A Very Crimson Christmas - Michelle Major Crimson, Colorado

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left the room, muttering to herself. Austin made a face at Natalie over his shoulder but she gave him a bright smile and a thumbs-up and began clearing the dishes from the table.

      “I pushed her too hard.”

      “Ya think?” Natalie stacked plates on the counter.

      “I forgot how stubborn she can be when she gets riled up.”

      “The fall has been hard on her. She’s healing, but Ruth isn’t used to depending on other people. She’s a proud woman, Liam.”

      “I know, Nat. That’s one of the things I love about her.” He moved to the sink and rinsed the plates, then put them in the dishwasher. “You’re a lot like her, you know.” And you both frustrate the hell out of me, he added to himself.

      After a moment, he looked up to find Natalie’s eyes on him. “What are you doing?”

      “Um...the dishes?”

      “I didn’t think big, important CEO types did their own dishes.”

      “Apparently the CEO card doesn’t get me far in my nanny’s house.”

      “Are you really thinking of headquartering a company in Crimson?”

      Leave it to Natalie to see right through him. “Sure. If I can work out something with the town, that is. It’s a good place to live and the GPS technology we’re developing will appeal to people who like the outdoors. It’s a natural fit.”

      She nodded but still looked doubtful.

      They finished cleaning the kitchen in silence. There had been a lot of nights Natalie had eaten dinner over here when they were in high school. Her mom waitressed in town back then and wasn’t around very often. Ruth would cook while Liam and Natalie took cleanup duty. Being here with her now brought him back to a time long past. A time his heart didn’t want to forget but his brain wouldn’t let him revisit.

      His cell phone beeped in his pocket. “I’ve got some stuff to do to get settled in today.”

      “Before bingo?” Natalie asked, flashing him the first smile he’d seen from her.

      He’d missed that smile but forced himself not to show it. “Before bingo,” he agreed. “Are you okay if I head out?”

      “This is my job, Liam. One of them, anyway. We’re fine.”

      She didn’t need to add “without you.” He knew she’d never needed him in the same way he did her.

      He nodded and turned, but stopped at the sliding door that led from the kitchen to the back of the house. “In case you were wondering, I haven’t dated gobs of supermodels.”

      Her gaze crashed into his and he hoped it was relief he read in their dark depths. “It’s none of my business who you date.” Her words were sharp but her voice breathless.

      He could see her chest rise and fall as she busied herself wiping invisible spots from the counter. It gave him the confidence to say exactly what was on his mind.

      “And, Natalie?”

      She looked at him again.

      “No one ever compared to you. Not even close.”

      He watched her jaw drop as he let himself out the back door and walked away.

       Chapter Two

      “That’s how he left it?”

      “He’s just cruel.”

      “But so dang hot.”

      “Why didn’t you tell us your old boyfriend was hot?”

      “And rich.”

      Natalie looked at her group of friends and licked a bit of salt from the rim of her margarita. Austin was sleeping over at a friend’s house so she’d called Olivia Travers after Liam and Ruth had left for bingo and asked her friend to meet her for a drink at her favorite Mexican restaurant. She’d explained a little about the situation without giving too many details or revealing her conflicted emotions about Liam.

      When she’d arrived, it was to find not only Olivia waiting, but also Olivia’s sister, Millie, and their friend Katie Garrity, who owned the local bakery.

      Heat crept into her cheeks. “I didn’t realize this was going to be an inquisition.”

      Olivia looked a little guilty. “You sounded bad on the phone.”

      Millie held out her cell for the table to see. “I’m sure Liam Donovan could make you feel much better.”

      Katie took the phone and let out a low whistle. “He was cute in high school, but time has definitely been Liam’s friend.”

      Like Natalie, Katie had been born and raised in Crimson. Olivia’s husband, Logan—also a Crimson native—had come back to town, and Millie was married to Logan’s oldest brother, Jake. The middle brother, Josh, also lived in Crimson, and his wife, Sara, who was currently away shooting a movie, rounded out Natalie’s group of girlfriends. She’d never had close friends when she was younger and as much as she enjoyed it now, opening up to people about her private life was still difficult.

      “I don’t need any help from Liam.” She took a drink of the sweet margarita. “He accused me of stealing from his Ruth.”

      “That’s ridiculous,” Katie said. “You work harder than anyone in town. How many jobs are you balancing right now?”

      “Four if you count the jewelry business.”

      “It counts,” Olivia answered. “Your earrings and bracelets sell better than any others in the community center gift shop.”

      “When are you going to branch out into other stores?” Millie asked.

      “When I figure out how to function on two hours of sleep each night,” Natalie answered. She loved making the jewelry she fashioned out of beads, metal and precious stones. The work both relaxed and invigorated her. The plan had always been to save enough from her nursing jobs to invest in her business so that she could expand. One more thing in her life her ex-husband had ruined.

      “The point is,” Katie continued, “you live simply, you work hard. I’m assuming it’s to save money for Austin’s college fund.”

      “Because it isn’t your addiction to fashion,” Millie interjected.

      Olivia nudged her sister.

      “Sorry,” Millie mumbled. “Was that rude?”

      “It’s fine,” Natalie said with a wry smile.

      “Katie’s right.” Olivia dipped a chip into the salsa. “You’re just not a big spender. Anyone who knows you would never think you’d take advantage of someone in your care.”

      Natalie folded and refolded her napkin. The truth was she hadn’t taken Ruth’s money, but she had a pretty good idea what had happened to it. She knew she needed to ask Ruth outright but was afraid of knowing the truth.

      She took a deep breath and blurted, “I think Ruth might have used the money to pay off my ex-husband.”

      All three women stared at her. Their waitress approached the table, but Olivia shooed her away again.

      “Why would Ruth need to pay off Brad Holt?” Katie asked after a moment.

      “She doesn’t.” Natalie sighed. “She shouldn’t. But I told her that he was kind of...sort of...blackmailing me, and I’m afraid she took matters into her own hands.”

      “Blackmailing you?” Olivia asked.

      “Kind of, sort of?” Millie added.

      “It’s a long story.”

      Millie

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