A Very Crimson Christmas

Chapter Three

Liam was up for an early run Monday morning despite the layer of frost and temperature that made his lungs burn. The way he was huffing air as he got back to the house he’d rented reminded him that Crimson sat at an almost nine-thousand-foot altitude, tucked high into the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

He’d acclimate within a few days, he told himself as he came into the large, modern kitchen overlooking the valley below. Sun bounced off the snow that blanketed the trees and mountainside, almost blinding in its brightness. It looked like a picture postcard for a winter wonderland. He wiped his forehead on the back of his jacket sleeve and reached for a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

“I made coffee,” a voice said from behind him.

“You still on central time, too?” He turned to his assistant, Tanner Black, who was frowning at the screen of a laptop he carried into the room.

Tanner was a few years older than Liam and had been his right-hand man for almost four years. Liam’s father had a habit of taking his bad moods out on the people who worked for him. The first time Liam had seen Tanner, the other man had intervened when Michael Donovan was in the midst of a tirade that had brought a young secretary to tears. Who knew what the woman had done—not gotten Michael’s coffee order exactly right, answered the phone on the third ring instead of the second. When Michael went off, nothing rational seemed to matter.

Liam had been about to step in when Tanner, a junior project manager at the company, had come forward and given Liam’s father a stern lecture in his no-nonsense way. Tanner had been fired on the spot, but Liam had rehired him just as quickly. He knew how valuable it would prove to have someone in his corner who wasn’t afraid of Michael Donovan.

Tanner had quickly become indispensable to Liam. He was a great project manager, a forward thinker and one of the few people in the company Liam trusted implicitly. He’d helped every step of the way with the new company and understood why Liam needed to break off from the “father ship,” as he referred to Donovan Enterprises.

“Sleep is overrated.” Tanner placed the computer on the counter and filled a mug with coffee. He wore a charcoal-gray suit with a tailored shirt and red tie. Even in the mountains, Tanner insisted on dressing for business. “All things are possible with enough coffee as fuel. Don’t forget the Skype meeting today with the investors. You need to lock these guys up so we can move forward with a development plan for the new app.”

Liam nodded. “No problem. They won’t want to miss this opportunity.”

“Because your father pushed them out before the last stock split at Donovan Enterprises?”

“That’s one of several reasons.”

Tanner lifted a blond brow. “Do you have a plan for breaking the news to dear old dad?”

“Not yet.” Liam grabbed a muffin from the box on the counter and bit into it, the texture moist and the flavor out of this world. He looked at the name imprinted on the box, Life is Sweet. He remembered the small downtown bakery from his time in Crimson but didn’t remember the shop offering anything like this.

“It’s good, right?” Tanner asked with a smile. “You should try one of her cookies. I half fell in love with the woman who runs the place because of the way she bakes.”

“And...” Liam prompted.

“And it doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous.”

If Liam had a quarter for all the women Tanner “half fell in love with,” he’d have the money to fund his new company all on his own.

“Why didn’t you tell me Crimson was such a great town? Whenever we were in Aspen, you went out of your way not to spend time here.” Tanner snagged a muffin. “I think it has a great vibe.”

“Good,” Liam answered, “because I want you to look into headquartering the new company here.”

Tanner’s mouth dropped open. “I meant a great vibe for a weekend away. You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? I bet the town will offer incentives, the location will attract the kind of people we want working on the GPS software and it keeps us far away from Donovan Enterprises.”

“And...” Tanner used the same tone Liam had a few minutes earlier.

“And I told my nanny part of why I was staying in town was because I might start the company here.”

“Bold move.” Tanner broke off a piece of muffin and popped it into his mouth. “Are you serious?”

“I’m serious about making her believe it could happen.” Liam took a long drink of coffee, not wanting to admit how much the idea of once again calling Crimson his home appealed to him.

“Got it. How was bingo?” Tanner asked with a smile.

“A rocking good time.” Liam spun the laptop around and logged into his email.

