Romancing the Holiday by Jaci Burton, Helenkay Dimon, Christi Barth Read Free Book Online Page B

you be for the holidays?”
    Spence’s finger curled around the edge of the menu as he waited for an answer. Every muscle inside him pulled tight with tension. The reaction, his loss of control, ticked him off. He shouldn’t care about her answer. He should want her to pack up and get out. He didn’t need a complication, and she promised to be one of those before she’d ever opened her mouth and agreed to join him in that hotel room.
    And that mouth...damn, there was a memory he couldn’t kick.
    “I’ll be here.” She opened the menu then closed it again without looking inside. “Well, not Holloway but nearby in Parry Springs where the campground is. I live there now.”
    “What?” Austin shot Spence a help-me-out-here look. “She’s kidding, right?”
    Spence recognized Austin’s stunned expression because Spence had felt that mix of confusion and futility ever since he opened Mitch’s office door and saw Lila standing there .
    Spence used the opening to try to get a clearer answer from her. “What about spending the holidays with your family?”
    “There’s no one but Uncle Ned and flying to see him is an extravagance I can’t really afford right now.” Her voice stayed strong and sure, like the words meant nothing, but sadness moved through her eyes.
    Spence would bet anger was mirrored in his. The idea she thought being alone at the holidays was even a possibility sent his rage level soaring. “That’s not going to happen.”
    “I hate to agree with Spence, but I have to on this,” Austin said. “You can’t stay alone. Not there.”
    Spence appreciated the brotherly assist. “Listen to Austin. Even ignoring the holiday piece for a second, the campground is a mess. It’s not a secret Ned let it go and stopped making money years ago. He only stayed as long as he did out of some sort of loyalty to his dead wife.”
    Austin’s foot slammed against Spence’s. “Well, that’s understandable since they did build the place together. I mean, of course Ned was mourning and wanted to keep the attachment as long as possible.”
    As far as Spence was concerned, Ned stayed too long. “Whatever.”
    “I can fix the cabins up and make it profitable. The location is perfect for skiers and hikers.” Lila’s eyes lit up and her voice got all wistful in that dreamy way women did when they talked about chocolate and shoes. “With a little love and a bit of sweat equity, it will be great again.”
    Time for a wake-up call. “You can’t even keep a cactus alive.”
    Austin tapped his fingers against the table as his gaze switched from Lila to Spence. “Is that code for something?”
    “She needs some help with the renovations.”
    Austin nodded. “We can help with that. We both owe Ned. He saved us from trouble more than once when we were kids.”
    “Agreed. We need to get the permits and supplies.” Spence stopped talking when Lila began her head-shaking thing. “What now?”
    He fought the urge to talk over her. Yelling might feel good right about now, too. He’d do it if that’s what it took to jumpstart her common sense...and if they didn’t have an audience that even now leaned in.
    “Smooth,” Austin mumbled as he spun his empty water glass around in his palm.
    “It’s not your responsibility. I’m not. It’s not your job to step in,” she said.
    It was a lovely little speech. One Spence might have listened to if he thought she could do any of the necessary repairs without having a cabin fall on her head. The idea of her being out there, alone and injured, made the muscles in his neck snap.
    “But I’m going to.” That seemed to be his new mantra with her. She insisted and he reacted with an automatic no. Some might say that made him an ass. He’d wear the tag with comfort if it meant she was safe and warm and not in a ditch somewhere.
    “Catch me up, Lila. Why not take the help?” Austin asked.
    “She’s the go-it-alone type.” Spence did his best to make that sound like a