All I Want For Christmas (3 page)

“Uh, please,” he added, gentling his tone.

“With brown sugar and raisins on it?” Maggie asked, the smile returning to her face.

He winked and pulled her jacket from the closet. “And cinnamon, too.”

“Did Tina talk to you about using your fax?” G. G. asked.

“That's okay,” Tina said, as she walked them to the door. “I'll use the one at the mailboxes place.”

“I haven't faxed anything since I moved here. Why don't I bring the thing over on my way to the bank tomorrow,” he offered, slipping into his jacket. “I'll leave it on the front stoop.”

“Thanks. I'll return it before I head back to Seattle.” She opened the door, ushering in the damp night air, which smelled faintly of the sea.

“'Bye, G. G. I love you.”

Maggie dashed toward G. G. and threw her arms around the older woman, who flinched but managed a hug and a warm smile.

“I love you, too, sweetie.” G. G. was the grandmother Maggie had never had. Ryan's chest expanded, and he was doubly grateful he'd moved to Halo Island.

The heartfelt look on Tina's face as she watched the pair touched him. She'd probably heard about Maggie's mother. She glanced at him, and her eyes filled with compassion and understanding.

Only, she didn't really understand. She didn't know that Ryan and Heidi, a high-powered attorney, had been on the verge of divorce when Heidi had suffered a brain aneurysm—a congenital weakness, the doctors had said. Ryan's wife had died at the age of thirty-one, leaving eighteen-month-old Maggie motherless and confused and Ryan grief-stricken.

If that wasn't enough suffering for one little girl, a year ago Ryan's then-fiancée had walked out on them. And less than six months after that, the nanny who'd been around since Maggie's birth had left them to take care of a grandson.

That had been the turning point in Ryan's life, and his reason for selling his bank, packing up and moving here.

He was responsible for his daughter's happiness and he would not fail her again.

Tina's eyes widened, and Ryan realized he was frowning. Turning away, he herded his daughter through the front door.

Showered and dressed but still not fully awake, Tina yawned and stretched as she entered the cheerful kitchen. It was almost eight-thirty, but the dark morning made it seem earlier. After the rough night she'd had, it certainly
felt
earlier. Oh, for coffee…

She shot a longing glance at the coffeemaker, but her doctor had warned her against drinking it on an empty stomach. She'd better eat, then.

Unfortunately, she wasn't hungry. The worries twisting her insides into knots had ruined her appetite.

G. G. was her main concern. Having done way too much yesterday, the poor woman had passed a restless, pain-filled night, and had kept Tina awake and running downstairs at least half a dozen times. At last, sometime near morning, G. G. finally had fallen asleep. Tina hadn't heard a peep in hours and she hoped G. G. managed to sleep late.

That way Tina could work, which was another huge worry. Last night her assistant, June, had phoned to say that Kendra had invited their boss, Jim Sperling, and his wife out for drinks and dinner. The little sneak.

“You should have seen her buttering him up,” June said. “I about gagged. Mr. Sperling seemed to enjoy it, though. I don't like this at all, Tina. You need to do something or
she'll
end up with
your
promotion.”

Tina had popped two antacids. “I'm not the type to flirt with my boss, but even if I were, I can't exactly invite the man to lunch. Getting there and back would take half the day. What I need is to impress him with my work.”

“You already do that,” June had replied.

Tina appreciated the praise. “Thank you. But I need more.”

They'd talked a good hour, strategizing about Captain's Catch, a restaurant chain that was currently using another ad agency. Drawing them into CE Marketing, Inc. would be a real coup.

With that in mind, June had promised to overnight the restaurant's brochures and menus. Armed with those and any additional information Tina gleaned via the Internet, she would work up something to knock the socks off Peter Woods, CEO of Captain's Catch, and convince him to hire CE Marketing, and her in particular. That ought to tip the creative-director scales in her favor.

By now her brain should have been humming with ideas. Unfortunately, she hadn't come up with a single one.

Maybe you don't really want the promotion,
whispered a voice in her head. Tina promptly pushed away the rebellious thought. “Of course I want it,” she said to the silent kitchen. The people who loved her expected her to move up, and she would not disappoint them.

As she opened the refrigerator, the wind gusted, loud enough to be heard through the storm windows. Rain spattered against the window. Tina prayed that G. G. would sleep through the noise.

She started the coffeemaker, then dropped a slice of bread into the toaster. The school bus screeched to a stop out front. No doubt to pick up Maggie.

