Tidings of Joy

by Shanna Hatfield

  Desperate for a distraction, she turned to him as he started the Jeep and headed down the street. “So, who will be at your mom and dad’s place?”

  “Mom and Dad, Drake, our friends Rhett and Seth, and a few others that you know.” Drew turned onto Main Street and drove to the café.

  Joy had expected to go to the Miller’s home for the meal, but she could see people inside the café. “So, they do turkey day here instead of at their house?”

  “More room,” Drew said as he parked and hurried around to open her door. She set aside the blanket and reached back for her crutches. He swept her into his arms and started for the door.

  Heat seared her cheeks as she felt all eyes in the café stare at them through the front windows.

  “This is embarrassing, you know,” she whispered as he pushed open the door.

  Drew grinned and bent his head close to hers, his breath warm on her ear. “I know. Don’t rub it in that you’re the prettiest girl here today. That is why everyone is staring at you. It’s not often a girl who looks like a runway model hangs out with us.”

  Joy’s blush deepened, unsure if he was teasing or sincere. She took a deep breath and forced a bright smile as Drew’s mother rushed forward to greet them.

  As though Barbara had known Drew would be successful in convincing her to come, she’d padded the seat of a booth with a pillow for Joy to rest her leg on while the rest of them rushed around making final preparations.

  Joy waved in welcome when Drake arrived with Mr. Davis. A frail little woman named Mrs. Harris walked in with them. She bit back a laugh at the way Mr. Davis doted on his neighbor and the way Mrs. Harris practically batted her eyelashes at him. Apparently, love could strike anyone no matter their age.

  The meal was a lively affair. Drew’s parents had pushed tables together in the center of the café forming one long table for their guests. It was fun for Joy to sit between Drew and his friend Rhett.

  She’d already learned Rhett owned the famous Faraday camel named Lolly. They discussed their odd pets and plans to take them to the living nativity on Christmas Eve.

  Seth sat across the table and joined the conversation, mentioning he planned to provide a cow for the performance.

  After they’d eaten their fill and played a few board games, the guests began to clear out. Seth offered to take Mr. Davis and Mrs. Harris home. Rhett helped Drake set the tables back in order while Joy sat at a booth and folded napkins around bundles of flatware to put on the tables so they’d be ready for the café customers in the morning. Drew helped carry food into the kitchen and wash dishes.

  When they finished, Drake left at the same time as Rhett, each carrying leftovers. Drew carried a container of leftovers and handed it to Joy.

  “Ready to go?” he asked.

  “Sure. I just want to thank your folks first.”

  Drew picked her up and carried her to the kitchen. He toed open the swinging door and stepped inside just far enough for Joy to see his parents laughing together as they stored clean pots and pans.

  “Hey, we’re heading out now,” Drew said, drawing their attention.

  “Thank you for coming, Joy. It was lovely to have you,” Barbara said, wiping her hands on her apron before she hurried over and squeezed Joy’s hand. She turned to her son and swatted his arm. “You know this girl might like to walk with her crutches instead of being man-handled by you.”

  “Maybe, but this is what she gets today.” Drew bent down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Thanks for the food, Mom.”

  “You’re welcome, honey.”

  “Yes, thank you, Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Miller, for your hospitality and the great meal.” Joy smiled at Drew’s mother.

  The woman grinned and shook a finger at Joy. “I thought we agreed you’d call me Barbara. Now, go on and keep this son of mine out of trouble.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Joy said, then waved at Mr. Miller before Drew carried her out of the kitchen and outside to his Jeep. The temperature had dropped, but Joy hardly noticed as Drew’s warmth enveloped her. When he set her down and moved back, she felt frozen and bereft.

  “Anywhere you want to go or would you prefer I take you straight home?” he asked as he started the Jeep and pulled out of the parking space onto Main Street.

  “Home is great,” Joy said, feeling full, content, and happy just to be sitting next to Drew. Thanksgiving spent with his family and friends had been the nicest one she could ever remember. If she hadn’t been so enamored with the community before, she certainly was after the scrumptious meal and fantastic company. “Your family and friends really are wonderful.”

