Christmas in Bayberry

“Sure thing.” He moved to leave, but the only way out was past her. She backed up against the metal shelves. He turned to take a sideways step past her. Their eyes caught and it was though they were moving in slow motion. Her heart pitter-pattered much too fast.

He was so tall. So good-looking. And then he was directly in front of her. Were those dimples in his cheeks? She stifled a dreamy sigh. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

And then he passed. The moment was over. It was though they’d been slingshotted back into the normal rhythm of time. And her phone continued to vibrate in her hand.

“You should get that.” He nodded toward her phone.

“Oh. Yeah.” She lifted the phone to her ear. “H…hello.”

“Kate, is everything all right?” Aunt Penney asked. “You sound out of breath.”

“Uh, yes.” She snapped out of whatever spell had just been cast over her. “I’m fine. What do you need?”

Her aunt had a question about the arrangement for the holiday sale in the warehouse. They were going to enlarge it by a couple of rows. When Kate wrapped up the call, Wes reappeared with a fresh mug of coffee.

He held it out to her. “It’s for you. I didn’t know how you take it, so here’s some creamer packets and sweetener.”

She accepted his offerings. “Thank you. That was so thoughtful of you.” She moved to a shelf with a little available space. She pocketed the creamer packets but added all three sweeteners.

“It’s not a big deal. I’m sure your boyfriend does things like this for you all of the time.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Thoughts of her ex flashed in her mind and she frowned. “Not any longer, that is.”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Well, anyway, it was no big deal.”

“No. It’s a huge deal. I just couldn’t function any longer without my morning coffee.” She lifted the mug to her lips and took a long, slow drink.

“I should be going.” Wes turned to walk away.

“I owe you,” she called out to his retreating back. “Again.”

He paused and turned. “Don’t worry about it. I was happy to help.”

He turned a corner and disappeared from sight. She stood there, staring at where he’d been as she took another sip. Maybe there was more to Wes than she’d originally thought. And now that he’d not only helped clean up the boxes and brought her coffee, but also saved her family’s heirloom ornaments, she might actually be in debt to him.

She didn’t like to be indebted to anyone, especially a handsome stranger. She would find a way to pay him back. Maybe something would come to her after she’d had more coffee. Yes, coffee and muffin first, thinking later.

Chapter Six

This assignment was going to be more complicated than he’d hoped.

And much more time-consuming.

Wes sighed as he closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair. Pulling the information he needed to do an evaluation of the company was hampered by the candle company’s lack of technology. They had no system that collected vital information in a central location.

His head started to ache as he contemplated the monumental task ahead of him. Maybe skipping breakfast hadn’t been his brightest idea. Fortunately, it was almost lunchtime.

He glanced through the windows of his office, seeing employees shrugging on their coats and heading out for lunch. He didn’t see Kate among them. He hadn’t seen her since she’d crad

led that coffee mug in her hands like she was holding liquid gold.

When she’d come upon him in her office yesterday, he’d thought for sure he’d blown any chance of befriending her. The truth was he hadn’t had any idea when Penney Taylor had shown him to the office that it belonged to Kate. In fact, it was so neat and organized that he hadn’t been sure the office belonged to anyone in particular.

He’d thought of moving somewhere else, but he wasn’t sure where. The data he needed access to was sensitive, but when he saw the elder Ms. Taylor, he’d ask for an alternate location.

He usually packed a lunch when he worked at his New York office, but he had yet to get his bearings here in Bayberry, so he’d picked up some snack foods in the break room to tide him over. This way he could eat and work. The sooner he completed this assignment, the sooner he could get back to Manhattan.

He was holding the granola bar and apple when Kate stepped into the doorway. A slow smile tugged at his lips.