Christmas with the Recluse

by Lieske, Victorine E.

  “Great. In the evening? Because I have to work all day. My boss is pretty strict.”

  He chuckled. “Tomorrow evening.”

  She held in a smile. “Okay, then. It’s a date.”

  Chapter 8

  The kitten meowed at the door again and Alexander shoved away from his computer. “Why do you want to go out? There’s nothing out there for you. Your food is in here. Your litter box is in here. What’s out there that you want?”

  The cat looked up at him with yellow eyes and let out a tiny cry, her paw scratching at the door. He sighed and opened it. He was such a sucker. The kitten dashed out of the room and down the hallway.

  He followed her until she got to the kitchen. She ran over to a small bowl sitting in the corner and began lapping up the shallow milk. “Hey,” he said.

  Dorothy turned from the stove. “Sorry. I had to bribe her to get off the refrigerator earlier, and now all she wants is more milk.”

  “That’s not good for her, you know.” He frowned at Dorothy.

  “She loves it.”

  He picked up the kitten and carried the bowl to the sink. “I Googled. Most cats can’t digest it.”

  Dorothy made a noise and waved her hand. “She likes it.”

  He turned on the faucet and rinsed the bowl. “Put kitten treats on your list when you go to the store.”

  “I thought you were going to take her to the shelter.”

  “I will.” He had planned on doing it this afternoon, but his other errands took too long. And then the whole fiasco with Charley happened and he wasn’t in the mood to go out again, and now it was dark.

  Dorothy shot him a look. “Right.”

  “I most certainly will. There’s no way I’m going to keep her.”

  Charley entered the kitchen. “Why not? You should totally keep her. She’s adorable.”

  “She keeps getting out of my study and getting into trouble.” As if to punctuate his statement, the kitten wiggled out of his grasp and jumped to the floor.

  “Aw, come here, Milly.” Charley bent down and the kitten ran to her.

  “Wait a minute. You named her?”

  A guilty look came over Charley’s face. “Kind of.” She cradled the kitten, petting her fur.

  “Milly’s a great name for her,” Dorothy said.

  Oh, this was not good. Naming the animal was the first step to new pet ownership. “No, it isn’t. We aren’t naming her because we’re not keeping her.”

  Charley lifted the kitten into the air and looked into her eyes. “Don’t you listen to that man, Milly. He doesn’t mean it. He’s just being grumpy.”

  “I am not.” Unfortunately, his words came out extremely grumpy-sounding, and he softened his tone. “I’m just being realistic. I can’t keep her.”

  “Well, I’m keeping her, then. I’ll take her with me when I leave.”

  Alexander hadn’t expected that, and didn’t know what to say. Charley was going to take the kitten? He cleared his throat. “Well, then. I guess it’s settled.”

  “Aw, you hear that, Milly? You get to be my pet.” Charley gave the kitten a kiss and cuddled with it, which for some odd reason, suddenly made Alexander jealous. He shoved aside the weird notion. Why was he jealous of a kitten? That was absurd.

  “Have you checked the water?” he asked.

  Dorothy raised an eyebrow. “What water?”

  Charley set the kitten down. “We filled the hot tub last night. And I did check it, and it was up to 105. Sounds like the perfect temperature for some winter hot tubbing.”

  “You two are going in the hot tub?” Dorothy asked, her eyes widening, her finger pointing between them.

  “Oh, no. That’s all Charley’s idea. She can have it all to herself.” Alexander didn’t want Dorothy getting the wrong idea. And he wasn’t going to get into a tub of water when it was freezing outside.

  Charley grinned and patted his arm. “Come on. You have to try it out. You said you’d never been in it during the winter.”

  A smile tugged at Dorothy’s lips as she watched the two of them. Alexander frowned and tugged on Charley’s arm. “Let’s discuss this in the other room.” He pulled her into the dining room then rounded on her. “What are you doing?”

  She peered up at him, and he noticed for the first time how green her eyes were. “Nothing. I just thought you were going to make an effort to live life. Remember?”

