Finding a Christmas Home

by Lee Tobin McClain

  Luke tried to get his head in the game, but it was hard to do. He’d felt so close to Hannah after that doctor visit for Emmy, and the feeling still electrified the air between them.

  Yesterday, even though Dad had developed some worrisome symptoms requiring an unexpected ER visit—one that had taken all day, although everything had turned out fine—Luke had felt an internal patience and contentment that was alien to him.

  He cared for Hannah. He wanted to explore getting closer. That had become clearer and clearer to him, and it had crystalized in the pediatrician’s office when he’d wanted nothing more than to be that dad the receptionist and then the doctor had thought him to be.

  “What’s going on?” Hannah asked Reese.

  “They’re here,” Reese said. “Aunt Catherine and Mr. Romano.”

  “Now?” Luke stared toward the barn where, sure enough, a large, late-model SUV was parked. “I thought they were coming tomorrow.”

  “So did we,” Reese said, “but when there’s that much money involved, they get to change their plans at the last minute. Apparently, Aunt Catherine heard about a sale at one of her favorite department stores in Cleveland, tomorrow only, so they switched to today.”

  Luke looked at Hannah, who was looking back at him. “I hope you had the chance to clean things up from Monday,” she said.

  He stared at her. “I was out yesterday, with Dad,” he said. “I thought you worked, though.”

  She shook her head slowly. “Mom couldn’t take yesterday off,” she said, “so I had to stay home with Emmy.”

  “I wish you two would have communicated with each other,” Reese said. “Come on, let’s go face the music.”

  Gabby came out of the Learn-and-Play. “I’ll take Addie,” she said, holding out her arms for the baby. “You guys need to get down to the barn and do damage control. Mrs. Markowski already called over here to find out why it’s such a mess over there.”

  “Right.” Luke swallowed as he thought about the way they’d left the barn on Monday. They’d been right in the middle of laying down the final section of new flooring when Hannah had gotten the call about Emmy, and they’d dropped everything and gone to her. If Hannah hadn’t been in yesterday to fix things up...

  They walked in the door to find Mr. Romano pacing around tools and paint cans and rolls of artificial turf left haphazardly on the floor. Mrs. Markowski was on her phone, but she clicked off the call as soon as Hannah, Luke and Reese walked in.

  “This isn’t at all what we had in mind,” she scolded.

  “Very unprofessional,” Romano chimed in. “I expected you to be much further along.”

  “It’ll get done,” Luke said firmly. “We’ve had a couple of family medical situations that have slowed us down, but it’s under control now.”

  “You saw the plans,” Hannah said, “and we’re following them exactly. The last stages of a project like this are messy, but it’s going to end up great.”

  Mrs. Markowski’s eyes narrowed. “I hope you’re right. I had my doubts about entrusting this to a Hutchenson, even in part. I hope there’s been no cheating with the funds you’ve used so far.”

  Luke’s insides exploded with shame and rage, and he opened his mouth to lay into the woman. Would’ve done it, too, except that Reese put a hand on his shoulder and Hannah touched his arm.

  “There are receipts for everything,” Hannah said to the older woman, her voice stiff.

  “Luke’s done stellar work for us ever since he started,” Reese insisted.

  As the conversation and the excuses and the reassurances continued, Luke’s emotions spiraled down.

  He could never overcome his name in this town. He hadn’t lived up to expectations.

  He was a Hutchenson, through and through.

  Finally, Reese walked the two elders to the door, talking to them in a soothing voice as they continued to complain.

  Luke turned on Hannah and let out his frustration. “If you hadn’t stayed home yesterday without telling me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “You did the same thing,” she snapped back. “How was I supposed to know your dad would need to go to the ER? At least you knew Emmy was sick.”

  They glared at each other.

  Hannah’s eyes practically sent out sparks, and her hair was rumpled where she’d clawed it back.

  And she was right. He blew out a breath and unclenched his fists. “Sorry. You’re right. It wasn’t your fault.”

