“It was a lot of fun,” Monica said, meaning it. “I think it was the best one yet.”
Mrs. Ungritch smiled and gave Monica a hug. “You are a dear. I’m so glad to see you and Jaxon getting along. He needs a good woman in his life.” She had whispered, but it wasn’t all that quiet.
Monica drew back. Was Mrs. Ungritch trying to set them up? “I…”
Mrs. Ungritch just winked at her and turned away. Jaxon conveniently started to move the furniture back in place, but Monica could tell he’d heard his mother.
She’d give anything to know what was going through his mind. But during the rest of the cleanup, Jaxon stayed busy, always in a different area than she was helping.
When she said goodbye, Mrs. Ungritch said, “Jaxon told me you’re coming over tomorrow. That will be wonderful.”
Monica nodded, feeling a bit apprehensive. After Jaxon’s kiss and after what Mrs. Ungritch hinted at, she hoped she wasn’t walking into an awkward situation. “I appreciate the invitation. I’ll come after I visit my mother.”
She left Mrs. Ungritch and went to the mudroom to gather her coat and handbag. She’d almost forgotten that she wasn’t wearing her clothes. She quickly changed in the bathroom again, and when she came out, Jaxon was in the kitchen stacking plates into the dishwasher.
Monica couldn’t help but pause and watch him for a few moments. Even when she’d had David over to her apartment for dinner, he’d never made a move to help with anything in the kitchen. Jaxon turned, and Monica felt heat flood her face at being caught watching.
“Thanks for getting me a change of clothes,” she said.
His green eyes seemed to hold her in place. “You can just leave them on the bench. I’ll take them up to my mom later.”
“All right,” Monica said, moving toward the door, then depositing the clothes on the bench. “See you tomorrow.”
He crossed the room, walking toward her, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel he’d grabbed from the counter. “Sorry about what my mom said.”
Monica blinked up at him, wondering if she should act as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
“She’s always been like that,” Jaxon said, leaning against the wall.
He was a little taller than David, and leaner too, but his shoulders and arms were definitely more sculpted. She remembered now that Mrs. Ungritch had said her son worked for a logging company or something like that.
“It’s probably why there were issues over Cynthia in the beginning,” Jaxon said. “At least, my stubbornness was in part because I had met her on my own. She wasn’t someone my mother had steered in my direction.”
“I can see how that would be annoying.”
“Yeah,” Jaxon said. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “But I was pretty immature about it. Turns out my parents saw a lot more than I did at the time.”
Monica didn’t really know what to say to that. They were talking about Jaxon’s ex, and the conversation seemed oddly personal for two practical strangers. “How long were you married?” she asked, then wished she hadn’t.
“Not even a year,” Jaxon said. “She wasn’t exactly the type of woman to be faithful. I should have seen it coming, but I was foolish to believe I was different. And that she’d treat me differently. My parents saw it a mile away.”
“Parents can be like that,” she said, giving him a gentle smile. “Before my mother got dementia, she was full of all kinds of unwelcome advice. She’d probably be disappointed I dropped out of college to come back and take care of her if she understood all that has gone on.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate it and value your sacrifice.”
“No,” Monica said with a short laugh. “She would have told me to live my life and not change it up for her health problems.”
Jaxon studied her for a moment before replying. “I think she’d be proud of you. When it comes to it, titles, degrees, and money don’t make much difference in the end. It’s your family. And you chose your family.”
Monica’s eyes burned with emotion, and she blinked rapidly. “You’re sweet to say that.”
He offered her a half smile. “Just speaking the truth.”
Chapter Six
“What time did you say Monica would be here?” Jaxon’s mom asked him again.
“We didn’t specify a time,” he said, finding himself watching out the front window again. “It was just going to be this afternoon.”
His mother crossed to stand by him and checked her gold watch. “Well, it’s one-thirty. Maybe we should call her.”
Just then, the phone rang. “That must be her.” His mother hurried over to the living room side table and answered.
By the one-sided conversation Jaxon heard, he knew it was Monica.
“We were just starting to wonder about you,” his mother said into the phone. “Jaxon? I suppose so. He’s right here.” She turned to Jaxon and said, “Monica wants to speak to you.”
Jaxon couldn’t have been more surprised. As he walked the few steps toward the phone, he sensed the news couldn’t be good. Maybe Monica would be spending Christmas with David after all. Maybe they were getting back together. Jaxon was surprised at his disappointed feelings over that matter. He liked Monica, and he agreed with his mother— she was a good woman.
“Hello?” he said into the phone.
Monica’s voice was hushed on the other end. “Sorry to bother you, Jaxon, but I need a favor.”
He turned away from his mother, who was watching him. Something about her tone of voice told him there was a reason she wanted to speak to him and not his mother.
“I came to the care center to visit with my mother, and when I came out, I saw David’s truck in the parking lot. He’s been sitting there for thirty minutes.” She took a breath. “I know he’s waiting for me.”
“Are you worried about him... confronting you?”
