“This is ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes at herself. The last person she should feel sorry for was Baxter. Yet, every time she looked out the window and saw him working tirelessly, her heart squeezed a little.
It wasn’t easy, but she had to admit that, as awful as he was to her growing up, he’d always been kind and thoughtful to his grandparents.
She finally groaned and dragged herself to the kitchen to make two mugs of hot chocolate. She would’ve added peppermint to them if she could’ve found some. Truthfully, the food choices were less than stellar. Savannah had bought little for herself, and it made sense that Mr. and Mrs. Potter wouldn’t want food to go to waste during their month-long trip.
Savannah put her boots on, slipped through the sliding glass door without the dogs escaping, and closed it again behind her. “Hey, Baxter!”
The hammering stopped, and he turned to face her, looking surprised.
“You up for a hot chocolate break?”
His face broke into a grin. He set the hammer down and jogged across the backyard. “You are an angel.”
He ditched his wet gloves as soon as he was under the protection of the covered porch. He reached for a mug, cupped it in his hands, and took a sip.
Savannah hid a smile with her own mug. “It’s nothing like the cocoa you can get at Sweet Hearts, but packets were all I had on hand.”
“Are you kidding?” He flexed one hand and then another. Both were red from the cold. “It tastes amazing to me.”
She sank into one of the two chairs on the porch, and Baxter claimed the other one. They sat in silence as they sipped their hot chocolate.
He’d finished the whole back of the fence and most of one side. He only had the other side to go and then the sections next to the gates at the front. “Are you planning on replacing the gates? Or leaving them as they are?”
“You know, I’ve been wondering the same thing. But I think I may leave them. I’ll ask Grandpa in January and see if he wants to get new ones. As long as the rest of the fence is replaced, I don’t think the gates will look too bad. Do you?”
“I think it’ll look great either way.”
He seemed content with her answer. He finished his hot chocolate and set the empty mug on the wicker table between them. “I guess I should get back after it. Thanks for the much-needed break.”
There was no missing the hesitancy in his voice. He stood, flipped his hood back over his head, put his gloves on, and clomped back out into the yard.
Savannah took their mugs inside. She thought about turning on a Christmas movie but didn’t even get as far as the living room.
Just thinking about him out there working in the rain while she was warm and dry inside had her feeling guilty. The sooner he got done with the fence, the sooner he could work on the porch or something else that had more shelter. Oh, and the sooner he’d be on his way, too. Which, of course, was the sole reason why she donned her boots again and withdrew a rain jacket from the hall closet.
She made it most of the way across the yard before Baxter noticed her. His brows rose in surprise.
“Hey. What are you doing out here?” He glanced at the back door as though he half expected her to run inside again.
“You looked like you could use some help out here.”
He blinked at her. “You’re seriously offering to help me? In the rain.”
Savannah released a deep sigh. “I figured it was practically inhumane to leave you out here by yourself. I can’t even enjoy a good cup of tea or read a book without feeling guilty.”
She could tell by his expression he wasn’t sure whether to take her seriously. Only when she gave him a small smile did he grin in response. “If you insist.”
“I do. Besides, the quicker we get all this done, the faster you’ll be out of my hair.”
“Right. Of course.” He chuckled. “In that case, take these.” He handed her a box of nails.
She hefted it in her hand. “That’s it?”
“You can help me hold the planks in place, too.”
“Oh, well, that’s better.”
~*~
When Savannah first offered to help him, Baxter wasn’t sure what her motivations were. She acted like she was joking about getting him out of her hair. He wasn’t so sure that was true, though. Even still, they fell into an easy pattern as they removed the old fence planks and replaced them with new ones. While he did all the hammering, just having her there to hand him the nails and help hold the boards made all the difference.
It wasn’t just having help, though. It was the company. The evenings he’d been working before now had been long ones with nothing but the sounds of hammering and his own humming or whistling to fill his ears.
Savannah’s company made it all a whole lot better. They didn’t talk a lot, and when they did, they stuck to mundane conversation. But her pretty voice, soft laughter, and the subtle scent of vanilla that sometimes wafted his way made the day more pleasant.
Besides, she looked super adorable in sweatpants, boots, and a rain jacket that was far too big for her. It must be Grandpa’s. He wished he could sneak a photo of her with his phone, but she’d probably smack him with one of the fence planks.
They worked together until the sun had nearly disappeared and called it a day just before five.
“You know,” he began as they put the tools away, “it is time for dinner. Any chance you might want to share said meal?”
He’d known the answer to that question the moment it left his lips. She shook her head.
“Come on. Not even if I’m buying?”
“I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you.” There was a flash of pain on Savannah’s face before she schooled her features. She motioned toward the house. “I have every intention of taking a hot shower to thaw out, nuking a Hot Pocket, and going to bed.”
Baxter feigned astonishment. “You’re seriously putting down my offer of food for a Hot Pocket? That barely qualifies.”
“Goodness, yer making great progress on the fence.” There was no missing the Scottish lilt of Granny Mary next door. They couldn’t see but snatches of her bright red umbrella through the slats in the fence. “Baxter, yer grandparents are gonna be so surprised.”