  She’d opened her mouth as if to continue the fight, but at his words, she went still, looking at his face.

  Man, she was pretty.

  “It’s not your fault, either,” she said finally. “But we do have to fix it. I need for this to get done, on time and to their specifications, and you do, too.”

  “Look, let’s work all day and get the project back to where we’re supposed to be,” he said as Reese walked back toward them. “Then maybe tonight, we could go get dinner and figure out a plan to win them back.”

  She tilted her head, looking at him.

  Suddenly he felt like he’d just asked her out on a date. His palms sweat as he waited for her response.

  “I can’t,” she said finally. “It’s a good idea, but I need to get home and relieve Mom. Emmy’s better, but that means she’s a handful, and Addie is, too.”

  “When it gets down to it, I shouldn’t, either. I have to take care of Dad,” he said.

  “No, you don’t.” Reese planted his hands on his hips. “If you two think you can meet and figure something out tonight, do it. I’ll go sit with your dad, and Gabby can help your mom with the twins.”

  “But what about Izzy? Gabby can’t take her to where Emmy’s been sick.”

  “That’s the beauty of Nana,” Reese said. “She doesn’t get as much alone time with Izzy as she’d like. She’ll be thrilled to have a whole evening with her.”

  “Thank you!” Spontaneously, Hannah hugged Reese and then Luke. It was just a friendly hug, but Luke felt it from head to toe, and in more than a friendly way. “I’m going to get to work,” she said, and hurried over to the training area.

  “Seize the day, man.” Reese raised his eyebrows and punched Luke in the arm, lightly. “Take her somewhere nice.”

  Luke thought about it. “I just might.”

  “And get the job done,” Reese added. “Rescue Haven, and a bunch of dogs and kids, need for this to work.”

  “Will do.” Luke nodded, and then headed over to where Hannah was already working.

  He’d throw himself into it today, and maybe by tonight, he’d be tired enough not to feel like his heart would explode at the thought of taking Hannah Antonicelli out to a nice dinner.

  No matter that they’d be talking shop. This was going to be a date.

  Chapter Fourteen

  As they walked into Giannone’s, an Italian restaurant on the edge of Cleveland, Hannah was glad she’d decided to wear a dress.

  Partly because most of the other patrons were dressed up.

  And partly because of the way Luke had looked at her when she’d come downstairs.

  The faintest hint of a wolfish grin had flashed across his face, immediately replaced by a more gentlemanly, appreciative expression. “You look nice” was all he’d said, but she could tell he meant it.

  He looked nice, too. More than nice. What was it about that jeans-and-a-sport-coat look that got to her? Not too fancy or too preppy, but dressed up enough to show he was making an effort.

  Not to mention the way his jacket emphasized his broad shoulders...

  “Well, Hannah Antonicelli!” The waitress who came to the hostess stand to help them was middle-aged, plump and slightly familiar. “I haven’t seen you in a blue moon.”

  “Rosemary?” She hugged the woman, a distant relative, and then turned to include Luke in their little
circle. “Rosemary, this is Luke Hutchenson. Luke, Rosemary Brody. She’s my, what, second cousin once removed?”

  “Yes, and my uncle owns this place. And you look like a Hutchenson,” Rosemary said, shaking Luke’s hand. “I knew your brother, Bobby, years ago.”

  At the mention of his name and his brother, Luke frowned, and Hannah’s heart ached for him. It must be so hard to always be explaining that your brother was in prison, so nerve-racking to wonder what intrusive questions might need to be answered or dodged.

  But Rosemary didn’t ask more about Bobby. “It’s good to meet you,” she said, looking around the restaurant. “I’m going to seat you two by the fireplace, if that’s all right. It’s a cold night.”

  As they walked across the half-full restaurant, the smells of garlic and marinara and warm bread made Hannah’s stomach growl. She breathed in the scent of home. Her father’s side of the family had been fantastic cooks, and Hannah had grown up loving Italian food.

  They sat down with menus, next to a warm fire, as if in a world of their own. Rosemary took their drink orders, and when they both ordered soda, she shook her head. “No wine?”

