Christmas Homecoming

“No, it shouldn’t be,” Jeremy agreed, “but I’m not sure what I’m doing here.” He took a seat across from his brother, reluctant to be back in this office without being in the big chair, even if he had doubts about taking over again. “I keep thinking about the first time I came to this building with Da—with Wallace. I can’t seem to get past that.”

“I told you, you can have any position you want,” Tim responded, his tone firm but aggravated. But his eyes held a kind of understanding that was new and fresh. “I’m trying here, Jeremy.”

“I understand that.” Jeremy glanced at the neat, organized desk, itching to get his hands on today’s layout, longing to read over the editorials, to check the feature stories. Tim had everything lined up, ready to go. “I just don’t know what position I need to be in right now, Tim.” He drummed his fingers on the leather-covered arm of his chair. “You seem born to this. I’d hate to just up and take that away.”

The silent message hummed between them. Tim had been born to this. Jeremy had stumbled into it because of a deep, dark secret and his birth order. How could he take up where he’d left off?

“I do like it,” Tim finally admitted. At Jeremy’s questioning look, he added, “Okay, that was probably an understatement. I love it. But there are days—”

“I remember those days,” Jeremy replied, relaxing back into the chair. “I never realized that I probably needed some time off. I just never dreamed I’d be forced out in such a jolting way.”

“Nobody forced you,” Tim reminded him. “You quit.”

Jeremy kept drumming his fingers. No need to relive the vivid details. “So I did.”

Tim leaned back, then pressed his hands behind his head, his fingers entwined. “There is something you could do, Jeremy, for all of us. I could use some help trying to figure out who’s behind all these scandals.”

Jeremy nodded, glad to have something, anything, to focus on. “I’ve gone back and studied all the leaks. It’s obvious someone is deliberately giving juicy tidbits about our family to the Observer. That part is a no-brainer. Whoever it is, they’re very much aware that the Observer is our rival. But what do they hope to gain by all of this?”

“They want to see us fall, or bring us down a peg or two,” Tim replied, bringing his hands back to his desk with a slap. “This all started with you—or, at least, you finding out about your birth father.”

Jeremy tried not to take that comment personally, but it was very personal. “So you think it might be someone close to me, or someone who knows all the inside information that only our family should know?”

Tim shrugged. “That makes sense, doesn’t it?”

It did, but Jeremy rankled at that suggestion. “Yes, but that could apply to any one of us, Tim. It could be someone wanting to get back at Chris, maybe someone he arrested or testified against. Maybe someone wanting to sabotage Nashville Living just to bring down our subscriber base. Maybe it’s someone at the Observer, trying to win points with the boss.”

“All possibilities,” Tim said, his tone guarded. “It might even be someone who works for us, hoping to get a better offer over at the Observer. We all know competition is fierce in this business.” Then he shook his head. “Whoever this is—they want to embarrass our family by leaking personal details. And so far, they’ve succeeded. I still think it has something to do with our parents hiding the truth about your paternity. It’s gone downhill from there.”

Was his brother still trying to pin the blame for all their woes on Jeremy? He pushed that thought aside. “I don’t think all of this is just coincidence, so you might be right. But as far as I know, none of us has any enemies in this town.” Then he let out a sigh. “Unless someone is upset that I know who my birth father is now. Who would have anything to lose or gain from that though? He’s dead and my grandparents live far away. It can’t be that.”

Tim looked as frustrated as Jeremy felt. “Whoever it is has his ear to the ground, that’s for sure. They seem to find out personal things about us before we even know ourselves. I’d sure like to put an end to this, especially since Dad will be coming home soon. He doesn’t need this kind of stress right now.”

Jeremy didn’t respond to that. He was still furious with his father. He wanted Wallace to beat the leukemia, but Jeremy wasn’t ready to get all touchy-feely with Wallace.

