A Christmas Homecoming Read online

  “You should wear boots.”

  She turned to face him. “Excuse me?”

  “Your shoes are soaked. Your feet will get frostbite.”

  She looked down. “I don’t have far to go.” She spun around and bolted from the house.

  Surely, she wasn’t embarrassed by his comment. But something sent her fleeing.

  “Bailey!” His mother’s clear voice drifted down from upstairs.

  He’d nearly forgotten about her. He rushed up the sweeping staircase as quickly as his sore muscles would allow and burst into his mother’s bedroom.

  She sat up in her bed. “Oh!” Mom’s eyes filled with sudden tears that quickly streamed down her aging cheeks. “You’re home.” Her words came out slowly, but clearly.

  He sidled up to her bed. “I am.”

  She wiped her eyes with a shaky hand. “You look awful. What happened?”

  He could say the same about her but knew better than to comment about the side of her face that drooped slightly. Mom had always hidden her age well, but her seventy-three years were evident now. “I hit a patch of ice and wrapped my pickup around that old Ponderosa Pine I wanted you to let me take out years ago. That thing is a menace.” He quirked a grin to make sure she knew he was teasing.

  She wrapped his hand in hers and gave it a weak squeeze. “I’m glad you lived to tell me about it. Now, where’s my addle-brained assistant? I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately. Ever since she moved into the house, she hasn’t been herself.” Her brow furrowed as she looked past him toward the door.

  He’d only met Bailey a short time ago, but addle-brained didn’t fit his impression of her at all. More than likely Mom’s demands were frustrating the poor woman. “Perhaps you are expecting too much of one person, Mom.” She’d always been a taskmaster. Dad had been a good balance to her Type A personality.

  “Nonsense. I pay her well to do her job. She should rise to the occasion.” She looked past him toward the doorway.

  “Bailey went outside to take care of something, but I’m all yours. What do you need?”

  “A time machine.”

  “Come again?” Had the stroke given her brain damage too?

  “I’d like to rewrite history. No stroke for me and no accident for you.”

  He grinned then grimaced as pain pulsed in his face. At least she hadn’t lost her sense of humor.

  “Since you are so quick to defend my assistant, what did you think of her?”

  “She’s fine.” He liked her quite a bit actually, which surprised him considering his mother’s attitude. It’s not like they’d be spending much, if any time together—although now that he’d met Bailey he wouldn’t mind.

  “Mm-hmm, but what’s your impression of her?”

  Were they really going to have this conversation now? With a sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed. “She came to my aid at my pickup and patched me up.” He pointed to his forehead. “She’s a bit reserved, but she’s kind.” He shrugged. “We only met a little bit ago.” He remembered her gentle touch as she cleaned his wound and grinned.

  Mom harrumphed and crossed her arms. “Since you don’t seem overly impressed by her, I want you to start searching for a new assistant for me immediately.”

  “What? I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Alarm shot through him.

  She narrowed her eyes. “I’m still running this business. Don’t forget that.”

  This was not a good time to be hiring someone new with the holidays so close. Bailey seemed competent and was certain to know the ins and outs of the business. It would be difficult to train someone new. Granted he’d only met Bailey, but his defenses rose for the young woman nonetheless. After all, she’d rescued him from his accident. Then again, if his mother wanted her gone, he should honor her wishes. He’d have to tread carefully with this situation.

  Chapter Two

  Bailey breathed in a sigh of relief to be away from the main house and Stephen. The man had an effect on her she didn’t care for—a cross between nervousness and awe. He was a Belafonte and therefore her employer. She needed to keep her distance. They were from two different worlds, and she would never fit into his. She’d put that nervous energy to good use cleaning his cabin.

  She flipped on the lights in Stephen’s cabin and turned full circle from her position in the center of the main room. The cabin, though nothing in comparison to Mona’s palatial home, was perfect to her way of thinking. A river rock fireplace occupied the wall directly across from the entry with an urban-rustic coffee table placed between it and a brown leather couch. A room-sized rug with soft brown and blue tones covered the floor between the couch and the fireplace. Occasional chairs balanced out the space.

