“Anytime, Sunshine.”
When she drove away, he put his own car in gear and headed toward his rental house on the edge of town. His shift was almost over and Aidyn was spending the night with her sitter. What if he had met someone like Robyn when he’d been a young man? Would he have settled down in one place? So far, he’d been following in his parents’ footsteps, moving around way too often; always in the city though once he married Joyce. She refused to move to the country despite him telling her she’d love it. Worse, she’d never wanted a child. Not really. And when she was angry at Ben, she’d taken it out on Aidyn. Not physically, but by keeping an emotional distance from her daughter which drove Ben mad. He’d foolishly thought having a child would help his wife find contentment and happiness. It didn’t work for her, but he loved being a parent. His greatest joy in life was being Aidyn’s dad.
When he returned to the dark rental house, his spirits sank. His had to be the only place in town not decorated for the holiday. Too tired to even think about it at that particular moment, he went to bed.
It was a few nights later when the furnace went out.
“Daddy, what’s that noise?” Aidyn shook him from a weird dream involving Robyn dancing with a group of elves and pounding on the floor.
When the sound registered as more than a dream, he sat up in bed. The house was freezing. He threw back the covers. “You wait here,” he told his daughter as he grabbed a flashlight from the nightstand. “Get under the covers and stay warm.”
He switched on all the lights on his way to the basement. It had to be the furnace. The thing was an ancient piece of machinery and it’d finally given out. He shone the light on it. Dead for sure. He’d call the landlord in the morning. When he returned to his room, Aidyn was asleep and lightly snoring. He shut off the light and made a pot of coffee, cursing his landlord and wondering how quickly he could get the damn thing repaired.
The next morning, Aidyn wore her coat as she ate cold cereal for breakfast. Ben tried calling his landlord and cursed once again when the call went straight to voicemail. After driving Aidyn to school, he stopped off at Marilee’s for hot coffee and a maple donut.
“Mornin’ cheerful,” Marilee said as she filled his cup. “If you don’t mind my saying so, you look like something the cat dragged in. Were our local prowlers out again?”
“Nah, the furnace at my place broke. It’s so cold there, I think my eyelids froze shut.” He took a grateful sip of the hot liquid. “My daughter and I need a place to stay for a couple of days. Any ideas?” Walking in a Winter Wonderland came on the radio just then, the last thing Ben wanted to hear. He’d planned on decorating a tree with Aidyn this weekend but now they didn’t even have a roof over their heads.
Marilee’s eyes were lit up as she slid into the seat across from him. What was she up to now? He’d given her an earful the day after she’d sent him to the park. The results had turned out well, but she had no business calling him out on a false alarm. Marilee never fessed up to it, but he knew it was her. Now could practically see her wheels turning now as she crossed her arms and leaned across the table. She had on a necklace with a Santa Claus pendant, which dangled dangerously close to his coffee cup. He pulled the cup toward him and took another sip. With the early snow and the decorations going up all over town, tourists would be descending in droves upon the sleepy little town. He’d be lucky to find a place but if anyone knew where to stay, hopefully off the beaten path, Marilee would.
“I happen to know of a big ranch house out in the country,” she said. “There’s plenty of room and it has a giant fireplace so there’ll be plenty of heat.” She turned her head away from him, but there was no hiding that grin. When she turned back, whatever she found so humorous was under control. She added, “The owner’s been thinking of listing a room or two on one of those Airbnb sites. I can make a call and see what’s available.”
She jumped up as though to make the call, but Ben grabbed her gently by the wrist so she couldn’t run off. “Marilee, whose house is it?”
She shook off his hand. “A friend of mine.”
“And…is your friend named Robyn Meadows by chance? Are you trying to play matchmaker games with me again.”
She huffed. “Don’t get mad at me, but yes. It’s legit this time. She’s been fixing up the place to take in paying guests. It’s too isolated though and I worry about her staying out there by herself, especially with our high crime rate this year.”
