A Savannah Christmas Wish

“You think I do?” she choked out.

“No.” He reached out to her.

She slapped his hand away, holding on to her anger to keep back the tears. “At least this time I wasn’t a virgin.”

“Did you have to bring that up?” He closed his eyes and let out a massive sigh. “You make me crazy. You’re always out of control.”

“Out of control?” She threw up a hand and then had to grab the slipping sheet. “I’m not out of control.”

He held up his hand. The scar between his thumb and forefinger stood out, a white stripe on his tan skin.

“That wasn’t my fault.” She chewed her lip.

“How can you say that?” He leaned forward. “You took old windowpanes to make some sort of greenhouse. You were what? Thirteen?”

“Twelve.” She winced. “And it was working just fine until you got involved.”

“Pop and your mother were worried the glass would fall and slice your head off.” He threw up the scarred hand and slapped it against the bed. “They made me take it apart, and I was the one who got hurt.”

“Everything was fine.” Or would have been if Daniel had just left her homemade greenhouse alone.

He rolled his eyes. “How about when you followed me and my date to Forsythe Park?”

She swallowed. “I was taking a walk.”

“You were spying.”

“I was fourteen.” She raised her eyebrows. “And you shouldn’t have had your hand on her boob.”

“You should have stayed away from me. But you just couldn’t help butting in. You lied and said my mother was looking for me.” He inhaled. “Chaos surrounds you. You can’t control your impulses.”

“Control my impulses?” She was controlling them right now. He didn’t know how much she wanted to punch him in the nose.

“I grew up in chaos.” He grabbed his pants and jerked them on. “Every time I turned around, Nathan was creating trouble or weaseling out of trouble. I can’t live like that.”

“Control. That’s you to a T.” She knelt on the mattress facing him, the sheet wrapped around her body. “At least you had some control last night. This time I had an orgasm.”

He ripped a hand through his hair. “Do you even remember yanking me into a fountain?”

“And wet shoes forced you to have sex with me?” She waved a hand over the neutral zone between their bodies. She should keep her mouth shut, but this was humiliating. “Having sex was my fault?”

“Not this time.” He pulled on his shirt, letting the words sink in.

“Sure. I seduced you when we were young, but you hardly pushed me away then, or last night.”

“I was drunk.”

“Do you realize how stupid you sound?” She’d changed, but Daniel couldn’t or didn’t want to see that.

“It’s never happening again. We’ll...just stay away from each other.”

“Fine with me.” She tucked the sheet even higher around her chest. “I wouldn’t sleep with you if we were the last two people on an island. I wouldn’t sleep with you if you begged me next time.”

“Great.”

The thorn wedged itself in her chest, piercing her heart. “Get out.”

* * *

AFTER THE WEDDING BRUNCH, everyone waved Mamma and Martin off in front of Fitzgerald House.

Moving into the entryway, Bess asked her sisters, “Do you have fifteen minutes?”

“Sure,” Dolley said.

“What’s up?” Abby asked as they headed to the kitchen’s sitting area with a fresh pot of tea.

Stalling, Bess added milk to her mug before pouring her tea. She hated this. “Daniel’s turning my apartment into a condo.”

As she said the bastard’s name, her face heated.

Dolley rocked back in the love seat, her mug paused next to her lips. “Really?”

“I’ve checked with a couple of mortgage companies, but I don’t qualify for a large enough loan.” Bess took a deep breath. “Cade laid me off last week.” Her words rattled out.

“What?” Dolley came out of her chair.

“Cade let me go. His son has his degree now. He’s not very good, but there isn’t enough business for two landscape architects.”

“Cade’s an idiot,” Dolley said.

Abby put her hand on Bess’s arm. “What can we do?”

“I’ll find another job.” She hoped. “This gives me the time to concentrate on Carleton House.”

“Perfect.” Abby’s green eyes held too much sympathy.

Bess didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for her.

“It’s wrong.” Dolley frowned. “You lose both your job and your apartment. How can Daniel do that to you?”

“It’s not Daniel’s fault.” Bess hated defending a man who’d humiliated her—twice. Well, three times now, if she counted the two times ten years ago. God, she was a fool.

Men always broke her heart. Why had she thought her job would be different? She rubbed her temple, relieved her headache had eased. “Forester Construction needs the money to cover Carleton House’s operating expenses.”

