Red Hot Christmas (Pride Series Romance Novels)

by Jill Sanders

  He'd only know her for two months, yet she was everything he wanted for his future. Now he just needed to figure out how to tell her and show her he was the right one for her.

  After the paper plates had been disposed of, and the dishes had been handled by a group of women and men, everyone sat around and listened to Todd and Patty play the violin and piano in the front room. Luke knew that Iian could play piano as well, but he hadn't attempted it in years, since losing his hearing.

  Amber sat next to Luke on the couch holding George.

  “Such an old fashion name for such a little guy.” Amber gently rubbed George's dark hair.

  “It was Todd, Lacey, and Iian's father's name. He died in the same accident that took Iian’s hearing.”

  “Oh!” Amber looked at Luke.

  It was Iian’s eighteenth birthday and his father had taken him out sailing, something they'd always done. Apparently there was a bad storm. They found Iian later, and he was pretty banged up and had lost his hearing. Iian can only remember bits and pieces. He thinks his father threw him on the life boat just before getting hit by lightning. He swears his father saved his life.”

  “Oh, how sad.” Amber looked down at the tiny baby. “Well, from the sounds of it, you're named after a really great man.” She kissed the baby's nose, and another piece of the puzzle he'd been missing was found.

  It was wonderful spending the weekend at Luke's place. The party had been a huge success. She really was starting to feel like part of the town. Everyone was so friendly that she doubted she'd ever want to leave. She was trying to focus on the good and not on the visit from her mother. She was due back at work on Monday morning to meet with the contractors, but for the weekend, she pretended she had a different life. She imagined this was her life, living in a huge Victorian house on a country road in a small town along the Oregon coast, with her dog and her man.

  The only reminder of what might be coming was the constant view of game items in his bedroom. When she tried to bring it up, he laughed.

  “If you don't like the stuff, I can move it into my gran's sewing room down the hall. I've been thinking of turning that into an office anyway.” It seemed to her that instead of winning the battle, she'd only postponed it, but she didn't mention it the rest of the weekend. Instead, she spent her time laughing and enjoying every moment with Luke and Jackie. The snow hadn't stuck so the back yard was a mud pile. Every time Jackie went out, they had to use a towel to dry her off. Amber had gotten it in her head to give the girl a bath, which had just soaked them and made them both smell like wet dog.

  She did enjoy the hour long, hot shower they'd taken together, afterwords, though.

  By Sunday night, she was feeling a little sad that she had to head back to her place.

  “Why don't you stay one more night? You can leave first thing in the morning.” He made a sad face, puckering his bottom lip out.

  “I wish I could. But I have laundry to do tonight and I really do need a full night’s rest. We both know that I'd never get that if I stay here.”

  He smiled. “I didn't hear you complaining last night.” He pulled her closer. Her coat was already on, and she had been trying to get her gloves on. She pushed him away playfully.

  “No. No complaints from me. But I do need to go.” She kissed him again and picked up her overnight bag.

  “Well, fine. Give me a call when you get home. You know, so I know you got there okay.”

  She smiled. “Okay.” She leaned in and kissed him again. “Goodnight.”

  She drove home in silence, and when she turned onto Main Street she was stunned to see that the Christmas lights were already hanging across the street, and on every light post hung large wreathes with red bows. She really did like this town.

  It took her a few minutes to get situated. She had laundry going before she called Luke. When he answered, he sounded out of breath.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Well...” He took a deep breath and she could hear him moving around. “Actually, right after you left, Jackie decided to start acting up. She dragged my good jeans—you know, the ones I always wear—all the way downstairs dragged my good jeans, you know the ones I always wear.” She knew the ones and couldn't really call them his good ones.

  “The faded blue jeans with holes in the knees?”

  “Yeah, those are the ones. Anyway, she dragged them all the way downstairs, then got out the back door with them and drug them through the mud. They’re ruined. Totally ruined.” He actually sounded hurt, and she laughed and laughed until her sides hurt.

  When she finally stopped, the other side of the call was quiet. “Luke?”

  “Yeah?” He still sounded hurt.

  “You can always buy new jeans.”

  “Do you know how long it took me to break those in?”

  “Twenty years?” She laughed some more, and this time he joined her.

  “Okay, so it's not so bad. I just don't know how she did it all so quickly. She was such a good girl when you were here.” He left the statement hanging.

  “Is that supposed to be some sort of guilt trip?” She smiled and snuggled under her blanket on the couch. The heater was just kicking in, warming the place.

  “Did it work?” She laughed again. “What are you wearing?” His voice changed and got deeper, more like a whisper.

  She smiled. “Are you trying to have phone sex with me?”

  “Is it working?” She laughed again.

