Mistletoe & Mayhem: Mistletoe & Mayhem / Santa's Sexy Secret

“I can see to it that you get all the credit.”

“But if you’re the one who really catches Billy, I’d know it. And if I’m going to change how everyone thinks of me, I think I have to convince myself first. So my answer is no.”

Shane watched in silence as she rose and turned away. He let her get to the door before he said, “One more thing…”

She turned.

“Something very important you ought to know about me—I never take no for an answer. I’m going to persuade you to change your mind.”

5

“ALL I CAN SAY is that Albert wouldn’t have to spend any money advertising his specials if he could just hire that man to sit in the window drinking cappuccinos every day.” Having made this pronouncement from the doorway, Mindy Lou breezed into Jodie’s office and settled herself comfortably in one of the chairs.

Shane, Jodie thought, but she asked the question just the same. “Which man?”

“Your handyman, of course,” Mindy Lou stated with a beaming smile. “The man who convinced you to change from herbal tea to cappuccinos is also changing the drinking habits of most of the female population of Castleton.”

“He didn’t convince—” Jodie began, but Mindy Lou was on a roll.

“Nadine claims that cappuccino sales at Albert’s have tripled since he came to town. And he doesn’t have a date for the Mistletoe Ball yet.” Mindy Lou leaned closer. “Nadine asked him if he was going, and she’s very depressed because he didn’t take the hint and ask her.”

“I’m going to have to do something about that,” Jodie said, jotting a reminder down on her desk calendar.

“Are you going to ask him to the ball?”

Glancing up, Jodie blinked at the expression of astonishment on her assistant’s face. “No. Of course not. What I meant was that I’m going to have a talk with Nadine and try to convince her to come back to school. Throwing herself at every good-looking man who comes into Albert’s is not her only ticket out of Castleton.” Then setting her pencil down, she said, “Why shouldn’t I ask him? Not that I’m going to, because I’m not.”

“You could certainly ask him,” Mindy Lou said. “It’s just that you never have a date for the ball.”

“Because attending is part of my job. Angus depends on me to help him keep the names of the contributors straight. The money that’s raised through the Mistletoe Ball keeps this library running.” Why in the world was she defending the fact that she was dateless? Why did she sound like…poor Jodie?

Mindy Lou smiled. “If you did go with Mr. Sullivan, it would certainly distract Alicia Finnerty from her suicide watch.”

“Please.” Jodie dropped her head in her hands. “Don’t tempt me. I’d do almost anything to get her out of my hair. I know she means well, but lately she’s everywhere I go.”

“She’s probably trying to catch a glimpse of Billy Rutherford. Because of the reward and all.”

“Reward?” Jodie asked.

“It’s all over town that an insurance company is offering to pay $250,000 to anyone who can recover the money. And everyone in town is betting that Billy will contact you or one of his aunts.”

“Great.” With a sigh, Jodie leaned back in her chair. No wonder Billy hadn’t made any move to contact her. If he did, someone was bound to spot him. And it wasn’t just Alicia Finnerty keeping her under surveillance. She’d been running into Mike Buckley, Sheriff Dillon’s deputy, everywhere she turned, too. In the past two days, the only person she hadn’t seen much of was Shane Sullivan.

“They’ll catch him, you know,” Mindy Lou assured her in a comforting tone. “Sheriff Dillon is meeting with your handyman right now.”

“Dillon’s meeting with Shane?”

“They were at Albert’s when I stopped in to get you a cappuccino. I’m betting Billy Rutherford will be arrested and back in jail before you know it.”

That was precisely what Jodie was beginning to fear. Picking up her notebook, Jodie rose. “Can you cover for me? I have a research project to finish.”

“Sure thing,” Mindy Lou said. “It’s your break time anyway.” Reaching into the paper bag she was carrying, she pulled out a foam cup. “Here you go. Enjoy.”

Managing a smile, Jodie took it as she left the room. But the moment she had escaped into a stairwell, she frowned down at the cup in her hand. How was she supposed to enjoy it? If she didn’t do something soon, Shane Sullivan was going to get credit for everything—from changing her beverage of choice to capturing Billy Rutherford.

Oh, he’d promised that he’d persuade her to change her mind and join forces with him, she thought as she climbed the stairs to the second floor. But in the past two days, he hadn’t come anywhere near her except at dinner. He’d been too busy, she supposed. Even though she’d had trouble believing he’d been a burned-out corporate executive, she’d seen with her own eyes that he was pretty competent with a hammer and a paintbrush. Sophie and Irene were excited that one of the second-floor bedrooms was ready for guests.

Pushing through the door to the stacks, Jodie headed down one of the narrow aisles. From the time she was a little girl, she’d loved to go to the library. It was an escape, a place where she could relax and straighten out her thoughts. Pausing, she ran her hand along the spines of several volumes until she found one bound in leather. Opening it, she breathed in. Old books had a special scent that never failed to trigger the feeling of peace she’d always found in them as a child. Drawing in another breath, she leaned against the shelves.