Chapter 4
Ginger
Once we finish with the ornaments and tidy up, Mary tries brushing the glitter from her shirt but only makes it worse. Finally, she gives up with a laugh and goes to change clothes.
In the living room, I stand around admiring the vintage decorations and listening to the conversation the other ladies are having. Though they’ve all been kind and welcoming, I just can’t get into the holiday spirit the way they do.
I’m thankful once Mary returns and we say our goodbyes to the others, then get in my rental car for the drive to the community center.
“I want to hold a party for the town there,” she explains as she settles into the seat.
“Ah, so it’s a gathering for a large group?” When she’d hired me online, I’d assumed it was a simple family party she needed my services for. I hadn’t asked the in-depth questions I’d normally ask because I had been in a hurry to leave town.
“Yes, the larger, the better,” she says. “I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to have some holiday fun.”
She reminds me so much of my late grandmother with her similar spunk and wit while having what I suspect is a backbone of steel.
“After I see the place, it might take me a couple of hours to sketch out a decorating and activity plan,” I warn.
“Take your time and don’t worry about bringing me back to the ranch after you’re done there.” She pulls the seatbelt across her body and snaps it into place. “Christopher is meeting me in town for some holiday shopping we need to finish up.”
“Okay,” I respond. “As long as you have someone who’ll be there for you.”
She laughs. “I have a lot of someones who are there for me.”
I sense her gaze on me and glance over as she smiles.
“Like Dallas.”
Hearing his name makes my stomach tighten. It takes me a hot second to pinpoint the reason why. Just the brief encounters we’ve had left me feeling like I was on a rollercoaster. Thrilling but scary at the same time. I don’t need therapy to know why the fear is there.
I’m afraid of the chemistry, that magnetic whatever it is about him that makes him unforgettable. I don’t want to get burned again.
As soon as the ranch is in the rearview mirror, Mary fills the silence between us. “You’ve met Dallas before you came over to the ranch.”
It’s a statement rather than a question and I sense something is afoot. “Yes,” I answer slowly.
Mary sighs deeply. “He came to the ranch as a troubled teenager after having been in the system since he was a baby. That boy has been through the fire, let me tell you.” She pauses for a moment like she’s lost in a memory before continuing, “He was a tall, scrawny kid full of attitude and wariness. I wanted to wrap him up in the biggest hug, but he was too skittish to be touched. He expected to get hit every time someone came near. That broke my heart.”
I frown, hating that he lived like that. “You’re his adoptive parents?”
She shakes her head. “Christopher and I helped troubled youth over the years and just loved on them, that’s all.”
That’s probably not all. I suspect they’ve done a lot more and given a lot more than she’s telling me, but I get the vibe she’s not the type to seek praise or the spotlight. “He seems like such a jokester.” The observation slips out unintended.
“That’s Dallas for you.” The love she has for him shines through as she says his name.
“He’s always trying to find the humor in everything.
Sometimes I think laughter is his armor to avoid dealing with hurts.
But that boy has a loving heart, and I know he’ll make a wonderful husband and father one day. ”
The way she keeps glancing at me…if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was trying to matchmake.
Not wanting to be rude but wanting to shut down any thought of her turning us into a couple if that’s what she’s hinting at, I steer the conversation away from the topic of the man who flusters me.
“I’ll get the party set up in record time so I can make it back home by Christmas.
It’s just me and my dad now. My mom passed when I was young, and my dad raised me. ” There’s a note of pride in my voice.
“You’re close to your father?”
“I am. He’s an amazing father. He even learned how to style my hair.” I think of his first lopsided attempt and get a lump in my throat. “When I asked for homemade clothes for my baby dolls like the ones my friend’s mom made, he learned how to sew.”
I turn onto the road leading into town. “And when I was in high school, he helped me navigate teenage drama.” I roll my eyes as I speak. “Looking back, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Mary laughs. “All teenage drama is serious in the moment.”
“It is,” I agree, not knowing why I feel so comfortable sharing personal information with this woman.
“What do you and your father do for Christmas?” Mary asks.
“It’s our tradition to open the gifts and then have a big meal while we watch movies the rest of the day.” I stop the car by the community center. “He and I are both movie collectors.”
“Dallas is a movie buff,” Mary says. “So you have something in common.”
She’s definitely trying to matchmake.
“Is that so?” I murmur and quickly exit.
She gets out and takes a set of keys from her pocket, flipping through them until she finds the one she’s looking for. “This should be it.” She inserts it into the lock and gives it a jiggle. “I think…why won’t it…” Finally, the lock releases. “Ah. There it is.”
The door swings open and we both stop in our tracks at the sight before us. One of the walls is wet on the lower half and a musty scent hangs in the air. Water stains the drywall and a puddle is leaking out from under the baseboard, slowly spreading across a small part of the floor.
“Oh no!”
I glance at Mary’s distressed expression and give her arm a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry. Judging by the current damage, it doesn’t look like it’s been leaking that long. I can fix it. Be right back.” I leave her to search for the main water valve and shut off the water to the building.
“Quick thinking,” Mary says as I rejoin her.
“My dad’s a plumber,” I explain. My ex’s family always looked down on me and my father because we’re working class while they came from money, but I’m proud of my background.
“I’ll send someone to help get this mess cleaned up.” She takes out her phone.
“I can do it alone. It’s not a big deal.” I’m used to handling situations like this because I spent a few summers working on plumbing projects with my dad. He did his best to make sure I learned how to take care of whatever might crop up.
Mary gestures. “There should be towels in the back room.”
“I’ll dry everything, then take some photos and notes on the layout here to help me plan the décor. Afterward, I’ll repair the leak,” I tell her.
“I can stay and mop, and then—”
“I’m good, I promise. Leave it to me. You go meet your husband.” I don’t take no for an answer as I usher her from the building. There’s no need for two people to handle the water issue when it’s something I can easily do.
Having that skill and remembering when my dad first taught me how to fix pipes and do other home repair jobs makes me suddenly miss him. I make a mental note to call him once I’m done here as I go to find the towels.
I spread them out on the floor and as I’m drying everything, I’m thinking about the supplies I’ll need to get from the hardware store. The damage behind the wall could lead to mold if it’s not completely dried. I’ll also need to find a dehumidifier.
I push gently on the drywall but there’s only give in one area which is good news. It means I should only have to buy a drywall repair patch rather than an entire sheet. I bend over to check the condition of the baseboard.
The door opens and thinking it’s Mary returning to help anyway, I say, “I said I’m fine.”
“I’ll say,” Dallas’s deep voice carries an appreciative note.
I straighten and turn to catch him moving his gaze from my ass. “What are you doing here?”
“I have a special delivery for you. Something you really need.” He grins that sexy way he has that makes heat flicker in my core.
“What?”
His grin widens. “Me.”