Rolling my eyes, I pushed past her and headed to the little bathroom off the kitchen to wash my hands. By the time I returned, she was washing her hands, too. A glance was all she gave, but she didn’t say a word.
As if sensing the tension between us, Sabre looked from me to Noelle and then pranced off. Opening the refrigerator, I looked around for the fixings of a sandwich.
“I’ve cooked. There’s no need to waste food preparing something different when there’s an entire meal here waiting to be eaten,” Noelle said with her hands on her hips.
Glancing in her direction, I briefly flickered my gaze at the pans before turning back to the refrigerator.
“Whatcha got?”
As if she was waiting for that question, she beamed at me. “Garlic sriracha chicken, steamed broccoli, and rice.”
I moved closer and peered suspiciously in the pot. If I didn’t eat at restaurants, I prepared my food. I’d learned long ago not to trust other’s cooking. While still in the FBI, a friend of mine was poisoned by a woman he’d had a date with. All the time, he thought he was seducing her; she’d been the seductress. An operative for the other side and not a simple civilian as he’d initially thought.
When he’d attempted to get his revenge on her after he’d gotten out of the hospital, he’d been murdered in the act. But the beating he’d given the woman hadn’t been enough for her to survive. That was lesson enough for me to trust no one.
Yet, I couldn’t deny that the foods prepared had all come from my refrigerator and cabinets. When I’d searched her purse for her license last night, I hadn’t found any hidden vials of poison. The purse was so tiny she could barely fit a tube of lipstick and a license in there. So, I knew there was no way she could poison me.
Although there were options in my own home, I knew that she hadn’t used those methods.
“Can you cook?” I asked.
The smile slipped from her lips, and she looked disappointed that I would question her culinary skills.
“Thought I’d ask.”
“Try it and tell me what you think,” she said, holding a serving spoon out with a bit of chicken and rice on it.
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m fine.”
“Come on,” she said, pushing the spoon toward me.
I opened my mouth, allowing her to serve me. Closing my eyes, I relished in the delicacy of the flavors. The chicken was juicy and moist with a zesty, citrus appeal.
“This is good,” I said between bites.
“Thank you. I’ll fix your plate,” Noelle offered. “But while you’re at it, try one of these.”
I accepted the gingerbread cookie she offered and bit into it. Coughing and spewing forth the bite I took, I ran to the trash and threw the cookie in there. Still coughing, I grabbed a glass and went to the refrigerator to get some water.
It wasn’t until I’d washed it down that I noticed her staring at me all wide-eyed and offended.
“What the hell was that?” I asked, pointing at the trash can.
“That was a recipe I’d found online for some gingerbread cookies. Don’t you think you’re doing a bit much?”
“That shit was nasty!” I accused.
“Okay, it may not have turned out the way I expected, but you’re downright nasty right now.”
“No, those cookies were nasty,” I said, picking up another cookie from the baking sheet.
Sniffing it, I realized this was the smell I’d detected when I first walked into the house. It smelled like burnt garbage.
“You know what, fine! They were nasty. I don’t expect you to eat them; I just expected a little kindness. I came in here and cleaned your kitchen and living room, prepared a meal for you, and this is the thanks that I get?”
Noelle stormed out of the kitchen and down the path toward the cottage. Fine! I needed some space to think anyway.
Glancing at my radio, I walked to it and jabbed the button to turn off the offensive Christmas music. Nobody wanted to listen to that crap!
7 – DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE
I turned on the radio in the cottage and turned the heat up a bit. The temperatures had dropped drastically since the morning, and I couldn’t believe that snow was still falling.
Although I wasn’t ready to go home, I wasn’t prepared to be stuck here any longer, either. Easton wasn’t the most hospitable person that I knew, and I didn’t want him feeling forced out of his comfort zone by my presence.
Therefore, I’d decided since our disagreement the day before to remain here in the cottage and give him the space that he needed.
Turning the radio on, I smiled when Stevie’s Someday at Christmas filled the room. Grabbing a washcloth, I looked underneath the kitchen sink and found cleaning solutions. I pulled a bucket from the pantry and filled it with water and cleaning solution, and set about washing the counters and cabinets.
I could tell the cottage was clean, but it was a bit dusty, and since I had nothing else to do, I thought I could clean to pass the time. Maybe if Easton didn’t appreciate my efforts in his home, his next guest might appreciate what I’d done here in the cottage.
I paused, but then again, he claimed that he never had visitors. So, maybe there would be no one to appreciate my efforts. After I’d finished the kitchen, I moved to the bedroom.
Opening the linen closet, I found some fresh sheets and blankets. Since I’d slept on the bed in my stale dress full of cigarette smoke and the scent of alcohol and vomit, I figured I could change the sheets.
Luther Vandross’ Every Year, Every Christmas caused my spirits to sink. I plopped down on the bed, trying to force thoughts of Tucker from my head. He always made time for me during the holidays. Even on Christmas night, he found his way to my bed. But this year, there would be no one.
I still struggled to believe he’d broken things off with me and fired me. I was torn between being angry or hurt.
My phone rang, jarring me from those thoughts. Picking it up, I smiled when I saw Holly’s smiling face.
