Homespun Christmas

by Aimée Thurlo

  Ten minutes later, Myka returned to the house. “I’m interested. Let’s talk terms.”

  * * *

  BY THE TIME Joshua returned, Myka had closed the deal. They loaded as much wool as Joshua’s truck could carry, covered it with a canvas tarp and tied it down. Then they made arrangements to have the rest delivered.

  “You got a very good price for all that wool,” Joshua said as they pulled out of the ranch.

  “I thought so, too. That’s why I bought all of it. I also offered her a percentage of the profits for any wool we process using her special dye. She mixes sumac and blue clay to make an amazing shade of violet.”

  “Good deal all the way around,” he said, “but it was still a lot of money. I didn’t realize HMI had that much cash on hand.”

  “Our company’s still running on a tight budget. That’s why I took the money from my personal account.”

  He felt his blood run cold. “Myka, you never use your own funds. I learned that the hard way.”

  “You were willing to take the risk. Besides, the company can pay me back later.”

  “Myka, listen to me. If a company’s going to survive, it has to be able to stand on its own. When you start funneling your own funds into it you lose the dividing line that protects you, personally and professionally. More importantly, you can end up putting an unbelievable strain on your own finances, particularly if you’re pulling out money intended for your food, home and gas.”

  “It won’t be a problem,” she said in a whisper-soft voice. “It’s from an account I’ve done my best to ignore. It didn’t feel right to spend that money on just anything.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “It’s the settlement IVA offered me after Tanner died. I got the initial payment, but after the company filed for bankruptcy, I never got the rest.”

  “So they admitted Tanner’s accident was their fault?”

  She nodded. “After corporate knew they were going to shut down, safety inspections outside the production lines were given a low priority. They fixed obvious problems, but the emphasis was on cost cutting, not preventative maintenance,” she said. “Tanner was inside the freight elevator when the wiring in the shaft caught fire. He died of smoke inhalation before anyone could get to him.”

  There had been very little emotion in her voice, but he saw her quickly wipe a tear from her eye.

  “I’m sorry, Myka. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories,” he said, reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

  She didn’t pull away. “I try not to dwell on things I can’t change.” She took an unsteady breath. “I’ve been waiting and holding on to that money because I wanted to use it on something Tanner would have liked.”

  “And you think he would have approved of Handmade in Independence?”

  “Oh, yeah. He would have supported anything that helped Independence get back on its feet. You know how much he loved this place.”

  “Is the success of HMI important to you because of him?”

  She looked at Joshua in surprise. “No, Tanner’s gone. I’m only dealing with what’s in front of me right now. Independence needs HMI, and we all need our town. It’s a marriage that can’t fail, right?”

  “I don’t know about that, but it is a good partnership,” he said. After a brief pause, he added, “Tell me something, Myka. Do you ever think about getting married again?”

  “Not really, but if that time comes, I know one thing. It won’t be like the marriage I had with Tanner. I’m not a kid anymore. I can’t define myself as just the other half of my husband. I have my own identity.”

  “Do you think you’ll be able to put Tanner’s memory behind you and love as deeply as you did then?”

  “Of course. Tanner will always be part of me but love isn’t something you use up. You just add to what’s already in your heart.”

  Joshua nodded. She wasn’t the same Myka, but he liked the woman she’d become even more than the girl she’d been.

  * * *

  FIVE DAYS AFTER their trip to the reservation, it became clear that HMI desperately needed a facility where its newly acquired wool could be processed. Working individually wouldn’t give them the uniform quality the company needed to maintain. In Myka’s mind, the search for a suitable building had become top priority.

  Myka stepped over Bear, who was snoozing in the hall, lost her balance, and crashed into the boxes stacked waist high against the wall. As everything tumbled down, Bear jumped out of the way, bumped into Myka and pushed her over. She careened onto the carpet, smashing more boxes as she fell.

  At that precise moment the doorbell rang. Myka cursed, picked herself up and went to answer it.

  “Are you okay?” Robyn asked, looking her up and down. “We heard the crash!”

  Standing next to Robyn was Joshua. As Myka looked into his eyes, she suddenly realized how much she’d missed him. “I’m fine, just clumsy,” she said with a weary smile.

  Robyn and Joshua looked past her and saw the dented and squashed boxes. “Okay, that’s it,” Robyn said, looking at Joshua. “We settle on a new location today.”

  “I met with Mayor Allen earlier this morning. We can have one of the buildings IVA used to lease from the town—rent free,” Joshua said. “Mayor Allen will meet us over there right now with the keys if you can get away, Myka.”

  “Which IVA building?” Myka asked.

  “He suggested the main assembly plant. He’ll be parked next to it,” he said.

  “You said rent free, right?” Myka asked, making sure she’d heard right.

  “Yes, HMI will pay for utilities and taxes, which will directly benefit the town. The building is move-in ready, too. Trust me, this is the time to go for it,” Joshua said.