  She held a swag of holly leaves and berries mixed with small pine branches that she’d brought over earlier and left on the front porch. Perhaps hanging it on the door outside would be best. Now that Stephen was home, it felt wrong to be in his home without his knowledge or permission. But Mona would want the place freshened and welcoming before he moved back in, so she needed to hurry and ignore her unease.

  After hanging the decoration, she reentered the house and pulled open the closet, hoping to find cleaning supplies. “At least one thing is going right today.” She quickly brushed a feather duster against the light fixtures, then dampened a cloth and wiped dust from all the solid surfaces.

  She finished dusting and stood still for a moment deciding what to do next. The uncluttered place really only needed a quick run-through with the vacuum. She plugged in the appliance, which instantly whirred to life, and puffed a cloud of dust into the room.

  “Oh no!” She jerked her head to the side searching for the off button when the vacuum suddenly shut down.

  “What are you doing?” Stephen stood in the doorway with crossed arms, his bag on the floor beside him.

  “I . . . well . . . I was supposed to be cleaning, but I’m afraid I made things worse.”

  “Being my housekeeper falls under your job description?” He raised a brow and closed the door behind him.

  “No. But your mother asked me to tidy up for you.”

  He carefully wound the cord and placed it on the hook on the backside of the upright vacuum. “I should have thrown this thing out years ago, but Rebecca thought it could be fixed.” A look of pain crossed his face as he wheeled it to the door.

  Bailey clasped her hands together. His slumped shoulders ignited something inside her. “I don’t mind cleaning. I was hoping to finish this and be gone before you came over.”

  He turned, weariness clouding his face. “Don’t worry about my home, Bailey. Regardless of what my mother says, cleaning my cabin is not your job.” He pulled the front door open and stood to the side, meeting her gaze. “I’m jetlagged and in desperate need of sleep.”

  What she saw knotted her stomach. He pitied her! She raised her chin, and heat rushed through her body as she marched past him. She turned before leaving. “Welcome home. I hope your injuries heal quickly, and if you need anything, you know where to find me. Sleep well.” She kept her voice calm in spite of the irritation that bubbled to the surface. She closed the door and trudged along the path through the woods toward Mona’s.

  A silver car sat in the circular driveway in front of the house. Relief washed over her. She wouldn’t need to deal with Mona now that the Certified Nurse’s Assistant was finally here—an hour late, but at least she was here. They’d arranged to have a woman come in once a day for a few hours, so Bailey could meet with clients. Now she could head into Sunriver and finish the house they’d been hired to redecorate. The delivery truck would arrive in forty-five minutes. Barely enough time to stop in at Nicole’s home for a cup of coffee, but she wouldn’t stand up her friend.

  A quick dash to her bedroom for her purse and computer, and she was off. At the end of the driveway, the sight of Stephen’s totaled pickup made her ease up on the gas. Not that she was going fast, but a little caution would be wise.

  A
short time later, she pulled up to Nicole’s house. She was later than she’d expected.

  Nicole stood in the doorway. “Everything okay? I thought you’d be here an hour ago. I sent you a text, but you didn’t reply.”

  Bailey rushed to the door. “I’m so sorry I’m late. This day did not go at all like I’d planned.”

  “I can tell. What has you so out of sorts?” She stood at the kitchen counter and poured coffee into two mugs.

  Bailey grinned. “Thanks.” She brought the coffee to her nose and sniffed. “What kind is it?”

  “A pumpkin spice mix.”

  “Yum.” She sat at the kitchen table and took a sip. Tension eased from her shoulders. She needed this. “I should buy a bag. Mona would love it too.”

  Nicole added cream to her coffee. “You look like you were in a battle and lost. I thought you had a job to go to after this.”

  Bailey’s hand shot to her hair. “I do. Stephen had an accident and then the vacuum exploded all over me. I was so rattled I didn’t think to look in the mirror.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I must be a mess, and I’m supposed to meet clients in thirty minutes.”