Abby touched her hand. “For us.”

Dolley tugged on her red curls. “That sucks.”

“I can’t blame them,” Bess said.

Abby pulled her hand away from her mouth. Bess hadn’t noticed she’d been chewing her nails.

“When do you have to move?” Dolley asked.

“Daniel’s letting me stay until they have a purchase agreement on my place, but only if I move my plants. Gray’s lending me his truck so I can move them into the sunroom and parlors.” She didn’t want or need Daniel’s help.

“I’ll help,” Dolley said.

“Thanks.” Her fingers sank into the arm of her chair. “I love my apartment.”

“Once Gray and I move into the Carleton carriage house, you’ll move into the Fitzgerald carriage house,” Abby said.

“Maybe.” Tears stung her eyes. She hated the idea of moving home.

“What about a job?” Dolley asked.

“I’ve updated my résumé and sent it out.” She rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the ache there. Fall was not the time to be looking for a job in her industry.

“You’re an artist.” Abby’s face was fierce. “Anyone would be lucky to have you work for them.”

“Thanks.” Bess eyes misted over. “Until I get another job, I’ll push hard on the Carleton House gardens.”

“Perfect.” Abby rubbed Bess’s arm. “There’s so much work. I’ve worried how you would get everything done.”

Dolley tipped her head. “We’ll increase your draw.”

“Why?” Bess frowned. “We’re an equal partnership. I shouldn’t be treated differently.”

“Dolley’s right.” Abby raised her hands. “We aren’t equal. I’ve always had a different draw because I’m full-time. You’ll be working full time.”

“I guess that could work.” But it felt like a handout to Bess.

“I have an idea.” Abby snapped her fingers. “You can be the liaison between Samuel, Gray and us on Carleton House.”

“That’s a great idea.” Dolley leaned forward. “When you get another job, we’ll work something else out.”

Bess tapped her lip. Being involved with the construction side would be fun. “I’d love to work with Samuel.”

“Excellent.” Abby’s strawberry-blonde ponytail bounced as she nodded. “You’ll make Carleton House shine.”

“Thank you.” She swallowed. Her sisters were the best. “I had one other idea.”

“What?” Abby asked.

“There’s a foundation for Carleton House’s greenhouse on the property. Instead of tearing it out, I think we should rebuild it.”

Dolley frowned. “Will it be expensive?”

“I’ll get the costs.” Bess sat forward. “I could grow more of the B and B’s flowers and reduce our decorating budget. I’d make orchids the B and B’s signature flower.”

Dolley frowned.

Abby tugged on her ear. Not a good sign. “I like the idea, but we need to get Carleton House finished so we can open the rooms.”

“I think we should give it a try.” Bess looked over at Dolley, hoping for support.

“Gather the costs,” Dolley said. “But we shouldn’t add more to our plans than we’ve already committed.”

Bess tried not to sigh. A greenhouse was a great idea. But she didn’t want to fight with her sisters.

She would gather the information and hope the numbers proved her point. Losing her home and job and being stupid enough to sleep with Daniel Forester was enough humiliation for now.

* * *

TUESDAY MORNING, BESS walked into Fitzgerald House’s kitchen, eager to sit in on the first Carleton House renovation meeting. She’d always envied Abby spending so much time with Samuel.

When Bess was eight, Mamma had started turning their home into a B and B. Samuel had always been around. It had taken almost twenty years to finish all the rooms, and in that time he’d become a fixture in the house and the families had become close friends. The sisters thought of him as their surrogate dad, especially since he always called them his girls.

Of course, she’d followed Daniel around for the first nine years and then ignored him for the next ten.

Samuel sat at the head of the table, looking at blueprints. Abby and Gray were next to each other, their shoulders touching. Filling out the table were Daniel and Nathan.

“Am I late?” she asked.

“We were early.” Samuel waved her over.

“Bess, you look gorgeous.” Nathan stood and gave her a hug.

“You’re still home?” she asked.

Nathan squeezed her shoulders. “For a few more days.”

Daniel called, “We’re working here.”

“Let the girl go,” Samuel added.

Bess hurried over, miffed that they’d started without her. She sat across from Daniel and stared at the blueprints. Better than looking the jerk in the face. “What did I miss?”

“We’re walking through the architect’s plans,” Abby said.

