Her Christmas Billionaire (The Joy of Christmas Series Book 1) Page 2

  Hannah rose and poured herself a cup of coffee. “I know,” she said. “Gram had so many plans for this place. I’d like to do them justice.”

  Mary wiped her hands on her apron and stopped Hannah as she was walking past her. She gave her a hug that warmed Hannah to her toes. Mary had been like family to her when she was growing up. Now, she was really the only family Hannah had left. It had been years since her mother had set foot in Love Valley.

  “It’s time for your own dreams now,” Mary said. “She would have wanted that for you.”

  Hannah nodded and sat down on a stool opposite of her while Mary shredded cheddar cheese for her bacon-cheese muffins. “I know,” she said.

  The problem was all Hannah’s plans and dreams for her life had died the moment Henry had dumped her. All she wanted now was to be busy. And get through this holiday with some semblance of Christmas joy. That was going to be hard considering she was nursing a broken heart that had little to do with one jerk of an ex-boyfriend named Henry.

  ~

  When Blake Bradley walked out of the realtor’s office, he was beyond annoyed. He’d driven all the way from Denver to this small town in the middle of nowhere to escape. And now, James Thomas, a realtor of questionable talent, had told him the ranch he’d rented for the holidays was not available. A storm had knocked out a power line to the isolated property and damaged the roof, so Mystic Mountain Ranch was no longer available to rent. So sorry, James had said. His assistant had forgot to contact Blake.

  An hour later, sitting at the local café called Eddy’s Diner, Blake still couldn’t figure out why Mr. Thomas hadn’t called him to let him know. His excuse that his assistant forgot wasn’t cutting it, nor was the return of his strangely, uncashed check. He wondered briefly if Mr. Thomas’s assistant had double booked it, but the isolated Mystic Mountain Ranch wasn’t the type of place that was in high demand. At least, he didn’t think so.

  Blake stood up and made his way to the register to pay for his meal at the quaint café. The food had been surprisingly good, and he wondered if he could ask for a coffee to go. He was going to need caffeine’s adrenalin for the ride out to the ranch to see if he could manage the repairs. He didn’t get to be a man of his wealth and power by laying down and taking no for an answer. He would get what he came for, by whatever means it took. He certainly wasn’t afraid of hard labor. He’d done his share of it growing up poor on a farm.

  He handed the check and a twenty-dollar bill to the cashier. “Do you know of any hotels in town that might have a room available?” he asked.

  The cashier shook her head. “The hotel is usually booked up at this time of year. You can check with the owner, Laurel, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

  “The hotel, as in one hotel?” Blake asked.

  She nodded as she handed him his change. “The Alpine Lodge is currently the only working hotel in town. There are a few locals that take in boarders, but that is usually for long-term workers who come in during the summer construction months. Most have family visiting for the holidays now so, I doubt you’ll find anyone with an extra room available.”

  “The Alpine Lodge is full,” came a voice from behind him. He turned to find a pretty blond woman with a warm smile standing behind him. He noted her name tag labeled The Christmas Shop with her name, Charlene, printed below in the form of candy canes.

  “Are you certain?” he asked her.

  “Laurel, the owner stopped by my shop this morning. You won’t find a room in town with vacancy this close to Christmas. You could try the Clearview Inn.”

  “The Clearview Inn?”

  “Hannah isn’t really open yet. But she may take you if you can’t find anywhere else to stay,” she smiled at him brightly. “You can tell her I sent you. I’m Charlene.”

  “Charlene, thanks. I’m Blake,” he said as he shook her hand. Her friendliness seemed nothing more than small town manners, making him feel more at ease. But he shouldn’t have worried. Out here in the boondocks, no one would recognize him. “I appreciate that.”

  He turned back to the cashier and ordered two coffees to go. He let Charlene go ahead of him as it became clear she was picking up an order.

  “Thanks, Eddy,” she said as she grabbed the bags from the cashier. “Good luck, Blake,” she called out as she left.

  “Thanks,” he said. Small towns were friendly. He would give them that.” He frowned as he took the two coffees from the cashier. Well, except for the lady in the red coat. That was one intolerable woman.

