Page 15 of A Sudden Romance

“I gotta contribute to my keep while I’m here,” she said, but her friends knew her well. She rarely lingered around the kitchen after breakfast. If she loaded the dishes, which she seldom did, Sabastian was always on top of clearing dishes and having them loaded before she or anyone in her family had the chance to pitch in.

“I was only putting away some dishes.” The serving bowl she’d hand-washed was too big to fit in the dishwasher.

“I’m surprised Sabastian let you do the dishes at all.” Joy spoke, her short curly hair dancing over her cheeks. A lot of commotion and kids’ happy squeals vibrated in her background. She mustn’t have locked herself in a room like Liberty had.

“Sabastian had to tend to the snow plowing when the man showed.” Iris crossed to the window. A plume of white followed the snowblower moving in the distance. Her gaze wandered to the porch steps where Sabastian stood. Her heart flipped, but her eyes couldn’t look away.

A cloud of mist danced over his mouth as he scooped snow on the shovel and tossed it into the garden. How had she never noticed he was broad-shouldered? He was wearing a jacket now, but she’d glimpse how his muscles flexed when he reached for pans or whipped the fruit filling that morning.

“You were saying?” one of the girls asked.

Iris blinked, refocusing on the phone screen. “I’m, yeah, Sabastian...” Her voice lowered oddly. “I decided to help out.”

“You’re home for a month.” Tessa’s photo popped on the screen when she spoke. Her long dark ponytail swung over her left shoulder. “You might as well pick up some house jobs.”

Lightheartedly, Iris wagged a finger at the screen. “Are you trying to say I’m bored?”

“Any time you’re bored, your nieces and nephews will put you to work.” Joy spoke over the kids’ voices in her background.

Iris couldn’t wait to see and play with her nieces and nephews. “I’ll drop by sometime soon.” She bought souvenirs for her friends and her nieces and nephews, something she did whenever she came home to visit. She was almost running out of ideas for unique gifts. For the girls, jewelry was always an option.

“Uh-oh, guys,” Liberty said as a squeal broke through the phone. “My cover is blown. We better make a plan quick, or we can text each other.”

“Will Saturday work for everyone?” Tessa asked.

“You guys are the ones with people depending on you.” Iris was flexible, besides having to coordinate with Sabastian for their planning, but the chef seemed to have things under control.

“I don’t know...” Joy trailed off. She had two nannies, but she and Eric rarely wanted to be away from their kids unless they had a date.

“I’ll take care of the kids, honey.” Eric’s voice boomed in the background. “You should say yes. Liberty should go too.”

“Looks like Eric and Bryce will be hanging out with the kids,” Liberty said. “What time?”

Iris braced against the island. “I have to shop with my mom in the afternoon.”

“Let’s meet in the morning, then,” Tessa said.

They finalized their plans and said goodbye with a promise to meet on Saturday. Beyond the window, Sabastian was walking in the opposite direction, a shovel in hand. He was probably five ten compared to her five four. He looked strong, evidence of hours of hard work. She felt warm just looking at him. Good thing, he had no idea she was checking him out.

Odd how that exhilarating shiver ran through her while their hands brushed when he passed her the blender.

Hmm, she still couldn’t figure out why her body had been all out of sorts. He wasn’t the type she would go out with. His limited words made it too hard to connect.

However, when she started asking him questions, he seemed to relax. He’d even agreed to join her and Mom for breakfast.

Not that Iris had left him a choice when she made sure he had three fixings for the tray. She’d also microwaved his tea and then hers and carried the steaming cups to the table.

Shaking her head, she tried to set any thoughts of Sabastian aside when the lighting crew arrived at ten thirty. She needed him with her as they guided the crew where to string the lights.

The same company had decorated the outside. Sabastian hired them in the previous years, but for the family reunion, they’d also be decorating rooms usually left without those extra festive touches. They always decorated the main and family rooms on the ground floor and strung lights outside and inside the house. This year, she wanted the game room in the basement fully decorated as well as the lounge, theater, and banquet room on the second floor and the guesthouse—maybe even the rarely used elevator. With the grandparents, it would be in use.

She and Sabastian would have to decorate the extra trees at some point. The main tree in the family room was the one they’d decorate when the whole family was in town.

When the lighting crew was situated, she met with Sabastian in the kitchen to finalize the events and activities on their list. Thoughtful as ever, he brought her sparkling coconut water, poured it into a glass, and set it on the island near her iPad.

“Thanks.” She twisted on the stool. “Why didn’t you get yourself something?”

He shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”

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