  “Well, maybe. What are you wearing?” she asked in a breathless voice.

  “Not my favorite blue jeans.” They both laughed.

  The next morning she felt like she still hadn't gotten enough sleep, probably due to spending half the night talking to Luke on the phone. He kept trying to tell her how late it was, but she just didn't want to get off the line with him; it was her own fault. She walked into the restaurant at eight the next morning wishing for a strong cup of coffee. Good thing she worked at a restaurant. Less than fifteen minutes later, armed with a large cup, she opened the doors for the construction crew and showed them what was being done.

  Several hours later, just before the lunch rush, the men from the fish tank company showed up. Iian had arrived shortly after her that morning, and they'd spend a good deal of their time taking measurements and discussing what they wanted.

  “My brother drew this up.” He handed her a piece of paper.

  On the sketch, instead of a large V, there was a somewhat oval-shaped semi-circle. The smooth lines would enhance the shape of the current bar. She could just imagine the fun shape and how it would look from both sides.

  “Wonderful. I like it so much better.”

  They spent some time walking over the carpeted area, trying to find the right spot. When the two men from the fish tank company showed up, she told them exactly what they wanted.

  The estimate they provided was lower then she'd imagined, especially since they had added a custom-shaped curved tank instead of two square ones.

  “We can still keep two tanks if you want. One for fresh fish, the other for salt water. We'd use a divider here,” the company’s owner, Mark, said pointing to the middle of Todd's drawing. “We’d use extra thick material here. Add another filter and pump below.”

  “Wonderful. Now all we'll need is some fish.” She smiled.

  “We can get those for you, too. What kind do you want?” She translated to Iian, who pulled out a list and smiled.

  She was happy that he'd come prepared and was excited about her idea.

  When she walked into the empty back room at the end of her shift, the workers had made enormous progress. They'd used the back doors to haul all the old carpet and ceiling tiles out. For the most part, the place had been gutted in one day. She knew firsthand that it sometimes took longer to put something back together than it did to take something apart.

  When she arrived at home, she wasn't surprised to see Luke sitting in his truck. There was a small Christmas tree in th
e back of his truck, and when she walked by, he jumped out with a large bag.

  “I've got something for you.” The look on his face didn't look particularly happy.

  “I can see.” She looked at the tree.

  “I figured you'd have one of those plastic ones. There's just no replacement for the real deal.” He smiled and handed her the bag. “You carry that, I'll carry this.” He pulled the medium-sized tree from the back of his truck.

  She rushed ahead of him and unlocked the door. Then she set the bag down on the table and held the door open as Luke maneuvered the tree inside.

  “I think it should go by the window, just in the corner there,” she said as he walked towards the windows. “Oh, I have a stand. Hang on.” She rushed from the room and came back with a small green and red stand.

  They took a few minutes to set it up. He lay on the floor while she held the tree, making sure it was completely vertical.

  “There.” H dusted his hands and stood back, next to her. “Now all we need are lights and ornaments.”

  “It's a good thing I have some of those.” She smiled and went back to her office, then came out with a large box. “Actually, I have lots of ornaments. I'll get the other box.” She went back for the second box.

  They spent the next hour stringing up the tree, hanging each ornament where she wanted it. He laughed at her when she moved several around to 'fill holes' as she called it. Then she made hot chocolate and they sat in the dark, watching the chasing lights reflect off the glass.

  “All you need is a fireplace and some Christmas music,” he said as she snuggled next to him.

  “Don't forget the presents for under the tree.”

  “Oh, presents.” He stood up and flipped on the kitchen light. “Where did you put it?”

  “Put what?” She watched him from across the room.

  “The bag with the box in it.”

  “Oh, there.” She pointed to the table by the door.

  He walked over and grabbed the bag, then moved back over and sat next to her.

  “My gran left this for you.” He pulled out an old box. “I found it this morning in her room. There was a note for me. There's one for you, too.” He handed her a note.

  She took it with shaky hands. “Why would she leave me something?”

  “I don't know. My note said for me not to open it, but to bring it to you, instead. I didn't want her holding a grudge on me in heaven, so I obeyed her.”

  He handed her the box. She held it on her lap and slowly opened the note.

  Amber, I know we only met once, but I saw how Luke's eyes lit up around you and could tell you were the one I needed to pass this precious information to. I can't trust the boy with a pan of brownies, so there is no way I'm giving him the recipe for them. Guard it and remember, chocolate cures all. -- Margaret Kennedy.

