Sawdust and Mistletoe

by Michelle Pennington

  She longed for December twenty-sixth, when it would all be packed away again. But the cleanup was going to start in her living room immediately. Olivia and Hunter would be over to help soon, but she could start without them.

  As soon as her arms were loaded with boxes though, the doorbell rang. Groaning in frustration, Ava set the boxes down and opened the door for Olivia.

  Before she could even say hello, Olivia asked, “So what happened last night?”

  Ava blushed and turned quickly. She shifted boxes around into groups. “We ate pizza at his brother’s house and then he brought me home.” She glanced at Olivia to see if that satisfied her. According to her raised eyebrow, it hadn’t. “Okay. And I hugged him.”

  “A hug? That’s it?”

  Remembering the hug, Ava bit her lip, trying not to smile. But it was impossible. “Well, I got emotional and started crying a little from all the stress. I was totally embarrassed until I realized he was holding out his arms to me. And I kind of snuggled into him.”

  “So, it was more that he held you while you cried?”

  Ava nodded. “It wasn’t attractive, sweet crying either. I got snotty and everything. He even got me some tissues because I was sniffing—trying desperately to not get it all over his shirt.”

  Olivia’s expression was pained. “How romantic.”

  “You know what though? I felt so, I don’t know, at home there. And safe. But at the same time his scent and his hard chest under my cheek, and seeing his lips so close up…. well, it stunned me how much I wanted to kiss him.”

  Smiling and nodding now, Olivia asked, “So, you did, right?”

  And that was when Ava came back down to earth, just like she had last night. “Nope. Because even though I think we both wanted to, there’s just not much point in it. Getting that close to him, I realized that my heart just can’t take it. He’s so nice. I mean, he was so sweet to his niece, it melted my heart. And he took such good care of me when I was an emotional mess.”

  “Why do you make it sound like a bad thing that he’s such a great guy?”

  “Because it would be way too easy to fall in love with him. Way too easy.”

  “Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” Olivia asked like she was talking to a child.

  “Not if I can’t keep him. And then, my mom called this morning and so I told her the whole story of how I got fired and now she wants me to bring Hunter over for dinner.”

  “Wow. Good luck with that.”

  “It’s not happening. She’d have us married off in her head within five minutes of him stepping in her house.”

  And then the doorbell rang. Because that’s how the universe treated her. Ava wasn’t expecting Hunter for another hour at least, but when she opened the door and saw him, she smiled because she couldn’t help it. But even though he couldn’t possibly know she and Olivia had been talking about him, she still felt embarrassed.

  “Come in,” she said. “You’re early.”

  “Yeah, the crew I got hired on with today goes home early on Friday.”

  “Ah. I’m glad you came to help.”

  He shrugged. “You want me, you’ve got me.”

  Olivia stifled a giggle, but just barely. Ava glared at her. “Let’s get going! Maybe if we get done early, we can all relax a little.”

  “Where are we putting all this?” he asked.

  “In the back of my van. It all belongs to Marcia since she technically paid for it. I doubt she wants it, but she’s going to get it.”

  “I can’t wait to dump this junk in her spotless workroom,” Olivia said.

  Ava’s lips twisted. “Yeah, that was sort of what I had in mind too.”

  “Great. Load me up,” Hunter said.

  They worked like ants and finished quicker than Ava anticipated. Olivia helped her carry out the last few boxes and they came back to find Hunter vacuuming. They stopped, staring, in the doorway. Olivia leaned close and said, “You know, things might not work out with Chris. Maybe I should—”

  Ava shook her head. “No way.”

  “Fine. I’ll take that load of stuff to Marcia’s since I need to pick up my check anyway. Someone will be there to help me. I’ll bring some food back with me.”

  “Sounds great.”

  When the door closed behind her, Ava felt sharply aware that she and Hunter were alone for the first time since last night. Taking a deep breath, and pretending to be calm, she sat on the couch and looked around her empty living room. “Oh, this is so much better.”

