Lantern Lake Winter Collection: Books 1-3

by Gretchen S. B.

  "I'm not entirely sure what I did. Herb and I decided we wanted to offer her the position of the office manager job."

  "That's fantastic―" his aunt interrupted. "She is wonderful, and I would love to see more of her. Plus, I think she'd be good at that job."

  "We agree, that's why we offered her the position. I took her out on Friday to the Lantern Lake Christmas festival and we hung out down there for the evening, taking the dogs for a walk and just enjoying it. On the ride home, when I offered her the job the mood changed. I don't know what happened. Now I'm trying to find out how she's doing to gauge what her response might be and to get some inkling as to what's happening."

  The phone became silent for a moment, then his aunt's cackle came through the receiver so loud Robert pulled his ear away from his phone.

  "I am so glad you find this funny, Aunt Dottie."

  After another second, the laughing stopped but there was still humor in her voice as she spoke, "Oh, this is hilarious. You took the young lady out on a date. Your first date, by the way, so there's no other footing for this. You two clearly have chemistry; you’d have to be an idiot to not see that. At the end of the date you offered her a job." She snickered, "And you're wondering why she's miffed. Do you realize what that looks like?"

  Robert went still. He didn't know where his aunt was going with this, but he got the distinct impression he wouldn’t like it. "No, not really."

  “It looks like you were schmoozing her to make a business deal. You need to decide if you were hiring an employee or taking her out on a date. You can't do both at the same time, unless you already have an established relationship either at the job or personally. Doing both at the same time is a terrible idea. It's hilarious because I'm sure she thinks you took her out to convince her to take the job."

  "But I did."

  Calmly, Dottie challenged, "You're telling me the only reason you took her to Lantern Lake’s Christmas festival was because you wanted her to take that job? There was no ulterior motive there, no exploration of chemistry?" She sounded skeptical.

  "Well … no, I wanted to take her out and have a good time, then find the right time to offer her the job. Are you saying she doesn't think that was a date? That she may think I was buttering her up?" He let a couple curses fly.

  "And now you've caught up. I think leaving her alone for the weekend is probably your best bet. Let the girl think. On Monday, apologize and explain things to her but leave her alone today."

  It was harder said than done. He hadn't seen a problem with how things went down but now that his aunt pointed out what might've bothered Gail, he couldn't unsee it. He had taken her out, but the job offer did reveal his ulterior motive. This wasn’t his intention. He wanted to see if their chemistry would go anywhere, but he also wanted her for the job. He did not know how to fix this. The men in his family were not known for having a lot of game.

  "Thanks, Aunt Dottie," he said out of habit.

  "You'll be fine, Robert. Everything works out the way it's supposed to in the end," she responded before they said their goodbyes.

  It was a family saying; no one remembered who’d started it. Robert put down the phone on his desk and made himself concentrate on the paperwork in front of him. He was working the weekend shift this week. On weekends, they were only open for emergencies and so far, no one had come in. This was going to be a long day.

  ~~

  The McAllen grocery was pretty packed, but that was fairly common for Sunday afternoons and evenings. Weekends Robert worked, he couldn't make it to the grocery store until after seven, so he was grateful they were open until nine every day. He'd felt gloomy all afternoon and evening and it hadn't improved upon leaving work. He hadn’t been in the mood to go grocery shopping, but his apartment was pretty much out of food, so he didn't have much choice. He turned down the cereal aisle and halted his cart when he saw Gail on the other side looking at boxes of granola. His heart sped up and he scanned knowing he didn't want to be caught in the same aisle as her, even though there were two other people in the aisle. In order to avoid an awkward confrontation, he quickly backed his cart out of the aisle, almost hitting someone and scooted down the next one.

  Absurdly, he did that two more times before he did hit someone who in turn elbowed him and caused a bit of a scene. Nothing was damaged since the endcap had been toilet paper. But it meant Gail looked up and saw him. Her eyes widened a touch before she frowned and walked past him. She didn't even acknowledge he was there, which hurt more than Robert would've liked to admit.

  She walked right past him like he didn't exist. Partly angry, he also wondered if she’d decided to go back to Ellensburg after all and was afraid to tell him. Maybe she was trying to avoid a confrontation as much as he was. He cursed again and helped the teenager put the stacks of toilet paper back together. He was embarrassed and unsure of his next move. This week had turned his world upside down. They had a new office manager, who while only temporary was fantastic and may not take the job full-time. He’d met a woman he was more interested in than any woman in years and he might lose her. This week was terrible. He wasn't optimistic that next week would be any better. With nothing to improve his growly attitude, Robert stopped shopping and paid for what he had, heading back to the car and home to his dogs.

  Chapter 9

  "Good morning, Gail, I know you've only just arrived, but have you decided whether you’re staying with us or not?" came Herb’s friendly, fatherly voice from the hall side of the desk as Gail set down her purse and Murphy settled into the dog bed behind her.

