Seaside Christmas

by Stacy Claflin

  He felt a little strange himself—with Talia practically admitting that she trusted him on top of wanting to start fresh. It was a whole new side to her, and it really threw him off. It was a lot easier to deal with anger than vulnerability. At least with her.

  As they approached the stairs, sounds of jovial conversation came from inside. Talia continued to stay near him as they entered.

  Some of the church members gave Cruz funny looks when he and Talia came in. He'd gone to school with several of them, and he was pretty sure the whole town knew of his intentions to open the tattoo parlor. Something he doubted the other church was excited about, either.

  Allen explained that the group from the other church was going to help with the outside of the building and the yards. Then he made introductions. Cruz's stomach twisted in a tight knot when Allen said the name Julian. He had been in Jake's class, and had always had it out for Cruz.

  He hadn't changed much. Still wore preppy clothes, a short haircut, and was clean-shaven. He probably couldn't even grow a beard. The only thing that had changed was his hair was closer to brown than the dirty blonde it had always been. His blue eyes also seemed a shade darker.

  Julian shot Cruz a dirty look before smiling and shaking Talia's hand and then Cruz's.

  She smiled and looked at everyone in the group. "Thank you guys so much for your help. Soon, I'll be able to put up my Christmas decorations."

  "Maybe even tomorrow." Allen put an arm around his daughter. "Then after they're done with the outside, they're going to help me finish the sanctuary and work on some of the classrooms. We'll be able to focus on our Christmas program." His entire face shone with excitement.

  "Then all we'll have left is the downstairs," Talia exclaimed.

  "You have a downstairs?" asked Julian.

  "There's an impressive reception hall," Talia said. "Well, it will be."

  "We can help with that, too." Julian smiled at Talia, giving her a once-over.

  Cruz stepped closer to her. "My brothers and I have been doing that. We can finish what we've started."

  Talia turned to him, eyes wide. "Really?"

  What was Cruz getting himself into? He need to focus on his place. "Yeah, of course, yo."

  Julian rolled his eyes. "You still speak like that? Didn't you flunk English?"

  "You got a problem with me, dude?" Cruz narrowed his eyes.

  "It seems as though you would have outgrown your poor grammar by now. You're twenty-six, aren't you?" He shook his head.

  Cruz bit back a sarcastic comment, not wanting to stoop to Julian's level. The two guys stared each other down.

  Allen cleared his throat. "Let me give you all a tour of the outside. I'm sure you saw just coming in how much work there is. The courtyard looks more like a jungle."

  "We're here to serve," said an older guy. Cruz couldn't remember his name.

  Cruz turned his attention back to Julian, who smiled at Talia as he looked her over again. Something burned deep within Cruz. He didn't know what, but one thing he did know—he didn't like the way Julian ogled Talia.

  Allen turned to Talia, oblivious of Julian. "Did you want someone to help with the classroom you're working on?"

  "That's why I'm here," Cruz said quickly.

  Both he and Talia appeared as surprised as Cruz felt.

  "You are?" Allen asked.

  "Of course. Right, Talia?"

  Her eyes widened. "Uh… yeah. Cruz is going to help me with that."

  Allen patted his shoulder. "You're a good man." He turned to the others. "He's got just as much work to do next door, but he hasn't stopped helping us."

  Julian shot him a glare. He and the others went outside.

  Talia turned to Cruz, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you offer to help me?"

  He didn't want to admit to being jealous of the way Julian looked at her. He shrugged. "You need the help."

  "But I… you have so much work to do on your place."

  "I'll recruit Bobby or one of my brothers. It's not a big deal. Besides, I don't need to open on any particular day. You guys seem to really want the Christmas program."

  The expression on her face softened even further, making her seem even sweeter than before.

  "Okay, stop looking at me like that. Let's get to work. Where's the classroom?"

