Wrapped Up in Christmas Love (Wrapped Up in Christmas #4)

Chapter Eight

S arah had to be at church at five to work on snowflake ornaments for the upcoming Christmas festival, so Zach rode with her into town. The church sat right off the square, and she’d tried to convince him to hang out with her and Jeannie until his lesson at six, but he’d been too on edge to hang out with a bunch of church ladies making snowflakes.

Restless, he wandered around the square, browsing through one shop and then another before landing on the same courthouse bench he’d been standing near on the day he’d met Isabelle. Unlike that day, the air was still, and the flag hung silently above him.

Reading the monument’s inscription, he sighed.

Why had he jumped at Sophie’s invitation to come to the shop? Better yet, why were his fingers clutching the Paw Parties, Inc. paper bag? Isabelle was not going to like what he’d bought and that was exactly why he’d bought it. Was he trying to antagonize her?

Hearing someone approach, he glanced up and saw Cole. Sophie’s fiancé glanced toward the flag, his expression one of pride and honor. Then the Marine-turned-firefighter sat down next to Zach.

“Humbling to look at this monument and know it could easily be referring to us, isn’t it?”

“Sometimes I think it should have been.” Probably not something he should admit to Isabelle’s future brother-in-law, but the words slipped out.

“Those of us who saw action, lost friends, all suffer some degree of survivor’s guilt. It’s something Bodie and I have discussed. Our conversations have helped me more than any of my therapy sessions.”

Zach had done the mandatory sessions. He’d undergone all sorts of sessions in an attempt to uncover what his brain had hidden away. His body had been reopened on numerous counts, and they’d supposedly gotten the last of the shrapnel with his last surgery. But the mental wounds? How could those ever truly heal when he couldn’t remember the details?

“I don’t recall much of what happened during the worst action I saw,” he admitted, surprised, as the explosion wasn’t something he talked about. “One minute I was there, fighting, hoping to take out as many of the enemy as I could to help some of our team make it out. Then I was waking up in a hospital, busted up, full of shrapnel, and had zero recall of the previous few months.”

And one hundred percent guilt that some of his brothers and sisters had died that day.

“That’s tough. Glad you made it.” Cole’s gaze dropped to the bag Zach held. “You planning to get a pet?”

Zach shook his head. “It’s for Bobbin.”

Cole laughed. “That cat has a way of growing on you. I’m not sure they’ve officially discussed who gets him after the wedding. Although I wouldn’t mind having a good mouser for the barn and she sure loves that cat, I suspect Sophie will leave him with Isabelle.”

“If Sophie wanted the cat, Isabelle would tie a bow around his neck and insist she take him.”

Cole nodded. “She would, but Sophie is no pushover. When she makes up her mind on something, she’s as stubborn as they get.” Cole grinned as if a particular memory of that stubbornness was hitting. “Most tenacious woman I’ve ever met.”

“Obviously runs in the family.”

“Yup. Thanks for helping me carry in the tree last night. The ladies and I could have gotten it in, but since Sophie wanted the tallest one that would still fit in the house, it sure was nice having you there.” Cole glanced at his watch. “I’m taking her to Lou’s for dinner and then to the farm to decorate our tree. She insisted we get one for both places. You and Isabelle want to join us? No tree carrying required as Ben helped me lug ours into the house yesterday morning.”

Was this what normal people did in small towns? Talk and go visit with each other? Dinners with his family had always had an agenda and been more about future business deals and social status than comradery.

“We got distracted with looking at the photo albums last night and then with the tree decorating. We never got to my lesson. I’m meeting her at the shop at six. I thought I’d order pizza.”

Not that he was positive Isabelle knew about his pending arrival or would agree to dinner during his lesson.

“Better watch or Sophie will have you joining her quilting group. She hasn’t gotten me to sewing, but I help with her events. You must have really impressed Isabelle for her to have shared family photos.”

“She was going to show me a photo of her father, but we never made it to the older albums.” He glanced toward Cole, wondering if he knew anything of Cliff Davis’s whereabouts. “Does Sophie mention him?”

“Occasionally. More lately than in the past.” He shrugged. “With the wedding, it’s normal for her to bring him up more frequently.”

“What does she say?”

“That she wishes she could tell him how much she misses him and wants him to come home.” Cole glanced toward him, his pale-blue eyes piercing in a way that made Zach wonder if the man knew there was more to his questions than idle curiosity. Or maybe the look was because of his next comment. “That’s not how Isabelle feels. I thought she and Sophie were going to fall out because of my military background when we first got together.”

