Ruth Herne - His Mistletoe Family

He’d make it easy and pray for her and the boys today. Concentrate his efforts. And with the sweet smile she’d raised in his direction, it wouldn’t be a hard task at all.

* * *

Simon grinned at Haley after the service and waved a hand toward Good Shepherd Church across the Park Round. “Wait ’til Reverend Hannity hears about this.”

“Trouble maker.” She grinned up at him, then slanted her gaze to the boys. “Pastor Si, these are my nephews, Tyler—” she indicated the older boy by raising their linked hands

“—and Todd. They’ve come to live with me.”

Simon squatted low to speak to them. “Nice to meet you both.” He put out a hand to each boy in turn, shook theirs, then angled his gaze up toward Haley. “We’re having coffee and doughnuts in the common room downstairs.”

Haley winced, hesitating. The co-op was slated to open at noon and she needed to be there. As yet, she had no one to watch the boys. Jess was bringing the baby home today and Charlie and LuAnn needed to be on hand to help their daughter and son-in-law. Her cousin Alyssa Michaels was working at The Edge, their family restaurant, and Alyssa’s husband, Trent, was coaching football for their teenaged son. That meant the boys would be going with her to Bennington Station, a solution that ranked dead last on her list of preferences.

“I like doughnuts.” Tyler sent a wistful look upward.

“I love them this much.” Todd opened his arms wide, the black kitty clutched tightly in his outstretched fingers. “Panther does, too.”

“Haley.”

That voice. The tone. The deep rumble that stirred things she didn’t know existed before Thanksgiving Day. She turned, swallowing hard, pretty sure she’d trip over anything she might try to say. “Yes?”

He reached down and scooped Todd up. The boy giggled, delighted with his new, high vantage point. Brett settled a big, broad hand on Tyler’s head in a gentle move of inclusion. “Come have coffee and doughnuts, leave the boys with me for the afternoon so you can work and then you won’t be either kicking yourself or second-guessing yourself for the next six hours.”

“Could we?” Tyler looked excited by the prospect of hanging out with Brett, but Haley barely knew this man.

“I would wuv that!” Todd beamed a smile at Brett and then bumped his little head into Brett’s forehead in a mini-man gesture of salute. “Can we play at your house?”

“I have trains,” Brett told him.

“Trains?” Tyler frowned, wondering.

“Trains?” Todd repeated, mimicking his brother.

“Brett has an amazing collection of model trains,” Si told them. “And he’s got a few that are kid-friendly size, if I remember correctly.”

“I do.” Brett switched his look from Simon to Haley. “If that’s okay with you, Haley. The boys can hang out with me and the dog....”

“You have a dog?”

“A real dog?”

“Very real.” Brett nodded, serious, but his eyes twinkled down at Haley. “We’ll be right across the street, so you can run over if you get worried or have time on your hands.”

“You live near Charlie and LuAnn’s store?”

Simon coughed.

Brett sent him a look, then hiked up the shoulder that wasn’t holding Todd. “It’s actually my store, and yes, I live in the house behind it.”

“Really?” If that was true, why hadn’t she run into him before Thanksgiving?

He rolled his eyes toward Simon. “I do believe that’s what I said. Come on.” He headed toward the stairs. “Let’s grab some coffee, feed these guys one of Seb Walker’s doughnuts and get you to work. Then the boys and I can have some fun.”

She shouldn’t, should she? Was this the height of irresponsibility to leave two little boys with a virtual stranger?

Trust your heart. Go with your instincts.

She was good at that professionally, but this wasn’t a business proposition. These were her brother’s boys, now her own little ones. One look at the integrity in Brett’s strong, rugged face put her fears to rest. Something in his bearing said she could trust him with anything. Anytime. And that was the nicest feeling she’d had in years.

He read her hesitation and waited her out, no tempting. No cajoling. She appreciated the honor that took, so she nodded, grabbed Tyler’s hand and moved downstairs. “That would be lovely, Brett.”

She glanced over her shoulder and read the smile he sent for her. Just for her. And suddenly her crazy day melted away into something simpler. Sweeter. She could go to work and not worry about the boys.

Her bank loan?

There was nothing to do about that until tomorrow, so today she’d work with the peace of mind that the boys were well-cared for. And the fact that she’d get to see Brett again later, when she picked up the boys?

Only made the day that much brighter.

Chapter Five

Football, napping boys and trains.

Only one thing could make this afternoon better, Brett decided as the boys snuggled along his dog Derringer’s tawny-red wide flank, and she knocked on the door about five-fifteen, the cold rain beating a relentless rhythm against the flagstone walk. Brett hurried to the door, knowing Haley was getting soaked on the open stoop. “Get in here. It’s pouring.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” She shook damp tendrils out of her face as she pushed back the Christmas-toned knit scarf. “Who’d have thought you could get this wet running from the car?”

“Here.” He lobbed a towel her way, then hooked a thumb left. “Come this way, but be quiet.”

“Because?”

He didn’t answer. If he told her why he wanted her to follow him, she’d offer some form of protest. Better to have the upper hand, he decided. Ward off the argument. She came up behind him and he shifted to the right to allow her a better vantage point.

Her face softened. Her mouth formed a perfect O, the soft lips looking sweet and inviting, which almost made Brett feel guilty about setting a perfect scene, but he’d been straight-up army for a long time. Tactical precision was a specialty.

“How sweet.”

“Yup.”

“And the dog...”

“Derringer.”

“Oh, Brett.” She hugged his arm and this time he didn’t resist the temptation to slip an arm around her shoulders. Gaze down into her face. Wonder what it would be like to touch his mouth to hers. “They look so peaceful.”

“A shame to wake them.”

She smiled up at him, and the glance to his mouth told him she was pondering a similar course of action. It would take seconds to find out. A space of mere inches to test the waters...

“I wuv this dog, Brett.”

Todd’s voice interrupted the moment but didn’t detract from the sweetness. He sat up, fisted his sleepy eyes and then rubbed a generous spot on the coonhound’s side. “He’s the best dog ever.”

“He is.” Brett offered Haley’s shoulder a little squeeze that said “next time.” He moved across the room and squatted. He stroked the dog’s neck, turned and smiled up at Haley. “He used to be Charlie and LuAnn’s. They moved to a place with less upkeep but the old boy was too big for the community rules. I took him in and that way LuAnn’s with him most of the time.”

“He’s beautiful.” She crossed the room and bent low to pet the dog. She smelled of cinnamon and evergreen, a delicious combination, the scents drawing him in as if her effusive personality and good looks weren’t enough.

She’s beginning her life. You’ve seen half of yours and messed up a good share of that. Leave her be.

He should. He knew that. But when she slanted a look his way, a look that brought her cheek dangerously close, he had to reach out. Brush tendrils of hair back behind her ear. See if the soft skin of her cheek was velvet or satin.