Page 3 of Take Me Home for Christmas

“Oh.” Elle was surprised her mom hadn’t said something to her. “That’s great. Do you need me to make any other arrangements for him?”

“Everything is all taken care of.” Helen stood. “You’ll both be flying out first thing tomorrow. Everett has less than five weeks to finish his damn book. I’m counting on you, Elinor, to see that he does. If it comes down to it, chain him to a chair. Stand over him twenty-four hours a day. Whatever it takes.” She gave Elle’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as she walked past. “I know you’re up to the task.”

The publisher was out of the room before Elle realized the impact of her words.

“Wait. What?” she whispered. “No, no, no.”

Madelaine sighed. “It may not sound like it, but this is an incredible opportunity for you. And at least you’ll get to spend the holidays at home. Your mother was ecstatic that you’d be home for Thanksgiving.”

Elle dropped her head to the table. Five weeks in Chances Inlet. It took a lot of stealth to avoid Hayden Lovell when she was home for a couple of days. But five weeks?

“I have every confidence you can pull this off,” Madelaine continued. “And when you do, the position as lifestyles columnist is all yours.”

“Seriously, man? The Chipmunks?”Deputy Sheriff Hayden Lovell complained as he toweled off his face. “Last I checked, this was a gym, not a daycare.”

Xander Fisk, owner of the Ship’s Iron Gym, added more weights to the bar Hayden was using for chest presses. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. What can I say? I like to keep my clients in the spirit by piping in the holiday tunes.”

Beside him, Simone laughed. “More like you like to remind everyone who works out here that gym memberships make the perfect gift.”

“You’ve uncovered my evil secret, Deputy Wills.” Xander winked at her. “Nothing gets past your work-wife, does it, Lovell?”

Hayden shook his head at them both. “All I’m saying is Christmas music has been playing twenty-four seven since Halloween.” He lowered himself back to the bench, wrapping his fingers around the weight bar. “It’s as if Thanksgiving has been totally obliterated from the calendar.”

“I haven’t forgotten about Thanksgiving.” Simone patted her flat belly. “Why do you think I’m in here working out for a second time today? I’m pregaming for my grandma’s sweet potato pie.”

“That explains it, because there’s no way you’re here for this guy’s scintillating company.” Xander gestured at Hayden. “What flew up his butt today to turn him into such a Grinch?”

“Nothing,” Hayden grumbled. “Could you concentrate on spotting me here, dude?”

Simone laughed again. “If having a gorgeous woman offer you thousands for a piece of furniture you built is nothing, then”—she shrugged— “nothing.”

Xander let out a whistle. “Dude, you sold the captain’s desk? Way to go. I told you that you’re a gifted woodworker. Mark my words, that side hustle of yours will make you rich and famous one day.”

Hayden gave up the pretense of lifting weights and sat up on the bench. “Allow me to repeat myself. It’s nothing. Just some decorator from New York who walked into my mom’s yarn shop, saw the desk, and decided she had to have it for a client, so she bought it. End of story.”

“Some decorator from New York who was interested in more than just our guy’s desk, if you know what I mean.” Simone gave Xander a playful shoulder check. “You should have seen his mother. The tension between Deputy Dog here and the decorator was so thick that Mama Lovell was practically naming her future grandchildren.”

Hayden huffed as he stood. “You should really take up writing romance books, Simone. Your imagination is out there.”

“I know what I saw.” She flicked him with her towel. “You’re just too closed off to recognize the opportunities right in front of your face.” She nudged Xander again. “Livi—that’s the hot blonde’s name—is staying at the Tide Me Over Inn. Hayden is giving her a tour of his workshop this evening. Wink, wink.”

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Hayden shot a glare in the direction of his fellow deputy. “She has other clients who might be interested in some of my pieces, that’s all.”

Simone’s cackle rang out through the gym. “Honey, she’s the only one interested in your” —she made air quotes with her fingers— “pieces.”

Xander laughed.

“That’s it. I’m outta here.” Hayden pulled his earbuds from his pocket and stalked off toward the treadmills. He’d drown out his ridiculous friends and the overdone Christmas music with some Eric Church while getting in a few miles of cardio before his meeting. “Let me know when the sheriff comes by. We can head downstairs together.”

Hayden, Xander and several of the other veterans in town got together weekly to lend support to one another when the demons haunting them from their deployments raised their ugly heads. Theirs was a shared camaraderie that few could relate to. Hayden counted himself lucky that, even in a town as small as Chances Inlet, he had a band of brothers when he needed them. Tonight, they were organizing the town’s toy drive. He adjusted the wrap on the blade that served as his lower left leg before stepping onto the belt.

Xander followed him over to the treadmill. “The sheriff can’t make it tonight. Apparently,Livithe Designer isn’t the only important guest at the Tide Me Over Inn.”

Hayden rolled his eyes at the way his friend sing-songed the designer’s name. He punched up the incline on the treadmill.

“Kind of weird, though. Everett West is the last person I expected to visit a place like Chances Inlet.”

That got Hayden’s attention. “The war correspondent? Really? What’s he doing here?”

---