Page 17 of Take Me Home for Christmas

“I would like that very much.” Livi let out a squeal only a few decibels lower than the little girl from the bookstore. She raced over to the deputy and patted him on the chest. “Pick me up at the inn?”

Lovell nodded again. With a wave to everyone, she disappeared through the door.

A customer came in looking for alpaca yarn, and Claire led her over to the other side of the store. Kitty went to the counter to answer the ringing phone. The deputy seemed to be frozen in place.

“You do nice work,” Everett told him. “If I didn’t live out of a suitcase, I’d be inclined to hire you to make me one.”

“I guess you’d have to settle down first.”

Everett looked over at where Kitty was still on the phone, taking an order.

“I lost my reason for settling down,” he said quietly.

The deputy followed Everett’s gaze, his mouth hardening. “I doubt you’ll find one in Chances Inlet.”

The uniform certainly fit the man. The guy was a protector. Everett had to admire that.

Deputy Lovell was also correct. Everett had no business chasing Kitty. Except that for a few minutes there, the loneliness constantly gnawing at his gut had eased. He’d forgotten how good it felt to be free of it.

“You might want to load up on those carbs, deputy,” he challenged. “I plan on giving you a run for your money tomorrow.” With a nod to Kitty—who blushed again, he was pleased to note—Everett left the store.

ChapterFive

Hayden wanderedthrough the crowd milling around the Turkey Trot’s starting line the following morning. The weather wasn’t as comfortable as the day before. The sun was nowhere to be found. Not only that, but the wind had shifted, and a stiff, chilly breeze now blew in off the Atlantic. It didn’t seem to dampen the spirit of the crowd, though. The donuts that Xander’s sister Tatum was handing out didn’t hurt either.

“You’re missing out, man,” Xander said around a mouthful of French cruller. “These are damn tasty.”

Hayden made a face. “How can you run with all that yeast in your belly?”

“It’s not the Olympics.” Xander licked his fingers. “Just a 5k with a bunch of townies.”

“I assume you’ll be handing out free weekend passes to all the stragglers again?”

Xander slapped him on the back. “Damn straight. They don’t call me the P. T. Barnum of gym owners for nothing.”

A couple of the high school track kids came over to smack talk with Hayden, who helped coach the team in his free time. He loved that the kids looked up to him. He loved it even more that no one had come close to his state record in the ten thousand meters in the decade since he graduated.

Xander’s low whistle had Hayden spinning around to see what his friend was jazzed up about. He followed his gaze to where it landed on Livi Turner. She was making her way toward them looking like she’d just stepped out of a Lululemon catalog—except for the headband with bobbing turkey legs she wore.

Elle walked slowly behind her wearing a similar headband and a mulish frown. The McAlister family were all athletic. Everyone except Elle. Sure, she was graceful from years of ballet, but she didn’t possess the ruthlessly competitive spirit of her siblings. The joy of a good run was lost on her. This morning was no exception, judging from her expression. Hayden couldn’t help it, he laughed at his best friend.

Livi mistook his grin as being for her. “Aren’t they cute? Elle and I found them at the dollar store yesterday. I got one for you, too. Pick one.” She held out a headband with the turkey legs and one that was a pilgrim hat.

Oh, hell nah.

Beside him, Xander cough-laughed. “You’ve picked the wrong guy for that, sweetheart. The deputy is the no-frills type. All he cares about is crossing the finish line before anyone else.”

Livi’s face fell. “Oh.”

Crap.Hayden took the headband with the pilgrim hat and planted it on Xander’s fat head.

“Mr. West didn’t want one, either,” she said.

Of course not.

Hayden watched out of the corner of his eye as West cozied up to Elle’s three brothers. He wondered if West knew Miles was also a seasoned triathlete as well as a congressman. Elle’s other brother, Ryan, was a professional athlete, so there was no disguising his skill. Gavin McAlister might have played college football had it not been for a knee injury. Not that it held him back now. The three men normally kept Hayden company at the front of the pack.

“Well, you two have fun. I’m going to head to the back and run with the stroller crowd,” Elle announced.

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