The Christmas Stranger

by Beth Cornelison

  He grinned up at her from his awkward position on the floor. “My dad used to say, ‘You can do it quickly, or you can do it right.’ Quality work takes time.”

  “Your dad must have known my husband. Ryan was a perfectionist.”

  When she mentioned her husband, Matt stilled, his mouth tightening slightly before he forced a grin and turned back to the wallpaper in the corner. She’d noticed a similar reaction earlier in the day and mentally bit her tongue. She probably talked about Ryan too much, especially considering Matt had lost his wife not too long ago. Perhaps the reminder of her late spouse stirred painful memories for Matt of his loss. She’d have to be more careful about raising touchy subjects.

  After stretching the muscles in her hand, she picked up her scraper and attacked the dingy, stuck-on wallpaper again.

  “Tell me about your family,” Matt said, breaking the awkward silence a moment later. “You said earlier you moved to Morgan Hollow when you married Ryan. Where is your home?”

  “Well, I consider Morgan Hollow home now. But my family is in Lagniappe, Louisiana. That’s where I grew up.”

  Matt propped on one elbow to glance up at her and wrinkled his nose. “Lan…yap? That’s kind of a funny name for a town.”

  She laughed. “Lagniappe is a Cajun French word that means something extra. It’s a great place to live, to raise a family, to grow old.”

  Matt turned up a palm. “So why haven’t you moved back?”

  She drew a deep, thoughtful breath. “I’ve considered it. But…it felt like a step backward somehow. Like admitting defeat after Ryan died.” Her gaze darted to Matt’s when she realized how quickly she’d broken her silent pledge not to keep bringing up Ryan. But Matt stared at a spot on the side of the bathtub, his gaze distant, so she continued, “Besides, I love this old house—pain-in-the-butt that the renovations are—and I have a job here I love, so…”

  Her gaze connected with his, and the brilliant blue shade of his eyes stole her breath. How could she forget from one moment to the next how stunningly bright and piercing his eyes were? A tingle raced through her blood, and she let her gaze drift to the angular cut of his jaw, dusted again with dark stubble, and the definition of his muscled arms. Matt Rankin positively exuded masculinity, and the confines of her tiny bathroom only made Holly more aware of the man in her presence.

  “Don’t you miss your family?” he asked, his voice pitched low.

  She shook herself from the thrall of his sexy lure and focused on his question as she returned to scraping. “Sure. I’m especially close to my sisters, but we talk on the phone all the time. I go back to Lagniappe for special occasions. My older sister, Paige, just got engaged, so there’ll be bridal showers and her wedding coming up…plenty of reasons to head back to Louisiana for a long weekend here or there.”

  “And your parents?”

  “Dad is the founder and CEO of Bancroft Industries, a medical research company. He plans to retire in the next couple of years, and he’s been grooming Paige’s fiancé, Brent, as his replacement. He and Mom have been married for forty years, and they’re just as much in love today as they were when they got married.” She paused and rubbed her aching shoulder. “As much as I love my folks, they can be a little bit overprotective. It was actually kind of nice to move to North Carolina when I married Ryan. As a newlywed, I needed a little breathing space. My parents mean well, but they would’ve tried to run my life and Ryan’s for us.”

  “Your family sounds great. You’re lucky to have their support.” He paused, and a sadness drifted over his face that arrowed to her heart. “Don’t ever take that for granted.”

  She acknowledged his admonition with a slow nod. Ryan’s death had taught her that lesson well. “So how about you? Are you from Morgan Hollow?”

  He hesitated then grunted, “Naw.”

  “Then where are you from? How’d you end up here?” When he didn’t respond, she glanced over at him. “Matt?”

  He scooted out from behind the tub and sat up, leaning against the wall with his legs bent, his arms propped casually on his knees. He stared hard at the scraper in his hand, furrowing his brow as if contemplating a troubling topic.

