The woman wore a bright yellow long-sleeved shirt tucked into cobalt blue slacks. The silver belt around her trim waist matched the moon-and-star silver earrings she wore. The two women were about the same height, although Holly had come straight from work and still wore two-inch heels.
"What are you doing now?" a male voice inquired. The tone of the question implied the woman was doing something he wouldn't like.
"Answering the door. Quit being such a baby. You don't want me in the room with you, but you yell at me if I go away. Make up your mind, Jordan."
"Who is it?" he asked.
Louise rolled her eyes. "One of your women."
"Oh, no," Holly said quickly. "I'm not—"
"Which one?"
Louise glanced at her. "What's your name?"
"Holly, but I'm not—"
"Holly," she yelled toward the back of the house.
Jordan was silent. Holly figured he was trying to place her.
"I'm not one of Captain Haynes's women," she said.
Louise smiled. "Then that makes you a smart girl. That boy is nothing but a difficult toad." She shouted the last part of the sentence, aiming the words in the direction of what must be his room. After drawing in a deep breath, she released it slowly. "I'm real sorry I ever agreed to this. He's going to be the death of me. And Lord knows I'm far too young to die." She paused and drew her eyebrows together. "Who are you, then?"
"I'm Holly Garrett." Holly shifted her package to the other arm and held out her hand. "My apartment was destroyed in that big storm earlier in the week. Captain Haynes went back inside to save my cat." She shook Louise's hand. "I'm the reason he was injured. Actually Mistletoe is, but I feel responsible."
"Mistletoe?"
"My cat. She got scared once they were out of the apartment and tried to get away. Captain Haynes managed to hold on to her, but in the process he lost his footing on the balcony and fell over the side. I feel terrible about what happened."
Louise's lips started to twitch. She chuckled for a moment. "Felled by a cat. Serves him right."
"I brought cookies," Holly said, holding out the box. "They're not much. I couldn't make them myself. I don't have a kitchen right now. I wish I did. I really like to cook and bake."
"Louise!" Jordan yelled.
"Wait a minute," she yelled back, then lowered her voice. "He's going to be flat on his back for two weeks. I don't think I'm going to last here."
"You're his…?"
"Housekeeper. It's a temporary job. Very temporary. You want some coffee?" Louise didn't wait for an answer. She just headed for the rear of the house.
Holly trailed after her. As they passed through the foyer, she noticed the stunning chandelier hanging down from the ceiling two stories up. The tiny crystal teardrops were original. They caught light and created rainbows. The banister was hand carved, the floors in great shape. In her mind's eye she saw the house as it had once been and what it would be like again, given enough time, money and love.
"He's through there," Louise said, pointing to a half-closed door.
Holly saw a library and beyond that the foot of a bed in what had once probably been the study.
"How is he?"
Louise snorted. "If his foul temper is anything to go by, he's improving every hour."
They entered the large kitchen. A tray sat on the table in the center of the room. Louise motioned to it. "Says he won't eat it. Can you imagine? I've been cooking all my life, but Mr. High-and-Mighty doesn't like it."
Holly glanced at the plate filled with meat loaf, mashed potatoes and vegetables. It smelled wonderful. Her stomach growled. She hadn't had anything since breakfast, and suddenly she was starving.
Louise smiled. "Help yourself."
"Oh, I couldn't."
"Louise!" Jordan called again. He sounded furious.
Holly looked at the tray, then in the direction of the makeshift bedroom. She owed Jordan Haynes a big debt. He'd saved her cat. Mistletoe had been her mother's gift to her the Christmas before she died. A single dinner wouldn't do much to repay what she owed him, but it could be a start. She didn't know much about men, but she was intimately familiar with a sick room.
"Maybe I could help," she said cautiously.
Louise planted her hands on her hips. "Honey, you're welcome to try." She glanced at the clock over the stove. "My evening college class starts in forty minutes. I don't have the time to fix Jordan something else. Why don't you go introduce yourself and if he takes to you, then be my guest."
