Her Christmas Billionaire (The Joy of Christmas Series Book 1) Read online

  And no fleeting attraction to a man, nor any tug at her heart no matter how strong, was going to change her mind. Best to keep herself and her heart as far away from Blake as possible. Which was going to be nearly impossible while they shared the same living space. As much as her heart was wishing he’d stay through Christmas, her head told her it was time for him to go along on his way. Why tempt fate with the impossible?

  She sure hoped that no blizzard was coming their way to throw a monkey wrench in everything. She was on a mission now to prove to herself that Love Valley’s legend of finding true love was just a myth. Now, if only she could convince herself.

  Chapter Ten

  Blake couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that Hannah was avoiding him, a difficult feat given the fact that they were living under the same roof. She’d been gone before he’d made it downstairs that morning, though she’d thoughtfully left a note and the coffee maker ready to brew for him. She’d gone to town to run some errands, she’d said. And he was welcome to explore the Inn and its grounds while she was out. She’d left his favorite bacon and cheese muffins out- had he even told her they were his favorite? She’d also left his heart feeling more than a little bereft.

  One for thing was for certain, he never should have confided in her about Mona. It was clear he’d misjudged her compassion and understanding. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s misjudged a woman.

  Guess, he’d try to go into town and see if his new cell phone had arrived. Time to call Nathan and high tail it out of Love Valley. So much for its magic love potion in the air, he thought wryly. He was sulking at the breakfast table when he heard the voice behind him.

  “Looking a bit forlorn, Blake. Did you and Hannah have it out?”

  The wisecracking Mary. Inexplicably, he was overjoyed to hear her voice. He turned in his chair. “No. She was gone before I made it downstairs,” he said, though the bitter tone in his voice gave him away.

  “Ran away, did she?” Mary asked as she took her spot behind the kitchen island.

  “I suppose that is one way to look at it. I’m not sure what she was running from though.”

  “What do most people run from?” Mary asked. She set a cutting board on the countertop in front of her, along with a bowl of vegetables.

  Blake thought of what he’d ran from the last few years since Mona’s passing. “Grief, fear, doubt. Themselves feeling anything, mostly,” he said.

  “Bingo,” Mary said. “She’ll come around. Give her time. And give yourself time. You’ve got some of your own demons to extinguish.”

  He didn’t bother to ask how she knew about his tragic past. It wouldn’t be hard to look him up online. And if Mary did google him, she was just being protective of Hannah. He understood.

  “Since I arrived in Love Valley, I feel lighter, happier being out here in the country mountains. It’s nice to be away from LA and all it represents.”

  “I can understand that,” she said.

  He wondered how much Mary knew about his celebrity status as a young billionaire, and what had happened with his wife. Heavens, he hoped she hadn’t seen the article about him being Bachelor of the Year. That was downright embarrassing.

  He joined Mary in the kitchen proper to pour himself another cup of coffee and grabbed a muffin out of the bottomless basket in the center of the island.

  “Guess I’ll go into town and see if the phones have arrived yet,” he said.

  “Go get ready. I’ll have you a plate of breakfast ready before you go,” Mary said. “You can’t live on muffins alone, though lord knows Hannah tries.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Blake said.

  “I know I don’t, but I will. That’s my job around here, to keep everyone fed.”

  Blake drained his coffee and set the cup down. “You do a mighty fine job of that, if I don’t say so myself,” he said with a wink.

  Mary laughed as she wiped her hands on her apron. “Blake, if you’d just direct that charm in the right direction, you’d be happier than you could imagine.” She shook her head with a sigh. “I wish I could be young again and know all the things I know about life that I do now. Oh, now there’s a thought!”

  “I hope I learn something about life before I’m too old,” he called out as he left the room.

  He chuckled as he heard Mary reply while he headed up the stairs. “I do as well,” she called out.

  Chapter Eleven

  Hannah rushed into the house, shrugging out of her scarf and coat with urgency. “Mary!” she called out from the foyer. “Are you here?”

