Page 19 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection

Christmas Eve

“I was thinking you could help me out today, Shelley, if you don’t mind.”

Suzie dumped a pan of piping hot potatoes into a huge colander in the sink. Steam rose and she turned her head to look at her sister.

“The pies and cakes are on the shelves in the pantry, in boxes and ready to go. I have the name and order number on each. You’ll see a little sticker on the top. The salads are in the fridge in the basement. We’ll have to carry those up at the last minute. Same deal, sticker on top. The hot foods will be coming out in the next couple of hours. I have to do some shifty work here.”

She glanced up at the clock.

“Great. It’s just after noon now. Everything must be delivered by six and we’re racing the snow. Oh, the list is on the bulletin board.”

She pointed toward the wall above the built-in kitchen desk.

“Matter of fact, could you go check that now and see what time we need to be at Clint Roberts’ house? He called earlier this week and wanted to know if his delivery could be moved up. Poor man, eating alone on Christmas day.”

She peered at her sister.

“And such a fine specimen. He really shouldn’t be eating alone. Perhaps we should invite him over.”

Shelley narrowed her gaze.

“Clint Roberts? Stop. I know that look.”

“What look?”

“That, let’s fix her up look.”

Suzie had loved to try to find dates for her little sister all during high school.

“I’m not ready, Suzie.”

Suzie grimaced.

“Oh, hell. Last thing on my mind.”

Moving toward the list, Shelley looked for Clint’s name.

“Four o’clock.”

Suzie hefted the colander of potatoes onto the counter and dumped them in a huge mixing bowl. “What?”

She batted away steam again.

“Clint. He wants his meal delivered at four.”

“Oh.”

Two huge sticks of butter went into the potatoes.

“Wouldn’t hurt for you to put yourself back out there though.”

Frowning, Shelley replied.

“Um, No. Maybe in another year or so.”

Suddenly she felt flushed, thinking about her encounter with Matt earlier this morning. With her reputation, there wasn’t man in Harbor Falls who would touch her with a ten-foot pole.

“Well, Clint’s not right for you anyway.”

“Not sure anyone is right for me,”

she mumbled.

Suzie thoroughly salted and peppered the potatoes.

“What about Matt?”

Shelley coughed.

“Yeah right.”

“Well, you two were very much in love in high school, and he’s still holding a torch for you, I think.”

She laughed aloud at that one.

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

Reaching for the cream, Suzie stopped to look at her sister.

“Why would you say that?”

She hesitated, and then decided to spill.

“I’ve already seen Matt. Twice, in fact. He pulled me over for speeding last night on the way into town, but he let me off with a warning. Then, I ran into him again at Ralph’s this morning when I went in to get the wipes. Believe me, he’s not interested. In fact, he was darned blunt. I think his words were something like, ‘if you are back to stay, steer clear of me.’ Doesn’t sound like torch-holding to me.”

“Sounds exactly like it to me.”

Vigorously, Shelley shook her head.

“No. Believe me. He’s not interested. He’s mad as hell. So, I’ll do as he said and leave him alone.”

She looked sharply at her sister.

“And you will too! Do you hear me?”

Suzie turned to pour a cup of cream into the potatoes.

“Of course. Whatever you say, sis.”

After a pause, Suzie added.

“But he looks good, doesn’t he? Filled out in the past couple of years. Works out a lot, I think. And in the uniform…”

Shelley closed her eyes and immediately got a mental image.

“Yes, dammit, he looks good.”

Too good. She shook herself and opened her eyes.

“But that is neither here nor there. Matt Branson is no longer a part of my life, and he made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing to do with me. So, don’t go getting any ideas.”

Suzie turned toward her sister and grinned.

“Noted. Now, who is on that list before Clint? This snow is coming down and we might need to move everyone up. Will you check?”

****

Sometimes people just need to take their heart and run with it.

Matt knew what Sydney meant and he knew that for years he had been doing just the opposite. Oh, he’d been running all right—running away from his hurt, avoiding the subject of Shelley every chance he got, pushing away from a close relationship with any woman. But with all of that running, he’d left his heart out of it every single, damn time. Easier that way, he knew.

He didn’t intend to risk the pain again.

He’d become a master at protecting his heart, not running with it. In fact, the thought of throwing caution to the wind and going after Shelley just about made him nauseous. He’d not brought his heart out to play since the day she told him they were done—and he had no intention of bringing it out any time soon—with her or with any other woman.

He sighed, watching snowflakes drift over his windshield as he sat in the same place he sat last night when he’d pulled Shelley over. Thank God, his shift was over at noon today. He had things to do before the Christmas Eve family events tonight. He was ready to get those tasks done because the longer he sat there, the more he thought about Shelley. He had to admit, that the few minutes he had stood looking down at her last night had been a huge jolt to his heart. His ego. And messed with his head a little.

