Carla wagged a finger at her. “Don’t say that. You don’t know what the future will bring.”
“He’s leaving town.”
“What? Why?”
Suddenly feeling despondent, Mitzi turned to straighten the shovels. “He lives in North Dakota—just passing through.”
Carla was silent long enough that Mitzi had to turn around to see if she was still there. She was. And she was looking at Mitzi like she was a puzzle to figure out.
“What?”
“I’m just trying to see how that makes a difference.”
“Like you said, I have a kid to think about. Billy lost his dad. I can’t bring another man into his life who’s going to leave. That’s not fair to him.”
Carla nodded quickly. “I see that. And you’re right.” She rubbed Mitzi’s back. “Then I’d say you need to watch yourself.”
“Why?”
“Because your heart’s already turned toward this guy. You’ll lose it to him without even knowing it.” She patted Mitzi once more and then walked away, letting her words sink in.
She’d had so much fun last night. The kind of fun that was light and easy and made a person believe anything was possible—even a flying sleigh. Carla was right. She couldn’t let herself get carried away like that. She had bills, food to put on the table, and a boy to raise.
When was the last time she’d worried about Billy? She was a mother, so his needs should be at the top of her list. But somehow, last night, she’d just forgotten that he didn’t have friends his age—that he was lonely. She’d meant to call the principal and set up a meeting to talk things over, and she’d forgotten.
Whatever spell Forest cast over her, she had to fight it off. If not for her heart, then for Billy’s sake.
Chapter Seventeen
Forest pulled the rope over his shoulder, turned, and dug his toes into the snow for traction as he pulled the sled out of the garage. They needed to pull off the back and replace it, but there just wasn’t enough room in the tiny space. Sure, the sleigh fit fine, but getting back there to get work done was impossible. Mitzi had pulled the sleigh across the ice and snow without trouble, but it would take both of them to move it across the dry concrete.
“Almost there,” Mitzi called from where she pushed in the back. She’d been able to shimmy between the sleigh and the wall, a process Forest enjoyed watching much too much. He continually had to remind himself that she wasn’t available. Which just wasn’t fair—not when she was so great to be around. They’d come up against several obstacles already, and instead of getting upset or frustrated, she cocked her head to the side, looking at it from another angle, and pondered solutions. It was because of her think-through-it attitude that he’d kept his own frustrations about only having one arm to work with at bay.
“Stop!” Since she had two working arms, Mitzi was the brake. She planted her feet and was dragged several inches before the sleigh stopped. Forest picked up one of the old bricks he’d seen in the garage and braced the runner on the right. Mitzi did the same on the left.
She stood up and zipped up her coat. Now that they were working with the door open, they needed to dress for it.
Forest wandered to the back of the sleigh and took in the damage. Made from a solid piece of pine, it’d cracked down the middle and then half had fallen away. The nails poked out like snarled teeth. Mitzi grabbed a hammer and began tapping them straight so she could force them back out the way they’d gone in.
“You know, if you used something stronger than pine, it might have lasted longer.” She went to the side, braced the hammer with a piece of wood so she wouldn’t dent the side, and pried the nail free.
Forest stood there, feeling useless. Then again, if he had two arms, he wouldn’t have hired Mitzi and she wouldn’t have some extra cash for Christmas. Nothing happened by accident, and God could turn all things for their good. It was just hard to stand around when he was used to being in the middle of things. He pushed out a breath and tried to focus on the positives. “True,” he replied. “But the weight of the sleigh has to be considered. Snowflake isn’t a draft horse.”
Mitzi was on the third nail by now. “I’m surprised she can pull this one.”
“You got it here, didn’t you?” Forest teased.
Mitzi didn’t look up from her task, but she smiled. The curve of her cheek did funny things to his stomach. Things he liked but knew he shouldn’t. “I won’t tell you the swear words I used for fuel.”
Forest laughed, and Mitzi joined in. In moments like these, he could easily picture them working together for the rest of their lives. Car repairs. Washing dishes. A broken vacuum. None of it would be too much for the two of them.
“Okay, let’s see if this will fit.” With the nails gone, Mitzi retrieved the piece she’d measured and cut to size before he arrived. It needed sanding, but he could work a sander once they got it installed. She positioned the piece.
“It’s perfect.” He grinned.
She lifted her hands in the air in triumph. The piece fell back and hit her in the stomach. “Oof!” She laughed and put it back in place. “Maybe I should wait to celebrate until it’s secure.”
She went to grab the nail gun and couldn’t reach it while holding the wood. Forest jumped into action, getting the nail gun for her. He stepped close, turning the gun so it was easy for her to hold.