  “I’m in the kitchen, where else would I be?” Mary’s voice echoed back to her.

  Hannah removed her gloves and set them on the breakfast table as she walked into the spacious kitchen. Mary was at her usual spot in front of the stove, stirring something that smelled divine.

  “I hope you’re free Friday night,” Hannah said excitedly.

  “Depends on what for,” Mary said as she sautéed onions in a skillet.

  “I’ve invited a few friends over for a sort of impromptu Christmas party. Well, maybe more than a few. I was at Eddy’s for lunch and sort of invited everyone there.”

  “That must have been everyone in town then,” Mary said without blinking.

  “Just about. And I only have four days to plan it.”

  Mary raised her eyebrows melodramatically. “And who’s fault is that?”

  Hannah made her way to kitchen proper, grabbed a cup and set it on the counter. “Any coffee brewed?”

  Mary gave her a side glance. “I can make some. Decaf. You don’t need any more energy right now.”

  Hannah grinned. “I had a few cups at the diner. Eddy makes really good coffee. She’s got this fancy vanilla coffee that…” She felt the dirty look of daggers before she even glanced over at Mary. “Well not as good as yours.” No sense in getting Mary riled up. She needed her for the party.

  “So, am I to assume I’m invited to this party?”

  “Of course, Mary!”

  “And that Eddy will be doing the cooking?”

  Oh no, she had offended Mary. Who knew she could be so sensitive? Maybe jealous was more like it. Some groveling was in order, she surmised. “I did think of having her cater my party, but you are a far superior cook, Mary. I couldn’t disappoint my guests!”

  “Good hustle, kid. I wouldn’t have let anyone else cook for a Clearview party.”

  Hannah was the one laughing now. “I know that,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Your guest is thinking of leaving. What did you do to that poor man?”

  Hannah’s heart nearly stopped. “Did Blake leave?”

  “He went to the General Store to see if his phone arrived. What did you tell him that had him looking so sad?”

  Hannah sat down on a stool at the island. “Nothing. Why? Did he look upset?”

  “He looked like a boy who’d just discovered his new puppy had ran away.”

  Hannah frowned. “Wait a minute. Am I the dog in this scenario?”

  “The puppy. And yes,” Mary said adding pieces of chicken to the pot.

  “I’m not his new play toy, and I’m certainly not responsible for his emotional up and downs. He’s got other reasons for that,” Hannah said smugly.

  Mary moved to retrieve a coffee cup next to the sink. “I know. I read about him.”

  “You did? How? Where?”

  “I had my granddaughter to gooble him on the computer.”

  Hannah forced herself to contain a laugh. “You mean google?”

  “Whatever. He’s had it rough too. But I couldn’t find a single bad thing written about him. Imagine that? A rich man like that normally has a lot of enemies, but Blake doesn’t seem to have any. At least none willing to go on record. You might have met the nicest guy on earth. I think he’s a catch.”

  Mary handed Hannah a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

  “Because he’s rich?” Hannah said. “And the so-calle
d Bachelor of the Year? I’m sure you read about that part too. I don’t care about that. I care about a guy being kind and thoughtful.” And Blake was amazingly kind and thoughtful. It didn’t help that he was handsome to boot, but she’d keep that bit to herself.

  “That’s not why I think he’s a good catch. I genuinely like him. You know old Mary gets feelings about people. I have a good one about him. And it has nothing to do with his wealth. Money doesn’t buy happiness. And I know that will never make my Hannah happy.”

  Hannah grimaced. “And this conversation doesn’t make me happy. Suffice to say, my life is here in Love Valley, and his life is in LA and that is the end of the story.” Hannah took a sip of her coffee. “Now, we need to go over the menu for Friday night. I’m thinking a buffet spread with a rib roast and a turkey with all the trimmings, Christmas cookies and pies. And of course, Mary’s famous corn muffins.”

  Mary knew her matchmaking had been dismissed and Hannah could see that she wasn’t happy about it. “Sounds like a lot of food,” she huffed.