  “Most of the time,” he said, tossing her a grin. “Then again, you don’t know them like I do.”

  She laughed and gave him a knowing look. “I don’t care what you say, they are awesome and you’re lucky to have them.”

  “I am,” Drew admitted, then grew somber. His eyes held something that bordered on sympathy when he glanced over at her. “I’m sorry your folks didn’t, um... come for the holiday.”

  “I’m not,” Joy said, aware the words were only partly true. It wasn’t that she missed their company. Not at all. But she longed for the easy, warm, loving relationship Drew and his brother obviously shared with their parents. She wasn’t sorry her parents had stayed in California, but she was sad they didn’t care enough about her to come for a visit.

  Drew reached over and took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and blew warm air on her cold fingers. A shiver that had nothing to do with winter temperatures raced down her spine, making her long for things she didn’t want to think about or acknowledge at that moment.

  He grinned at her and blew on her fingers again. “Are you ever going to adjust to the cold, California girl?”

  “Maybe, someday.” She smiled at him, grateful he changed the subject. “Is it supposed to snow again soon?”

  “Yeah. I think it might snow tomorrow and possibly this weekend.” Drew turned down Cardinal Lane. “Do you want Christmas lights put up on the house or the fence? Anything along those lines?”

  “I’d love that, but I can’t exactly string any lights right now.” Joy waved to an elderly couple as they shuffled along the sidewalk, bundled up against the cold.

  “That’s what you’ve got me around for, isn’t it?” Drew asked as he parked in front of her house. He left the motor running as he hurried inside the house with her crutches. He left the door open a crack so he could easily carry her inside. When he returned for her, he leaned across her to turn off the ignition and she couldn’t help but inhale a deep breath of his luscious, masculine scent.

  Her fingers itched to brush through his thick hair, but she held perfectly still.

  Drew grabbed his keys, pulled back, and picked her up. He took a step away from the Jeep and pretended he was about to drop her. “How much turkey and pie did you eat today?”

  She popped him on the shoulder and frowned. “Not nearly as much as you and your brother. You do realize it’s unforgivably rude to mention a woman’s weight, don’t you?”

  “I do, but you know I’m only teasing. You barely weigh as much as the mail bag I carry every day.” Drew pushed open the door and walked inside then toed it closed behind him. Rather than set Joy on her foot and hand her the crutches, he carried her down the hall to the family room.

  “Doesn’t that have a fifty-pound weight limit on it?” she asked, giving him a dubious look.

  “In theory,” he said, walking around the couch and bending over to set her down. Somehow, the button on his shirt had caught in the fine crocheted yarn of her sweater and left them hopelessly twisted together. Drew started to rise, but was immediately pulled back against her. He braced his arms on the couch to keep from landing on top of her.

  At that moment, Joy would have gladly been pinned beneath him. Her gaze slowly moved from the button ensnared in the trim on her sweater to Drew’s mouth. It looked so warm and inviting. She wondered if it would taste as dark an
d rich and tantalizing as she imagined.

  Without giving a thought to what she was doing, Joy rose upward until her lips nearly touched his. “It seems we’re a bit tangled,” she whispered.

  Drew remained perfectly still for several long seconds. She could feel his heart pounding wildly, keeping time to the runaway beat in her chest. One moment he was staring at her in question, the next his mouth captured hers in a driven, hungry blending of lips and hearts. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his solid chest.

  Joy couldn’t think of anywhere in the world she’d rather be. Her hands slid up his shoulders and toyed with the hair at the back of his head as his kisses grew more ardent, more demanding, more dazzling.

  “Drew,” she whispered, completely lost in the passionate bliss of finally knowing his kiss. It was even more euphoric than she’d dreamed. Although she knew he was shy and somewhat reserved, there was nothing timid about the way Drew Miller kissed!

