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CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER

5

I

saac and Jenna rode in the cab of the truck, Sara tucked between them. Or

Princess

Sara, as she preferred to be known with her tiara and jewels. She had emerged from the bedroom in full princess regalia. Jenna had to hand it to Isaac, he hadn’t batted an eyelash—just carried Sara out to the truck so she wouldn’t get her fancy shoes stuck in the snow.

Jenna hadn’t been sure how she was going to get into the truck herself. She wasn’t too steady on her crutches yet, but Isaac had cleared the path so she could get to the truck, and then he’d helped her in.

The feeling of his hands around her waist as he lifted her into the cab shifted her into high gear again. She couldn’t resist a deep inhale as she caught a whiff of something vaguely spicy. It was too subtle to be cologne, and he didn’t seem the type to wear it anyway. Whatever it was, it was yummy and she wanted more of it.

Calm down, Jenna. You are the boss of your hormones. They are not the boss of you.

She stifled a laugh. Yeah right. Who was she kidding?

Sara’s squirming in the seat between them quickly brought her back to reality, and it took a lot of her concentration just to keep her leg from knocking on the underside of the dash.

Jenna took in the view as acres and acres of snow-covered trees flew past, interrupted only by the occasional driveway. She was grateful for the distance Sara created by riding between them. If Jenna had made the ride with her side rubbing up against Isaac’s, she’d probably spontaneously combust before they reached the town. And she was pretty sure her face was red again. Snatches of their conversation from the last time she’d been in the truck kept jumping into her head.

Distraction. That’s what she needed. “How many people live here?”

“About 10,000 in the town and areas around it.”

Jenna had spent most of her life bouncing from one town to another as her mom bounced from job, to man, to job across the country. Their location had been dictated by whatever opportunity seemed the most appealing to her mother at that moment. Jenna had hated always changing schools, and was used to being a loner. There wasn’t much point in making friends when you knew you were going to have to leave them—often without notice.

They passed the “Welcome to Rivers End” sign. “How did the town get its name?”

“The town is located, quite literally, where the two rivers end. It sits in between Big River and Little River, and they merge before spilling into the ocean not far from here. The big one actually runs right by the Lodge.”

Jenna turned her attention back out the window as they drove down the main street. It looked like many of the small towns she had lived in: gas station, grocery store, bakery, hardware store, barber shop. And a restaurant or two. She knew somewhere nearby there would be a school, and the clinic she had been to the other day.

It was the kind of place where people smiled at you when you walked down the street, even if they didn’t know you. A place where everyone knew everyone’s business.

Jenna had always wanted to belong in a place like this. But she’d spent the past five years in Vancouver, and that was where her new apartment was, so she didn’t expect to move anytime soon.

“There it is!” Sara was bouncing out of her seat as they pulled up in front of the diner. “Can I go show Jeannie my outfit?”

“Of course you can, Short Stuff. Watch for cars, and tell Jeannie we’ll need a table for three today.” He lifted Sara down from the cab and she ran around the front of the truck and up the two steps leading into the diner.

Jenna wiggled over to the edge of the bench seat and into Isaac’s arms as he helped her gingerly slide out of the cab. Once he grabbed her crutches from the back seat, they made their way into the diner.

Despite her vow to avoid all things Christmas, Jenna found herself enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and old-style décor, and didn’t even mind the carols playing on the jukebox.

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks,

Dressed in holiday style

In the air there's a feeling of Christmas.

Children laughing, people passing,

Meeting smile after smile,

And on every street corner you hear ...

Silver bells, silver bells,

It's Christmas time in the city

Ring-a-ling, hear them ring

Soon it will be Christmas Day.

Settled in a cozy booth with Isaac and Sara across from her was nice. Jenna felt like she belonged here, so she decided just to relax and enjoy the experience.

“Dammit.”

Isaac checked his thumb, but it didn’t seem to be bleeding. It was the fourth time he’d stuck himself in less than an hour. Sewing was not a skill he possessed on a good day. And sewing gauzy fabric by candlelight—while distracted—was way out of his comfort zone.

He kept running over scenes from dinner in his mind. Jenna had seemed like she was having a good time, and had been patient with Sara’s endless questions and chatter all through the meal. Their dinner had been interrupted several times by people stopping to say hi. But she hadn’t seemed to mind. The stares made him a bit uncomfortable, but that was what happened when you had dinner in town with a gorgeous woman no one knew. Especially if you were Isaac, who hadn’t been on a date in years.

