One Hot Christmas (Mercy Island Series Book 2)

by Jacquie Underdown

  “My pleasure.”

  After he watched her make her way safely inside, he headed up the road towards his home. He was renting a house a ten-minute walk away. The fresh night air would clear the alcohol-induced cobwebs from his brain. And hopefully, clear the sensation that maybe he had got Tennessee completely wrong. Maybe they, despite being, on the surface, complete opposites, had more in common than he realised. And maybe, just maybe, he would love to get to know her more.

  Chapter 7

  Christmas was upon Tennessee in no time. Not only had Seaspray House transformed with the addition of wreaths, festive statues, scented candles and a large Christmas tree, beautifully decorated with colourful ornaments, but the whole town was singing with Christmas spirit.

  Shopfronts boasted tinsel and six white boomers pulling Santa’s sleigh, gumnut and eucalyptus leaves in the shape of holly, ornaments of koalas, cockatoos and galah’s in Santa hats. The Esplanade was decked with a criss-cross of multi-coloured blinking lights strung high above the street, and at the oceanside park, a tall pine tree was adorned in bulbous ornaments and glitz.

  Every shop had carols blaring. In Mercy Island, there was no missing the holiday. And now that there were only six days until Christmas, Tennessee was more than grateful for the distraction of the upcoming Twelve Dates of Christmas.

  She bustled around each room making sure everything was as it should be—no creases in the bedcovers, pristine bathrooms, fresh towels and abundant delicious smelling soaps and shampoos.

  “Looks fantastic,” Hayden said as he passed her in reception. He had some light bulbs to twist into new light fittings, but then his work was completely done. The newly built shades on the windows not only added to the beachy feel of this home but didn’t draw away from its historic splendour. Every little leaking tap, rattling window, broken hinge, creaky floorboard, and loose railing had been fixed.

  She met Hayden’s deep chocolate coloured eyes and smiled. “Thank you. I’m exhausted. I’m starting to wonder how I’ll get through till Christmas especially with a full booking from here on out.”

  “I reckon you’ll do just fine.”

  “Thank you so much for all your work these past few weeks.”

  “That’s my job. So, you are all organised?”

  She nodded emphatically. “Every last item on that list has been marked off. I even checked it twice.”

  He chuckled. “That’s the Christmas spirit.”

  She opened her arms wide, gesturing to all the space in the living room. “And, as of right now, I’m more than ready to invite that spirit in. May all the people in this house be filled with Christmas cheer this season and, most of all, find the love they’ve been seeking and deserve.”

  “I second that.”

  A giant thwack sounded as the front door blew open allowing a blast of sea air inside, so strong it blew Tennessee’s hair and extinguished the flames of the scented candles set around the room. She yelped. Curls of smoke rose from the hot wicks.

  “Woah,” Hayden said, rushing to the front door to close it. “I better check the lock on this door. That shouldn’t have happened.”

  Tennessee placed her hand over her racing heart. “Please. I don’t want any dramas for my guests. I want this week to be perfect.”

  “It will take ten minutes.”

  Tennessee glanced at the clock on the wall. The guests would be arriving at two pm, which was forty-five minutes away. Tonight, all the participants would be left to their own devices. After breakfast tomorrow, the frivolities were to start.

  With the itinerary Hayden had helped her draft for each guest, there would be no time for much else—specifically no room for negative thoughts about their Christmas singledom.

  While Hayden dealt with the door, Tennessee double-checked her bookings. Already, extending well into March, they were filling up. An excited squeeze in her belly.

  An email pinged on her phone at the same time it came through with a notification on her computer monitor. Her heart thudded as she quickly glanced at the subject line.

  A cancellation.

  “No, no, no, no. Not this late.”

  She opened the email and read the details. Sure enough, a Twelve Dates of Christmas participant had cancelled her booking. Tennessee wouldn’t suffer financially—her terms outlined clearly that to cancel this late meant losing the full cost of the pre-paid ticket. But now she was down one woman, which threw everything out.