  Simultaneously, Hannah and Luke shook their heads. “I don’t drink,” he said as she said, “No, thanks.”

  “Fine, fine.” Rosemary went off to get their beverages, and Hannah thought: how many men are there who don’t drink? He’s so perfect for me!

  Don’t go there, she scolded herself. But it was hard not to, when her heart raced with joy just to be here, tonight, with Luke.

  They placed their orders and were soon presented with salads and hot, fragrant Italian bread. Hannah was half-afraid Rosemary would sit down and join them—Hannah remembered her as a superfriendly talker—but after the initial flurry, she seemed to fade purposely into the background. Luke and Hannah dug in to the bread and salads.

  After a few minutes, Hannah sat back. “If I’m going to eat my lasagna, I’d better slow down,” she said.

  “Not a bad idea. I understand portions are big here.” He sat back, too, and gave her a half smile. “I know I told you before, but I want to apologize again for blaming you earlier today. None of that was your fault.”

  She waved a hand. “Same goes for me. I shouldn’t have jumped on you, either. You had no choice but to take care of your dad. And Luke—” she touched his hand “—I’m sorry about what Mrs. Markowski said. That was an awful accusation about the funds, and a ridiculous one, too.”

  “Not entirely.” He shook his head. “It did make me mad, but I thought about it later. Who knows what all Bobby did in this region when I was overseas? And Dad hasn’t been the most law-abiding citizen, either. No wonder people question my integrity.”

  “You’re not defined by your family,” she said.

  Rosemary appeared again to check on them. “When you dress up, you look just like your sister,” she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

  Hannah’s breath caught. Did she look like Marnie, really?

  “She’s right, you know,” Luke said.

  “No, she’s not. Marnie was the pretty one, not me.”

  “I disagree,” he said lightly, obviously just to be nice.

  She waved her hand. “It’s fine. It didn’t do Marnie any good to be pretty.” To her shock, her eyes filled with tears.

  “Hey,” he said, reaching across the table to clasp her hand, “are you okay?”

  She pulled away, sniffed and wiped at her eyes with a napkin. “I’m fine. I’m usually just mad at Marnie, but I guess somewhere in there, I’m sad, too.”

  “Of course you are.” He gave her a minute to compose herself, taking a piece of bread, breaking it so that steam rose out in a visible cloud, spreading it with soft butter. He held it out to her, one eyebrow raised.

  She laughed a little and shook her head. “In a minute. You eat it.”

  He set it down on his bread plate instead. Then he reached across the table, put a hand on her forearm and looked into her eyes. “You’re pretty, too, Hannah. Inside and out.”

  “I...” She trailed off and their gazes tangled. The warmth from the fire, the fragrance of the bread and, most of all, the feeling of his gentle, callused hand on her arm... All of it stole her breath and made her wish for things she couldn’t have.

  There was a reason she couldn’t have them, but right now, it was hard to remember what that reason was. Hard to think. Hard to do anything but look into Luke’s eyes.

  “Here you go,” Rosemary sang. “Lasagna for you, and baked manicotti for him. Enjoy!”

  The mood was broken, and that was a good thing. Hannah thanked Rosemary, and drew in a couple of calming breaths. She glanced over at Luke and it looked like he was doing the same thing.

  They started in on their steaming food. Strands of cheese stretched from Hannah’s lasagna to her fork, and with Luke, she felt fine about breaking the threads with her fingers. Luke took a giant bite of manicotti and closed his eyes.

  When he opened them and smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkled. “This is joyous food. I’m glad we came.”

  “Me, too.” He was so fun and appealing. It was hard to look away.

  Stop. Get to work. She nodded, wiped her mouth and cleared her throat. “We need to figure out how to fix what went wrong at work today,” she said.

  Did his face fall a little bit? Why? Did he want this to be purely a social dinner?

  But it couldn’t be that, no matter what Luke wanted, and it was best to be up front about it, for his sake and for hers, too. “We have to regain their confidence and impress them.”

