LITMIR.BIZ

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Emma said, deep in thought about Zach.

      “No. They were good boys. Adam was eight, Will was seven, Zach, five. She couldn’t wait to get them out of the house and into boarding school. She sent Adam that year. Next year, Will went. Two years later, Zach went.”

      “That seems too young to send them away.”

      “Zach was never the same. He closed up and shut himself off. As a little fellow, he would hug me and climb into my lap. That all stopped. He was getting too big to get on my lap, but the hugs vanished. He was quieter, more remote.”

      “You and Nigel both seem to have a close relationship with him.”

      “Zach is nice to work for and I love him like another son, but he keeps his thoughts to himself. Any woman who thinks she’ll come into his life and change him is in for a big disappointment.”

      “I can’t imagine his solitary life,” Emma said. “My family is like yours and we all gather together on holidays.”

      “Their mother just turned off the love, if she had ever really loved them. It hurt those boys. Maybe not Adam and Will so much because they were the oldest and had had more of her attention.”

      “I don’t understand how she could do that.”

      “She’s hardly ever laid eyes on Caroline who is her only oldest grandchild, the daughter of Adam, who sadly passed away. She has no interest in the little girl. Caroline is showered with love by all those around her, so I don’t think she’s noticed or realized yet, but when she gets older, she will. Mrs. Delaney’s interest is in herself. She doesn’t come see them. Anyway, this is the first Christmas for a Delaney to be here on the ranch in years. I don’t think Zach pays much attention to Christmas. He hasn’t been home in years for a holiday celebration.”

      “I can’t imagine that either. At Christmas, home is the only place I want to be.”

      “I agree,” Rosie said, smiling broadly. “Open the pantry door.”

      Emma did and saw snapshots of children, babies, adults, teens.

      “That’s my family,” Rosie said. “Zach has given me time off and I will be with my family for Christmas.” She wiped her hands and came close to tell Emma the name and relationship of each person.

      “That’s wonderful, Rosie. I know you can’t wait to see them.”

      “Most are in Fort Worth, but others are scattered across Texas. Dallas, San Antonio, Fredericksburg. I’ll be off for three weeks.”

      “This will be a fun Christmas for you,” Emma said, wondering if Zach would enjoy being alone as much as he said he did.

      Later, while as she ran on the treadmill, Emma thought about all Rosie had said. Emma suspected Zach would not put up any Christmas decorations. She glanced at the ceiling, thinking about the room upstairs that led into the attic. Emma’s jaw firmed. She would decorate for Zach. She wanted Christmas reminders in her room and on her desk, but while she was at it, she would decorate the house a little if she found the Christmas decorations.

      Nigel was gone by six each evening. By now Rosie might have left. As soon as she finished on the treadmill and showered, Emma pulled on fresh jeans and a red T-shirt. In the attic it took only minutes to find containers, systematically marked Christmas and each box had an attached list of contents.

      She carried a box to the office and placed decorations around her area. She glanced toward Zach’s desk and debated, leaving it alone except for one small Christmas tree she placed to one side.

      Wondering whether she would encounter Zach, she carried another box to the family room. In the attic she had spotted a beautiful white Christmas tree covered in transparent plastic and tomorrow she intended to ask Nigel to help her get it into the family room.

      Maybe the decorations would get Zach into the holiday spirit.

      In the family room she placed artificial greenery on the mantel and then placed sparkling balls, artificial frosted fruit. She set long red candles in a silver candelabra in the dining room, arranging them on the mantel. The scrape of a shoe made her turn toward the door as Zach entered.

      He stopped to glance around. His black T-shirt and faded, tight jeans set her insides fluttering.

      “What are you doing?” he asked.

      “Decorating a bit for Christmas since the holiday approaches.”

      Zach’s gaze met hers as he crossed the room. “I don’t care about your room or your desk. Otherwise, don’t put this stuff up in the house. Your intentions are nice, but this isn’t what I hired you to do,” he said, stopping only a few feet away.

      “I’m not using work hours to do this,” she said. “I thought you’d like it.”

      “No. I don’t want the clutter. It’s old stuff and doesn’t conjure up warm memories. I’ll get Nigel to see that it’s cleared away.”

      “I can take it out,” she said. “I didn’t know it would be hurtful.”

      “It isn’t hurtful,” he said, with a slight harshness to his tone. “I just don’t want it around and it’s time-consuming to put up and take down. Besides, you shouldn’t be lugging those heavy boxes out of the attic. The decorations are meaningless. These are old decorations that should be tossed.”

      “You don’t think your family, Caroline in particular, might enjoy them?”

      His eyes narrowed. “I’m having an argument over Christmas decorations. Caroline’s house in Dallas and the house in Colorado will probably be decorated from top to bottom. She doesn’t need more here.”

      “You don’t think she’ll see you as Scrooge?”

      “No, she won’t. I’ll have presents for her and she’s so excited over the baby, she won’t care what’s happening here. Caroline has reverted back to a very happy child, which is what she was before she lost her dad. These decorations won’t matter to her. When she’s older, she’ll accept me the way I am. Maybe view me as her eccentric uncle.”

      “Very well,” Emma said quietly.

      “I’m fine about Christmas and the holiday isn’t about decorations. Stop looking at me as if I’ve lost my fortune or some other disaster has befallen me.”

      “I don’t think losing your fortune would be as disastrous as what you are losing. And I know Christmas isn’t about decorations. You childhood doesn’t have to carry over in the same way now.”

      “Stop worrying about me being alone,” he said, smiling, his voice growing lighter as he stepped closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. His blue eyes were as riveting as ever. Her heart thudded and longing for his kisses taunted her.

      He glanced around and walked to the big box of decorations to rummage in it.

      “What are you doing?”

      “What you wanted. I’ll observe one old Christmas custom. There are some decorations I want.”

      Smiling, wondering what he searched for, she stepped closer.

      “Here’s one,” he said, pulling out a decorative hanging cage filled with sprigs of artificial mistletoe. “I’ll put mistletoe up all over this part of the house. Let’s see if we can follow one Christmas tradition,” he added, his tone lowering another notch, strumming over her nerves. “You can help with this.”

      “I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” she whispered.

      “I think it’s fantastic.” He attached the ornament to the hook on the top of the door, then stood beneath it. “You want some Christmas traditions in my life. Well, here’s one,” he said, winding his arm around her waist to draw her closer as he leaned forward.

      His mouth was warm, his lips firm on hers. She opened to him, melting against him while her unspoken

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