Page 7 of A Moon Lake Christmas Hero

His voice. The one from the phone. The guy who’d talked to me and taken me in his arms yesterday. The one who’d promised everything would be okay. Then demanded I stayed at his place overnight.

The three guys yesterday handled the situation like knights in shining armor. They organized my car getting towed, then drove me and the dog to Whitebrook, the next biggest town over where we split up so Alan, the town doc, and my new boss went to the ER with me, where they did some X-rays, and it was determined I would be okay.

The other two guys, Richard, the sheriff, and James, the mayor, went to the vet to get help for Lucy.

That’s what I secretly named the dog.

Lucy.

Lucy needed to stay overnight at the vet, so they picked up Alan and me, and together, we made our way back to Moon Lake.

I should’ve thanked them, but I’d been so tired on our way back home, I just let their conversations flow around me while leaning my head against the headrest and looking at the beautiful winter wonderland flying by.

They debated who would keep me overnight as if I was a stray, or a child in need to be taken care of.

I should’ve told them I could take care of myself, but it was so nice not to be the one in charge for once, not be the one who had to make every decision and take care of everyone else.

Tears gathered in my eyes.

I’d been the sole caretaker of my parents, been the one in charge for so long. When I went grocery shopping that day, I never imagined something like this would happen.

The fire started somewhere downstairs and spread like crazy in the old building.

Fast, too fast to get everyone out.

I was in charge of my parents, and I’d left them weak and helpless. It was my fault they couldn’t escape the burning building, my fault they died. And here I was, not deserving the attention and kindness these strangers were affording me.

I snapped my mouth shut to clamp down the tears lodged in my throat.

The girls looked alarmed. “Daddy,” one of them screeched, and the other one ran out of the room.

It took a second, max, and he was there.

Oh, man.

It would’ve been nice to hold it together for once. And not scare those little girls with my out-of-control emotions.

“What are you rascals doing in here? I told you to let her sleep.” He admonished the girl in his arms and sat her on the floor next to her sister. Then his eyes met mine.

For a split second, he skipped to my lips before he stared back into my eyes, and my tears dried up like a puddle of water on a hot, sunny day.

Holy shit. Those eyes.

I mean, I saw them yesterday, but somehow my brain was too occupied to really appreciate them, but right here, right now, they looked like two laser beams.

Unreal.

Mesmerizing.

Wasn’t that what Jessie had called it yesterday?

How fitting.

Without a doubt, this was superman. The mayor. The one who didn’t want me here.

The one who talked me down on the phone and cupped my cheek; the one who told me he had me. And wrapped me into his body heat.

And I was a hot mess, so he probably already regretted saying yes to hiring me.

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