"Thank you," Holly said, then headed back the way she'd come. She knew several dishes specially designed to tempt an invalid's appetite. She'd taken care of her mother for years.
"Oh, and Holly?"
She paused, then glanced over her shoulder. "Yes?"
"Tell the boy to put some clothes on."
* * *
Chapter 2
« ^ »
Tell Jordan to put some clothes on? Holly blinked several times. "You mean he's—" She couldn't even say the word, but she could sure think it loudly. Naked?
Louise winked. "You'll just have to go see for yourself, won't you? Don't worry. He hasn't got anything you haven't seen a dozen times before."
Holly gave a weak smile, then headed for the study. Actually Louise was wrong. Jordan did have something she had never seen before. At least he did if he was naked.
As she walked through the library, one part of her mind noted the hand-fitted floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the large crystal light fixtures hanging in each corner. In front of her she could see the bottom of a bed. Her steps slowed. Naked? No, Louise wouldn't do that to her.
She stopped on the library side of the doorway and cleared her throat. Maybe she should warn him that she was about to enter his room. So if he was, well, naked, he could cover up.
Still, she hesitated before speaking. She didn't know what to say. Just thinking about the handsome fire fighter made her nervous. At the hospital she'd been so concerned about his condition, she'd barely had time to notice his looks at all. But once he woke up and they spoke, she hadn't been able to think about anything else. Her stomach had gotten all sort of quivery, and she'd barely been able to form whole sentences. Thank goodness his family had shown up and she'd been able to escape before she made a complete fool of herself.
Now here she was, about to enter his bedroom. Well, not really his bedroom. He had been put downstairs because it was more convenient and would make it easier for him to get around without having to worry about stairs. She remembered when they'd first moved her mother to the downstairs family room. Holly sighed at the memory. She might not know a single thing about men, but she knew how to take care of someone. That's why she was here. Because Jordan Haynes was injured. If she remembered that and forgot how he looked, then everything would be fine.
"Captain Haynes?" she said softly as she stared at the scarred hardwood floors. "Hi, I'm Holly Garrett. We met in the hospital. May I come in?"
"Sure."
She paused, waiting to hear the rustle of bed sheets as he covered himself. There was only silence. She reminded herself that sick and injured people had a lot of similarities. They got frustrated, bored, tired of the pain and isolation. And if she was worried about him being naked, she wouldn't look at anything below his neck.
She drew in a deep breath, smiled broadly and stepped into the converted study.
Thick drapes had been pulled over two sets of windows. In the daylight the room would get morning sun. A hospital bed had been set up in the center of the room. She was familiar with the model. The electric motor allowed the occupant to raise and lower both the head and the foot to find the most comfortable position. A low table had been pushed to one side, and there was a straight-back chair nearby.
Holly ignored the patient for as long as she could, then gave a quick prayer for courage and turned her attention to him.
He wasn't naked. Not completely. Still, her breath caught in her throat, her heart started pounding and she had t
ime uncomfortable feeling that she was turning bright red.
Jordan had raised the back of the bed so he was in a nearly sitting position. Dark hair tumbled onto his forehead. Equally dark eyes studied her in return. She wasn't sure if it was the shape of his masculine features, the set of his jaw or just a perception problem on her part, but she knew he was the best-looking man she'd ever seen. The muscles in her legs felt funny. It took her a moment to figure out they were shaking.
Her gaze dipped to his bare chest and the sheet bunched around his waist. She swallowed, resisting the urge to run for cover. Sculpted muscles defined his shoulders, arms and the hard, flat region of his belly. He looked as if he were posing for a provocative calendar.
"Searching for visible proof of my injuries?" he asked. Holly realized she'd been staring at him for several seconds. This time she didn't have to guess about blushing. The heat climbed quickly from the edge of her collar to her cheeks. She ducked her head.
"I…" What was she supposed to say?
"Have a seat."
