A Mistletoe Proposal. Rebecca Winters

upstairs to my apartment.”

      “You live above the shop?” Good grief. He swallowed hard. If that fire had spread and she’d been in there asleep...

      “Yes.”

      “Alone?”

      She nodded, answering one question for him. “I had the loft renovated after...after my last trip to Germany.” Why the hesitation?

      “I’m glad I found you here,” she continued. “I should have realized right away you wanted to get them without her knowing about it. Since I made a promise to her, please accept this as a gift from Santa. I wrote ‘To Tessa from Santa’ on the box.”

      He reached into the pocket of his uniform for his wallet. “Let me pay you.”

      “No, don’t! My payment was watching your little girl have one of those magical moments every child should experience. To take your money would ruin that memory for me.”

      Her features had hardened slightly, letting him know she meant every word.

      Rick put the wallet back and moved the box behind the desk. “I’m assuming you thought I was out of work?”

      “With this economy, it crossed my mind. Forgive me. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I’m afraid I was putting myself in your daughter’s place. I could see how much she wanted it. I was a little girl once and still know how it feels to want something more than anything.” Yup. That described his Tessa. “But then Mother told me about the fire and that you and your crew had come to the shop.”

      “You weren’t so far off the track. A firefighter’s pay leaves a lot to be desired.”

      “Maybe so, but if it helps, just know our world couldn’t get along without you. My mother sends her warmest regards.”

      His black brows rose. “It was her idea that you come here?”

      After a slight hesitation she said, “I was glad she suggested it. We wanted to be able to pay you back for containing that fire.”

      Her answer deflated him despite the fact that he had no intention of getting to know her better. “I understand you went out of town.”

      “Yes.”

      “With a friend?”

      “No. To see one.”

      That still didn’t answer his question and she wasn’t about to give him one. In other words, mind your own business, Jenner.

      He’d been wrong in his assessment of her show of interest. It was evident she had no intention of getting to know him better and was simply playing Santa’s helper in a way that left him humbled by her generosity. Wasn’t that what he wanted? No involvement? So how come he felt more irritated than ever?

      As fate would have it, he heard the gong sound. “Ladder 1. Respond to Cheshire Hotel kitchen fire on Lemon and Weybosset.”

      Lemon again? Her eyes widened to hear the address, too. “That fire’s not far from the art-gallery fire!”

      “You’re right.” The arsonist was on the loose again, creating mayhem, which was likely part of his intention. Another part was the euphoria a firebug felt to watch something burn that he’d set. It was a definite sickness. Rick longed to catch him and put him away.

      “Duty calls. Believe me when I say Tessa and I thank you for the gifts,” he called over his broad shoulder.

       CHAPTER THREE

      RICK WHEELED AWAY, leaving Andrea too fast for any conversation to continue, but she’d felt his sincerity and was glad of it. The man was off to save buildings and lives without a thought for himself. She admired him terribly for putting himself in harm’s way.

      She heard the siren and watched the fire truck pull out onto the street. His daughter could have no idea how lucky she was that her daddy was still alive to be in her life. Every time he left for a fire, there was the possibility he wouldn’t come back. She knew what that was like.

      Now that her mission was accomplished, there was nothing more to do but go back to work. Taking a deep breath, she left the station feeling oddly let down and walked to the parking area around the side where she’d left her car.

      On the way back she passed the intersection of the hotel fire. The police had cordoned off the area. She saw three fire trucks where the men were doing their jobs with calm, methodical precision. So far she couldn’t see any flames. With all their gear and helmets, it was too difficult to distinguish faces, but one of the taller firefighters could have been Captain Jenner. Much as she wanted to pull to the side and watch, she didn’t dare. Maybe he’d thought she was coming on to him, that that was the reason she’d gone to the station, using his daughter as the excuse. He was so attractive she could believe other women might have tried that tactic.

      But for her to show up while he was fighting a fire now would convince him she had an agenda, and he’d be justified in thinking it. Impatient with herself, she drove on and parked around the back of the shop just three blocks away.

      She used the remote to go inside and found her mom was out on the floor with a young couple. They were trying to decide on the right nutcracker for his father, but were having problems. From her mother’s expression, it looked as if they’d been in here a long time and she could use some help. Andrea picked up one of her favorites on the shelf and took it over to them.

      “This is King Richard. If I were a man, this one would appeal to me. He has such a proud countenance and bearing.”

      Their response was all she could hope for and her mother rang up the sale. After they left the shop she hugged Andrea. “Oh, I’m so glad you walked in when you did.”

      “After taking over since yesterday, you’re tired, Mom. I want you to go home now, and I’ll join you after I close up.”

      “I won’t say no to that. Are you in the mood for an omelet and salad?”

      “A light dinner sounds perfect.”

      She eyed her curiously. “Were you able to deliver your gift?”

      “Yes. The captain thanked me and wanted to pay for it, but I wouldn’t let him. No sooner did he take the box than he was off to another fire. And now it’s time for you to leave before you drop.”

      “I’m going. You look lovely, by the way. I haven’t seen you in that suit for a long time.”

      “I think of it as my Christmas suit.”

      They hugged again. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

      After she left, Andrea spent the next half hour unpacking more merchandise. Once she was through setting things out on the floor, she stood at the counter. While she waited for another customer, she read the emails from Gunter’s family.

      Andrea loved her mother-in-law’s newsy epistles. Apparently their oldest daughter, Lisa, was expecting her third baby at the end of May.

      Emily was expecting, too.

      The whole world seemed to be expecting....

      Though this would be as good a time as any to reply, her mind was on the hotel fire. Putting off a response until later, she turned on the radio behind the counter. The talk show station she often listened to gave local updates every twenty minutes. They were coming up on the seven-forty news. Maybe there’d be some information.

      But just as it came on, she had another customer and almost fainted when she saw who it was. Captain Jenner had changed out of his uniform. Beneath his bomber jacket he wore a dark blue turtleneck and jeans. He looked amazing in and out of uniform.

      In the background they could both hear the news about the three-alarm fire. She hadn’t been able to get him off her mind after leaving the fire station. He and his colleagues were