by Kate Kisset
Although his shoulder injury wasn’t a career-ender, he took it as a sign, or maybe a warning. Vince Pierce, their tight end, tore his ACL the week before Brett’s hit, and Tommy London was carried off the field on a stretcher with a head injury the month before. Brett wasn’t superstitious, and wasn’t afraid of pain, but when he got hurt the last time, the switch flipped. He’d accomplished more than he dreamed of while playing with the Seahawks, including the cash. Why not go out while he was on top?
Unfortunately, his notoriety as a player never left him, even though most of the rumors were lies. True, he’d dated a few high-profile actresses during his game days, and yes, he didn’t hide those relationships, or back off the subject during interviews. You’d think because of his honesty then, folks would believe him now, when he said his carousing days were over. But it wasn’t the case. The bad boy rep stuck to him like gum under the bleachers.
Plain and simple, Brett got bored dating in the shallow end of the pool. When he turned thirty he decided not to waste any more time with women who weren’t potentially The One. At thirty-one he still hadn’t found her. It made for lonely nights, but Brett convinced himself that wherever she was, she’d be worth the wait.
“Fruitcake alert.” Lilly scrolled her phone. “According to Mimi, they’ve made ten more of the new recipe and are working on another formula. Uh-oh...she’s very excited about mixing wine with butterscotch pudding.”
“I guess that means I’m dropping you off at the curb,” he laughed, looking over at her. He couldn’t stop himself from holding her gaze a little longer. She has the most beautiful eyes.
“And I wouldn’t blame you one bit. You’ve definitely eaten your Mimi/Cha-Cha fruitcake quota for the season.” Lilly pointed to the radio. “I didn’t mind the music, by the way. Why don’t you turn it up?”
“Sure.” He raised the volume. “There’s a local station that switches to Christmas tunes the day after Thanksgiving.”
“KJAS.” She grinned. “I know. I love it.”
“Then I think we’re a match,” he said, staring out the windshield. Lilly didn’t respond, and he forced himself not to look at her. Festive lights covered every planter box and awning on Main Street, while snowflakes and toy soldiers dressed up some of the storefronts, and Christmas decorations of every style adorned the windows.
A raucous rendition of “Jingle Bells,” sung by someone he couldn’t identify, rolled into Christina Perri’s slow ballad, “Something about December.” Brett turned up the song.
“Have you seen it?” He gestured down the road, pointing his chin. “Since you’ve been home?”
“No, I haven’t made it down Main Street yet. The grannies have been working my tail off.” Lilly tossed a pretty smile his way and then went back to watching for it with her adorable nose pointed at the windshield. “And there it is! It isn’t Christmas till I see it.” She pointed to the town’s red and green banner that said The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
She likes that silly banner too. Brett listened to Christina sing the lyrics about Christmas being in your heart and, without thinking twice, blurted, “do you want to grab a bite? Have a glass of wine?”
He hadn’t planned on asking Lilly out within twenty minutes, but then again, he hadn’t expected her to be so irresistible, sitting there only a foot away, looking so lovely and smelling like a soft vanilla cloud and every single thing he wanted to taste. “We don’t have to rush,” he pressed lightly. “I mean, the venue isn’t going anywhere...”
“Um...” she mumbled, obviously uncomfortable.
“Another time,” he said, backpedaling, and then quickly changing the subject. “I’ll take Frosty the Winemaker to lunch instead.” He pointed to St. Helena’s Christmas mascot, the statue of Frosty the Snowman’s twin holding a glass of wine. “Do you know when he went missing a few years back, your aunt Mimi and grandmother managed to persuade everyone in the department to form search and rescue parties and look for him on their days off?”
“I remember that...and I’m not surprised they worked their charm on you guys. Lunch would be good,” she added, out of nowhere. Brett glanced at her, ready to hit the brakes and pull over.
“Just not today.”
Oh...I thought it was too good to be true... “No problem. We’ll plan it soon. The first place is up this road,” he said grinning, something he had to stop doing because his thoughts were totally inappropriate. “It’s just past the Silverado Museum.”