  She shifted her weight awkwardly, uneasy with the silence. What had she said that had darkened his mood? “If you’d rather not discuss—”

  “I’m originally from Charlotte. That’s where I practiced for ten years…until my wife—”

  When he paused again, Holly waited patiently for him to continue, giving the wallpaper removal a half effort. She made a mental note of the term practiced regarding his career but was loath to interrupt him for an explanation now.

  “After Jill died, I…moved to Iona Falls, because I wanted to be closer to my kids, even if my in-laws wouldn’t let me see them. Then I found a job working construction here in Morgan Hollow a few months later, so I moved again. I guess I was looking for a fresh start in a new town where no one knew—” He stopped abruptly and darted a sharp glance at her. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, then he rolled one palm up. “Where no one knew about Jill’s death, where I could start rebuilding my life.”

  The grief in his eyes stabbed Holly, stole her breath for a moment. She knew exactly the pain that had motivated his longing for a change of scenery. “Dozens of times in the past few months, I’ve wanted to flee my life and start over somewhere people don’t know me. I’d go somewhere people don’t look at me with pitying looks in the grocery store and avoid using Ryan’s name as if it were taboo. Somewhere people don’t pat my hand as they size me up like they expect me to have an emotional breakdown any moment.” She shook her head and huffed a humorless laugh. “Moving on is hard when the people around you won’t let you put the past behind you.”

  “Tell me about it.” Matt gave her a peculiar, measuring scrutiny. “You said your husband’s killer hasn’t been found?”

  Biting the inside of her cheek, she shook her head.

  His gaze burrowed into hers, insightful, warm, understanding.

  “That must make it harder to move forward. The unanswered questions would drive me crazy.” His tone was gentle, a balm to her ragged emotions.

  Holly squared her shoulders. “The unknowns bug me, yes. But I intend to get answers. Somehow, someday. Ryan deserves justice. But I try not to dwell on the questions anymore, not at the expense of living for the present, planning for the future.”

  A gentle grin touched his lips, and he nodded. “Good for you.”

  A thump sounded downstairs, followed by a male voice calling, “Holly? You home?”

  “Upstairs!” she shouted back.

  Matt sent her a curious look. “Were you expecting company?”

  “That’s Jon, my brother-in-law who’s helping me with the renovations. I gave him a key so he could work even if I wasn’t home.” She set her scraper down and gauged their progress with an encompassing glance around the bathroom. “How about a break? I’ll make a pot of spiced cider, and we can eat leftover sugar cookies from my class’s Halloween party.”

  Matt rose to his feet and rubbed the muscles at the back of his neck. “You’re not paying me to sit around and eat cookies.”

  “Hey, I’m the boss.” She sent him a mock scowl. “And I say it’s break time. Besides, I want you to meet Jon. You’ll be working with him a lot in the coming weeks.”

  “Holly?” Jon called again from the hall.

  “Coming.” She headed out to meet her brother-in-law, signaling Matt to follow her. She stepped out into the hall just as Jon reached the top of the stairs. Jon, a fireman in a nearby town, had the thick chest and wide shoulders of a man who kept his body in top condition for his job. Like Ryan, he had the Cole family’s brown hair, straight narrow nose and dark eyes.

  Her brother-in-law’s smile of greeting dimmed as his gaze shifted to Matt. A puzzled frown dimpled Jon’s forehead for a moment before he schooled his face. “Hey, I thought I’d work on sanding the floor in the study today,” he said by way of gr
eeting. “But if you’re…entertaining—” He cast another meaningful glance toward Matt.

  Holly supposed having a man in her bedroom on a Saturday morning could look suspicious…if she were the sort to bring men home for one-night stands. Which she wasn’t. And Jon knew that. She gritted her teeth and sent him a scowl, primarily for the awkwardness his comment might have caused Matt.

  “Jon, this is Matt Rankin. I’ve hired him to help with the renovations.”

  Her brother-in-law arched a dark eyebrow, reflecting his surprise, but he quickly molded his countenance in a polite smile, offering his hand to Matt, as Holly completed the introduction.