“She’s very protective of Sophie.”

“So am I.” Cole’s gaze held a warning. “Of Sophie and Isabelle. I’d never allow anyone to hurt them.”

“I understand,” Zach assured, not sure if Cole referred specifically to him or to Cliff Davis. “I feel the same.”

Cole’s expression remained serious a moment. Then he gestured to the Paw Parties, Inc. bag. “It’s going to take a lot more than whatever is in that bag to win over Isabelle.”

“Got any advice on what might?”

Cole shook his head. “What worked for me isn’t going to do a thing for you.”

“Which was?” Zach asked, curious.

Cole grinned. “Fall head over heels in love with her sister.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave that one to you. Falling in love isn’t for me.”

“No?” Cole eyed him a moment, then laughed. “Good luck with that. The Davis women have a way of getting to you.”

That they did.

*

“Hey, Blondie, ready to teach me all you know?”

From where she stood at the counter with Sophie, Isabelle turned to face the man she had such mixed emotions on seeing. Standing next to her future brother-in-law, Zach wore well-worn jeans and a plain white T-shirt rather than his usual army one. Did the man not own a coat? Not that it was that chilly outside with the lows only dropping to the mid-fifties, but still, couldn’t he cover those biceps? When their gazes met, he grinned. Oh, heavens, how his crooked smile and that dimple in his left cheek sent her stomach into quivers.

He held a Paw Parties bag, so he must have picked up treats for Harry. Had Sarah asked him to, or had he just been being thoughtful? Ugh. Why did he have to be so… so… everything? She did not want to like Zach Dawson any more than she wanted to be wearing this bright red lipstick.

“Too bad your brain isn’t as big as your ego,” she retorted, hoping said lipstick hadn’t smudged onto her teeth, “or it might could hold all I know.”

Cole snorted and gave Zach a look that hinted the two men had bonded. Great. One by one, Zach was winning over her friends and family. Why did that have her feeling betrayed?

“Izzy!” Sophie elbowed her.

Oh, yeah, she and Zach were supposed to like each other.

“No worries. Nothing I say fazes him,” she assured her sister, then smiled pretty as you please at Zach with her painted lips.

His twitched as he stood there, tall, proud, and completely filling the quilt shop with his masculine presence. That the patriotic section was behind him, giving him a red, white, and blue background fit and yet served as a reminder of just why she should not let herself like him. You do like him , an inner voice mocked. That’s the problem .

Probably the same stupid voice that had said Sophie could apply the lipstick.

Sophie moved from behind the counter to kiss Cole’s cheek. “Love you,” she told him.

Zach tilted his head ever so slightly. He knew better. It would serve him right if she marched over, plopped a wet kiss on his cheek, and left a crimson stain there.

He held out the Paw Parties bag. “This is for Bobbin.”

Isabelle’s gaze dropped to the bag. “You bought something for my cat?”

He nodded and tilted his chin toward her again. “You going to thank me properly?”

“Absolutely.” Trying to file away whatever feeling that was floating in her chest because he’d bought something for her cat, she gave him another smile. “Thank you, Zach. I’m sure Bobbin will appreciate the gift. He may not express it or show you any affection for doing so, but deep down, he’ll be appreciative. Then again, with the way he acted around you last night, he might meow his gratitude.”

Zach laughed. Cole and Sophie, holding hands, exchanged looks. Tired of being the entertainment, Isabelle took the bag and put it onto the countertop without peeking inside to see what he’d bought.

“Zach, buying Bobbin a gift was so sweet of you.” Sophie’s lashes fluttered. “I can’t wait to see what it is.”

“Catnip.”

“He’ll like that,” Sophie assured.

Isabelle didn’t say anything. The bag held more than catnip from the feel of it when she’d put it on the counter.

“Let’s get started.” She glanced at her watch. “Time is ticking away and I’ve several things to do after finishing your lesson.” There, that let him know that as soon as they were finished, he needed to leave. “Are you ready to do everything I tell you exactly the way I tell you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” His eyes danced with merriment. “I can do that.”

“We’ll see,” Isabelle mused, wondering if she’d made a huge mistake in agreeing to teach him. Still, how else would she have been able to find her father? She needed his help, so a few sewing lessons were a small price to pay.

It was the whole pretending-to-be-a-couple thing that was the problem.

“Oh, before we go…” Sophie beamed at them. “I know you’ve been busy with online orders, so I set up a machine and everything you’ll need for Zach’s lesson.”

Isabelle blinked. “You did?”