“Is there anything more you want me to check out regarding where your nanny is spending her money or who’s taking it?”

Natalie’s soft “please” came to Liam’s mind, along with her big melted-chocolate eyes. Eyes that were haunted and hiding something. “Not yet.” He let out a small laugh as he checked his in-box for new messages. “I’ll be damned, word does travel fast from the bingo hall.”

“Can you translate that sentence into English?” Tanner asked, pouring himself more coffee.

“What time is the investor call?”

“Noon eastern time.”

Liam nodded, flipping the laptop shut. “I’m going to have breakfast with one of the Crimson town council members. He wants to talk about my plans for headquartering LifeMap here.”

Tanner whistled. “Are there any secrets in Crimson?”

“Sure,” Liam answered as he walked toward the master suite. “They just don’t stay secrets for long.”

* * *

He walked into a homey restaurant near the center of town a half hour later, trying to ignore the excessive amount of holiday decorations strewn up and down Main Street. Or maybe they just felt excessive to Liam. He’d never been a fan of Christmas, but Crimson clearly embraced the holiday with lights and garland strung between shops and ornaments and other trimmings hanging from every window.

He looked around the oversize Christmas tree at the front of the restaurant to see Jason Crenshaw at one of the side tables. Jase had been one of the first kids Liam had met when he came to Crimson in high school. Back then, Jase was tall and lanky, a little on the nerdy side, a straight-A student and president of almost every club at the school.

Liam had liked him a lot, but at that point in his life, he was more interested in getting in trouble to hack off his parents than getting good grades, so he and Jase had gone in different directions.

Jase stood as Liam approached and reached out his hand for a hearty shake. He was still tall, at least a couple of inches over Liam’s own six-two, but he’d filled out and looked every inch the perfect representative for a town like Crimson.

Almost immediately, an older waitress came over with a coffeepot. “Drive over from Aspen, hon?” she asked, pouring steaming liquid into Liam’s mug then freshening Jase’s cup.

Liam glanced between the waitress and Jase, who shrugged. “I’m staying in Crimson,” he answered.

“Is that right? I didn’t mean any offense. But we’re a beer and burgers town. You look more the steak and fancy wine type.”

“I like beer,” Liam muttered, wondering why the woman’s assessment of him grated on his nerves. He’d put on a button-down shirt, black trousers and a dark leather jacket for this meeting, and as far as he could tell he didn’t look much different from Jase.

“Ruth Keller was Liam’s nanny for years,” Jase told the waitress.

Her eyes lit up. “The one bringing all the jobs to Crimson?” She gave him a maternal pat on the shoulder. “Breakfast is on the house for you.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Liam answered quickly. “I haven’t made a final decision. There’s a lot that goes into—”

“So you’re not starting your company here?”

Jase shook his head but smiled. “Let’s not jump the gun, Mary. We’re meeting this morning to discuss the possibility. It’s great they’re even considering Crimson.” He tapped his menu. “I’ll have the breakfast burrito with green chili, hash browns on the side.”

The waitress nodded and turned to Liam.

“I’ll have the same.”

She leaned toward Jase. “Do I buy him breakfast now or later?” she asked in a whisper that Liam could clearly hear.

“I’ll take care of the bill this morning,” Jase answered.

Satisfied with that answer, she turned from their table.

“Is there some kind of news alert in this town that everyone subscribes to?” Liam asked when she was out of earshot. “I’ve never seen something spread so quickly.”

“That’s Crimson for you.” Jase dumped a packet of sugar into his coffee. “Even if you don’t know your own business, chances are someone else can fill you in on the details.”

“How do you stand it?” As much as he was in the public eye for his job, Liam liked to keep his private dealings close to the vest. That seemed impossible in a town like Crimson.

Jase shrugged. “Keep my nose clean for one. I also know that people have good intentions for the most part. You get used to it.”