Brett hung a right and pulled into a large, grassy parking lot. They both stared in silence at the surrounding vineyards and nothing else. There wasn’t a house, a shed, or any building in site.
“Nothing...” Lilly commented, scrunching her eyes, leaning forward for a better view. Then she turned in the seat, held on to the head rest and searched out the back window. “Where is it?”
“No idea.” As firefighter, he knew St. Helena inside and out, and felt positive he had the correct address, but pulled out his phone and double checked anyway. “It should be here.” He peered through the windshield. “Somewhere.”
“Well, let’s look around, since we’re here.” Lilly gathered her purse, and Brett hurried out and around to open her door, but Lilly beat him to it.
Standing face-to-face finally, he tried not to stare, but how could he not? Her brown eyes were rimmed with green in this light. The air was crisp, and the sky a deep, vibrant blue. In that moment, he remembered everything he loved about Christmas. There were so many possibilities, and one of them was within an arm’s reach.
Chapter Five
She tried to remember the last time a gust of happiness like this blew over her. And the fact that she couldn’t remember scared her. Lilly peeled her gaze away from Brett’s heated stare, knowing every second she waited brought her that much closer to something she’d managed to avoid for years. She was too old for flings, and her business was too young for her to become involved with anyone. Why did she tell him lunch was a good idea?
Lilly expected her boutique cybersecurity business to start off slow, and didn’t plan on being in the black until the second year. But soon after her first client spread the word, the operation took off. She wasn’t complaining, only exhausted. She hadn’t been able to take a full day off since January. It was one of the reasons she decided to spend December in St. Helena, she finally had enough money for a little freedom.
Brett walked through the lot, and she headed in the opposite direction, to the vineyards. “The parking situation is good.” With his back to her, facing an open field to the right of the parking lot, he folded his arms, seeming lost in thought. “We can use this for overflow as long as we don’t get rain,” he called out over his shoulder and then went back to his view.
He looked so gorgeous standing there in his cowboy boots and jeans. His tight navy T-shirt clung to the planes and muscles of his shoulders and back. A little spark ignited within her. And now, thanks to her grandmother, Lilly knew exactly what kind of muscles were under Mr. July’s clothes.
“And it’s beautiful here.” Lilly put her hands on her hips concentrating on the brilliant red and gold leaves on the mostly bare grapevines. She’d forgotten how pretty wine country could be in winter.
“Gorgeous.” Brett came up behind her. When she turned and saw the expression in his eyes, she had the distinct feeling he was talking about her.
Her pulse picked up, the way it had the moment he shook her hand. The closer Brett came, the faster her heart raced. Beat. Beat. Beat, beatbeatbeatbeatbeatbeat. Stop it. Lilly switched direction to get away from him before she broke into a sweat or did something stupid like throw herself at him. “I think it’s up here.” She hurried along the first path she saw. Brett’s footsteps trailed behind her before she veered and the venue came into view.
“A barn?” She asked, looking to the right and then up, catching a glimpse of just the right amount of sexy stubble on Brett’s jaw. Tall, hunky football players are impossible to ignore, because they take u
p so much space.
“The guy wasn’t clear on the phone,” Brett explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “This is not at all what I was expecting. Do you want to check it out? Or just cross it off our list?” He met her eyes, and her heart beat a little faster. What is this guy trying to do to me? She’d never met anyone who oozed sexy and delicious the way he did. And his eyes were the icing on the cake. She was such a sucker for blue eyes.
“It might have potential.” After getting over her initial surprise at finding a barn, Lilly considered the unique, worn, and rustic allure of the structure. She’d seen the country wedding boards on Pinterest and knew the right event planner would have a field day with the space. Vineyard weddings with barn receptions were huge in wine country. Not that she cared, or thought about getting married, but she realized the value of the location and the space.