  He pushed out the door onto the sidewalk. The air was bristled with the alpine air and impending snow. He had to admit, he welcomed the clean mountain air. Such a refreshing change from LA’s polluted air. And LA’s unhappy memories. He might have appreciated the picturesque mountain town more, if he hadn’t been stuck in - what did they call it? Oh yeah, Love Valley. What a silly name for a town, he thought wryly. He’d met some friendly people, but there was one woman he hoped he wouldn’t run into again. Not in this lifetime, anyway.

  He’d forgot to ask for directions for the Inn. He’d ask when he replaced his cell phone. This was a small town. He was certain that everybody in town must know where Clearview Inn was located. He walked down Main Street, an aptly named street as the only double lane road in the whole town. He needed to find a place he’d be able to buy a new cell phone. He doubted they’d have the fancy kind he was accustomed to, but at this point, he’d be willing to take a walkie talkie if it would get him out of here before the big Christmas shenanigans took over. One hotel? Who’d ever heard of such a thing?

  The alternative, driving hours back to Denver on icy roads with impending snow fall was unpalatable. In the very least, he hoped someone could help him book the next flight out of Love Valley. He needed his solitude at this time of year and staying in the confines of a tiny Inn, in a town bursting with locals who were full to the brim with Christmas cheer didn’t appeal to him at all. He needed to get out today. He’d find an isolated private island or some remote corner of the globe to go, where no one celebrated Christmas; where he was certain he would not hear one single Christmas song or see one Christmas tree.

  Then, the tension and the stress in his body would release. He could drown himself in work until January second arrived. Afterwards, he would return to LA and all its secular, impersonal one mindedness would envelope him once again. Then, he’d be too busy to think about the sadness he could never forget. Until he repeated it all again next year. A thought he found too distasteful to even contemplate.

  Two hours later, Blake realized that there was only one shop in town that sold cell phones, and they didn’t have a single one in stock. Apparently, cell phones were a popular Christmas gift and all three models the General Store carried were on back order. At least he was able to get directions to Clearview Inn. As soon as he got there, he was going to use their phone to call his pilot. He’d have Nathan pick him up at the tiny private airport he’d passed about an hour outside of town and whisk him faraway from this complete mess of a vacation. If you could even call it that.

  One way or another, he’d escape Christmas.

  Chapter Three

  Hannah and Mary knelt in front of the kitchen sink, pilling towels against the strengthening flow of water that was flowing from the pipe within the cabinet.

  “I just knew it!” Hannah said. “The minute I arrive, everything is going to the dogs!”

  “Now what did the dogs ever do to you, Hannah? Hush and hand me another towel.”

  “There’s got to be a way to shut off the water. Isn’t there a valve or something?” Hannah peered cautiously into the cabinet while the water flow flooded over the bottom of the cabinet and spread across the floors of the kitchen. The water was already precariously inching towards her favorite boots.

  She scooted back to get a better view. “I see it,” she said. She reached her hand in and tried to turn the valve but it wouldn’t budge. “I think I’m going to need a wrench. It’s as if it’s
been welded on,” She sat back on her heels. “It’s probably just old age.”

  “Hey! Watch out when you talk about old age,” Mary said, pointing to her snowy head of hair.

  Hannah chuckled. “No offense meant, Mary.” She grunted as she once again tried with all her might to get the valve to turn. “I don’t even know if I am turning it the right way.”

  A knock in the background drew both of their attentions. “Hello? Anyone here? I’m looking for a room for the night,” a deep voice called out.

  Hannah felt her insides tingle, as if butterflies were playing tag in her stomach. Why did that voice sound familiar? She shoved out of the cabinet and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh no, not you again.”

  The words escaped her lips before she could even think to shut her mouth. Not Mr. Phone Addict. Why on earth was he showing up at her doorstep at Clearview Inn?

  “No one answered so I hope it’s okay I let myself in,” he said.

  She felt his eyes rest on her face, which compelled her to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. And that irked her. Her spine stiffened as she turned nonchalantly back to her overflowing water that by now had soaked through the tips of her favorite boots. She cursed herself for not taking them off earlier and being distracted by Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.

