Chapter 1

There had been a light dusting of snow overnight, and as Benjamin Tanner watched the sunrise, he realized this scene never got old. This was where he was meant to be—to live and breathe—in the mountains of Washington.

That didn’t mean he didn’t want to travel or see some of the rest of the world, but this was always going to be where he called home. His brothers had both moved away once they’d finished college, and while it meant he didn’t see them very much, Ben understood the need to forge your own path.

The forests, the mountains, and working with actual wood had never appealed to either Jack or Henry. For as long as Ben could remember, his brothers had been athletes and intellectuals, and neither had any interest in anything remotely artistic that required working with their hands. And he was fine with it. Really. Growing up, it had meant Ben got to spend a lot of quality time with his grandfather that his brothers never got to experience. It meant that all of his grandfather’s hard work had led to something—to leaving a legacy that was now Ben’s to pass on someday.

Some. Day.

Maybe.

If he didn’t start getting his priorities in order, there wouldn’t be anyone to leave this legacy to, and that made him sad. Turning away from the window, Ben looked at the open floor plan of the home’s main floor. At one time, this had been a simple three-room cabin his grandfather had built. Over the years he’d expanded, and when his grandparents had died and left the house to him, Ben knew he’d make improvements on it. And he had. Some were out of necessity, and others were… Well, everyone should live in a space they enjoyed.

The property was magnificent, and his grandfather’s workshop was still standing. There was a lot of new equipment and upgrades out there too, but for the most part, Ben preferred working with the same tools his grandfather had used. Of course, over the years, so many of them had needed to be replaced, but he did his best to stick to the basics and stay away from the newer power tools.

Anyone could work with those.

It took time and patience and skill to do it all by hand.

Speaking of… He took a minute and flexed his left hand. It still hurt like a son of a bitch, and he knew it would continue to feel that way for a couple of days—not enough to make him stop working, but it was going to slow him down. And right now, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There was nothing worse than the sting of a sharp metal blade cutting through skin, no matter how many times it happened.

Looking over at the kitchen table, he saw the letter that had turned his perfectly peaceful world upside down. He’d committed to doing a book on his art and sculptures, and he was supposed to do a fair amount of writing—including a very lengthy foreword and introduction—and he hadn’t done jack shit to get it done.

And now he was out of time.

As much as it pained him to admit, he needed help. Fast. He needed to find someone who was organized and had a basic knowledge and appreciation for art—specifically the kind of art that he did. On top of that, they needed to be able to write about it in a way that would make readers both intrigued and excited about his work. There was only one person he could think of to fit the bill, and that was Savannah Daly—well, Savannah Shaughnessy now. She’d interviewed him about three years ago, and even though he’d been vehemently against it at the time, she’d been fairly easy to work with—not intrusive, and she didn’t waste time. She came and got on with the interview and was gone without it being too incredibly awkward. And in the end, she’d done a kick-ass article that had garnered him enough new clients to keep him working well into the next decade.

She’d kept in touch since then, sending him cards or notes when she’d seen or read something about his work. Honestly, if he had to have someone here in his house for a couple of days to get this whole book thing off his plate, he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d want to do it. He considered her a friend.

And he didn’t consider many people that.

So he’d called her, and after talking to Savannah, he had reluctantly agreed to her version of helping him out. She couldn’t come personally, but she was sending someone to help him—someone she trusted and assured him would be an asset. Right now, he wasn’t so sure. It was no different from his publisher sending someone, but at least this way, he had a personal reference from a friend.

Darcy Shaughnessy. Over the last several years, Ben had heard Savannah mention her sister-in-law, but he’d never had the opportunity to meet her himself. He was going to. Soon. But he still wasn’t sure she was going to be of much help to him. After all, she wasn’t a writer like Savannah, and that was what Ben had wanted. Ultimately, he had accepted the offer because Savannah had assured him that Darcy had brilliant office skills and a creative mind—all the things combined she swore would help him finish this project.

With a stretch, he walked into the kitchen and poured himself a second cup of coffee and contemplated his day. There wasn’t any reason to be up this early; it was just the way his internal body clock worked. And with his hand still throbbing, he knew going to the workshop right now wasn’t wise.

“Looks like a paperwork day,” he murmured and then realized the paperwork was everywhere. A muttered curse was his first reaction and then a more vicious one when he raked his bad hand through his hair and rubbed it the wrong way.

“Okay, so clearly it’s going to be that kind of day. Great.”

Yeah. Things weren’t looking too good for him to make much progress on anything right now. Darcy was due to arrive this evening, and he’d already invited her to join him for dinner, so he was going to have to attempt to clean up. Not that the house was dirty, but there was stuff everywhere. Like paperwork. Newspapers. Tool catalogs. The first thing to do would be to do a quick sweep of it all and throw away the junk he didn’t need.

