Elkin Brothers Christmas: The Complete Series Read online

  Three rows of cars in, he spotted Tana crouched low next to a blue Honda, muttering something under her breath. He’d put five dollars on a series of curse words, her voice rising enough for him to catch some of them. He bit back his smile, realizing she was upset and needed help, not mockery.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” he said, staying back a few feet so as not to scare her. “Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble running that errand, ma’am. Anything I can do?” he offered, teasing her with the ma’am thing to make her smile. It worked.

  Tana wrinkled her nose. “Do you have a spare tire? Because this one doesn’t look drivable. Want to give your opinion on this, too?” she teased.

  She got to her feet, and Chase moved closer. “Looks like it might go totally flat the second you drive it off the lot.” The two of them looked down at the ruined tire. “You don’t have a spare in the trunk? I can change it if you want.”

  She nudged him with her elbow, her playfulness sending sparks of awareness up his arm at the touch. “I can change a tire, but no, I don’t have a spare. And I’m already running late.”

  “I have some wonderful news,” Chase said, unable to squash his grin. “I have an entire car.”

  “But does it have all four tires?”

  “You’re in luck. It does. How about a ride?”

  Tana shook her head. “Sure. I’d love a ride if you’ve got the time to spare,” she said, her answer the opposite of what she intended to say.

  “I have nothing but time. This way—my car’s parked at my place, which isn’t far from here.” Chase led the way, ignoring the way his leg protested the quick pace. He might not be a professional skier anymore, but he wasn’t going to let a little pain slow him down when it came to helping Tana. Because by helping Tana, Chase was helping the resort, and by extension, his grandmother. This was about family and not because he found her attractive and wanted to spend time with her.

  They cut along a snow-covered path that led them through a narrow stand of trees and ended at his driveway. Chase pulled his keys from the pocket and hit the fob button to open the garage. A second button started the car.

  Tana nodded approvingly. “Nice setup.”

  “What? You don’t have remote start?” He winked.

  She laughed as they climbed into his Audi, a car he’d bought shortly before the accident. “I wish. Maybe if…maybe if things go well for me this year, I’ll save up for a new car. Or I could just get a ride from you every so often. This baby still has its new-car smell.”

  That’s not what he noticed. Tana’s scent reminded him of snow and sunshine and a bare hint of aloe, and that was better than any expensive scent Chase had ever encountered, including new-car aroma. “It does,” he agreed. “I don’t come across people with flat tires very often.” He flashed her a teasing smile.

  “You only drive this when people get a flat tire? No wonder it’s still brand-new.”

  “That’s right,” he teased. “Everything I could ever want is right here.” A beat went by, the tension crackling between them. “At the resort, I mean.”

  “Honestly, everything I could ever want is at the resort, too.” Tana sounded a little wistful. Chase’s mind raced ahead, out of control. Was she talking about him? No way. Couldn’t be. And even if she was, it would be a mistake for them both. His grandmother would kill him if he was caught trying to seduce an employee. “Nice slopes. A good job. A guy who’s confident enough to walk up to me in the middle of my day and give me random advice—”

  “Ah, good. I was hoping you were into that.”

  Tana laughed. “So, you did notice the big crowd around me today. I’ll just choose one of them. Oh, wait—everyone I saw today was under the age of ten. Turn here—my errand is this way.” Tana guided him through several turns.

  Chase had never been more aware of someone sitting in the passenger seat. He heard every breath. His body felt every move hers made as she shifted to get comfortable. He had to get his mind off how unbearably sexy she looked in her snow gear. It made no sense—there was nothing Chase found inherently sexy about heavy coats. But with her hair spilling out from under the cap and the tight shirt he could see with her now unzipped jacket, he couldn’t stop the rush of heat. “Do you like it? Teaching.”

  Tana frowned. “You think I would admit to you, Mr. Owner of the Lodge, if I didn’t think my job was great?”

  “Of course you would. Or at least I hope you would. Just pretend I’m some random guy you recently met, trying to get to know you better.”

