Homespun Christmas. Aimee Thurlo

      “Come in and have a seat.”

      “Aunt Myka, do you have any cookies?”

      “Evie!” Betty said.

      Myka laughed. “They’re in the cookie jar in the kitchen. Take as many as you like.”

      “No, just two, do you hear me Evelyn?” Betty said.

      “Three! Mom, please?”

      “They’re small,” Myka said softly. “And I bake a supply of chocolate chip cookies mostly for her. Come on, let me spoil her.”

      Betty smiled. “Okay, three,” she told Evie.

      As Evie hurried off, Betty focused on Myka once again. “I have a question for you about the inn.”

      “You don’t have to clear anything with me, Betty. I may own a third of it, but it’s your baby.”

      “I know that restoring the place sounds nuts, Myka, but all the inn needs is some TLC to start attracting paying guests again. Come hunting season, we’ll have lots of people looking for lodging or a base camp. I want to be ready, but I’ve run into a snag.” She lowered her voice and in a barely audible whisper, added, “Tony’s out of prison.”

      Betty’s husband had almost destroyed her, physically and mentally. He’d been convicted of assault and battery against a former employer. “Is he still refusing to give you a divorce?”

      “Yeah, and I don’t want him to find out about the inn.”

      Myka’s face hardened. “You inherited a stake in the inn, not him. He has no legal claim whatsoever.”

      “Legalities won’t matter to him, and the fear of prison obviously hasn’t stopped him in the past. If he decides I’m trying to cheat him, he’ll make trouble, and he can do a lot of damage when he’s angry.”

      “Did you know he was trouble back in high school?”

      “I guess, but whenever I was with Tony, I felt...invincible. Being Tony’s girl meant no one ever gave me a hard time.”

      “It’s hard to believe how wrong things went,” Myka said.

      “After Evie was born everything fell apart. He lost his job and started drinking when he couldn’t find another. His rages...” She shuddered.

      “Will’s still staying with you, right?” Myka asked. Tanner and Betty’s older brother was also the town’s police chief.

      She nodded. “I’ve filed a restraining order against Tony, so he’ll go back to prison if he comes within three hundred feet of me. But he still scares me.”

      “Will’s a trained officer and almost Tony’s size. You shouldn’t worry.”

      Evie ran back into the room and offered Betty a cookie. “These are great, Mommy. Myka makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever.”

      Betty smiled as she took the cookie.

      “Can I watch TV?”

      Betty looked at Myka, who nodded. “Go ahead, it won’t bother us,” Myka said.

      Betty waited until Evie’s favorite cartoons popped on screen, then she changed the subject.

      “How’s Josh doing? I heard he’s back in town.”

      “He’s fine, I guess,” Myka said. “He wants to sell his dad’s house, but I warned him about the real estate market these days.”

      “I’m going to ask him to look at my renovation plans for the inn. I’d like to knock out some walls, and since he’s an architect, I thought he might tell me where it’s safe to do that,” Betty said. “I don’t think we should mention that Will’s part owner, though.”

      “You think Josh still carries a grudge? He and Will had fought over Sophie back in high school. That was a lifetime ago.”

      Betty laughed. “No, not at all, but Josh and Will have always been like oil and water. They’ve already had a run-in.”

      “What happened?”

      “Josh missed a stop sign as he was coming into town.”

      “Let me guess. The one on Orchard Lane that’s buried by the house-high tumbleweeds?”

      Betty nodded. “The town doesn’t have a weed and litter crew anymore. Heck, if the rest of us didn’t know the stop sign was there, we’d miss it, too.”

      “Did Will give him a ticket?”

      “Yeah. All he said was that Josh was pushing his buttons.” Betty rolled her eyes, then glanced over at her daughter. Seeing Evie engrossed in the show, she continued in a low voice. “I think the real problem is that he doesn’t want Josh back in town.”

      “That’s none of his business. Why does he care?”

      “Will may not actually say it, but he thinks it’s his duty to look out for you, his little brother’s widow. He’s convinced Josh has always had a thing for you.”

      “No, that’s not true. Besides, I choose my own friends. Your brother needs to butt out.”

      “I agree. Getting back to Joshua, I haven’t seen him in ages. Can we go over there and say hi?” Betty asked.

      “No need. He’s coming over in a few minutes.”

      “Ah. You two going on a date?”

      Myka shook her head, but before she could elaborate, Betty added, “Too bad.”

      “Joshua Nez isn’t right for me, Betty. The most we’ll ever be is friends.” Hearing a knock on the door, Myka stood. “That must be him now. Come on in, Josh.”

      Joshua came in a moment later, wearing a lightweight sports jacket, dress slacks and an open-necked shirt. Myka bit back a sigh. No matter what he wore, he was always eye candy. Although he looked professional, there was an unmistakable ruggedness about him. Untamed—that word fit him the best.

      Seeing Betty, Josh smiled. “It’s been a long time,” he said, and shook her hand. Looking down at her daughter, who’d come over, he smiled. “And who’s this?”

      “I’m Evie,” the girl said.

      “Pleasure, Evie.” Joshua shook hands with her, too, and she beamed.

      Evie looked back at Betty. “Is it okay if I go outside to play with Teddy Bear?”

      Myka looked at Joshua. “She means Bear.”

      Joshua raised his eyebrows. “From what you’ve told me, that dog is way too big to play with a kid Evie’s size.”

      “He’s like a big teddy bear,” Evie said. “And he’s my friend. Can I go get him, please?”

      Myka crouched in front of Evie. “Bear’s not around right now, sweetie,” she said gently. “When Mr. Nez went to heaven, Bear wanted to be by himself for a while.”

      “Oh, okay,” she said. Then, after a heartbeat, “Can I have another cookie?”

      “One more and that’s it,” Betty said.

      Myka smiled. “I love the way kids do that. No disappointment lingers for long. They can switch gears in an instant.”

      “I envy her that, too,” Betty said softly, then focused on Josh. “I’m glad you’re here, Josh. I wanted to ask you a favor. Would you drop by the Blue Spruce Inn on Main Street tomorrow morning? I’ll trade you breakfast—all homemade—for your opinion on my renovating ideas. We have a tight budget, so I have to make sure I don’t make any costly mistakes.”

      “Who’s we?” he said, picking up on that immediately.

      Betty winced. “Myka, Will and I are partners.”

      “It’s