That took over two hours, because there were a lot of tool catalogs he’d forgotten about, and now he had a list of items he wanted to order for some projects he wanted to do in the spring.

“Still progress,” he told himself as he began—in earnest again—to weed through the junk mail and minimize the piles.

By the time lunchtime rolled around, Ben was beginning to wonder if maybe he should have offered to go to LA and work with Savannah there. It probably would have been a whole lot less stressful and aggravating than this nightmare. But on the upside, the living area looked good. Small piles of magazines and catalogs were fanned out on the coffee table, and he could totally live with that. He dusted off the newly uncovered surfaces and then ran the vacuum and felt a sense of accomplishment.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

* * *

Six hours later, the steaks were ready to go on the grill.

The salad just needed to be dressed.

The potatoes au gratin were in the oven.

And there was a platter of assorted cheeses and crackers on the counter along with a bottle of wine and glasses. He might not entertain much, but he hadn’t forgotten how to be a good host.

Off in the distance, he heard a car door close and smiled. It seemed weird that he was actually looking forward to this night. It was possible that Darcy would want to wait until morning to get started, but hopefully—with a few strategically placed hints—she’d see there was no time like the present. After all, the sooner they got started, the sooner they’d be done. And if she felt half as awkward about this unconventional situation as he did, she’d see his thinking was right.

He opened the front door and was heading down the steps just as she was pulling her purse from the backseat. He was about to call out a greeting, but words simply escaped him.

Dark chestnut hair that seemed to caress her shoulders. Fair, flawless skin that had a hint of rose from the cold. And wide green eyes that seemed to sparkle as she looked over at him with a smile. Ben noticed how she moved with grace and ease and confidence. Medium build, with trim legs encased in well-worn denim and… He had a feeling he was staring and forced himself to stop.

Stepping forward, he closed the distance between them and held out his hand. “Darcy? Hi, I’m Ben.”

Darcy smiled brightly at him as she shook his hand. “Hi! It’s a pleasure to meet you. Savannah’s told me a lot about you.”

Ben forced himself to keep his eyes on hers and not to look as shaken as he felt. She had a firm handshake—one that in a professional meeting he’d appreciate—but right now, he found it hard to ignore how small her hand felt in his or how soft her skin was. He noticed the odd expression on her face and realized he hadn’t responded to her.

Part of him wanted to ask if it was good or bad stuff she’d heard, but he figured it would sound too corny. “Likewise,” he said instead. “How was the trip?”

“My flight was great, but I had a little trouble getting here from the airport,” she said, but it didn’t come off like a complaint. “You’re certainly not close to any major cities. I was beginning to think I’d never get here.”

He chuckled. “Sorry. I guess I should have warned you.”

She laughed with him. “Savannah mentioned it, but I thought she was exaggerating.” She paused. “The scenery was amazing. Seriously, with the little bit of snow on the trees, it felt like I was driving into a Christmas card scene or something.”

They stood there for a moment, and Ben realized he still had her hand in his. It would seem weird just to drop it, so he kind of casually slid his palm against hers until he could simply put his own hand in his pocket.

“Thank you so much for doing this,” he said as they pulled apart. “I don’t know how much you know about this project. Savannah said you were there visiting and on vacation, so…”

“Well, you caught me at a good time. I think I would have gone broke if I’d stayed much longer.”

“Broke?”

“Savannah and I did a lot of shopping,” she said. “With Halloween coming up, I bought Aislynn a couple of costumes.”

“Does she need more than one? She’s a baby, right?” he asked with mild amusement.

Darcy nodded. “She is, but all the more reason for her to need multiple. Babies are messy.”

“Makes sense.”

“Then I started Christmas shopping—”

“It’s October,” he stated, figuring she might need the reminder.

“I know, but the stores already had Christmas stuff out—I swear it gets earlier and earlier every year—and that got me all excited because it’s Aislynn’s first Christmas.”

“Do babies know it’s Christmas?”

She giggled, and just the sound of it made him smile.

“She may not, but I bought her the cutest little elf costume.” Then she stopped and blushed. “Sorry. Here we are standing out in the cold, and I’m yammering on about my niece.”

“It’s quite all right,” he said, enjoying the color in her cheeks. “But now I kind of feel worse about taking you away from all of that. It sounds like you were having a great time.”

“It was a lot of fun, but this work you need help with intrigued me. I’ll admit it seemed like an odd request when Riley told me.”

“Riley?”

Darcy nodded. “He was the one who initially told me.” Ben was about to ask why, but she was one step ahead of him. “I had been teasing him earlier in the day, and I guess he thought it would be funny to throw me out.”

Ben’s eyes went wide. “Throw you out? That seems a little harsh.”

