Page 1 of Sexy Claus

CHAPTER ONE

Christy Rime pastedon a perky smile and wedged the potted plant from her desk into the box on her chair. Once she packed the last of her office belongings, she planned to swing by the coffee shop for a peppermint tea and hit the road—again.

“Are you sure you don’t want a piece of cheesecake to take with you?” Her ex-fiancé’s new wife—one of her now-former co-workers—stood at the entrance to the cubicle Christy had called home for the last two years.

“No, thanks. I don’t have any way to keep it cold while I’m traveling.” Cherry topping definitely wasn’t her favorite, although she had no intention of telling the kind people who’d gone to the trouble of throwing her a going-away party this afternoon.

“I wish you weren’t leaving, but I totally get why you need to go. I’m really sorry about…everything. And your dad, of course.” Julie’s remorse shone as much in her teary eyes as her frown.

Shaking off the unnecessary sympathy, Christy slid an unopened package of encouragement cards, an emery board, and a stress ball in the hole next to the potted succulents. Then she dropped the handful of outdated business cards into therecycle can and gave her space a final scan. “It’s okay. Really. I’m happy for you and James.”

Hopefully, the vague reference to her feelings would be enough to keep her arm’s-length friend from delving any deeper into the feelings about her estranged father’s death.

Julie swiped a tear from her cheek and rushed forward, engulfing Christy in a hug. “Keep in touch. Promise?”

An outright yes required follow-through, which wasn’t something she had ever felt compelled to do when she’d moved on to a new job in a new town. The past belonged behind her, and she’d become an expert at putting that skill to good use long ago. “I’ll try to let you know when I get settled again, but I’m not sure when that’ll be. Lots of details to take care of.”

“Okay.” After one more gentle pat, Julie released her and stepped into the corridor that bordered the wall of not-quite offices. “Safe travels and happy adventures.”

Relief at the other woman’s wistful smile and graceful wave sparked a twinge of regret as Christy hefted the box. She headed toward the elevator in the opposite direction. As much as she bore Julie and James no ill will, an escape without any prolonged goodbyes would make life considerably more bearable.

A chilly blast of mid-December air chased her to her car, reminding her of the canceled beach vacation she’d originally planned for the holidays. Instead of basking in the sun and surf, she had to meet with a lawyer to discuss a will, clean out her childhood home, and enlist the help of a real estate agent to put the house on the market. Then, and only then, could she finally cut all her ties to the town where she’d been born and raised.

Memories invaded her mind as she drove northeast, and not even the traffic on I-71 through Columbus and the calming scent of her tea distracted her from the pointless thoughts. Her father’s fibs and omissions didn’t matter. The truth might havehurt, but the big lie had burdened her with far more guilt than a child could handle or deserved.

The boyfriend she’d walked away from didn’t matter, either. Staying hadn’t been a mentally workable option for her, and he’d made the choice not to go with her. She had also lost the friend she’d loved that day—her best friend, her rock—the day he’d told her he couldn’t leave.

Wouldn’t.

No one ever chose her for the long term, but she’d given up on any kind of expectations of permanence—even before James had fallen instantly and madly in love with her co-worker two months after his marriage proposal. He was hardly the first. She should’ve said no, knowing the engagement wouldn’t last. Unfortunately, her DNA and upbringing had taught her to be agreeable to a fault.

A helper.

Ha. More like a happy little doormat.

No more. No more being a placeholder until something better comes along and no more trying to solve other people’s problems—except in the office.

Not that I have an office at the moment.

She would never regret helping her clients relearn how to navigate the world after life-altering injuries and illnesses, but she hadn’t researched her future prospects yet. Her next move would certainly be after the first of the year, especially since she had no idea how long handling all the details in her hometown would take.

Dusk quickly morphed into darkness, lit up by headlights, taillights, and the occasional exit with a smattering of signs and streetlights. Christmas decorations outlined a house or barn here and there, but the holiday spirit had deserted her years ago. Indifference had settled in and made itself comfortable during the two and a half decades of being on her own.

Her neck and shoulders tensed and her stomach knotted before the next big green sign came into focus.

Creekside. 10 miles.

Though she’d avoided this area of Ohio since leaving it at eighteen, her body and her brain somehow recognized it, even in the dark. After a right turn from the off-ramp and several miles down the county road, she would need to take a left at the big red barn and follow that road into town.

Her flight response kicked in, urging her to continue past the exit, but delaying the inevitable would only prolong her obligations.

Closure.

It was the only positive aspect of returning home.

No. Not home.

Creekside hadn’t been home since her eighteenth birthday.

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