Chapter Six #2
Despite Walker’s warning, Ben was smiling back. What was going on? He’d seen them talking at church a few times, even at the Halloween party, but it had never been more than a minute or two at most. Walker hadn’t thought much of it. Apparently, he should have.
“I left Zo’s lovey in the car.” He wondered if she’d look at him if he snapped his fingers in front of her face. He might have done so if Zoie wasn’t in his arms. “I left it there as I didn’t want to risk forgetting it here if you didn’t make it by today.”
“Good idea.” Amy still wasn’t looking away from Ben.
Could she be any more obvious? Which really wasn’t like her.
His sister was usually level-headed. Her and Ben’s conversations at church had seemed casual, but the truth was, he’d probably not paid enough attention to their interactions.
Regardless, his sister was not looking at his coworker casually.
Amy was crushing. Big time. Normally that wouldn’t bother him.
But he didn’t want his sister hurt by his friend who had a long line of broken hearts behind him on his supposed quest to find the one.
“Let’s go get it so you and Zo can be on your way.”
“We’re not in a rush. Today’s my day off work.” Amy smiled at Ben who smiled back.
From beside him, Cole gave an amused snort, letting Walker know he’d picked up on what was unfolding in front of them.
“But we are about to head out.” Mostly true. The stack of flat boxes was loaded in the back of Cole’s truck.
That got through to Amy, and she glanced Walker’s way. “Okay. I’ll wait here while you get Zoie’s lovey.”
Smart girl. “It would make more sense if you came out with me. That way you and Zoie can be on your way.” Hint. Hint. He gave her the look he’d been giving her for years when his suggestion was more of a do this, but he’d been giving her the chance to come to the right decision.
“Oh.” Amy glanced toward Ben, then with obvious disappointment said, “Yeah, I guess that would make more sense, but … okay.”
Her disappointment was heavy, but she wasn’t bucking his wishes either.
A mixture of relief and guilt hit him. He wanted Amy to be happy, but he’d been protecting her for her entire life, even long before their parents had died. He wouldn’t stop now when he knew heartache loomed if whatever was going on wasn’t nipped in the bud.
From beside Walker, Cole practically snickered as, under his breath, he said, “Good luck with this one, buddy.”
When they were outside, Walker frowned at Amy. “Whatever it is you’re thinking on Ben, just don’t.”
“Why?” Although, she’d followed his unspoken wishes, Amy’s chin lifted. “I thought you liked Ben.”
“I do like him, just not as someone you’re interested in romantically or vice versa.”
Losing all signs of her momentary gusto, Amy perked up, looking hopeful. “You think he’s interested in me?”
“No, Amy, I don’t.” If he hadn’t been holding Zoie he’d have raked his fingers through his hair.
“Not any more than he’s been interested in any of the other half dozen women he’s gone out with since I’ve known him.
Don’t read anything into anything he says or does.
To him, you’re just his next not the one. ”
“You could be wrong.” His sister deflated in front of him, confounding Walker’s guilt.
Regardless, he wasn’t backing down on this. Better to be the bad guy now than for her to have her heart broken. “But I’m not.”
“I don’t need you going all protective big brother. I’m a grown woman, Walker.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Although, there was a part of him that would always think of her as his kid sister. “You’re twenty-four and old enough to know better.”
“Old enough to know better? Better than what, Walker?” she challenged, surprising him.
He and Amy got along fabulously. Always had. Even in her teens and he’d been raising her; she’d rarely bucked his authority. She’d known he had her best interest at heart. Her current chin tilt warned that she wasn’t going to take his recommendation to stay away from Ben lightly.
“Old enough to know that Ben never dates a woman for long, just a few weeks at most, and then he dumps them. He has serious commitment issues. I don’t want you to just be another in a long list of women he’s dated. The trail of broken hearts behind him is legendary around the firehall.”
His calm and steady tone put a chink in Amy’s bravado. “You think he’d do the same to me?”
No smart man would. Amy was a gem who deserved all good things in life, which was why Walker said, “I swear he lines up his next victim even before he’s done with the current one.”
“You make him sound terrible. He’s not like that.”
“You’ve talked to him, what? A few times at church and maybe a few get-togethers, I know him better than you, Amy.
Just … I get that you’re a grown woman and capable of making your own decisions, but do this for me, okay?