  “We’ve been removing the old wallpaper in the master bathroom.” Why she felt compelled to explain why Matt had emerged from her bedroom she wasn’t sure. If she wanted to entertain men in her home, she could—without having to answer to Ryan’s family.

  Jon narrowed a scrutinizing gaze on Matt and scratched his chin. “Have we met before? You look awfully familiar.”

  Matt’s casual stance stiffened slightly. Not much, but enough for Holly to wonder about his reaction to Jon’s question.

  “Not…that I’m aware of.”

  Jon continued to study Matt’s face intently. “I know I know you from somewhere. Do you go to Mac’s gym? Calvary Baptist Church? Work for a first-response squad somewhere locally?”

  Matt shook his head, his expression wary. “No. None of the above. Sorry.”

  “Oh, well, maybe it will come to me later.” Jon shrugged and turned his attention back to Holly. Pitching his voice low, he stepper closer to her. “I told you I’d help you finish the house. You didn’t have to hire anyone. Extra help is an unnecessary expense when I’ll work for free.”

  Holly cut a side glance toward Matt, who feigned interest in the family photos on the wall, before facing Jon again. “And I appreciate your help more than you know. But you’re busy with Kim and working at the fire station, and I’m ready to be done with this old house. I want to finish by Christmas if possible.”

  Both of his eyebrows shot up now. “By Christmas? It’ll take more than one guy working round the clock to finish in two months.”

  Holly grinned and patted Jon’s arm. “Which is why I still need you to come when you can and pitch in, if you’re willing.”

  “Of course, but—” He left the complaint hanging, glancing once more to Matt before sighing his resignation. “Whatever. It’s your house.”

  “Yes, it is. So…we were just about to take a break. Would you like some spiced cider?” Holly started down the stairs but tossed the question over her shoulder.

  “Uh, no, thanks,” Jon answered, his gaze fixed on Matt again. “I thought I’d get started sanding the floor in the study today. You still want to keep the hardwood floor in there, right? Sand the existing floor, then stain and finish it?”

  “Yep. That’s the plan.”

  The soft thud of footsteps on the stairs told her Matt was following her as she made her way to the kitchen. She moved her Snoopy cookie jar from the counter to the table and removed the lid. “Help yourself. The mother of one of my students made them.”

  Matt pulled out a kitchen chair with a scrape and sat down. He ate one of the cookies in two bites and closed his eyes as he savored the treat. “Mmm, can’t tell you the last time I had a homemade cookie. These are delicious.”

  “I’ll be sure to tell Mrs. Holbrook you enjoyed them.” Taking a seat across from him, she nibbled a cookie herself, and her mind drifted back to something Matt had said earlier. “What did you mean when you said you practiced in Charlotte before you moved to Iona Falls? What did you practice?”

  Matt seemed startled by her question. He drew a deep breath and blew it out, then rubbed his bristly chin before answering. “Medicine.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Holly blinked her surprise.

  Again, he hesitated. “A pediatrician.”

  Holly thought back with fresh understanding to Matt’s quick actions at the community center when the little boy choked on his candy. “But you don’t practice anymore?”

  He shook his head, a dark regret shadowing his eyes.

  “Why not?”

  Matt shifted in his chair, and he met her gaze with a decidedly uncomfortable look.

  She realized how pushy and personal the question was and backpedaled. “Never mind. It’s none of my business.”

  “No, it’s a legitimate question. But the answer is rather long and complicated.” Frowning, Matt glanced away for a moment before returning a penetrating gaze to Holly. “I want you to know the truth. I want to be honest with you.” He scraped his palm across his jawline and groaned. His face reflected a deep, gnawing misery. “But I’d rather save this discussion for another day.”

  “Of course.” Curiosity plucked at her, but she shoved it down. If Matt didn’t want to talk about his reasons for giving up medicine, she had no right to push him. Clearly his past was a painful topic. Could his resignation from medicine be related to the death of his wife?

  A resounding ache gripped her chest when she considered all he’d lost. Not just his wife and custody of his children, but his career, his livelihood as well. What tragic secret was Matt harboring? Had she been wrong to bring him into her home without knowing more about his past?