“Are you ever going to forgive him?” Tim asked, just as the phone rang. He grabbed the receiver, then said into the phone, “Hold on a minute.” Looking back at Jeremy, he waited with a hand over the phone.

“I’m working on it,” Jeremy said. “And I’m leaving now. You’re way too busy to keep me company.”

“I don’t mind,” Tim said, but he was already waving Jeremy out the door as he gave brisk answers to the person on the other end of the line. “Okay, kill the city council update until we have a confirmation, and go with the proposal for the new factory near the river. And I want details—environmental and economical impact, the works.”

Jeremy emerged from the privacy of his brother’s office to find himself in limbo, standing in the middle of the long hallway just outside Dawn’s office area. Dawn wasn’t at her desk, so chatting with her wasn’t an option.

When did I become so needy for company? he wondered.

Then he heard the elevator swishing open, his mind going toward escape. Hurrying to catch the door, he ran right smack into the person coming out. Instinctively, Jeremy reached his hands up to keep from colliding with the petite woman.

And looked down to find Gabi Valencia in his arms.

“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry,” Gabi said, gazing up into Jeremy Hamilton’s intense blue eyes. She couldn’t move. He held her there, frozen in her tracks. “It’s you again.”

“Me again,” he said, stepping back, his hands dropping to his side, his expression full of surprise and maybe, approval. “I seem to see you everywhere I go these days.”

“It’s a small town,” she said, glancing beyond him as she willed her heartbeat to a calm, workable level. “I’m meeting Dawn for lunch. Have you seen her?”

He looked bemused, then disappointed. “You’re sure in a hurry to get away from me, aren’t you?”

Gabi felt the heat of a blush coloring her skin. “No. I’m just…running a little late.” She waved her hands in the air. “It was crazy at the hospital today.”

“You work at Community General?”

“Yes. In administration. Behind the scenes.”

“That must keep you busy.”

“Yes. And it pays the bills.”

She looked past him again. If Dawn didn’t show up soon, she’d have to get something to eat without her in order to make it back to work on time. She really didn’t need to be standing here making small talk with Jeremy Hamilton, either.

Trying to be polite, she said, “I’m sorry, I’ve got to find Dawn and scoot.”

“Okay.” His skeptical look told her she hadn’t fooled him one bit. “I was just leaving anyway. And I’m not sure where Dawn is right now.”

“Here I am,” came the breathless reply.

Gabi breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Dawn rushing toward them. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Dawn said through a long sigh. “Sorry. Last-minute orders from the Typhoon.”

They both giggled, then Gabi shot a look toward Jeremy.

Dawn shrugged. “Jeremy knows how Tim can be, right, Jeremy?”

Gabi saw a slight smile fighting to break through on Jeremy’s handsome face. “Is my hyper brother causing woe around here?”

“Always,” Dawn replied, taking Gabi by the arm. “Let’s get out of here before he barks something else at me.”

When she grabbed Jeremy with her other arm, both he and Gabi stopped to stare at each other.

“What?” Dawn asked, all coy and innocent. “Jeremy, don’t you need to eat? We’re going over to Betty’s Bake Shoppe. Might as well come with us, since my date is too busy to eat.” She lifted her head toward Tim’s office. “I’ll have to bring him takeout again.” Then she turned to Gabi. “You don’t mind, do you, Gabi?”

What could Gabi say to her friend? Yes, she did mind? Yes, she’d love to have lunch with Jeremy Hamilton? No, she couldn’t possibly have lunch with this man? Well, she couldn’t be rude, could she?

Both Jeremy and Dawn were waiting for her answer. One with a knowing smile, and the other one—well, his perfectly blank expression gave nothing away. But his eyes held a hint of hope. And challenge.

Remembering Dawn’s suggestion that Jeremy could use a friend, Gabi shot him a wan smile, while she poked Dawn in the ribs. “Of course not. It’s just lunch. And we’re wasting precious minutes, standing here.”

Dawn pushed the elevator button. “Good. I’m starving.”