She exhaled again. “I don’t know. I just have this bad feeling about it. Last night he texted me in the middle of the night. I didn’t see it until this morning, but he’s not taking no for an answer.”
“I’ll come pick you up.”
“Are you sure?” she asked in a hesitant voice.
“No problem,” he said. “I’ll borrow my parents’ car.”
“All right, but don’t tell your parents about David,” she said. “I don’t want them to worry, and I’m probably just being paranoid.”
“Got it.” Jaxon took out his cell from his pocket. “I’m putting your number into my phone and I’ll send you a text so you have it. I’m on my way, but call my cell if anything else happens.” She agreed, and he hung up.
Minutes later he was out the door, having told his parents that Monica was having car trouble, and driving along the icy roads. Snow sleeted across the road in front of him, so he took it slow, although all he wanted to do was drive top speed. What if David went into the care center to confront Monica before Jaxon arrived?
But when he pulled into the parking lot, he saw the truck Monica had mentioned. It sat idling, and Jaxon could see David’s dark head silhouetted against the window.
Jaxon drove to the drop-off driveway and parked, leaving the car running. He sent her a text that he’d arrived and was coming inside. He found her waiting just inside the lobby, standing behind a tall Ficus tree. She looked pale, and her blue eyes were huge.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, crossing to her.
“Thank you for coming,” she said in a near whisper.
He grasped her hand and found that she was trembling. This wasn’t good. Was there more to her relationship with David than she’d let on? Had he hurt her before? “Come on, let’s get out of here.” Jaxon guided her to the door, keeping her hand firmly in his. “Don’t look over at his truck. I’ll let you in the passenger side; lock the door as soon as it shuts.”
“Is that necessary?” she asked in a small voice.
“We’ll find out.” He walked with her through the automatic front doors that
whooshed open when they approached. He could feel the tension radiating from Monica, and he sensed that David had noticed them coming out.
He ushered Monica into the car and strode around to the driver’s side.
From across the parking lot, David revved his truck engine, then started driving straight toward them.
Jaxon hopped in the car and stomped on the gas pedal, the door barely closing as he jerked the car forward.
The truck veered, and Jaxon barely missed getting hit as he sped his way out of the parking lot. “Call 9-1-1!” he said to Monica. “This guy has lost his mind.”
The truck kept coming, barreling out of the parking lot and following them down the street.
Jaxon glanced over at Monica as she spoke to the emergency dispatcher. Her voice was shaking as she talked. He checked the rearview mirror again. David was still following them.
Up ahead the traffic light turned yellow. There was no traffic, so Jaxon sped up and passed through the intersection just as it changed to red. His heart sank when David didn’t stop and went right through the red light, continuing to follow them.
“The cops are coming,” Monica said to Jaxon. She looked behind them. “Just keep driving.”
The fear in her voice was plain, and Jaxon’s own pulse was racing. How crazy would David get? As soon as he heard police sirens, relief shot through him, but he knew this was far from over.
Suddenly, David’s truck pulled around him and roared past. The police cars came around the corner in front of them and screeched on their brakes. David’s truck screamed to a halt. Jaxon slowed as well, letting everything play out in front of them from a safe distance away. As he drew the car to a stop about fifty yards short of where David stopped his truck, Jaxon grasped Monica’s hand.
She gripped his hand as they watched the cop get out. David slid out of his truck and raised his hands. The two cops approached him, and after talking to him, one of them started writing up a citation.
David kept looking over at Monica. Although they were too far away to see David’s expression, Jaxon sensed the defiance radiating from him.
“Thanks so much for coming,” Monica said in a quiet voice. “I didn’t know he’d go this far.”
Jaxon released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She was trembling, which only made him feel more protective. And angry toward David. “Has he ever done something like this before?”
“No,” she said. “He gets mad easily and yells, but he hasn’t been physically aggressive like this.”
She fell quiet as one of the police officers walked toward them. When he reached Monica, he said, “Are you all right, ma’am?”
“I am,” she said. “What’s going to happen with him?”
“We charged him with as many things as we could, so he’ll be spending plenty of time in court.” The officer asked for both of their stories, and when they were finished, he told them to let him know if David tried to contact her again.
After the officer left, Monica leaned into Jaxon. “I don’t know how to thank you.” She released a sigh. “Some Christmas, huh?”
He rubbed her arm. “Let’s get you back to my house. My mom is anxious to see you.” He walked her to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her. “How was your mom?”
She took a shaky breath and gave him a faint smile. “She’s about the same. Kept calling me Kathleen— I think she was an old friend of my mom’s. But she did tell me Merry Christmas.”
Jaxon wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her. But he’d only met this woman yesterday, and she’d just dodged a crazed boyfriend. He could only imagine the emotions tumbling through her. “We’ll just have to make sure we do have a Merry Christmas,” he said.
Chapter Seven
Monica exhaled, letting the breath leave her body in small measurements. Jaxon’s car was warmed up now, and the shock of David’s actions was fading somewhat. It was still hard to believe, though, that David would go that far. The text from the middle of the night had basically said he was giving her one more chance, and if she blew him off again, he was going to start dating other women.