Ben snorted. He came from a city with drive-by shootings on a regular basis. The high rate of crime in Hopeful was raised tenfold by the even higher rate of gossip in the small town.
“Robyn won’t listen to me,” Marilee whined. “She’s more stubborn than an old mule and says she can take care of a prowler by herself.” She ran a hand through her cropped, red hair. “I mean, she probably could. I wouldn’t want to go up against her.”
Ben raised his brows at that. “Are you thinking she might shoot first and ask questions later?”
“She might. Or she might ask the prowler in for a hot mulled cider. With Robyn, anything is possible.” Marilee gave him an intense look which made him squirm. “At least check it out. Robyn could test out her Airbnb arrangement and I’d get some sleep for a change.” Marilee gave him a seductive look. “You might even get a discount for being her first.”
Ben raised his eyebrows. “Marilee,” he warned, although he had no objections to being Robyn’s first guest at the Airbnb, that wasn’t what Marilee was hinting at. Sadly, he’d lost that chance years ago. Not that it bothered him. He wouldn’t mind being her second, or third, or… He stopped when he saw Marilee watching his every move.
“It’ll be a win-win. Maybe while you’re out there, you can catch the burglar whose been breaking into the houses north of town.”
“First, my daughter will be there and I would never stay at Robyn’s if I thought it wasn’t safe. Second, no one will go near her place if they know I’m there.”
“See. Like I said, it’s a win-win.”
He couldn’t very well argue with Marilee’s logic. Out of curiosity, he’d driven by Robyn’s place several times since returning to Hopeful. The house was old, but well-maintained. There was even a big old barn on the site. He’d never seen any horses or cattle though. Not even so much as a dog.
“If she isn’t ready for guests, I couldn’t impose on her. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. And it’s so close to Christmas. She doesn’t need us in the way.”
“The rooms are ready. Making that final jump is freaking her out though. She likes her routine and inviting strangers into your home is a big change. Sometimes, a good swift kick in the butt gets her moving.”
“You sound like quite the friend.”
“I’m the best one she has.” Marilee became serious. “I wouldn’t send just anyone to stay there. You’re an officer of the law and like you said, you have a young daughter. Those are the highest quality recommendations I can think of. Trust me, she needs to know what she’s in for before she rents out her house to strangers.” Marilee gave him a gleeful look, as though she knew she’d be getting her way. “Let me talk to her first,” she said. “This will work out great. I promise. And I’ll make sure she gives you a good deal on the place.”
“We’ll see. I’m sure my daughter would prefer a house in the country to a cheap motel room. Don’t go pushing Robyn into it though. I can find us another place to stay.”
Marilee patted his hand. “Believe me. No one can get Robyn to do anything she doesn’t want to do.” She winked. “You let me handle it though. You go on fighting crime and protecting our fine town, Deputy Dawson.”
Ben leaned back and crossed his arms. “You are nothing but trouble, Marilee Phillips. I don’t know how Jason puts up with you.”
She grinned. “Jason likes my kind of trouble.” She walked away with her abundant hips swaying from side to side.
Ben shook his head. Did the woman always have to win?
&nb
sp; Chapter Eight
Robyn stood at the counter of the shop, her mind going a million miles an hour. She could not believe what Marilee had talked her into. She blushed, thinking of their conversation. It hadn’t taken that much talking and now she was beginning to experience mixed reactions to what she’d agreed to do. Her first rental would be to Ben Dawson and his daughter while their furnace was being repaired. A few work days at the most, Marilee promised.
Not that the idea didn’t excite her…okay, just a little. Well, a lot if she wanted to face the truth. It was Ben Dawson after all, a man she felt safe with. Relatively safe anyway. An unexpected image of Ben Dawson taking a shower…in her shower…nearly knocked her sideways. But would he be safe from her? Just thinking about that gorgeous man raised her body temperature a good ten degrees. How could she have him sleeping under her roof? She’d end up making a fool of herself for sure. Did she want him seeing her in her well-worn flannel pajamas—or maybe something else?