  Nicole leaned in. “Hold on a second. Who is Stephen?”

  “Mona’s son who’s been in France.” She fingered a napkin that lay on the table and tore it into tiny bits as she told her friend about Stephen and his accident. “And now I’m totally out of sorts and off schedule.” And apparently a mess too. But nothing could be done now. She had to keep her appointment or Mona would ax her for sure.

  “You could’ve canceled. I would’ve understood.”

  “Not a chance. I needed to see a friendly face.”

  Nicole stood and grabbed her cup. “Come on. You can shower here before your appointment. You’re covered in dust. Be sure to wash your hair too. I’ll fix it for you when you’re done.”

  “I don’t have time for all of that. I’ll just wash my arms and face off.”

  Nicole shook her head. “Trust me on this.” She pressed her lips together, grabbed Bailey’s arm, and pulled her into the master suite. “I’m sure there’s something in my closet that will work since we’re close in size.”

  Bailey’s insides leapt. “You’re a lifesaver, but I need to hurry. I can’t be more than twenty minutes late.”

  “Don’t worry, make the call and get moving. Everything you’ll need is in the bathroom.” She pulled a robe from the closet. “This is brand new. Put it on when you get out.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Bailey took the robe, made the call, then raced into the bathroom she’d played a large role in remodeling over a year ago. When she turned the space into a luxurious spa she never imagined she’d one day get to use it.

  She looked in the mirror and gasped. Dust on her dark, frizzy hair made her hair look gray, and a smudge of dirt on her nose finished the ragamuffin look. Her hair could use a deep conditioning for sure to get her tight curls under control. No wonder Stephen pitied her. She was a mess! Good thing she’d called Mrs. Gladstone to warn her she’d be late.

  Her client would have been scandalized by her appearance. Bailey quickly hopped into the shower and washed the dust out of her hair then ran shampoo and conditioner through her hair, hoping to tame the frizz. Five minutes later she slipped into Nicole’s thick, white spa-like bathrobe and padded into the bedroom.

  Her friend held a black A-line skirt and a long sleeve red sweater. “What do you think?”

  “Perfect. Thank you.”

  Nicole frowned. “Not perfect. Your sneakers won’t go with this, and we don’t wear the same size shoe.”

  “I keep black boots in my trunk.”

  “You change while I grab them, then I’ll do your hair.” Nicole scurried from the room.

  Ten minutes later, after she had donned the skirt and sweater, Nicole pulled her hair into a French twist. “I can’t thank you enough, but I have to run.”

  “Go. We’ll catch up another time. Before I forget, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

  “Mona asked me to cook, so I guess I’ll be with them.” She hoped she could pull off the meal.

  “Mark invited Spencer, and Sarah will be here. I’d love to have you come too if anything changes.”

  “Okay, thanks. Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need luck, but I’ll pray. I put your clothes into a bag and set it by the door.”

  “Got it. Thanks again.” She fingered the bag and raced to her car. The house she was going to was only a few minutes up the road so she’d only be ten minutes late. She almost wished she hadn’t agreed to spend Thanksgiving at the Belafontes’, but she wasn’t one to back out of commitments. She’d love to spend the holiday with Nicole and her fiancé Mark. Sarah was really nice too. She didn’t know Spencer, Mark’s friend on the Sunriver police force, as well as she knew the others, but he was a nice enough man.

  A short time later, she pulled up to the client’s home. A delivery van took up the driveway. Was that Mona’s Buick parked beside it? She frowned and set the brake. There was no way Mona would be here.

  The door to the home swung open, and Stephen walked out holding a clipboard. “Glad you made it. I had everything moved into the garage and checked the invoice. It looks like it’s all here.”

  “Sorry I was delayed.” Why was he here? Wasn’t he supposed to be sleeping?

  The homeowner peered around Stephen’s arm. “Bailey! You look lovely.”

