“Well, I promise not to give in to the temptation.”
“Thank you and it’s nice to meet you. Vi talks about you all the time.”
Beau smiled. “That’s funny, I was about to tell you the same thing. Since you hired her all I hear about is Mari this and Mari that. She really enjoys working with you.”
“She’s been a great help so far but I’m worried what I’m going to do when she goes back to school, there is so much to do to bring the park up to date.”
“I’m sure you can get it done. Like I said, Vi talks about you all the time. She makes me think you’re very on top of things.”
Vivian had been unusually quiet and Beau noticed she was watching him with a thoughtful look on her face. “What’s got you so quiet, sis?”
She grinned. “Me? Nothing, just looking for the parade to start. I hope I didn’t leave too soon.”
Just then they could hear the sound of sirens from around the corner. Beau wasn’t fooled, he knew his sister had something going on in that head of hers. He also knew she wouldn’t say a word until she was ready to. “Sounds like they’re here.”
After that there wasn’t much talk as they all watched and waved and generally acted like overgrown kids. When it was all over Beau walked the two ladies back to the park entrance. “I’ll let you two get to work. We’ll have the feast ready when you both get there.” He looked at Mari “You are still planning to come for Thanksgiving, aren’t you?”
She nodded and looked at him with those eyes and he felt himself getting lost in them. Could you become attracted to someone from their eyes only? Apparently the answer was yes. “Yes, and thank you for the invitation. Otherwise I’d have sat in my little apartment over Santa’s workshop and had a microwave dinner.”
“You are welcome, no one should be alone for the holidays. Consider this your invite for Christmas too.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
He smiled. “I’m pretty sure I do. You see my sister considers you her friend and she’d never let me hear the end of it if you spent it alone eating microwave food.”
Beau turned to Vivian. “Convince her it’s a real invite, sis. I’ll see you both back at the house when you’re done.”
Vivian gave him a quick hug whispering in his ear, “Thank you, Beau.”
“Anything for you and your friends, Vi, you know that.”
Then he turned and headed to his truck. He had to get away from those eyes and this attraction. He wasn’t in the market for a romance. Not until he was sure that Vivian was settled and happy. Then once that responsibility was finished he’d think about his own needs and wants. He couldn’t let himself fall for those electric blue eyes no matter how much they called to him.
Chapter Four
C heese and Crackers!! Mari thought. Vivian’s brother was one hot cowboy! With his blond hair and whiskey colored eyes. He looked like he ought to be modeling cowboy wear instead of running a ranch. Even in that thick coat straight out of a western wear catalogue she could see he had shoulders and a chest that just begged to be touched. And those jeans! It should be illegal to walk around looking that fine. She didn’t know if he felt it but there was definitely some kind of spark between them, at least on her end. Which she couldn’t give into, not right now too much was riding on her to even think about giving in to that pull. There was no way she could allow her heart to lead her body to the delicious distraction that was Beau Hart. Not when she might lose the park in just a couple of months.
Mari sighed. She needed a distraction to keep her from being distracted by the handsome rancher. She didn’t know how she was going to get through the evening having to eat and talk and generally socialize with the man. He wouldn’t be wrapped up in outdoor gear in his house. She knew what she’d do but couldn’t do it until tomorrow. She’d go to the local animal shelter and find a rescue. A cuddly animal to love on would help her not feel so lonely or so susceptible to the handsome cowboy who was temptation on legs. That’s what she’d do, just make it through today and go get a puppy tomorrow. As for her love life. Maybe she’d grab a new book boyfriend or two. Several of her favorite authors had put out holiday romances this week.
She shook all that off; she had a park to oversee and she wanted to use today to start looking at the physical park and see what needed improvement. All the computer accounting and record keeping wouldn’t be what would keep the park open another year. “Hey Vi, grab your tablet and digital camera. I want us to inspect the park while it’s open and see if we can find things to improve that everyone can see so we have things to show for our meeting in January.”
Vivian laughed and picked up the items. “You aren’t fooling me, you just didn’t want to have to get out of all your winter mummy wraps. I think it will take us at least an hour to unwrap you when we get out to the ranch.”
“It’s cold out there!”
Vivian shook her head. “This isn’t cold, just wait until middle of January when the snow is two feet deep and everything freezes, then tell me how cold it is. You look like you’re a giant marshmallow person wrapped up like that.”
“I can’t help it, the North Pole is in a cold place. I’m used to Atlanta in the winter where it is only like fifty and that’s cold enough. What is it out there anyway, three degrees?”
Vivian laughed. “More like thirty-three; just wait until it’s negative twenty, then let’s see you.”
Mari shivered as they walked outside, she wasn’t looking forward to even colder temperatures. If nothing else she could think about those whiskey colored eyes, the broad shoulders under that Marlboro man coat and the way he filled out those jeans and warm up enough to almost be comfortable.
