I playfully slapped his chest, and promptly ignored the fact that I was flirting with my head of security. “I wanted to know if you’d be willing to help. I know it isn’t in your job description, but with such short notice, I’m going to need all of the help I can get. I will pay you generously, as well as anyone else willing to pitch in, for their time and labor.”
He smiled kindly with a hint of a twinkle in his green eyes. “Of course, I’ll help. You didn’t even need to ask. I’m sure Seth and Ian will be happy to help, too. Just let us know what you need.”
“First and foremost, I need to go shopping for building materials.”
“About that…I have an idea I think will save you a lot of time and energy,” he said carefully.
“I’m open to any and all suggestions.”
“Most home improvement supply stores have a few prefabricated storage sheds on site. You could purchase those instead of building your own and paint them to your liking. You may have to pay a little extra for expedited delivery, but in the end, I think it would be worth it.”
“That’s a brilliant idea! Thank you so much, Ronan!” I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He didn’t hesitate to slide his arms around my waist and return the embrace. I took the opportunity to relish in the feel of his firm body pressed against mine. He felt so right.
Ronan cleared his throat. “Should I call Cameron to bring the car around?”
I stepped back and nodded. “Yes, please. Gabby and I will be ready to go in fifteen minutes,” I blurted and turned to leave.
Ronan chuckled lightly. “I’ll be at the front door whenever you’re ready.”
With that, I rushed off to tell Gabby the good news.
3
Jacquelyn
We spent the day moving from store to store. While Ronan was arranging and scheduling deliveries, Gabby and I ventured off to other sections to gather supplies—cans of paint, Christmas lights, and decorations. At one particular store, we purchased every paint brush, roller, and sprayer they had in stock. By the end of the day, we had purchased twelve storage sheds from various stores that were scheduled to be delivered the next day. We also rented a box truck to haul everything else home with us.
I was exhausted, so I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Gabby fell asleep in the car on the way home. “Don’t wake her,” Ronan said quietly. “I’ll carry her inside.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind. She’s going to need her rest for tomorrow. No sense in waking her up if we don’t have to.”
I laughed. “She’s not the only one who’s going to need rest for tomorrow, but I still have several things to do before I can call it a night.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Ronan asked.
“I hate to ask, since you’ve already done so much, but would you mind ordering us something for dinner?”
“I’ll be happy to.”
“Please, order something for Seth and Ian as well and invite them to eat with us in the main house.”
Thirty minutes later, the four of us were sitting down to dinner in the dining room while Gabby was fast asleep upstairs. “Thank you all so very much for helping us today. Please, don’t feel like you have to assist with the project. Your employment with me will not be affected one way or another by your participation.”
“I have to admit, Mrs. Marks, I’m more than a little excited about helping you and Gabby build a life-size Christmas village,” Seth shared. Seth was a kind young man in his late twenties. He started out filling in for one of my other guards and readily stepped into the full-time position when it became available.
I looked to Ian for his response. “Same here, Mrs. Marks. I love Christmas, and I’m happy to pitch in and help with anything that benefits those less fortunate, especially children.”
I was a bit surprised by Ian’s response. He was older than Seth, probably in his early forties if I had to guess. He was certainly the quiet one of the bunch, but he was excellent at his job and hardly ever took days off or called in sick.
“I don’t know how I got so lucky. You three truly are a blessing.”
The three of them looked at their plates and ignored the compliment. Nice guys, but still men, I supposed.
“So, do you fellas have any friends looking to make some extra cash for the holidays?” I asked hopefully.
“I know a couple of guys I can ask,” Seth said.