She ran a hand through her hair as her mind jumped to more practical matters. She hadn’t planned on advertising until after the New Year. And she hadn’t expected anyone to stay until maybe the summer. She’d be alone for Christmas this year and her holiday spirit was in short supply. Grandma had always taken the role of family matriarch seriously and the tradition was for family and friends to come out to the ranch for a special Christmas Eve event. With Grandma’s death, the extended family had yet to choose a new location for the annual get-together. There were several volunteers to host the party, but they were all waiting on Robyn to decide whether she would host it or not. Aunt Kerri had volunteered to help with preparations, but the holiday and the fun traditions they had were not the same without Grandma. She’d been dragging her feet on making the decision.
She hadn’t been up for decorating either and it showed. Boxes were pulled down from the attic and stacked in the hall, thinking about going through them exhausted her. She didn’t even have a tree up. And she certainly couldn’t have paying guests stay under those conditions. Maybe Ben would help her decorate if she allowed them to stay for free? Having a child in the house, even for the weekend, would change everything. The idea energized her as she remembered how much she’d enjoyed Christmas as a kid. She refused to think about Aidyn’s dad being there also and she focused on the little girl and the fun they could have together. Robyn could bake sugar cookies like her Grandma used to do and Aidyn could help decorate them. And they could have game nights, just like she’d experienced as a child. Maybe they’d go all out and build a gingerbread house together.
“Okay, yes, Marilee,” she’d finally told her friend, even knowing she should tamp down her excitement. After all, things seldom turned out as smooth and easy as they looked in the beginning. And there was Ben to consider. He’d be there too, and he might have his own ideas of how his daughter should spend her time. But she’d decided to worry about that later. “They can stay at my house,” she’d said. “But only if Ben chops firewood and puts the Christmas lights on the tree. If he does that, I won’t charge him for the rooms since this is a trial run for the Airbnb.”
“You drive a tough bargain, Missy,” Marilee responded. She left the shop looking as happy as Robyn had ever seen her.
Gads! What had she been thinking? Her friend had good intentions but had set her up with some blind dates before which had turned disastrous. That one guy, Donny if she remembered his name right, he hadn’t said much and mostly stared at her with a goofy, wide-eyed expression all through dinner. With his shaggy hair and bearded face, it’d been like dating an alpaca. To top off the evening, he’d chewed tobacco and she’d worried about getting spit on all the way home.
What had Marilee gotten her into this time?
She turned her attention back to the customers browsing through the shop, trying to hide the range of emotions which followed her wandering thoughts.
When Ben stopped by to discuss the details of their stay, she forced herself to wear a professional face. This was a business transaction, even if she was letting him stay for free. If he helped with the decorations, she could host the annual family Christmas Eve party and it would be a fair trade.
“I only have a minute,” he said. “I’m picking Aidyn up from school.” His trip to the quilt shop was brief and he quickly apologized for needing a place to stay, promising to help with whatever chores she needed done, and cursing his landlord for the broken furnace.
“It’ll be fine,” Robyn said. “I’m a bit embarrassed about not having a tree. Everything is usually finished early.”
“Marilee explained about your grandma. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be glad to help.”
“Do you think Aidyn would like to help also? I’d love it if she would.”
“I think so, but I can’t promise. We don’t usually do much around our place.”
“I’ll get the tree today. That way we can spend the weekend getting it fixed up. When my grandpa was alive, we’d get a permit to chop one down in the forest. The last few years, we’ve gotten a tree from Redland Brothers across town.”
“What time do you get home? Aidyn and I could pick up the tree, grab a pizza, and meet you at the house.”