Looking quite pleased with herself, Sophie nodded. “I’ve been working on some of the most adorable table placemat kits for Christmas and thought using one of them would be perfect for Zach’s lessons.”

Christmas table placemats. Not too big, so easy to maneuver. Depending upon the pattern Sophie had chosen, Isabelle should be able to teach him the basics of sewing, sandwiching, quilting, and binding. She could guide him through the first one, then supervise the next three, so he built his skills.

“That sounds perfect, Sophie. Thank you,” Isabelle agreed. “I’d meant to just teach him the basics with remnants, but his working on and completing a project is better.”

“Exactly. That way when he’s finished, he’ll have something wonderful that you two made together that he can treasure always.” Sophie’s smile almost blinded them. “I’ll grab my bag, then we’re off. Y’all have fun.”

“Yeah, y’all have fun making Christmas placemats.” Cole appeared amused as he and Zach exchanged looks again, making Isabelle wonder what the two men had been up to prior to coming into the shop.

Had they just bumped into each other and their arrival together been a coincidence? Or had they bonded over tree-carrying and popcorn-tossing?

After Sophie had gotten her bag, Isabelle followed her sister and her fiancé to the front of the shop, then locked the door behind them.

“Making sure I can’t escape?” Zach asked, his eyes twinkling.

“You’re the one who said yes when Sophie called and invited you here after hours,” she reminded, walking toward the sewing machine area.

“She asked so nicely, I didn’t have the heart to say no, even though her sister is quite scary.”

He was the one who was scary.

“Sophie wouldn’t have taken no for an answer, even if you had.”

“Because she thinks I desperately need to learn to quilt?”

“Sophie believes everyone needs to quilt.” She motioned toward where they had several different sewing machines, a cutting machine, and a longarm set up. “Ready?”

“I was born ready.”

She glanced his way, trying to picture him as a newborn and couldn’t.

“I was a cute baby, the cutest, in case you were wondering.”

“What happened?” she couldn’t resist asking, even as she wondered if the military had taught him mindreading along with whatever other skills he’d acquired.

Grinning, he snorted. “Sophie sure upped my entertainment for the night when she called. Nice lipstick, by the way.”

Her cheeks no doubt matching her lips, Isabelle ignored his comment. “Sarah’s at the church meeting?”

His gaze lingering at her mouth, he nodded. “She and Jeannie are there. Bodie’s working. He’s pulling extra shifts so he can take vacation over Christmas.”

“Sarah loves Christmas as much as Sophie does.”

“We’re going to have to do something to up your love of the holidays.”

“I like the holidays. They’re really good for the shop. Our biggest day of the year is this coming Friday.” So true and she hadn’t been lying when she’d said she had several things to do after they finished his lesson. She did. “I should be getting things ready for our black Friday and shop local Saturday sales rather than giving a sewing lesson.”

“The lesson can wait. What do you need to do? I’ll help.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” She pointed her finger at him. “We’re doing your lesson tonight and then you’re leaving.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He walked over to the table and picked up a piece of fabric. “Snowmen?”

Isabelle closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why would her sister have chosen that material? The one with the jolly snowmen that she’d hidden away on the night of Sophie’s dress fitting.

“Do you want me to find something else?” Please say yes. “She has other kits.”

Ones that didn’t make Isabelle think of abdominal snowmen.

He shook his head. “Your sister picked this one. Let’s impress her with how well we do.”

Rather than answer, she pulled an extra chair over to one of the smaller sewing machines. “Let’s get this over with. I want to be home for dinner by eight.”

“Hungry? We could order pizza.”

“Dinner is not included in our deal.” She shook her head. “Besides, I wouldn’t risk getting sauce on the fabric.”

“We could take a break, sit outside on one of the benches,” he suggested. “How do you like your pizza? I’m an everything kind of guy.”

“Makes sense. I’m starved”—she’d worked through lunch—“but am a cheese-only kind of woman. We’re complete opposites.”

He laughed, almost as if that was what he’d been expecting her to say. He slid his hand into his front pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and punched in a number. Had he already researched the number?

When he hung up, he met her gaze and grinned. “We can carry it to the park and have another picnic to keep from getting anything on the fabric. See how easy it was to find a solution?”

“By ordering half a pizza one way and half another?”

“By meeting me in the middle.”

“The only reason we’re meeting at all is because we have a business deal,” she reminded, giving him a pointed look. “Which did not include dinner.”

“Let’s get started before dinner arrives. Show me what I’m making.”