She shook her head and laughed. “Trust me, that’s not it at all. Like I said, this sort of hit at a good time. I’ve been job hunting for what seems like forever. I’d love to work at an art gallery or an art magazine, but those jobs are few and far between. My job back home is only a temporary one, so I’m kind of looking at other options. So really, I should be thanking you,” Darcy said with a smile.

“What can I help you with?” Ben asked, looking over at the car. “Can I carry anything?”

She shook her head. “Savannah mentioned that you offered to let me stay here, but…” She shrugged. “It’s nothing personal, but I’m more comfortable staying at a hotel.”

“I understand,” he said and took another step back, because he felt himself wanting to move in closer just to be near her. He knew he was going to have to be careful if he was already feeling this drawn to her.

“I promise it won’t interfere with our work time. I’m not a super early riser, but if that’s what you need from me, then that’s what I’ll be,” she said with a wink.

“No worries. I’m sure we can come up with a schedule that works for both of us.” He motioned for Darcy to precede him up the front steps. All twelve of them. Which was a mistake. With nothing to do but admire the soft sway of her hips as she moved and how snug the denim was across her—

“Great cabin!” Darcy said, interrupting his thoughts.

Ben had done a lot of renovations and updates on his home, and he found himself curious about what Darcy saw when she walked inside. He’d done his best to keep the original feel of the cabin, but he’d wanted more rustic elegance than just rustic. So he’d added more windows along the rear of the house for a better view of the lake and for the natural lighting. Vaulted ceilings and exposed beams along with a stone fireplace made the living room one of his favorite rooms in the house.

Unable to help himself, he mentioned some of the newer aspects of the house as they made their way inside. He talked about the improvements and what he still had planned for future projects. She smiled and nodded until they walked into the kitchen.

His domain.

This was the room that stepped away from the original rustic charm his grandparents had aimed for. Gone were the simple-yet-functional cabinets and butcher block counters, and in their place, Ben had installed restaurant-quality stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, an additional vegetable sink in the large island, a gas stove, and ebony wood cabinets with undermount lighting.

To him, it was a spectacular space.

“This kitchen is a dream,” Darcy said softly as she turned and smiled at him. “I don’t cook a lot, but I bake, and the sheer size of these countertops has me feeling a bit envious. I’m imagining how many dozens of cookies I could cool on these surfaces!”

He couldn’t help but smile at the look on her face—he could almost see the wheels in her head spinning as she tried to figure out how she’d utilize the space.

“I’m not much of a baker, unless you count boxed mixes. And even that’s only when I absolutely have to have something sweet to eat and I don’t want to drive the forty minutes into town.” They both laughed softly at that. “So what’s your specialty?”

“I am a whiz at cookies and gourmet brownies, but other than that, it depends on my mood.”

“I get it. That’s how I am with cooking. I love to do it, but it’s certainly more fun when I’m making something I really want.”

And for a brief moment, all he could think of was how he wanted her.

Clearing his throat, he offered her something to drink and then decided to get their dinner started.

“You have quite the view,” Darcy commented as Ben started gathering the steaks and grilling utensils. “I bet when the snow really comes down, it’s mesmerizing.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Probably have a white Christmas every year too, huh?”

He chuckled. “I’m noticing a trend here—you sort of have Christmas on the brain.”

“I know. We live in a coastal town and don’t get a lot of snow. Most of the time, I only see it in Christmas movies or cards or that sort of thing. But when I look around here, that’s what it reminds me of.” She paused and reached for a cracker. “And I love Christmas. Like, seriously love it. And this view and all the shopping I just did…it has me in that frame of mind. Plus, I bought a ton of holiday romances. So yeah, just in case I didn’t say it enough, I totally love Christmas. Don’t you? It’s my favorite holiday.”

She was so passionate about what she was saying, and her smile was beautiful and beguiling, but… He sighed. He wasn’t going to start out their working relationship by lying to her. Not knowing what to say to that, he simply nodded and walked out onto the deck, sliding the door closed behind him.

His parents had died two weeks before Christmas.

Even thinking of it now caused his heart to squeeze painfully in his chest.

Still.

They had been away on a vacation—just the two of them—when it had happened. It was something they had started doing once he and his brothers had gotten old enough to stay home alone. Ben had never begrudged them their time together. They’d worked hard for so many years to provide a good life for their kids, and he felt they deserved the time away.

On that particular trip, they had gone to Mexico. Ben remembered how excited his mother was to be going somewhere tropical. After living in the cold Northwest her whole life, going someplace warm and sunny for vacation was her idea of heaven.

As if it were yesterday, he could remember what he’d been doing when the phone rang that day. He’d been helping Henry cook dinner because Jack wouldn’t. They had been arguing about it. The phone had shut everyone up for a second, and Ben had grabbed for it distractedly.