  She hadn’t expected the irritation at the question. For all Herb knew, Robert only asked her to stay on Friday and nothing else happened. Getting mad at the older man wasn’t fair, especially since his excited tone implied he was very much interested in her staying. If she was honest with herself, she wanted to stay. She liked the job and she really liked Herb as a boss, but she wasn't sure about Robert.

  "I haven't yet, I’m weighing the pros and cons. There are a lot of factors in the decision. My family is on the west side and I thought I was finally joining them again, so I have to factor that into my choice.” Robert's behavior was also a large factor, though she didn’t share this.

  He nodded steadily and that gentle smile on his face didn't waver. "Take your time and if you decide you want to stay up to the end of this week or something like that, so that you have more hands-on experience before you make the final decision, that's fine. Just let me know what you'd like to do."

  She didn’t like the idea of leaving Herb hanging. He was a kind man and a wonderful boss. "I promise I'll let you know what I decide by the end of the day."

  Still smiling, he nodded at her again before he put his hands behind his back and strode down the hallway.

  Suddenly, she felt like a terrible person at the thought of leaving Herb hanging. If it was only him, she’d take the job in a heartbeat, but Robert trying to wine and dine her into taking the job didn’t sit well with her. Even after all weekend thinking about it she wasn't any closer to a decision.

  Turning to her dog, Gail asked, "What do you think I should do, Murphy?"

  No help, he looked at her from where his head lay on the high side of the dog bed and thumped his tail a couple times. What she needed to do was clear the whole thing from her head and work. Sometimes not thinking about a problem was the only way to solve it. That was what she needed to do: let the decision make itself. She ignored the internal voice that said all she was doing was procrastinating.

  ~~

  "Well now, you be careful when you head out of here," warned Mr. Hutton as he held his sick piglet in a thick, padded, crate in his arms. "I don't know if you're used to driving in the snow, but it piles up fast and it's still going. I heard a rumor you were heading out today. Maybe you should wait till tomorrow when the sun is out because the last thing any of us would like to hear is you got stranded somewhere out in the dark."

  Several people had come in to say goodbye
or to tell her to be careful. It was such a surprise, not only because word had gotten out so fast but because they cared enough to go out of their way for her. It made her think leaving was a bad idea. The people here were wonderful and that was a bigger deal than she ever thought it would be for her.

  "Don't worry, Mr. Hutton, I promise I will be careful and won't drive in the snow in the dark if I can help it."

  The older man seemed happy with that answer and gave her a nod before heading out with his piglet.

  Gail waited until she could see Mr. Hutton's truck lights before she came around the desk to look out the front doors. She'd always loved the snow. Snow on the western side of the state growing up was very different than in the central section of the state. Snow here was amazing. It also could make it very difficult to get around. But it was beautiful and soft whereas Westside snow was all slush and ice.

  When Murphy looked up at her, lifting his head to see where she was going, she waved him off, not that he would know what that gesture meant. "It's okay, Murph, I’ll be right back." He laid his head back down as he recognized the last few words and closed his eyes again.

  Gail headed around the desk, grabbing her thick jacket off of the rack that held several leashes, slid it on and stepped outside.

  Sure enough the snow was falling fast and clearly had been for longer than she noticed because there was at least an inch on the roadway and the parking lot. It looked as if it was melting underneath but not fast enough to stop it from piling up. She wasn't sure her little car would do well in the snow and it wasn’t a good idea to try. At least not tonight. It was beautiful and quiet even though it was only two in the afternoon.

  She didn't know how long she'd been standing there when a deep voice interrupted her peace of mind. "You okay?" Robert asked from behind her right shoulder.

  Gail didn't open her eyes but continued to enjoy the snowfall, hoping Robert would leave her alone. "I'm fine. I just love snow and wanted to take a second to see how treacherous it was getting."

  "My aunt Rachel's the same way. She is probably doing the exact same thing. I actually wanted to talk to you."

  Gail couldn't help the heavy, put upon sigh that escaped her throat as she turned to face him. Clearly, he wasn't going to be leaving her alone anytime soon. "Oh?"

  He shifted; all he was wearing for the weather was a knitted cap. "I owe you an apology."

  Surprised, her eyes got wide at his words.

  "Friday was meant to be a two-parter. Herb and I really did discuss it and we do want you to stay. We want you to take this job, you would be phenomenal at it and I know you’d make things much simpler. But I don't know if I can explain this properly." Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath.

  Gail waited patiently; she was fascinated, it was like watching a horrible reality television show.

  "I wanted to take you out Friday on a date; I wanted you to see that Lantern Lake is a fantastic place. I thought that would entice you to stay, but I also wanted us to get to know each other. Over the last week, I've seen how much we have in common and the chemistry we have. I really feel like there's something there. It was my fault we got off on the wrong foot, and I wanted to explore it by going out in the real world. And it did make a difference, that connection is so much stronger outside the clinic. I want the opportunity to further explore that. To see what we could become. I know the way I phrased it was not ideal, but both offers stand. We want you to take this job. And I’d like to spend time with you, outside of work, and see where this connection takes us. If you're not interested in me, I can respect that. I just…” He trailed off after saying everything in one long breath. "I'm sorry and I hope you don't hold it against us. That's all."

