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She returned his smile. “Because I’m drawing you into all the drama in my life. I’m sure you’re happy about that.”

He shrugged off her sarcasm. “I don’t mind. Life is life, you know? There’s always drama.” He stood. “I’ll be back tomorrow to build the bookshelves for you.”

“There’s no hurry,” she said. “I know how busy you are, trying to get the motel in shape. I feel bad adding to your workload. Definitely don’t worry about me.”

Problem was he couldn’t help it. He liked her too much not to feel the fear and uncertainty she was feeling. “I am worried about you because you look like a deer caught in a pair of headlights now that you’ve made the leap to get your own place. But you’re going to be fine. You’ll see. Don’t overthink it.”

She rubbed her hands on her thighs as she got up to walk him to the door. “Right. I won’t.”

“Let’s go get you a Christmas tree on Saturday. I bet Ari would like that. This will be your first Christmas here in your own place.”

She hesitated but ultimately shook her head. “Thanks, but I shouldn’t spend the money. I used most of my savings to get into this house, need to hang on to the rest until I get a few paychecks in and feel more confident about working with Jack again.”

“The tree will be my gift,” he said.

“No,” she immediately replied. “I don’t want you to spend the money, either. You’ve done enough to help me.”

“I want to get you a tree,” he said, turning to face her at the door. He’d told himself he wouldn’t kiss her again, but since they’d kissed last night and the night before, it was all too easy—seemed only natural. “You’re gorgeous—you know that, right?” he said and kissed her before making himself step outside.

* * *

After Kanon left, Patience locked the house, then turned and surveyed all the boxes stacked on the floor. She was so wound up she planned to get started unpacking—figured she might as well do something until she felt tired enough to sleep. But she didn’t move. She was still savoring the taste and feel of Kanon’s lips, remembering the moment he’d said what he did as he slipped a hand around her neck and drew her in. She wanted more of him—felt giddy when she imagined his naked body against hers, which was dangerous. Becoming reacquainted with Kanon already had her making some pretty big decisions, decisions she probably wouldn’t have made—at least not now—if he hadn’t come back to town. She needed to slow down and be more careful before she got herself in trouble again.

Think of Ari. Be there for Ari. Her daughter was what really mattered, she reminded herself as she struggled against the yearning of her body. Maybe it was time to set up an online dating profile so that she wasn’t thinking only of Kanon all the time.

But she didn’t have any enthusiasm for that. Hoping she’d feel more interest as time went along, she bent to open the closest box.

Since the kitchen already had dishes and silverware and cooking utensils, she only had clothes, decorations and personal items to put away. Anything that wouldn’t fit in the tiny house would be stored in the attached one-car garage. Mr. Devlin’s father’s car had been sold shortly after he died, so the garage was available for her use, and she could already tell she was going to need the extra space.

She remembered how her father had acted as they were leaving, as if she was doing something dreadful to Ari. That wasn’t true, was it? It was so damn hard for her to trust her own judgment over her father’s, especially when she knew he’d be waiting to say “I told you so” if she was wrong.

“We’re going to like it here,” she said and hoped to God it was true.

Chapter Seventeen

Kanon left Patience speaking to the owner of the Christmas tree lot about the festival and walked Ari through the muddy footpaths between the rows of trees on the temporary lot. “Which one do you like best?” he asked.

Ari paused to consider a nine-foot Douglas fir and then a Fraser fir that was slightly smaller. “Both of these look good.” She reached out to check the tags, frowned as if she didn’t like what she saw and turned to survey the other trees, quickly homing in on a sad, small one that looked as if it’d been cast aside to be thrown out. She searched the limbs for a tag, but when she couldn’t find one, said, “This one can’t cost very much, can it?”

Kanon zipped up his coat. The weather had improved, but the wind was cutting through the T-shirt he had on underneath. “That’s what you’re worried about? The cost?”

She winced. “They’re really expensive…”

She reminded him so much of her mother—cautious, sweet and concerned about not taking too much. “It’s okay. You can have whichever one you like—as long as it fits inside the house. The ceilings of your new place aren’t very high, though, so you might want to consider that. If you don’t get one under eight feet, I’ll just have to cut it to make it shorter, and then it might look a little weird.”

She glanced over her shoulder, obviously hoping her mother would join them. He got the impression she wasn’t comfortable making this decision on her own. “Which one do you like?” she asked.

He walked over to a grouping of more expensive trees, but they were all too tall, so he moved to a middle range. “Any of these would work.”

Finally, Patience joined them. “Sorry. Anthony was hoping I could add him to the festival incentive card for the free cookie so that folks will be sure to come see him at the festival, and I was just explaining how that will work.”

Ari didn’t react. She was fingering the tag on a tree that was almost as sad as the one that’d been cast aside.

Kanon gestured toward her. “You might want to provide some input here,” he said with a grin.

Ari gave them both a pained look. “I don’t want to seem greedy.”

Spotting a well-shaped tree only a few feet away, Kanon checked to make sure the needles weren’t falling off. “This one seems fresh. Do you like it?”