Page 31 of Resisting Fate
“Which is?”
She was quiet, setting her fork down like she’d lost her appetite.
Every instinct in him told him something serious was going on with Missy. She was clearly a woman in need. And he always came through for a woman in need. He’d spent half his life caring for his sick mom—she’d suffered from terrible migraines from the brain cancer—and he’d been more parent than kid sometimes. She’d called him Super Ben because he always came to the rescue. It was a part of him that he couldn’t turn off.
He got serious. “Missy, you can tell me. I won’t tell a soul.”
She worried her lower lip for a moment. “I was raising money for a family in need for Christmas. That’s what the craft bazaar was about. Everyone donated most of their profits, and then someone stole the money. More than two thousand dollars. I’m trying to earn it back.”
“Did you report it stolen?”
“No. I didn’t want anyone to know after all the work they put in to make the bazaar a success. I figured I’d just quietly replace the money. I’m the one who was collecting the money anyway, and I’m the one doing all the Christmas shopping for the family.”
He stared at her, an unexpected lump in his throat. She took this ridiculous elf job to help a family in need? She wasn’t just a tough woman, underneath all that, she cared deeply about others. That meant a lot to him, a value he’d been raised with that he took to heart. “Missy, I’ll give you the money—”
“No. It’s my problem. I’ll fix it.”
He blew out a breath. “Why is it your problem? It’s not likeyoustole the money.”
“It just is. Now drop it.” She broke off a piece of the taco salad bowl and chomped it ferociously. She was just being stubborn.
Don’t do it. Don’t you offer her that admin job.
It would behell, knowing how much he wanted her, knowing how good it could be, knowing how much he liked her and wanted to spend more time with her, only to keep a line of professionalism between them. He couldnothave her in his office day in, day out and deny all of his natural instincts.
She stood abruptly, grabbed her elf shoes, and hung onto the back of her chair, slipping them on. “I’d better get back to work. Thanks for lunch.”
“I’m heading out.” He crossed to her side and took her tray from the table. “I’ll escort you to the North Pole so you don’t get accosted by some eager kids.”
“I’m more afraid of getting accosted by you.”
That stung. “Seriously?”
She smiled and squeezed his arm. “Kidding. You’ve been very helpful.”
“It’s kinda my thing.” He dumped the trash, and they took the escalator at the end of the food court back down to Santa’s Workshop.
She turned to him. “You know what’s great about being an elf with a Rudolph nose?”
He smiled. “What?”
“Spreading Christmas cheer,” she said deadpan.
They cracked up.
“Seriously, though, it’s worth it,” she said, “though I confess my first thought was Pennywise. You know that terrifying clown fromIt?”
He laughed. “I don’t think you could ever pull off terrifying in that dress.”
“I guess not. The kids were thrilled. Anyway, I can’t wait to make Christmas special for the Harper kids. There’s three of them, and I think the two youngest might still believe in Santa. They’ve been through so much, and I just want their first Christmas in their new home to be perfect.”
His chest ached with all her heartfelt sentiment. “You’re a good person, Missy Higgins.”
She blushed. “It’s not me. A lot of people helped.”
“Just say thank you.”
“I’m not good with compliments.”