  Masterfully, magnificently, he laid claim to her mouth, branding it with searing kisses that left her limbs languid and her heart racing so fast, she wondered if he could hear the loud pounding beat of it.

  His kisses were divine! Drew tasted like pumpkin pie with a hint of coffee and something delectably rich that she couldn’t even begin to define. Then the exchange deepened, multiplied in intensity, until Joy couldn’t do anything except cling to Drew and meet him kiss for kiss.

  His big hands caressed her, tormented her, as he wove a spell around them, one Joy never wanted broken.

  When he finally pulled back, he seemed to have forgotten their snagged state because he started to rise only to fall back against her.

  “Joy,” he whispered in a voice that almost sounded pained. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t…”

  She silenced him by kissing him again. He moaned and again deepened the kiss while her fingers worked to free his button. The moment she succeeded, he gave her one more lingering kiss that threatened to curl her toes right in her shoes before he released her and moved back. He rose to his feet and gaped at her, breath coming as fast as though he’d run a mile through deep snow.

  “I’ll feed Pete and let Bacon in,” he said in a cool tone, turning away with a look she couldn’t decipher.

  Had her kisses been that bad? Was he really not interested in her? She’d just practically thrown herself at him twice. Maybe this was his way of kindly letting her know boundaries existed and she shouldn’t cross them.

  If that was the case, she was certain she’d die of mortification before he returned from letting the puppy inside. How could she face Drew knowing how much she loved him if he had no interest in returning her feelings?

  Chapter Seven

  Drew chastised himself as he fed and watered Pete then tossed a ball for both the donkey and puppy to chase. He never should have kissed Joy. What a monumental mistake. The one taste he’d had of her the night she was drugged on painkillers and had no idea what she’d done was bad enough, but this kiss?

  She was wide awake and tasted sweeter than anything he’d ever experienced. He wanted to sample that particular flavor over and over for the rest of his life.

  “Idiot,” he mumbled as he tossed the ball toward a pile of wood shavings he’d hauled in for Pete. He’d read that donkeys liked to have toys and things that kept them busy. One of Pete’s favorite things was to roll in the shavings and bury his nose in them. He also had a hula hoop that kept him entertained for hours on end.

  Everything entertained Bacon. Joy had been leaving him outside more, now that he and Pete were good buddies. The donkey kept an eye on the puppy and the two of them had a great time racing around the yard.

  Drew hunkered down and scratched behind the puppy’s ears when he ran over to him and placed a paw on his leg. Pete wandered his way and nudged Drew’s arm, indicating he wanted attention, too.

  Grateful for the distraction and in need of a moment to gather his composure, Drew sat down on the back step, heedless to the cold, and gave both animals a good rubbing.

  The day had been nearly perfect. His family and friends had been on their best behavior, not tormenting him about Joy’s presence at the Thanksgiving table while making her feel thoroughly welcomed.

  She’d fit right in and even teased Drake a few times. Seth and Rhett had both mentioned how nice she seemed. His mother thought she was the best thing to ever happen to him and his dad assured him she was quite a catch.

  The problem rested in the fact he was convinced Joy had no interest in being caught. Since her injury almost two weeks ago, she hadn’t indicated she wanted to be anything more than friends. She’d been kind, polite, fun, friendly, and sometimes looked at him with hero-worship in her eyes, but he was sure that was because she continued to insist he saved her life.

  Drew appreciated all that, but he wanted more. He wanted Joy’s love.

  In spite of Mr. Davis assuring him a good kiss would set everything to rights, the world-altering kisses they’d just exchanged did nothing but leave him even more confused. He wanted Joy. He wanted to love her and cherish her and marry her, but that seemed ridiculous considering he’d only really met her two weeks ago.

  Granted, he’d spent more time with her in the last two weeks than he had in two years of dating his last girlfriend, but still. Normal people didn’t fall in love and decide they’d met their true love that fast, did they?