  Turning, he hesitated and went back and forth a couple times, clearly indecisive.

  Hope spread through Gail; she'd misunderstood him! He was interested in her, both romantically and professionally. She felt the same way Robert did; there was a connection between them that felt stronger than it had before. He wasn’t trying to schmooze her for the job―he was being genuine.

  "Wait.”

  Robert turned and looked at her with an eyebrow quirked up slightly and a frown on his face.

  She took the two steps toward him. "Yes," she accepted firmly and confidently.

  "Yes what?" Robert replied cautiously.

  "Yes, I definitely want the job. I would love the job. Especially if it means a second date."

  Blinking, he paused as if in his wildest dreams he hadn't expected her answer. "Really?"

  At her nod, his face lit up.

  A second later his hands slid up her jaw on either side; his hands were cold but it didn’t matter. He moved in and his lips gently swiped hers before he came in again, kissing her more fully. It was brief but sent excitement through her system. A smile curled on her lips as he leaned back.

  "Good," he whispered. "Then let's finish up the next five hours so I can take you on a second date to celebrate your new job. In fact, I know exactly where ‘Put It In My Pocket’ will be tonight."

  Still smiling, Gail snorted. "Sam was right, you are obsessed with those pizza pockets."

  Smiling back, Robert slid his hand down her arm and twined her fingers in his as they walked back into the clinic. "Maybe, but the obsession is much more enjoyable now that I get to share it with you."

  She giggled at his words. It was one of the cheesiest lines she ever heard.

  "Okay, that was too much. That line was too much, even for me," he admitted, quickly letting go of her hand as they entered inside. Before heading back to his office, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I can't wait until tonight."

  This was perfect. Gail couldn't believe her luck. What were the odds that her getting fired from the job she loved and having to leave the apartment and life she loved so much would be the absolute best thing for her? For the first time in two weeks what sat in front of her was better than she could've imagined.

  Gail couldn't help the smile on her face that stayed in place the rest of her shift; it only grew wider as the shift went on. When she told Herb she was staying, his excitement added to her happiness. It kicked it up a notch when Robert came out and the two of them left together for their second date. They took his SUV, since her little compact wouldn’t make it in the deep snow. She thought she loved her life before but now she could see how much better things could be. She couldn't wait to officially start her life in Lantern Lake with Robert McAllister.

  A Flurry of Feelings

  Chapter 1

  Claire hated driving in the snow. She regretted agreeing to meet Roland in Lantern Lake. He had been so excited about it, saying their Christmas celebration was amazing, but she didn't know how heading out to some small―was she in Eastern Washington?―town for Christmas things made sense. There was plenty of Christmas decor in the Puget Sound. There was no reason to head east. Not to mention she was fairly certain she was lost, while it was snowing, which was great. Her GPS didn’t know where she was, either. It was telling her turn left, turn right, yada yada yada, but it still said she would be another twelve minutes until she got to the Lantern Lake Inn.

  Claire had worked late, which meant she’d left Seattle late, which meant less time with Roland, who she had been seeing for four months now. Because of her busy schedule and his busy schedule as a regional sales rep, they had been on only two or three dates a month. Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure they were doing well enough to go away for the weekend together. She’d been adamant about not sharing a room but still … a whole weekend with just Roland. All this questioning her judgment might imply it was not a great idea for them to be dating. Or she had cold feet.

  Relaxing for two days might come in handy. Her life was a lot of go go go; she did need the break. Or maybe not doing anything would drive her nuts; only time would tell.

  "In a quarter mile, turn right," called out her GPS, startling her.

  She’d turned off her radio about a half an hour ago because the soun
d was too distracting for how much attention she needed to put on the roadway. Lantern Lake had been getting a decent snowfall since Monday afternoon, but reports said it melted. On the contrary, either it hadn't melted, or it had been snowing since then and she had missed the report.

  A bright light came toward her. Some jerk coming at her from the opposite direction had his brights on. Then she realized the brights were in the same lane she was in. This jerk was in the wrong lane! She flashed her lights but all it did was make him swerve. Panic shot through her. She did not want to die on some deserted road in the middle of nowhere. No one would ever find her. Roland knew she was coming but she clearly overshot the town she was supposed to be meeting him in. Who knew where she was now. Jerking the wheel to the right, she nearly missed getting plowed over by the larger vehicle. Her heart pounded heavily as he spun two complete circles beside her before driving straight down the roadway. It was a big truck and if she hadn't moved, she would've been in for a world of hurt.

  A second later, her wheels began to spin, and she panicked again realizing her tires were not hitting road. That jerk in the truck had made her swerve off the road and now she was having trouble getting any traction. Her car slammed into something and her head whacked the steering wheel. A second later, her airbag went off and everything went fuzzy and dark.