  A smile spread across her face. "This way." She led him down a hall with a bunch of doors going down. She stopped in front of the first one on the left. "This is the one I've been working on. I've gotten rid of a lot of junk. Now it just needs a good scrubbing."

  Cruz stepped inside and examined the room. "That it does." He didn't see any cleaning products. "I'll grab some stuff from the utility closet. Then we can get to work."

  Thirteen

  Talia squeezed the excess water from her sponge into the bucket of dirty water. "I'm going to dump out this water and replace it."

  Cruz turned to her, adjusting the blue bandanna that fell over one eye. "No, I'll do it." He dropped the dust mask from his face and let it fall against his shirt. He grabbed the two buckets, his decorated muscles bulging.

  "If you're sure," Talia said, keeping her focus on his eyes. The stunning golden brown eyes.

  He nodded and then disappeared.

  She leaned against a newly clean wall. What was wrong with her? Why did she have to notice things like that when it came to Cruz? He didn't even resemble boyfriend material, and yet she couldn't help it.

  He was tall, muscular, and had those striking eyes. Even those lips… What was it about him? And why on earth had he volunteered to help her? She was the one who was supposed to be doing nice things for him, and now here he was, helping her. Again.

  Cruz returned with the buckets. Her breath caught.

  "Hopefully, these will get us through the rest of the room. We've already made a lot of progress, don't you think?"

  Talia steadied her breathing. "Gorgeous."

  "What?"

  "I mean the room is really starting to shine." Her face burned and she turned away before he could see. She peeked at him through the corner of her eyes.

  He set the buckets down and reached into one, grabbing a sponge. She tried to look away, but couldn't bring herself to stop watching. He turned to a wall and scrubbed, his muscles flexing with each movement. He really was a hard worker. It was one of the traits that she admired most.

  She had succeeded in finding good things about him. Now she needed to find ways to offer kindness. She took another deep breath and then grabbed a cloth of her own and worked on the window.

  Outside, several of the guys from the other church were weeding the backyard. They'd already cleared everything out, including the snow—it was all just weeds and grass. And even at that, it was a lot more appealing to the eye.

  Her body warmed with excitement. Their church really might be ready by Christmas. She'd been prepared to be happy with just some outside decorations to let Kittle Falls know that they were there. But to have their own program! Talia had always dreamed of directing the one at their old church, but it was so huge, and the lead pastor always appointed who he wanted—and it was rarely anyone her dad suggested.

  "Be careful of Julian," Cruz said behind her.

  Talia jumped. She'd been so lost in thought, she hadn't noticed him come up to her. "Why's that?"

  He leaned across her shoulder, peering down into the backyard. "Oh, he's fine to help with the building. Just promise me you won't be alone in a room with him."

  Like she was with Cruz? "What makes you say that?"

  She turned to look at him. He was so close, their cheeks nearly touched. She held her breath, trying to ignore the urge to feel his scruff.

  He stepped back, seemingly unbothered by their momentary closeness—though Talia had to admit she hadn't exactly been bothered. She stepped back from the window so she could see him better.

  "I just don't trust him. Did you notice the way he looked at you?"

  "No." She'd been too busy paying attention
to Cruz. Just like now.

  He moved back to the window and looked down for a moment before turning back to Talia, making eye contact. "I did. Trust me, be careful. Just because someone goes to church, doesn't mean they're safe."

  Talia nodded and swallowed. She continued staring into his deep eyes. He stepped closer, continuing to hold her gaze. They were so close now. He didn't say anything. She couldn't think of anything to say. Yet she tried desperately.

  Cruz took another step closer. Talia's pulse pounded in her ears. What on earth was he doing? And why wasn't she moving away?

  He moved forward again. She needed to step back. Maybe run out of the room. She glanced down at his rosy lips. His beard seemed to make them look especially attractive.

  Talia opened her mouth, but her breath caught. All of a sudden, the room heated. She looked back into his dazzling eyes. His expression intensified.

  She wanted him to kiss her.

  No, no she didn't.

  Yes, she did.

