“What if we don’t tell them? We could work in secret,” he suggested.
She stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “How? Mom works in the shop. Every day.”
“Can you keep her away? Tell her you want the changes to be a surprise?” His brain churned with ideas for the shop, he had to do this. For her. “Aren’t they going to travel? Maybe they could go now?”
“Brilliant.” She flung her arms around him.
He could get used to her tendency to show excitement with hugs.
“Dad bought a motorhome. He’s been nagging to head to British Columbia. He wants to see the ocean.”
“In the winter? Brr.”
She nudged him with her elbow. “It’s warmer there.” She grinned, her eyes flashing with excitement. “It could work. Dad’ll talk her into it. Especially if he knows I’ve hired you. Unlike Mom, he doesn’t have anything against you.” She winced.
“Hey. I get it. Parents are a pain sometimes. Parents with grudges are even worse. It would take a Christmas miracle to get them back together as friends and we all know miracles don’t happen.”
“You don’t believe in Christmas miracles? Scrooge.” She slapped his arm as if to chide him.
He could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. She was going to try and convince him of the beauty of Christmas and he wasn’t going to bite. To his surprise, she dropped the subject. Sort of.
“I forgot; your dad left just before Christmas. Didn’t your sister leave during the holidays a couple years later? That’d turn anyone off the holidays.”
It wasn’t common knowledge his family had learned his absentee father had died in an automobile wreck just before Christmas, ending all hope he might come back. His mother thought Christmas was a reason for fake celebrating and extra drinking to drown her sorrows. Hailey could keep Christmas with all its glitter, celebration and joy.
“Are you sure you want to help build a Christmas store? I’m okay if you change your mind. It might be difficult for you.”
There she went, being all compassionate again. Was it any wonder everyone liked her? Even him. “Work is work. It’s just a reno and I’m sure you won’t be decorating while I’m working.” He chuckled.
She blushed. “Well, actually, I have this idea for shelf moldings and a tree shaped display. Maybe two.”
“I’ll survive. Have you gotten quotes from anyone?”
“None. It depends on how many hours it will take and nobody will even come look before the new year.”
“I work by the hour on rush jobs like this.” He named a rate lower than his usual, but reasonable. Neither too high nor too low. His company was busy enough, he could pick and choose which jobs to take. He priced himself low this time because he wanted to work with Hailey.
She squinted at him. “Is that your normal rate? It seems low.”
“Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it, and I’ll feed you as well.”
“Are you going to have time to cook, run the store and help me?”
“No, but I can get takeout.”
He offered his hand, she accepted it with a shake.
“Deal,” they chimed in unison.
“Dad’s taking Mom out tonight. Can we meet at the shop around six? I’ll buy pizza.”
“I’ll be there.”
Chapter Eight
Hailey giggled as she unlocked the vacant space she’d just leased, next door to Two Angels Gifts. She snuck inside with Jesse and closed the door behind them. There was a certain guilty pleasure in sneaking around behind her mother’s back. She felt like a teenager again.
