Bring Me Home for Christmas

living hundreds of miles away. And while he said he loved her, she knew he loved this town, too. In this town, he finally found what he’d always been looking for.
    “A cloud just passed over you,” Jack said.
    “I think it was that word—uncomplicated. I have a broken ankle, no job to go home to and Denny lives here, while I live so far away….”
    “Since those are things you can’t do anything about today, try to enjoy the things that are going right,” Jack said.
    At that moment, the thing she enjoyed most about her present circumstances walked in the door. He dragged off his hat and as his eyes lit on her, he began to beam. You’re right, she thought. And as he took the seat beside her, he dropped a possessive kiss on her cheek and grabbed her hand.
    “Lunch?” Jack asked.
    “Two,” he said. “Thanks. What is it today?”
    “Pulled-pork sandwiches. I’ll get ’em. And then I’ll leave you two alone.”

Eleven
    After lunch, Denny drove Becca down the street and carried her up the steep stairs, while she held on to the crutches. She could have stayed at Preacher’s house and even napped there, but she chose instead to be out of the way for at least a couple of hours. And Denny was thrilled to get her alone in that little one-room apartment over the garage. He barely had the door closed before he pulled the crutches out of her grip, whirled her around and had her on the bed, his lips hot on hers. He rolled with her until he was lying beside her, snuggling her close. They didn’t even have their jackets off before his breathing was coming hard and raspy.
    “Don’t you have to work?” she asked in a breathless whisper.
    “I’m thinking of a leave of absence,” he said, pulling her shirt away from her neck so he could cover her with kisses.
    “I remember this about you… You’ve always been so passionate. Is this normal?”
    “I don’t know, but I think you’re going to be stuck with this now.”
    “Poor me…” she whispered, holding him close.
    “Okay with you if I just chase you till you’re about ninety?”
    “Only ninety?”
    “You don’t know how hard it was to go to work this morning. How hard it is to think about going back this afternoon.”
    “I’ll be here later, too.” It didn’t seem to be slowing him down. His hands were moving. “Go to work, Dennis.”
    “Ugh…”
    “Do you think you’ll ever have time to show me the place you work?” she asked.
    He lifted his head from her neck. “Would you like to see it?”
    “I would, if your boss wouldn’t mind.”
    “She’d be thrilled. I’ll take you tomorrow. Bring a book—after a tour, you’ll have to wait for me to get my morning work done.” He sat up reluctantly. “I’ll go now, but I’ll see you later.” He closed his eyes briefly. “God, you smell good.”
    “You’d better leave before you change your mind again.”
    “Get a nap, Becca. Rest up.” He put her crutches by the bed so she could reach them and headed for the door. “I kept you up half the night. Sleep.”
    That was exactly what she intended to do. She pulled the corner of the quilt over herself and with a smile on her face, she conked out immediately. When she woke, it was almost three in the afternoon. She pulled herself up, stretched and reached for the paperback that was sitting on the bedside table.
    It didn’t take her long to feel like getting out and the only thing she could think of was Jack’s. By the time she got down the street, she noticed Danielle and Megan, walking into the church. Drawn to the kids, secretly hoping there was another activity she could help with, she followed them.
    When she was inside the church doors, she heard voices. She had to manage a few stairs to get up to the sanctuary. There, at the front of the church, the pastor’s wife was talking to the girls as they were taking off their coats. “Hey,” Becca called to them.
    “Becca!” they both said, beaming.
    She made her way down the aisle. “More after-school projects?” she asked.
    “I’m afraid not today,” Ellie said. “The bus just dropped them off and I have work to do. I’m Noah’s wife and the church secretary. While I finish up in the office, the girls are going to work on their homework in the conference room. Trevor and Jeremy are in the basement, hopefully staying out of trouble.”
    “I can help with homework,” Becca said.
    “We don’t want to be any trouble, Becca,” Ellie said. “You probably have better