  Guilt surged in him. He had promised her that because he was trying to smooth over his mistake of getting upset at her. He hadn’t meant he was going to do every crazy thing she wanted. “Yes, but—”

  “And you need to loosen up.” Charley grabbed his shoulders, moving them back and forth. “You’re too uptight.”

  Was he? He hadn’t meant to be. “I’m just a hard worker.”

  “Stop using work as an excuse. You are burying yourself in it. After dinner, come sit in the hot tub with me. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay in it.”

  For some weird reason, he found himself wanting to make Charley happy. “All right,” he said, regretting it even as the words came out of his mouth. What in the world was he doing? Acting like a schoolboy with a crush on the popular girl? Stupid.

  She bounced on her toes and grinned at him. “Yay!”

  He had to admit, he did enjoy making her smile.

  Dorothy came out with the place settings for dinner. “You two had better be hungry. My roast isn’t going to eat itself.”

  Charley took the plates from her. “I’ll set the table. And yes, I’m starved.”

  As they ate, Alexander tried to think of a way to get out of what he’d promised her. After a moment, he thought of the perfect thing. “You probably didn’t bring a swimsuit with you,” he said as he stabbed a mini potato with his fork.

  Charley shook her head. “No, but when I took this last load to town, I went shopping and bought one. Clearance rack too. Got it for only ten dollars.”

  “Oh.” He pushed his beef around on his plate. “I haven’t checked the weather. We’ll want to make sure there’s not a blizzard coming.”

  She smiled. “I checked. Clear skies and no wind, which will be perfect.”

  He hid a frown. Sounded like he was stuck. “Good.”

  Charley laughed, her nose wrinkled. “You sound like you’re going to the dentist.”

  He chuckled. “I’m that transparent, huh?”

  She nodded, her dimple showing. “But I’m proud of you for trying.”

  CHARLEY PEERED OUT the glass door, a towel wrapped around her, and her nerves suddenly getting the better of her. The porch had another dusting of snow, which they would have to walk over to get to the hot tub. How had she thought this was a good idea?

  Alexander walked up to her and she glanced behind her. He wore his swim trunks, a towel slung around his shoulders. She tried not to stare at his bare chest but couldn’t help it. His suit had hidden his muscles well. How could he look that buff, while not doing anything but sit on his computer all day?

  “Looks cold,” he said, his lips curling up. Was he mocking her? Or just teasing?

  She wasn’t going to let him win. She was getting in that hot tub if it froze her to death. “Yeah, well, the water in the hot tub will feel even better then.”

  He raised one eyebrow. “You sure you want to do this?”

  She wasn’t, but she nodded and plastered on a smile. “Yep. Let’s do it.”

  “Okay.” He slid open the door and a blast of cold air hit her.

  No going back now. She stepped out on the porch, and the cold made her toes curl. “Yikes!” She ran as quickly as she could without falling on the ice and unclipped one side of the cover. Alexander had the other side undone in a second. She flung the top off and started up the steps, tossing her towel on a deck chair.

  The warm water felt amazing as she lowered herself into the tub. Alexander climbed in after her, the water rising so high it spilled over onto the deck. “Really? Why did it spill when I got in? A
m I that fat?”

  Charley giggled, ducking her shoulders under the water to warm them. Him? Fat? She tried not to stare at this incredibly tone body. “No. You’re definitely not fat.”

  They settled into a comfortable silence. Charley peered up at the night sky surrounded by the trees. The moon cast a glow on the snow around them, lighting everything up. The warmth of the water covered her like a blanket, and she remembered why she loved the hot tub when they were in Minnesota. “This is great.”

  Alexander reached over and pushed a button, starting up the jets. “Okay, I admit, this isn’t half bad.”

  Charley laughed. “Yay! I win.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “No need to gloat about it.”

  “No gloating going on, I promise you.” She put her arms up on the sides of the tub. A branch of a nearby tree rustled and a large bird took flight.