  Hunter put the vacuum away. “There’s still some glitter in the carpet I couldn’t get up.”

  “I’m sure there is. But I’m going to ignore it. Why don’t you sit down? I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

  Hunter shifted and let his head drop back on the couch cushion. “I am actually. But maybe I just need to toughen up.”

  Ava glanced at the firm line of his jaw, the square lines of his broad shoulders, and the ridged line of his pectoral muscles beneath his t-shirt. “You look plenty tough to me.”

  He straightened and looked at her with a twisted smile. “Oh yeah?” he asked, sounding more surprised than anything.

  A blush consumed her face. “Like you don’t know.”

  He grinned. “I like hearing you say it.”

  Ava answered with a smile. There was no denying it any longer. Attraction pulsed in her veins as his deep blue eyes gleamed with humor. If only he would stop looking at her like that, she could collect herself. “Hunter…”

  But no words came. She felt like she should say something, but had nothing. Hunter wasn’t so tongue-tied.

  “You know what I think?”

  “What?”

  “I think we need to just get this out in the open. We like each other.”

  A ridiculous number of butterflies took flight in her stomach. “We do?”

  “Oh yeah. There’s no point in denying it.”

  “I… I guess not.”

  He was leaning closer. “You are dangerous,” he said.

  “Me? What are you talking about?”

  “You are not the kind of girl I could date for a few weeks and then say goodbye to.”

  He moved so close his scent surrounded her. He smelled like a cold day and metal and freshly cut lumber. And something warmer that was all him. It drugged her brain. “Are you sure? Couldn’t we try?”

  He shrugged his big shoulders. “Want to do an experiment?”

  She nodded, game for just about anything at this point.

  He closed the space between them and pressed his lips to hers. The contact was shocking. Overwhelming. Amazing. But brief. Not nearly enough. Ava tilted her head and reached a hand around his neck, encouraging him to continue. His lips moved over hers like he was tasting something forbidden, then he straightened, looking as dazed as she felt.

  “So?” she asked.

  He stood up and went to lean against the breakfast bar. With six feet and a couch between them, he said, “It was worse than I thought.”

  Confusion numbed her brain. She bit her lip to keep from frowning and asked, “Worse?”

  Running a hand down the side of his face, he said. “Better. By worse, I mean better. And that’s crazy because I suspected that kissing you would be incredible.”

  Hating to have him so far away, Ava stood and walked around to join him on the other side of the couch. “Do you have to go back to Colorado soon?”

  “I’m here until my brother gets a job and gets back on his feet. But I’ve got commitments after New Year’s.”

  “I wish you didn’t have to, but I understand. It was nice of you to come out as long as you have. You’re a good guy.”

  “For helping out my brother?” He shook his head. “Nah. It’s what families do. He’s probably getting tired of having me around though. That’s one good reason to keep hanging out with you in my free time – as if I needed one.”

  “We have spent a lot of time together the last four days.”

  “
It’s been great. I would hate not seeing you anymore.”

  Vulnerability haunted his eyes. Knowing she was causing such an emotion sent a shiver through her. But hadn’t the same fears been holding her back? “What do we do?”

  Hunter threw his hands up and laughed, but there was more frustration in it than humor. “Well, if I was anywhere else but here, alone with you, I would say we should cut things off now while we still can.”

  “But since you’re here…?”

  He took Ava’s hand and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Yeah, I have different ideas about things.”

  “We’re being stupid.”

  “Completely.”

  Ava let her fingers roam up his arms, feeling their solid strength “Let’s keep this casual. No dating. Just hanging out.”

  “Sounds great.”

  “No getting serious.” But her soft voice didn’t match the firmness of her words.

  “Absolutely not,” he agreed. “But a few kisses won’t hurt anything, right?”