  Amber laughed and opened the box slowly. Inside was a treasure trove of recipes of every kind:Chicken dumpling, turkey pot pie, cakes, breads, and there was even receipts for ketchup and mayonnaise. “Who makes their own Mayonnaise?” Amber asked Luke who was looking over her shoulder. Chicken dumpling, turkey pot pie, cakes, breads. There were even recipes for ketchup and mayonnaise. “Who makes their own mayonnaise?” Amber asked Luke, who was looking over her shoulder.

  “There isn't a recipe for brownies in there?” Luke was straining to see over her shoulder.

  She pulled the box aside and quickly shut the lid. “No you don't. This is for me, not you.” She smiled and walked into her kitchen, setting the box on the top shelf. When she turned around, he was right behind her. He moved her until her back hit the refrigerator. His hands went to her hips, hers to his shoulders.

  “My gran must have liked you a lot to trust you with her treasures.” He placed a kiss on her lips.

  “Hmm. She knew a good cook when she saw one.” He laughed.

  “I think she just trusted you more with her brownie recipe. She would never bake them while I watched. When I was at MIT I tried to make them, but I could never get the recipe right.”

  “You actually went to MIT?” She pulled back and looked at him.

  “Yeah, for a few years. Until my grandfather passed. Then I came back here to be closer to my grandmother. She needed me.” He leaned in and kissed her neck.

  “Luke, I've been at work all day. I smell like food and sawdust.”

  He pulled back. “Sawdust?”

  “Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you over the weekend. With everything that was going on, I totally forgot. Iian and I are rebuilding the Golden Oar. Well, not rebuilding it completely.” She smiled.

  Luke was so interested in hearing her story and seeing the changes to the place, he promised to drop by for lunch tomorrow so she could show him everything they had planned.

  “You know, I've been thinking of changing a few things around the house myself. When I moved back home, I redid the bathroom. Gran’s shower was about two feet too short for me, and she insisted that I fix it to make it more comfortable. The rest of the place could use a fresh...well… everything.” He laughed. “It is kind of decorated in mid-eighties.” He looked at her. “Maybe you can come over on your night off and give me some of your thoughts.” He smiled and pulled her close.

  “Luke, if you want me to spend the night, all you have to do is ask.” She kissed his lips.

  “I want you to spend the night. All of your free nights.” He leaned his head against hers. “I've been lonely without you. The place feels empty. Jackie feels it, too. Why do you think she acts up when you aren't around?”

  Amber felt herself starting to shake. “Luke, I don't mind spending a few nights here and there. But, I have my own place. I tried living with my last boyfriend. It didn't end very well.”

  He pulled back like he'd been slapped. “I'm not your ex.”

  “I'm not saying you are. I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment.”

  “I know.” He walked to the window, next to the tree, then turned back to her. “It's snowing again. I'd better get going.” He walked to the door. Her heart felt heavy. She knew she had trust issues, but she was sure she'd handled the situation well. After all, they'd only know each other for two months.

  “Goodnight.” She held the door open as he walked by. “Luke?” She stopped him. “I just need some more time.”

  He looked at her like he was still hurt. “I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you. I hope you'll still come over and help me plan out my changes. You did such a great job moving everything around so it works better. I think you'd be great at helping me decide what to do with the place.” He ran his hand down the side of her face gently. “Goodnight, Amber.” He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her nose.

  After he left, she stood by the Christmas tree with its flashing lights and watched the snow fall.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Luke drove into the Golden Oar's parking lot the next day feeling very confident that he knew what he wanted. But when he walked in and saw her, his confidence faltered. She was standing near the back room wearing the black pants and red top that were the new uniforms for the restaurant. They looked very appealing on her. It amazed him how beautiful she was. She looked up and waved at him as he started walking towards her.

  She handed the man she'd been talking to a piece of paper and he walked away. “Luke, you made it.” She looked a little relieved, like she hadn’t been sure if he'd come today or not.

  “I wouldn't miss it. Besides, I'm dying to find out what you've got planned.” He looked around. “Is the large sheet of plastic to keep the dust down?”

  “That and the noise. I've put up a “pardon our dust” sign, but for the most part, I think we've had more people in here since we started remodeling. I think they're curious. I think they're more curious about all the mess then enjoying all our Christmas decorations.” She motioned to all the wreaths and ornaments around the place. Then she took his hand and walked him around the plastic sheet. “You can't really tell anything yet, si
nce they are still in the breakdown stage. But this is what we have planned. Todd stopped by yesterday and helped me sketch these out. Isn't he great?” She showed him a folder that had been sitting on a desk.

  The sketches showed exactly what she'd described to him. He could imagine the large back room turning into a more open area with a stage and a dance floor.

  “In the corner, Iian is going to put a couple of video games.” She laughed. “I would have never thought of it. He said something about Pac-Man and was off hunting on his computer to get the games.”