A Very Merry Christmas Gift (Winter Kisses Book 1)

by Kathryn Kelly

  She felt her smile in return reach her eyes and felt a familiar little tug at her insides as his fingers wrapped around hers.

  This time the danger was going to be different.

  Chapter Six

  Tabitha barely had time to look up all day. They had been busier than she had even imagined. With a key clipped to a lanyard and hanging securely around her neck, she had made a dozen trips out to the firewood pile. Aunt Allie would have to have more wood delivered if this cold weather continued.

  Tabitha’s fireplace idea had been a definite hit with the cold weather.

  It was eight o’clock and people were still milling around the store - some of them had been camped out for hours, reading and drinking hot drinks in front of the fireplace. As long as they were buying drinks, Tabitha and Aunt Allie were happy.

  Claire, a college student Aunt Allie had hired for the holiday season, had worked behind the counter all day. Tabitha had relieved her periodically, but Claire was much faster on the cash register.

  “Claire,” Tabitha said, helping her bag up a customer’s purchase into a festive silver and red gift bag. “Why don’t you go ahead and head out? I can take it from here.”

  “I’m okay,” Claire said. “It’s kind of fun, really, being so busy.” She began to ring up the next customer. “You’ve kind of got your hands full anyway,” she nodded toward the fire area.

  “Yeah, I’m the official fire keeper and drink maker.”

  “And it’s working,” Claire said, sending a friendly, dimpled smile as she ran the male customer’s credit card.

  When the man turned and walked out, Tabitha leaned over and said, “What you’re doing is working, too.”

  “Doesn’t hurt to be friendly,” Claire said, with a wide smile at the elderly woman who stepped up to the counter, her arms full of books.

  As Tabitha went over to check on the fire and pick up empty mugs to put on a tray she had found in the back, she decided that Aunt Allie had stumbled upon a rare gem when she hired Claire. Not only was she energetic and efficient, but she was friendly - a quality that was hard to find these days, especially after she’d worked a ten-hour shift with minimal breaks.

  Turning around, her hands full, she almost dropped the tray when she saw Adam coming through the back door. He looked a little ragged around the edges – in a good way - he had a five o’clock shadow that made her heart stumble.

  “Let me help you with that,” he said, taking the tray from her hands.

  “I’ve got it,” she said, but let him take the tray from her.

  Together, they went to the break room.

  “How has your day been so far?” he asked, when they were in the relative quiet away from the store.

  “It’s been busy.”

  “No more mishaps?”

  She smiled. “No, but I have my key,” she lifted the key that hung around her neck and held it up for him to see.

  He laughed. “But if you always have your key, how can I get you to come spend the night again?”

  Dropping the key, she shot him a glance. “Funny.”

  “Not intentionally,” he said, quietly. “What time are you closing?”

  “I don’t even know.”

  “I just closed.”

  “Already? Why? We’re packed.”

  “I see that. You can have my customers. I’m beat.”

  “Gee. Thanks. If it weren’t for Claire, I don’t know how we would have done it.”

  “Claire’s a good girl.”

  “You know her?”

  “She’s been over to visit one of my girls,” he said, with a shrug. “Need some help in there?”

  “No, we’ve got it. I thought you were beat.”

  “I am,” he said, checking his watch. “Hey, I want to show you something.”

  She glanced at the half a dozen customers milling about the store and the two waiting in line for Claire to check them out.

  “Come on,” he said. “You can take a break.”

  “I can take notes from you?”

  “Hey, if you don’t take a break, you will burn out.” When she seemed to consider, he nodded toward the front door. “Come on. Bring your coat.”

  Curious, she grabbed her coat, put in on, and followed him out the front door.

  Stepping outside, the cold air slapped her in the face. Nevertheless, the sidewalk was crowded. They stood there a moment, locked in the alcove, with people passing loudly in front of them.