  “Damn it.”

  Hayden lifted his head. “What’s the matter?”

  “A lady has cancelled last minute. This will ruin everything. It means one person will always be left with no date. It throws all the rotations out too.” She dragged her hand down her face. “What do I do now?”

  “Do you know a local single?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t really know very many people in town yet. None that could drop everything for six days without warning.”

  He shrugged, a small curl of his lips. “Maybe you’ll have to put your hat in the ring.”

  She gasped, her nose wrinkling with horror. “I couldn’t.”

  “Hey, if it’s good enough for your guests, it’s good enough for you.”

  “Oh no, I don’t think I can handle it.”

  “Not sure you have much of a choice.”

  She sighed, shoulders slumping. “I don’t, do I? This needs to be a success. The future of this business depends on it. The last thing I want is publicity getting out there that this event wasn’t booked out. Public proof is one of the biggest persuaders of quality.”

  She closed her eyes, drew a deep breath. “Calm down, Ten, it will be fine. It will be…fun.” She lifted her gaze to Hayden. “Won’t it?”

  “It’s not what I’d call fun, but, you know, I’m—”

  “Annoying?”

  He rolled his head back and laughed. “Obviously, you think so.”

  “Very annoying that you’re taking such pleasure in my misery.”

  “Pleasure is such an ambiguous term.”

  She pointed to the door. “You just continue fixing that door while I try and get my bearings.”

  He chuckled to himself but got back to work, all the while whistling to Jingle Bells that was blaring from the speakers.

  She double-checked the itineraries. She could do this. There was a cleaner contracted to handle the rooms over the next six days. There wasn’t going to be any check-outs during that time, so a quick tidy was all that was required, along with washing towels, replenishing bathroom items and the like.

  The cook had a partner to help prepare and deliver menu items. All the local businesses participating in dates had been given their appointment times. A minivan and driver were scheduled to cart people to the more distant date locations.

  Tennessee would, otherwise, be waiting around all day for the participants to come back anyway.

  “I can do this,” she mumbled under her breath, ignoring the prickle over her skin at the thought of going on dates. She wasn’t ready for that sort of thing, and it felt disingenuous to pretend to six single guys that she was.

  “It feels wrong,” she said to Hayden.

  He put down his electric drill. “How so?”

  Creeping panic pooled in her stomach. “I’m not in it for the right reasons. I’m not ready for romance.”

  He laughed. “Ten, you’re not obligated to do anything with these guys, even if you were seriously looking for love. Just see it as…” he shrugged “…I don’t know, a little holiday fun.”

  She blew out a long breath. “You’re right. It’s just a bit of fun.”

  Another whoosh sounded as an email slid into her inbox. Her eyes widened in fear. “No,” she said shaking her head. She leant over, opened the email. Another cancellation.

  When she looked up, tears were pricking the back of her eyes. “It’s ruined. If it keeps going at this rate, there will be no one showing up.”

  “Another cancellation?” Hayden asked, striding to the
counter.

  “Yep. A man.” Her voice cracked. She reached for a tissue and wiped at her eyes and cheeks.

  “Well, then that’s easy, isn’t it? If you drop out again, it just means there are ten participants.”

  She pressed her hands to her hips and looked up at the ceiling, groaning. “That’s not how it works. The event is called Twelve Dates of Christmas. Not ten. This is all falling apart. Maybe I should cancel it now. Give everyone a refund.”

  He glanced at the clock on the wall. “They’d all be on their way. And what, they have to turn around and go home to spend Christmas alone?”

  “I just can’t see what else I can do. Unless you want to fill the spot,” she suggested half-heartedly.

  His eyes widened and he shook his head. “No way.”

  “Even if it means saving this event? After all the work I put in. Let’s not forget what you’ve done to make this happen too.”