He exchanged a smile with Savannah. “I sure hope so, Granny Mary. Thanks again for promising to not say a thing to them.”
“Yer secret’s safe with me. Ye know, I just finished icing a Christmas cake. I baked it back in October, ye know. You two should come over for a slice.”
Savannah immediately shook her head. “Oh, Granny, we’re both a muddy mess. Trust me when I say you don’t want us to come in your house.”
“I wilna take no for an answer. I’ll expect ye in ten minutes.” With that, they heard her shuffling across the backyard and disappearing into her home.
Baxter turned and pointed a finger at Savannah. “See. And if you’d agreed to go out to dinner with me, we’d have plans.”
“Are you kidding? You can’t beat Granny’s Christmas cake.” She sounded perfectly serious, but there was humor shining in her eyes.
He held a hand out to her. “So will you join me for some of Granny Mary’s magnificent Christmas cake?”
He was certain she would scoff at him or, at the very least, turn and walk away. She took him by surprise when she set her hand in his. Her skin was frigid, and it was all he could do not to clasp her hand between both of his. “Is that a yes?”
“I’m saying yes to Granny’s offer.” She looked down at her sweat pants and muddy boots. “I need to run in and change shoes, at least. See you over there in ten?” She pulled her hand away.
He hadn’t even agreed before she’d disappeared through the sliding glass door. Maybe going next door for dessert wasn’t what he’d planned, but he wasn’t about to give up the chance to spend some extra time with her.
Besides, she was right. Granny’s cake was incredible.
Ten minutes later, Granny ushered them inside her home. They both t
ook their shoes off at the front door and followed her into the kitchen. The tiny table had three chairs crowded around it. She motioned for them to sit.
“I’ll bring the cake right out. Make yerselves comfortable.”
Baxter held the chair for Savannah and helped her scoot it in. As soon as he sat down, he realized just how small the table was. His knee touched Savannah’s. It didn’t matter how he shifted, there wasn’t quite enough room under the table to maintain distance between them. Not that he particularly minded.
Savannah was looking everywhere but at him. Baxter finally nudged her knee with his own. “I won’t bite, you know.”
Her cheeks turned pink within moments. “Yeah.”
He covered a chuckle as Granny returned, a plate of cake in each hand. She set one down in front of each of them along with a fork. “Here ya go. Would ya like a glass of milk to go with it?”
“That would be wonderful, Granny, thank you.” Baxter admired his slice of cake. “This looks almost too good to eat.”
Granny patted him on the shoulder. “Aren’t ya sweet. Savannah? Milk?”
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Savannah took a small bite of her cake and moaned in appreciation. “I’m confident I could never produce a Christmas cake as decadent as this.”
Baxter had to agree. There had only been a few times in the past he’d tasted Granny’s famous Christmas cake. It was always worth it.
Granny returned with the glasses of milk and then joined them at the table. “I’m so glad ya both like it.”
They talked about the Christmas season coming up, decorating for the holidays, and some of their favorite Christmas memories.
A half hour later, Baxter and Savannah thanked her for the amazing dessert and waved goodbye. He walked Savannah to the front of the Potters’ house. Before she went inside, he put a hand on her arm.
“So I have a question for you.”
She turned to face him. “What’s that?”
“We sat down at the same table, and neither of us self-combusted.” He paused for effect. “Given that evidence, is there any chance you might give me a different answer next time I ask you out to dinner?”
The corners of Savannah’s mouth twitched. “You are stubborn.”
“Yep.” He was still touching her arm. He slid it down to her hand and took it in his. “So?”
“Ask me next time, and you’ll find out.” She flashed him a pretty smile. “I should probably get inside.”
“Of course.” He squeezed her hand before releasing it. “Thank you again for all the help on the fence. I couldn’t have made so much progress without you. I think we make a good team.”
“Surprisingly, so do I.” Savannah unlocked the front door, stepped through the doorframe, and turned back with a smile. “Good night, Baxter.”
“Good night, Savannah.”
She closed the door behind her. Baxter felt the first drop of rain in the next round of showers and retreated to his car before it started to pour. Thinking about his time working on the fence with Savannah had him smiling all the way home.
After his last girlfriend, he’d sworn he wouldn’t put himself in a position where a woman would make him second-guess what he wanted for his future. He’d about given up any possibility of raising a family of his own in a small town.
Then he thought about Savannah. Sure, it was early in their friendship, but he could see her happy about staying in Romance. Maybe even opening her own bakery one day. He thought about Granny and then pictured Savannah making homemade cakes for her children’s birthdays. That thought made his heart stutter.
The last thing he needed to do was get ahead of himself. He hadn’t even convinced the woman to go on a date with him. Yet.
Chapter Six
Baxter nailed the last fence picket in place the following Thursday evening. He tossed the hammer into the open toolbox and stood back to admire his work with satisfaction. It’d taken a little longer than he’d anticipated, but he still had one week before Christmas and at least two weeks before his grandparents returned to accomplish the rest of his to-do list.
