Merry and Bright Read online

  And with that, she left the kitchen.

  5

  “Okay, here’s the plan,” Hope said to Lori and Ben just before noon. Ben was back from his electrical job, helping with snow removal. They all stood outside in their heavy weather gear, being dumped on by more snow as they shoveled the front walk. “We make Danny’s stay miserable.”

  Lori stopped shoveling and leaned on her shovel, watching Ben’s butt as he worked. “Why miserable?”

  “Because she likes him,” Ben said, still shoveling at a steady pace.

  “Because he’s here,” Hope corrected, shooting Ben a dirty look. “Even though I’ve not done anything to warrant being watched over like an errant teenager.”

  Lori shook her head. “You’re mad at your asshole brother. Which is understandable, but you can’t take it out on Danny.”

  “Hello, he works for said asshole brother.”

  “If he wanted to hurt you, he’d have done so by now. Give him a chance, Hope.”

  “A chance for what?”

  “To be the guy I wished for you.”

  Hope put her hands on her hips. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Well, I did wish on that mistletoe, remember? I asked for a penis for you.”

  “I remember,” she muttered in tune to Ben’s laugh.

  “Which should be the next logical step, given that you’ve already kissed him.”

  When Hope choked, Ben finally stopped shoveling to stare at her. “You kissed him?”

  Hope looked at Lori, brow raised.

  “Sorry,” Lori said. “But you two were right in the middle of the kitchen. That you never even saw me tells me how good of a kisser he is.” She turned to Ben with a dreamy smile. “He’s a face holder.”

  “Easy,” Ben said, and resumed shoveling.

  Lori looked at Hope. “Come on, admit he’s hot. In a glasses-wearing, intellectual, sexy professor sort of way.”

  “I could be the sexy professor,” Ben said game-fully. “I’ll dress up and put on some glasses.” He grinned when Lori considered that with a cocked head.

  “Can we please put aside sex for a minute?” Hope demanded. “This isn’t high school.”

  “Hey, you’re the one wanting to play high school games,” Ben said. “Making his stay miserable and all.”

  “That’s not even high school,” Lori said. “That’s middle school.” She reached around behind Ben and patted his butt. “Love those jeans on you, big guy.”

  Ben’s eyes heated. “Yeah? Or is it what’s beneath the jeans?”

  “Oh, my God.” Hope groaned out loud. “Didn’t you already knock it out today?”

  “I think it’s time for our midmorning quickie.”

  Hope drew in a sharp breath and shook her head. “You two have a serious problem.” She stuck her shovel in the snow and put her hands on her hips. “I just want him gone, okay? I’m this close to making the whole thing work, all I need is some more time with no watch dogs.”

  “Let him help. He said he wants to.” Lori tossed up her hands when Hope glared at her. “So I eavesdropped a little.”

  “I don’t need his help. Just keep him out of my hair until the roads are clear and if you can make him miserable while you’re at it,” she said, only half kidding. “Just to ensure he leaves ASAP.”

  “Hope,” Lori admonished.

  “I’m kidding. Sort of. Hey, I know! Get him to help you clean. And you.” She looked at Ben. “Keep him busy doing whatever you’re doing today. He’s a desk jockey, though, so he’s probably worthless out here. Fair warning.”

  “I don’t think so,” Ben said slowly. “I think he’s made of sturdier stock than you think.”

  “Face it, honey,” Lori said. “Fate brought him. You can’t mess with Fate.”

  “Watch me,” Hope said grimly, and struck out for the house to begin Operation: Make Danny’s Stay Miserable.

  Lori watched her go, and Ben watched Lori. “I know that look,” he said. “It says you have a plan. An evil plan.”

  “Not evil. Not exactly.”

  “We’re on Hope’s side, Lori,” he said gently.

  “Of course we are. Which is why we’re going to help her.”

  “By doing as she asked.”

  “By doing the opposite,” she corrected. “You know, the old double switcheroo.”

  He blinked. “Huh?”

  “We’re going to pretend to do as she asked, while doing the opposite.”

  “Let me repeat myself. Huh?”

  She patted her husband on his big, beefy shoulder. “Trust me, honey. There are some wild sparks between those two.”

  “Yes. It’s called temper.”

  “No, it’s sexual tension. They’re attracted. And more than that, he’s a good guy in a shitty situation. Same with her.”

  “Doesn’t mean they should hook up.”

  “She hasn’t had sex in a year.”

  “Can’t imagine going more than one day . . .”

  She laughed. “I’ve spoiled you. Listen, all we’re going to do is play Santa and give Hope a man, even if it’s a temporary one.”

  “Lori.”

  “Trust me.”

  He laughed softly and pulled her close. “Now that’s the one thing I can promise you.” He pressed his jaw to hers. “For now and always.”

  “For now and always,” she said on a sweet sigh. “That still makes my knees weak, you know that? You make my knees weak. That’s all I want for Hope, Ben.”

  “Weak knees?”

  She slid her hand up his chest and smiled. “We can pull it off. She’ll thank us.”

  “If you say so. But if you could pull it off with your job still intact, that would be great.”

