Mistaken Gifts (9 page)

"You can thank me later," he said and held her gaze just long enough to convey what he hoped was an invitation for another kiss, before he headed off through the snow to fill her basket with holly and ultimately see that sweet smile again.
 

Eva popped two more painkillers in her mouth and grabbed her bottle of water with her good hand. Her arm hurt way more than she cared to admit, especially to Jeff, but she was thankful he'd pushed the issue of getting her back to the Lodge and to the doctor.
 

She'd been reassured it wasn't broken, just a bad sprain, which in her mind might as well have meant it was broken because she sure couldn't do much with her left arm all bandaged up and in a sling. But the doctor insisted it would feel better in a few days, and with any luck she’d be fine for the actual wedding.
 

The pills might help with the swelling, but they still weren't going to get her centerpieces done. Eva stared at the pile of materials in front of her. Jeff had done a fabulous job collecting holly for her and really, he'd managed to find more in five minutes than she probably could have gathered all afternoon. But now, with only one good hand, it was going to take three times as long to put everything together.
 

Eva took another swallow of water before putting her bottle to the side and pulling a glass bowl towards her. She took two big sprigs of pine and wedged them as best she could into the bowl. Next, she grabbed a birch branch and tried to artfully place it between the pine boughs.
 

"Not bad," she said, taking a step back to examine her work. "I can do this."
 

She reached into her basket for a sprig of holly.
 

"Ouch. Dammit." A prickly leaf bit into her finger and she stuck the sore finger in her mouth.
 

"Well, it looks like someone isn't having a very lucky day."
 

Eva spun at the voice and couldn’t help but smile when she saw Troy lounging against the doorjamb. "I've had better days," she said.
 

Troy pushed away and sauntered into the room. His blond hair was perfectly brushed, and his crisp buttoned-down shirt was tucked neatly into his dark denim jeans, making him look every bit the city boy in the woods.
 

"What happened, darling?" Troy grimaced when he saw Eva's bandaged arm. "Looks like more than holly got you there."
 

"Would you believe it was holly related?"
 

He laughed and took the sprig from her hands. "Well, if it was the holly, I think it's my duty as your fake date to help you sort it out. Let me help."
 

"What do you know about wedding centerpieces?" she asked. "I mean, no offense."

"None taken, darling. But as it happens, I do know a thing or two." He leaned in and whispered in Eva's ear. "Don't tell my business associates, but I have a secret passion for decorating and parties, and when you put them together…well, it's kind of a hobby of mine."

"You don't say?"

"I didn't." He winked at her and tucked the holly into the pines, in just the way Eva would have done it herself. She nodded her head approvingly.
 

"I told you I had skills," he said.
 

"I never would have guessed. But since you're here…" Eva waved her arm over the stack of empty glass vases waiting to be filled.
 

"There's nothing I'd enjoy more," Troy said, and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "After all, that's what I'm here for."
 

She smiled and reached up with her good hand to pat his cheek. "If only you were straight," she said. "Then you'd be perfect."
 

~ ~

After dropping Eva off at the Lodge and seeing Clover back to the stable, Jeff had been anxious to get back and see how Eva was doing. It didn't look like her wrist was broken, but it was definitely sprained and the last thing he wanted was to see that look of pain on her face again.
 

Besides, maybe there was something more he could do to help. After trudging through the snow to gather her holly, she'd been much happier, despite the sore arm, and he'd even made her smile a few more times. He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but Eva was a force and the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that she was a force he'd like to reckon with.

Jeff slipped through the main doors of the Lodge and ran straight into Carmen. He usually welcomed the opportunity to stop and catch up with the friendly, overworked woman who was single-handedly in charge of guest relations at the Lodge. But it wasn't a usual day.
 

"Oh, Jeff. I'm glad I caught you."
 

He stopped and gave her his biggest smile. "It's always nice to see you, too," he said. "But I really can't chat right now."
 