She handed him the kit instructions. “Sophie comes up with the design, picks the fabrics, cuts the pieces, and puts everything together. We sell them online and in the shop.”

“Her instructions are very thorough.” Looking impressed, he glanced over the sheet, then back up at her. “You wrote them, didn’t you?”

How had he known that often Sophie scribbled notes and Isabelle translated them into the simple, concise steps that included photos? “We help each other. It’s what families do.”

Zach’s gaze shifted from hers, and Isabelle found herself wondering about his family. He’d mentioned them a few times—his parents and a brother.

“Why aren’t you planning to go home for Thanksgiving this week?”

Tension stiffened his shoulders. “Because I’m here.”

“Here is a long way from there?”

“Long enough.”

Leave it alone, Isabelle. Zach’s family is none of your business .

“It might help to talk about it,” she suggested, anyway.

His gaze cut to hers. “It?”

“Whatever keeps you from wanting to go home for the holidays.”

His brow arched. “Trying to get rid of me, Blondie?”

“Just wondering why you’d choose to be in Pine Hill over being with your family.”

“Because my new girlfriend is here, of course.”

Part of her glad that his tension seemed to ease, she rolled her eyes. “It’s just you and me, so you can cut the act.”

“Is it really just us? I noticed the security cameras the first time I walked in here. How do you know Sophie isn’t logged in on her phone, watching and listening to everything we say?”

“It’s video only and she’s not.” Even as Isabelle said it, she wondered if Sophie was indeed logged into their system. Her sister had hung out with the Butterflies long enough that Sophie might do a few brief check-ins to see how things were progressing.

“No? You should smile and play nice, just in case.” He waggled his brows. “Come over here and give me a welcome kiss. It would be a shame to waste that lipstick.”

Shaking her head, she glared at him. “I really don’t like you.”

“That’s okay, Blondie. Most days, I don’t like me, either.”

She was used to his jesting, but his comment threw her. He almost sounded serious, but he couldn’t be. His self-assurance oozed from every handsome pore, and he was always teasing and smiling. She’d just mistaken his tone for something more than it was.

“Sit down,” she ordered, not liking the unsettled feeling that if he had been serious, then… then, nothing. Zach Dawson was none of her business other than business.

Zach sat. “Yes, ma’am.”

“First rule is to make sure you keep your fingers out from under the needle.”

He gave her an odd look, then shrugged. “Good rule.”

“Second rule is to double-check everything before you cut or sew. It’ll save you a lot of time.”

“Makes sense,” he agreed.

“Third rule is, go slow.”

His lips twitched. “Slow as Christmas morning’s arrival.”

Unable to resist, she asked, “Did you anxiously await Christmas morning each year?”

“Maybe,” he admitted. “It was a long time ago.”

“Meaning you don’t look forward to Christmas morning now?” she pressed, eyeing him as he examined the machine, probably figuring out every knob and button before she gave the first explanation of what each one did. Then again, Sarah had probably already explained all that.

“Meaning Christmas morning has been just another day on the calendar for more than a decade. The holidays aren’t a big deal.”

“Did you never get leave to spend the holidays with your family?”

His face pinched. “Once.”

“It wasn’t pleasant?”

“Nope.”

Don’t ask, Isabelle. It doesn’t pertain to you. Leave it alone. Don’t do it.

“Did something happen?”

“Something always happens when I go there.” He leaned back in the cushy black chair and flexed his neck from one side to the other, making a popping sound as he did so. “My brother and I don’t mesh the way you and your sister do.”

Hurt hung in the air and darned if she didn’t want to hug him. No, she did not want to hug him. She wanted to give his sewing lesson and be done before the pizza arrived so they could eat and he could leave.

Only, she placed her hand on his shoulder. The warmth of his skin radiated through his cotton shirt and her heart raced. “I’m sorry, Zach.”

“Don’t be. It’s not a big deal.”

But it was. Her heart felt for him. She knew what it was like to have family issues better off not discussed. Sensing his discomfort and knowing she’d had no right to pry to begin with, or to touch him, Isabelle pointed to the instructions. “That’s good. Now, read the kit’s instructions. What do they say to do first?”

*

“Did she purposely just bump against him?” Ruby and the other Butterflies gathered at Lou’s Diner huddled around Sophie’s phone.

Maybelle tapped her manicured nail against the tabletop. “Her hand definitely lingered on his as she was guiding the material.”

“Do you see how he is looking at her?” Aunt Claudia sighed happily.