  “Not for a party of Love Valley mountaineers,” Hannah said, using humor to smooth over Mary’s ruffled feathers. “We can send the leftovers home. Everybody is busy since it’s the last week before Christmas. You know how thrilled everyone will be to take some of Mary Howard’s cooking home.”

  Mary harrumphed loudly. “Flattery will get you nowhere, child,” Mary chided her.

  Hannah jumped up and hugged Mary from behind. “Thank you, thank you, Mary! You’re the best.”

  Mary shrugged out of her grasp as she turned the chicken in the pan. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet. If you want me to cater your party, then you have to promise me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Promise me you won’t be chasing off Blake anymore. You make him feel wanted and welcomed here.”

  That was the problem, wasn’t it? Hannah did want him to stay, but he was leaving no matter how much she welcomed him or not.

  “Clearview Inn must be a welcoming place to all her guests. You’re Gram wouldn’t want it any other way,” Mary remarked.

  “I know,” Hannah mumbled.

  “It’s the truth. Now, get some pen and paper and sit down. We’ve got a grocery list to write.”

  Hannah did as she was ordered- and make no mistake about that, it was an order. As she sat down at the breakfast table, she glanced over at the empty chair across from her. A shot of pain shot through her. That seat was what she’d come to think of as Blake’s place. She felt guilty about the way she’d ran off this morning, leaving him no doubt wondering why she was avoiding him. Knowing how much it took him to confess his reason for hating Christmas the night before, her actions were even worse.

  She would make amends when he returned. She’d be the welcoming hostess, give him the time of his life while he was here, and then send him on his way with a smile. She could do that. Couldn’t she?

  ~

  Blake was marginally pleased to find his new phone was waiting for him at the General Store. While it would be good to be connected to his world again, there had been a certain peace in being disconnected from LA. His work had always seemed to swallow up his whole life. But then again, maybe he’d arranged it that way.

  He stood at the cash register, waiting to pay. “How much?” he asked.

  Dwain, the old timey owner of the store, sized him up a moment. “You look like you could spare some change. Would you like to donate a toy to the Love Valley Children’s Hospital?” He held up a makeshift box, with signs on it asking for toy donations to the hospital. “Most of the parents have a hard time with the medical bills and what not, so Christmas toys tend to fall by the way side. It’s a good cause,” Dwain said.

  “I couldn’t imagine a better cause,” Blake said, his heart going out to the unfortunate families. “I’ll be happy to donate. How many kids are there?”

  Dwain looked up at him. “I’d say fifty at least. Some of the kids are from neighboring towns smaller than Love Valley. You’d have to call the hospital to find out the exact number.”

  “I’ll do that and get a list of what the kids want. I’ll have them send the list to you. Order whatever the kids want and I’ll cover the cost,” Blake said as he wrote out a check to the General Store.

  “All of the kids?” Dwain asked.

  “Of course. I couldn’t leave any of them out. Here’s a check for the toys. Get them whatever they ask for, no matter the cost. Let me know if you need more,” he handed Dwain his business card with the check. “That’s my cell number. Should be the same once I switch out the chip to the new phone.”

  Dwain’s old eyes squinted as he read the check and then Blake for one long moment. “Are you sure about this? I mean, that’s a lot of money. You could probably buy the whole town a boat load of Christmas presents for three years with that amount of money.”

  “If there is any left, you can donate it to the parents to help with the medical bills. If you need any help ordering, wrapping, anything, just call me.”

  The old man shook his hand. “You’re a rare one, Mr. Bradley. I hope you extend your stay with us. You’re a real-life Santa Clause to these kids.”

  Blake laughed. “The pleasure is all mine. Isn’t that what the joy of Christmas is all about?”

  He left the store with a hop in his step and headed back to his truck. He had one more stop before heading back to Clearview Inn. Love Valley was definitely a unique place. He’d even venture to say, that it put a magical spell on anyone who stepped foot in the town. And he should know. He’d wrote the book on magic when he founded Animation Magic.