“You’ve done well here.” Liam stirred creamer into his coffee. “Of course, I think you would have done well anywhere from what I remember about your track record in high school.”

“Crimson is home for me. Always has been.” Jase watched Liam over the rim of his coffee mug. “I have to say I’m surprised to hear you’re in town for an extended stay.”

“I want to make sure Ruth gets the care she needs. She doesn’t have any family of her own.”

“Makes sense,” Jase said with a nod. “She talks about you like you’re her own flesh and blood. Are you really considering Crimson as a company headquarters?”

Liam looked around the restaurant before answering. There was a mix of customers, from families with young children, to a couple of tables of older folks, to men clearly dressed for a day on the slopes. The mood was friendly and open, much like he’d found throughout the town. His feelings about Crimson from years ago were jumbled, but he couldn’t deny that the present-day atmosphere was appealing.

“If we can make it work, I’d give it a go. But you should know this new company has nothing to do with Donovan Enterprises. My father and his money won’t be involved. I don’t know if that impacts your interest in us.” He watched Jase closely, waited for the disappointment that his father wasn’t backing LifeMap to flicker across the other man’s face. When it didn’t, Liam felt the tension ease out of his shoulders. “I’m courting investors now and hope to have financing secured by the end of the month. That’s another reason I’m in Crimson. The guys who own the venture capital company we’ve been working with are coming to Aspen to ski in a couple of weeks. I hope to meet with them in a more relaxed setting and close the deal.”

“If the deal means jobs and revenue for Crimson, I’m all for it. It’s not a sure thing on the town’s end, though. There are a couple of old-school locals on the council. They’d like to see Crimson revert back to how things were in the fifties—one stop sign in the middle of town and all that. But several of us have other ideas for the future of the town.” He leaned closer. “You should also know I’m planning on running for mayor next year.”

“This would be a damn good feather in your campaign cap.”

The waitress brought their plates at that moment. “Hope you like your green chili hot,” she said to Liam as she slid a dish with a football-size burrito smothered in green sauce in front of him. “We do things spicy here in Crimson.”

He couldn’t help but return her grin. “I like it spicy,” he answered with a wink.

She laughed. “You’ll fit in here, hon. Even if you do look like a smooth talker.”

Liam shook his head. “You have an uncanny ability to compliment and criticize in the same breath. That’s quite a skill.”

“Thank you, sweetness. I pride myself on it.”

“I love this town,” Jase said when she’d walked away again. He forked up a big bite of burrito. “It’s my home. Yes, I want to win my bid for mayor, but even more I want what’s best for Crimson.” He pointed the utensil at Liam. “If this deal works out, are you planning on sticking around longer?”

Liam took a bite of his own burrito as a way to buy himself a little time to think about his answer to that question. The idea of headquartering his new company here was just something he’d thrown out to appease his former nanny. Two days ago, he’d had no intention of spending more time in this town than was absolutely necessary. He had to admit the thought of starting LifeMap here held some appeal, even beyond making his father furious. But he couldn’t quite forget the past or how badly things had ended for him in Crimson once before. Although his anger and resentment felt as though they’d gone through a process to dull them, take down the harsh edges. He reached for the pain but couldn’t quite grasp it.

What he could remember with great detail was the way Natalie had felt in his arms last night. “There’s a long way to go before any decisions are made. I hadn’t really planned on considering Crimson as a headquarters, so we have other locations in the running, as well. I’m willing to consider this town if it can offer what we need.”

“What exactly is it you need, Liam?”

The word home popped immediately into Liam’s mind. A place where he was more than just his last name or his bank account. He focused instead on the company. “LifeMap needs to attract talented, smart people. I’m going to need a team of programmers as well as marketing experts. I want to invest good money in my intellectual capital and build a company that will attract those kinds of employees. The location will be important and I’d rather not do a new build. If I can renovate something or find a spot that’s move-in ready I’d be thrilled. That’s where you’re at a disadvantage. Bigger cities have a lot more to offer.”