  “Let me grab my tote and we’ll go take a look.”

  “You two will have to handle that without me,” Robyn said. “I’m on my way to pick up some computer supplies. I just dropped by to let you know that we’ve been getting a record number of hits on our webpage. Orders keep flying in.”

  “I know. Look at my house,” Myka said, laughing.

  After Robyn left, Myka locked up and followed Joshua to his truck. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you since the trip.”

  “I went out of town for two days. I had an interview in Albuquerque.”

  “And?” Myka pressed, looking at him.

  “Turns out the job wasn’t right for me, and the interviewer and I both knew it,” he said. “Either way, I told you I wouldn’t leave before Christmas, and I meant it.”

  “You know I’d never hold you to that, right?”

  He nodded. “Here’s the thing, though. I’m not ready to leave yet, so I’ve put the job search on the back burner. There was a time I hated Independence, but things have changed—or maybe I have,” he said.

  Myka remained silent, unwilling to let him see how happy she was to hear the news. Joshua’s future was his own, and she had no right to interfere. Even if he stayed in Independence, it didn’t guarantee they’d have a relationship. Yet it was hard to hide her elation. As she turned to look out the window, she couldn’t help but smile.

  * * *

  ON THEIR WAY to town, he was surprised to hear her humming. “I don’t recognize the song, Myka, but you realize you’re humming, right?”

  “Too bad I can’t carry a tune.” She laughed. “I’m just happy HMI is going to have a home. When I first suggested we start our own company, I had no idea how complicated things would get. These days I barely have time for myself, but as crazy as it sounds, I’ve never been happier.”

  He smiled. “I think you’re getting a taste of what I loved most about running my own firm. Knowing you’re creating a product or providing a service that will be valued is an incredible rush.”

/>   “Do you get that same feeling working with us?” she asked.

  “Yeah, but it’s not only because of HMI, or my surveying for the town. I’ve also been poring over Dad’s historical papers and trying to figure out where Brooks may have hidden his will. I’d really like to complete what Dad began,” he said.

  “That would be wonderful. Everyone in town would benefit from having rail service restored, particularly HMI.”

  “I’ve discovered that Brooks may have been a loon, but he was also crafty. Getting into his head has been one major challenge.”

  She smiled. “Right now you sound just like your dad. Adam’s face would light up just like yours when he talked about that will. Neither of you can stand unanswered questions. They drive you nuts.”

  He laughed. “Busted!”

  They arrived at the old compound, but Mayor Allen was waiting by the redbrick building that housed IVA’s business office and custom order shipping department, not the assembly plant next door. Her stomach clenched as she climbed out of the pickup. This place still held too many bad memories for her.

  The mayor came to greet them, then led the way to the main entrance. He looked up at the piece of plywood that had been nailed over a busted window and turned back to Myka.

  “At first I thought you’d need the bigger building, but then I realized this overgrown office would serve HMI better. For starters, it’ll cost a lot less to heat and cool than the assembly plant. That one’s basically a big room configured for massive machines and wired mostly with two-twenty outlets. This one, on the other hand, has an emergency sprinkler system and already meets workplace safety standards,” he said. “What do you think?”

  She swallowed the enormous lump at her throat. “This is the building where Tanner died. I worked here, too, before and after. Let’s just say it wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

  “I understand, but think about it. This really is the best place for HMI,” Phil said. “It’s got storerooms, an attached loading dock, and defined work spaces.” He paused a moment before continuing. “This building was also the heart of a company that once defined Independence. It would be wonderful to rewrite its history and see it become a symbol of renewal and our return from extinction.” He smiled. “That’s part of our new town logo. Did you know that?”

  The abrupt change in his tone and subject threw her momentarily. “What is?”

  “Back from extinction. We’ve erected a new sign above the entrance to town hall—a dinosaur inside a circle with a red line drawn through it. It’s a daily reminder that we’re coming back to life!”

  “HMI’s still growing. With the woodcraft workers, we have nearly a hundred people involved, but we’ll never rival the auto plant,” she said.

  “You’re right, but HMI’s success has given our town a badly needed shot in the arm. Every day people are coming up with new business ideas. The biggest stumbling block we’ve faced so far has been access to funding.” He looked directly at Joshua. “That’s where your ideas really helped out.”

  “How so?” Josh asked.

  “You’d mentioned special grants. I found out that the state’s rural development council supports efforts to promote Rio Grande traditions. So far two locals have received financial help. We’ll have a New Mexican panaderia-style bakery opening next to the Blue Spruce Inn, and Mr. Mora, our saddlemaker, will open a shop across the street from the feed store.”

  “I had no idea!” Myka said. It all sounded great, but it was way too early to know how HMI would do in the long run. If they went crashing down, then what? She’d started this journey to help her town, but now it was possible she’d end up financially devastating the very people she’d tried to help.

  Determined to hide her fears, she braced herself and tried to focus on the reason they were there.

