Page 62 of Just Add Mistletoe

“You already have your ticket,” Mom said. “See what he says.”

Lori wasn’t sure about inviting Malcom for a weekend with her parents. Things were really new between them, and she had no idea what the next couple of weeks might bring with the condo project. Maybe everything would fall through. Or maybe he’d be busier than ever.

After finally getting off the phone with her mom, Lori felt drained of energy. She grabbed the lunch she’d packed and checked in with Marci to see how the store was doing. Marci said it had been busy, but nothing she couldn’t keep up with.

When Lori heard a truck rumble in front of the house, then come to a stop, she crossed to the window. To her surprise, Malcom and two other men climbed out—Austin and Cal. They walked up the driveway and crossed to the porch.

She reached the door just as one of them knocked. Opening it, she said, “What’s going on?”

Then she noticed they all carried tools.

“We’re here to help,” Malcom said, his hazel eyes landing on hers.

“I . . . I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

Last night, she’d told Malcom about some of the projects that had to be done on the house after painting. She hadn’t intended to make him feel like she neededhishelp. She had all winter to get the house ready.

But apparently, he’d shown up anyway.

“I’ll start painting,” Cal said. “Wore my painting shirt.”

Lori laughed. His faded blue T-shirt did look like it had been through several painting projects. “Grab a roller, then.”

“I can install the kitchen fixtures,” Austin said, walking past her, toolbox in hand.

Malcom stepped into the house last, but before he could move too far inside, Lori placed a hand on his chest. “You don’t have time for this.”

His warm eyes searched hers, his mouth lifting into a half smile. “I always have time for you.”

She felt her eyes burn, and she blinked rapidly. “How did you talk the others into this?”

“Turns out they had a slow day.”

Lori smirked. She very much doubted that, but her heart swelled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She raised up on her toes and kissed him. She didn’t care who saw, either.

For the next several hours, the house was filled with the sounds of drilling and hammering, as fixtures were installed, the paint in the living room completed, the linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms torn up, and the carpet in the bedrooms removed.

Malcom had talked her into new flooring. Said that with his contractor’s discount on supplies, the cost would be much less than putting a carpet or flooring allowance into the buyers’ contract.

Lori had argued that most of the savings came from the labor, but Malcom said he’d only charge if he needed someone to help.

“You can lay flooring?” she asked. Of course he could, but did he have time for it?

“It’s easy, and kind of fun,” he said. “You could even help.”

“Oh, I’ll help.”

They were standing in the hallway, now stripped of carpet, and Malcom had his hands on her hips. Lori rested her hands on his shoulders, his sleeves damp with perspiration. She didn’t mind Malcom sweaty in the least.

“You’re doing too much,” she said, in a last-ditch effort.

“You’redoing too much,” he countered.

She was pretty sure he was going to kiss her, but Austin’s voice broke in from the front room. “The carpet’s all loaded into the back of the truck. Anything else we need to haul away?”

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