  What was wrong with her? He was obviously the one she needed to avoid being alone with. Only it was because she didn't trust herself. It was a good thing she was frozen in place, or she might just kiss him.

  She didn't even care that he was completely wrong for her. Or that kissing him would be a horrible mistake. Or that it would be her first kiss, and she'd probably mess it up.

  Cruz stepped forward, his expression intensifying further, but then without warning, he took several steps back. "I… uh, I better finish wiping that sink out." He spun around and filled the room with the sounds of the scrub brush against the metal sink.

  "I need to work on the window," she said, feeling stupid. Talia rubbed the cloth, unable to focus. Her breathing still hadn't returned to normal, and she couldn't get over how badly she'd wanted to kiss him.

  Talia continued scrubbing until the glass looked new. At least on the inside. Getting the outside, that would take some effort.

  She turned around to decide what to clean next, but she stopped and watched Cruz. He was washing a counter now. She studied his profile. Her heart raced. He really was beautiful—she doubted he'd appreciate that description, though it was the truth. And not only that, but her dad was right about him being a good guy. Why else would he be helping her with the classroom when he had his own mess to deal with? And why bother warning her about Julian?

  He turned her way. Talia headed for the soapy buckets and dipped her sponge. Cruz came over and did the same.

  "We're almost done." His intense eyes stared at her.

  She nodded, relishing in the way he kept looking at her. Could he possibly feel the same way about her?

  Without a word, he turned away and started on a shelf.

  Talia took a deep breath and glanced around. Focus. We're here to clean. The only other thing left was one of the child-sized tables. Other than that, the room was ready to be decorated and filled with new supplies.

  After just a few minutes, she was done, and from the looks of it, Cruz was close. She dropped the sponge in the bucket and pulled off the gloves. She watched him finish the shelf.

  He turned around, and she smiled at him. "Thanks so much for all your help."

  "No problem." He grabbed the buckets and left the room.

  Talia turned around in a full circle, admiring the room. She couldn't wait until everything in the entire building was just as clean.

  Cruz came back and leaned against the doorframe. Her heart skipped a beat.

  "Do you want to start another classroom?" he asked.

  She wanted to spend more time with him, but guilt stung at her. She was being selfish. He needed to work on his own place. Talia shook her head. "You have plenty of work on your own at your shop."

  "True, yo."

  That expression was actually kind of cute. She smiled and he returned it with a suave one of his own.

  "I'll help you here if you want, though. You got lots more rooms to clean."

  "And they're all as bad as this one was, but I'll save it for another day. I really should get my house organized. It doesn't feel like home yet."

  "I get that." He paused, like he wanted to say more.

  Talia hoped he wasn't going to offer to help there. She didn't think she'd be able to handle being alone with him there. This room, with others so close, was too much.

  "Well, if you're sure." He ran his hands over his beard. "Maybe I should give you my number in case you change your mind."

  "I… I… okay." She went over to her purse, digging for her phone. "You should probably have mine, too. You know, in case you need something. Since I'm next door."

  He told her his number. She put it in and called him. Rock music sounded and he pulled out his phone. "Got it." He slid his finger around the screen and then put it back. He headed out the door, and Talia followed him out of the building. They said goodbye as he went down the stairs. Her gaze lingered on him as he made his way down the sidewalk.

  Once he was out of sight, she glanced around for her dad, not seeing him in the front. She went into the sanctuary. He was polishing a pew with another guy about his age—the other pastor in town.

  "Dad, I'm going to work on the house and then make dinner."

  "Did you finish the classroom?" He rose and stretched.

  She nodded yes. "Cruz was a lot of help."

  He gave her a knowing smile—he didn't know how she felt, did he?

  She said a quick goodbye to both men and headed out into the entryway.

  Julian walked in, and Talia tensed, remembering Cruz's warning.

  He looked her up and down, giving her the creeps. "Finally ditched Cruz?"

  "No. He has his own business to take care of."