“I can set you up with a commercial Realtor later today. If this moves forward, we can start talking about incentives from the town. We’re small, but we mean business.” He took another sip of coffee. “If you need a contractor to oversee renovations, they don’t get any better than Logan Travers. He came back to town last year and focuses mainly on residential and historic buildings downtown, but I’m sure he could give you some great advice. Do you remember him?”

Liam felt his breath hitch as his chest constricted. “Of course I remember Logan,” he said, his voice raspy. “His twin sister died in my arms.”

Chapter Four

“If you take the medicine without a fuss, Mr. Manzia, I’ll give you an extra scoop of ice cream.”

“It tastes bad,” the older man said with a shake of his head, turning back to his newspaper.

Natalie wanted to groan. She was six hours into her shift and had a headache to match. Harold Manzia always complained about medicine. Normally she took it in stride, playing little games to see how quickly she could get him to acquiesce. But since her encounter with Liam two nights ago, she’d been sleeping worse than usual and was not on top of her game today.

“Harold, would you walk me down to the community room?” Ruth looked up from her needlework. “I’d like to get a good seat for the children’s concert this afternoon.” She gave Natalie a slow wink as Harold tossed down the paper and came to his feet.

“Be happy to, Ruthie.” It was no secret the elderly widower had quite a crush on Ruth.

“Medicine first,” Natalie said, holding out the small plastic cup of liquid.

Harold waved her away. “Later.”

Natalie moved in front of Harold. “Now.”

“I’m sure one of the other men would be able to take me if you can’t.” Ruth glanced over her shoulder. “But I was looking forward to spending the afternoon with you.”

With a growl, Harold grabbed the cup from Natalie and downed the white liquid, only shuddering a little as he did. “Nasty stuff.”

“I know,” Natalie conceded as he handed her the empty vial. “But it keeps you regular.”

“Regular is good,” Ruth added. “George Clark gets the worst gas when things aren’t moving. I can barely stand to be around him.” She stood, then reached out to pat Harold’s fingers. “I wouldn’t want that to happen to you, Harold.”

Natalie suppressed a smile as Mr. Manzia considered the possibility. She pressed a quick kiss to Ruth’s temple. “Thanks for the help.”

“My pleasure, dear,” Ruth whispered.

“About what I asked you earlier—your money and my ex-husband...”

Ruth’s sharp gaze went suddenly blank. “Liam handles my money, Natalie. You know he has gobs.”

“Yes, but—”

“It was such a shame the two of you broke up. Now that he’s back in town, maybe there’s another chance. He might ask you to the winter dance at the high school.”

“We’ve been out of high school for over ten years, Ruth. You remember that, right?”

“Oh, well...” Ruth closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and smiled. “He’ll buy you the loveliest corsage.”

Natalie bit back a sigh as Harold stepped forward. “Ready, Ruthie?”

“Harold really is my favorite,” Ruth told Natalie before turning to the older man.

Natalie watched as Harold took Ruth’s arm and headed toward the hall. The music teacher at Austin’s elementary school had arranged for the kids in his class to come to Evergreen and sing Christmas carols to the residents. As soon as Natalie finished a few charts, she’d join them for the performance.

When she turned for the nurses’ office, Liam was standing in the doorway. Heat flooded through her at the sight of him and she had to force herself not to fidget. “You just missed Ruth,” she said, tossing Harold’s empty cup into a nearby trash can, then refolding the newspaper. She wondered how much of the conversation he’d overheard.

“I noticed.” He leaned a shoulder against the door frame, unzipping his insulated jacket. For some reason, the soft colors of the senior center made him look even more rugged in comparison. Not that Natalie was paying attention. “She always had a way with the men.”

“Why do you think she never remarried after her husband died?”

Liam shrugged. “She always said she might have a lot of love in her life but there had only ever been one love of her life.” The way he stared at her as he said the words made a shiver run across the back of her neck. “Does she often come with you to the center during the day?”