  Adam took her hand in his and darted into the crowd, pulling her behind him. His hand was strong, but he held her gently. She didn’t protest being pulled along. It gave her the chance to allow her attention to wander up to the lights strung above the streets. The strings of lights were crisscrossed along, creating a web of blue light above them in the darkness.

  Tabitha had never seen anything quite like it. Sure, she’d heard about the Estes Park decorations, but she’d never visited at Christmas-time. She vaguely remembered her parents dragging her here when she was a child, but she didn’t remember anything outstanding about seeing a little town with decorations.

  But now. She was stunned with its elegance. And coldness -not just cold from the weather. The blue glow from the lights gave it an icy beauty.

  She didn’t realize they had stopped and she ran right into Adam’s back. He steadied her and followed her gaze. “It’s beautiful,” she said.

  He smiled, but his gazed stayed on her face. “Yes, it is.”

  Feeling him looking at her, she turned and looked back at him. Strangers jostled around them - she knew this somewhere in the back of her mind. But she didn’t care. Her world had just narrowed to two people - her and Adam.

  Her heart pounded dangerously in her chest and she felt her eyes stray to his lips. She wondered how they would feel against hers. Catching herself, she jerked her eyes back to his.

  He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then he kissed her on the forehead.

  Her heart leaped. And… She heard fireworks. Her eyes wide, she looked at him questioningly.

  He smiled, shifted, and pointed toward the sky.

  She followed his gaze, then laughed at herself. “There really were fireworks,” she said under her breath.

  He reached out and took her hand as they stood together, being jostled by the crowd, watching the fireworks together.

  Tabitha took a deep breath of cold air. The flashes of color above the cold, blue lights above the street were indescribable. Color and ice. Maybe it was her heart, frozen, but hopeful.

  And that’s what Adam was doing - giving her hope. Hope that life could be back to normal. That there could be a man in her life that wouldn’t hurt her.

  “Just wait. It gets better.” When he leaned over and whispered in her ear, she lost all chain of rational thought and just savored the moment. It was indeed, getting better.

  The fireworks didn’t last long. Tabitha could have stood there all night, her shoulder nestled against Adam, her hand tucked in his. The crowd around them created a pocket of warmth. After the grand finale, a wild burst of color and shape against the backdrop of the perfectly black sky, they made their way back to the store.

  Back in the warmth and relative quietness of the shop, Tabitha hurried to relieve Claire.

  “Can I help out with anything?” Adam asked.

  “No, I think we’re okay. I thought you were tired.”

  “I am. Mind if I hang out by the fire?” Adam asked.

  “No,” she said, wondering how he went from being exhausted to wanting to just hang out.

  Within minutes, though, she understood. Adam knew over half the people there. He was smiling, laughing with people, making them feel more at home than she, as a newcomer and a stranger to town, ever could. Especially without Aunt Allie here, he was good for business.

  He sat next to a middle-aged man, stretched his legs out, and they had a conversation about the book the older man was reading.

  In between customers, she took a m
oment to admire his long legs, his whisker-shadowed face. That smile he had.

  And the glance he shot in her direction.

  Her breathe hitched.

  She’d thought all those emotions had been permanently deleted.

  “Tabitha,” Claire voiced jarred her out of her reverie. “Can you order a book for this customer?”

  “Yes, of course,” Tabitha said, turning reluctantly to the young girl standing at the counter. Her cell phone rang. Thinking it might be Aunt Allie calling, she almost just answered it, but out of habit, checked the caller id first. It was a private number. Maybe Aunt Allie was calling from the hospital. “Hello?”

  She put her hand over her right ear in an effort to hear the caller. “Hello?” she repeated. There was silence on the other end, then she thought she heard a muffled voice whispering her name. She hung up. And immediately called Aunt’s Allie’s room at the hospital. “Give me a second, she said to the girl. “I’m so sorry.”

  The older woman was happy to hear from her, but it wasn’t she who had called. Promising to call back to update her as soon as they had closed, she went to order the book for the customer.

