Callie's Christmas Wish. Merline Lovelace

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       Chapter Four

      Callie sat curled up on the sitting room sofa, wearing loose, comfortable sweats and fuzzy slippers on her feet. She had fresh coffee in a Christmas mug and her iPhone within reach. She’d slept late—hardly a surprise given last night’s strenuous exercise—and woken to find Joe gone. When she’d wandered into the kitchen, she found his note asking her to hold off calling Carlo until he got back.

      She hoped he wasn’t going to try to talk her out of Rome. He’d seemed to accept her decision last night, even admitted that he could see just as much of her in Italy as in Boston. She really wanted to contact Carlo and tell him she was accepting his job offer.

      She itched to tell Kate and Dawn, too. And not just about Rome. There was this whole exciting, surprising, confusing matter of a proposal to share. They’d both already texted asking a) if she was awake b) if Joe was still there and c) whether she’d resolved the Lassie issue. She wanted to go over to the main house, huddle with Dawn so they could FaceTime Kate together. The three of them had shared so many secrets, so many of life’s ups and downs. But Joe’s note had asked her to wait, so she’d held off, prey to a slightly disconcerting tug of divided loyalties.

      She was still feeling the tug when she heard a car pull into the drive. A quick glance through the front windows confirmed Joe’s return. Uncurling, she was halfway down the hall before the bell rang. When she opened the door, he walked in looking every bit as tall and strong as he had when he arrived from Sydney yesterday, but so much sexier. Which, of course, might have something to do with the fact that she’d explored every flat plane and hard ridge of the body that went with his steel-gray eyes and square chin.

      God! Was she totally insane? What woman in her right mind wouldn’t jump at Joe’s offer? Why not settle into a comfortable nest with him? Why not be there, waiting patiently, when he rolled in from one of his unspecified, no-questions-allowed assignments?

      When he greeted her with a quick kiss and one of his rare smiles, her uncharacteristic self-doubt spiked again. But before she could give in to the sudden urge to tell him she was reconsidering her options, he preempted her with a brusque announcement.

      “I talked to a buddy at the Defense Intelligence Agency. The International Aid to Displaced Women operation’s legit.”

      “Good to know. Although...” She lifted a brow. “Did you think Carlo would invite me to work for an organization that wasn’t?”

      “Doesn’t hurt to check.”

      “No, I guess not. Aren’t you staying?” she asked when he made no move to shed his bomber jacket.

      “Can’t. Have some things to get done before I fly out this afternoon.”

      “Fly where?”

      She’d blurted it out without thinking and half expected another rebuff. This time, however, Joe provided details.

      “First to Rome. I told Carlo I want to review IADW’s refugee screening process before you arrive. Then to Naples. I’ll be doing some work—”

      “Wait! Back up.” She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “You told Carlo that I was coming to Rome? To work at IADW?”