Christmas In Mustang Creek. Linda Lael Miller

tell her you called.”

      All well and good, but Jax still didn’t understand why Mrs. Klozz—Millicent—had troubled herself to return someone else’s phone call.

      “O-kay,” Jax said, drawing out the word. “Sorry to bother you.”

      “Now, don’t you worry.” Millicent went on with the disjoined conversation. “You aren’t bothering me at all. Not one bit.” She drew in an audible breath. “I did want to answer your question, though. You should just stay here. We have plenty of room.”

      Jax’s mind went blank. “What?”

      Millicent sounded sympathetic. “This is a big house, and we could use a man around here. I can’t fix that stupid door on the upstairs bathroom—the one that won’t close properly—although I swear I’ve tried. There are other small problems you could probably take care of much better than I can, so why don’t you come and stay here with us? How ridiculous for you to pay rent somewhere.”

      He finally understood. And he could imagine how Charlotte would react to that idea. “Ma’am, that’s very kind of you, but—”

      “Call me Millicent,” she reminded him. “I realize this might be construed as bribery, but I make some mean Christmas cookies.”

      He didn’t doubt that, but...

      “Here’s the address. Even with Charlotte and me, there are four empty bedrooms. Think about it that way, Jaxon. Two helpless women who could use a little protection and someone to fix the bathroom door would appreciate having you here. You need a roof over your head, and you and Charlotte already know each other. Perfect.”

      They needed protection? In Mustang Creek, Wyoming?

      First of all, Charlotte Morgan could hardly be described as helpless. Plus, Jax might be new in town, but he was fairly sure that if he so much as dropped a quarter in the snow, some upstanding citizen would hunt him down and return it.

      And how did Millicent know his name anyway?

      Caller ID, maybe. But that didn’t explain how she’d found out he was in the market for a place to live. Surely she hadn’t gone so far as to listen to Charlotte’s voice mail. And even if she’d been so inclined, how would she have gotten the password?

      “See you soon,” Millicent said breezily, ending the call.

      Nate had emerged from the building at that moment and stopped by the truck, looking at him with amusement.

      Jax rolled down the window. “The husky okay?”

      “Husky is fine. Everything okay with you?”

      “Not sure,” Jax said, scratching his jaw. “I think a little old lady just railroaded me. I might not need your couch, but don’t lend it to anyone else yet. Not all the parties involved have weighed in.”

      “Okay. If it doesn’t work out, just walk in, shove off the dog if you can manage it because he weighs about a hundred and fifty and settle down with a pillow.”

      Jax had to laugh. “Rufus sounds like quite the watchdog.”

      “He’s conscientious in his own way. He barks if he can see the bottom of his food bowl. You could steal my car and he’d sleep through it, but try to take his bowl. And if you end up with no place to stay, remember that Rufus can sleep on the floor.” He went to his SUV, got in and waved cheerfully as he drove out of the parking lot.

      Jax planned on getting a dog of his own someday. A midsize animal, maybe a beagle mix. Beagles barked a lot, even bayed now and then, but they were sweet tempered, good around kids and well mannered in general, although you had to keep an eye on them where low-lying food was concerned, because they were unabashed thieves.

      Family friendly, though.

      Jax chuckled, shook his head. Must be the season—he seemed to be thinking about settling down a lot.

      Family friendly.

       Really?

      He needed to talk to Charlie.