  An hour later, they ushered the remaining few customers out the door with the assurance that they would be open again tomorrow morning at ten o’clock.

  After she clicked the lock on the front door, she put her forehead against the cool wood. And allowed herself to think the thought she’d been avoiding for over an hour.

  Aunt Allie was the only person who had this cell phone number.

  Chapter Seven

  “I brought you some hot tea,” Adam said, handing her a steaming mug. “With honey like you said you liked.

  It had been such a long day, it seemed like ages ago that she’d mentioned that she liked green tea at night.

  Tabitha turned and sighed. “How can I ever thank you for everything you’ve done for me today?”

  “Get a good night’s sleep.”

  She nodded.

  “Bring Aunt Allie home tomorrow.”

  She smiled into her mug.

  “Make another batch of those brownies.”

  She chuckled and swallowed some of the tea.

  “Let me buy you lunch tomorrow.”

  Her head jerked up as a rush of fear shot through her. As her eyes met his, she couldn’t hide the questions that she knew they asked.

  He reached out, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her lips parted.

  “Say yes.”

  She found herself nodding.

  He kissed her forehead and walked away. She didn’t move. Just held the warm mug in her hands. And allowed her mind to go blissfully blank.

  Tabitha jerked awake. She wasn’t sure what had startled her. Without moving, she glanced over at the digital clock. It was half past three. The cat was asleep, curled at the foot of her bed, so she knew she couldn’t blame it on Lucy.

  She’d never stayed here alone before. Maybe that was it. Just being in a place she wasn’t used to - alone.

  Then there was the phone call she had gotten earlier. It hadn’t been a wrong number. She’d heard her name. A wrong number wouldn’t know her name.

  She’d locked up. She’d checked the locks three times before getting into bed. She had Adam’s phone number. He could be there in less than a minute.

  He doesn’t have a key.

  She lay very still - afraid to move a muscle, still on edge.

  Something wasn’t right.

  She strained to hear something. Anything. Wind against the windows. A neighbor outside.

  Nothing. Silence.

  She needed to get up and close her door. And lock it.

  At least if someone was in the house, she stood a chance of surviving if her door was locked.

  But if she got out of bed, he might hear her.

  She waited.

  Maybe he was downstairs. Looking for money.

  He’d find some. The banks were closed by the time they locked the doors.

  She took a deep, calming breathe. Surely Lucy would have heard if there was someone in the house. Why didn’t Aunt Allie have a dog?

  Tomorrow she would give Adam a key.

  Okay, she coaxed herself. Get up and lock the bedroom door. It was the only way.

  He’d find her eventually anyway, if she didn’t.

  Slowly, quietly, she got out of bed and dashed over to slam the door and flip the lock.

  Her heart racing in her chest, she leaned against the door.

  And listened.

  Silence.

  She went back to bed and buried her head under the covers.

  Then she got up and, holding her breath, got on the floor and looked under her bed.

  Feeling foolish, she crawled back under the covers. Lucy stirred and squinted at her before going back to sleep only to start snoring.

  Tabitha lay there, listening to the silence in the house. Listening to the cat snoring. Until over an hour later, she fell asleep, too exhausted to keep her eyes open any longer.

  “You look a little tired,” Aunt Allie told Tabitha, the next morning as they sat waiting for her discharge notice. “Tired, but something’s different.” She quietly contemplated her niece.

  Tabitha, having never known Aunt Allie to have quiet, contemplative moments, caught herself squirming a little under the older woman’s scrutiny. She didn’t know if it was because she’d been afraid to stay alone last night or if it was because she had a huge crush on Aunt Allie’s favorite neighbor.

  “I didn’t sleep very well last night,” she said, choosing to ignore the part about the neighbor.

  “It gets a little lonely in that big old apartment, doesn’t it? Especially with the store down there. Sometimes I think it might be haunted.”