  Cold fingers of foreboding wrapped around her heart. Robert had said Matt showed no criminal record, but his arrest history only told part of the story.

  “I was thinking about that stained glass you recovered.”

  Matt’s comment pulled her from her troubling thoughts. “What about it?”

  “Well, as heavy as it is, it’s going to take two men to install it. We should probably make arrangements with Jon to do that project next time he’s here.”

  Holly nodded her agreement. “I’ll ask him about it.”

  “You still want to cut a place for it over the front door?”

  “Yeah, I think so. That seems like the best place to me. What do you think?”

  “I think you’re the boss, and it’s your decision.”

  She scowled at him. “You’re no help.”

  He chuckled, and the rich, low rumble from his throat sent a sweet frisson of heat shimmying through her. “Okay, you want to know what I think?”

  She angled her head and lifted her eyebrows, inviting him to continue.

  “I think that stained glass is more than just a beautiful piece of art. I think it’s a reflection of who you are and where you are in your life.”

  Holly was ready to ask him what he meant, the words were on her lips, when he reached for her hand and closed his warm fingers around hers. Her heartbeat stuttered, and her gaze flew up to meet the rich warmth of his. “You’ve been through a lot of pain because of the death of your husband. But you’re soldiering on. You’re surviving. And like the bird in that window, you’re testing your wings again and taking flight. I think that stained glass deserves a prominent place in this house as a testament to the way you’re rebuilding your life.”

  “What choice did I really have? My only other option was to lie down and die, to wallow in my self-pity. What kind of life is that?”

  A shadow passed over his face. “No kind of life at all.” He squeezed her hand tighter, and a bright intensity flared in his eyes. “I know, because that was the choice I made, and I suffered the consequences. I have no one to blame but myself for the shape my life is in now, but I’m determined to turn it around, to get back on my feet…and eventually get back to medicine.”

  She smiled her encouragement, then sent him a teasing scowl. “Not before I finish my renovations, I hope. A deal is a deal.”

  Matt’s face lit with amusement. “Don’t worry. I keep my promises. I’m yours for as long as you need me.”

  Holly’s breath faltered. She’d had similar promises from her family and Ryan’s. She’d never been truly alone after Ryan’s death, but Matt’s pledge to stick by her filled her with the sense of well-being she hadn’t known in a
long time. The sense that she and Matt were kindred spirits flowed through her again. She knew somehow that he needed the friendship and support she offered him as much as she needed the warmth and understanding he offered. By leaning on each other, they were both stronger.

  He still held her right hand, and she stacked her left one on top of his. Holding his gaze as firmly as she gripped his hand, she whispered, “And I’m here for you, too. Whenever you’re ready to talk, whenever you need anything to get back on your feet. I believe in you, Matt. Your life’s not over. I predict many wonderful, happier times in your future.”

  His muscles tightened beneath her touch, and surprise flickered in his expression before morphing into heartbreaking longing and gratitude. Too soon, he sucked in a sharp breath and tore his gaze away. Clearing his throat, he withdrew his hands from hers and shoved his chair back from the table. A stark emptiness washed over her as soon as he pulled away.

  “I’d better get back to work. My boss has a tight deadline for finishing her renovations, and I don’t want to get fired for lollygagging on the job.” Despite his teasing comment, his voice sounded thick, tense, and she puzzled over the shift in his mood.

  “Don’t you want your cider? It will only take a moment for me to heat it in the microwave.”

  He shook his head and silently disappeared up the steps to the second floor.

  For a moment, she sat alone at the table, wondering if she’d said something wrong, something that offended him in some way. She was certain there’d been a connection between them, that, before he’d withdrawn, she’d seen the same sentiments that filled her heart reflected in his eyes. But something held him back. He still had protective walls erected. Her heart twisted with sympathy and longing. She wanted so deeply to reach past those walls and know the real Matt. Her instincts about him told her he had so much to offer, a deep well of love and compassion.