“Can I help?”

He was startled to find the object of his thoughts standing right beside him. Man, she looked good in the candlelight.

“What are you making?” She took a seat, propping her crutches against the extra chair, and leaned over to pick up the cloth from the table. He caught a hint of vanilla and something Christmassy. She must have showered; her hair was still wet. Like his overactive imagination needed any more help to picture Jenna naked.

Isaac cleared his throat. “Sara’s angel costume, for the Christmas concert.”

Jenna dropped the fabric back on the table. “When does it have to be finished?”

“Tomorrow.” He looked straight at her, and decided the worst she could say was no. Then he’d be just as screwed as he was right now. “I’m desperate. Can you help?”

She started to say, “I don’t—” but he cut her off.

“I just can’t bear to disappoint Sara. All the other girls will have their moms making their costumes.”

“I hope you don’t mind my asking, but where is Sara’s mom?”

He never talked about Lauren, but it didn’t seem fair not to answer Jenna’s question when he was asking for her help. “Gone.”

“And by gone, you mean …?” She looked stricken.

“No, she’s not dead. She just left when Sara was only a year old.” Hadn’t even stayed for her first birthday, in fact. He tried not to let the anger creep into his voice. He still didn’t understand how she could possibly have walked out on Sara. On them both. He probably never would understand it. But for his sake, he was glad she hadn’t taken Sara with her. He couldn’t imagine life without his little girl.

“Why?” From her tone of voice, Jenna sounded like she didn’t get it either. That made him like her even more than he already did.

Jenna picked up the fabric from the table and was doing some kind of bunchy thing with it.

“She said lots of things. That she wasn’t cut out to be a mom. That the town was too boring. That I was too boring. That she was going crazy and felt trapped.” His face tightened as he remembered the rages, the drinking, and the final straw—her affair with someone he’d thought was his friend. When she had told him she was leaving town, he hadn’t even tried to convince her to stay. He’d just stated that Sara was not going with her. The saddest part was she hadn’t even made a token argument.

“And does she see Sara very often?” Jenna was focused on what she was doing, hands flying over the material as she stitched and tucked and gathered things here and there.

He doubted she had any idea how beautiful she looked surrounded by gauzy fabric in the candlelight. He would keep talking forever if it meant she would sit there for him to admire.

“Not since the day she walked out. She’s never even phoned.”

Jenna looked up from her sewing and her eyes connected with Isaac’s. “So she’s not a part of your life?”

“No. She’s not.” He held her gaze, and slowly moved forwards on his chair so he could get a little closer.

It had been a long time since he’d been in a position to make a move. He’d sworn not to get involved with Jenna. But he hadn’t been able to think about much

besides

kissing Jenna since he’d seen her in those elf PJs. And one little kiss wasn’t the same as getting involved, after all.

He reached out to brush a curl from her face, and she didn’t pull away. So he leaned forward in his chair, and took full advantage of the romantic mood created by the candles burning all around them.

His lips touched hers, and when she locked her lips on his and kissed him right back, his intention to keep it short and sweet went right out the window. Her lips were soft and full, and she tasted as good as she smelled.

It had been a long time since he’d been this close to a woman, but Jenna seemed as into it as he was and his body reacted instantly. One of his hands was in her hair, and the other was wrapped around her waist, pulling her even closer. His last rational thought was that her curves, pressed up against him, felt even better than he had imagined.

So much for keeping his distance. When he felt her teeth nip at his neck, he gave up thinking entirely.

“What are you doing?”

Isaac and Jenna sprang apart and it was hard to say which one looked guiltier.

Wow.

She had been totally lost in that kiss, to the point where she hadn’t even attempted to stop Isaac when he undid the top few buttons of her shirt.

Jenna tried to straighten her shirt and fasten her buttons without being obvious. Sara’s curious gaze was unwavering.

Classy, Jenna. Real classy. Making out with a guy you hardly know in the middle of the living room and probably traumatizing his kid.

“I was just kissing Jenna good night.”

Sara thought about that for a second. “You didn’t do it right.”

“What do you mean? I thought I did a pretty good job.” He winked at Jenna, and her already flushed face went fire-engine red. She had to agree with him on that one. He’d been doing a better-than-fine job, in fact.

“No,” Sara explained. “You have to do it on the forehead. Like when you tuck me in.” She stood there like she was waiting for a demonstration.

Isaac must have felt obliging, because he leaned over to Jenna and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Her insides melted to a pile of mush when he topped it off with a wink that promised more where that came from later.