  After picking up a special gift, he settled in his car, content with how productive his day had gone. And it wasn’t even noon yet. He slid the chip from his old phone into the new one and bang! He was hooked into his old life again. He paused to consider how liberating it had been to be without his phone the last few days.

  He’d learned to live in the moment and not be constantly plugged in. He wasn’t going to forget that lesson. He texted Nathan to see how the rescue operation was going and then headed home. Well, Clearview Inn wasn’t really home, but it definitely had a homey feel to it, especially when Hannah was there.

  And he hoped she’d be there when he returned. He was turning over a new leaf. He was going to have fun, maybe even enjoy Christmas this year. He turned on the radio and the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas” filled the chilly interior of his truck. He didn’t bother with the heat as he drove home. The brisk air only made him feel more alive.

  Blake was relieved to see Hannah’s little red sports car parked in the driveway when he pulled up to Clearview Inn. His heart rate accelerated as he stepped out of his car. He grabbed the shopping bag off the front seat and made his way to the front door. He took a deep breath as he stepped inside the foyer.

  “Hello,” he called out. “Is anyone home?”

  “We’re in the kitchen!” Hannah’s voice was like music to his ears.

  He walked into the kitchen and was happy to see Mary there as well. “Hi ladies,” he said, almost shocked at cheerfulness in his voice. When he came into the kitchen, Mary and Hannah were leaning over the kitchen island together, speaking in hushed tones. “You girls look thick as thieves. What’s going on?”

  The both looked up at him. “We’re planning the Christmas party,” Hannah said. “You’re invited, of course. It’s going to be this Friday. The whole town will be here.”

  Mary gave him a what looked like a sneaky smile. “You’ll still be here, we hope,” she said.

  “I could be. I haven’t heard back from Nathan yet, but I don’t suppose I have to hurry and leave. Unless you want me to.”

  “Not at all,” Mary said.

  Hannah looked up suddenly. Blake sensed Mary had kicked her from behind the island. “No, stay for the party. If you want to, I mean, it is a Christmas party and we’ll have Christmas music and everything that goes with it.”

  “Sounds like fun,
” Blake said. “I’m beginning to feel the Christmas spirit. I think it’s Love Valley’s Christmas magic at work.”

  “There is that,” Hannah said.

  “Is there anything I can do to help prepare?”

  “I’ve got to decorate the house and the tree. You can help with that to start,” Hannah said, stirring her coffee.

  “After lunch. I’ve got chicken pot pie coming up in about thirty minutes,” Mary said.

  “Sounds delicious. Let me go upstairs and wash up first,” he said.

  Blake turned around and was almost to the foyer where the stair landing was when Hannah spoke. “What’s in the bag? What did you buy?” she asked.

  Why did he suddenly feel nervous? There was no way she could even imagine what was in the shopping bag. It wasn’t as if she was going to rip the bag from his hand and search through it.

  “Oh, nothing much. My new cell phone and a couple of other things I picked up.” He rushed out of the room as fast as he could before she could respond. She would find out soon enough what was in that shopping bag. And not a minute sooner.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hannah and Blake spent the next three days decorating every inch of Clearview Inn. When they were done, Clearview would have put Santa and his winter wonderland to shame. Three days of brushing elbows, soft side glances, shy giggles, and two near-kiss episodes. Three days of Blakes’s handsome face, his beautiful green eyes that watched her with amusement and his deep, soulful voice that sent goosebumps scattering to every end of her body. The man had an effect on her that no other man ever had, nor one ever would again she was certain.

  After today, the decorating would be done. She didn’t know how they’d fill the next day until the party Friday night. She both craved to be near Blake and dreaded his constant presence. More like dreaded the day he left, and she’d never see him again.

  Still, she promised herself to give him the best time of his life, and a wonderful Christmas experience while he was here, and so far, she thought she’d lived up to that promise. But was keeping that promise going to break her heart? She shoved that thought out of her mind. Best to enjoy their time together while they could.