Michelle Major - A Very Crimson Christmas

“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 for a day on the slopes. The mood was friendly and open, much like he’d found throughout the town. His feelings about Crimson from years ago were jumbled, but he couldn’t deny that the present-day atmosphere was appealing.

“If we can make it work, I’d give it a go. But you should know this new company has nothing to do with Donovan Enterprises. My father and his money won’t be involved. I don’t know if that impacts your interest in us.” He watched Jase closely, waited for the disappointment that his father wasn’t backing LifeMap to flicker across the other man’s face. When it didn’t, Liam felt the tension ease out of his shoulders. “I’m courting investors now and hope to have financing secured by the end of the month. That’s another reason I’m in Crimson. The guys who own the venture capital company we’ve been working with are coming to Aspen to ski in a couple of weeks. I hope to meet with them in a more relaxed setting and close the deal.”

“If the deal means jobs and revenue for Crimson, I’m all for it. It’s not a sure thing on the town’s end, though. There are a couple of old-school locals on the council. They’d like to see Crimson revert back to how things were in the fifties—one stop sign in the middle of town and all that. But several of us have other ideas for the future of the town.” He leaned closer. “You should also know I’m planning on running for mayor next year.”

“This would be a damn good feather in your campaign cap.”

The waitress brought their plates at that moment. “Hope you like your green chili hot,” she said to Liam as she slid a dish with a football-size burrito smothered in green sauce in front of him. “We do things spicy here in Crimson.”

He couldn’t help but return her grin. “I like it spicy,” he answered with a wink.

She laughed. “You’ll fit in here, hon. Even if you do look like a smooth talker.”

Liam shook his head. “You have an uncanny ability to compliment and criticize in the same breath. That’s quite a skill.”

“Thank you, sweetness. I pride myself on it.”

“I love this town,” Jase said when she’d walked away again. He forked up a big bite of burrito. “It’s my home. Yes, I want to win my bid for mayor, but even more I want what’s best for Crimson.” He pointed the utensil at Liam. “If this deal works out, are you planning on sticking around longer?”

Liam took a bite of his own burrito as a way to buy himself a little time to think about his answer to that question. The idea of headquartering his new company here was just something he’d thrown out to appease his former nanny. Two days ago, he’d had no intention of spending more time in this town than was absolutely necessary. He had to admit the thought of starting LifeMap here held some appeal, even beyond making his father furious. But he couldn’t quite forget the past or how badly things had ended for him in Crimson once before. Although his anger and resentment felt as though they’d gone through a process to dull them, take down the harsh edges. He reached for the pain but couldn’t quite grasp it.