His Brother's Christmas Bride Read online

  “Of course not,” she said, so emphatically he believed her. “That wasn’t excusable no matter how you figure it. But that can’t have been the only thing wrong in the marriage. Do you think you might have had a hand in whatever led up to her decisions?”

  “Maybe,” he admitted. He’d been suspicious and jealous since the day he and Ann married. No relationship could have survived long with that hanging over it. His marriage had always been doomed to failure. “But I’m not convinced I’d do better on the next attempt. Even if I wanted to try again.”

  “You’d find a way, if you desired it enough. If it was important enough.”

  Will nodded, not entirely convinced. Could he change that much? Put himself out there again and learn to trust? Fear had her hooks in deep, and he couldn’t extricate himself. All he could imagine was being hurt and betrayed all over again by someone he cared about. He couldn’t willingly put himself through that.

  They finished the dishes while Will turned the problem over in his mind, though there was no obvious solution.

  As if by unspoken agreement, they left the kitchen and headed to the hall that housed both their bedrooms. Will seriously regretted putting Molly so close to him, even if it was her fiancé’s room. No doubt he’d spend another sleepless night, tossing and turning while imagining her so close and yet so out of reach.

  They made their way through the darkened corridors, with Will switching off lights as he went. When Molly arrived at her door, Will hesitated. He wanted to move past her and continue into his own sanctuary, but he felt like a man escorting his date home—as if it was polite for him to wait until she was inside.

  But instead of stepping straight into her room, she hesitated in the doorway. Will’s heart thumped in anticipation—of what, he couldn’t be sure.

  She stared up at him with luminous eyes, not saying anything. Waiting? But for what?

  He cleared his throat. “Good night,” he whispered, but didn’t move away.

  “Night,” she said, making no move to shut the door.

  Will found himself stepping forward, drawn to her as if on a string. She didn’t take her eyes off him as he neared and Will was painfully aware of his own body. The tight skin, the thumping heart. Her lips fell open, her chest rising and falling more deeply than he’d seen it.

  He was only an inch away now, and Molly’s head tilted back so she could meet his gaze. Was that anticipation he saw there? Surely not.

  Because this was Molly. His brother’s future wife.

  And totally and completely off limits.

  Will tore his gaze from hers and took three hurried steps back. He was panting in a confusing mix of lust and panic. What had he almost done? Worse, had Molly wanted him to?

  Her gaze was shuttered now, her brows pulled into a frown. He must have imagined the whole thing. God, he was an asshole. She should have kicked him where it hurt for thinking such thoughts about her.

  “Right,” he said. “Sorry. I’ll…” He gestured to his room down the hall. He strode off in that direction, Molly’s gaze burning into his back.

  Hating himself the whole time.

  Chapter Six

  Thwack.

  Will brought the axe down with satisfying force. Another sleepless night had done nothing to dispel the restless energy running through his veins. This morning, he’d avoided Molly by skipping his tea and heading straight to the wood pile. The firewood wasn’t urgent, but it served as a convenient excuse.

  He’d have to face Molly eventually, of course. Hopefully, she’d be as keen to forget the moment in the hall last night as he was. And why wouldn’t she be? He was her future brother-in-law, and neither of them wanted to go through the rest of their lives believing Will had almost kissed her.

  But to straighten that out, he’d need to talk to her. And Will wasn’t sure he was ready to face up to that. As usual, he was being a coward.

  A movement caught the corner of his eye. Will glanced over to see Molly in the kitchen window, her hands curled around a mug of tea, her hair flowing softly around her face. She wore a robe, telling him she’d recently woken up and was still in her pajamas.

  Will swallowed, his mind instantly darting to thoughts of her in bed. He wrenched his mind from that dangerous path and picked up another log.

  The back of his neck tingled and he turned to find her eyes on him. She lifted a hand in greeting, and he automatically did the same. She made no move to walk away, content to watch him.