As he listened to the voice on the other end telling him about the boating accident, he thought he was going to be sick. His head had begun to pound, and his stomach lurched.

There was an accident…

Drowned…

We’ve recovered the bodies…

He had wanted to scream for the man to stop. To shut the hell up and stop lying to him. His parents weren’t dead. They were on vacation. They were coming home for Christmas. The tree was up, and presents were already wrapped and waiting under it.

But they didn’t come home. Not alive. And Ben’s world had never been the same.

And since then, he had stopped celebrating the holiday.

It was too painful—brought back too many bad memories.

And Darcy loved Christmas.

When she had admitted that to him, he had gone a little bit cold.

It didn’t take long to get the steaks on the grill, and rather than go back inside, Ben took the time to get himself—his emotions—under control. Turned out, freezing cold temperatures worked well on that sort of thing, and by the time he stepped back inside and joined her at the table, he felt more like himself. Maybe now would be a good time to start to get to know each other—break the ice, so to speak. They sat in companionable silence for a moment before Darcy spoke.

“So tell me about this book,” she said enthusiastically. “Savannah told me about your work, but I guess I’m having a hard time envisioning why you would need a writer to describe your own work.”

Okay, not so much with the breaking of the ice, he thought. And while he had been hoping to learn a little bit more about her, he knew he needed to focus on the book.

For the next few minutes, Ben went over the concept and explained the pictures, files, and paperwork he had. “I’ve got all the proofs back, and honestly, I hate it. All of it. Nothing’s right with the wording, and I’m just too busy to deal with it.”

“I’d love to look at it, if that’s okay,” Darcy said. “I mean, I know you’re cooking and everything, but I’m really curious.”

With a nod, Ben stood and went to get the pile of stuff he’d put to the side in preparation. It didn’t take long to put it all out on the kitchen island, and Darcy stood and began sorting through it. When he watched her, she gently shooed him away. He took the hint and began to work around her to get dinner on the table.

Their conversation flowed, and even as he served the food, he watched as Darcy moved around to help him while still eyeing the assortment of photographs and notes.

“Do you have anything in mind for the intro?” Darcy asked, interrupting his thoughts, and he instantly gave her his full attention.

“The intro?”

She nodded. “I made sure I got as much info as I could out of Savannah before I left, and from everything she said and what you just told me, what you need help with is the writing portion of the book—the acknowledgments, intro, describing your work with stories about your inspiration or funny anecdotes. Now I’ll admit, I’m not a journalist—”

“That was why I reached out to Savannah,” he said with a hint of exasperation. “She’s excellent at what she does, and since we had worked together in the past, I knew she’d be able to help me with this better than anyone else.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Ben wanted to take them back.

She looked deflated.

With little more than the slightest of nods, Darcy put her attention on her plate, and that made him feel even worse. How could he have messed up this soon? And it wasn’t as if he was saying that Darcy couldn’t help him, it was just… Okay, that was kind of how it came out. All he had to do was take his foot out of his mouth and try again.

“I know you haven’t had a chance to look at everything yet, but after your first glance, what do you think?” he asked, hopeful it would be enough to turn this whole thing around.

Darcy finished chewing, took a sip of her wine, and looked him square in the eye. “As I was saying, I’m not a journalist, but I do feel confident that I can help you. Previously, I interned for ArtView magazine, and I worked as a receptionist at a small gallery in Myrtle Beach. In college, I used to work with the art department, helping them hang and display work for their shows, and I worked in the Contemporary Art Museum office.” She paused and took a steadying breath. “So as you can see, I’m familiar with the arts, and it’s something that I’m passionate about. If it’s all right with you, rather than work with what they wrote for you, I’d like to start from scratch. And really, the key is to get you organized.”

That was it? That was her suggestion? Organization? Hell, if she had been here earlier, she would have seen that he could master that task, and it hadn’t brought him any closer to knowing what to do with this book.

“I don’t see where—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “A writer may very well be able to phrase things more eloquently,” she began, “but people who will buy this book aren’t looking for that. It isn’t as if this is the great American novel. They’re interested in your work and—therefore—you. So you need to make sure the words on the page are yours.”

“That’s all fine and well,” he countered, “but that’s the problem. I can’t seem to get my words and thoughts on the page.”

She grinned at him, and damn if it didn’t hit him square in the gut.

“That’s because you’re not organized,” she replied with a hint of sass. “I’m telling you, Ben, once we start working and we get this pile organized and in order and we talk it through, you’re going to find those words coming to you.”

Honestly, he wasn’t convinced, but rather than argue, he went back to listening to Darcy talk about layout, wording, and tone.

