Christmas at Holiday House - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,6
that, we all would have been bankrupt.”
She had a feeling this wasn’t the first time they had had this exact same conversation.
“Now, Abby,” the woman said, turning to her. “You and Christopher have been driving a long way. Ethan can bring in your luggage and help you to your quarters. There’s a two-room suite just down the hall, so you’ll be close to my room if I need you.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Ethan can show you everything.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” her grandson asked, undeniable worry in his eyes.
“Fine. Just fine. The dogs will keep me company. When you’re settled, come back and talk to me,” she ordered Abby. “Ethan, darling, I’ll see you tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner. I’m planning a late one, five p.m. You can still make that, can’t you?”
He sighed again. “Again with Thanksgiving. I thought you agreed to forget about it. I can bring you a meal from the hotel.”
“I didn’t agree to any such thing. Don’t be silly. A big Thanksgiving dinner here is a tradition.”
“Traditions don’t matter in this situation. You’re injured. The last thing you need to worry about is Thanksgiving dinner.”
“I won’t be worrying about anything. It’s all been arranged. I won’t have to lift a finger, trust me.”
“I can help,” Abby offered.
“I can, too,” Christopher said, though he obviously had no idea what he was volunteering to do.
“There you go.” Winnie beamed at her. “I have ready-made helpers. We’ll see you tomorrow. Five p.m. sharp. Will you help Abby with her bags now? Christopher, do you mind staying here and keeping me and the dogs company?”
“I don’t mind one bit,” Christopher said, plopping into a chair next to his new friend’s bedside with an expression of delight.
After another charged moment, Ethan walked out into the hall, all but vibrating with frustration.
Left with no choice, Abby followed him. The man looked even more stern and forbidding up close, his mouth set in a tight line.
He was gorgeous, she couldn’t deny that, with blue eyes, lean features and an appealing afternoon shadow along his jawline. He also smelled delicious, some intoxicating mix of expensive leather and a pine-covered mountain.
Not that she noticed or anything.
She had to clear the air between them or she was in for an uncomfortable few weeks. “I’m sorry. When Lucy asked me to stay with your grandmother, I had no idea I was walking into a family disagreement.”
His rigid expression eased slightly. “It’s certainly not your fault. This is an old argument, I’m afraid. I’ve been trying to convince Winnie to move for years, but she insists she’s fine here. Recent events have proven otherwise.”
“Because she fell?”
He nodded. “I can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been for her, all alone here. Next time, she might not be able to make it to the phone to call for help. I wish I could convince her she would be safer in a one-level condo somewhere.”
She didn’t know Winnie well, but Abby was still quite confident that would not be an easy sell. At the same time, she couldn’t entirely fault the man for wanting to look after his grandmother.
“Do you want me to leave? I told Lucy we could go to a hotel tonight and return to Phoenix first thing tomorrow.”
“That’s not my choice. Winnie and Lucy want you here, so obviously I’ve been outvoted.”
“Sorry.”
“Again, not your fault.” His rigid expression softened further until he looked almost approachable. “You’ve had a long drive. Let’s get you settled for now. You’re going to need all your strength to keep up with my grandmother.”
Two
Ethan would rather deal with a labor strike, political strife and an economic downturn than have to try persuading his grandmother to do something she didn’t want to do, even when it was in her best interest.
He didn’t want to be a jerk about it. He adored Winnie and wanted her to be happy. She was the closest thing to a stable, loving parent that either he or Lucy had ever known.
He loved Holiday House, too. This place, despite its quirks and problems, had always been a port in the storm for two lost children. Winnie and Clive had opened their home to him and Lucy whenever their parents had needed time away from the pressure of parenting. Which had been often, unfortunately. Divorces, new relationships, personal crises. Rick and Terri Lancaster didn’t need much of an excuse to drop him and Lucy off with their grandparents.
The rest of their world might be filled with chaos—fighting adults, slamming doors, angry