As a favor, if that’s how I need to phrase my request. I don’t want to see you hurt. ”
Amy’s expression softened. “Like you were?”
Walker didn’t flinch but could have. “This isn’t about me and Linda.
It’s about Ben’s history and my not wanting you to be just another woman he checks off a list.” Taking care with how he held Zoie, he leaned forward, kissed Amy’s forehead, then looked her straight in the eyes. “You deserve better than that.”
Her eyes, appearing a little glassy, she nodded and took Zoie from him. “Just as you deserved better than the way Linda treated you. Never forget that.”
*
Four weeks had passed since Maggie had arrived in Pine Hill.
Three of which were weeks spent working at Harvey Farms. In the morning, Maggie worked in the farm’s café that also sold local goods.
She didn’t like being indoors all the time, but so far, the Harveys hadn’t taken up her offer to work outdoors.
Cliff Davis, Sophie and Isabelle’s father, who also was a Harvey Farms employee, assured her that the closer they got to Christmas perhaps Mr. Harvey would move her outdoors as they would get busier and busier with folks buying their Christmas trees.
Maggie hoped so as being indoors so much made her feel almost claustrophobic.
With Thanksgiving that week, the farm had gone from an autumn haven to Christmas glory as they prepared for the live Christmas tree sales.
Maggie liked the Harveys, Cliff, and the other farm employees.
She stayed busy, which was a good thing since it didn’t allow her time to dwell on how much her life had changed, going from a top-notch helicopter pilot to serving food at a country farm’s small cafe.
In the afternoons at Hamilton House, Maggie helped decorate, make Christmas ornaments to be sold at the Pine Hill Christmas festival, clean, yard work, and cook.
Essentially, whatever Sarah was doing, Maggie helped.
What she’d not done was spotted the first sign of anything suspicious other than that the entire town was Christmas crazy.
Hamilton House being the pinnacle, Christmas had overtaken everywhere Maggie looked.
For better or worse, it was time for her first judges’ meeting. She couldn’t avoid it as Sarah had invited the other judges to Hamilton House for a meeting to review rules and such. The only positive was that her hostess had made a fresh batch of the cookies Maggie adored.
“How many judges are there total?” Maggie asked from where she entertained Jeannie with a Mrs. Santa doll who was helping Jeannie make cookies.
Jeannie sat in a child seat attached to the large island.
Sarah had specially made dough without raw eggs for the toddler in case she decided to taste it.
With her toy rolling pin that made snowflakes in the dough, Jeannie pretended to give a bite to the doll Maggie held.
Poor kid. Sarah and Bodie needed to get her some real toys that didn’t involve Christmas themes.
Even the girl’s bath toys were rubber ducks wearing Santa hats.
Not that Jeannie seemed to mind. Maybe Maggie would pick up something that wasn’t Christmas related just so Jeannie would have variety.
“We asked five, but two recused themselves.”
“That’s allowed?” Did Maggie’s voice sound as eager as she was to wiggle out of this judging gig?
She’d seen Walker from a distance a few times while in town with Sarah.
She’d managed to sidestep being close enough for their paths to directly cross since the day at The Threaded Needle.
She’d been taught to avoid conflict when she could.
That she thought of being near Walker as conflicting revealed the battle inside her head.
It was one she’d been fighting from the moment she’d seen him somehow looking wonderfully masculine even while wearing a goofy prince costume.
Part of her wanted to see him, to talk to him, to look into those golden-brown eyes and see if she’d imagined the things she’d thought she’d seen there.
Because part of her hadn’t believed he’d been so interested in her when she was such a mess.
But seeing Walker was a useless distraction.
“No, recusing isn’t allowed.” Sarah waved her spoon. “Not for you.”
“I suspected you were going to say that.” Maggie couldn’t have anyway since it gave her reason to be with Sarah during her Christmas festival outings.
Surprisingly, Sarah didn’t seem to mind how Maggie had latched on to spending time with her.
Maybe all the veterans who came to Hamilton House did the same, seeking the kindness and goodness Sarah’s presence offered after dealing with a harsh, cruel world.
Recusing herself wouldn’t have saved her today, though, not when Sarah had invited the other judges to Hamilton House.
“Being a judge is not without perks.” Sarah waggled her brows suggestively.
There went kindness and goodness right out the door. With Walker on his way to the house, it had been inevitable.