“I have a better idea. I’ll leave Anna in charge of the shop and meet you at Redlands in…” she glanced at her watch, “thirty minutes?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Robyn watched as Ben left. What was she getting herself in for? When she came to work this morning, all she’d expected for her evening was a long soak in the tub. And now…
A little girl abandoned by her mother. Robyn could relate to that. She’d been lucky to have to doting grandparents as back-up. All Aidyn had was Ben. He looked to be trying his best, but if she could bridge a little of the gap, she’d do what she could. She tried ignoring the voice nagging at her...don’t get attached to the child, Robyn. You’ll only get yourself hurt.
And what about the man? She laughed it off. She’d had boyfriends. She knew what it was like to think she was in love. When it came right down to it though, she’d never been hurt when they left. In fact, she’d been rather glad to see them go. It was falling in love with the motherless girl she worried about the most.
Robyn refused to think about how her body responded any time Ben was in the room. And even then, she thought about him anyway. She blamed it on his uniform. The uniform symbolized he was an adult and he had his shit together. He could be trusted. Robyn laughed and folded the fabric she’d been about to cut into charm packs for the rack.
The man was divorced though, and what did that mean? Robyn paused, allowing herself time to think through the question. She saw Anna busy at the cash register and a newer employee measuring fabric at a cutting table. Her thoughts returned to Ben. His divorce meant he was a single dad who could use a helping hand with his daughter. Nothing more. Robyn had to stop thinking about his sex appeal and concentrate on Aidyn’s weekend being filled with warm memories of the holiday season. If everything was going to be perfect for the little girl, Robyn had plenty of work ahead of her.
She let Anna know she was leaving early and headed for the tree farm, as excited as a kid herself. She’d thought about buying a fake tree this year, but this was so much better. When Ben and Aidyn arrived, he bought them all a hot cider as they browsed around the field of trees, searching for the perfect shape. This was Aidyn’s first experience with a live tree for Christmas, and she ran up and down the rows with excitement. Robyn selected a Noble Fir and Ben cut it down and strapped it down in his pick-up. Stopping first for pre-made pizza to cook at home, Ben and Aidyn followed Robyn out to her house with the large Christmas tree dangling off the back of the truck.
As Ben unstrapped the tree, Robyn flipped on the lights and the television inside the house, putting it on a channel playing Christmas music. She helped Ben carry in the tree and they leaned it against the wall. Aidyn helped by carrying her over-night bag. When everything was unloaded from the vehicles, including groceries Ben had
thoughtfully picked up for the weekend, Robyn was finally able to shut the door and relax. Aidyn was reclining on the couch, her feet dangling off and bouncing.
“Tired?” Ben asked her as Robyn plopped into a chair.
“Not on your life.” She sat up straight. “We have a tree to set up.”
Aidyn jumped up. Eager to help.
Chapter Nine
The inside of Robyn’s home caught Ben by surprise; cozy and spacious at the same time. High ceilings with over-sized windows and a large stone fireplace dominated the living room. He pointed to the fireplace. “What do you think, Aidyn?” he asked. “Do you think Santa will fit through there?”
“Santa and his entire sleigh,” she said, sitting on the raised stones and tilting her head as if to look up the chimney. “But wouldn’t it be easier to go through the window?” she asked.
“The fireplace is faster,” Robyn said. “And he doesn’t step in anyone’s garden if he lands on the roof. No one wants to clean up if Santa forgets to wipe his feet.”
Aidyn slapped her herself lightly on the side of the head. “Well, duhh,” she said. “Why didn’t I think of that.”
Ben hid a grin and walked to the open kitchen. The window over the sink held a view of the pasture with the big red barn off to the side. “No horses?” he asked Robyn.
“Not yet. I’d like to start boarding some though.”
“What does that mean?” Aidyn asked as she joined her dad at the window.
“It means people could pay to keep their horses here and I’d look after them.”
“Like a motel for horses?”
Robyn nodded. “More like an apartment for horses. My ranch would be their home for as long as their owners want to keep them here. I’ll show you the barn and the horse stalls after you get settled in. Have you ever ridden a horse?”
“At the fairgrounds. We went around in a circle.”
Country Wishes Page 42