  Will brought the axe down again. The cut wasn’t as clean this time, his mind still in the kitchen with Molly. He turned again to find her gaze still on him and his skin heated. What was happening here? He eyed himself, wondering what she saw.

  He’d discarded his jacket on the log pile, leaving him in his flannel shirt. He’d rolled up the sleeves in deference to the hard work, and his undershirt stuck to his body with sweat. His hair flopped over his forehead, a little too long. Between that and his beard, he probably looked like a lumberjack.

  If he was reading Molly right, she didn’t mind at all. He’d even say she was enjoying the show. Shamelessly.

  What the hell?

  Will could potentially accept that this attraction wasn’t one-sided, though that seemed far-fetched enough. But the fact that she wasn’t hiding it, she was openly watching him with wide eyes and parted lips, made his head spin.

  He wouldn’t have thought Molly was a cheater. Then again, he would have said the same of Ann, before he discovered her doing exactly that.

  But even if Molly was that kind of woman, surely, knowing his history, she wouldn’t consider making a move. She had to know he’d refuse. So what could her current actions possibly achieve?

  Will brought the axe down again, too hard this time. The pieces of wood flew off the stump, landing in the snow. Will didn’t even care, too embroiled in frustration and confusion. What the hell was happening?

  Maybe Molly wasn’t the woman he’d thought. She could be playing some kind of game with him and his brother, manipulating them both for purposes he didn’t yet understand. Did she want to lure them both in, only to break their hearts?

  He’d trusted his brother knew what he was doing, but maybe he’d been too hasty. It was possible Molly was running a con on them. This woman was still mostly a mystery, and it was about time he did some investigating. He could save Peter from making the biggest mistake of his life.

  It was possible Will simply wanted to find a reason to dislike her—she could be interested in wood cutting, not him—since disliking her would be far easier than the turmoil roiling in his gut. But it was a good reminder for him not to trust people blindly. He’d made that mistake before, and it wouldn’t hurt to be more careful this time around.

  Finally, Will gave up chopping wood and slammed his axe into the stump for next time. He grabbed his jacket, braced himself, and strode into the kitchen.

  “Morning,” Molly said, giving him a shy smile over the rim of her mug.

  “Morning,” he replied, heading straight for the kettle and ignoring the way that smile hit him straight in the gut. “Sleep well?”

  “Alright. You?”

  Will focused on making his tea and toast so he didn’t have to meet her gaze. “Fine,” he lied.

  “I need to go into town today to pick up some things and find someone to help with the cleaning.”

  “Okay,” he said, letting out a breath. A day without her in the house would give him a chance to relax and get his head on straight. And, if necessary, snoop a little.

  “I was hoping you’d come with me.”

  Will set his plate too hard on the countertop and the clatter sounded unbearably loud in the early morning quiet.

  “Why’s that?” he managed. A day—even a few hours—stuck by her side? Attuned to her every move and breath? Liking her more every second he spent in her company? It was exactly what he didn’t need.

  “Well, you’ll know where to go to find stuff. And who to hire. It’ll be much qui
cker, and I won’t be stumbling around blindly.”

  Will inhaled. Her logic made sense. Damn it.

  “Plus, I might need help carrying some stuff.”

  Will cursed under his breath. “Yeah, I can spare a few hours.”

  “Great. The shops won’t be open for a few more hours, I assume, so that’ll give me a chance to do a final check of my list and then I’ll come find you in your workshop. Does that work?”

  “Sure.” He wanted to kick himself, but how could he possibly get out of it without being rude. And he definitely didn’t want to be rude, particularly if it turned out his suspicions about her were incorrect.

  “I better go get ready. Nice form on the wood out there, by the way.”

  Will’s head whipped around in time to see her wink, and then she disappeared out the kitchen door.

  He stared after her, cheeks heating. There was no way that was anything other than flirtatious, right? Question was, did it mean anything, or was she a naturally flirty person?