  She smiled, sparking a touch of pride in the knowledge he’d put it there. “Fine, I’ll bite. I do like teaching. Kids still have an enthusiasm for things. They’ve got all the energy in the world. Teaching them keeps me grounded. Do you ever work with kids? It’s this right, up here.” She pointed out the window.

  Chase steered the car around the corner, a solemn expression on his face. “Not if I can avoid it,” he intoned. “I’m a no-kids kind of guy.” He expected a laugh, but Tana was looking out the window. Maybe she hadn’t liked the joke. Chase swallowed down a bolt of nervousness.

  “Great,” Tana said. “Just stop right here.”

  He parked the car in a spot by the sidewalk. The road was teeming with other vehicles, making him wonder just exactly what her errand was.

  Tana pushed open the car door and stood, waving her arm over her head.

  A little girl stepped away from the crowd of people and looked their way.

  “Mommy!” the little girl screeched and started running their way, her face one of pure joy. She was the spitting image of Tana.

  Chase’s heart skipped a beat as he watched Tana open her arms wide to catch her daughter up in a big hug.

  4

  Tana led her daughter to the car, helping Lindsey into the backseat and confirming she was buckled up. She hadn’t missed the shocked expression on Chase’s face. It was a look that told her everything she needed to know. The man is not a kid kind of a guy. At all.

  It was a bit of a shame because they’d had such a pleasant conversation even after getting off on the wrong foot. But it was probably for the best. Maintaining her professionalism was what mattered most, especially since she was in the running for the promotion. Tana slid into the front seat and put on her seatbelt.

  Chase drove out into the end-of-school traffic, and she turned to look at Lindsey. Her daughter looked just as shocked as Chase had moments ago. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were shining and glued on Chase as though she was seeing the biggest celebrity in the world. Because, of course, she was—at least according to her criteria.

  “I hope you had a good day today,” Tana said, unsure of what to expect, but there was no avoiding the situation. It was ten minutes back to the resort. “Linds, this is my friend Chase—”

  “Chase Elkin,” whispered Lindsey. Lindsey seemed to think about this for a few long heartbeats, and then the surprise melted off her face. “Chase, you’re my favorite person.”

  He let out a nervous chuckle. “Oh, I’m sure your mom is your favorite person. She only got a ride from me because she got a flat tire, and—”

  “You are the best skier in the world. I’ve watched all your videos. Mom, can I see your phone? Please?” Lindsey acted as though she hadn’t even heard Chase, cutting him off to gush on like a true fan.

  “For one minute,” Tana said automatically. She tried to avoid screen time with Lindsey if possible. Still, in the end, she wanted her daughter to have some experience navigating the world of the internet. Tana pulled out her iPhone and passed it to Lindsey. “What do you need on there, honey?”

  Lindsey was already focused on the phone, her tongue sticking out between her teeth. “I just need my playlist.”

  Tana blushed. Lindsey’s playlist wasn’t just a collection of random videos she liked. It was a playlist of videos that featured Chase, the ski world’s golden boy up until his accident. “Are you sure about that, hon? We can watch the playlist at home.” Tana
gave Lindsey a big grin, which her daughter missed entirely. “Linds?”

  Sound burst from the phone’s speakers. “Show him this one first, Mom.” Lindsey thrust the phone up toward Tana. “Watch this, Chase. It’s a movie of you, and you’re doing awesome.”

  “Honey, you need to call adults Mr. and Mrs. This is Mr. Elkin unless he gives you permission to call him Chase.”

  “Chase is fine.” He twisted around in his seat to give Lindsey a thumbs-up.

  Lindsey squirmed with excitement.

  Tana gave her daughter another smile that hopefully communicated pull it back just a little and took the phone. She held it up, the screen vaguely pointed in Chase’s direction.

  “It’s, uh, it’s a little hard to see while I’m driving.” He tried a smile, but it faded almost immediately.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what happens.” Lindsey strained against her seatbelt as far as she could. “You come down the hill. You go around all the flags.” She waved her hand in the air, mimicking the path he took in the video. “And then, when you get to the bottom, you—” Lindsey sucked in a breath, anticipation brightening her face. “Then you go over a jump!”