  “Right.” He sighed.

  “I know it’s not going to be easy. Mrs. Markowski was awful toward you.”

  He lifted his hands, palms up. “She’s not entirely wrong about my family. And you, especially, need this job to go to full-time, for the twins’ sake. Right?”

  “Right.” His wording made her curious. “Do you want your job to go full-time, too?”

  “Maybe.”

  It wasn’t the answer she’d been hoping to hear, and she realized that she really, really wanted Luke to stay around for the long haul. It was hard to imagine her life without him somewhere in it.

  “I was thinking,” he said. “Doesn’t Mrs. Markowski have a little dog?”

  “Oh, my, yes. Pinky is notorious.” Hannah had offered to train the little creature, but it had never worked out.

  “Okay, look. Mrs. Markowski strikes me as the powerhouse of the pair. Romano talks big, but seems to me he’ll do whatever Mrs. Markowski says.”

  “He will,” she said slowly. “What do you have in mind?”

  “If we can get the training area up and running, would you be able to get Pinky to do something in it? Some kind of agility work or tricks?”

  She frowned. “I might, but it wouldn’t be a sure thing. The dog doesn’t respond real well to anyone but her.”

  “Even better,” he said. “We’ll get everything set up nicely, and then get her to come over and bring Pinky, and you can teach her to teach the dog to, I don’t know, jump over a hurdle or go through a tunnel or something. I mean, if you can get me to do tricks with Goldie, you can get Mrs. Markowski to work with her dog.”

  Hannah tilted her head to one side, thinking. “And if she’s invested, she’ll buy in.”

  “I think she’d like to have a role. She could even demonstrate it to other people, and talk up the training that can be done there.”

  “I’d have to get her to wear casual clothes,” she said doubtfully.

  “Why? If she likes wearing dresses and suits...isn’t that what they wear at those dog shows on TV, anyway?”

  That made Hannah snort, and then she thought about it. “You know, she’d love to be able to participate in dog shows. Pinky is the center of her universe, now that her daughter’s away at the univers
ity.”

  “So what are our steps?” He pushed his plate away. “I think we can get the place cleaned up and workable tomorrow.”

  “And then tomorrow evening, we can meet and make a training plan to present to her. Or...I could do that alone, I guess. I can’t ask Mom, or Gabby, to take care of the twins every night.”

  “And I have to be nearby for Dad. But we can combine forces at one of our houses, maybe. I could come over, or you could bring the twins to our place. I don’t want to dump this problem on you.”

  She opened her mouth to say that wasn’t necessary, but shut it again. It wasn’t necessary, not strictly, but she’d get better ideas if Luke was working at her side.

  And more than that, she wanted him to be there.

  While they’d been talking, Rosemary had unobtrusively cleared their plates, and now she came to the table with the check.

  Luke took it from her and pulled out his wallet. When Hannah went for her purse, he waved a hand at her. “I’ve got this.”

  “But—”

  “Let him pay,” Rosemary advised. “You two are so cute. Just like Bobby and Marnie used to be, when they came here.”

  For a minute, Hannah didn’t take in her words. Then Luke paused in the midst of pulling out a credit card. “Bobby and Marnie used to come here?”

  “Yes, they did.”

  Hannah felt her face go hot while the rest of her body turned to ice.

  “Huh,” he said, and handed Rosemary the card. “Here you go. Dinner was great.”

  “It was,” Hannah choked out.

  She went through the motions of finishing their plans for tomorrow, saying goodbye to Rosemary, putting on her coat. As Luke ushered her outside, she felt like she’d dodged a bullet...but one that was going to come back for her, again and again.

  She was going to have to tell Luke the truth. He needed to hear it from her before he figured it out himself.

  She’d do it as soon as they worked through this crisis with the benefactors.

  * * *

  The next evening, after dinner, Luke came over as they’d discussed. To Hannah’s surprise, though, his father was at his side. The older man was walking more upright. His color was good, and he wasn’t holding Luke’s arm.