Christmas in Bayberry

“Nothing that hasn’t been done before.”

“I was afraid you were going to say something like that.” He stopped and leaned on his shovel. “Is hiking around in the snow and freezing temps really what you consider fun?”

Kate stopped in front of yet another pine tree. The sun beamed down on her, highlighting the pink of her cheeks. “What’s not to love?”

“A lot. I think I lost the feeling in my feet.”

She pursed her lips and scrunched up her brows. “We haven’t been out here that long.”

“Seems like forever.”

She shook her head. “I never would have guessed you’d be so wimpy.”

“Wimpy?” He pulled his shoulders back. “I’ll show you who’s wimpy.” He moved to stand beside her. “Looks about the right height. This wimpy guy is going to cut down a tree for you.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Wait.”

“Why?”

“I need to check the trunk and make sure it’s straight.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. You don’t want it falling over, do you?” She walked the whole way around the tree. She knelt down and stared up at it. “This is it.”

“Okay. I’ll cut this one down while you find the second tree.” He set to work sawing the trunk.

Together they worked for the next couple of hours until the trees were cut, loaded and delivered to town. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d had a really good time. His complaining had succeeded in making Kate laugh. And that was a sound he loved.

He knew the future of the company weighed heavily on her mind, but he didn’t want it to zap her holiday spirit. When Kate talked about Christmas and all of the holiday festivities, her face lit up. And her excitement was contagious.

He wanted to drag out this report until after Christmas. After all, what good would it do to provide the results before the holiday?

Chapter Seventeen

Her insides shivered with nerves.

Why did this feel so much like a date?

Kate assured herself that it wasn’t one. She’d invited Wes over to help decorate her tree. What else could she do, let him sit alone at the B&B? He’d inevitably start working, and he’d done enough of that this weekend.

So inviting him over was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. They were friends, nothing more. He was a man without a home for Christmas, and she was sharing hers with him. It was what she’d do for any stranger in town for the holidays. But she sighed. It was no use. She couldn’t sell that story, not even to herself.

Wes was different. She liked him more than was wise. She knew all too well that in the end, she would get left behind when work drew him back to the city. And yet, she told herself to live in the moment, because she’d never known anyone like him before.

On their way into her garage apartment, she’d stopped to plug in the strings of colored lights outlining her aunt’s house and the garage. A large inflatable reindeer as well as a seven-foot snowman filled the front yard. If she’d ever had any doubts where she’d gained her love of the holidays, it was abundantly clear now. It must be something in the genes.

Once inside, she moved from room to room, plugging in the white candles in the windows. With the apartment all lit up, Kate returned to the living room, where Wes had divested himself of his boots and coat. “After dinner we can set up my aunt’s tree.” Kate opened a box of Christmas ornaments and withdrew a string of colored twinkle lights. She glanced up when he didn’t say anything. “That is, if you’re s

till up for it.”

“I’m always up for decorating.” He perched on the side of the couch. “You’re making me a convert.”

“I am, huh?” When he nodded, she couldn’t help but smile. “You might not say that after we get done decorating trees this evening.”

“How hard can it be?” He reached for the strand of lights. He plugged them in and all the little bulbs lit up. “See, even the lights work.”

Together they set the tree in a stand and began stringing it with lights. Wes stood on one side and handed the strand to her on the other side. Every time his fingers brushed over hers as they wrapped the lights around the tree, a rush of excitement raced through her.