  He was still shaking his head. Absolute horror twisting his features. “I’ve got work.”

  “What if I called Bear and asked if he can give you time off? Surely he doesn’t expect you to work all the way up to Christmas.”

  “Ten, I…it’s really not my thing...”

  She reached for her mobile and dialled Bear, switching her phone to speakerphone so Hayden could listen in.

  “Hi, Ten, what’s up?”

  She tried to steady her voice, so she didn’t sound quite so distressed. “I need a huge favour. My Twelve Dates of Christmas is about to be ruined if I don’t get another male participant. Hayden would be perfect, but he needs the next six days off—”

  “Done,” Bear said with humour in his voice. “He only had tomorrow before he broke for the holidays anyway.

  She cast Hayden a death stare for leaving out that vital point earlier.

  “That’s brilliant. You’ve saved my arse, Bear, you really have.”

  “Nothing will please me more than hearing all about Hayden’s experience over the next six days.”

  “You will suffer for this,” Hayden called out.

  Bear broke into laughter. “Oh, but it will all be worth it. Have fun.”

  Tennessee ended the call and stood looking at Hayden. “So?”

  Hayden frowned, sighed. “I’m not happy about it, but I know how hard you’ve worked.”

  “So that’s a yes?”

  “A very reluctant yes.”

  She ran around the counter and threw her arms around him, jumping up and down as she cuddled him tight. “Thank you so much. You won’t regret this, I promise. We are going to have so much fun.”

  He rolled his eyes but eventually wrapped his arms around her too. As much as it went against her better judgement, she didn’t want to let go. He was so warm and strong.

  She cleared her throat and begrudgingly released her embrace. She couldn’t look him in the eye when she asked, “You can stay here tonight if you like or just meet us all here tomorrow morning for breakfast at eight. But I think to maintain the integrity of the event that you stay here during the four days and nights the schedule covers.”

  He nodded. “Fine. I’ll be here early tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter 8

  Hayden gripped the steering wheel tighter as he drove to Seaspray House. He wasn’t sure how he found himself being a part of Twelve Dates of Christmas. He was an idiot for saying yes. This was on the bottom of any list he had about what he would like to be doing over Christmas.

  If he were to be honest, the only positive, and the reason he said yes, was Tennessee. Working at the bed and breakfast these past few weeks, she had gotten into his bloodstream. Despite all his earlier resistance, there was no denying he had a crush on her.

  At first, he tried to fob it off as some ridiculous rebound crush or even as a Christmas holiday infatuation that would dwindle once all the festivities died down. But he was done lying to himself. He liked Tennessee. Plain and simple.

  He huffed, shoulders sagging, because as much as it was plain and simple to him, she didn’t feel the same way. Obvious from her comment yesterday that she wasn’t ready for romance. Hearing those words as his heart was opening to her, had deflated him. But it also now complicated Twelve Dates of Christmas. Here he was lusting after Tennessee while having to go on dates with five other women. Not to mention dates with Tennessee, spending time with her in the evenings as they had communal dinners and pretending as though he wasn’t secretly hoping that this would bring them closer together.

  No matter how much he liked her, he wasn’t going to push, or expect her, to reach for something she wasn’t ready for. It just sucked that the ‘something’ was him.

  He pulled into the driveway of Seaspray House and parked beside the myriad other cars. It was a great sight to see the carpark full.

  She was doing a wonderful job of enlivening this place and stirring up business. For someone who had only ever acted, she wasn’t afraid to get hot and tired cleaning Seaspray House from top to bottom each and every day. She barely ever stopped. For such a glamorous woman, she wasn’t a princess.

  A current of resistance was building in his chest as he contemplated the four days ahead. A part of him wanted to turn around and go home. But it was too late; he had already committed. Tennessee would freak out completely if he pulled out now, and he would come across as a complete arse.

  So, after a deep breath, he opened the car door and climbed out.