Rosie puckered her lips, then made a smacking noise. “That lipstick is fabulous. Why hasn’t he kissed her yet?”

Cole shook his head at Sophie and the Butterflies. “We only stopped by Lou’s to pick up dinner and should already be at the farm. Isabelle would not want you watching her lesson with Zach.”

“A lesson in romance.” Rosie snickered. “How is he resisting her Rosie red lips?”

“It’s not as if she didn’t watch us when you’d come into the shop,” Sophie reminded Cole, her cheeks pinkening.

“That was a little different, since it was during business hours, and she was at her desk facing the monitor screens rather than after hours logging in on a phone while at Lou’s surrounded by nosy Butterflies.” Cole slid his hands into his jeans pocket and gave the women a pointed look.

“There is that,” Sophie agreed, then giggled. “Maybe she’ll look at the camera and stick her tongue out at me.”

“Isabelle?” Cole snorted. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Stranger things have happened.”

“Like us grabbing our dinner and heading to the farm where we’re supposed to be?” Cole asked, glancing at his watch.

“You can’t leave now. It’s just getting interesting,” Ruby said, gesturing to the phone. “This is good stuff. Do you see her laughing?”

“Yep.” Cole nodded. “At him. Poor guy.”

“But she’s laughing, and, if it is at him, he doesn’t look as if he minds,” Sophie assured. “Besides, his goof-ups are intentional. Sarah says he sews like a dream. I just adore that he has my sister smiling.”

“Your fiancé would be smiling if we’d eaten our dinner on time.”

“You’re not going to starve if you stay just a few more minutes.” Maybelle gave a look that said he and Sophie weren’t leaving until she said they could.

Cole’s stomach grumbled. “I might.”

“If you don’t want to wait, you can go ahead. We don’t have to do takeout. Either way, I’ll make our delay up to you with some of my sugar cookies,” Sophie promised, not lifting her gaze from the phone screen as Zach did something that had Isabelle laughing again.

Eyeing the women around the phone, Cole leaned his head against the booth’s back. “If Zach made it through Ranger training, I guess he can handle a few nosy Butterflies and their beautiful accomplice.”

“If he can’t, he’s not the right man for our Isabelle.” Aunt Claudia patted Cole’s shoulder, then became distracted by the screen. “Now, go ahead and eat, so you’ll quit talking about leaving. Oh, what’s in that bag Isabelle just picked up off the counter?”

“Zach bought Bobbin a present.”

Rosie snorted. “He should have brought Isabelle a present.”

Cole shook his head. “Isabelle is more impressed by things being done for those she loves than by someone doing something for her.”

“Very observant,” Maybelle praised. “Zach made the right choice, which is a good thing, since he has major points against him where Isabelle is concerned.”

There was another collective Butterfly sigh. They watched Isabelle open the bag, glance inside, then glance up at Zach with a horrified expression.

“What did he give her?” Maybelle wanted to know.

“He said it was catnip, but I don’t think that’s what it is,” Sophie said.

Ruby scratched her head. “Does Carrie sell anything that warrants that look?”

“Whatever it is, Zach thinks it’s funny,” Aunt Claudia pointed out. “Do you see the smirk on his face?”

“I do. What a cutie.” Rosie fanned herself. “That dimple is just like Christmas morning twenty-four seven.”

“Shh, Lou might hear you,” Aunt Claudia warned.

Waving her hand dismissively, Rosie giggled. “Wouldn’t matter. He knows my eyes are perfectly fine, but that my heart belongs to him. That man is the best.”

“He must be to put up with you,” Maybelle said, causing Ruby and Claudia to snicker.

Rosie gave her a tight smile. “Hmm, that’s what I was thinking about John.”

“John and I are just friends,” Maybelle insisted.

“You looked quite cozy during your bird-watching adventures.”

“You mean Zach and Isabelle-spying adventures?” Cole shook his head again. “You ladies have no limits.”

“Our limitlessness worked out quite well for you, didn’t it?”

Cole glanced toward Sophie, meeting her happy gaze. “Not sure about Butterfly limitlessness, but meeting Sophie worked out better than fine,”

Four Butterflies sighed, their gazes on him rather than the phone, until Sophie called their attention back to it. “Oh no.”

“Well, isn’t that just the cutest thing ever?” Ruby said.

Maybelle frowned. “Is the boy daft? He knew better than to buy something like that for Bobbin.”

“Does he want her to fall for him or not?” Rosie looked around the booth as if she expected one of them to give her an answer.

Aunt Claudia sighed with disappointment. “There went those points in his favor.”