Time was running out, Jacob was well aware. Every morning the calendar mocked him. One day closer to Christmas, one day closer to having to tell 'Eve' the truth. One day closer to losing her when he'd just found her. The problem was as much as he knew he should be slowly letting 'Eve' go, he just kept holding her tighter. He wasn't sure if it was because he hoped that if he did, she wouldn't be able to hate him. Or if he just wanted to hold fast to these memories of her.

Either way, Jacob was pretty sure that he was falling in love with her and that Christmas was only going to bring him pain and heartbreak instead of joy. Yet he still pursued her. She was a flame and he was a moth. He tried, he tried so hard to put distance between them. But he was powerless against it.

It was eight days to Christmas and five days before he and Flynn were scheduled to go on their Christmas breaks. He'd gone downstairs and persuaded 'Eve' to play hooky for the afternoon. It had been easier than he expected, even though the last few days he'd detected an air of sadness about her.

She was so full of holiday cheer, but sometimes her smile seemed a little forced and when she didn't know he was looking, she seemed a little sad. But holidays did that to people and maybe she was missing a loved one. That happened.

Now his arm was around her waist and they joined the people looking spellbound in the enchanted windows outside of Macy's. Her face was lit up in wonder as she gazed at them and he couldn't help but steal a kiss or two.

"The line's gotta be long but do you want to see if we can get lunch by the Christmas tree? I hear it's a tradition."

'Eve's face lit up. "Oh yes! I haven't yet this year but it's very special. The tree is 45' tall you know." And she spouted facts about the tree and the traditions around it as they went inside.

They'd had a wonderful lunch under the magnificent tree in the store's historic Walnut Room. A place Cassandra had had lunch in once a year since as far back as she could remember. A place her mother had had lunch every year since as far back as she could remember as well. It was a well beloved Chicago tradition.

Then 'Flynn' was coaxing her into to seeing Santa Claus. She'd protested not wanting to take a spot away from a child. But there weren't too many tykes in line at the moment and so finally she'd relented. The young woman dressed as an elf coaxed 'Flynn' into one of the photos and kindly took pictures with both of their phones.

"What next?" she asked him afterwards, taking his hand.

"Well, I promised my mama some of those mints they sell here. When she heard I was coming, she wouldn't stop talking about them. She went to Chicago once back when this was still Marshall Field's and she loved them. Now anyone passing through Chicago has to get her some."

Cassandra giggled. "Well, we can certainly do that."

They bought a few more things, gifts for his sister and his nieces and a couple of things she'd wanted to give as gifts. They did some more window shopping after that and then ended up back at his car.

"What now?" she asked with a smile.

"I heard the zoo has a nice holiday display, would you like to check it out?"

Cassandra looked at him in delight, how did he know her so well?

"Of course!"

Tomorrow they were leaving. This was the hardest day of Jacob's life. Harder than the day as a teenager when he'd told his family that he'd no interest in working the family business or in pursuing football beyond the scholarship that was allowing him to go to college. He hadn't intended on this going so far.

If it had just been 'Cassandra', this would be a breeze. He didn't feel anything for her really, besides feeling bad that he was going to have to break it off with her when she seemed to really like his friend. But he also didn't think it was going to break her heart either, she was tough that girl. He did admire that about her. Far tougher than he was.

Because his heart was breaking. He'd fallen in love with pretty redheaded 'Eve' and he absolutely hated himself right now. If he'd only told her the truth, he'd be kissing his love at the airport with the promise that he'd be back in a week and they'd be free to explore their future. She'd beam at him and wish him a Merry Christmas and probably have snuck a present into his checked bags that he'd find at his mama's house.

But he couldn't do this. Couldn't do this to her. He was going to tell her tonight. All of it, including the fact that he loved her. He'd gone into this not wanting to ruin her Christmas. But he couldn't keep this up any more. Couldn't have her go into her Christmas dreaming of their future only to smash it to pieces a few days later.

'Eve' was such a kind gentle soul, so sweet and loving. He could only hope that she might forgive him some day. That's all he could hope for. There was no hope that someone like her would want him after what he'd done.

But tonight, he'd take her out and hold on to the last of the good times he had with her. Then he'd take her home and tell her the truth.

If he was brave enough to do it.

'Flynn' was leaving tomorrow. And if things were different, Cassandra would be comforted by the knowledge that he'd be back in only a week. She'd see him off at the airport with a kiss, a present hidden in his checked bag. He'd open it and call her on Christmas day laughing as they'd made plans for his return. And their future.

Their future that would never be now. 'Flynn' was a kind man and she knew he'd forgive her eventually. But his forgiveness wouldn't be the same as his love. And despite Eve's beliefs to the contrary, she couldn't see him wanting her after he found out the truth. He was an honest man and she was a liar.

