GINA WILKINS - Beneath the Mistletoe - Make-Believe Mistletoe / Christmas Bonus, Strings Attached

After that disaster he’d thought maybe his father had been right, after all. Maybe Banner was too much like his reclusive, somewhat eccentric great-uncle.

Joe had never had time for social games and hadn’t known how to play them if he had wanted to. Like Banner, Joe had liked other people, but he had never known quite how to behave around them. He had confessed to Banner that he’d always felt as if he was on the outside looking in at other people’s interactions. Banner had identified strongly with that sentiment, since it was exactly the way he had always felt in his own family—or rather, families.

He had sure as hell never fit in with extremely extroverted, highly educated, compulsively inquisitive women like Lucy Guerin.

Even if he and Lucy had been getting along surprisingly well so far, they had only spent a day together. He had no doubt that she would get sick of him soon enough. Katrina sure had, and she had professed to love him. Probably the biggest problem between them had been that he simply hadn’t been capable of loving her in return.

He should never have kissed Lucy. He certainly didn’t want to give her the mistaken impression that he had anything to offer her—even if for some incomprehensible reason she would be interested.

He couldn’t say he entirely regretted it, though. Kissing Lucy had most definitely been a memorable experience.

The children were sound asleep when the presents were arranged beneath the tree. Joan was delighted with Banner’s handmade toys, assuring him that the children would love them. Bobby Ray and Pop both seemed thoroughly impressed with the truck-and-tractor rig, and Lucy was amused by how long Bobby Ray played with the backhoe.

After seeing the cradle, Miss Annie sent her husband to their borrowed bedroom to fetch her knitting bag. She pulled out a lap-size afghan crafted from a soft, cream-colored yarn and finished with fringed ends. “Put this in the cradle,” she ordered. “It’s just the right size for Tricia to tuck her dolls into.”

“Miss Annie, that’s lovely,” Joan said, visibly touched. “But I can’t—”

“It’s not for you, it’s for Tricia,” the older woman interrupted indulgently. “And don’t worry about me not having plenty more. Knitting is about all I can do these days without wearing myself plumb out.”

The afghan added the perfect touch to the charming little cradle. The women all admired it while the men continued to study the intricately detailed truck rig. And then Miss Annie reached into her bag again, pulling out a thick, warm gray knit cap. “Do you think Tyler would like this? I make them for my great-grandsons, and I always have a couple of extras around.”

“He would love it, if you’re sure it’s an extra.” Joan’s voice was thick now, as if she were speaking around a lump in her throat.

Lucy had her own gifts to contribute to the cause. She had brought a shopping bag in from her car a little earlier and had set it in a corner behind the couch. She reached into it now, pulling out a handful of paperback children’s books.

“I buy these on sale all year and take them to my cousins’ children. I’m known as Aunt Lucy the book lady—I just love books. Please pick a couple you think Tyler and Tricia would like.”

“I’ve got a little something for them, too,” Bobby Ray said, looking thoughtful. “I’ll give it to them in the morning.”

Joan’s eyes were wet now, her voice even thicker. “You’re all being so kind.”

After sharing a smile with Miss Annie, Lucy replied, “You’re giving us a chance to enjoy Christmas through the eyes of children. That always makes the holiday more special.”

Joan wiped her eyes with her fingertips. “Thank you. All of you. This could have been a miserable Christmas Eve, stranded away from our families, but it has been lovely.”

“Well, I, for one, am ready to call it a day,” Miss Annie said, putting her knitting bag aside.

Bobby Ray moved immediately to assist her out of her chair and escort her to the master bedroom, with Pop tagging behind. A chorus of good-nights followed them.

“I think I’ll turn in, too,” Joan said. “It’s been a long day, and I’m sure the kids will be up early in the morning.”

Thanking them again, she headed for the guest room where her children were sleeping.

Lucy turned toward Banner, looking at him through her eyelashes, that kiss still haunting her memories. “So…” she began.

He turned away. “I need to let the dog out. C’mon, Hulk.”

The agreeable mutt pushed himself upright and strolled out of the room at Banner’s heels.

Banner, Lucy decided, was obviously regretting the impulsive kiss. As for herself, she had thought it was pretty spectacular, considering its brevity.

She could only imagine how amazing it would be if he really put some time and effort into it.

“Lucy?” Bobby Ray’s voice sounded panicky when he appeared in the living room doorway. “You’d better come quick. Something’s wrong with Miss Annie.”

Chapter Seven

Lucy rushed toward Bobby Ray. “What do you mean? What’s wrong with Miss Annie?”

“I was telling her good night and she just sort of collapsed. I caught her and helped her onto the bed, but it scared the stuffing out of me.”

Lucy followed him to the master bedroom, where Miss Annie lay against the pillows of the bed while her husband hovered close by. “Miss Annie? Are you okay? Pop, should we call an ambulance? Surely some sort of emergency vehicle can get to us here, even with all the ice on the roads.”

Miss Annie shook her head against the pillows. Her voice was weak, but determined. “That’s not necessary, dear. I just had one of my spells.”

Not particularly reassured by the comment, Lucy looked at Pop. “She’s done this before?”

He looked concerned, but there was no panic in his grave expression. “Every so often. She takes medication, but sometimes she gets dizzy, anyway. There’s really no need to call an ambulance tonight.”

Stepping to the side of the bed, Lucy looked down at the older woman. “Is there anything I can get for you, Miss Annie?”

The older woman looked slightly embarrassed at having caused a fuss. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep.”

Looking to Pop for confirmation, Lucy hesitated in indecision about what to do. He nodded to let her know everything would be all right. “We’ll both be fine,” he said. “Just need some rest. It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it, Mother?”

“Good night, then,” Lucy said a bit uncertainly, still worried about leaving them alone.

Pop escorted her and Bobby Ray to the hallway. “Good night. See you both in the morning.”

He closed the door firmly in their faces.

“Well,” Bobby Ray said as he and Lucy walked back into the living room, “I guess Pop would be more worried if there was anything seriously wrong.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Lucy wished she felt more confident about that. Miss Annie had looked so frail and tired lying there against Banner’s pillows.

Sensing Lucy’s anxiety, Bobby Ray threw a meaty arm around her shoulders and gave her a bracing squeeze that nearly emptied her lungs of air. “Don’t you worry, Lucy, we’ll take good care of Miss Annie while she’s here.”

She smiled up at him. “I know. She’s become very dear to me in the past few hours.”

“She’s a dear lady,” he agreed. “Funny how we’ve all gotten to know each other so well in such a short time, isn’t it?”

“I would like to think we’ve become friends,” she replied. “And speaking of which…”

Banner’s dog nosed between them, as if to participate in a group hug. His shaggy tail thumped roughly against Lucy’s hip. She laughed as his cold nose burrowed into the hem of her waist-length sweatshirt, touching the sensitive skin beneath.