“Bess will represent the sisters, Samuel.” Gray patted her hand.

Samuel nodded. “Good choice.”

Heat moved across Bess’s face.

Daniel frowned. “Abby, you’re on-site.”

“I’ll be on-site.” Bess avoided his piercing brown gaze.

“I don’t understand.” Daniel slid back in his chair and crossed his arms. Muscles she’d hung on to three nights ago bulged under his T-shirt.

“I’m working full-time on Carleton House,” Bess said.

“But you work at King’s Gardens.”

Why couldn’t Daniel let it alone? “Not anymore.”

Daniel’s mouth dropped open. Fly catcher, Mamma would say.

“Great.” Samuel flipped to the blueprint of the basement. “Let’s get to it.”

They walked through each floor. Bess took notes of things she wanted to change. She would discuss them with Abby and Dolley—later.

“Any reason I can’t work on the gardens?” she asked as they looked at the exterior prints.

Samuel rubbed his neck. “Give me the quick and dirty of what you’re planning.”

“I’ll take down this wall.” She pointed at the exterior layout. “And reuse the flagstone for walkways and patios.”

“Will you need our help with the wall?” Daniel asked.

She glanced at him and looked away. “Maybe.”

“Okay.” Daniel made a note.

Gray also made a note.

Jeez, everyone needed to be included on work-plan issues. Something to remember.

“I’m building raised beds. I’ll add more hedges. Interesting shrubs here and here. I’m thinking about a fire pit, or maybe a fireplace. Or pizza oven.” Bess sketched on her pad. “I haven’t decided what to do around the carriage house or the front of the house.”

Abby’s hand shot up. “I vote for a pizza oven.”

Gray pulled her hand down and laced their fingers together. “Will you need help with any of those options?”

“If we go with a fireplace, I might need a strong back or two. Otherwise I’ve built the others.”

“I still vote for the pizza oven.” Abby tapped her finger on the plan.

“Add it in,” Gray said.

Daniel nodded.

“Do these plans work?” Samuel asked.

Abby opened her mouth to answer, but Bess interrupted. She was in charge. “I’d like a day to look at them in depth and discuss with my sisters.”

Daniel frowned.

She raised her eyebrows.

“We’re hoping to have the first-and second-floor rooms available by early February,” Abby said.

“In anticipation of Saint Patrick’s Day?” Daniel asked.

“No.” Abby and Gray grinned at each other.

“Wedding guests,” Abby added.

Bess smiled and sighed. “You picked a date.”

“The second weekend of February.” Gray swept a finger along Abby’s cheekbone. Her sister’s eyes sparkled.

Bess’s chest tightened. What would it be like to want to spend the rest of her life with someone?

It wouldn’t happen to her. If she loved something, she lost it.

“The ballroom wasn’t booked. Mamma’s on board.” Abby’s grin lit up the room. “We’re getting married.”

Nathan slapped Gray on the back. “You’re a lucky man.”

Gray nodded. “The luckiest.”

“I’m happy for you.” Samuel took Abby’s hand. “We’ll complete everything by the end of January.”

Daniel’s jaw muscles flexed. He made notes on his tablet-size phone without commenting.

“One other thing.” Samuel pushed back a shock of white hair.

Bess frowned. Samuel looked pale under his tan.

“Daniel will be taking lead on this project,” Samuel said.

Daniel’s mouth hung open. “But—”

No! “I wanted to work with you, Samuel.” Bess’s stomach twisted. Daniel couldn’t be in charge of this project.

“Daniel’s the best person to handle large projects like these.” Samuel nodded to his son. “It doesn’t mean I won’t be around.”

“Bess, let me know when you’re ready to finalize the blueprints. Soon.” Daniel scowled.

She wanted to scream. Instead, she affected a businesslike tone. “Absolutely.”

Chairs scraped against the tile as everyone said goodbye.

Three days ago she’d slept with him. After he’d humiliated her, she’d thrown him out of her apartment. Panic had her breath backing up in her chest. How would they work together?

CHAPTER FOUR

The Earth laughs in flowers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

WHAT THE HELL just happened? Daniel followed his father and Nathan out of Fitzgerald House. Pop had never talked about him taking point on the restoration. The announcement had floored him. He’d tried not to show his shock in front of their clients, even if they were friends. And a woman he’d slept with—twice.

