Kira’s eyes fluttered closed for a brief second, but she forced them back open. No. No Christmas magic for her. ‘Trust me, I am.’
‘I don’t think so.’ Bennett’s warm breath coasted along her cheek. She should have kept her damn hood up. ‘And you messed up.’
‘I messed up?’
‘Yep, every time you talk to an animal, you give yourself away. You show how sweet you actually are.’
Sweet?! No sir, that would not do.
Kira gave the reindeer one more scratch between the ears and straightened to her full height, forcing Bennett to take a step back.
‘I have never been described as sweet in my entire life.’
Bennett shrugged. ‘Well, you are.’
‘No, Chloe is the sweet one. And the sensible one.’ The favorite one. She swallowed that last bit.
‘I’ve never met Chloe, but I have three dogs and at least one reindeer that would agree that you are a very sweet person.’
Kira scowled. He only thought that because he didn’t know her sister. Her whole life, Kira knew Chloe was her better half. The one who kept her grounded. The one who’d kept her from getting arrested on more than one occasion, with her sweet smile and her southern belle charm. And until very recently, Chloe was the one who kept her from making questionable financial decisions.
‘Well, I have an entire town here that would disagree.’
‘I don’t think so. I think they just want to get to know you, that’s all.’
‘I didn’t come here to make friends.’
‘What did you come here for, then?’
‘I already told you.’
‘Oh, right. Something about pickles … and pouting about your sister’s Danish husband.’
‘I am not pouting.’ At some point Kira’s hands had ended up on her hips. ‘I am recreating myself. I am starting a self-sustaining, ecologically friendly homestead. And I am … I am… Okay, maybe I’m pouting a little bit.’
Bennett let out a surprised laugh and she dropped her defensive stance. It was exhausting staying mad at this guy, and maybe she had no reason to. Maybe she should stop lashing out at the one person in town she hadn’t managed to scare away.
‘It’s just… I mean, did she have to move so far away?’
‘You miss her a lot?’
‘So much.’ Oh, no, her voice cracked with emotion. This was why she had to stay mean. There was no in-between for her right now. She could either be angry or sad, and angry seemed like the safer bet. She hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘It’s ridiculous, really. I’m a grown woman. I should be able to live without my sister, but … I just never had to before.’ She sniffled pitifully and she hated herself for it.
‘Maybe you should pet the reindeer some more.’ Bennett’s voice was gentle and teasing. ‘It seemed to make you feel better before.’
Kira sighed. He wasn’t wrong.
She reached back into the enclosure and stroked the reindeer’s soft head. It really did help. Could anyone feel sad when they were petting an animal? She didn’t see how they possibly could. It was like the reindeer was sending all its calm energy to her through her fingertips.
‘Better?’
She glanced up to where Bennett was leaning against the wood post of the enclosure. ‘Oh, are you still here?’ she snapped at him, but he just flashed that perfect smile. It was like he understood that she had to stay mean or she’d crumble completely and, like, maybe he didn’t mind.
‘So, when are you making your big announcement?’ he asked.
‘After the mayor lights up the tree.’ She sighed. ‘I tried to get him to just make the announcement for me, but he insisted it would be more effective if I did it.’
‘Are you ready for the influx of customers you’re going to get after tonight?’
Her stomach flipped at the thought. Customers. Money. Heat. Things she desperately needed. But she was nervous. This was her big moment. The first time she wasn’t living off her parents’ money, or working for her father’s company in that bullshit marketing job he’d made up for her so she could learn some ‘responsibility’. Her mother had been banking on her marrying one of their rich friend’s sons but that hadn’t exactly panned out either.
And now here she was, reliant on this quirky town to want plenty of Christmas trees.
‘I’m ready,’ she said with more confidence than she felt. ‘I hired a few college guys to help load the trees onto people’s cars and a groundskeeper to trim the trees.’ And that was all she could afford at the moment. If the customers didn’t start rolling in, she wouldn’t even be able to pay the few employees she had.
‘Still looking for a Santa, though.’ She let her gaze trail up and down Bennett’s body and couldn’t help but laugh at his surprised expression.
‘I don’t think I’d make a very good Santa.’
‘Oh, suddenly you’re not so eager to help?’
He chuckled. ‘Even I have my limits.’
‘That’s too bad. I think you’d look cute in red,’ she said, as she trailed away from the reindeer, making space for a crowd of kids speculating about the whereabouts of a certain red-nosed reindeer.
She left Bennett sputtering for a response.
Chapter Seven