  After an hour of chopping wood, Hope turned and eyed the wood pile she’d made. It was shrinking instead of growing. Then she looked at the deep grooves from the wood pile to the side of the building. Someone had been doing the stacking for her without saying a word. Since that was extremely unlike Ben, and extremely unlike Lori—both of whom would do any chore needed at any time, but with their mouths working overtime—she set down her ax and leaned on the handle.

  And waited.

  Sure enough, within a minute, a hooded figure came from around the back of the house where the stack of wood was, brushing off his gloved hands. He was as tall as Ben, but leaner.

  And wearing glasses.

  She watched Danny walk toward the stack of wood without even looking at her. Back and forth he went, working with a steadiness that told her maybe he wasn’t quite the desk nerd she’d convinced herself.

  And since that gave her a funny little tingle in places she’d nearly forgotten she possessed, she turned to head back inside. She appreciated the help, but that didn’t change the fact that he was here to assess whether she was going to be able to pay back her loan. No way around it, Danny was going to cause her trouble.

  And heartache.

  Because dammit, she loved this place. Loved it like it was her family, which was ridiculous. It was just a place. But it was hers.

  The back door was locked, which was odd. Cupping her hands, she peered into the window of the kitchen. No one there. She pounded on the door, but Lori didn’t appear and neither did Ben.

  Which meant that they’d found themselves a closet or God knew where and were acting like bunnies again.

  Terrific.

  She could wade through the snow around to the other side of the building and let herself in the front door, but they hadn’t cleared the snow from the side yards, and without snow shoes she’d sink up to her thighs. Not fun. Instead, she whipped out her cell phone and texted Lori.

  Let me in pls.

  Lori immediately texted back:

  Sorry. On a supply run.

  “Bullshit,” Hope muttered and shoved her phone back in her pocket. No one was on a supply run, the roads were complete muck. Nope, her chef and her fix-it guy were definitely going at it.

  Again.

  It
should have irritated the hell out of her, but instead she found herself sighing. She was happy for them, very happy, but something deep inside her wished . . . what? That she had that same thing? She’d never been one to daydream about the white wedding, white picket fence, and kid-friendly SUV.

  And yet . . . She turned and leaned against the door. As far as the eye could see was nothing but a white blanket of snow and gorgeous tall pines masquerading as three-hundred-foot-tall ghosts swaying in the light breeze.

  And one hardworking guy stacking wood.

  Okay, so a small part of her suddenly wanted the dream, she admitted to herself as Danny dropped his last load on the stack against the house.

  He took a moment to eye the job he’d just finished, then came toward her, stride determined, expression inscrutable, forcibly reminding her that the guy was capable of melting her bones.

  Oh, and that he could kiss.

  That thought snaked in unwelcome, and stuck. Lori had been correct, he was a face holder, and in possession of a very talented tongue, and—

  And she wanted him. God, so much. She straightened a bit, her belly quivering in tune to her knees. His expression didn’t soften as he came toward her, but it did heat. He was going to kiss her again, and in spite of herself, her eyes drifted shut in anticipation.

  His booted feet crunched closer in the snow. A steady gait. A sure gait.

  Slowing . . .

  Stopping.

  But the touch of his hands pulling her up to him never came. Nor did the feel of his mouth taking hers.

  “See, you’re not the only one who can control yourself,” came his rough whisper in her ear.

  Her eyes whipped open in time to catch a view of the back of him as he vanished around the corner of the building.

  And it was a very nice back.

  She let out a low, shaky breath. City rat bastard had a sharp wit, she’d give him that. And a good ass.

  And far too much of that control she suddenly wished he didn’t possess at all.

  Danny thought he’d be chomping at the bit to get back to LA, but there was a certain charm to the wilds of Colorado, a sort of . . . quiet calm that he liked.

  Truthfully? If it wasn’t for the unfairness of Hope’s situation, he might have really enjoyed himself out here.

  The thing was Hope was a smart woman. She’d updated all the parts of the building that she’d had to for the place to run. And according to the business plan she’d outlined for Edward, she had a clear order of what she wanted to do with the place as the money came in.

  Except the money wasn’t coming in.

  And like most of the other problems she had, it wasn’t her fault. She was paying too much on the loan to her brother. She could get a better deal, she needed a better deal.

  He got online and downloaded her brochure. As he’d clearly told her, she wasn’t charging enough. Plain and simple. She needed to up her prices and needed to tout herself as exclusive and luxurious, both of which she had the means to be within her disposal with only a minimal amount of work on her part. She already had the first-class chef—herself—and the gorgeous setting. All she needed were those cosmetic changes: some paint, some silk sheets and down comforters to go with . . . His fingers worked the keyboard, bringing up new research on successfully run B&Bs . . .

  His cell rang.

  “So,” Edward said without preamble. “Did she agree to the new loan?”

  In that moment, Danny had never hated his job more. He really needed that change. “I was hoping you’d rethought things.”

  “I don’t rethink.”

  “Yeah. Right.” Danny shook his head. “Okay, you know what? That was me. I’ve rethought things. I’m not going to do this for you, Edward.”

  “You handle my money. Doing so is your job.”

