Page 62 of Misfortune: Christmas With Scrooge (Miss 1)

“My immaterial way of turning the gift insignificant.” He paused, then said. “You were so devastated at the loss of your

mother’s Christmas village, I thought you might like it. I didn’t want to accept the small cottage brought back memories of our night together and might have had something to do with me choosing that particular piece. So I bought mother a duplicate. I just didn’t realize she would leave it out for everyone to see.”

“I’m glad she did. Otherwise, she would never have confessed it was you who bought it for her.” Laura frowned suddenly. “But I don’t understand. You’ve hated the whole shelter idea from the beginning. You’ve wanted me to fail. Why would you pay to have the home rebuilt?”

“I still disagree with you using the home for a shelter. As a financial consultant there is no logic to operating that kind of business.” He paused. “But it was your family’s home and I could see how much it hurt you to lose it after the fire. I couldn’t bear to see you lose it again.”

Laura’s expression softened and the urge to be in his arms was greater than ever, but first, “You wanted me to fail with the shelter because you feared I would lose my home?”

He frowned. “I think I put it that way when you came to me for help. But I never wanted you to fail. That was why I—”

She waited and when he suddenly fell silent, a look of discomfort on his face, she asked, “Did you have anything to do with the success of the first Bingo Charity Night?”

A pause, then he nodded. “I might have made a few very heavy suggestions to some of my biggest clients that your shelter was a good charitable cause and that they should invest. I promised them a tax break if they did.”

“But I don’t understand. You fought me every step of the way? You hate the shelter.” Her heart glowed warmly but she needed to clarify.

“And I still do,” he sternly told her, pinning her with a hard gaze. “And before we go any further, let’s get this straight. You are no longer in charge of the shelter’s bookkeeping. I’ll handle that end of it, thank you very much.”

“Ok.”

“And you’ll leave the insurance coverage to me. I’ll look after it.”

“All right.”

“As well as any other legal matters.”

“That’s fine.”

“Good.” His expression eased. “You just concentrate on healing those girls.”

She smiled. “I will.”

He nodded, “Now you’re thinking straight for once.”

Laura couldn’t help but laugh. “I would have gladly let you take over any one of those responsibilities—except helping the girls. But you weren’t my biggest supporter. Why did you fight me so much?”

“I needed you to—” Dexter stopped, then looked at her squarely before admitting, “I needed you to hate me.”

“Why?”

With his eyes downcast he replied, “Because I was beginning to care.”

Heart glowing, she sighed sweetly. “Really?”

Frustrated, he shoved a weary hand through his hair. “Look Laura, I’m a fraud. Whatever you think you feel for me isn’t real. You deserve better. You’re a decent woman who deserves a worthy man.”

Laura grimaced and cocked her head, shooting him a look saying with a smile, “You think I’m a decent woman? Lord, I was looking for something a little more flattering.”

He looked up and frowned. “That’s not what I meant.”

Sighing, she took a few steps closer to him. “Dexter, how can you say you’re not worthy? Look at what you’ve done for me. I can never repay that kind of generosity.”

“I’m not looking for repayment.” He angrily amended.

“My point is you did it not out of coercion but out of kindness and compassion.”

He opened his mouth to say something but Laura quickly interfered.

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