  “We aren’t open,” she said. “And as you can see,” she indicated the seeping water on the floor. “We are having a bit of an emergency.” The constant stream of water was audible in the quiet morning as it soaked through her pants at her knees. The icy water only added to her irritation with this most unwelcome, surprise visitor.

  Mary bent down and handed her a towel to put beneath her knees. “Is that him?” Mary whispered.

  Hannah threw her a look that told her the topic was off limits for the moment. Mary smiled at Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsomely annoying and rose up. “We’re having a bit of a plumbing issue. And-”

  “And we are fixing it,” Hannah finished for her.

  The man obviously did not get the hint. He marched over right next to the kitchen island, his nosy gaze fixed on Hannah. “I can help,” he said.

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh no. I’ve seen your help, and I can do without it, thank you very much.”

  “I can’t do any worse than you,” he said.

  He chuckled warmly, which sent a spike of heat through her veins that maddened her from head to toe. That was the feeling of irritation, wasn’t it?

  He bent down, settling comfortably by her side, entirely too close to her. She could smell his spicy aftershave and see a hint of a beard growing in. Apparently, he hadn’t bothered to shave this morning. And she refused to admit how that five o’clock shadow sent her heart into palpitations, especially at ten thirty in the morning.

  “There is normally a valve that you can use to-”

  “Turn the water off? Yeah, Mr. Smarty Pants, I know. It won’t budge though. This house is over a hundred years old. Goodness knows when it was last replaced. It seems to be welded together.”

  Mr. Smarty Pants, the handsome devil peered into the cabinet, reached in and with a flick of his wrist the waterfall ruining her boots had trickled to a dribble.

  “There,” he said, not bothering to spare her humiliation with an extra big smile that revealed a dimple in his chin and made his face doubly more handsome. That was even more irritating than him turning off the water valve.

  “I must have loosened it for you,” she said with smirk, as she rose up off the wet towel. She frowned as she noticed he’d removed his expensive coat and fancy sweater and stood clad in what appeared to be designer jeans and a tight, muscle revealing tee shirt. She belatedly realized she probably looked like a frumpy old rag doll as the water dripped from her pants onto her beloved boots. That fact increased her irritation level a couple of more notches.

  Mary handed her and Mr. Smarty Pants dry towels. “Well, thank you so much, Mister…?” Mary elbowed Hannah in a not so subtle way.

  “Blake Bradley,” he said, taking the towel from Mary. “Thank you. And very nice to meet you, Mam.”

  That name sounded eerily familiar. “Thank you, Mr. Bradley,” Hannah said quietly. She bit her tongue to keep from adding a sarcastic remark to her thanks. She didn’t know why, but for some reason this man brought out the fiend in her.

  He dried off his hands, and wiped his pants and shoes with a firm deftness that tightened his muscular biceps and left Hannah’s mouth hanging open.

  “There is a main water valve somewhere on the property. If we can find that and turn it off, I can probably find what’s wrong and change the pipe for you. Just point me to a local plumbing store in town.”

  “That is so kind of you, Mr. Bradley,” Mary said. “I’m Mary Howard and that rascal over there is Hannah Carter. She owns Clearview Inn.” She pointed to Hannah, who didn’t miss the evil glint in Mary’s eyes as she glared at Hannah under her smile for Mr. Bradley.

  Hannah ignored Mary’s warning scowl. “Are you a plumber, Mr. Bradley?”

  He chuckled. “No, I’m just handy around the house. I’d be happy to fix it for you. But I’m in a bit of spot. The home I rented for the holidays in Love Valley is unavailable. I’m stuck here without a place to stay, at least for a night. Charlene, who I met at the diner in town said to say she sent me here. She said you’d be able to take me in a night or so.”

  Hannah opened her mouth to refuse, but Mary intercepted her. “We would be delighted to have you, Mr. Bradley. We aren’t officially open yet, but you’ve been so kind, of course we’ll be happy to have you.”

  He flashed her a dazzling, well-practiced smile that Hannah could see made even Mary’s seasoned heart flutter.

  “Thank you. And please call me Blake.”