  “Oh, I can teach you how to do that.” Chase was busy making a turn, and Tana saw the moment when he realized what he’d done. It was a flinch, barely there, and then gone.

  Lindsey squealed at a pitch capable of shattering glass and bounced up and down in her seat. “Can I do it, Mom? Can I have private lessons with Chase? Can I please, please, please do it?”

  Tana noticed the tension in the firm set of his jaw. “You don’t have to do that,” Tana said quickly, trying to help him find a gentle way out of his mistake.

  Chase stared ahead out the front window, as though he wanted to be anywhere else other than here.

  “Honey, that’s really not something we can ask Chase to—”

  “It’s fine.” Chase maneuvered the winding roads through the resort. “I’m—I’m glad to give the lesson. No charge.”

  That wasn’t what she’d been worried about. Tana hadn’t been ready for this when she got in the car with Chase, but she should have been. Clearly. “We’ll talk about it at home, Lindsey.”

  “You have to let me take lessons, Mom!” Lindsey’s voice had gone higher. “Chase is the best skier on the whole planet.”

  “I know, honey.” The ride had been going so well. How could she not have seen this coming? “We’re in employee cottage number two off the eastern road.” Tana had never been more relieved in her life than when Chase pulled up in front of the little cottage on the edge of the resort property where she and Lindsey lived. “I’ll think about it, okay? Tell Chase thanks for the ride.”

  “Thanks for the ride!” Lindsey chirped. She grabbed her backpack off the seat next to her and hopped out of the car. Tana got out too, but not in time to stop Lindsey from poking her head back in. “You want to come in, Chase? I bet my mom has enough snacks.”

  “Oh, that’s all right. I’ve got some things to take care of over at the lodge. I’ll see you around, Lindsey.” Tana didn’t know if he was trying to look calm or not, but he was failing. “You too, Tana.”

  “Thanks again for the ride. You really bailed me out.”

  A smile flickered across his face. “I’m not done yet. I’ll see about the flat tire, okay?”

  Tana wanted to argue—Chase had already done plenty—but in reality, his help was appreciated. She closed the car door definitively and took Lindsey’s hand. Her daughter insisted they wait on the sidewalk to wave goodbye as Chase drove off. He raised a hand and waved back in front of the rearview mirror.

  Back in the little cottage, Lindsey hung up her backpack and raced to the bathroom to do the first thing on the After-School Fun List—wash her hands. It didn’t seem to matter that the activities themselves weren’t what Tana would call “fun”—washing hands, changing clothes, and a snack. Okay, the snack part was fun.

  Lindsey was up on a step stool with the water running when Tana got to the bathroom door. “I met Chase Elkin,” she announced as if Tana hadn’t been in the car the whole time. “He is the best skier in the world. And now I get to ski with him.”

  “Honey—”

  “I’ve always wanted to ski.” Lindsey pouted, her expression pained. “I’ve always wanted to ski just like you, Mommy. And you said it was dangerous, but Chase is a good skier. He wouldn’t do something dangerous.”

  Tana bit back the urge to remind Lindsey about the fact that Chase’s skiing career had been ruined by an injury. She wanted to be able to talk to her daughter about everything in a calm and collected way.

  “You know what, Lindsey? Your teacher texted me today. She told me you got all your homework done in the Kids Club.”

  Lindsey nodded proudly. “I did my whole sheet.”

  “Then you know what?” Tana leaned down and brushed her fingers gently over Lindsey’s ribs, causing her daughter to giggle. “You can watch Frozen as a special treat. Okay?”

  “Yes!” Lindsey punched a fist in the air, spraying droplets of water all over the bathroom. “Oops.” She flashed Tana the most charming grimace she’d ever seen before grabbing the hand towel to dry off the floor.

  “And that can go right in the laundry.”

  Lindsey scampered off to her bedroom to change clothes, leaving a shirt and pants and underthings in her wake. Drawers opened and closed, and then she ran out again in her favorite Frozen PJs to turn on the movie.