If Mari thought she had trouble getting Beau out of her thoughts before arriving at the Hart ranch she was completely lost seconds after entering the house. He wasn’t wearing that thick coat and the tight long-sleeved three-button shirt he wore was tight on his chest. Dear Lord, she couldn’t help but want to run her hands up and down his chest and arms. More than once she found herself wanting to wrap her arms around him and let her fingers loose in his blond locks in need of a serious trim. All the while she envisioned his lips on hers. All that before he’d even come forward to help her with her coat. As he stepped around her to assist her removing her arctic gear, as Vivian kept calling it, she got a deep whiff of his scent. Wood smoke, leather and musk mixed in her lungs causing her to want to bury her head in his chest and just breathe him in.
She trembled as his hand brushed the back of her shoulders as he took her coat from her. Mari knew she needed to do something, anything to get herself under control before she launched herself into his arms and begged him to kiss her. What was she going to do? How in the world was she going to be expected to eat with him sitting at the same table?
She moved into the kitchen and knew the answer. One deep breath and brand new scents filled her head and cause her stomach to rumble with hunger. The smells of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner wrapped around her and gave her something else to focus on besides the scorching hot cowboy in the next room. “You must be Mari, I’m Mrs. Betty. I was good friends with your aunt and uncle. How are they enjoying Florida?”
“They sound like they are having the time of their lives. They moved to a town called Christmas and are becoming celebrities with our last name. They bought a house and hired a local artist to turn it into a gingerbread house, then had a huge mail box put up that says Mr. and Mrs. Christmas on it. Also, they bought another carousel and are having it fixed up. Aunt Dora said it was in sad shape when they got there. Most of the horses were not rising or lowering and the whole thing needed to be cleaned and serviced. They’ve even hired a guy to replace all the horses with fiberglass reindeer so it looks more Christmas themed.”
The older cook nodded. “Sound just like them. Still having fun with Christmas.”
Mari smiled. “They really are. The warmer weather is good for Aunt Dora too. She doesn’t hurt as much down there.
Plus, Mom and Dad are just a few hours away in Valdosta so if they need help it’s close.”
The conversation turned to how she was liking North Pole and before she knew it they were all seated around a large dining room table. The Hart’s had invited all their hands to join them and those cowboys without local families were there, putting around twelve people at dinner.
Beau sat at the head of the table with Mari on his left and Vivian on his right. “I want to say that I’m very blessed to have so many friends and family with us today. If you’re here then know Vivian and I consider you to be part of our family. Some of you we’ve known most of our lives.” He nodded toward Mrs. Betty and her husband Jasper at the far end of the table. “Some of you are brand new to our family.” He nodded to Mari and she blushed thinking she’d like to be his family particularly, her wayward mind whispered to her, his wife. “But we are thankful that God brought you each into our lives and helped us form the family we have today. That’s all the touchy feely stuff out of the way, so what say we dig in?”
Everyone laughed, and dishes started getting passed around the table. Once everyone’s plate was loaded and everyone was stuffing their bellies with Mrs. Betty’s delicious food, Beau looked at Mari. “Vi tells us that the park is in some trouble. How can I help?”
Mari swallowed and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure what anyone can do at this point. The mayor came to see me and said that a motion has been made to hold a hearing on not renewing our license to operate next year. He said this happens every year and is always brought by the same city councilwoman.”
He nodded. “That’s what Vi told me. Our grandmother who wants nothing to do with us. My parents fell in love and decided to elope at the park apparently and our grandmother has hated the place ever since. I’m sorry she’s giving you trouble. What can be done?”
“The mayor seemed to indicate that, without my uncle and aunt here to remind the council of their personal memories of the park, nothing can be done. But Vivian and I are trying to actually address the issues mentioned in the motion. The motion claims the park is dangerous, in need of updates and as such is an embarrassment to the community. We are digging into the files looking for maintenance and repair schedules and payments to prove it isn’t unsafe as well as checking for any accident reports but my aunt and uncle were old school, nothing is computerized, so we are literally digging through paperwork. None of which seems to have been separated or filed in any kind of a system.”
“Sounds like you need to get everything sorted and filed and maybe even loaded into a computer system.”
Mari nodded, “That’s a lot of what Vivian and I have been doing. Organizing and scanning documents. I bought the park office two computers and a computerized timecard system. We are going through right now and getting this year’s bills and payments separated and everything else by year. This year we’re entering into the computer but it’s slow going and while necessary I’m not looking forward to it.”
“Yes I could see that, and once you get everything set up it will be easier to keep the records that way.”
Mari nodded; he was so easy to talk to. “That’s true but it won’t show that the park is updating even though we are. Most of what we’ve done can’t be seen by the public. The park itself will be exactly the same as it has been for several years. I mean, we are having a website built and making it so tickets and passes can be bought online. We have social media accounts now and Vivian has done wonders walking through the park and taking candid shots to put on the site and visitors are starting to add photos and videos as well. My fear is again it won’t seem like enough. The mayor seemed convinced that without my uncle and aunt here to share personal memories that the council people have, we don’t stand a chance.”
Beau frowned. “They can’t fly back for the meeting?”
Mari shook her head. “No, the reason they moved was Aunt Dora’s doctor told them that she needed a warmer climate or her rheumatoid would end up putting her in the hospital. I can’t ask them to come back during the winter.”