Drawn to catch a glimpse of the young girl—why, she couldn't have said—Tina headed into the living room. Because she didn't want to appear nosy, she peeked cautiously through a chink in the drapes. To her disappointment she didn't see Maggie, who apparently had scrambled up the bus steps with the same enthusiasm she'd displayed the night before.

Ryan was there, though, standing on the sidewalk directly across the street. His unbuttoned coat flapped in the wind. Gripping a large umbrella in one hand, he waved at the departing bus.

Tina admired his broad shoulders and the way the wind whipped his hair across his forehead. A doting father and an attractive man to boot. With an adorable child you couldn't help but like.

No doubt some lucky woman would snap him up and they'd all live happily ever after. The thought sent a pang through her heart, and she returned to the kitchen wondering whether she'd ever have a happily-ever-after for herself. Not that she didn't appreciate G. G. or any of the other people who cared so much for her. But a family of her own—a man to love, and a child or three, would be wonderful.

The intensity of her longing surprised her. At the moment there was no time in her life for love or children or wishful thinking. The toast popped up. Tina spread it with peanut butter and then slathered on honey, a childhood favorite. Her job was to make the people who cared about her proud, by climbing all the way up the corporate ladder until one day she ran the company. She bit into her breakfast, which tasted delicious. She
was
hungry, she realized.

After finishing the hasty meal, she filled a mug. Added a generous glug of milk, although she preferred her coffee black. Another doctor's order. Standing by the coffeepot, she sipped her coffee and mused. After she was at the top, workwise,
then
she could think about love and children….

A sharp knock sounded at the front door, startling her. As tense as she was, she jumped, spilling coffee on the linoleum and barely missing her shirt.
Dammit.

The knock was repeated. Now G. G. was sure to wake up. Muttering, Tina set the mug on the table and hurried forward.

She opened the door. Ryan stood before her, holding the fax machine under his umbrella.

“Good morning,” she said, keeping her voice low.

“Morning. With all this rain, I figured I'd best not leave the fax on the stoop.”

“A wise decision. Please come in.” Tina stepped back.

Leaving the umbrella outside, Ryan wiped his feet on the mat and entered. She caught a whiff of man and damp, fresh air.

Studying him from across the street, she hadn't noticed the charcoal suit, dress shirt and striped tie. He looked professional, if windblown, and so handsome. If her heart could have heaved a dreamy sigh, it would have.

Ryan cleared his throat. Blushing, she looked up into his eyes.

The corner of his mouth twitched with amusement. “Like what you see?”

“Um, no. I mean, yes. That is, I was just thinking you look nice. Very corporate.”

Her bumbling reply wiped the humor from his eyes. “Thanks, but I'm not into ‘corporate' anymore.”

Before she could ask why, he shifted his attention to the fax. “Where do you want this?”

Since the den was off-limits while G. G. slept there, there was only one option. “Upstairs, in my bedroom.”

The moment she uttered the word, she wished she hadn't.

Ryan's dark eyes met hers with the same interest she'd glimpsed last night—before wariness had taken its place.

“Your bedroom, huh?”

Women probably propositioned him all the time. Tina's cheeks grew warm. “Why don't you set it on the stairs, and I'll take it up later. But do it quietly—G. G.' s asleep in the den.”

Ryan nodded. His footsteps solid but light, he moved to the stairs. While he was gone Tina grabbed a paper towel, bent down and wiped up the spilled coffee.

When she straightened and turned toward the garbage can, Ryan was studying her bottom with an expression she couldn't quite read.

His gaze jumped to her face. Acutely self-conscious and wishing she'd spent more time on her makeup, she tugged her sweater over her hips. “I spilled my coffee. Would you like a cup?”

Why had she offered? She didn't want him to stay.

“No, thanks.”

Tina was both relieved and disappointed. And in big trouble. She barely knew this man, yet here she was, wanting his company. She turned toward the door, but Ryan made no move to leave.

“So G. G.' s still asleep. That's not like her.”

“She had a rough night.” Tina couldn't stifle her yawn. “We both did.”

“Same thing happened at my house.” His turn to yawn. “Must be something in the air. I would've let Maggie sleep in, but she woke herself up in time to catch the bus.”

“Too many brownies last night?”

Ryan shook his head. “Nightmares. She's had them on and off since after her mother died. For the past year, almost every night. Mean people and monsters out to get her.”