  “Look at that,” Alexander said, sitting up.

  “The bird?”

  “It’s a great horned owl.”

  The owl soared through the night sky before it lit on a branch in another tree. Charley tried to see it in the tree, but it had blended in. Alexander pointed. “If I had my night binoculars out, we could get a better view.”

  “You have night binoculars?”

  “Yeah. I got them when I was cataloging the birds in the area.”

  “Why were you cataloging the birds?”

  He shrugged. “Just a hobby, I guess.”

  Things were starting to make sense to Charley. “I see. You were a bird watcher. That’s why you have that antique bird book.”

  “I suppose.”

  “I’ve never done any bird watching. What does a person need in order to do that?”

  He shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Not much. A pair of binoculars and something to use to identify them. There are some good apps you can download.”

  She took in his expression. “That’s cool. You really liked doing it, didn’t you?”

  “It was something Sadie and I did together.”

  Nice. She didn’t mean to bring up his deceased wife. Not when she was trying to get him to live a little. Now what was she supposed to say to that? She laid her head back on the headrest. “Oh.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said earlier. How there’s nothing for me in the castle of pain I’ve built. And you are right. I need to start living life again.”

  She looked over at him, her throat tight. He’d listened to what she’d said. She was so happy he had heard her, and knew it was time. “I’m glad you want to.”

  He reached out and took her hand in his. The warmth from his touch sent a tingle through her. “Thank you for forcing me to see how I’ve let myself build a wall between me and life.”

  Charley swallowed. He was an incredibly handsome man. And right now, sitting in the hot tub together, she realized she had put them in an intimate position. She hadn’t meant to do that at all. She just wanted him to experience the fun of the tub at night. He was her employer. She couldn’t let him get the wrong idea. She plastered on a smile and slowly pulled her hand away. “You’re welcome. I just thought you should loosen up a bit, that’s all.”

  He nodded, shifting back against his headrest, a reserved look on his face. “Yeah.”

  Charley closed her eyes and laid her head back again. The cool night air was crisp on her skin, but it felt wonderful mixed with the heat from the water and the rising steam from the tub. She didn’t want to think about when she’d have to get out.

  The owl hooted, and she sat and listened to the sounds of the night. After a few minutes, Alexander stood. “I think I’ll go in now.”

  “Okay.” She waited until he was inside before settling back and closing her eyes again. Ten minutes later she snuck back into the house as well, sure that he’d now be in bed and wouldn’t see her traipsing through the house in a towel.

  Chapter 9

  Alexander rubbed his forehead as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. What was wrong with him? How could he be developing a crush on the appraiser? How stupid was that? She was obviously not interested in him. He opened the cabinet and took out his razor. He needed to get a grip on himself before he did something stupid.

  He shaved and dressed as he always did, in his work clothes, even though he worked from home. He never wanted to get lax and take his responsibilities for granted. He was the one who made his business profitable. If he started getting lazy, he could lose it all.

  He walked into his office and noticed Milly wasn’t curled up in her normal position on his office chair. He looked around for her, but she wasn’t there. Charley had probably taken her out to work with her in the garage. He tried to shrug it off, but a part of him grew annoyed. He’d been the one to rescue her. She’d been in his office since he’d brought her into the house. It’s where her litter box was.

  After trying to work for a few minutes, he decided to go check on the kitten. He walked through the house and out into the garage. He found Charley sitting on a footstool, going through another box. The garage looked good. She’d actually gotten through more than he’d anticipated. She might be done early.

  The little black kitten was on the cement floor running in a circle, chasing her tail. Charley giggled then turned to him. “Good morning. Do you need something?”

  “No. I, uh...was just checking on the cat.”

  “Oh, sorry. I just thought I’d bring her in here to keep me company. Since I’m taking her with me anyway, I figured I’d get her out of your way.”

