Page 24 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

“I have four. All older.” Anthony’s fists clenched the steering wheel until they throbbed. “I was a surprise when Grant was six. Before that, my parents thought they were done.”

“They must have been excited,” she said, hesitantly.

“My mom was. My brothers were, too, until they got older and lost interest in me.”

“I’m sorry.” Delilah’s tone was soft, heavy with empathy, and he shifted in the cushioned driver’s seat. The last thing he wanted was for Delilah pitying him.

“What about your siblings?” he asked.

“I’m an only child.”

Anthony chuckled. “That’s what I felt like after my parents’ divorce. Grant chose to move with our dad to Boise, and I stayed here with our mom. The only one of my siblings to visit was my brother Bradley.”

“Where does he live?” Delilah asked.

“Northern Idaho.”

“What about your mom?”

A lump climbed up Anthony’s throat, making it hard to swallow. “She passed last spring.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s life. I had almost thirty years with her, which is more than some kids get.” Anthony cleared his throat. “What about your parents?”

“They moved to Boise while I was in college. They thought I would want to live in the city after graduation and were shocked when I came back here.”

Anthony made a left, slowing down through the heart of town. “Why did you?”

“Holly, mostly. I have trouble making friends because I have trust issues with most people.”

He didn’t tell her he felt the same way about his friends. When his dad left, his mom broke down, and he had no idea how to comfort her. He’d spent a lot of time at Pike’s and Nick’s houses until she’d finally stopped crying at the drop of the hat.

“Where am I going?” he asked, realizing he’d never asked her address.

“The duplexes on Spruce. Number 404. You’ll make a right up ahead, and they’ll be on the left.”

“Got it. Do you rent or own?”

“I rent. What about you?”

“I live in a camper trailer.” He was used to horrified silence from women and wasn’t surprised when Delilah didn’t respond immediately.

“In an RV park?” she asked, finally.

There was no judgment or disgust in her tone or expression when he glanced her way, just the high-pitched lilt of curiosity.

“No, I bought a few acres past the Winters’ Christmas tree farm when I was nineteen.” Anthony turned on his blinker and took the right like she’d said. “I saved up to put in a well, septic, and electricity and bought a cheap trailer to fix up. I’ve been saving for ten years to build my dream house. I’m really close, too.”

Now was the time when most people had an opinion on his choices. “Wow, you’ve been saving for ten years and still live in a trailer?” Or his favorite, “You should have just bought a home already built. It would have been cheaper.” It didn’t do him any good to argue because people didn’t understand. This was going to be his forever home and he wasn’t going to settle for less than what he wanted.

Exactly how he felt when it came to romance. The woman he finally fell in love with was going to make him feel so intensely for her, there would be no question that he loved her.

The house was something he could control, while love was a little more unpredictable.

Anthony braced himself, ready to fire back with a snarktastic comment to whatever condescending opinion she had.

“I think that’s astounding,” she said, reaching out to touch his shoulder briefly. “Doing something like that takes a lot of patience and sacrifice. I like to spend my money, which is why my dad is always going off on me about emergency funds and unexpected expenses.”