one. I also know that people have good intentions for the most part. You get used to it.”

      “You’ve done well here.” Liam stirred creamer into his coffee. “Of course, I think you would have done well anywhere from what I remember about your track record in high school.”

      “Crimson is home for me. Always has been.” Jase watched Liam over the rim of his coffee mug. “I have to say I’m surprised to hear you’re in town for an extended stay.”

      “I want to make sure Ruth gets the care she needs. She doesn’t have any family of her own.”

      “Makes sense,” Jase said with a nod. “She talks about you like you’re her own flesh and blood. Are you really considering Crimson as a company headquarters?”

      Liam looked around the restaurant before answering. There was a mix of customers, from families with young children, to a couple of tables of older folks, to men clearly dressed