Everything made perfect sense. And it was all obvious. Listening to her made Ben feel a little bit stupid for not having been able to figure it out on his own. However, Darcy seemed confident in what she was saying and had an excitement and enthusiasm about her that was starting to make him feel the same way. She knew how to put it all into perspective for him, and now it didn’t feel quite so overwhelming.

They finished eating and began cleaning up together. It seemed like the perfect time to take a break from talking about work and start getting to know one another. If they were going to be spending so much time working closely with each other, he wanted them to feel comfortable. He couldn’t speak for Darcy, but he thought it could be helpful.

Plus, he was curious as hell to know more about her.

“So, you’re from North Carolina,” he said casually.

She nodded. “Born and raised. Although I did live out in California for one semester of college, and I’ve traveled a bit because my brothers were all living in different states or working in different states at one time or another, so…”

“But the East Coast sounds like your home base. Ever think about moving? Trying out the West Coast?”

“If the right job came along, I’d probably be okay with moving.” She turned and looked at him as she rinsed off a dinner plate. “Although I have to admit, normally when I think of the West Coast, I think of California, but I don’t know if I could live there full time.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Well, remember how I told you all the Christmas stuff was out in the stores already?”

He nodded.

She shook her head and laughed softly. “I just don’t know if I could handle such a warm and green Christmas. I mean, they put Christmas lights in the palm trees, for crying out loud!”

Why did everything come back to Christmas with her? And rather than change the subject, he found himself asking, “Isn’t it warm and green where you live? You’re in the South.”

“We still get all four seasons, and trust me, we may not get a lot of snow, but it definitely gets cold.” Then she turned and looked out the window over his sink. “I would love to have a view like this on Christmas morning. I bet it’s amazing when you have the lights hung outside and…”

“Um, yeah. Sure,” he said gruffly and grasped for something to say to get them back on track. Again. “So you’re not overly attached to North Carolina. That should be helpful in your job search.”

“Definitely,” she agreed. “There’s not a big art district or art scene where I live, so I’m keeping my options open. What about you? Have you always lived in Washington?”

“Born and raised,” he said with a smile, grateful to move on from holiday chatter. “I can’t imagine ever living someplace else. This is just…it’s home for me.”

“I get it.” She paused. “What about your family? Are they all here?”

Ugh. Why hadn’t he thought about this part of the conversation? He hated getting into this with anyone. With a sigh, he said, “I have two brothers, and they both moved to the East Coast—northern East Coast.”

“Are you close?” she asked as she loaded the last plate into the dishwasher and got it started. “When was the last time you saw them?”

“They were home for a visit about three months ago,” Ben said, smiling fondly at the memory. “It was just for the weekend, but we fished and hung out, and it was good. Really good.”

“Nice! Do you ever take time off and go to visit them—you know, like for the holidays?”

“Um…”

“Because you know it’s safe to leave the mountain, right?” she teased. “I know you love it here, and it’s beautiful and all that good stuff, but there is no crime in getting away for a little while.”

“Wait, what?”

She laughed. A deep, rich, throaty laugh, and if it wasn’t an erotic sight—as was everything with her—he might have gotten ticked off at how she was mocking him.

“Savannah told me of your attachment to this place,” she said, still grinning. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to tease, but it just came out.”

“Yeah, well, I did offer to go to LA to work on this book,” he said, sounding a little more defensive than he wanted to. “Savannah teased me about taking me to snooty restaurants and galleries while I was dressed in my jeans and flannels. She said I’d get banned from Hollywood for being a fashion no-no.”

Darcy began laughing uproariously again, and he couldn’t help but join her.

“A fashion no-no?” she repeated. “Seriously?”

Doing his best to look serious, he deadpanned, “True story.” Wiping the countertop, he looked around and saw everything was in order. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want dessert or not, but I do have some ice cream if you’re interested.”

Darcy’s face lit up. “Chocolate?”

“Like there’s any other kind,” he said with a conspiratorial grin and immediately walked over to the freezer. “We can wait a little while if you’d prefer. I know we just got done eating.”

“I’m actually kind of tired from the trip and was hoping to get to the hotel and crash before it got too late. This way, I can get up early tomorrow, and we can start fresh.” She looked at him as he put the carton of ice cream down. “If that’s okay with you.”

Ben was feeling hopeful—they were off to a great start, and he was confident they could put the work aside for the rest of the night and simply focus on socializing now. Maybe he’d get to talk with her a little bit and hear about her and her hobbies and interests. Maybe he could show her his—

“I might work on a draft for the introduction tonight—you know, in case I can’t sleep or something. You know how sometimes it’s hard to sleep in a strange bed and all that,” she went on. “What I’d like from you is a list of any acknowledgments you’d like to include and a dedication, that sort of thing. Then when I get here tomorrow, we can get right to work.”

She was rambling. Or at least it seemed like she was rambling. Was she nervous about something, or was this the way she normally talked?

