Page 8 of A Very Merry Mistake

“Nah. Love my kitty. But I’m noticing a pattern. I have a knack for picking things up off the side of the road. She was a rescue, too.”

“I’m not a charity case,” Claire snaps.

The sprinkles begin coming down in greater concentration, and I sigh.

“I won’t beg you, but the offer is on the table. Let me know where you’d like me to take you if it’s a no. Or if you’d rather figure it out on your own. Doesn’t matter to me, but we need to get goin’.”

She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply.

This woman is so stubborn I’m almost convinced she will march straight to the café with her suitcase as I wait for her to answer.

CHAPTER 3

CLAIRE

I’m shivering.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m cold or if the stress I’ve been through over the last twenty-four hours has finally caught up with me. I’ve lost control of the situation and am at the mercy of a man I just met.

No vehicle. No place to stay. This is the worst-case scenario.

Traveling here was awful, and now that I’m in town, I’m contemplating asking Jake to drive me back to the airport so I can go home. But I’m sure they canceled all flights leaving Texas, anyway. That definitely appeared to be the case when I was in the terminal earlier.

I can pay him any amount of money to cover his time, but I’ve already wasted enough of that today.

He’s a saint. I wouldn’t have been as patient with me.

If this storm passes quickly, I’ll ask him tomorrow. Or if I could get my rental repaired, I could take my chances and drive across the country to New York. However, that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

This morning, I was determined and refused to let anything stop me. But now, so much has gone wrong that I’m second-guessing everything.

Why am I here again? To prove a point.

Is it worth it? Eh. Still to be determined.

This trip was supposed to be stress free. For months, I visualized how I’d spend my time in the small Christmas town. I’d reserved the largest room in the historic Main Street Inn. Everything I needed was within walking distance, including a twenty-four-hour café and a quaint little coffee shop. I’d people-watch, make friends with the locals, try new foods, and even visit the antique stores. It was supposed to be an unforgettable experience. I’d looked forward to this all year as I researched the town’s history.

Jake clears his throat, grabbing my attention. “Well?”

“I’m sorry,” I say, aware I don’t have many options. Jake waits for me to answer him as icy rain falls from the sky, leaving dark slashes on the pavement.

This day keeps getting better.

“I won’t beg you,” Jake finally tells me. “But we should probably get in the truck before this turns into hail.”

“It’s already hell,” I mutter as he continues forward, leaving me where I stand.

Thunder rolls overhead, and with the way my luck has been, getting struck by lightning is a definite possibility. So I brace myself and follow behind him, trying to keep my balance on the wet cement. Unfortunately, the bottoms of my boots are slick, so I look as if I’m ice skating, trying to keep my balance. I concentrate on not busting my ass, even if it would be icing on the shit cake of a day I’ve been served.

Jake glances over his shoulder and smiles when he sees me behind him. Instead of going straight to the driver’s side, he opens my door so I can slide into place. “Thank you,” I say breathlessly as my body trembles.

“No problem.” He pushes the door shut and makes his way around the front.

I’m nearly out of breath when I buckle, and I promise myself that when I return to the city, I’ll start jogging again.

The engine rumbles as the heat blasts in my face, and I try to relax.

“So…” He turns and looks at me. “Have ya made up your mind on what you’ll do?”

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