This sucked. He and Bess had to work together. Didn’t the sisters know how reckless Bess was? He could spout example after example. How could they trust her with such a massive project?

He’d have to be extravigilant to keep everything on track. But first he had to find out why Pop had dropped this project on him.

“Why am I managing Carleton House?” Daniel spit out. “What’s going on?”

“I’m wondering the same thing.” Nathan crossed his arms.

Pop leaned against his truck. “Doc’s trying to figure out why I’m so tired.”

“You’re sick?” Nathan’s voice squeaked as if he was going through puberty.

“Your mom made me go in. Doc Kramer drew a couple of gallons of blood and is running tests.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Daniel, you’re great at managing big projects. Better than me.”

Nathan shot Daniel a cutting glance. His brother hated when he received any praise from Mom and Pop.

“I don’t mind managing the project.” Other than the fact he’d have to work with Bess. “It’s learning about it in the meeting.”

“Sorry. I came straight from the doctor’s office. Your mom made me promise to take things easy until we know what’s up.”

“What does Doc Kramer think is wrong?” Daniel asked.

“Nothing yet. Just acting like a bunch of vampires.” Pop clicked his door open. “You keep my girls happy.”

“I will.” Although keeping Bess happy would require jumping in the Wilmington with an anchor chained to his foot.

Nathan left with their father.

Daniel slumped against his truck. Pop was just tired. They’d been busy and Pop had made a big push to get Fitzgerald House done before Mamie’s wedding.

Daniel scrubbed his hand over his face. He had work to do. Then he’d design a system to manage the projects filling his plate.

Pulling out his phone, he checked the day’s tasks. He ran his finger through Meet at Fitzgerald House, striking through the text. Done. He skipped ahead two days and added Contact Bess re: Final Drawings CH.

Time to work on the carriage house. Later he would swing by a couple of projects and check in with the job leads.

With the blueprints and his tool belt in hand, he headed to the gate between Fitzgerald and Carleton Houses. As he entered the carriage house, the calming scent of fresh-cut wood greeted him. A saw screeched as Quint trimmed a stud.

The renovation was coming together. He let out a breath. This was his area of expertise, repurposing old buildings to be useful again.

Quint pushed his safety glasses to the top of his head and shut off the saw. “Meeting done?”

“Yup.”

“When do we start on the main house?”

Daniel moved with Quint, nailing the stud into the framing. “Hopefully, next week.” If Bess got back to him with her changes.

He strapped on his tool belt and began framing in the stairs to the second floor, tricky because Gray and Abby had chosen a curved central stairway. If he’d designed the staircase, everything would have been clean right angles, but he wasn’t the client.

He worked until his phone buzzed. Time to check on the Tybee crew. He stood by his car, unstrapping his tool belt.

The gate between the two properties jangled. The sisters came through, their fiery heads tucked together. Abby elbowed Dolley. Bess tipped back her head and laughed, a clear, sweet sound.

Seeing Bess made his mouth water. He could still taste her kisses—champagne and cake. Her breasts bounced as she walked toward him, and his fingers flexed. He’d had his hands and mouth all over her silky skin.

These thoughts had to stop. They had to work together.

His tool belt clanged as he tossed it in the truck bed.

Bess’s head popped up. Her grin withered on her face.

“Been touring Carleton House?” he asked, hands on his hips.

“Yes.” Bess stopped in the parking area. Abby and Dolley waved and headed into the kitchen. “I’ll get the changes back to you tomorrow.”

He opened his door. “What time?”

“Oh. Um.”

He pulled out his phone. “Ten suit you?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll meet you at the house.”

“Good.”

A couple of B and B guests wandered into the courtyard. By the fountain, the man pulled the woman into an intense kiss. Daniel turned his back on the pair.

Bess cleared her throat. Her cheeks were flushed. “Did you...know your father wanted you to manage Carleton House?”

“Why?” He moved to a table shaded by a palm.

“Your expression. It went...well, let’s say they could have chiseled your face on Mount Rushmore.”

“That obvious, huh?”

She sat. “So you didn’t know.”

What should he tell her? “Apparently, Pop hasn’t been feeling well.”

“Oh, no.” She touched his arm. “What’s wrong?”

He wished he knew. “He’s tired.”

