Merry and Bright Read online

  And with that, she left the kitchen.

  5

  “Okay, here’s the plan,” Hope said to Lori and Ben just before noon. Ben was back from his electrical job, helping with snow removal. They all stood outside in their heavy weather gear, being dumped on by more snow as they shoveled the front walk. “We make Danny’s stay miserable.”

  Lori stopped shoveling and leaned on her shovel, watching Ben’s butt as he worked. “Why miserable?”

  “Because she likes him,” Ben said, still shoveling at a steady pace.

  “Because he’s here,” Hope corrected, shooting Ben a dirty look. “Even though I’ve not done anything to warrant being watched over like an errant teenager.”

  Lori shook her head. “You’re mad at your asshole brother. Which is understandable, but you can’t take it out on Danny.”

  “Hello, he works for said asshole brother.”

  “If he wanted to hurt you, he’d have done so by now. Give him a chance, Hope.”

  “A chance for what?”

  “To be the guy I wished for you.”

  Hope put her hands on her hips. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Well, I did wish on that mistletoe, remember? I asked for a penis for you.”

  “I remember,” she muttered in tune to Ben’s laugh.

  “Which should be the next logical step, given that you’ve already kissed him.”

  When Hope choked, Ben finally stopped shoveling to stare at her. “You kissed him?”

  Hope looked at Lori, brow raised.

  “Sorry,” Lori said. “But you two were right in the middle of the kitchen. That you never even saw me tells me how good of a kisser he is.” She turned to Ben with a dreamy smile. “He’s a face holder.”

  “Easy,” Ben said, and resumed shoveling.

  Lori looked at Hope. “Come on, admit he’s hot. In a glasses-wearing, intellectual, sexy professor sort of way.”

  “I could be the sexy professor,” Ben said game-fully. “I’ll dress up and put on some glasses.” He grinned when Lori considered that with a cocked head.

  “Can we please put aside sex for a minute?” Hope demanded. “This isn’t high school.”

  “Hey, you’re the one wanting to play high school games,” Ben said. “Making his stay miserable and all.”

  “That’s not even high school,” Lori said. “That’s middle school.” She reached around behind Ben and patted his butt. “Love those jeans on you, big guy.”

  Ben’s eyes heated. “Yeah? Or is it what’s beneath the jeans?”

  “Oh, my God.” Hope groaned out loud. “Didn’t you already knock it out today?”

  “I think it’s time for our midmorning quickie.”

  Hope drew in a sharp breath and shook her head. “You two have a serious problem.” She stuck her shovel in the snow and put her hands on her hips. “I just want him gone, okay? I’m this close to making the whole thing work, all I need is some more time with no watch dogs.”

  “Let him help. He said he wants to.” Lori tossed up her hands when Hope glared at her. “So I eavesdropped a little.”

  “I don’t need his help. Just keep him out of my hair until the roads are clear and if you can make him miserable while you’re at it,” she said, only half kidding. “Just to ensure he leaves ASAP.”

  “Hope,” Lori admonished.

  “I’m kidding. Sort of. Hey, I know! Get him to help you clean. And you.” She looked at Ben. “Keep him busy doing whatever you’re doing today. He’s a desk jockey, though, so he’s probably worthless out here. Fair warning.”

  “I don’t think so,” Ben said slowly. “I think he’s made of sturdier stock than you think.”

  “Face it, honey,” Lori said. “Fate brought him. You can’t mess with Fate.”

  “Watch me,” Hope said grimly, and struck out for the house to begin Operation: Make Danny’s Stay Miserable.

  Lori watched her go, and Ben watched Lori. “I know that look,” he said. “It says you have a plan. An evil plan.”

  “Not evil. Not exactly.”

  “We’re on Hope’s side, Lori,” he said gently.

  “Of course we are. Which is why we’re going to help her.”

  “By doing as she asked.”

  “By doing the opposite,” she corrected. “You know, the old double switcheroo.”

  He blinked. “Huh?”

  “We’re going to pretend to do as she asked, while doing the opposite.”

  “Let me repeat myself. Huh?”

  She patted her husband on his big, beefy shoulder. “Trust me, honey. There are some wild sparks between those two.”

  “Yes. It’s called temper.”

  “No, it’s sexual tension. They’re attracted. And more than that, he’s a good guy in a shitty situation. Same with her.”

  “Doesn’t mean they should hook up.”

  “She hasn’t had sex in a year.”

  “Can’t imagine going more than one day . . .”

  She laughed. “I’ve spoiled you. Listen, all we’re going to do is play Santa and give Hope a man, even if it’s a temporary one.”

  “Lori.”

  “Trust me.”

  He laughed softly and pulled her close. “Now that’s the one thing I can promise you.” He pressed his jaw to hers. “For now and always.”

  “For now and always,” she said on a sweet sigh. “That still makes my knees weak, you know that? You make my knees weak. That’s all I want for Hope, Ben.”

  “Weak knees?”

  She slid her hand up his chest and smiled. “We can pull it off. She’ll thank us.”

  “If you say so. But if you could pull it off with your job still intact, that would be great.”

  After an hour of chopping wood, Hope turned and eyed the wood pile she’d made. It was shrinking instead of growing. Then she looked at the deep grooves from the wood pile to the side of the building. Someone had been doing the stacking for her without saying a word. Since that was extremely unlike Ben, and extremely unlike Lori—both of whom would do any chore needed at any time, but with their mouths working overtime—she set down her ax and leaned on the handle.

  And waited.

  Sure enough, within a minute, a hooded figure came from around the back of the house where the stack of wood was, brushing off his gloved hands. He was as tall as Ben, but leaner.

  And wearing glasses.

  She watched Danny walk toward the stack of wood without even looking at her. Back and forth he went, working with a steadiness that told her maybe he wasn’t quite the desk nerd she’d convinced herself.

  And since that gave her a funny little tingle in places she’d nearly forgotten she possessed, she turned to head back inside. She appreciated the help, but that didn’t change the fact that he was here to assess whether she was going to be able to pay back her loan. No way around it, Danny was going to cause her trouble.

  And heartache.

  Because dammit, she loved this place. Loved it like it was her family, which was ridiculous. It was just a place. But it was hers.

  The back door was locked, which was odd. Cupping her hands, she peered into the window of the kitchen. No one there. She pounded on the door, but Lori didn’t appear and neither did Ben.

  Which meant that they’d found themselves a closet or God knew where and were acting like bunnies again.

  Terrific.

  She could wade through the snow around to the other side of the building and let herself in the front door, but they hadn’t cleared the snow from the side yards, and without snow shoes she’d sink up to her thighs. Not fun. Instead, she whipped out her cell phone and texted Lori.

  Let me in pls.

  Lori immediately texted back:

  Sorry. On a supply run.

  “Bullshit,” Hope muttered and shoved her phone back in her pocket. No one was on a supply run, the roads were complete muck. Nope, her chef and her fix-it guy were definitely going at it.

  Again.

  It