“Okay. Dad, can I have a shortbread cookie?”

“No cookies at bedtime. You know the rules. And right now, it’s way past your bedtime.”

“It’s not for me, silly. It’s for the reindeer.”

“Nice try, Short Stuff. You and I both know that reindeer eat carrots, not shortbread.” He got up from his chair and headed towards the kitchen. “But I’m happy to get you a carrot if you want.”

Sara shrugged her shoulders. “Never mind. They’re probably not that hungry anyway.”

And with one last wink at Jenna, Isaac said, “You’re probably right. We’ll save the goodies for tomorrow.” And he scooped her up off the ground and carried her back to bed.

When Isaac came back

to the living room after finally getting Sara to sleep, he found the completed angel costume sitting on the table, but no sign of Jenna.

While his body felt the frustration of the interruption, his mind acknowledged that it was probably for the best. He clearly had no control over his hormones, so it was good that Jenna had removed temptation. There was no telling what might have happened if Sara hadn’t interrupted them.

The fact that they were obviously attracted to each other did not resolve the issues standing in their way. She was a paying guest, and injured. And he had responsibilities that made having a fling impractical, not to mention irresponsible.

Then he heard her moving around in the kitchen, and he just couldn’t walk away without making sure she was okay.

He found Jenna standing at the kitchen counter, staring out the window over the sink. There were candles on the counter, and another one on the kitchen table, bathing the room in just enough light that he could see her face. Her skin was back to its normal colour, more creamy rose than fire-engine red. But her shoulders were tense and the look in her eyes wasn’t the look of passion she’d had when he kissed her.

“Jenna …”

“Look, Isaac …” Jenna laughed awkwardly. “I think we should just pretend that never happened.”

Hmmm. Even though he’d just been thinking the same thing, when those words came from Jenna’s lips disappointment sank through him.

Just because it was the responsible choice didn’t mean he had to like it. But he was curious about her reasons. “Why?”

Why?

Well, for all the really good reasons that had been perfectly clear to her a moment ago. Except she didn’t seem able to form a coherent sentence when he was standing right in front of her. All she could think about was

that kiss.

And where things might have gone if they hadn’t been interrupted.

Come on, Jenna, focus.

“Well, I’m supposed to be spending my time here alone, figuring out what to do with my life now that I’m unemployed.”

“I don’t want to bring up a painful topic, but I am curious. You don’t seem like the kind of person who would get fired from a job. And what you said about being “unemployed” didn’t make much sense to me. I assumed it was just the drugs talking.”

Jenna looked up in surprise.

Oh man.

What else had she said when she was out of it? “No, it wasn’t entirely the drugs talking. I was writing full-time for a website.”

“Did you quit?”

How much should she tell him? “Sort of. It was actually my own business, and I just sold it.”

“Interesting. You don’t look like a tech geek. What kind of website is it?”

“A Christmas-themed website.”

His skeptical look was pretty standard. “You could make a living from that? Isn’t it kind of, well, seasonal?”

“Actually, it was a year-round thing. I posted a new activity, craft project, or recipe every single day, all year round, for five years. And lots of product reviews closer to the holidays, that kind of thing. At least I did. Until a few days ago.” This was the part where people usually looked at her like she was crazy, or asked her how much money she made.

But Isaac just looked interested. “Why?”

Over the years, she had answered that question for interviewers with all the standard answers. She loved the holidays, she liked doing something that brought people together and helped them to create the perfect holiday for their family and friends. She was good at being crafty and creative. But no one had ever asked her in a way that convinced her to tell them the truth.

“Because I wanted to help people have what I never had. A perfect Christmas.”

And now that she didn’t have that mission, that purpose, to drive her, she had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do.

“I thought if I could come here, out to the middle of nowhere—no offence—and have nothing to do with Christmas, maybe I could figure out what I wanted to do next.”

“And whatever is going on between us isn’t helping you figure it out, is it?”

Jenna hid her smile behind her glass of water. Well, not in the way he meant. But there was clearly one thing she wanted. Him. Her. Naked. Preferably with four working knees and an open-air hot tub in the snow.

“Not exactly.” The attraction between them wasn’t fading. And she was really enjoying her time with him and Sara. She thought she’d figured out what she wanted. Her own place in the city, a home of her own, and a chance to start fresh and build the kind of life she wanted.

But after that kiss, she was feeling less sure about that plan by the minute.

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