  Hannah gave him a brilliant smile right back. “Of course, we’ll be happy to have you stay the night, Blake,” she said in a cool voice. “I’m sure we could put you to work for the favor. There is a lot to be done before we officially re-open the Inn.”

  He stared at her in the morning light, which poured out the window and enveloped him in a glowing light. For one second she was mesmerized as he took on the radiance of beautiful angel in heaven’s light. He reached out to her, his hand large and capable. She had no choice but to take it. She slipped her hand into his and as he gave her a firm shake, she tried to ignore the tingles that shot up her arm and warmed her down to her toes.

  “It’s a deal,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I look forward to helping out.”

  Hannah shivered in the warmth of the sunlight and tried not to reveal how much Blake Bradley unnerved her. “And I look forward to putting you to work, Blake,” she said with mischievous smile.

  And boy, was that the truth. She’d put him to work alright, far, far away from her. Up on the roof, out in the garden and on errands to town. Hannah instinctively knew that she had to stay away from his hypnotic gaze and that outrageously cute dimpled chin. Despite his overwhelming charm and attractiveness, and make no mistake, the man was a near Adonis, she didn’t have the time or desire to have her heart broken once again so soon. Or ever again, for that matter.

  But as his gorgeous green eyes met hers and the electricity sizzled between them, she could only hope that he’d be gone by tomorrow.

  ~

  Blake sat the towel on the counter, trying to assess the fiery little Inn keeper. Small towns really were remarkable. In LA, you could see someone once and never run into them again in ten years. And most of the time that was a good thing. Here in Love Valley however, such luck had not been on his side.

  “Do you have any tools around? Let me see what I need, and you can let me know where I can go to get the parts. I’ll need to turn off the main water valve. You may want to put a bucket underneath in the meantime, to catch errant drips.”

  “Really? I hadn’t thought of that,” Hannah snickered. “Thanks for the advice, Einstein.”

  She swished past him and headed out of the room, presumably to find a bucket. He turned and loo
ked up at the kind, older woman named Mary. “Is she always so friendly?”

  Mary gave him an apologetic smile. “She’s been through a lot these last few years, and now she has running this Inn on her plate. If you could be a bit forgiving, I wouldn’t mind.” Mary’s eyes twinkled at him as she grabbed an enormous bowl from the pantry cupboard and handed it to him. “She lost someone dear to her, and this is her first time back since it happened two years ago.”

  Blake set the bowl in the cabinet beneath the leak. The slow trickle of water sounded like an explosion against the metal bowl. “I’m sorry to hear that. I understand what it’s like to lose someone,” he said, then instantly regretted it. Christmas was the last time to be thinking about them.

  He stood up and dried his hands on the towel he’d left on the counter. “That should hold it for now. Just keep an eye on it, and empty it before it gets too full.” He shoved his hand in his empty pocket before he remembered he was sans his phone. “If you or Hannah have a phone, I can take a photo of it and bring it to the plumbing supply store. My phone is broken. I have a new one on order, but apparently it won’t arrive until tomorrow. I hope.”

  Mary nodded. “Hannah’s got one of those fancy phones with all the bells and whistles,” she said as she resumed her place at the counter and began mixing a bowl full of batter. “She just moved back from the big city. I hope she’ll be happy living here once again. It’s been a while since she’s been home longer than a few months. I’m not sure this tiny town can hold her interest for long.”

  Blake smiled politely, but secretly he was socking away every piece of information Mary was telling him about Hannah. For some reason, instinct told him he would be needing it later on, which made no sense since he was leaving tomorrow. No harm in listening anyway. “Oh, was she living in Denver?” he asked.

  “No, Chicago. Honestly, I thought she’d never come back. There was this young man…” Mary stopped herself and looked towards the doorway where Hannah had disappeared. “Well, I shouldn’t talk about Hannah’s private life with you. Suffice to say, she’s decided to move back. Let’s see if it lasts. Maybe if you stay through the holidays you can help her get this place ready to be re-opened. I’m afraid she is in over her head with all the repairs this place is going to need. And I’m getting too old to do much more than cook anymore.”