  Out of his way. Yes. “Right.” He scratched his chin. What could he say to that? He had made it perfectly clear he wasn’t keeping the kitten. And it was fine if Charley wanted to take her. He had no say in it since he didn’t want her. “Smart.”

  Charley looked up at him. “You are fine with me keeping her, right?”

  “Yes. Of course.” The kitten stopped playing with her tail and pounced up on a mound of boxes. She pawed at the flaps, trying to get inside. It was adorable. “I was just making sure she was with you.”

  “Yep. She’s helping me sort through the things.” Charley pulled out an item wrapped in newspaper from the box she was working on. It was shaped like a vase. As she unwrapped the marbled glass, Alexander took a step back.

  “Well, I’ll leave you to the work, then.”

  A doorbell rang and Charley sprang up from her stool, setting the vase down into the box. “Oh my gosh, it’s Paul.”

  Alexander took a step back, confused. “Who?”

  “Paul. Come on, let’s go.”

  “Wait, who’s Paul?”

  Charley grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door to the kitchen. “Come on. You’ll see.”

  She dragged him through the kitchen to the door to the mud room, then stopped and put her finger to her lips. He could see Dorothy at the back door talking to a delivery man.

  “Why are we—”

  “Shh!” Charley commanded, giving him a fierce look. “Listen.”

  He leaned closer, listening. Dorothy was talking. “Yes. I love psychological thrillers.”

  “You should read Girl Last Seen. I think you’d really like that one.”

  “Good suggestion. I’ll add that to my list.” There was a bit of silence and Alexander peered around the corner. Dorothy had her phone out and was swiping her finger across the screen.

  Paul stared at the phone. “You know something else you should add to your phone?”

  “What?”

  He took it from her. “My number.”

  Charley’s eyes widened and she mouthed the words, “Oh my gosh!”

  Dorothy giggled and put her hand up to her hair. “I’d love that.”

  He winked and handed her phone back to her. “Call me sometime.”

  Charley pulled on his arm, but he wanted to see what else happened, so he didn’t move. Charley whacked him and yanked harder. “Come on,” she whispered.

  He reluctantly followed h
er back to the garage. When she shut the door, she turned to him, a gigantic grin on her face. “Oh, my word. Can you believe that? He was so smooth too. ‘You know something else you should add to your phone?’ My goodness, he’s such a flirt! And did you see how Dorothy acted? She’s totally into him.”

  Alexander wasn’t sure what was going on, but Charley sure was having fun with it. “Who was that?”

  “Paul. Keep up.”

  “Am I supposed to know who Paul is?”

  Charley pushed against his chest playfully. “Are you completely blind? He’s the UPS guy.”

  “Obviously.”

  “Come on, you haven’t noticed all the packages Dorothy gets? Or the way she runs to grab the door when Paul comes? It’s like a soap opera.”

  He chuckled and ducked his head. “What are you doing all day? Didn’t I give you enough work out here?”

  Charley snorted. “I can’t believe you’ve never noticed. But this is the first time I’ve seen him be so bold. They usually flirt like crazy, but wow. He was pretty suave. And I’m dying to know what happens next.”

  Alexander shook his head. “You’re crazy.”

  “It’s just so cute, you know? She orders a book almost every day. I know she likes to read, but it’s more than that. She likes to talk to Paul.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s hilarious. They are so adorable together. I’ve been waiting for him to ask her out. This is the first step, I’m sure of it.” Charley looked like she was about to burst out of her funny socks.

  “You should plug in a television out here. You need some entertainment or something.”

  She threw her head back and laughed. “I have plenty of entertainment already.”

  He shook his head and walked toward the door. “All right. I should get back to work, then.”

  “Okay. Go for it. I’ll keep Milly happy.”

  He nodded. “Sounds good.”

  As he walked back to his office, he had a strange sense of loss. Like he wanted to stay out in the garage longer. Weird. Maybe he was growing attached to the kitten. Which, in that case, it was good Charley was taking her off his hands. He didn’t need to get too attached to anything right now. He had work to do.