Page 5 of Christmas Kisses

"Yeah, yeah,” Danny says. “Listen, I've got to get this food to Merry, or she'll get grouchy. It's the first trimester, and she's not feeling that well.” He taps the table and looks back to the counter. “Ask the owner out already."

"I'll think about it. Say hello to Merry."

I watch my brother leave the shop, and I glance around the establishment. There are some things that can be improved, but I don't want Sam to think her place is broken down. I think about how she's got to get this Mixer set up and ready on such short notice, and it makes me angry again at the Mayor. Would I make a good mayor? I don't know. Plus, there's all the extra work I'd have to do. That's not attractive at all.

Even though I need to start work, I hang around Over the Roast as much as I possibly can just so I can watch the lovely Sam. When I see her slow down, I signal her so that she can come talk to me like she promised. Should I ask her out? I keep thinking of scenarios where I ask her out in some elaborate way, but none work out—even in my imagination.

I guess I'll have to wing it. Story of my life.

Chapter 3

Sam

The handyman waves me over, and I know it's time to go talk to him. This is business, okay? I don't have to be apprehensive about the conversation I'm about to have. Yet there is the other conversation. Dare I ask him for dating lessons? I don't know. It's kind of out there, and he might think I'm a weirdo.

I decide to bring him a complimentary pastry to ease things between us. I go to his table and set it in front of him. He looks surprised at it but doesn't say anything.

"So, Ben, listen. I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"Sure thing." He says immediately.

"I'll pay you, of course. It's just. I ordered some booths for the back there, and this area of the shop, and I need someone to install them."

"Oh, that's definitely something I can help with, Sam."

For a minute, I am speechless. His blue eyes remind me of calm ocean waters, and my thoughts scramble just a tiny bit.

"Um, there are some other small repairs that I need done. Except, all of this has to be done by the 23rd when the Mixer takes place. Is it too late for this to happen? I can pay a rush fee if you need me to."

"No, you don't need to do that. I'm not that busy these next two weeks. I can fit you in. Let me get my measuring tape from my truck, and then you can show me the booths if they are already here."

"Oh, thank you so much. They're in the back. I'll wait for you."

He gets up and goes outside to his truck. I can't help myself, so I check him out. He's tall and built like a lumberjack. I wonder what it would be like to be held in his powerful arms. Wow, I need a boyfriend soon. I can't be ogling all of my customers. I'll run them out. I'm deep in my thoughts when I feel a shadow over me.

"Let's do this." He says.

We go to the back room, which is stuffed with the boxes the booths came in on. They have to be assembled and installed. For a while, I thought I could do it—I am handy, after all — but when the booths arrived, I realized I needed someone to help me.

I reach for the instruction pamphlet and hand it to him.

"I'm embarrassed to say I thought I could do this on my own."

I think he's going to mock me, but he just waits for me to speak. When I don't say anything, he fills the gap.

"You're a capable woman. I wouldn't be surprised if you managed it on your own. But you don't have to. You've got me."

I blush at the compliment but let him check the packages.

"I see seven?"

"Yes, three for the back wall and four for the side wall."

"Okay, let me measure the walls. What were the other repairs you needed?"

"Oh, I've got a list. Let me go to my office and get it for you."

I leave him to it and go into my tiny office. I'm a stickler for organization, so the list is waiting on my desk next to other to-do lists. Yes, I've got a thing about lists, okay? I make sure everything I want fixed is listed and go back to the main room of my shop. Ben is sitting there making some notes in a notebook. I nod to Amy to make sure she knows I'm busy and go sit across from him. I wait until he stops writing and hand him my list.

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