  Julian scowled. "You mean the tattoo place? How do you feel about having that next door?"

  "Great, actually. If you'll excuse me, I need to get by."

  He didn't move. "I'd like to see the rest of the building. Want to give me a tour of the downstairs?"

  "My dad can do that. He's in there with your pastor." She gestured toward the sanctuary.

  She walked toward him, and he moved out of the way at the last second, mumbling something unintelligible Talia was sure she didn't want to hear, anyway.

  Talia hurried down the stairs and thought about jumping into their car, but she didn't want to leave her dad to walk in the dark. The fresh winter air was probably just what she needed, anyway. The snow crunched under her heels as she walked. She could have sworn she could feel someone watching her. Chills ran up and down her back.

  She was grateful when her turn came, and she was out of sight. Julian really made her uncomfortable, especially the way he acted like he wasn't going to let her leave.

  Her eyes widened as a new realization hit her. Despite how much Cruz had annoyed and infuriated her, she'd never once felt uncomfortable. And she really wanted to see what lay beneath the surface of the rocky exterior.

  A diamond in the rough?

  Fourteen

  Cruz hit snooze. Again. Usually, he just got up when he needed to, but he'd had such a hard time falling asleep, though he'd tried everything. He'd put on earbuds to block out his family and listened to a rainforest sounds app that had always helped before. He'd covered his eyes. Pulled on more covers. Removed them. Nothing helped.

  His mind replayed every moment he'd spent with Talia since they'd met. The more he thought about it, the more he adored her feisty argumentativeness. She knew how she felt, and she didn't care what anyone thought. Too many others he'd met just said what they thought he wanted to hear.

  Not Talia. The woman who wasn't afraid to wear heels in the snow. She was tough as nails despite her church talk and upbringing.

  Cruz let out another long, slow breath and sat up. Despite his heavy eyelids, he was still eager to get back to work. Not only would he likely see Talia again, but Zachary had promised to help him out in the afternoon. Cruz wanted to get as much done as he could before that. He could handle the heavy lifting of moving junk out to
the dumpster that smelled worse than death. What he wanted Zachary's help with was in setting things up. Starting the process of making things look nice.

  He swung his feet to the floor and stood. His alarm went off again and he turned it off. Instinctively, he reached for his pack of cigarettes on his desk. Instead, he pushed it under some papers. He would have coffee in its place—and soon.

  Cruz stumbled out into the hallway. The house was quiet, which meant everyone else was sleeping. If he wanted caffeine when he got out of the shower, he'd need to make it himself. He went to the kitchen and started getting the coffee pot ready, but when he got to the bag of grounds, there wasn't even enough for one cup.

  He went into the garage and searched for a fresh bag along the shelf of nonperishables. Not seeing anything, he backed up for a better view. He went too far and bumped into another shelf. A couple posters fell, hitting him on the head and then bouncing and rolling on the cement floor.

  Out of curiosity, he unraveled the first one. A Nirvana poster. That brought back memories. He and Jake had gone through a grunge phase in junior high, even to the point of starting up a really bad band.

  Cruz put the poster back and unrolled the other one. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That also brought back memories, but it also gave him in idea. He rolled it back up and went inside, sneaking into Zachary's room.

  Zachary was twisted up in his covers, snoring away. Cruz pulled some tacks from his cork board and displayed the poster where his brother couldn't miss it. He chuckled, enjoying the childish pranks. It was fun to have brothers.

  He yawned, reminding himself that he still needed to find the coffee. This time, he found the bag easily enough. It was partially hidden behind a bag of organic sweet potato chips.

  By the time he got out of the shower, he could smell the roasted beans. He took a deep breath and rushed to get ready. When he opened the bathroom door, the smell of bacon hit him. His mouth watered. He threw his pajamas into his room and went to the kitchen, where his mom was cooking breakfast.

  "Did you make the coffee?" she asked.

  He yawned as if to prove his point and nodded.