Almost a Christmas Bride

“I want that to change.” The hermit life had suited him for years, but lately he’d been thinking it was time to embrace his town and its people, not one-on-one as he had for the nineteen years since he’d moved there, but within the entire community. It would help Dylan, too.

“If you’re there to help,” he said, “it will change. I’ve never even decorated for Christmas. Maybe that could be your first job. Emma would like that, wouldn’t she?”

He hadn’t intended to reel her in with a tug on her emotions, but apparently he had. He saw her expression change, softening even more. She wasn’t the same angry, prideful woman as she was when she’d first come into the room. Her daughter would have a Christmas tree. Some things were worth swallowing your pride for.

“Yes,” Shana said softly. “She would like that.”

“She’d have her own bedroom, too. I figure you’ve been sharing with her. So, what do you say?”

A long pause ensued, then she said, “I need to think about it.”

She’d totally caught him off guard. He’d been so sure …

“How much time do you need?” he asked. Really, what choice did she have? Finding affordable housing would be nearly impossible. Why was she stalling?

She stood. “I’ll stop by your house tonight, if you’re going to be home.”

“Anytime after seven.” He followed her to the door, opening it for her.

She didn’t say goodbye but walked straight out of the office, not even stopping to talk to Julia. Bemused, he went to Julia’s office.

“All settled?” she asked, welcoming him in with a gesture.

“She’s thinking it over.”

Julia’s brows raised, then she smiled. “I’ve always admired her spirit.”

“What you call spirit, I call stubbornness.”

“I’m guessing you two tend to clash.”

“We always have. I don’t know why, but she took an immediate dislike to me.” Because of that he hadn’t warmed to her, either. Plus, she was just prickly.

“So, why hire her, especially to live in your house?”

Why, indeed? There was the favor to Dixie, which had also coincided with the fact that Dylan needed to be on his own. And he had some sympathy for Shana’s situation, as well.

“I expect the time will come when she can manage fine on her own, Julia, but for now, she needs someone, and I have the means to help.” He went to shake her hand. “I’ll give you a call when I have her answer.”

“Sounds good.”

He took the stairs to the ground floor and walked to the parking garage. It had started raining since he’d arrived, which meant Shana would be making the hour drive up to their foothill community on wet roads. Her car was held together with baling wire and hope. He didn’t like the idea of her—

He stopped the thought. He’d be a few minutes behind her and would see if she’d had to pull over.

As it turned out, he came up behind her before he’d driven fifteen minutes. He stayed there, going the damn speed limit, annoyed at her for it. Which was entirely unreasonable, he knew, but she generally annoyed him without making much effort to do so.

She also stirred him up, had since day one, but the only thing they seemed to have in common was that they both worked hard. His efforts had paid off. Eventually hers would, too. He admired her for trying to make it on her own, but if she hadn’t had Emma, he never would have made Shana the job offer, Dixie’s friendship or not. Emma would be their buffer. How much could anyone argue in front of a child? He knew firsthand the result of that. It did no one any good.

It was a lot to ask of one so young—being the reason to keep peace between two adults who didn’t like each other much.

But it was the only way he could see this situation working out.

Shana drove home at exactly the speed limit. Every few seconds she looked at her rearview mirror, hoping Kincaid would pull around her and leave her in peace. She needed to think. His being on her tail interfered with that.

If this was the kind of employer he would be, she’d have to say no. She didn’t need supervision or pressure in order to do a job well.

By the time she reached her exit to Chance City, she was beyond irritated, so when he exited right behind her, she pulled over. So did he.

“Are you having car trouble?” he asked, coming up to her as she got out of her car.

She plunked her fists on her hips. “Why are you following me?”

He looked surprised. “Following you? I was driving to the same place, and I figured it was rude to pass you.”

She didn’t know if he was telling her the truth or pacifying her.

“Are you mad at me, Shana?”

The way he angled toward her, almost intimately, lowering his voice a bit, threw her off, but she stood her ground.

“I can’t believe you’re kicking me out of my apartment.”

“Technically, it’s your sister’s apartment.”

She frowned. “I clean her spa business downstairs in trade for the rent.”

“But who writes the rent check?”

“Dixie does, because her name is on the lease.”

“She doesn’t have a lease on the apartment, only on the spa.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “Do you think the number of hours you work covers what she pays me in rent?”

“That’s what she told me.” She looked away, tallying up the numbers. “Probably not,” she said finally, quietly. More charity to pay back … someday.

He didn’t say anything.

“Would you really evict me?” she asked.

He seemed to dig deep for patience. “Shana, I’m offering you a chance to do the work you’ve been wanting to do. I’m offering you a home with a yard for your daughter to play in, and the opportunity to make enough money that you could save for a down payment on a house of your own in time. No,” he said as she started to speak. “No, I wouldn’t evict you. Dixie would never speak to me again. But why would you let this chance pass you by?”

There it was at last—the truth. “So you’re doing this because of Dixie?”

He shoved his hands through his hair, fully regretting his decision now. “I’m doing this because I need help, and you fit the bill.”

“What will people think, me living with you?”

“Do you really care?”