Besides, taking longer only meant more time at the house which, in turn, meant more time with Savannah. She’d come out one other time to help with the fencing. He hadn’t asked her to dinner again, although he had every intention of doing so. He just had to wait for the right time.
A high-pitched scream from the house made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He grabbed the hammer again on instinct and sprinted toward the sliding glass door.
With no idea what to expect, he didn’t bother wiping his shoes off before opening the door and going inside. “Savannah?”
“In here!”
He followed the sound of her voice to the kitchen where she was holding several towels against the kitchen faucet. Water sprayed everywhere from the base of the faucet. Baxter wasn’t sure which was wetter: the counters, the wall, or Savannah.
“What happened?”
“I was washing dishes, and the faucet exploded. I’m not sure how to turn it off.” She still held the towels in place. She leaned forward and brushed her forehead against her arm to get wet tendrils of hair out of her eyes.
“Here, watch out.” He knelt in front of the cabinet under the sink, and she shifted over to give him more room. Baxter found the shut-off valve and within seconds the water had stopped flowing.
“Thank you.” Savannah dropped the soaked towels into the sink and sagged against the counter. “If you hadn’t come in, the Potters may have come home to an indoor swimming pool.”
The image had Baxter laughing. Both of the dogs wandered into the room. Nessie lapped up water while Nellie followed the muddy footprints Baxter had tracked in from the back door.
He pointed them out. “I’m afraid I only contributed to the mess.”
She nodded toward the hammer on the kitchen counter. He must have set it down there when he first saw her wrestling with the faucet. “What were you going to do with that?”
Baxter exaggerated his posture by straightening his spine. “I had no idea why you screamed, and I suspect these dogs don’t have a lot of bite to go with their bark.”
There was humor in her eyes but also appreciation. “I’m just glad you knew how to turn that stupid faucet off. I guess I should call a plumber.”
“Probably a good idea. I’d offer to help, but my skills are severely limited in that area. You call, and I’ll get some towels and a mop and see if I can get a start on cleaning this up.”
She nodded. After drying her hands and arms on another towel, she disappeared into the living room with both dogs on her heels.
By the time she’d returned ten minutes later, Baxter had dried off the counter and mopped up most of the floor. Savannah’s quick response with the towels probably redirected most of the water back into the sink. It could’ve been worse.
“Okay, they can’t get anyone here until Monday. But it’s really not that big of a deal. I can manage for a few days without the kitchen sink.” Savannah looked up from her phone. “Wow, you made fast progress. I put the dogs in the other room for now.”
Baxter rested his arm on the handle of the mop. “That’s good. It’ll be a pain without water, though.”
She shrugged. “I’m mostly using paper plates and things like that anyway. It’ll be fine. And I can get water for the dogs from the bathroom.”
It sounded like she had everything lined up. Baxter straightened and went to mop up the remaining water when Savannah came around the corner. She was just about to step in one of the last puddles. “Watch out—”
His caution came too late. The moment her shoe hit the water, it slid right out from under her. Baxter grabbed one of her flailing arms before she fell completely and kept her upright. “Whoa. You okay?”
Savannah’s foot slipped again. She wrapped her arms around his to keep herself steady. “That sink is out to get me one way or another, isn’t it?�
�� Her long eyelashes lifted until her gaze tangled with his. Her sweet scent enveloped him, and it took everything in his power to not draw her closer. He was just now getting her to let him into her world. As much as he wanted to kiss her, it wouldn’t be worth it if it caused their newfound friendship to crash down around them.
~*~
Savannah’s breath caught in her throat. Baxter’s strong arms kept her from falling. She ought to let go and create some space between them, but the intensity in his gaze kept her rooted. His breath fanned across her cheek. For just a moment, she thought he might kiss her. In that same moment, she could hardly believe she actually wanted him to.
The realization came only a heartbeat before he loosened his grip and took a step away. The intense disappointment made no sense. After all, this was the guy she couldn’t stand a couple short weeks ago. Just how pathetic was she?
She cleared her throat, crossed her arms in front of her, and took a steadying breath. “Thanks. Again. I owe you one.”
His eyebrows lifted. She already knew what he would say before he spoke the words. “Go out with me. One date.”
He’d just saved her twice in the span of thirty minutes. How was she supposed to say no now? “What do you have in mind?”
Baxter grinned and gave her a wink. “It’s a surprise, but I promise it’ll be fun. Do you have to get up early on Saturday?”
“No, I’m not working for a change.”
“Great. Then how does six o’clock sound? Assuming, of course, that you can handle a later night.” There was a friendly challenge in his words.
“Tomorrow, huh? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Because I’m not about to give you time to change your mind.”
Savannah tried to act nonchalant while her heart ping-ponged around in her chest. “Tomorrow night is fine.” She held up a single finger. “One date.”
The happy look on his face had her smiling in return. They went to work again and finished wiping up the rest of the water. The whole kitchen floor shined. Savannah had a feeling Mrs. Potter would be impressed if she could see it now.
A Merry Miracle In Romance (Christmas In Romance Book 2) Page 4