She was beautiful, even while crying. He’d always thought she was pretty and sexy, even when they were teenagers. It didn’t matter if she was scuffed up and dirty playing softball in a field, or if she were dressed to the nines in a little black dress with pearls. He’d always liked her looks and any time he ever saw her, his heart lit up.

But it was more than the fact that she was a pretty girl. His heart just felt happy whenever she was around. He was happy.

Caught off guard last night, it had happened then too. His heart, for the first time in years, lit up at the sight of her. Her dewy eyes tugged at his heartstrings. Her lips were still pink and kissable, and how he had remembered kissing those lips for minutes on end when they were younger….

His heart hurt, dammit. His chest was tight. He hadn’t felt anything in that spot for months. Nothing. Because he hadn’t let his heart feel. He’d shut off the pain and yes, even the good feelings.

Dammit, Shelley! Don’t do this to me. Don’t make me feel.

But he could feel now, and the pain was real. He ached for her today just like he’d ached for her the day she’d left. He remembered how that felt like it was yesterday. She’d given him no real reason why she wanted to break up—just that she wanted to move on, and she felt like he should too. That they had grown up since high school and they had different goals. She’d never mentioned anyone else or wanting to be with anyone else.

It didn’t make sense.

A week later it all came together. The news flew all over town like an out-of-control wildfire. Shelley Hart had run off and married her sister’s fiance—one week after he and Shelley had broken up.

It damned near killed him.

And Sydney wondered why he was cautious?

****

Shelley crossed her arms and leaned into the desk, searching the delivery list.

“You want me to be the delivery girl?”

Nodding, Suzie pushed back a stray lock of hair with her forearm. Shelley went to her and clipped it back into place.

“Thank you. That hair was bugging the tar out of me.”

She paused, reaching for the potato masher.

Shelley went on.

“If you don’t mind that the girls are here with you, I can deliver, run errands, whatever you need.”

A huge sigh of relief escaped Suzie’s lips. She tweaked her sister’s cheek.

“Thank God you came home. I can use some help. I’ll let Brad deal with the kids.”

About that time a squeal, a giggle, and a man’s low chuckle came from the living room.

Suzie grinned.

“I just love that.”

Then immediately, she frowned and reached for Shelley’s hand.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean…”

Shelley stopped her.

“It’s fine. Really. I’m glad you have Brad. And the girls sure love him already. He’s read them at least three stories this morning.”

“He’s really good with kids.”

“They miss their dad.”

She glanced off.

Suzie went to her then and gave Shelley a hug.

“Of course, they do honey. They will be adjusting to life without him for a long time. So will you.”

“I know. Being here is helping though, Suzie. Thank you.”

Suzie gave her another squeeze. Shelley pulled back, nodding toward the cackle of laughter from the living room.

“They were calling him Uncle Bad a minute ago.”

Laughing, Suzie went back to work on the hot spuds.

“That fits.”

She looked at Shelley with a twinkle.

“He is a bad, bad boy…”

“Suzie!”

“Well, it’s true. And I love it.”

She mashed some more, slowed, paused, and looked back up at Shelley.

“What?”

She wasn’t sure she liked that look on her face.

“Shelley, I have more work than I can handle.”

The buzzer went off on the oven. Shelley trotted over to turn it off then looked inside.

“I think the cornbread stuffing is finished.

“Test it for me, huh?”

Glancing around, Shelley picked up a thin-blade knife and stuck it in the middle. Came out clean. Then she pushed the stuffing away from the side of the pan. Yes. It was done.

“Ready here,”

she told her sister.

“Hm. Good.”

Grabbing potholders, Shelley pulled the steaming pan of stuffing out of the oven and set it on a wooden cutting board on the counter. Once more, she pressed a finger into the dish to see if it would bounce back. Yes.

“It’s done.”

“Good.”

“Shelley?”

“Hm?”

“I need help.”

She turned to her sister.

“I know. I’ll do your deliveries today.”

“No. No, that’s not what I mean.”

She sat the masher down on the counter and faced her sister.

“I know you don’t want handouts, and this is definitely not a handout. I’ve had more work in the past six months than I did in the first two years of my business. The inn is going strong. The second cookbook is in the can. It comes out in two months and the publisher wants me to do a book tour. I’ve nearly stopped doing my cooking classes because of the time factor, although I dearly love to do them. And the catering, sweet Jesus, the catering is my bread and butter right now since the inn is closed until February. I need your help.”

Stunned, Shelley took a step back.

