will be there. At least it’ll save me rent and give me a good place for Joshua when he shows up. Anyway, I get the feeling you’re the one who’s interested in Kylie.”
“Not me, especially since the lady’s still wearing her wedding ring.”
“You could fix that. Good luck with the bike.” Ben thumped twice on the top of the cab, a sign for Shane to move on. Shane started the engine and pulled carefully out of the parking lot. The snow was getting heavier. He turned on the wipers and the defroster. With the roads so bad, Ben was going to have a busy night. He could only hope none of the accidents would be serious.
Why had he suggested that his friend check out Kylie? Ben was a good man. But truth be told, despite her wrecking his bike, Shane found Kylie intriguingly sexy. Was he worried about getting involved with her when he was about to leave town? Was he trying to protect himself from the stirrings he’d felt when he was in the car with her? Was that why he’d tried to steer Ben in her direction?
But never mind that. He had more pressing worries on his mind—like getting home in this storm and repairing the bike Kylie had smashed. With snow pelting down so thick he could barely see the road, and the tires barely gripping the surface, he’d be smart to keep his mind off Kylie and on his driving.
Chapter Three
K ylie pulled her station wagon up to the house and trudged, head down, through the flying snow to unload the groceries from the back. The main storm front was blowing in, its icy winds plastering her thin fleece jacket to her body. She shivered as she raised the tailgate. Her hands trembled, and not just from the cold. The accident had left her rattled—and her head was still spinning from her encounter with Shane Taggart.
Shane Taggart, of all people. And judging from the look of that bike, and the look on his gorgeously handsome face, she’d come close to ruining his life.
“Mom, where’s the Christmas tree? Didn’t you get one?” Flinging open the door, Amy rushed down the front steps, followed by her brother.
Kylie shook her head. “Sorry, they were sold out in town. But I haven’t given up. Here, take these bags and run them inside.”
“Who cares about a dumb old Christmas tree, anyway? Christmas is for spoiled babies.” Hunter dragged an armful of grocery bags out of the wagon. Both Kylie’s children were wearing light jackets, the warmest wraps they’d needed in San Diego. Online she’d ordered winter coats, boots, and gloves to be delivered here, along with the Christmas presents. At the time she’d congratulated herself for planning ahead. But now here she was with her children, stuck in a blizzard with nothing warm to wear. They would have to dress in layers until the packages arrived. When she could spare a minute, she would use her phone to check the shipment status. The shipper had guaranteed Christmas delivery. That meant a sure thing, didn’t it?
“Get inside before you freeze, girl.” Henry had come around the corner of the house; he was wearing work boots and a military-style parka, with the hood drawn tight around his face. “Give me your keys. I’ll put the car under the shed for you.”
“Th—thanks!” Kylie’s teeth were chattering. She grabbed the last grocery bag, closed the tailgate, and dropped the keys into Henry’s hand. The porch steps were slippery with snow.
She couldn’t help wondering how Shane was faring on the roads. But his truck would have four-wheel drive, and he’d lived around Branding Iron all his life. He’d know how to handle bad weather.
Still, anything that might happen to him would be her fault. If she hadn’t hit his motorcycle, he’d have made it safely home before snow covered the roads.
The house smelled of the savory beef stew that simmered on the stove. Kylie knew her children wouldn’t care for stew. Burgers and pizza would be their choice. But she’d already made it clear to them—one word of complaint
“Not me, especially since the lady’s still wearing her wedding ring.”
“You could fix that. Good luck with the bike.” Ben thumped twice on the top of the cab, a sign for Shane to move on. Shane started the engine and pulled carefully out of the parking lot. The snow was getting heavier. He turned on the wipers and the defroster. With the roads so bad, Ben was going to have a busy night. He could only hope none of the accidents would be serious.
Why had he suggested that his friend check out Kylie? Ben was a good man. But truth be told, despite her wrecking his bike, Shane found Kylie intriguingly sexy. Was he worried about getting involved with her when he was about to leave town? Was he trying to protect himself from the stirrings he’d felt when he was in the car with her? Was that why he’d tried to steer Ben in her direction?
But never mind that. He had more pressing worries on his mind—like getting home in this storm and repairing the bike Kylie had smashed. With snow pelting down so thick he could barely see the road, and the tires barely gripping the surface, he’d be smart to keep his mind off Kylie and on his driving.
Chapter Three
K ylie pulled her station wagon up to the house and trudged, head down, through the flying snow to unload the groceries from the back. The main storm front was blowing in, its icy winds plastering her thin fleece jacket to her body. She shivered as she raised the tailgate. Her hands trembled, and not just from the cold. The accident had left her rattled—and her head was still spinning from her encounter with Shane Taggart.
Shane Taggart, of all people. And judging from the look of that bike, and the look on his gorgeously handsome face, she’d come close to ruining his life.
“Mom, where’s the Christmas tree? Didn’t you get one?” Flinging open the door, Amy rushed down the front steps, followed by her brother.
Kylie shook her head. “Sorry, they were sold out in town. But I haven’t given up. Here, take these bags and run them inside.”
“Who cares about a dumb old Christmas tree, anyway? Christmas is for spoiled babies.” Hunter dragged an armful of grocery bags out of the wagon. Both Kylie’s children were wearing light jackets, the warmest wraps they’d needed in San Diego. Online she’d ordered winter coats, boots, and gloves to be delivered here, along with the Christmas presents. At the time she’d congratulated herself for planning ahead. But now here she was with her children, stuck in a blizzard with nothing warm to wear. They would have to dress in layers until the packages arrived. When she could spare a minute, she would use her phone to check the shipment status. The shipper had guaranteed Christmas delivery. That meant a sure thing, didn’t it?
“Get inside before you freeze, girl.” Henry had come around the corner of the house; he was wearing work boots and a military-style parka, with the hood drawn tight around his face. “Give me your keys. I’ll put the car under the shed for you.”
“Th—thanks!” Kylie’s teeth were chattering. She grabbed the last grocery bag, closed the tailgate, and dropped the keys into Henry’s hand. The porch steps were slippery with snow.
She couldn’t help wondering how Shane was faring on the roads. But his truck would have four-wheel drive, and he’d lived around Branding Iron all his life. He’d know how to handle bad weather.
Still, anything that might happen to him would be her fault. If she hadn’t hit his motorcycle, he’d have made it safely home before snow covered the roads.
The house smelled of the savory beef stew that simmered on the stove. Kylie knew her children wouldn’t care for stew. Burgers and pizza would be their choice. But she’d already made it clear to them—one word of complaint
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