She knew he was trying to goad her, to hurt her, to get her to reply. If she hadn’t already decided they were over, this afternoon’s incident had cemented it forever. Jaxon turned the car into his parents’ driveway, and she glanced over at him. They’d both been quiet on the drive back, and Monica was grateful to collect her thoughts.
She honestly didn’t know what she might have done if she didn’t have Jaxon to call. Probably waited who knew how long until David left— but he did know where she lived. She’d never been bothered living by herself above the shop before, but now...
“Made it,” Jaxon said in that easy tone of his. He seemed to take everything in stride. He hadn’t hesitated to help her, and he hadn’t seemed cowed by David at all— he’d driven fast, but relatively safely, and she knew Jaxon wasn’t afraid to stand up to David.
It was a comforting thought. But it also wasn’t realistic to expect Jaxon to be her bodyguard.
“Will you be all right?” Jaxon asked.
Monica realized she’d been staring off into space. Had he asked her anything else? “Yes,” she said, turning to look at him. His green eyes were quite incredible— pretty much perfect for a hero. “It’s just kind of surreal, you know.”
“Yeah, I get it,” he said, seeming in no hurry to pry information from her. “When I was with Cynthia and we had a big argument... the next day, I’d want to forgive her and to stay together. But after she kept doing what she did over and over, I finally decided I deserved better. Even no relationship was better than one with her. After her son was born, she started to go out with her girlfriends, and one thing led to another.” He fell quiet.
“I’m sorry. That must have been awful,” Monica said. Even though his voice was even, matter-of-fact, she sensed he still felt pain.
“It was awful, but it’s all over now.” He gave her a sideways glance. “The longer I’m home, the happier I am that I came. My parents have been more than great, and... meeting you has been a nice surprise.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Really? You like the damsel in distress thing?”
He smiled back. “I think we all need a little rescuing now and then.”
They were quiet for a moment; then Monica said, “Did your parents tell you that I’m buying their store?”
“Yeah.” He turned to face her, and she became caught up gazing into his eyes. “I was going to try and talk you out of it so I could take over for them, but I think you’re the man for the job.”
“You mean the woman?”
He grinned. “Yeah. That too.”
“So what will you do? I mean, if you can’t change my mind?”
“Is your mind changeable?”
“No,” Monica said.
He nodded. “That’s what I thought.” He chuckled. “I took some business classes, but I’m more of a hands-on guy. Not so much for crunching numbers at a desk.”
“Hmmm,” Monica said, grateful that he’d admitted as much. “I love to crunch numbers. Spreadsheets and I have a very close relationship.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure, what are you thinking?”
He leaned back and folded his arms as if he had all the time in the world and his mother wasn’t most likely watching from the window and wondering why they were sitting in the car for so long. “I’m thinking that since my parents are looking forward to retirement that I could work for you... at least for a while until I figure out my next steps.”
Monica liked the idea, but she couldn’t really match a regular salary he could get somewhere else.
He held up his hand. “I know what you’re thinking— why would you hire a grown man when you could hire a high school student for minimum wage?”
“That’s part of it, but I also worry that you might not like how I r
un things.”
“My mother trained both of us, and besides, I would never interfere.” His voice was soft, and she knew he was referring to David’s antics. “Before you turn me down flat, just think about it. I’ll volunteer my time anyway. I owe a lot of gratitude to my parents. This will be the beginning of me repaying them.”
Monica reached out and touched his arm. He looked down at where her hand rested, then looked up at her, a question in his eyes.
“Just checking to see if you’re real,” she said, removing her hand.
He gave her a half-smile. “While you’re thinking about it, we’d better go inside. My mom’s probably wearing a hole in the carpet pacing back and forth.”
Jaxon had been right. As soon as they walked in the front door, Mrs. Ungritch was there waiting, her expression a mixture of concern and relief.
“Everything all right with your car?”
“Oh,” Monica paused. “Nothing to worry about. Sorry it took a while.”
Mrs. Ungritch just smiled and hugged her. “Come on in. Dinner is ready, and Mr. Ungritch is getting grumpy from hunger.”
A voice from the kitchen sailed in. “I heard that!”
Mrs. Ungritch rolled her eyes and bustled away.
“Let me help you bring the food out,” Monica said, setting off after her. But Jaxon grasped her arm.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
“For what? You rescued me,” she whispered back.
“For listening to me and for considering my offer.”
She knew her cheeks were about to flame red. So she just smiled, then hurried away, taking refuge in the kitchen from those green eyes.
Mr. Ungritch was just coming out when she stepped into the kitchen.
“Great to have you here with us,” he said. “How’s your mother?”
“She knows it’s Christmas, so that’s good,” Monica said.
Mr. Ungritch patted her shoulder. “You’re a good daughter to visit her so faithfully.”
“Thank you,” Monica said, feeling her chest tighten. She wished she could do so much more. She wished her mother was with her at the Ungritches’, about to enjoy a delicious meal.
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