“Holly !” I exclaimed.
“What the entire hell, Noelle Joy Riley?”
Sighing, I said, “You heard?”
“Uh...only the entire Glacier Hollow heard. Why’d you out yourself like that? You know Anya’s father is the mayor. Why would you ever cross her up like that?”
“Unlike you, Holly, I don’t kiss anyone’s ass. I don’t care about him being the mayor or Tucker being the owner of Tucker Pharmaceuticals. I’m not going to lie down and take this without fighting back. He’s talking about a severance package, and I don’t want that. I want my job, Holly. I’m good at what I do!”
“Sis, I know you are. But I warned you about this. From the moment his ass turned on you and became engaged to her, I told you to leave him alone. Buying into all of his lies and his stalling tactics was nothing but an investment in your heartbreak.”
“I know, Holly. But it wasn’t easy to walk away from the time I invested in us.”
“I get that, but he’s not worth it. We both know that. And now that he’s ditched you the way he has...Noelle, they’re spreading rumors around town about you being an alcoholic and that you need help. What does that look like for your future job prospects? You’ve slept with the CEO, married CEO, I might add...”
“Technically, he wasn’t married the last time I had sex with him. He married her afterward,” I corrected.
“Okay, well, you outed him in front of his brand new wife and the executive management at a professional event, and you were drunk. I’m just saying you know people talk in this town. And when word gets around, do you really think you stand a chance at getting another job here?”
“Holly, we might be a small town, but Tucker Pharma isn’t the only gig in town. And while I do want my job back if that doesn’t work out, I have other options.”
“I sure hope so,” she said, sounding doubtful.
“Enough about me, what about you? How did your event go?”
Holly owned Sweet Addiction
, the local bakery in town. She’d recently had a wedding that she’d been hired to bake the cake and other desserts for at an out of town venue.
Ari and I had teased her that she might find her true love at the wedding, and she, too, had been hopeful. Holly wanted to get married and have a family. It was her lifelong dream.
“It went,” she said, sighing again.
“Doesn’t sound too good.”
“Well, there was one guy that was hitting on me a lot, and I thought we’d hit it off pretty well. He was attractive and tall and funny. But he was too preoccupied after he’d shown all that interest in me.
“On his phone? Handling business? I know those types. I work with them. Everything is more important than their home life.”
“He was on his phone all right. Texting his wife,” she said drily.
“Ohh, nooo.”
“Oh, yes. I think I’ll just give up and wait for my next bae to find me. You know?”
“Don’t give up. Just be patient; he’ll come in time. Have you spoken with Ari?”
“Not since she flew out to Chicago to meet up with her client.”
“The asshole?”
“Yeah. That one.”
“I hope all goes well. Falcon’s a bit temperamental, and I don’t want him to go crazy on her,” I said.
“I doubt he’d do anything to hurt her. Honestly? I think it’s all an act. Just PR.”
“Mmm, maybe, but I don’t want to take any chances with her safety.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Hey, want to meet me at Mick’s for a drink this evening? I’ve finished all my shopping, and I think you could use a girl’s night,” Holly suggested.
“Sounds good in theory, but drinking got me into my current situation. Besides, I’m stranded.”
“Stranded?”
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
“Lake Glacier Mountain.”
“That’s fifty miles away. What the hell, Noelle?”
“The Christmas party? That’s where it was held. The head of the security firm contracted by Tucker Pharma hosted the party at his log cabin up here. The place is huge, like a freaking mansion, really, but homely still the same. Anyway, my drinking led to me passing out after I vomited all over the poor guy.”
“Ewww.”
“Exactly. Well, the guy let me sleep it off in his guest house. But the next morning...”
“We had the horrible blizzard, and it hasn’t stopped snowing long enough since.”
“Right.”
“Ohhh, you poor thing. Is he nice, or a creep?”
“Holly, I can’t get a bead on him. Sometimes, he can be nice and hospitable concerned about my comfort. Then he’ll turn around and become a complete jerk. It’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He’s been trying to figure out a way to get me out of here,” I shared.
“Honey, that’s not happening. And from what they’re predicting on the weather forecast, you’ll be lucky to make it home by Christmas Eve. How’d you let this happen, Noelle?”
“Trust me; if I could have a do-over, I wouldn’t have taken that first drink. I would’ve decided that Tucker wasn’t worth one sip.”
“Damn.”
“Yes, my sentiments exactly. So, I’ll have to take a raincheck on that drink. Maybe New Year’s?” I said as my eyes narrowed on the closet.
“Girl, at least a few drinks by then.”
The door to the closet had been partially open since I’d been here, but I hadn’t thought much about it. Now though, as I looked closer, I saw something that piqued my interest. Getting off the bed, I walked to the door and pulled it open.
Frowning, I stared at the contents inside.
“Uh, Holly, let me call you back.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just...I need to check something out.”
I clicked off without waiting for her reply.
Walking further into the closet, I pulled on a string hanging from the ceiling, which immediately illuminated the space. I turned around, looking on both sides at shoe boxes, hat boxes, and clothes of varying types. There were dresses, skirts, jeans, blouses, and t-shirts.