  Mayor Allen took them inside the building, then handed her the keys. “Take your time. Of course you’ll need business insurance and liability to protect everyone concerned. I’m ready to offer you the best rate, so talk to me when you’re ready.”

  “We will, but first, I want to look around. After that, I’ll need a day or two to think it over,” Myka said. “I have to make sure this place will suit HMI.”

  “Of course.” The mayor looked at his watch. “I’ve got to get back to my office, but feel free to poke around. Just be sure to lock up when you leave. You can return the keys later.”

  Once he left, Joshua and Myka walked through the empty building. Myka avoided the area near the small loading dock and focused on the administrative and employee space.

  Aware of Myka’s tense silence, Joshua took her hand and brought her around to face him. “Okay, talk to me. I know Phil changed which building we’d be touring at the last minute. His motives were good, but we don’t have to stay if you’re uncomfortable.”

  “It’s okay. I’m fine,” she said. “I worked here after the accident—but I won’t go near that freight elevator.”

  “All right.”

  Knowing in her heart that Tanner would have approved of her using this building, she took a breath. Ready to move forward, she nodded. “Come on. Let’s go verify that this place can be adapted to HMI’s needs.”

  She reached into her tote and brought out a folder with pages of notes. “I’ve discussed things with Sophie and Robyn, and this is a list of what we’ll need. First, a large processing area where we can prepare the wool for spinning, which means access to hot water and space that can hold the drying racks. I’m thinking that the kitchen and cafeteria upstairs might be best for that. We’ll use hand carders as much as possible to work the wool into rovings, then set up adjoining rooms for spinning wheels.”

  Myka went down the long hall, glancing into each of the former business offices. “Some of these will become our administrative offices. The meeting rooms can be used for storage, packing and shipping.”

  “This way. Let’s take the stairs,” he said, and pointed directly ahead.

  As they reached the second floor, Myka glanced around. The tiled floors made their steps echo with a hollow emptiness as they walked. It was as if the building itself were calling out to them, demanding to be filled with the sounds of life.

  She walked into one of the large executive offices and looked around. The empty walls still held the outlines of paintings, diplomas and photos long gone. The carpet also showed the ghostly indentations of file cabinets and desks.

  “They didn’t take all the furniture,” Josh observed, pointing to a few metal desks and file cabinets. “HMI could make good use of those, I’ll bet.”

  “Absolutely.”

  They walked down the hall and went inside the kitchen facility. Joshua pointed to the large stoves still in place, though the electricity and gas had been turned off long ago. “Water needed for scouring could be heated here and with some remodeling, that bread storage bin would make a perfect drying rack,” he said. “Wool could be hung from racks attached to the ceiling, too”

  “It makes sense,” she said, then looking around, she took a shuddering breath.

  “Myka, are you sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded. “It’s not the past I’m worried about, Josh. It’s the present. A lot of our people have gambled everything on HMI’s success. I’m really afraid I’ll become the proverbial lemming that led the others off a cliff.”

  “People make their own choices, and you’re a good bet,” he said, taking her hand and brushing a gentle kiss on her palm.

  The unexpected, tender gesture made her ache for more. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “As I told you from the start, I’ve got your back. Life never comes with guarantees, but you can count on that.”

  She smiled, but before she could even say thanks, he continued.

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s fear of failure that’s
really troubling you. Success can be just as scary—but take it from me, it’s a lot more pleasant.”

  Myka laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I just need to relax. The company’s growing, and people have extra money in their pockets. Not a bad deal at all.” She glanced around and after a long beat, added, “When you first came to town, I remember saying these abandoned buildings would make a great business opportunity for someone. I never figured I’d be taking advantage of it.”

  He laughed. “You’ve surprised yourself, but not me.”

  “Aw, come on.”

  “No, really. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever known.”

  For a moment they stood face-to-face, his steady gaze holding her spellbound. At that moment all she wanted was to feel his strong arms around her and rest her cheek against his hard chest.

  “Myka,” he whispered, and cupped her face in his hands.

  A delicious warmth spread all through her as his mouth closed in over hers. He coaxed her lips open and kissed her deeply.

  When he drew back and eased his hold, she sighed softly, disappointed it had ended so soon.

  “Kiss me like that again.” It was a new time in an old place...life in a building of shadows.

  The taste of his mouth and the tenderness of his kiss left her weak at the knees.

  After a moment, Myka moved away from him. Was she crazy? Sooner or later, Joshua would find the job he wanted and leave Independence—and her—far behind. She needed to remain on her guard. Loss cut deeply, and a heart that had been repaired, like hers, was never quite as strong as one that hadn’t been wounded at all.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  AS MUCH AS he wanted to take her in his arms again, Joshua remained where he was. Myka was right to step away. He was a bad bet for anyone, particularly her. She needed security, and he had no idea where his life was headed. He couldn’t offer her anything except more risk and uncertainty, and she already had enough of that in her life.