Beau nodded, and the conversation stalled. Mari could see he was thinking about everything she said and wondered why he seemed so concerned about the park. “Can I ask why you seem so concerned to keep the park open?”
Beau sat his fork on his plate and looked her in the eyes and she felt her heart speed up. “Mari, Santa’s Village is part of every good memory of our family that Vivian and I have. Our parents took us all the time, after their death I took Vivian. It was part of what helped us keep the grief of our parents’ deaths at bay. We created our own tradition around the park. Most people in North Pole have as well.”
“So the park means something to you two.”
He nodded and looked thoughtful. “Yes but not just us, it means something to a lot of people in town. You employ a lot of townsfolk, so if you close a lot of people will lose their income. But more than that, people build memories there. The mayor is right on one hand. Your Uncle Nick and Aunt Dora knew tons of stories about families in town centered around Santa’s Village. However, they aren’t the only ones who know lots of those stories. The people of this town do too.” He grinned at her. “I think I know how to help you. We need to talk to Leon Cox.”
Vivian started bouncing in her seat. “That’s a great idea, Beau.”
Mari looked between the brother and sister. “Who is Leon Cox?”
Beau’s grin blossomed into a full smile and Mari’s breath caught in her chest. CHEESE AND CRACKERS, his smile makes him even hotter!
“Leon was my best friend growing up and now he’s the community editor for the North Pole Times. I bet if we talk to him he could run an article asking the locals to share their happy and important family memories at Santa’s Village. A bunch of editorial letters could help your cause. You might not know all those stories your uncle and aunt know but you could show up with hundreds of stories from locals about what the park means to them.”
“Do you think he’d do it?”
“I’ll go see him tomorrow and ask but I’m pretty sure he would. He hates that all he ever gets to write are fluff pieces about flower shows and hundredth birthdays. Not only would this be a piece about the community but he’d get to write about a member of the town council trying to take away a beloved city institution.”
Mari reached out and laid her hand on Beau’s arm, sucking in a breath at the strong tingle that jolted up her arm at the contact. Cheese and Crackers indeed! He really makes me feel all tingly. I thought that was just in books and movies. “Thank you, I never would have thought to go to the paper for help. “
She saw him swallow several times and she wondered if he was as affected by the touch as she was. “I’m glad to help.”
With that, dinner moved on to other topics including what the hands would all be doing the rest of the week. Mari just sat listening and answering when she was asked anything but her mind stayed locked on the handsome man at the head of the table. She really needed to get herself under control. She didn’t have time for romance right now even if he did things to her no other man’s looks and touches had ever done. She had a park to save. Animal shelter tomorrow and a puppy: that’s what she needed. Something safe to shower her love and affection on. Not the hunky cowboy looking at her like she was a juicy steak on his plate.
Chapter Five
B eau lay in his bed Thanksgiving night and tossed for hours. He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes visions of Mari Christmas would fill his head. Yes her eyes had been mesmerizing but that wasn’t the best thing about the young woman. When he’d went to help her with her coat he realized that she was the perfect size for him; with her head coming up to just under his chin he wouldn’t have to lean so far to kiss her. He really wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless but he’d been the perfect gentleman. He didn’t need the complication of a romance right now anyway. His plan was to see Vivian graduated and settled into her own life before he started even thinking about one
of his own. If he could just get his brain and heart to line up with the program. He couldn’t get the way she smelled, all perfectly girly with something sweet and spicy combined, out of his head. Standing behind her he couldn’t get his brain to even form a coherent thought.
Then when she touched him at dinner he thought she’d hit him with an electric cattle prod, the shock was so intense. While intense it had also been something highly pleasant and he wanted to feel that feeling again. He wanted to feel more than just that electric feeling. He wanted to feel her lips on his. He wanted to feel his fingers playing with that silky black hair. He wanted to feel how well she fit up against his body in a hug or a dance. If he was honest with himself and it seemed like he was going to be tonight, he just wanted Mari. In his arms, in his life, in his home as his wife. How could one woman make such a huge hole in his life after one day?
He needed to stay away from her if he was going to keep to his plan to get Vivian settled before allowing himself to move forward. That was going to be next to impossible of course. He’d offered to help her with talking to Leon and gathering all the letters that he’d hopefully be able to encourage the good people of North Pole to write about the park. Plus Mrs. Betty made it very plain that she liked the woman and Vivian not only worked for her but was already considering her a good friend. There was just no way he was going to be able to stay away from her. So he’d just have to corral his heart and keep it hobbled behind the fence.
With that decided he rolled over to try and get a few hours sleep before he’d have to get up and do the morning chores. As soon as his eyes closed there she was again in all her beauty, Mari Christmas. As sleep dragged him into dreamland she was the star of all his dreams that night. They were good dreams, sweet dreams and a few very naughty dreams but in all of them she called him husband or daddy or lover. He saw them dating, marrying and even having children and grandchildren together. Running a ranch and visiting Santa’s Village. Everything he didn’t even realize he wanted in life until he met her today.
Music Box Christmas (The Ornamental Match Maker Book 3) Page 3