“You really don’t need to do that, Darcy. You should just relax tonight, and we’ll get started in the morning. It’s not a big deal.”

She instantly waved him off. “It’s rare that I can just sit and relax. My mind is always going. Sometimes it’s annoying, but sometimes it really comes in handy.”

“Like when you’re working on a project?”

“Exactly.”

He put their dessert down on the table and waited as she took her seat again.

“So if Savannah were here helping you, how do you think this would be going?”

He looked at her oddly. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I want to make sure I’m helping, so I need to know if I’m off to a good start or if I’m just mucking up the works here.”

“You weren’t—”

She laughed and took a spoonful of ice cream. “I’m kidding. But I’m curious about what you were hoping Savannah would be able to do for you if she came.”

It was an easy question to answer because he had put so much thought into it before he had even picked up the phone to call her. For the next fifteen minutes, he talked about exactly how he envisioned Savannah helping him and how much he respected her and liked her and considered her to be a great friend. Hell, after a little while, he began to feel like he was running for the president of Savannah’s fan club.

During it all, he shared about how Savannah had helped him during their first interview and how it was one of the reasons he wanted her to be the one to help him with this project. It wasn’t until Darcy stood to put her bowl in the sink that Ben realized how long he’d been talking. He stood and put his bowl in the sink as well. He was just about to finally ask her some questions about herself when she turned and walked toward the living room.

“I should get going,” she said, picking up her purse as she made her way across the room. “I really am tired, and the thought of navigating these mountain roads in the dark is a little unnerving.”

Damn. Why hadn’t he thought of that? “I…I can drive you to the hotel and pick you up in the morning if that would help. And my offer for you to stay here still stands.”

Darcy shook her head but never made eye contact with him. She slipped her coat on and was opening the front door before he even realized what she was doing.

Damn, she moved fast! Ben followed her out the door and to the car. She had the driver’s door open and tossed her purse in. When she stepped back, she straightened and gave him an odd look.

No, not odd.

Annoyed.

What the hell?

Deciding he wasn’t going to accept her attitude, Ben stepped in close and smiled. “It was a pleasure meeting you, and I’m really looking forward to working with you, Darcy,” he said. “I think we’re going to work well together.”

“Thanks for dinner,” she said, shaking his hand. Her words were void of emotion, and she dropped his hand as if she’d been burned. “What time would you like me to be here in the morning? Is nine okay?”

What’s happening? he wondered to himself. What changed from our casual conversation to right now? “Nine is okay with me,” he said carefully. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive? The roads can be kind of tricky. There’s ice and—”

She nodded. “I’m fine. Just tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’ve got all the makings for omelets, so bring your appetite,” he said, hoping to coax a smile out of her before she left.

He got one.

Barely.

Making his way toward the front steps, Ben watched as she climbed into the car and still wondered what had happened. He waved as she pulled away and stayed rooted to the spot until her taillights were out of sight. His breath was visible as he let it out. It wasn’t normally this cold in early October, but not completely unheard of either. He shivered a little as he sat on the front steps and replayed the events of the night.

He’d been a good host.

No signs of the arrogant jerk that he could be. Hell, he’d been out-and-out charming. So what had happened to cause Darcy to go arctic on him? No matter how much he tried, Ben could not think of anything to cause her sudden change.

Rising, he turned and looked toward the house and realized how dark it was. There was only one small exterior light by the door and two motion-sensor lights that lit the property. Other than that, it was just dark. He thought of Darcy’s comments about the Christmas lights, and for a moment, he remembered how his grandparents always lit up the house for the holidays.

Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside. That was then, and it was a long time ago—when there was something to celebrate. Slowly, he walked up the steps and made his way into the house, and it was quiet again.

Too quiet.

Especially after having the place filled with female laughter not that long ago.

He wandered around the house looking for something to do but couldn’t find anything. He didn’t want to watch television, wasn’t interested in reading a book. He stopped in front of the wall of windows and looked out at the property. It was dark out, but he’d turned on the outside lights earlier so he had a limited view.

Off in the distance, he saw his workshop. Flexing his hand, he tested it. Going out and working probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do if he wanted his hand to heal properly, but right now, it was the only thing he wanted to do. There were several projects he was currently working on, but he had a desire to pull out a fresh piece of wood and create something new.

Something different.

Something inspired.

A slow grin spread across his face as he quickly made his way to the master suite to get changed. It was the only bedroom on this level—another new addition—and as he stripped along the way, he was thankful for its proximity. Later on, he’d lie in the massive king-sized bed and admire the stone fireplace he’d put in. Or he’d appreciate the luxury of the spa-quality bathroom as he stood under the rainfall shower as wall jets beat on his tired skin. It would be glorious.

But right now, all he wanted was to grab a pair of old jeans and an older sweatshirt and go and get his hands dirty.

