“Hey now, Bob Cratchit. I happen to like oatmeal.”
“So the answer is yes.”
I don’t want to laugh and encourage his Dickensian nonsense, but I can’t help it. Rob Byrne is funny and charming and, no matter how annoyed I am to be stuck in this small, holiday-loving town, I don’t hate spending time with him.
Then he leans back in his chair and stretches, drawing my attention to the way his T-shirt molds to his flexing muscles. Some highlight reels from last night’s dream flash through my mind, and I drop my gaze to the papers in front of me.
“Let’s get back to work.”
Chapter
Eight
Rob
The next morning, I stop at my sister’s house before heading to the station. With Donovan heading out of the country, my entire family seems to be on edge.
He’ll be back well before the baby’s due, and Natalie made it very clear she’d rather he go now than go after the delivery, leaving her alone with Sam and a newborn. She and Donovan both feel good about the decision, but our mother and Lyla and Erin—my other sisters—are anxious about it.
Since my mother’s car is in the driveway, so I know everybody’s up and about, I let myself in without knocking. Sam sees me first and barrels into my knees.
“Uncle Rob!” I hoist him up with a groan because I’m pretty sure he’s had a growth spurt in the few days since I last saw him, and I need to remember to lift with my knees.
After I kiss his cheek and he tells me in one long sentence that it’s almost Christmas and his daddy’s going on a plane and he had cereal with marshmallows for breakfast, he starts kicking to get down.
Then I lean down and kiss my mother’s cheek. She’s sitting on the couch, an affectionate look on her face as she watches her grandson. Mel and Elsa, Lyla’s daughters, are ten and eight now, and Randy and Stella Byrne are thoroughly enjoying their grandparents era.
Sam shouting my name brings Natalie out of the kitchen and Donovan to the top of the stairs. My sister crosses to me and I kiss the top of her head while she hugs me.
“So what’syourfictional reason for stopping by, giving you the opening to oh-so-casually mention I should stay at the inn or have somebody stay with me while Donovan’s away?”
I laugh, but I don’t bother to deny it. “Mom beat me to it, huh?”
“And you just missed Erin. Layla and the girls stopped by last night.”
“You can’t be mad at us, though.”
“Oh, I’m not mad. But you all live within a five-mile radius of me, and if I don’t feel good or I think Sam is too much, you know I’ll call. Anyone of you would be here in minutes, and you know it.”
“I have lights and sirens,” I remind her.
“Save the lights and sirens for the parade because nobody in this house will need them,” Donovan calls to him. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“How is the planning going?” Natalie asks once I’ve taken my boots off and settled on the couch.
“Penny says Whitney is such a polite guest,” my mom says before I can answer. “Spends most of her time working in her room, I guess, but she’s very nice.”
“Sheisnice, and I’m glad I have her to help me.” Not just because she’s good at her job, but because I look forward to working on the Christmas Fair so I can see her. I keep that part to myself, though. “She’s very efficient.”
Natalie wrinkles her nose. “Just how every woman wants to be described.”
“I’m pretty sure Whitney would take it as a compliment. Her career is important to her.”
“She’s also quite pretty,” my mom adds, and I groan.
She’s actually gorgeous, not ‘quite pretty,’ but—again—keeping that to myself. “Don’t get any ideas, Mom. She’s only in Charming Lake because Donovan is here and because he offered her up to assist me. This isn’t a place she’dchooseto be.”
My mom shrugs one shoulder. “Things change.”