  Will had no idea, but he intended to find out.

  Most of the shops in town had already closed for the season, but a few brave souls were baring out the weather in the hope of catching a few last-minute shoppers.

  “What do you need?” Will asked as he parked his truck on Main Street. He’d stayed silent on the drive, pretending to focus on the icy roads. Molly had been equally quiet, content to stare out the window at the scenery.

  “Some flowers, napkins, linens, ribbons, and other bits and pieces like cake toppers and table numbers. I found some china and such in your cabinets, I hope you don’t mind me using. The caterer and photographer are friends of mine who owe me a favor, so I have that sorted.”

  Will narrowed his eyes at her. She was a much more hands-on bride than Will remembered Ann being. It was another unexpected aspect to her, since he would have though any woman Peter married would be happy to hand the planning over to a wedding planner.

  Most likely, she was helping because the wedding was so short notice, and it was an all hands on deck situation.

  “Flowers will be Jeff, that way,” he said, pointing. “Napkins and linens will be Sandy, behind you. And ribbons will be the craft shop back the way we came. Anything else, the gift shop should still be open.”

  She nodded, noting his directions in her little notebook, going so far as to draw a crude map on the pages. What other secrets might that book hold?

  “And the cleaner?” she asked.

  Will considered that for a long moment. “I’ll talk to someone. They’ll know. I figure we get someone who needs a bit of extra money for the season.”

  She nodded. “I love that idea.”

  Why couldn’t she be the woman Will had expected her to be? The kind that would demand the best, regardless of cost, and not consider who she hurt in the process?

  Or was this all an act?

  God, this woman confused him. So sweet and kind one minute, then flirting with him the next.

  Will stepped out of the warm truck and into the cool morning air, breathing deep. Few people were on the streets, and those that were hurried to their destinations.

  “I’ll find you in a bit,” he said to Molly, and then hurried into the coffee shop on the corner. The man inside glanced up from wiping the table and greeted Will with a smile.

  “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been busy. Christmas orders and everything.” It was a hollow excuse, but Danny didn’t call him on it.

  Will and Peter had known Danny years ago, back when they were kids. During the day, when their parents and guests were sleeping off the night’s indulgences, Will and his brother would find their way to Danny’s house to play. Or, the three boys would meet in the woods and spend their time creating elaborate fantasy adventures. It had been a life-saving escape for the Callaghan boys.

  When Will had moved back to town two years ago, he’d seen Danny in town during his first few days. Danny had instantly recognized him. While Will was always friendly when he saw the other man, and went out of his way to stop by the café when he was in town, he hadn’t taken him up on his offers to hang out, and instead put the man off.

  It wasn’t Danny’s fault, of course. The guy seemed genuine enough. But Will no longer trusted his judgment when it came to picking friends, particularly after what had happened with Eric. It was far easier to keep to himself rather than taking that risk.

  “I can imagine. On the other hand, my business is dead this week. But I figure since I don’t have much else to do, I may as well keep it open.”

  Happy chatter came from the corner behind the counter, and Will leaned sideways to see a two-year-old boy smiling at him from a high chair.

  “That your nephew?” he asked.

  “Yeah. His mom has work today, thankfully. She’s been struggling to find stuff lately. I said I’d watch him, since it’s quiet and there’s no use her paying babysitting fees.”

  Bonnie was a single mom as of about six months ago when her husband died suddenly. Since he was the breadwinner, she’d had difficulties ever since.

  “Would she want some more work the next few days?” he asked.

  Danny eyed him. “You came in here to offer her a job?”

  “Yeah, a temporary one. My brother’s getting married Christmas Eve, and I need to clean the whole house out. Give the bride a hand setting up the tables and such. Think she’d be interested? We’d pay her a fair rate, obviously.”

  “Yeah, she’d be interested. I’m happy to watch the kid for a few more days. Thanks, man, I appreciate it.”