* * *

Darcy seethed all the way to the hotel.

Several times, she had wanted to scream in frustration, but what was the point?

Benjamin Tanner was not at all what she’d expected.

Damn him and his stupid Christmas-esque cabin!

The rat bastard had practically been gushing over Savannah. She understood that the two of them were friends—Savannah had shared some nice stories about Ben as well—but something in the way Ben had talked just seemed like he felt more than friendship for her sister-in-law.

And holy crap, did that make her feel awkward.

Up until their last round of conversation, she’d felt fine. Ben was… She sighed. He was attractive. Way more attractive than Savannah had let on. So attractive that when Darcy had first climbed out of the car and seen him, her knees went weak.

And her knees never went weak.

Then he’d dazzled her with his smile, his home, and his cooking, and… Hell, she had started to question whether it was even smart of her to stay and work with him, because she was seriously crushing hard on him in a matter of minutes.

That hadn’t happened to her since high school, when Jimmy Nichols had flirted with her at their homecoming game.

She was a woman now, dammit, and she didn’t…well, she didn’t do crushes.

Or at least she hadn’t in a while.

Once she checked in at the hotel and got to her room, she tossed her suitcase on the rack and let out a long sigh.

Then she put on pajamas and paced.

“Gah!” she cried in frustration. “Why is this such a big deal? I’m here to work, and just because I thought I was interested in Ben doesn’t mean—” She stopped. “Hell, I don’t know what it means.”

So maybe Ben had a crush on Savannah.

So maybe she—Darcy—had a crush on Ben.

That didn’t mean they couldn’t work together, did it?

“I really need to talk to somebody, because I think I’m losing my mind,” she murmured.

Anna.

She could call Anna.

Anna had been like a sister to her for her entire life. In all of Darcy’s earliest memories, Anna was there. It wasn’t until she had started kindergarten that she’d realized Anna was her neighbor—her friend—and not an actual sister. That was right around the same time she’d realized Mary Hannigan—Anna’s mother—wasn’t someone she could have as a mother figure either.

“Focus, you idiot,” she huffed. “We’ll get back to these mommy issues later. Right now, I have to figure out what I’m supposed to do here.” Stomping over to her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and pulled up Anna’s number. She’d text her first, just in case she was still up.

The phone rang while in her hands, and she let out a small screech and watched it fly out of her hands and on to the bed. With her heart racing, she reached for it and saw Savannah’s name on the screen.

“Hey!” she said, trying not to sound breathless. “What’s up?”

“Just checking in,” Savannah replied. “The last time you texted, you were leaving the airport, so I’ve been worried.”

Darcy couldn’t help but let out a playful snort. “God, you are such a mom now.”

“I know, I know, but I sent you up into the wilderness, and then I didn’t hear from you.”

“I’m sure Ben would have called you if I didn’t show up,” Darcy said with a soft laugh, and an image of Ben instantly came to mind.

She pushed it away.

“So what did you think of him?” Savannah asked.

“Think of him? Um, he’s nice.”

“And?”

“And I got a look at the stuff he has for the book, and it’s majorly unorganized. I think once I have time to sort through it and get it all in order, he’s going to have a much easier time getting this done.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? What’s so oh?”

“He was a jerk, wasn’t he? Dammit, I told him to be nice,” Savannah muttered.

“What are you talking about? Ben wasn’t a jerk.”

“Oh. Okay. Whew!”

“Care to expand on that?” Darcy deadpanned.

“Ben can be difficult. He’s not a real people person. Like, at all. I know he said he was going to be nice, but I was afraid he was just saying that to appease me.”

“And would he do that? Say something just to appease you?” Okay, it was a stupid question—childish, really—but Darcy had to know if she was the only one getting the vibe that Ben was crushing on Savannah.

The instant bark of laughter answered her question.

“Normally, I’d say no. From what I know, Benjamin Tanner does not go out of his way to appease anyone. If anything, he makes things as complicated as possible!” She was laughing as she said it. “Trust me when I tell you that Ben likes things his own way and really doesn’t seem to know the meaning of appeasing others.” She paused, and her tone grew serious. “However, I know he’s in a tight spot right now, and I thought maybe he was just sort of saying what he had to in order to get the help.”

That didn’t sound at all like the man Darcy had spent the evening with. “I don’t know about any of that, but he was very nice tonight—accommodating. I looked over the stuff, and we had dinner and talked, and he seemed easy enough to work with.”

“Okay. Then…good. That’s good,” Savannah said cautiously.

“But?”

“I’m not trying to scare you off the job or anything—after all, you’re already there—but just know that he can be difficult.”

Darcy chuckled. “So can I.”

That had Savannah laughing too. “Oh lord, I can only imagine what this week is going to be like!”

