Page 30 of One Hundred Humbugs

As evening fell, they sat surrounded by stacks of organizedPlayboys, a notepad filled with potential values and buyer contacts. Ruby leaned back on the couch, stretching her arms above her head, feeling a sense of accomplishment she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, a note of wonder in her voice. “If these estimates are right, we could have enough to replace all the decorations and then some.”

Becket nodded, looking equally amazed. “Your uncle’s, uh, hobby might just save Christmas for Aspen Cove.”

Ruby laughed, the sound full and genuine. “Who would have thought? I come here to sell a house and end up saving Christmas with vintage porn.”

Their laughter mingled in the warm air of the living room, and as Ruby looked at Becket, his eyes crinkled with mirth, a wave of affection washed over her. Withoutthinking, she reached out and placed her hand over his, marveling at how natural it felt.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “For everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you these past few days.”

Becket’s hand reached for hers, intertwining their fingers. The contact sent a shiver up Ruby’s arm. “You’ve given me and my goats a home when we needed it most.”

The air between them grew thick with unspoken words and restrained desire. Ruby’s gaze dropped to Becket’s lips, her breath catching as he moved closer. The space between them shrank with agonizing slowness, Ruby’s heart pounding harder with every passing second.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a loud sound from the garage shattered the moment. They jumped apart, both laughing nervously, the tension broken but not forgotten.

“I better go check on them,” Becket said, running a hand through his hair. Ruby found the gesture endearing.

Ruby nodded, trying to ignore the disappointment settling in her chest. “Yeah, of course. I’ll ... I’ll start on dinner?”

As Becket headed out to the garage, Ruby leaned back on the couch, her heart racing. She touched her fingers to her lips, imagining what it would feel like to kiss Becket.

With a sigh, she got up and headed to the kitchen, her mind swirling with thoughts of goats,Playboys, and a certain handsome goat farmer who was becoming much more than just a sexy stranger.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Becket grunted as he heaved another shovelful of snow from the driveway. The morning air was crisp and biting, his breath forming small clouds with each exhale. He’d been at it for over an hour, first cleaning up after the goats in the garage, then tackling the snow-covered walkways.

As he worked, his mind wandered to Ruby. He’d heard her moving around the house early this morning, the soft padding of her footsteps and the gentle click of her laptop keys. Whatever she was up to, it had her excited enough to forgo sleep.

Becket realized how attuned he’d become to Ruby’s presence in such a short time. The way she hummed absently while lost in thought, the scent of her shampoo lingering in the hallway, her laughter echoing through the house—all of it had become as familiar and necessary to him as breathing.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the creak of the front door opening.

“Becket!” Ruby called out, her voice brimming with excitement. “Come quick! I’ve got something to show you!”

Propping his shovel against the porch railing, Becket jogged towards the house, his heart racing—though whether from the exertion or the thrill in Ruby’s voice, he couldn’t be sure. Stamping the snow from his boots, he stepped inside, instantly greeted by the comforting scent of coffee and something distinctly Ruby.

He found her in the living room, laptop open and a triumphant grin on her face. Her hair was mussed, and Becket had to resist the urge to run his fingers through it. Instead, he focused on the excitement radiating from her eyes.

“What’s got you so worked up this early?” he asked.

Ruby’s grin widened. “I’ve been up all night working on this,” she said, turning the laptop towards him. “Take a look.”

Becket leaned in, his eyes widening as he took in the eBay listing on the screen. “You did all this overnight?”

Ruby nodded, practically bouncing with excitement. “I photographed and cataloged every single issue. My uncle had some seriously rare editions. There’s one from 1953 that’s apparently worth a small fortune on its own! It features Marilyn Monroe.”

Becket shook his head in amazement. “Ruby, this is incredible. You must be exhausted.”

She waved off his concern. “I’m running on pure adrenaline right now. Besides, this could be our chance to help the town. It’s worth losing a little sleep over.”

As they scrolled through the listing together, Becket was drawn in by Ruby’s enthusiasm. Her dedication to helping Aspen Cove, a place she’d only just come to know, was just one of the many things he admired about her. He found himself stealing glances as she spoke, captivated by the wayher eyes lit up and her hands moved animatedly. “So, what now?” he asked, leaning against the desk.

“Now, we wait,” she said. “And hope that collectors are early risers.”

The next few hours were a lesson in patience. They tried to distract themselves, Becket insisting that Ruby eat something and Ruby forcing Becket to take a break from his chores, but they both found their eyes drawn back to the laptop screen every few minutes.

---