She sank into the straight-back chair and folded her hands on her lap.
"You're the lady with the cat," he said.
She risked a glance. He didn't look annoyed. "Yes. You saved her. I stopped by to see how you were doing. I don't mean to intrude."
He studied her as intently as she had studied him. His attention made her uncomfortable, but she didn't feel she had the right to protest. Fair was fair.
She smoothed a hand over her skirt and wondered what he saw when he looked at her. Blond hair and blue eyes, which sounded more exciting than they were. Curves, she thought grimly, knowing her five-year battle against an extra fifteen pounds had ended in an uneasy truce. The pounds didn't multiply, and she stopped trying to make them go away. So her breasts and hips were a little larger than fashion dictated. She would survive.
"Did you bring the cat to finish me off?" he asked at last.
It took her a moment to realize he was teasing. She smiled. "Mistletoe is very sweet. I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you. She was just scared."
"Yeah, right. I saw the look in her eyes. She was glad I went over the side." His gaze brushed across her face. "What happened to your hair?"
"My hair?" She reached behind her head and touched her braid. "Nothing. I'm wearing it back."
"Let me see."
She half turned in her seat and tilted her head so he could see the French braid. She'd pinned the end up by the nape of her neck to form a loop.
"I like it loose," he said. "You've got beautiful hair."
"Oh." She blinked. "Ah, thank you."
Had he just paid her a compliment? Holly figured he had. Why? Is that what men and women did? Was he flirting? No. Not with her. She wasn't his type. Actually she didn't know what his type would be, but she was pretty sure she was the furthest female from it. He was injured, that was all. Or possibly delirious.
She cleared her throat and wished she'd had more experience with this kind of situation. The problem was she'd never spent any time with a man and his bare chest before. "I brought cookies," she said. "They're from the bakery. I don't have a working kitchen yet, but when I do, I'll make something from scratch. That is, if it wouldn't be too inconvenient."
"I think I can handle the inconvenience of you baking me something," he said, then smiled.
The smile caught her unaware. Lines crinkled by his dark eyes. His teeth were white, and his handsome face became almost painfully beautiful. Everything inside her bubbled so much, she thought she might start floating around the room. Wow. She needed to get out more.
"I'm pretty hungry," he said. "Would you mind bringing me a couple of those cookies now? I'd get them myself, but I'm—" He motioned to the sheets.
"Naked," she said without thinking.
"What? No. I'm not supposed to get up for a couple of days. I'm not naked."
Naked? Had she actually said naked? Holly covered her face with her hands and made a whimpering noise. "No," she said. "I didn't mean… That is, I…"
"Holly?"
He said her name softly. She thought about just running from the room, but her legs were too shaky to cooperate. "I didn't mean that," she murmured. "Louise said for me to tell you to put some clothes on, so I just sort of thought—"
"It's okay."
She risked sliding her hands down so they just covered her mouth, the she glanced at him. He wasn't smiling, but he didn't look mad. She breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her hands to her lap. "Sorry. Look, I'll go get those cookies for you."
She rose to her feet and reminded herself of his injuries, which were, indirectly, her fault. Act like a nurse, she told herself. She knew how.
"Are you on any medication?" she asked. "Pills you have to take with food?"
"Nope."
She thought about testing for fever but knew she couldn't disconnect enough to touch his forehead without swooning. She consoled herself with the thought that he didn't look hot.
She fought a giggle. Okay, yes, he looked hot, but sexy hot, not fever hot.
Her body continued to tremble, but she tried to ignore it. After taking a couple of steps toward the door, she paused. "I'm a pretty good cook," she said, not looking at him but instead staring at the library in front of her. "If you don't like what Louise prepared for dinner, I could make something else." She swallowed. "No, it's a dumb idea. Never mind."
Just as well. She had to get out of his house before she embarrassed herself again. She wanted to tell Jordan it wasn't her fault. Except for a couple of her mother's doctors, she'd never spent any time around men. They were foreign to her as space aliens.
