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“Care to share?”
He shrugged. “It’s a surprise.” He leaned down and unplugged the lights, letting her free.
She stepped out of her nest of Christmas lights. “Go ahead. I’ll finish this up.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Mom made chili, so stop by for a bowl later.”
With the promise of food he gave her a rare smile. “For her chili, I’ll definitely be back.”
Kendall returned the smile. She watched him head down the stairs and back to the warm light of the barn. She slumped into a cross-legged position and set to unknotting the lights.
* * *
The next few days were a whirlwind of cleaning, decorating, and readying the house for company. Word of mouth could make or break a B and B, and Kendall wanted to make a good impression.
Poinsettias lined the stairs, and the festive lights glowed against the night. She hung the wreath she’d bought on the door; a few strategic holly berries added just the right touch and countered the fat, sparkly bow.
Brody snored on the deck as she shoveled off the last of the drifting snow. The wind had kicked up after the few days of sun and warmth and brutally reminded them that it was the end of December.
Shane had indeed worked on the dock at the back of the house. He’d built a simple pergola in the middle of the deck. He’d hung thick canvas on two sides for people who wanted to sit out and look at the water but didn’t want to freeze their butts off.
But instead of loungers, he’d built a sturdy bench swing that created a stark and lovely touch at the center of her favorite space. He’d also repaired the snowmobile that had been stored in the shed since last season.
He was tireless. No matter how many tasks her mother found to put on her list, Shane got them done without a complaint. He worked on his furniture late into the night, and Kendall and Shane talked while he sanded or varnished.
He even let her help. Under supervision, of course.
But as promised she didn’t get more than a kiss good night. Sometimes the kiss was an electrical storm leaving her lit up for hours, and sometimes it was sweet and sigh-worthy.
She was frustrated and touched at the same time. She understood they were getting to know each other, but she had no idea where he got the fortitude to send her off to bed alone every night. Kendall was ready to climb out of her skin.
The Simmons family was coming in the morning, and her mother was making a huge meal for Christmas. The family was staying from Christmas Eve through the New Year.
Good money and with the extra meals, they were definitely going to be making a tidy profit on the visit. Everything was about as perfect as she could make it. So why did she feel so edgy?
The purr of a belt sander lured her into Shane’s sanctum. He had a thick leather apron on to combat the dust, but it didn’t protect the arms of his shirt. He was covered in a fine powder of pine. He’d gotten a few orders for Adirondack chairs, and she couldn’t wait to sit in one once he was finished.
He looked up with a slow smile. “Hey, Sunshine.”
Her insides felt like a ray of sunshine when he said it like that. Low, intimate, and playful. A side to Shane she was seeing more and more. “I heard the sander. Figured I’d check in on you.”
“Actually, speaking of sander, I found something at the back corner of the shed when I got the snowmobile.”
“Dust? A mouse? Maybe even a ghost?”
His lips twitched. “No. Something more interesting.”
“Well, lay it on me. I was kind of hoping for a ghost. At least we’d make sure to get in a travel guide with one of those.”
He shook his head. “An old mahogany headboard.”
“That’s better than a ghost?”
“You know how much mahogany costs?”
“I’ll give you that one. Probably expensive, huh?”
