Page 56 of Second Chance Christmas

Cold air rushed in and for a second she considered closing the windows again.

How late could she leave and still catch a flight out of Anchorage? If she hurried, she could catch a bus. She paused and considered that for a minute but flicked it aside just as quickly. These were nice people. And it would not be nice of her to char her gran’s reputation along with the damn cookies.

Ivy exited the kitchen and made her way to the side to open more windows by the dining table.

“Are you okay, Ivy?” Mrs. Howard’s stomach came into view from the second floor by the railing before the woman as Ivy turned.

“I’m fine, Mrs. Howard. Everything is okay.”

“We smelled smoke and Thomas is in the shower. I thought I would check. I’m pregnant, not helpless like he’d have you think. What happened?”

Before she could answer, sirens and flashing lights came up the drive in a hurry.

Sharp jabs of pain hit Ivy between the eyes.Crap.She pressed her thumb and middle finger to the space with a low groan.

Where was a closet to hide in when a girl needed one? She flicked the curtain to the side of the front door and cringed. “And there came the third problem of the trio,” she groaned. Okay, so she might have overreacted in her rush to speed dial.

Shit. Aspen, in full fire gear, and six of his men rolled to a stop in her drive. They must have ignored every stop sign and red light between here and town.

Man, he was going to be so mad when he didn’t find a fire. But, damn. Him in a uniform, Lord save me, the man made her press her thighs together despite how embarrassing the whole situation was. She’d have to change her panties after this.

She swung the door open as soon as Aspen’s feet hit the welcome mat. He smiled down at her that momentarily had her questioning her entire life up to that very second.

Her heart stopped working. Her mouth seemed to fail her too because she just stood there. Taken aback by the easy glide of his warm, sexy grin. It had her forgetting the events of the last ten nightmarish minutes. Nowthatwas a Christmas miracle.

Okay, she needed to get her reactions to him under control. ASAP. She bowed her head slightly and cleared her throat in an effort to hide how seeing him standing on her doorstep just because she called affected her.

He’d come for her. That sat up there with sainthood in her book.

“Where’s the fire, Ivy Sunday?” He stepped past her when she pointed to the kitchen and several men followed.

Kids descended the stairs, their eyes wide with surprise.

“Everything okay?” Mr. Howard stood at the top of the railing with a worried look and freshly wet hair.

“Yes. False alarm,” she answered as Aspen exited the kitchen a few minutes later.

“Sooo cool!” cut in one of the kids, his little expression that of wonder as he poked his head through the railing.

Ivy bit at her lip. “Don’t you ever get tired of playing the hero?”

Aspen held up two of the waterlogged chicken legs. “Well, this chicken could have used one. I guess we can’t march to the beat of these drumsticks anymore.”

Mrs. Howard laughed beside her and a perplexing amount of embarrassment and relief fought for dominance. She didn’t know whether she wanted to hug the life out of him, laugh or cry or pull him up to her bedroom. All options seemed like the logical pick.

Aspen stepped to the side of her and tossed the chicken in the basket beside the registry desk.

“Let me get out of your way. For now.” He pulled her to the side. “I’m always only a phone call away. You know that right?” He leaned in and whispered only for her. And he meant it. Looking into his eyes, she saw the sincerity of his words reflected back at her. He stood close, closer than she remembered a second ago, and he rested a hand on her the small of her back

“Thank you, Aspen,” she said with a heavy sigh. “I’m closer than I realized to losing my cool. I can’t believe Gran left me here to deal with everything.”

Mrs. Howard ushered her kids to the living room and settled them down with some books and board games by the fire.

Aspen cupped her cheek. “You all right? When did the guests start arriving? I can stay a while. Help out.”

“I don’t know what I am right now, honestly. Everyone arrived about ten minutes before hell broke loose and everything went up in smoke. At least there was no damage. Curtains can be replaced. For a girl who has no luck, I had some tonight. ”

“True. You were lucky, Ivy Sunday. But I don’t think your pajamas were.”

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