  The admiration in Danny’s eyes made Will faintly uneasy, so he nodded and stepped back. “She knows where the house is, right?”

  “Yeah, of course. Bright and early?”

  “If she doesn’t mind.”

  “I didn’t know Peter was seeing anyone,” Danny mused, leaning his hip against the counter. Apparently, he either hadn’t picked up on Will’s subtle signals that he wanted to leave, or he’d ignored them.

  Will forced himself to relax. Chatting to an acquaintance shouldn’t come with stress, and Danny was a good guy.

  “Honestly, neither did I. He called me out of the blue a few days ago to say not only was he getting married, but the bride wanted a Christmas wedding and had loved photos of the house.”

  “That’s…odd.”

  “Tell me about it,” Will said in relief, glad he wasn’t the only one with concerns.

  “But you’ve met the bride now? What do you think?”

  Will let out a long breath. “Honestly, I’m not sure. She seems great, but I can’t imagine her and Peter as a couple. Which makes me wonder why they’re together. I know opposites attract, but…”

  The door to the café opened with a tinkle of bells behind him, and Will whirled around to see Molly stepping into the store. As it always did when he saw her, his breath froze in his lungs and his heart swelled in happiness. He cursed himself for a fool, but couldn’t control himself.

  Molly stopped when she saw him.

  “Oh, you’re in here. I was about to get a tea.”

  Will nodded and gestured to Danny. “Well, this is your man. His sister will help you out with the cleaning and prep over the next few days.”

  Her eyes lit and a grin spread across her face. “Yeah? That’s fantastic. Has she ever done wedding work before?”

  “No,” Danny said, moving behind the counter. “But she’s had experience as a cleaner, and she works hard and can follow directions.”

  “That works out perfectly.”

  The two kept chatting about the wedding while Will did his best to tune them out. He still couldn’t picture the wedding going ahead, but didn’t know who would come to their senses in time—Molly or Peter.

  “Here you go,” Danny said eventually, handing Molly her tea.

  “Thanks. I better get back to it.” She sent a hopeful glance Will’s way, but he wasn’t sure what she was asking for. She turned back to Dann
y. “Loads still to find, I needed a caffeine jolt to get me through. I look forward to meeting your sister.”

  “Yes, for sure.” Danny and Will waved goodbye as Molly stepped back into the cold.

  “She’s nice,” Danny commented.

  “Yes. But can you imagine her and Peter together?”

  “It’s been a long time since I saw Peter, but he always convinced me as the uptight social-climbing type. Molly…is not that type.”

  “Exactly,” Will said with satisfaction. “Something weird is happening.”

  Danny eyed him for a long moment. “Something weird, as in she’s a con artist? Or something weird as in you like her?”

  Will’s gaze snapped to Danny’s. “What makes you say that?”

  “I saw your expression when she walked in the door. You’re pretty transparent.”

  “Damn.” If Danny saw it immediately, then Molly wouldn’t have failed to notice, right? How could they pretend his inappropriate sentiments didn’t exist if she knew? He scratched his beard and sighed. “This whole thing has been a nightmare. I don’t know what to believe.” He paused. “You think she knows? About…you know…my conflicted feelings?”

  “Possibly,” Danny said, wiping the countertop. “But if she does, she doesn’t seem bothered by it. Take that as a blessing.”

  Will nodded. “Ignoring it is the most mature way of dealing with it, at least until I can get it under control. And that goes for you, too. No spreading this around town.”

  Danny held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “You won’t step in?” Danny asked lightly.

  “Hell no.” He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. At least, he hoped not. Damn it.

  “Didn’t think so. I guess…just be careful. Don’t ruin your brother’s happiness, either by being suspicious of her, or liking her too much.”

  Will leaned back against the wall, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I know. I’ve been trying. I won’t be that guy. But on the other hand, shouldn’t I protect him if I can?”