  Maybe the cold weather was freezing his brain cells, because Drew felt like a blundering fool at that moment. He really, really shouldn’t have kissed her. It shifted everything between them into an awkward, unsettled place.

  Honestly, he found it hard to regret the kisses they’d just shared because they were the most incredible thing he’d ever experienced. Only in his wildest dreams had he imagined Joy reacting with such unbridled passion and enthusiasm. But she was probably just caught up in the moment.

  Most likely, he was reading far more into her reaction than he should have. She was probably just tired and maybe she hadn’t been out on a date for a while and…

  Drew sighed and rose to his feet. How could he go back in the house and act like nothing was different? Like they hadn’t just kissed each other like the lovers he desperately wanted them to become?

  He drew in a lungful of frosty air and looked at the door. As much as he wanted to avoid going inside, he couldn’t hide out with the animals all evening and he certainly wouldn’t sneak around front and leave without saying goodbye to Joy.

  With resolve straightening his spine, he knew procrastinating wouldn’t make things easier. A quick trip inside, a few words of goodbye, and then he’d escape. He needed to keep his interaction with Joy brief and leave right away. Otherwise, he might cast aside the last few remaining shreds of sense in his possession and kiss her again.

  “Come on, Bacon. Time to go in,” Drew said, whistling to the dog. The puppy bounced around his feet as he went up the steps and opened the back door.

  Bacon barked as he raced inside and made a beeline for his food dish. Drew fed him, filled the water bowl the pup seemed to spill at least once a day, and then returned to the family room.

  Joy remained where he left her on the couch. She stared out the window as though she’d been watching him play with the animals.

  “I should probably get going, unless you need anything.” He stood at the doorway, afraid to get any closer to her. His ability to resist her had dropped to practically zero. Distance was the only way to keep from pulling her into his arms again.

  She looked around the room, as though searching for something. Finally she shook her head. “No, I’m fine, Drew. I appreciate you taking me to the café today. It really was one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.”

  “I’m glad you went, Joy. I always enjoy spending time with you and everyone else had a great time with you, too.” He wanted to tell her just how happy he was she’d gone with him, how pleased he’d been at the way she fit in with his family, how much he never wanted to say goodbye. Before the words lea
ked out his lips, he snapped his mouth shut and backed toward the hall. “If you need anything, just call or text me.”

  “Thank you, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  Drew hurried down the hall and outside. He’d driven halfway home when he remembered he told her he’d hang her Christmas lights. He turned around in the middle of the street and drove back to Cardinal Lane.

  Rather than make her come to the door, he knocked once then let himself in.

  “Joy?”

  When she didn’t answer, he started down the hall. She wasn’t in the room she referred to as her parlor or the office at the front of the house. He didn’t find her in the living room or kitchen. He even glanced outside, but Pete was playing with his hula hoop and Bacon was sleeping on his little bed in the laundry room. Drew returned to the family room and listened. He could hear water running in the bathroom.

  Unbidden visions of Joy in the shower under a steamy spray of water sent him racing to the garage. He’d gone in there a few times to either put things in the freezer or retrieve something Joy needed. He’d noticed plastic storage tubs stacked on shelves along the far wall. It didn’t take long for him to find two tubs labeled Christmas lights. Inside, he found multiple strands of lights that had been neatly stored away. It only took him a minute to plug in each strand to make sure they worked.

  He found a box full of power strips and extension cords and carried it, along with the tubs of lights outside. A return trip to the garage unearthed a ladder. Beginning at the corner of the front porch he started draping lights on hooks that were a little rusty, but would still get the job done. In no time at all, he had lights across the front of the porch, wound around the posts, and trailing along the porch banister.

  He backed up far enough he could look at her roof line and concluded lights on the second story around the dormers would look nice.

  After setting the ladder against the side of the house, he grabbed several strands of lights and climbed up the ladder. Hooks previously installed around the dormers made it easy to hang the lights. When he finished, he decided the sides of the house looked rather bare, so he continued stringing the lights along the steep pitch of the roof along both sides of the house.