"I'd like that very much," he said.
She whirled around to face him. "You would?"
"Sounds great. But only if you keep me company. I've been home for two days without anyone to talk to. I'm about to go crazy." Then he gave her that smile again.
Despite the shaking and the way her heart was slamming against her ribs, she forced herself to smile back. "Okay. I'll make something fast."
"I can't wait."
Holly didn't remember leaving the room or walking through the library and down the hall. The next thing she knew, she practically floated into the kitchen. Louise was leaning against the sink. She raised her blond eyebrows.
"Well?" the older woman asked.
"I offered to cook him something, and he said yes."
Louise shook her head. "He's the most stubborn man I've ever met. You're welcome to him." She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out two steaks.
Holly eyed the meat. "Can he really eat that much?"
Louise grinned. "Only one of them is for him. The other is for you. I heard your stomach growling. You've been at work all day, haven't you? Barely stopped for lunch."
Holly thought of the half sandwich she'd never had time to get back to. It had been a busy afternoon. Still, she would much rather be busy and go without food than sit alone in an empty store, wishing for customers.
Before she could comment, Louise continued, "I know what it's like to be young. Thinking about everything but being healthy." She opened the refrigerator and pointed to the bottom bin. "There's plenty of fresh vegetables. He likes them steamed. Of course, not when I steam them."
"Why doesn't he like you?" Holly asked.
The housekeeper shrugged. She crossed the worn linoleum floor and grabbed a denim jacket hanging from a hook by the back door. "I don't know. He's always been this way. I've been working on and off for the Haynes family for years. There's four brothers, five if you count Austin, who isn't technically family but might as well be. I've helped when they've had new babies, cooked for the bachelors, nursed them through illness—" she tilted her head toward the study "—and injury." She smiled.
"They're a wonderful group of people. Except that one."
"Then why are you here?"
Louise slipped on her jacket. There was a backpack on a second hook. She reached for that and slung it over her shoulder. "B
ecause I care about the family. I told them I would look after him, and the good Lord willing, I'll survive. But that Jordan has a chip on his shoulder. Don't ask me why. He's never said, and I haven't bothered to ask. Maybe I will one of these days."
Louise opened the back door. "My class starts at seven. I'll be home around ten-thirty."
"Oh, I'll be long gone," Holly said. "I'm just going to cook his dinner, then leave."
"I appreciate this. I would have gone to my class no matter what, but I would have spent the whole time feeling guilty." Louise gave a quick grin, then left.
Holly turned to the old-fashioned kitchen and realized she hadn't asked where anything was. She was going to have to fumble around to find pots and pans. She didn't really mind. She was in one of the beautiful Victorian mansions she'd admired since coming to town. Jordan Haynes might not get along with his housekeeper, but Holly thought he was nice. Best of all, she was taking the first step in repaying her debt to him.
* * *
Jordan watched Holly carrying in a laden tray. She'd found an apron and slipped it over the white frilly blouse and long, soft-looking blue skirt she wore. Her wide eyes shone with excitement, and her mouth quivered on the verge of smiling.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
He inhaled the savory aroma of steak, baked potato and broccoli. "Starved."
She set the tray on the table he'd pulled next to the bed. Like the bed, the table had been rented from a hospital-supply center. He'd figured if he had to be restricted for a couple of weeks, he might as well be comfortable. The table slid around easily and could be raised and lowered to fit across his bed.
Holly reached for the bed controls. "Can you sit up a little more? It will be easier to eat."
"Sure."
She worked the controls like an expert. Next she raised the table two inches and slid it close. She unfolded a napkin and handed it to him. She played nurse very well. Interesting.
He glanced at the tray and saw it was set with two plates. "Thanks for joining me," he said. "Sometimes I get tired of eating alone."
Holly sank into the chair next to him. "I'm glad you don't mind. Louise suggested I join you. I was going to ask, but…" Her voice trailed off.
HOLLY AND MISTLETOE Page 2