Cozy Christmas by Valerie Hansen

Author:Valerie Hansen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

If Josh had been trying his best to stick close to Whitney he could not have run into her any more often. When he moved the ladder and climbed, there she was to hand him things. When he backed off to survey their work, she just happened to be doing the same. And when he and a few others proceeded to another house, she tagged along.

It wasn’t overt pursuit. At least he didn’t think it was. Her nearness seemed to be half due to his heightened awareness of her and half because they were doing the same job. If he assessed the entire situation logically, it was clear that he was just as close to most of the others as he was to Whitney. But it was she, alone, who captured his full attention.

Her smile was brilliant. Her eyes twinkled like the brightest Christmas lights. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold and her laugh...Josh didn’t think he’d ever tire of hearing her light, uplifting laugh. It stood out above everyone else’s the same way her personality did.

“We’re running out of lights,” Matt declared loudly. “I’ll run back and see if Coach Franklin’s group has extras.”

Josh would have volunteered to go if the teen hadn’t waited until he was at the top of a ladder to announce the decision. Watching Matt jog away he was struck by how the other young people were accompanying him. Not only that, since offshoots of the original group had gone their separate ways as well, Josh was now left with only one helper. Whitney Leigh.

She stood at the base of the ladder, steadying it on the uneven ground. “You may as well come down. That’s the last string we have.”

“How about garlands? Are we out of those, too?”

“Afraid so. I think we put too much of everything on the first few houses we did.”

He started to back down the ladder. “Well, then we’ll have to see if we can come up with more decorations later. I can come back and finish up some evening after work.”

“The kids should do it. School vacation starts soon and they’re better off with a constructive outlet for all their energy.” Whitney grinned at him. “Besides playing video games, I mean.”

“There is nothing wrong with playing on a computer as long as I’ve approved the games and they don’t play exclusive of everything else. I time them and limit their usage, within reason.”

She laughed. “You can’t fool me, Smith. You just want to play, too, and sometimes you have to kick the kids out so you can.”

He was chuckling as he finished descending and stopped beside her. “Not really. I have my own gaming and computing stations in my apartment.”

“Is that why you didn’t want Matt to go up there?”

“Who told you that?”

“He did.” Whitney shook her head. “Really, Josh, he’s just a kid. There was no need to get upset. I’m sure he didn’t mean to bother you.”

“I never said he did. I just don’t like company when I’m.

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