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Was he for real?
Holly was about to challenge him when the incontrovertible evidence of steam rising from the direction of the front hood proved he was telling the truth. “Seriously? How can this be happening to me?” she muttered under her breath as the driver made a call to a local garage back in Leavenworth requesting a recovery pickup.
She was freezing by the time the recovery vehicle arrived since the engine problem meant the heater couldn’t be safely switched on. As the taxi was winched onto the back of the tow truck, she stood next to her luggage and jammed her hands under her armpits while she stomped her feet on the spot.
“Right. We’re done,” the mechanic said, moving around to the cab after the taxi driver had already jumped in.
Holly looked from him to her suitcase and back again. “Hang on, what about me?”
The guy just shrugged. “Did you not call another taxi?”
“There are none available,” she said between gritted teeth. “Besides, you’re the recovery agent. Aren’t you supposed to rescue passengers, too?”
“There’s no room in the cab,” he told her, eying the size of her case. “And besides, people are not my concern.”
“You’re taking him!” Holly accused, pointing to where the taxi driver sat, cozy and warm inside the cab of the tow truck.
“It’s his car,” he replied, as if that made it all okay.
“So what? I’m supposed to just stand here and freeze?” she demanded, dumbfounded.
Holly put her hand up to shield her eyes as a set of fog lights from a passing car blinded her. A moment later, the vehicle stopped, and an unwelcome voice interrupted. “Holly, there you are. Get in the car.”
Kris? Really? Why did the universe hate her so much?
She ignored him, refusing to look his way as a door slammed and a figure cut a shadow through the headlights and materialized out of the thick fog.
“Well, it looks like you’ve got it figured out, miss. I need to get moving,” the mechanic said, hurrying off to jump in the tow truck before Holly could argue with him.
The engine roared to life and pulled out onto the road, and she was left with her nemesis.
“What are you doing here?” Holly demanded as Kris picked up her case and heaved it into his trunk.
“Looking for you,” he replied, his irritated tone suggesting he’d rather be doing anything else.
“Get in the car, Holly,” he ordered when she just stood there, mutinously.
“Grrrr…” The sound was somewhere between a high-pitched growl and a muffled scream, but she did as she was told.
It wasn’t like she had much choice, after all. Probably, she should be grateful he was prepared to retrieve her and not leave her to freeze on the side of the road.
Reluctantly climbing into the SUV, Holly wondered if maybe the entire Christmas village of Leavenworth really was a prison.
Because she sure as hell didn’t seem to be able to escape the place.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Despite her best efforts, she was back at the cabin again.
Holly really wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
On the one hand, she was ambivalent despite Kris’ recent overtures of friendliness. Could they really be trusted? Holly doubted the man had had a 180-degree change of heart in a matter of hours.
On the other hand, her stupid heart skipped a beat at being back here again, even though she was certainly no closer to deciding if she liked Nick or Jaxon better.
That was sure to be a disaster waiting to happen. Especially with the way her luck was going recently.
She would simply have to restrain herself.
