Meg Lacey - The Fireman's Christmas

Danny’s eyebrows almost disappeared into the curls on his forehead. “A relationship?”

“That’s right.”

“Who the hell said anything about a relationship?”

“You just propositioned me.”

“The hell I did.”

Tessa wasn’t buying it. She crossed her arms and gave him her big-bad-mom stare. “Then what was all that bedroom stuff?”

Danny clenched his jaw, flushing to the roots of his hair, but whether it was embarrassment or anger, Tessa couldn’t tell. “I don’t need to proposition strangers to get them into bed. I need a babysitter.”

Dear Reader,

A close friend who had gotten divorced inspired this novel. She had two children in tow, and plunged back into the dating world only to discover that most of the men she dated had children of their own also. For me, this led to tons of fun questions such as: What if we get serious and the kids hate each other? What if the kids love each other and the man and I don’t get along? Then there is the babysitting problem—how can you ever see each other alone?

What better than to use the original situation’s potential and write a story about Danny Santori, a fireman, who is a widower with four kids, and Tessa Doherty, a landscape designer, who is a divorcee with two kids. Danny and Tessa have lost their summer babysitters at the last minute. They’re stuck until a friend comes up with the solution of putting them together.

The fun part of this was imagining all the antics of the children and their impact on the relationship. I called my local fire department and they rolled out the carpet so I could do the research. Plus, I got to hang around with firemen. What could be better than that?

Meg Lacey

Meg Lacey first discovered romance in the sixth grade when she wrote her own version of Gone with the Wind. However, her writing career didn’t last. Instead she went into theater and studied acting and directing for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and, finally, ended up in television as a writer-producer.

Over the years, she also dabbled in a few other areas. She has been an actress, director, copywriter, creative dramatics teacher, mime, mom, college instructor and a school bus driver (and wow, are there stories in that experience). She started two creative marketing and media companies in the Midwest and worked in all media from network cable programming to corporate initiatives, but through it all, she’s always returned to writing. She has written for Silhouette Books as Lynn Miller and for the Harlequin Temptation line, and is now thrilled to join the Harlequin American Romance family.

She has three funny, mouthy, independent daughters who are now all married and creating chaos in someone else’s life. She also has two little grandchildren and a wonderful husband. Guy is her true hero—he’s survived life in a house with four women, two female cats and a female dog and can still remember how to tie his shoes. Without his marvelous sense of humor, patience and support, her life would be very different.

Visit Meg Lacey at www.meglacey.com.

Meg Lacey

To my friend Robin Graff-Reed

(aka Robin Wiete, Leanne Grayson)

for her continual support and inspiration.

To my husband, Guy, who keeps me sane

while I drive him insane; and to my daughters,

Jen, Sara and Jes, for the same reason.

To my agent, Karen Solem, who enthusiastically

welcomed me back from my writing hiatus.

Finally, to the men and women of the

Green Township Fire Department in Cincinnati, Ohio,

who were so generous with their time and knowledge.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Danny Santori looked up from the résumé in his hand. “Thank you for coming over on such short notice, Mrs….” His mind went blank. What was her name again? Staring at the austere woman seated in his cluttered front parlor, he felt a smile stretch his mouth until he was sure he resembled a grinning monkey. It was a hot day in Warenton, Pennsylvania, but the woman opposite him was dressed as if it was early spring with her long-sleeved buttoned-up blouse and gray cardigan.

God, he hated this! It was a royal pain, interviewing babysitters, explaining his situation over and over again. He hated the fact that his wife wasn’t here to do it for him. Of course, if she had been, he wouldn’t be in this predicament at all. Laurie had been perfectly content to be a full-time wife and mother, and had even given up her job when Danny suggested it due to his schedule. Danny realized he’d been a lucky man—now he was discovering how lucky. He stared blankly at the stern face before him. “Uh, Mrs….”

The older woman gave him the once-over with narrowed, suspicious eyes, then dropped her gaze to the frayed Oriental rug sprawled across the scarred hardwood floor.

Her mouth pursed as if she’d just sucked a lemon. “My name is Peach. P-E-A-C-H. Miss.”

Danny blinked, unable to reconcile the sweet name with this sour woman. He wished her stare didn’t make him feel so much like an errant schoolboy. After all, he was supposed to be in charge here, wasn’t he? He stood, hoping to feel more at ease once he was on his feet.

“I understand from the agency that you can be here day after tomorrow, Miss Peach. That’s great, because my shift at the firehouse starts that day at 7:00 a.m. The kids probably won’t be up at that time, which is why I was glad you could stop by today so I can introdu—oooofff!”

Danny staggered, then righted himself to look down at the small, round body that had just wrapped itself around his left leg. His almost-four-year-old daughter hung on as if she were resisting a hurricane wind. “Emma, let go, honey.”

“Daddy,” she demanded, hugging harder. “Walk me.”

“Not now, Em. I’m talking to this nice lady.”

Emma just held on, staring up at him with that heart-wrenching smile and tousled blond hair that reminded him so much of her mother. Danny’s resistance sagged. “Okay, just once around.”

With Emma clinging like Velcro, he swung his leg wide and walked around the room, talking over his shoulder. “As I was saying, my shift lasts twenty-four hours, which is why I requested someone who can stay overnight. I take it this is okay with you?”

Miss Peach adjusted her black straw hat more squarely on top of her skinned-back gray hair. “Naturally the agency explained your needs in full detail.”

“Good. And you’re sure four kids won’t be too much for you to handle?”

Miss Peach drew herself up even straighter in her chair. “I have been under the employ of the agency for twenty-two years, Mr. Santori. I assure you that I am quite capable of maintaining order and discipline in your household.”

At her tone, Danny stopped walking, barely managing to keep his hand from flashing her a mock salute. Suddenly he wasn’t sure he wanted to subject his kids to this rigid, humorless woman. The problem was, he didn’t have much choice. Maybe he could suggest that she lighten up a bit. He reached down to peel Emma from his leg. “Okay, punkin, the ride’s over.”

Emma started to resist, but Danny headed her off. “Why don’t you find one of Mommy’s cups and we’ll give Miss Peach a cup of Daddy’s special coffee.”