  Stephen looked up, and his eyes widened.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Gladstone.” Bailey hoisted her purse onto her shoulder and stepped up the stairs. No one had ever told her she looked lovely—especially a high-and-mighty kind of person like her client. She breezed past Stephen, catching a whiff of his Obsession cologne. “Shall we get to work?” Her heart kicked into double time, as if it could beat any faster. What was Stephen doing here? He should be at home resting.

  Stephen held back the grin that threatened to escape. He hadn’t intended to throw Bailey off, but it became clear the moment shock registered on her face he should have called to let her know Mona demanded he supervise. Well, maybe she didn’t need to know that part. He didn’t want to offend her. After all, she had come to his aid after his accident, plus he was depending on her to do her job.

  She cleaned up well. Who would have thought such a beauty was hiding behind the messy state he’d seen her in earlier. No wonder Mother hired her. She was beautiful in an understated kind of way.

  Thoughts of his mom unsettled him. He had no idea what had come over her. She used to be such a fun loving person, but the CNA informed him that Mom was normally grouchy. She had always leaned toward temperamental; perhaps her health issues were getting the best of her. Whatever the problem, he was here to make sure everyone stayed happy. Even if that meant putting his wishes aside for a short time.

  He followed after the women to the great room. Bailey had a layout of the room pulled up on her laptop. Good. This shouldn’t take too long. He was sore and jetlagged, and his body said it was well past time to be in bed. He imagined it would take a few days to adjust to Pacific Time.

  Bailey raised her chin. “Mrs. Gladstone, I hate to kick you out, but I would love to surprise you with the finished room in two hours—maybe less.”

  The older woman plastered on a stiff smile. “Okay. I will be upstairs if you need me, but I’ll be back in exactly two hours.” She plodded up the stairs and disappeared out of sight.

  Bailey whirled around, worry etched in her face. “Where’s my muscle? Bob and Jacob were supposed to meet me here.”

  “Rick needed them at the jobsite in Bend.” His oldest brother had called the house a short time ago, and since he was going to be on site anyway, it wasn’t a problem. “That’s what I’m here for. Together, we can get everything in place.” Plus working with Bailey would give him a chance to better assess her on the job skills.

  She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Good thing I told her two hours. We’ll need it.”

&
nbsp; He squared his shoulders. “Is there a problem?” Did she doubt his strength? Maybe he hadn’t been to the gym in a week or two, but he could get the job done.

  “Sorry, but you’re injured, and by your own admission, exhausted. And I’m not exactly a powerhouse of muscle.” She flexed her arm.

  He held in a chuckle but couldn’t stop from grinning. She was cute when she was annoyed, but enough playing around. “I’m all you have. I suggest we get busy. You only gave us two hours.”

  She pressed her lips together. “You’re right. We’ll bring in the rug and then the furniture, followed by accessories.” Her boots clicked across the hardwood flooring.

  He turned to look over his shoulder. Pain shot through his neck. He gasped.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m sorer than I realized, but don’t worry. I can help.”

  “I’m counting on it, but you should take it easy as much as possible. I’ll feel bad if you injure yourself further.” She stepped around him and pulled open the door leading to the three-car garage. “There’s more stuff than I remembered. Hopefully two hours is long enough.”

  “We’ll get it done.” The worry etched on her face made him all the more determined to complete this project in less time than allotted, even if he did want to sleep for the next month.

  They went to work. He had to hand it to Bailey. She worked hard and fast. She knew exactly where everything should be placed and when something didn’t look like she’d imagined, she quickly adjusted. The woman had talent.

  Two hours later, he hung the last picture, and a gasp broke the silence as their client strolled down the stairs. “It’s perfect!” She ran her hand across the 1940s antique bar cabinet Bailey had said she found on eBay. “I see why you wanted this to be a surprise. The mix of old with new is perfect.” She reached for Bailey’s hand. “Thank you. I will be sure to let Mona know how pleased I am.”

  “You’re most welcome and thanks. Anytime you want to redecorate, I hope you’ll give us a call.”

  “I will.” Mrs. Gladstone walked them to the door. She turned to Stephen. “Please tell your mother I hope she feels better soon.”