“He’ll be fine.” She chewed on her bottom lip.

Heat shot through his groin. He’d nibbled on that lip. “Yeah.”

She stared at her hand on his arm and snatched it away. “Can we do this?”

He rested his fists on the table. “Work together?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“We’ve got the same goal,” he said.

She nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “Opening Carleton House by the beginning of February.”

“I’ll make it happen. I don’t want Pop worrying.” He took a deep breath. “I need you to—behave. I don’t have time for any of your shenanigans.”

Her head snapped up. “Behave? Shenanigans?”

“You know what I mean.” He waved a hand at her.

“I don’t.” Flashing green eyes glared at him.

“The stupid pranks you pull.”

“I’m not a teen. I’m a professional.” She straightened. “I outgrew pranks years ago.”

He didn’t believe her. “Then how did we end up in bed together?”

Her eyes went wide. “You think that was my fault?”

He shrugged. “If you hadn’t hopped into the fountain, I wouldn’t have carried you home.” And been turned on by all her curves and hair and legs.

“You are delusional.” She started to leave and stopped. Her chest moved up and down in a big sigh. “Let me know if there is anything my sisters and I can do to help your dad.”

“Keeping on top of the Carleton House timelines would be a good start.”

“I’ll do my part.” She grabbed her blueprints and bag. “You do yours and maybe we’ll get through this.”

She headed to Fitzgerald House. Her body was long, muscled and gorgeous. He ripped his gaze away and headed to his truck. Ogling Bess wouldn’t get his work done. Admiring Bess’s strong body wasn’t the problem. It was the out-of-control feelings that went along with her craziness.

A childhood spent waiting for Nathan’s next catastrophe had taught him to stay away from situations he couldn’t control. Bess was one of those situations.

He rubbed his hand on his neck. Only for Pop and Forester Construction would he work the next five months with Bess.

* * *

BESS WHIPPED HER hair into a ponytail, grabbed another binder and wrapped the mass into a bun. She was ten minutes early for her meeting with Daniel. The ass. Thinking she would pull pranks. She wasn’t a lovesick teen anymore. She wasn’t trying to get his attention—at all.

The Carleton House kitchen door slammed. Bess straightened. She could do this. She could work with Daniel. All it would take was a lobotomy. Or maybe Daniel could get a personality transplant.

“Hey.” Daniel nodded. His brown eyes did a hit-and-run with hers.

Right. Hard to believe they’d ever gotten naked with each other.

Bess got down to business. “How do you want me to walk through our changes?”

Daniel blinked. “Show me what you want.”

She led the way to the dining room. “We’d like a pass-through between the butler’s pantry and the dining room.”

Daniel knocked on the wall and checked out the room from the pantry. He came back. “Okay.”

He made notes on his copy of blueprints.

“Here are the notes I worked up.” Bess held out a copy.

“This will help.” He moved closer.

She caught a whiff of his woodsy aftershave. Like Pavlov’s dog, her body flashed with unwelcome heat. Thrusting the paper at him, she hurried to the library.

His footsteps echoed behind hers.

At the exterior wall that looked out on the backyard, she waved her hands at a tall window. “We’d like double French doors here.”

Daniel moved around the room. He shook his head. “That’s a lot of structure work. Why not change this window—” he pointed “—and this into single doors? We’d make the doors as tall as the current windows, and the lines from outside will match.”

She frowned. “Double doors would be elegant.” And it would bring the garden into the room.

“But you’ll change the lines from the outside. You want the height of the windows and doors to stay the same and keep the room’s symmetry inside and out.”

She chewed on her thumbnail. “Could each window be changed into a door?”

He examined all four windows.

“For balance I’d suggest two doors.” He pointed. “One on each side of the room.”

Bess pulled out another set of sketches and set them on a library shelf.

He leaned close. His breath made the hair escaping her bun dance on her neck. “Did someone else do architectural sketches?”

“These are my garden plans.” She’d sketched the combined Fitzgerald and Carleton House courtyards. “You’d recommend the doors be here—” she drew a circle “—and here?”

He took her pencil, his golden head dipping next to hers. “Is this to scale?”

She nodded, clenching her fingers to keep from brushing the silky hair that slipped across his forehead.

He measured the windows and drew in the doors on her layout. His shoulder bumped hers, and another flash of heat zipped through her. “There.”