"Don't I know that feeling?" She gestured to her clipboard, which no doubt held a to-do list a mile long. "But there was a message for you earlier. I was going to leave it in your mailbox, and then I realized you never check your mailbox." She shot him a look. "So anyway, here you go." She thrust a folded-up piece of paper at him.
 

He stuck it in his pocket without reading it. "Thanks," he mumbled.
 

"Aren't you going to even look at it? The lady on the phone said it was important."

Oh, he was sure it was important. His stomach twisted in a knot and glanced over Carmen's shoulder. "Nah," he said. "I know what it says."

There was no doubt that it was Marianne Marshall. She still wanted an answer and he knew he'd have to give it. The thing was, if she'd called yesterday, he'd been almost sure of his answer. But after spending the afternoon in the woods with his favorite horse…and a beautiful woman…the last part popped into his head. He shook it away. At any rate, he still couldn’t be certain that leaving the Lodge was what he wanted. But he knew he better figure it out quick.
 

"Jeff?" Carmen was waving her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Jeff."

He blinked hard, his friend coming back into focus in front of him. "Sorry," he said. "I was just thinking about something."

"Or someone?"
 

"What?" Jeff shook his head in protest. "No. Why would you think that it had anything to do with a woman?"
 

Carmen gave him a sly smile. "I didn't say it was a woman you were thinking about. But you did."
 

She laughed but Jeff didn't join in. Instead, thoughts he didn't want to consider tumbled through his brain. He should be focusing on his career, his future. But instead he couldn’t get Eva out of his head. Maybe that was a reason right there to consider leaving the Lodge? He mulled over the thought. After all, Eva lived in the city. He would be living in the city. It was next to impossible to find and have a long-term relationship with anyone at the Lodge. But if he moved…

No, he would not, could not, let a woman or even the thought of a woman influence his decision. Never in his life had he made any decision based on a woman, let alone one who liked to push his buttons, and test him at every move. Except for when they were kissing. The thought slammed into him and sent his mind reeling in a whole new direction. Kissing Eva had been intense, that was for sure. He never would have thought that someone who was as uptight as she was would be capable of expressing that much heat in a simple kiss. But it didn’t matter how hot the kiss was; it had nothing to do with his future. Nothing.

"It was a slip of the tongue," he said to Carmen after a moment. He patted his pocket where he'd tucked the message. "I’ll call her back soon."

Carmen squeezed his arm, before slipping past him. "Whatever you think, Jeff." She moved to leave, but something stopped her. "Oh, Jeff. I heard Andi wanted a horse for the wedding."

He nodded. "She does, but you know how I feel about that."

"I do," Carmen said. "But it’s Andi and Colin."
 

Jeff smiled. He’d already come to the same conclusion; of course he was going to let them have a horse. But it wouldn’t hurt to keep Eva guessing a little longer. "Don’t worry, Carmen. I’ll make it happen."

"Oh, I’m not worried. You always do the right thing, Jeff."

Jeff watched her walk away and let her words sink in.
 

He definitely didn't always do the right thing. But it was time to see what he should do.
 

With a final look behind him, and a deep breath, Jeff headed down the hall to the banquet room in search of Eva. At the very least, he could start by doing the right thing when it came to helping her out, especially with a sore arm. Lord knows she was in over her head with this wedding and Jeff was pretty sure he could find something he could help with. Besides, maybe he'd be rewarded with that sweet smile of hers.
 

Jeff grabbed the handles of the heavy wood banquet room doors and started to pull them open when the sound of female laughter floated across the air. Was it Eva's laughter? He couldn't be sure since he'd never had the pleasure of making her laugh, but something deep inside him instinctually knew it was her.
 

The sound made his breath catch in his throat as if he were a teenager in love and instead of shaking away the feeling the way he might have in the past, Jeff embraced it. So what if he liked being with her? She challenged him and sparked something in him in a way no other woman had. At least, none that he could remember. And that was something worth exploring. Especially if it meant kissing her again.