If he'd not be part of this, tomorrow wouldn't be such a hard day. She'd feel bad about breaking it off with 'Jacob' solely because he seemed nice enough and he really liked Eve. But her heart wouldn't be breaking. Not like it was now.

Because she was in love with 'Flynn' and although he'd not said it, she knew he loved her too. She'd seen it in his eyes. It was there shining in the photo they'd taken with Santa at Macy's. The photo that she would cherish for the rest of her life. Her almost. The chance at the love of her life. That she blew because of her lies.

She was going to break both of their hearts and it was going to be miserable four months ahead of them. She wouldn't even blame him if he asked to be moved to another building. As it was, she was practicing a speech to get moved off of the liaison position.

She wasn't even sure now if she could just wait Christmas out. It was like a band aid now. She was going to have to tell him the truth. All of it. Even the fact that she loved him. She was going to tell him tonight.

He was taking her out for dinner and when he brought her home, she would tell him. Until then she'd cling tightly to what could have been. To the memory of the love that shone in his eyes when he looked at her. Because when she was finished, she knew he'd never look at her that way again.

She'd put on her prettiest dress, put on the red lipstick that had always made her feel confident before. One last night together . . .one last memory to cling to.

'Flynn' looked so handsome standing in her doorway though his eyes looked sad. She chalked that sadness up to him thinking about leaving even for a little while. She couldn't help herself, she kissed him but the kiss was desperate and a little sad.

He looked at her, questions in his eyes when they parted.

"I'm going to miss you," she said in explanation. And that was the truth. She was going to miss him. For the rest of her life, she'd miss him. Her almost.

"Oh Evie, it's only a week," 'Flynn' said. But then in a far softer tone, he added, "but I'm gonna miss you too."

And as she reached back for her coat, she swore she heard him mutter something like "forever" but it made no sense and so she let the thought go.

Eve was at the boys' apartment. Tomorrow they were scheduled to leave for their Christmas breaks. Her heart was heavy, she knew that sweet goofy 'Jacob' was heading for Boston after that. Cassandra would be breaking it off with him after the holidays. And Eve would probably never see or speak to him again.

She'd told Cassandra that she was just having fun, that nothing with 'Jacob' was serious. She certainly was having fun, 'Jacob' was a blast, adorable and geeky but still adventure seeking and oddly enough just a bit dangerous. But she was starting to think that if things were different, he could be something serious. She wasn't Cassandra, who was going to get her heart broken. She wasn't in love with 'Jacob' or at least not the way she was pretty sure Cassandra was with 'Flynn'. But she could be, it wouldn't take much. And she would feel this, the pain of what could have been. 'Jacob' would be a regret. An almost, a maybe, an if things had been different, a love that could have happened in another life.

Still Eve always lived her life in the now. Not in the maybe. So she took this last night like she had any other. She knew that Cassandra was out with 'Flynn', no doubt clinging to every last moment she had with the man. If she was saying goodbye to the man she loved, she'd probably take her time. And she was going to be saying goodbye to 'Jacob' in her own way as well.

"I'm hungry," 'Jacob' proclaimed looking around the kitchen. "Jones has pretty much eaten us out of house and home. And uh Carsen said he wasn't gonna bother shopping until he comes back."

"What are you in the mood for?" Eve asked, putting her arms around his waist.

"I was thinking something sweet . . . ." He kissed her nose. "A bit like you. But decadent. You know a bit like you."

Eve found herself giggling. "Brownies? I make the best brownies."

"We don't have anything here to make them. Back to your place then?" 'Jacob' sighed, it was a bit of a drive back to hers.

"Nah," Eve said. "Gotta a better idea. Eve's got stuff in her kitchen and I've got a key, she won't mind, especially if we share the brownies with her and Flynn."

"Sounds good to me, lead on my sweet."

'Jacob' had been in an affectionate mood all evening, stopping and kissing her every few feet on the short walk up to Cassandra's. His hands were all over her even as she gathered the ingredients for brownies including her secret weapon, chocolate syrup.

She was having a hard time getting the brownies mixed because 'Jacob' was kissing her neck. Then he was trying to kiss her and taste the batter before she poured it into the pan. So she stuck her finger in the bowl and smeared it across his nose. Which lead to him doing the same to her. And much giggling as they started kissing. Soon, really all thoughts of actually baking the brownies were gone. And both of them quite forgot they were in someone else's apartment.

He was unbuttoned her shirt between chocolate flavored kisses as she grabbed the bottle of chocolate syrup. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I certainly am."

And neither noticed the bowl of brownie batter tip over as he lifted her onto the kitchen island . . . .