The barn wasn’t plunked down in the middle of the land willy-nilly. Someone put a lot of time and care into planting the vines around it, just so. A welcoming wreath, bursting with fresh greens, hung high above the doors. She couldn’t wait to explore the inside.
After fumbling with the latch and managing, with Brett’s help, to pull the two doors open, Lilly tentatively stepped inside the dim space. The tangy, earthy smell of pine and hay tickled her nose, but it was obvious the barn hadn't been used for animals in quite some time, if ever.
“Look at these walls. These can’t be original to the building.” She ran her hand along the smooth, knotty pine wood. “They must’ve done some remodeling.” Lilly stepped back and took in the gleaming expanse. “The floor is spotless, and so unique.” She kneeled to inspect the color. “They stained the floor of a barn. Can you imagine?” She grinned up at Brett.
“The cement is level, too. We won’t have to worry about anyone taking a spill.”
“And there’s another set of doors.” Lilly pointed directly across the room. “Imagine the light in here, with both sets open. I’ll bet it’s gorgeous.”
Brett peered up at the rafters, giving the area a once-over. He then backed against a wall, put one cowboy boot in front of the other, toe-to-heel, and counted until he got to the other side. “All the craft tables will fit, no problem. We’ll even have room left over.” He pointed to the fixtures above them. “And there’s electricity. I think we’re in good shape, but let’s be sure.” Brett turned on a switch and the shadow-filled barn came to life as hundreds of tiny lights filled the space with a warm, sparkling glow.
“This is absolutely charming.” Lilly stepped back for another full view of the space. “I can't believe I'm in love with the first venue we looked at, but I'm sold.” She broke into a laugh mixed with relief. “Let’s see the view on the other side,” Lilly said, rushing to the second set of doors. She fiddled with the rusted latch and tried to yank the bolt out. If she used a little more force, she could break it free. Bracing her shoulder against the door, she bit down on her lip and pulled with all her might.
“Hang on, let me help you.”
“Thanks.” Still focusing on the frustratingly stuck latch, Lilly sighed and stepped back. Annoyed with herself, she listened to Brett’s footsteps rustle against the floor, but didn’t turn. Rationally she knew she shouldn’t let little things get to her, but darn it, according to her clients she was a genius. So why couldn’t she undo a simple latch? Brett towered behind, blocking the light shining in from the other side of the barn, and reached around her. When his bare arm brushed against her skin, she flinched.
Okay. Now she was wedged between Brett and the door. Not that she necessarily minded. “It’s stuck.”
He brought his other arm around and she gulped quietly. The Lilly sandwich was complete. She didn’t move or breathe. Instead, she fixated on her butt and tried to tuck it in. One more inch and it would bump Brett’s groin.
She cautiously peeked up at him, but only got as far as the yummy, thick bicep bulging out of his short sleeve. Good Lord, his skin smelled like heaven. How was she supposed to concentrate? Her heartbeat throbbed in her ears, feeling the heat from his body radiate against her back.
He gave the decrepit bolt one more jiggle and, after an eternity, it came loose.
“Finally,” she chuckled, nervously stepping out of the arm cage. She rested her hands on her hips, taking a deep breath, and found Brett grinning at her. Did making her feel uncomfortable amuse him? He raised his brows. Definitely.
Two can play that game. Lilly made a funny face waggling her brows back at him and then grabbed hold of the door. “Are you going to help here, or what?” She could play with him all day.
“Bossy, bossy, bossy.” He took hold of the other door grinning, and they pulled them apart. The doors shook, wobbling a bit on their tracks before stopping with a clattering thud.
“Perfect.” They said at the same time while gazing at the vineyards before them.
Lining up with the row of vineyards closest to her, Lilly pointed across the room, lining up her arm with the row of grapevines on the opposite side. The two sets synced perfectly. “I think we should call the owner right now, before someone else discovers this place,” she said, following Brett outside.
“We can set up the Santa Paws photo shoot out here.” Brett scratched his cute, stubbly jaw and examined a square of open space. “We’ll set up bales of hay for seating, and use the vineyards as a backdrop.”