  “Not anymore, it’s not.”

  There was a sharp pause. “Are you quitting?”

  Danny drew a deep breath. “Yes.”

  “Because of this loan?” Edward asked in disbelief.

  “She’s your sister.”

  “Step,” Edward said. “Stepsister. And I’d recall on my own mother, you know that.”

  It was true. Edward had never made a secret about the kind of man he was. But if Danny stayed, he’d become the same. “I’m done, Edward.”

  “What the hell is going on up there anyway?”

  “A lot of thinking.”

  “Sounds like it. What are you going to do that’s better than this job?”

  “I’m going to start an accounting firm.” A small one, for small businesses, where he could help and maybe even make a difference instead of ruin people. “Accounting and financial services.”

  “Come on,” Edward said on a laugh. “You love big money as much as I do, you big CPA geek.”

  Yeah, he did. Or had. But big money meant dealing with people he didn’t always like or respect, and in return, he would turn into someone he didn’t like or respect, either, he felt it.

  “If you walk away,” Edward warned, “we’re done. No crawling back when you decide you miss my millions.”

  “I won’t miss it.”

  “Is this Hope’s doing? Because she has that effect on people. Trust me, she drives them crazy. Just come back, and—”

  “I’m snowed in. And she’s not driving me crazy.” Well, she was. She really, really was, but in a good way. “Good-bye, Edward.”

  “Hey, you tell her she still has to pay. I’ll come up and get that money myself if I have to. You tell her that.”

  Danny hung up and looked at himself in the mirror over his dresser. Hair neat. Glasses in place. Shirt pressed and tucked in.

  Jesus. He really was a fucking CPA geek.

  Well, he’d just made a huge life change, he could certainly make a few more. He untucked his shirt, then laughed at himself. Wow, what a rebel. Shaking his head, he made his way downstairs. Lori had asked him to come back down, promising him a surprise in the living room, a surprise he sincerely hoped had something to do with the smell of something delicious baking. Stacking wood for two hours had made him as hungry as he’d ever been. Or maybe it was quitting his job.

  Or maybe it was a certain stubborn, proud B&B owner who stirred him up in both a very good, and very bad, way.

  He heard the banging, then turned the corner into the living room.

  Hope stood on a six-foot ladder, wielding a staple gun and hanging a string of Christmas lights. She wore her usual, a long-sleeved tee and hip-hugging jeans. This time she’d added a tool belt to the mix, which was strapped around her waist and immediately made him hot for some reason. She had an iPod strapped through one of her belt loops, earphones in her ears, a Santa cap on her head.

  And she was singing at the top of her considerably tone-deaf lungs, which had him grinning. The woman could do anything, which made her quite possibly the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

  Yeah, he’d made the right decision to quit, because there was no way he’d ever pull out the rug from beneath her.

  She deserved more.

  Knowing she couldn’t possibly hear him through the music blasting in her ears, he walked into the room, getting in her line of sight just as she executed a little ass shimmy that made him laugh.

  When she saw him, she jumped. “Sorry,” he said as she pulled out one of the earplugs. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “You didn’t.” Couldn’t. That was the underlying message she wordlessly imparted. “Lori’s bugging me to finish decorating.”

  “She told me to come to the living room.”

  Hope’s eyes narrowed as she gripped the top rung of the ladder. “She did, did she?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, you’ll have to excuse her. She got married and her brain turned to mush.” She stretched out some more lights to hang.

  He reached up to help hold the lights for her. “Weather forecast is looking pretty nasty,” he noted.

  “Hopefully it’ll hold.” She used the staple gun on
the lights, then looked down at him. “I’m sure you have other people to gouge the soul from.”

  “Is that what I’ve done, gouge your soul?”

  “No.” She sighed. “I do realize you’re just the messenger.”

  “Was. I was the messenger.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I quit my job.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. I’ve known for some time that I’ve been needing a change.”

  She stared at him. “You quit your job.”

  “I’m thinking of starting my own business, where I get to pick my clients.” He was looking forward to that. “A small accounting and financial service—right up my alley.” And under those circumstances, he could see himself on the other side. The good side. Fighting for this woman. This smart, sexy, stubborn, gorgeous woman whose only crime had been to trust a member of her family.

  “Are you crazy?” she asked, backing down the ladder. “Have you seen the news? We’re in a thing called a recession. Now’s not a good time to be without a job.”

  “I’ll be okay. Hope, about your loan.”

  “I’ll be able to pay it.”

  “How?” he asked frankly, worried that Edward would do exactly as he’d just promised and come here himself. He slid a hand on her arm. “I saw the For Sale sign on the adjacent lot to this one, which you also own.”

  “Well technically, the bank owns it. But if it sells before I get my money back, then everything’s good.”

  Except that properties weren’t moving, not in this market. “What if you got investors to buy your lot?”

  “Look, I realize that you no longer work for Edward, and frankly, that says a lot about you, but I’m not about to blindly trust you. I’ll do this. My way.” She reached into a bag for a fistful of greenery and looked around for a place to hang it. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Lori insisted on this stuff going up.” She headed for the huge, tall mantel.

  “It’s mistletoe.”