“It’s going to be fine, I’m sure. Don’t worry. We know what needs to get done, and we’ll get it done. Then I’m flying back to you to finish my vacation where it’s warm. It’s cold here. Did you know how cold it was here?”

Savannah laughed again. “I did warn you. And gave you warm clothes to wear.”

“Yeah, well, it was still a bit of a shock. A few days ago, I was walking around in shorts and a tank top.”

“You’re probably wearing that right now. Stop complaining.”

“To sleep in!” Darcy cried. “Two completely different things.”

“Okay, okay, don’t go getting all snippy. You’ll be back here in the California sunshine before you know it.”

“I am already counting down the days. And not because of the job, but I miss the weather. I’d love a white Christmas, but it isn’t even Halloween yet.”

“And I promise we will totally make this up to you.” She paused. “Seriously, Darce, I really do appreciate you doing this. I know it was all kind of thrown at you, and I had offered up your help without asking you first.”

“It’s okay. You know I’m looking to find a career, and this is really kind of in line with what I want to do. Not that working on Ben’s book is going to turn into a career, but I can see if being an assistant to someone other than my brother is something I’m interested in.”

“Well, you’ve been a really good sport about it. And the pay’s not half bad either.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“I know it’s late, and you’re probably tired, so go and get some sleep. But promise you’ll call if you have any questions or just to let me know you’re doing okay.”

“Again with the mom mode?”

“What can I say? I’m a mom.” And Darcy could hear the smile in Savannah’s voice.

“I promise to call. Happy?” she asked with a smile of her own.

“Very. Night, Darce.”

“Night.”

Putting her phone down, she pulled the pillows off the bed and considered her options.

“Oh, right! Text Anna!” Walking across the room, she picked up her phone and quickly tapped out a message to Anna to call her in the morning—or now if she was up.

Fifteen minutes later, Darcy was under the blankets, and no matter how much she stared at her phone and willed it to ding with an incoming message, it didn’t.

Dammit.

With nothing left to do, she placed it on the nightstand and picked up the television remote. Even though she was tired, it normally took an effort to fall asleep. Most nights, she’d read or watch a movie. She had picked up four Christmas romances at the airport bookstore, but they were in her satchel over on the chair in the corner. Her Kindle, also loaded with all the new holiday romances, was on the desk all the way on the other side of the room, so it was TV by default.

Making herself more comfortable, Darcy scanned the channels and stopped on the local news when she saw the weather report.

“No. No, no, no, no, no.” She paused and listened a little more and then groaned.

The temperatures were going to drop, and there were snow flurries in the forecast.

“Seriously?” she murmured. “I was poolside yesterday. Gloriously warm in the California sun, and now I’m going to be stuck in the snow?”

She listened to the report and relaxed. The forecast was only calling for a few inches or less, so she figured they were going to be fine. It wasn’t too unusual for this area, so she felt pretty safe knowing no one was going to get upset over it.

Except her.

“Moving on,” she said with a small yawn, hoping to find something else to watch to help her relax. Getting worked up over the weather wasn’t the ideal way to make herself fall asleep, that was for sure.

More channel surfing.

The crystal-blue waters caught her eye, and Darcy’s hand instantly froze on the remote. It was some sort of travel show, and they were clearly in Hawaii. She sighed longingly. A couple talked about how this was their dream destination and how after living all their lives in Canada, they felt it was time for a change.

“I hear ya,” she said softly. “I wouldn’t mind being there right now.” And as if on cue, she got a chill and shivered. Snuggling a little more under the blankets, a helpless moan escaped. “Note to self: next time you want to go on a vacation, skip the family.”

“Who wouldn’t want to live in a tropical paradise year-round?” the perky voice on the television said.

For some reason, that question struck her. Would she want to live in a tropical paradise? Back home in North Carolina, she lived on the coast, but it was far from tropical. But was tropical something she really wanted?

“I wouldn’t exactly say no to it,” she murmured as she watched the couple frolicking on the beach with palm trees gently swaying in the background. The guy picked the girl up and swung her around before putting her back on her feet and kissing her soundly. Darcy heard herself sigh longingly.

Right now, she wouldn’t mind being on a beach somewhere with a sexy guy swinging her around and kissing her.

Someone like Ben.

“Ugh. I so need to not have Ben on the brain right now.”

Before she knew it, it wasn’t the cute couple on the TV she was seeing but her and Ben on the beach. She envisioned him being muscled under all those layers of flannel, and with a smooth chest.

Mmm…

He wasn’t tan, but he certainly didn’t have a fair complexion, either. Darcy imagined he would look good with a tan—and even better with her rubbing some sort of lotion all over him.

“Who could say no to paradise?” the perky television voice asked again.

Flipping off the television, Darcy tossed the remote aside.

Who indeed.