Page 15 of Take Me Home for Christmas

She pulled the pencils from the pocket of her hoodie. “I just wanted to make sure you got the pencils you asked for.”

He flinched ever so slightly, as if he could sense her powerful urge to stab him with them. She placed them gently on the side table at his elbow.

“Is there anything else you need to make your writing process go smoothly?” She was proud of how chipper her voice sounded. “I can run over to the deli and grab you some lunch if you’d like. Or more coffee, maybe?”

Emily chose that moment to let out one of her signature ear-piercing squeals.

West jumped from his chair and hurriedly stuffed his laptop and headphones into his backpack. “That won’t be necessary. I’m still full after enjoying your mother’s delicious breakfast. I think I’ll wander back to the inn and work out on the veranda.”

“That’s a great idea.” She moved to follow him.

“Alone,” West said. “As I explained yesterday, I don’t need you shadowing me all day. I’m a big boy who’s been writing stories solo for most of my life.” He pulled his wallet out of his backpack and took out several bills. “Here. It seems I’ll need an ugly Christmas sweater for Saturday night. See what you can find for me, eh?” He handed her the cash.

You don’t need an ugly sweater, she wanted to shout.You need to be writing!

Instead, she pasted a smile on her face. “Sure,” she said as she took the money. “I’ll get right on that.” Little did he know, she was an efficient shopper. She could grab the sweater and be back at the inn in an hour.

With a single nod, he walked in the direction of the door. “Oh, and Gidget, I forgot one other thing. We’ll need some supplies for the gingerbread house-making contest. I’ve entered us as a team. You should know upfront that I don’t like to embarrass myself. This contest may be to raise funds for charity, but we’ll be giving it our best effort. I have a reputation to maintain.”

A chorus of children’s goodbyes followed him out the door. Elle slumped down into the chair he’d just vacated.

“Well guess what, Mr. West,” she mumbled to herself. “I have a reputation to maintain, also. I’m a McAlister. And no way are you going to best me with your ridiculous requests.”

Everett whistledto himself as he left the bookstore. He stopped to admire the magnolia wreath hanging on the entrance to the knit shop next door.

“This town makes those fake towns in the Christmas movies look lame, Keeley,” he murmured. “I’ve never seen a place with so much authentic holiday cheer.”

The big window of the knit shop was taken up by skeins of green yarn stacked in the shape of a Christmas tree. Small balls of bright-colored yarn decorated its “boughs.” A woman teetered on a ladder as she attempted to place a knit gold star on top. Everett raced into the store to help her.

“Here.” He grabbed the sides of the ladder. “I’ve got you.”

The woman looked down at him, her brown eyes filled with relief. They grew wide once they registered who he was. Everett grinned up at her.

“Um, thank you,” she said.

The bashful way she uttered the words stirred up something inside him. Everett was immediately transfixed by the fullness of her lips and the blush on her cheeks.

She smiled shyly at him. “If you’ll step back, I can get down now.”

“Oh, yes.” He released the ladder and moved out of the way, extending his hand so he could help guide her back to terra firm.

After a brief hesitation, she placed her palm against his. The shock waves that coursed through his body caught him off guard. He sucked in a breath as he studied the woman’s face. The lines bracketing her eyes told him she was a woman of a certain age. But one who enjoyed life. And one who the years had been kind to.

Her long silver hair was caught up in a side braid with strands of fairy string woven through it. She was tall—nearly eye level with him—and slender. Her outfit consisted of well-worn jeans and a sweatshirt that featured a handprint turkey with the phrase “Gobble ‘till you wobble.” He also noticed her hands were free of any rings.

“Hello,” she said, not bothering to pull her hand away.

“Hi.”

Hi?! You’re a man of words, Everett, and that’s all you can come up with?

She suddenly seemed to realize her hand was still in his, quickly clasping his fingers and shaking them up and down. “You’re Everett West.”

He smiled. “That I am. But you have me at a disadvantage.” He hiked an eyebrow in question.

Her lashes fluttered shyly as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m Kitty. Kitty Johansen.

Everett covered their clasped hands with his free one. “Nice to meet you, Kitty, Kitty Johansen.”

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