With a wide smile on his face, Jeff again started to push open the doors but this time he stopped short when he heard a man's voice. It sounded friendly. Teasing, flirting. Eva laughed again.
 

Bracing himself for something he knew he wouldn't want to see, Jeff pushed the door open only enough to peer into the room. He was right. He didn't want to see it. A tall blond and very neatly dressed man was standing so close to Eva, he had to be violating her personal space. Jeff expected her to lash out, tell him to back up the way she might do if it was him standing so close. But she didn't. Instead, when the man tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and whispered something in her ear, Eva laughed again. That beautiful, carefree sound that hit him straight in the gut. Only now, knowing it was another man eliciting the sound he’d been craving to hear, it didn't sound quite so amazing.

Jeff glanced down at his own clothes. Worn jeans, a t-shirt that had been washed more times than was probably reasonable, his favorite denim work jacket and a dirty pair of cowboy boots. He couldn't compete with the slick man standing next to Eva. A man who was probably much more her type.

After all, hadn't she told him earlier that she'd promised Andi she wouldn’t argue with him? Is that what the kiss was about? Simply being nice to him? No. He shook his head. It was more than that. He looked again at Eva and the man who was far too friendly to simply be a friend. But maybe it wasn’t? He thought. Maybe he’d read way more into the situation than there was.

"Dumb ass," Jeff muttered. He turned to leave, but in doing so, managed to bump into the doorjamb making enough racket that Eva and her boyfriend both turned in his direction.
 

"Dammit," he said, and then he turned and managed the biggest smile he could that he hope didn't look too forced.
 

~ ~

The second she saw Jeff standing in the door, a flash of guilt that didn't make sense flooded through her, and she knew her face probably showed it clearly. But guilt for what? She took two steps away from Troy and instinctively moved towards the door. And Jeff.

"Jeff," she said. "Were you looking for me?" What a dumb question, she silently reprimanded herself. Why should she assume he'd be looking for her? It's not like one kiss meant they were together, or even friends really.
 

"I was just…" His eyes darted around the room, refusing to meet her gaze. "I was…well, I was wondering how your arm was." Jeff finally gestured to her bandaged wrist. "How is it? Are you okay?"

Eva pulled her arm close and smiled at his concern. It was sweet that he cared, and she couldn't help but be touched. "It's fine," she said. "Just a sprain, which is good. Except it does make it a little hard to get things done."
 

"Which is where I come in." Troy stepped up, closing the distance between them. He put his arm around Eva and careful of her sore wrist, pulled her close. "I'm Troy," he said. He held out his right hand to Jeff and after a moment, Jeff came farther into the room and took it.
 

"I didn't know you had a…a—"

"Troy is a friend," Eva said, quickly. She could feel Troy looking at her strangely, no doubt remembering their earlier discussion and agreement for him to be her fake date. Looking at Jeff, it suddenly didn't seem like such a good idea anymore.
 

"A really, really good friend," Troy said. He gave her a squeeze and kissed her on the cheek. "Isn't that right, darling?"

Instead of answering right away, Eva watched Jeff. She knew she hadn't imagined their connection earlier. Especially when he’d kissed her. There was a spark between them she’d never felt before. But even without it, things had shifted when they were out in the woods. She'd felt it. Eva focused on Jeff, willing him to give her some sort of sign that he'd felt it too.
 

Jeff planted his feet and crossed his arms over his muscular chest, his jaw set. He raised an eyebrow and the cool, detached man she'd met at the stables that first day was back. Maybe she'd been wrong.
 

Troy squeezed her again and she looked up into his eyes full of questions. She knew she was being flaky. She'd asked him to help her out and now she was set to change her mind and make him look like an idiot. That wasn't fair. Besides that, no matter how much she was attracted to Jeff, it wouldn’t work. He was a rough around the edges mountain man. He worked with horses, for goodness’ sake. And hadn’t she had her fair share of failed relationships already? No, it would be easier if she ignored whatever had happened in the woods, and made it through the wedding, and her time at the Lodge, with Troy.