  “I thought I heard something,” Tabitha blurted out, before she caught herself. Biting her lip, she turned away. She shouldn’t have said anything.

  “Not?” Aunt Allie’s one word conveyed all the fear in Tabitha’s heart.

  “No, I don’t think so. Not now. But I wasn’t sure then.” She turned back to meet Aunt Allie’s gaze. “I was afraid that it was.”

  Aunt Allie nodded. “It’s a good thing I’m coming home.”

  “You look a little tired,” Claire told Tabitha an hour later as they prepared to open the store.

  Tabitha almost groaned. “I am tired,” she said, breaking a roll of quarters and dumping them into the cash register.

  “You’ve been kind of busy lately,” Claire pointed out. “Taking care of Aunt Allie and watching the store. Especially since you aren’t used to it.”

  Tabitha nodded. “You’re right. And I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Claire shook her head. “I didn’t do much. Just ran the check out like I always do. You just stepped right in and did what needed to be done.”

  “Thanks,” Tabitha said, feeling tears burning the backs of her eyes. It was true. She had done what needed to be done. She wasn’t used to having that acknowledged.

  “What did you do with the patient?” A man’s voice asked near her ear.

  Tabitha jumped, feeling her heart trip over itself. She turned and smiled at Adam. He was looking rested and relaxed today.

  “She’s upstairs in her bedroom.”

  “How did you get her upstairs?”

  Tabitha and Claire glanced at each other. “It wasn’t easy,” Claire said.

  “We managed.”

  “You should have called me,” Adam said, looking pointedly at Tabitha.

  “You never know. We may need you later.”

  “Call me anytime,” he said, his eyes locked on to hers. “I just talked to her on the phone so I think she needs me to fix something.” He shrugged. “I’m going to run on up.”

  When he was out of sight, Tabitha exhaled.

  She was so in trouble.

  “He’s kind of cute,” Claire said.

  Tabitha looked at the younger girl and smiled. “Kind of.”

  �
�I think he likes you.”

  “No,” she said, reflexively. “He’s just being nice.”

  “Guys don’t do that. Not unless they like you.”

  Tabitha studied the younger woman. Claire was a college student, majoring in psychology at the university. She was in a sorority and on the homecoming court. Her popularity hadn’t diminished her sweetness. Or maybe she was popular because she was sweet.

  Maybe Claire was right. She’d never known a guy to be nice just to be nice. She mentally shook herself. What was she thinking? Claire may know about the ways of college boys, but she didn’t have real life experience yet. Adam was Aunt Allie’s friend. Of course he was just being nice.

  She left Claire at the cash register and went to sweep out the fireplace. The customers had flocked to it yesterday and the forecast predicted cold again for today.

  She bobbled the broom as a new thought occurred to her.

  Adam had asked her to lunch.

  Maybe he’d just been being nice then, too. He’d probably forgotten all about it. Besides, he hadn’t asked her for a specific day, so it wasn’t a date.

  A few minutes later, Adam came bounding back down the stairs. “She was asleep,” he announced.

  “They’ve got her on some pretty heavy medication.”

  “I thought as much. I’ll check in her later. After we get back from lunch,” he said.

  Claire smirked in Tabitha’s direction.

  Adam stood with his thumbs tucked in his pockets, a serious expression on his face as he watched them.

  “What?” Tabitha said, turning on the coffee machine. She’d never known how many details were involved with running a shop.

  “Let’s go for a walk,” he said.

  “A walk? Where?”

  “Downtown,” he nodded toward the door.

  “I can’t just leave,” she said.

  “I’ve got it,” Claire said, waving a hand toward the empty store. “If I need you, I’ve got your cell number programed in my phone.”

  Tabitha turned and faced Adam. Shrugged.

  “Where’s your coat?” he asked. “I’ll get it.”

  “It’s upstairs. I’ll go get it,” she turned and walked toward the back of the store. Adam Patton was a determined man. He was thoughtful. Not all men are like Bobby.