  He was early because he wanted to see Tennessee, but also, he had to check into his room and get himself into a frame of mind that would allow him to endure this week.

  He grabbed his luggage from the back of his ute. The grass crackled underfoot—dry from the endless summer heat. No amount of watering would stop it.

  Inside, the air conditioner was on already. Despite it only being seven am, the temperature was sitting at thirty degrees Celsius. Reports indicated it was going to reach temps in the high thirties. The sand would be blistering. Even the sea breeze wouldn’t be able to chase the westerly heat away. He hoped the other participants were prepared for one hot Christmas.

  “Good morning,” Tennessee said with a broad smile when he found her in the living room. She had been chatting to a few unfamiliar men and women who were in various positions throughout the room.

  “Hi.”

  “All ready?” she asked.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  The other guests giggled or gave understanding chuckles and supportive comments like, “I totally get it.”

  “Let me show you to your room.” Tennessee led him down the hall on the right side, where he had installed a series of window blinds, and unlocked the end room. “Here you go.” She handed him the key.

  “Thank you.”

  She followed him inside and they stood facing each other. “How are you really feeling? You still okay to do this?”

  “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

  “Thank you so much again. It feels right to be giving these guests what they’ve paid for—the full experience.”

  “I understand,” he said.

  “You seem nervous. You sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m…willing to put myself out there and see what the week brings.”

  She smiled. “Perfect. That’s exactly what the other people have been saying. They are such a great bunch. I’ve had a chance to talk to them all. I hope that at least one person can find love. Any more than that will be the icing on the cake.”

  “Time will tell.”

  She glanced at her watch and squealed excitedly. “It’s nearly time to start. I’m going to check how the kitchen staff are going and then we’ll be about ready to start breakfast. I’ll see you in the dining room at eight.”

  He nodded and watched her walk away. She was breathtaking, dressed in the shortest denim shorts, boat shoes and a white singlet that had ‘Twelve Dates of Christmas’ in red glitter across the front. Underneath, she wore a bright red bikini top.

  Desire swelled down below. These si
x days were going to be torture.

  Before he had even closed the door, fast footsteps came back down the hall. Tennessee poked her head into his room. “I nearly forgot.” She threw a white flimsy singlet at him. “You need to wear this.” She winked, giggled teasingly, but raced away before he could object.

  Yep, torture. In more ways than one.

  Dressed in shorts and his white singlet with the glittery slogan across the front, he met the ten guests and Tennessee in the dining room. They all wore the same shirts.

  “Look here at the gun show,” one woman with dark hair and green eyes said with a giggle. The other women laughed. Heat rushed up Hayden’s neck, which was, when considering the outside temps, inconvenient.

  Tennessee lurched from her feet and led him to his designated seat, which was set with a name card. Each day he would be rotated around this table, sitting beside a different participant.

  The atmosphere was boisterous with people passing cursory questions with each other—what’s your name, where are you from, what do you do?

  Most people seemed genuine and as nervous as he was. Though his nerves were for different reasons. They were nervous about finding love. He was nervous about chasing a girl who didn’t want him in return.

  The cook and her assistant began carrying big platters of bacon and scrambled eggs, toast, tomatoes and mushrooms from the kitchen and planting them on the table before the guests. He breathed in the savoury scent and smiled. The food would be a pleasant upside.

  They all ate their fill while the conversation moved to questions about why they were here, what they wanted out of the weekend and the like.

  A tiny woman with blonde cropped hair rested her elbows on the table, leant in and asked Hayden, “So, what made you sign up for Twelve Dates of Christmas?”

  Hayden’s stomach twisted. He didn’t want to dampen the mood for Tennessee by admitting he was roped into this at the last minute. He set his jaw. “I’m keen to find love.” He hadn’t meant to look at Tennessee as he spoke, but he couldn’t help himself.

  If his response had been a bald-faced lie, it may have been easier to say, but because there was some truth to it, the words felt clunky, too thick in his mouth.