“You want me to work for you?”

Suzie shook her head.

“No, with me. Be my partner. You always loved to cook, and you’re a natural. I can teach you the rest. With Petey now, and with Brad so busy at the lodge on top of everything else, I need you. Big time.”

Shelley sat on a barstool.

“I don’t know what to say.”

Suzie grinned.

“Say yes. Please.”

“Yes?”

“Well, that was enthusiastic.”

“Yes!”

“Ack!”

Suzie jumped up and down. Shelley sprung up too and they hugged, squealing. Suzie stopped and grasped her forearms.

“Seriously, I don’t think you will want for work. Sydney could also use some help in the bakery part-time. I told her I would mention it to you.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

Some sort of seriously elated happy energy bubbled up inside Shelley.

“That’s fabulous!”

The pitter-patter of stockinged feet and little girl giggles joined them. “Mama!”

Katie shrieked.

“Uncle Bad got my toes!”

Shelley scooped her up.

“Well, did he give them back? Let me see!”

She grasped for one of Katie’s feet.

A silly smile broke across the girl’s face.

“Bad didn’t really take ‘em. They still on my feets.”

“What’s all this?”

Brad’s voice boomed out.

Suzie grinned from ear to ear.

“She said yes.”

“Thank God.”

He reached for his wife and nuzzled her ear.

“Maybe I can get my Suzie back at least part-time for a while.”

He kissed her cheek.

“Did you tell her about the lodge?”

Shelley looked from Brad to Suzie.

“What? What about the lodge?”

Suzie nudged him.

“You tell her.”

“All right.”

He looked into Shelley’s eyes and even though she’d only met him the night before, she knew he was a sincere man and anticipated what he was about to say. She could see some seriousness in his thought.

“The top floor of the lodge has a three-bedroom suite with two bathrooms. It is yours for as long as you need it. Rent free.”

The breath whooshed out of her the second her butt hit the barstool. Her hands fluttered to her chest, stilling her heart.

“Oh, no. Brad, I couldn’t.”

Brad leaned closer and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Yes, you can. We want you there with the girls. There’s no kitchen, but you can use the hotel kitchen anytime you like. I know the head chef.”

He winked and stepped back.

“Besides, when I cook, I cook plenty, and there will always be enough for you and the girls. Raid the refrigerator.”

Almost giddy with excitement, Shelley was speechless.

“I… Brad, Suzie, I don’t know… this is too much. I don’t think I can accept.”

Suzie crossed her arms over her chest.

“Hey, little sister. It’s Christmas. Think of it as your gift. You gonna refuse your Christmas present?”

Again, Shelley glanced from her sister to Brad.

“I, uh… I don’t know what to say…”

“Say yes,”

they chimed simultaneously.

“All right. Yes! But this is only temporary until I can get my own place. I want you to know that I realize that.”

Her gaze bounced between Brad and Suzie.

They nodded.

“Of course,”

Suzie said.

Shelley exhaled and whispered.

“Thank you.”

An hour later, Shelley slammed the trunk lid down on her Dodge and rechecked the packages in the back seat. She and Suzie worked the afternoon away putting food into plastic containers, stuffing dinners inside insulated sleeves, and gathering cold dishes from the basement. It was nearly three o’clock, another two inches of snow was on the ground, and she needed to get moving. Fortunately, all her deliveries were in town, except for the one errand she needed to run for Brad. She’d offered to pick up the lodge deposit for the day in exchange for him watching the girls this afternoon.

If she didn’t get to the bank before five, Brad warned, they could make a night deposit. But she did need to get to the lodge before his assistant manager left for a three-day holiday, and before the roads in the mountain got too bad.

Feeling good about her day and her decision to come back home, she waved to the porch where Suzie, Petey, and the girls stood in the doorway, then headed out. Smiling, she marveled how yesterday her life was in turmoil. Today, it had done a complete three-sixty. Her heart warmed at the prospect. As she drew closer to the bend in Lake Road that would take her to the lodge, she wavered. If she made her deliveries in town first, then she could stop by the lodge on the way back home.

But then she’d have to go back into Harbor Falls to make the deposit.

Turning right would take her to the lodge. She could get the deposit, then backtrack to run all her errands and deliveries in town. But it was early. Would Brad’s manager have the deposit ready yet?

Left would take her into Harbor Falls. She glanced at her watch and the sky.

There was plenty of time. People were waiting on their meals. She glanced at the delivery schedule Suzie had typed out for her and knew she had to keep to that schedule. She glanced at the roads. They had been brined the night before and the town snowplow had just gone by. The sky was blue, and nothing was coming down right now.

She turned left and headed downtown.