  Ava shook her head and stood on her tiptoes. What was she doing? This was so stupid. Like opening a box of chocolate and thinking she could stop after a few. But his kisses were even better than chocolate, so after a kiss that made her head swim, she pushed against his chest. “We should probably...”

  He leaned back. “Stop, huh?”

  She nodded and leaned against on the back of the couch again, proud of herself for being even a couple of feet away from him.

  “You know, I’m not sure I can even be friends with someone who hates Christmas.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. “Come on. I don’t hate Christmas. I’m just up to here with it,” she said, holding a hand level with her neck. “You would be too if you’d been surrounded by it since October.”

  “You know that isn’t Christmas, right?”

  “What?”

  “Decorations aren’t Christmas.”

  “Maybe not, but they kind of take things over in my line of work.”

  “You know what? I’m going to help you find Christmas again.”

  Ava laughed. “Are you sure we didn’t just load it all up in my van?”

  “Positive,” he said, just as her phone rang on the couch.

  Ava bent over, reaching down to pick it up. It was upside down, and in the process of turning it over, she accidentally answered. Unfortunately, not only was it her mom, but it was a video call. And she’d answered it.

  “Oh shoot,” Ava said, seeing her mom’s face. This wasn’t good because her mom was looking over her shoulder.

  “Hey, Ava. Who’s that behind you? Is that the hunky carpenter you told me about?”

  Ava glared but her mom smiled. There was no escape. “Uh, this is my friend, Hunter Newman. Hunter, meet my mom.”

  He leaned over her shoulder and smiled. Drat the man. His smile turned her insides to goop, and seeing their faces so close together on the screen gave her tingles.

  “Hello. Nice to meet you,” he said. And, of course, his voice was all deep and manly.

  “I was just telling Ava this morning—” her mom began.

  No, no, no, no.

  “—that she should bring a friend with her to dinner on Sunday. I’m making lasagna. Would you like to join us?”

  His eyebrows lifted and he glanced sideways to gauge her expression. One corner of his mouth tilted up. “I’d love to. I have a feeling you’re going to have to talk Ava into it though.”

  Ava narrowed her eyes at him and tilted the phone so her mom couldn’t see Hunter anymore. “It’s fine, Mom. I’ll call you later.”

  “Well don’t make it sound like a threat, darling. I’ve got to go. Your father just got home.” She ended the connection before Ava had a chance to say goodbye.

  “Stop laughing,” she said to Hunter.

  He tried, but his eyes gleamed with humor. “I like lasagna,” he said innocently.

  “Yeah, well, it’s going to come with a steaming side of interrogation and heavy matchmaking.”

  “Maybe we should just tell her she doesn’t have to try very hard.”

  Olivia waltzed in before Ava could respond. A couple of loaded plastic bags swung at her side. “That was so much fun. Marcia wasn’t there, but you know that snooty assistant of hers?”

  “Trey?”

  “Yeah. He about had a heart attack when I started bringing stuff in.”

  They settled down in the living room to eat, Hunter and Ava on the couch and Olivia on the floor on the other side of the coffee table. While they ate, Ava tried not to enjoy it too much when Hunter’s leg bumped hers or their arms brushed as they reached for something. Luckily, Olivia didn’t seem to notice much beyond the story she was telling and her orange chicken. Ava started to relax until Hunter handed her the little white slip of paper from his fortune cookie.

  “Tell me that isn’t weird.”

  Smoothing it out, she read out loud, “Take the chance while you still have the choice.” Instead of responding, she just looked at him with big eyes.

  “What does yours say?” he asked.

  Ava broke open her fortune cookie and read out loud again, “The past is the past. Time for a new beginning.”

  “Hey, that’s perfect!” Olivia said. “It’s a good omen for your business.” She grabbed the last fortune cookie and tore open the plastic wrapper. Once she’d broken the cookie and pulled out the fortune, she scowled and read, “Poor choices will bring regret.”

  Ava laughed. “Lady Fortune must not think much of your current boyfriend.”