All of the clothing was a woman’s clothes.
A chill ran up my spine as I recalled Easton telling me that he didn’t have a girlfriend or wife. He’d never suggested any reason there would be a woman’s clothing in his cottage. What wasn’t he telling me? And did it have anything to do with his reasoning for not wanting anyone on his property?
I wanted to demand answers, but at the same time, I was concerned. These clothes I could be wearing while I’m stuck here. As it was, my stale dress was starting to feel dingy despite the fact it had been washed. But I was now on the third day of wearing the dress, and all I wanted to do was burn it.
A small smile danced across my lips as I considered his flannel shirt and t-shirt. They were warm and comfortable and carried hints of his scent. I wouldn’t mind wearing more of those, but I’d infringed on the man as it was.
Just as I was preparing to leave the closet, I noticed a gold and light blue box in a corner of the closet. Kneeling in front of the box, I lifted it and noticed that it was kind of heavy.
I opened the top of the box and found a small handgun partially wrapped in an old yellow, tattered cotton cloth.
Biting my bottom lip, I knew I had no business poking around in this closet or this box. I shifted the box back onto the floor in the corner I’d found it in.
Standing up from my space, I began to think about my predicament. What the hell did I know about this man? Whose clothes were these? And more importantly whose gun and why was it hidden in here?
The more I pondered it my worries began to dissipate. Easton wouldn’t hurt me, would he? Of course not, he just had some secrets that I shouldn’t be privy to.
I mean, I knew the man was former FBI, after all and he owned his own security firm.
No, my imagination was just running away with me.
I just needed to give him the benefit of the doubt and ask the questions that I wanted answers to. But I wouldn’t be getting them tonight, though.
Instead, I would spend the rest of the night checking social media, looking for jobs, and watching old Christmas movies.
Closing the closet door behind me, I headed back to the front of the cottage. I prepared a drink for the night and made myself comfortable on the couch. Flicking the television on, I settled in to watch Miracle on 34th Street.
8 – THE FIRST NOEL
Two days had passed, and I hadn’t laid eyes on my house guest. That thought didn’t settle well with me. I saw the smoke coming from the cottage's chimney, so I knew she was still there. Not that she could have gotten off this mountain anyway. Her car was parked out front, and my Rover and motorcycle were still in the garage.
I’d wanted peace, and that’s what she’d given me. After finishing off the meal, she’d prepared the day before, I was still living and doing just fine. I’d started feeling bad about how I’d treated her, especially how I’d spoken to her. She took my comments about her cooking a bit harshly.
Or maybe I’d just been that harsh. I owed Noelle an apology. Part of me wondered if she’d been thinking about Tucker and sinking into depression. I didn’t want to go over there to find her crying. That would only make me run back to my corner again.
Throughout the last forty-eight hours, I’d chopped more wood than I had a right to, cleared snow from the trails leading to the house, cleaned the house, worked out profusely, and taken Sabre on multiple walks. None of that had erased Noelle’s memory from my head nor her scent from my house.
I glanced over at Sabre, who slept peacefully in front of the fireplace. Getting up, I grabbed another log and tossed it onto the fire. The flames flickered up, licking at the log and increasing the heat that warmed my face. Sabre repositioned slightly, her breath huffing out in little puffs, but she continued to sleep.
With no work and nowhere to go, I was bored. I headed
back to the kitchen and stared out the frosted window pane of the door. The Christmas lights on the windows of the cottage twinkled. Smoke huffed up from the chimney, and mounds of snow rested peacefully along the sidewalk and the porch.
It was picturesque and a perfect postcard image. To look at it, one wouldn’t know that a woman was in there alone and heartbroken. Probably ready to go home.
Soon enough, she’d be gone. From the reports that were given on the news, it seemed as if the snow would stop tomorrow. Then the road crews could make their way up to these parts just days before Christmas Eve.
I was sure Noelle would be out of here in no time by then. I wondered if she had a tree decorated at home with wrapped presents underneath. Did she have another boyfriend other than Tucker? Was there someone else special in her life, too, the way it had been for him?
If so, was he missing her?
I pulled my hand down my face and sighed deeply. Walking to the mudroom, I stuffed my feet into my snow boots and grabbed a jacket. Once I was wrapped up, I headed down the stairs, along the path, and to the cottage.
I held my hand up, hovering over the wreath that hung on the little red door. The least I could do was make this a special Christmas for my guest while she was here.
Instead of telling her that she could go home soon, maybe I shouldn’t be in such a rush to share that news. It was bad enough that each time I mentioned her returning home or needing to leave my property, her eyes grew sad.
Then there was the memory of her eyes lighting up when I said that I couldn’t get the helicopter for her. Yeah, maybe I’d better take a different approach. That was the last thing she needed at a time like this. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to have lost my job at Christmas time, not to mention having been dumped and stranded from home away from family and friends.
Lifting my hand once more, I rapped on the door lightly and shoved my cold hands back into the pockets of my coat. I’d chosen a light jacket on my way over here, leaving my regular coat and gloves behind.
Noelle's Holiday Rebound: A BWWM Christmas Romance (A Glacier Hollow Christmas Romance Book 1) Page 5