In addition to local crafters selling their wares, and the St. Helena Fire Department selling their abs on a calendar for a good cause, they expected the Santa Paws photo shoot to rake in the most money.
Last year hundreds of townspeople, tourists, and fur babies came to have their photos taken with Santa. Mimi expected to break last year’s attendance record.
“I had a feeling you’d like this venue.” With a little curve to his lips, but not a full-out smile, Brett gave her a leisurely, appreciative once-over she tried to ignore. The sun made his eyes bluer.
“You did, huh?” Lilly shook her head, taking in his disturbingly attractive mix of being both smug and adorable at the same time. “I could swear you told me the guy wasn't clear on the phone, and you didn’t know this was a barn.”
“Did I say that? I don’t remember,” he said, strolling back inside. “Let’s take a look and see what kind of supplies they have. We're going to have to work like crazy to get this ready by Saturday.”
“I know my brother Jake will pitch in if he’s not working,” Lilly offered. “Although he might have a shift on Friday night. I’m not sure.” They approached what appeared to be an office or closet door.
“Jake interviewed me when I was still with the Seahawks. He’s a good guy. Is he still doing sports with Channel 7 in San Francisco?”
“Yep. And of course, my cousins will help. Cha-Cha and Mimi will kill them if they don’t, so I think we can manage to pull this off by Saturday.” Lilly came up behind Brett and, as much as she didn't want to gawk at his muscles, she couldn’t help it. His biceps were bulging and straining against his short sleeves again as Brett struggled to nudge the door open. How could she not notice?
“Need some help?” she offered.
He swiveled to her as if he wanted to say something, then shook his head. “Naw. I’ll bet what we need is right up here.” Brett ran a hand over the door frame and found the key. He shoved it into the lock and opened the door.
Lilly peeked around him into the dark supply room.
“I should get my flashlight out of the car.” Brett turned to leave and, finding bravado coming from who knows where, Lilly stopped him.
“There’s enough light from outside.” Not about to acknowledge she was afraid of the dark, she bit the bullet and stepped inside. “I can see perfectly fine without a flashlight.” She examined a row of shovels, rakes, and brooms lined up against a splintery wall of knotholes. The floors weren't paved like the rest of the barn.
Brett edged in beside her.
And she glanced over. “What are we looking for, exactly?
“We’
re taking a quick inventory to see what I need to bring tomorrow. Hammers, screws, nails.” He crouched beside her. “We don’t need buckets. There’s at least ten in here.”
A gust of wind barreled through the barn, whizzing past the door.
“That’s some cross breeze.” Brett said straightening and—
Bam. The closet door slammed shut.
She froze. That did not just happen. No,no,no,no. Lilly squeezed her eyes shut, hoping if she created darkness herself, she’d have control over her fear. It was possible to avoid having a meltdown. She’d done it before, she reminded herself over and over.
All the while her heart raced and cold sweat covered her.
When she cracked open her eyes, she stayed perfectly still, waiting for them to adjust. But with no window, no crack under or above the door, and not a crevice for light, there was nothing to adjust to.
“Okay”—
She jumped at the sound of Brett’s voice.
“Let’s find a screwdriver. We’ll have to MacGyver it.”
Thankfully, he didn’t remind her it was her brilliant idea to go in without a flashlight. Stupid. Lilly inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled slowly from her mouth, willing herself to calm down, refusing to have a freaking panic attack in front of Brett Benning, even if he couldn’t see her.
His breathing pattern, the sound of him rummaging through rickety shelves, the heat coming from his body, every sensation intensified in the pitch black. Her thoughts went to the darkness. To the mice in the walls ready to come out of hiding, latch on to her leggings and scurry up her legs. To the cobweb the thick, hairy brown spider was crafting, leading down to her hair. Lilly held her breath and started shaking.
“I’m going to try to force it open,” he said with a tinge of laughter. Was this Brett’s idea of having a good time? She heard him bang against the door, and the wood creaked, but no light came in.
