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He knew better. He deserved whatever she served.

“Well…” She got a hopeful look in her big brown eyes. “If you were free, I’d love help carrying Aunt Jean’s Christmas decorations down from the attic.”

“What’s the rush? Thanksgiving was just two days ago,” he reminded in case she’d forgotten.

“That’s right. And today is the day I start decorating for Christmas.”

“Isn’t it too soon?”

But he knew better. This wasn’t too early for the town of Pine Hill. There had already been decorations when he’d arrived in town and he’d noticed more going up each morning and night as he made his way to and from his hotel.

Nor was it too early for Sarah, apparently, because she was headed toward the stairs and on up to the attic, no doubt.

She turned and smiled at him in a way that had him knowing he’d be following her up those stairs and doing her bidding.

“I don’t know whatever possessed you to come to Pine Hill,” she said, her eyes full of gratitude and something Bodie couldn’t quite label, but that made him feel like his brain was in a vise

, preventing logical thought. “But you’ve been a lifesaver, Bodie. What would I have done without you chancing upon our little town this Christmas season?”

Her question made him uncomfortable as he wondered if he should tell her about what had truly brought him to Pine Hill. But telling her now felt awkward and out of place. And he couldn’t regret his decision not to tell her back at the start, when she’d first mentioned the job. If she’d known his sole purpose in accepting her job offer was to repay her kindness, she might not have let him.

Without him, Hamilton House wouldn’t be ready for an open house on Christmas, and that would have been horrible. It meant so much to Sarah, and he wanted to give her that piece of her dream.

“You’d have carried your own Christmas decorations down?” he suggested, following her up the stairs and wondering what he’d gotten himself into, when all he’d meant to do when he came to Pine Hill was to tell Sarah thank you and leave.

But now, when he left—as he’d have to do, sooner or later—how much would he be leaving behind?

Sarah had been both looking forward to and dreading pulling out Aunt Jean’s decorations. She loved Christmas, loved seeing the house decked in garland and bows, loved seeing the twinkling lights.

Loved seeing the ornaments they’d made together over the years.

But the last time she’d seen these decorations had been after she’d taken them down from her aunt’s tree and packed them. She’d helped do so for the past several years, but never with a heavy heart.

Last year, she hadn’t known what would happen to Hamilton House, to Aunt Jean’s things, with her passing.

Aunt Jean had willed everything to her. There had been just enough left in her aunt’s accounts that when it was settled, Sarah had inherited the house and its contents free and clear.

Contents that included her aunt’s precious decorations.

The idea of decorating without Aunt Jean had been weighing on her heart, but unpacking the decorations with Bodie didn’t seem nearly as daunting.

Was that why she’d asked him to help her? As a distraction?

She tried telling herself it was, but couldn’t convince herself. He was a great distraction, but that hadn’t been her motivation.

Being with Bodie had. Which came with its own set of problems, but tonight Aunt Jean’s decorations took precedence.

“You should consider using one of the suites for storage, so you don’t have to traipse up and down two flights of stairs to get to your decorations,” Bodie suggested wryly after they’d made a dozen or so trips.

“What’s wrong? Too out of shape to help me carry the rest down?” she teased, grabbing another box to carry down the two flights.

Okay, so her calves were burning and she had no doubt she’d be sore in the morning, but Bodie appeared to be in peak physical condition. The Butterflies had told her he jogged every morning before coming to work at Hamilton House. No doubt they knew that from their spying. She’d ordered them to quit, but they kept ignoring all her protests. Poor Bodie.

She turned to see if he was behind her, but he hadn’t picked up his box yet. He just stood there, watching her.

“Bodie?” she asked, not sure why he wasn’t right behind her.

His gaze narrowed, and he motioned for her to go ahead. “Nothing. Go on. I’ll be right behind you.”