  Tana picked up the laundry and went through the kitchen to the small utility and laundry room. With a six-year-old girl, there was always laundry to do. Lindsey seemed to generate dirty clothes even when she was in school, which should have been impossible. And yet...

  The opening notes of the first song from Frozen filled the apartment, and Tana loaded the clothes into the washer. In the privacy of the laundry room, she tipped her head back and let the emotions of the day wash over her. Irritation. Embarrassment. More irritation. A surprisingly lovely few minutes. And then...awkwardness. Tana closed the washer lid. Chase was hot. The scruffy look worked for him. And he had the most intriguing eyes she’d ever seen on a man. They made her want to sit in a room with him for a couple days on end, learning everything there was to know about him.

  Maybe not just sit.

  Chase was like a walking set of red flags. No matter how hot he was—and he was very attractive—the way he’d reacted to the idea of kids was telling. Tana had accepted long ago that dating men who couldn’t handle the fact that she had a daughter would never work out.

  That didn’t mean she had to deny his hotness. The way she felt when he looked at her was just a feeling, and one she didn’t need to act on. Couldn’t act on. Not ever.

  She took a deep breath and hit the button on the washer to start the load. After dinner, they’d have to have the talk. The one where she explained to Lindsey why she couldn’t take ski lessons from Chase.

  The thought of disappointing her daughter made Tana’s heart ache, but it was the right thing to do. It would be best for all of them if she nipped whatever sparks there were between herself and Chase in the bud. That also meant keeping Lindsey away from him. Tana swallowed an aching lump in her throat. Lindsey hadn’t been this excited about anything since they’d moved to Elk Lodge.

  Tana’s most deep-seated instinct was to keep her daughter safe. Her body couldn’t necessarily handle things like learning to ski, and Lindsey would not be happy to hear it. But Tana was the grown-up in this situation. She had to make the tough choices now so they could be healthy in the long run. And keep both of their hearts intact.

  Because that would be worse, wouldn’t it? If Lindsey and Chase developed a friendship, it wouldn’t be a big leap for her to start getting ideas. Daddy ideas. And the next thing Tana knew, she’d be having to explain why Chase wasn’t going to come live with them.

  She’d choose a painful conversation now over an agonizing one later.

  The washer finished filling, and the
wash cycle kicked into high gear. Tana had been standing there long enough for “Let It Go” to start playing in the living room. Lindsey sang along with it, her voice high and clear. She had a natural talent.

  Maybe tonight wasn’t a good night to break the news. There would be plenty of time tomorrow. For now, she wanted to listen to her daughter sing and share in the joy Lindsey brought to life.

  5

  Tana stood in the middle of Chase’s driveway, looking up at the luxury family house he called home. It was really something else. Huge picture windows dominated the front of the log home, and all of it looked like it had been lovingly maintained for as long as it had been on the property. The place looked almost new.

  The front door was painted a deep forest green complimenting the natural exterior. The door swung open, and Chase stepped out. Crap. She’d meant to go knock like a normal person, and here she was, staring at his house from the driveway.

  “Hey,” he called out. “Did you need a ride somewhere?”

  After how well yesterday’s ride went? “No, I’m good.” Tana smiled, trying to project warmth and gratefulness as she was about to reject his kind offer. “I actually came to talk to you.”

  Chase grinned, and desire heated the core of her. She’d already been warm from her ski lesson and the walk to Chase’s house, but now she felt like she’d curled up in front of a crackling fire. No. No. That was not the kind of feeling she was supposed to entertain.

  Chase stepped out on the porch and held open the door. “Well, come on in then. Heat’s getting out.” He winked. The teasing gesture felt so natural Tana had to swallow a belly laugh.

  She hurried onto the porch and went inside, Chase right behind her. The high-ceilinged foyer was bright with natural light streaming down from a skylight. Tana caught a glimpse of the house beyond—a wide-open living room with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked like the ones she’d noticed in front. And a leather couch that looked so soft it practically begged her to take a nap.