  Olivia threw the broken fortune cookie at Ava’s face. “Whatever.”

  Chapter Nine

  There were less than three weeks left before Christmas. But that would be plenty of time to get Molly’s dollhouse done. Hunter wasn’t sure it was enough time to make Ava love Christmas again, but the more he considered it, the more he wanted to make it happen. Which is why he wasn’t just going to be working on the dollhouse.

  The day before, they’d arranged for Ava to open her garage door for him at 7:00 a.m., but she’d told him she’d be going back to bed, Apparently, she thought he was a lunatic to be up that early on a Saturday when he didn’t have to be.

  Hunter texted her that he was in the driveway and a minute later, he caught sight of her bare feet and a dark blue nightgown that went just to her knees as the door slid open. Before he could see any more, however, she disappeared, shutting the inside door behind her.

  “Good morning to you too,” he said from the cab of his truck, equally amused and disappointed.

  He turned on the garage light, since it was still dim outside, and got to work unloading his truck. After about an hour of getting organized, setting up all his tools, and reviewing the plans for the dollhouse, he got to work. The tip of his nose burned in the cold air, but he ignored it as he measured, marked, and measured again, then started making cuts on the table saw. As the motor rumbled and then was joined by the screech of the blade cutting through the pine boards, he thought wickedly that there was no way Ava would be able to sleep for much longer.

  Having made all the cuts he needed, Hunter flipped off the table saw.

  “You know that thing is really loud, right?”

  Startled, he whipped his head around and saw Ava, dressed in jeans and a gold sweater, perched on top of his toolbox. She looked disgruntled, to say the least.

  “Did I interrupt your slumber, princess?”

  With a sigh, she stretched her legs out in front of her. “No. I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

  “Oh? Why not?”

  Her fingers plucked at the sleeve of her sweater. “Usually, I dream about my jobs. It might sound weird, but I get great ideas that way.”

  Figuring that if he couldn’t kiss her, he might as well tease her, Hunter asked, “Too busy dreaming about me last night instead?”

  Her cheeks turned pink and she stopped looking at him. The way she studied the cement floor was telling, and his chest expanded.
r />   “That wasn’t the problem,” she said.

  He started organizing his cut boards but took a second to glance at her, wondering if she meant that to be ambiguous. “No?”

  “No. The problem was that I don’t have a client right now, and I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m not used to being on vacation.”

  Shaking his head, Hunter marked where he needed to pre-drill screw holes. “Glad I don’t have that problem.”

  She chuckled. “Yeah. You aren’t working before the sun is even fully up on a Saturday morning in the cold.”

  Hunter glanced up and smiled at her, acknowledging her point. “True, but this is different. This is for fun.”

  Silence hung between them for a few minutes while he finished his marks. His eyes kept straying over to her as she stared out through the garage door, the rising sun lighting her face. She looked lost.

  “Besides,” he said, picking up his drill and opening the chuck to fit a drill bit in. “You do have a client.”

  “What?”

  Hunter motioned around to the dollhouse he was building. “She might only be three, but you have a whole house to decorate. You’d better get busy. I’ll have it built in no time.”

  With her chin tilted up towards him, he saw the spark of interest flash in her eyes. “Oh yeah. Can I see your plans?”

  He handed her his tablet and she scrolled through the images, nodding her head. Hunter got back to work until she asked, “Think you could cut out a few doorways in the interior wall and put in a narrow staircase here?”

  Looking at the spot her finger was pointing to, he considered it. “I could. But is it necessary?”

  “Nope. Not at all. But she’ll love it. And besides, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t do things by half-measures. If you want me to help with this thing, you’d better resign yourself to it.”

  “Yes, boss,” he said meekly.

  “Can you give me Krista’s number?” she asked, standing up and handing him the tablet.

  “Sure. Why?”

  “I need to meet with my client, obviously.”

  “Ava, it’s a surprise.”

  “Doesn’t Krista know?”

  “No. Not yet.”