“I'm sorry.” Tina understood all too well. “When I was her age I did, too. I used to dream that my mother was frantically calling me, but I would lose my way and couldn't reach her.”

Even after all these years, talking about the recurring dream completely unnerved Tina. Shivering, she rubbed her arms. “It may not sound like a nightmare to anyone else, but it was frightening.”

She had his full attention now. “When did it finally stop?”

“Only a year or so ago,” she admitted.

“Great.”

The bleak look in his eyes tugged at Tina's heartstrings. “I'm sure Maggie will outgrow her bad dreams much faster than I did. She seems like such a happy little girl.”

“She was born with a sunny disposition—when she's awake.” Ryan rubbed a hand over his face. “I'm working hard to keep her sunny all the time. Moving here has helped.”

“The island is a wonderful place to grow up.”

“But not to live on after you're grown?”

“Not for what I want.” For what G. G. and the others wanted. “You can't go too far in advertising on Halo Island. It's too isolated and too laid-back.”

“Exactly.”

Why would a man who had started his own successful bank give that up to move to this sleepy community? Managing the tiny Halo Island Bank seemed like quite a comedown. Tina couldn't help a confused frown. “There's a huge difference between Halo Island and L. A. Don't you miss the hustle and bustle?”

He didn't even pause to think about that, just shook his head. “A neighborhood as tight as this one? You'd never find it in L. A. Maggie's happy here. That's what matters.” A fresh gust of wind rattled the picture window. Ryan glanced at his watch. “There's a meeting this morning, and I'd best go. If you need help with the fax machine, let me know.”

Tina nodded. “I will, and thanks again.”

“Tina!” G. G. called out. “I need help!”

“I'll be right there,” Tina answered in a loud voice. “She can't get out of bed by herself,” she explained. “Can you let yourself out?”

I
NSTEAD OF LEAVING
, Ryan waited quietly by the front door. Tina was a slight woman, several inches shorter and a good fifty pounds lighter than G. G. He couldn't imagine how she'd manage to get the woman out of bed, and he wasn't about to disappear until he knew everything was okay.

Standing here, when he was supposed to have left, didn't feel right, and he considered heading down the hall and offering help. But that might embarrass G. G. So he stood still and eavesdropped. In the small house, it wasn't that hard.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Tina asked, sounding both caring and cautious.

“I hurt, and I need to use the bathroom.”

“Grab hold of my arms and I'll pull you up.”

A few grunts and unhappy groans punctuated the silence. In no time, G. G.' s walker was clattering over the hall floor. How Tina had gotten her up and out of bed was beyond Ryan. The bathroom door creaked open, then clicked shut.

“Need any help?” Tina called, apparently standing outside the door.

“I'm not a baby, Tina.” G. G.' s muffled voice sounded cranky, and then some. Ryan had never heard her be anything but warm and loving. He felt for Tina.

Her heavy sigh was hard to miss. “Shall I make you a bowl of oatmeal?”

“I'd rather do it myself.”

“When your hip is better, you will.”

“Go ahead and make it, then, but don't forget, I like it thick and lumpy.”

“All right, I'll be in the kitchen. Yell if you need me.”

Ryan slipped out before she saw him.

T
HANKS TO
stopping at G. G.' s, Ryan was late for his own meeting. When he pulled into the parking lot of the Halo Island Bank, all three of his employees' cars were already there.

Swearing—he'd meant to be the first one here—he eased into the manager slot at the side of the building. He'd intended to drop off the fax machine and leave. But Tina understood about Maggie's nightmares, so he'd stayed to talk.

Yeah, that was the reason he'd hung around. His instant attraction to her had nothing to do with it. He laughed at himself. The view of her exceptional behind as she'd bent down to wipe the floor had been bad enough. And that mouth…

Every time she spoke, he'd zeroed in on her lips. From there, it wasn't hard to imagine what she tasted like—or what her body would feel like under him.

Ain't happenin', buddy.
He set his jaw and pulled up the brake.

Balancing a box of doughnuts and a cardboard tray of coffee, he punched in the bank's security code, walked through the double glass doors and strode across the shiny tile floor toward the small conference room off the lobby. His employees were seated around the table waiting for him. Serena, a single mom who worked as a full-time teller; Danielle, a part-time teller barely out of high school; and Jason, the twenty-five-year-old assistant manager, loan officer—and teller, when needed. Ryan liked them, and they seemed comfortable around him.