“A couple of times a week before her fall.” Natalie fluffed a pillow on the sofa in the now-empty sitting room. Residents loved when kids came to visit, so people who would normally be gathered around the television or playing games in the dining hall had gone down to the community room for the concert. “Her other nurse called in sick today and I didn’t want to leave her at the house alone.”

“You could have called me.”

There was something in his tone, maybe accusation, and her defenses pricked in response. “She’s hired me to be her nurse. If I thought there was an issue with her leaving the house I wouldn’t have brought her. I’m good at what I do, Liam.”

“I’m not arguing that, but she’s like family to me.”

He probably hadn’t meant the comment as an intentional barb, but it still stung. Nothing would have made Natalie happier than to have Ruth as part of her real family. “And I’m the hired help. I get it.”

She went to walk past him but stopped when he grabbed her arm. “I didn’t mean it like that, Nat. I want to take care of her. Hell, I could hire private nurses around the clock to be with her.”

“That’s not what she wants.”

“But is it what she needs?” He squeezed her arm tighter for a moment then released it again. “She’s aged so much since I’ve seen her last. It makes me feel like a jackass for letting things...for not coming back to Crimson sooner.”

“You’re busy. She understands that.”

“I shouldn’t be too busy for her. She’s the only person who ever really cared about me. She didn’t have to take me in when I got kicked out of boarding school. My parents would have been happy to ship me off to a military academy for the last part of high school if she hadn’t intervened. Living with her in Crimson was one of the best times in my life.” A shadow crossed his face and suddenly he looked less like the powerful CEO he was now and more like the vulnerable boy she remembered. The boy she’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

She leaned closer, drawn as always to him. Close enough that she could see the dusting of stubble across his jaw and the faint shadows under his eyes. Maybe she wasn’t the only one having trouble sleeping. The thought of Liam stretched across his bed made another rush of heat climb her face. She took a quick step back to break the spell, the connection between them that renewed itself so quickly.

“Do you have time for a concert?” she asked, pulling at the hem of her scrub shirt, needing something to do with her fingers to stop herself from reaching for him.

“Concert?” he repeated, blinking several times.

“My son’s class is performing here this afternoon. Holiday songs mostly.” She realized how lame her invitation sounded. Liam Donovan ran a multinational corporation. He didn’t have time for grade-school musicals.

“I’d love to,” he answered.

She gave a sharp nod in response. Why had she made the offer? The less time she spent in Liam’s company, the better for her sanity. “Let me just check on a couple of the other residents and I’ll walk down with you.”

“I’ll be here.” Liam smiled and her mind went blank. She remembered that same feeling from high school. The weeks after he’d first arrived, before she’d known him, she’d spent stealing glances, hoping to catch his gaze, then too embarrassed to hold it when she had. It was like that even now. After several moments, his eyebrow lifted. “The residents?”

“Right.” Mortified, she turned and fled into one of the rooms off the hall. She took more time than she needed, especially since the few residents left on the hall were resting. Part of her hoped Liam would get tired of waiting for her and she’d have a few extra minutes to get her emotions in check. Even after ten years, he had the ability to unnerve her, and Natalie craved control. She made sure the other nurse on duty knew she was heading down to the community room, then peeked back into the common area. Liam stood facing the far wall, examining the resident artwork hanging there.

“We have a local artist come in to teach a painting class.”

“Some of them are quite good,” he said, turning to her.

“More importantly, they all enjoy it. Evergreen offers a variety of enrichment activities. Even if she doesn’t stay here, we make sure Ruth has access to everything.”

He slid her a look. “She’s in good hands. I’m sorry if I insinuated anything else.”

She led the way down the hall. “This is my job, but I feel a personal connection to every one of my patients.” Her voice lowered. “Especially your nanny. She’s been good to Austin and me. I owe her a lot.”

His step faltered and Natalie found herself blushing again. Was he thinking of how he’d accused her of stealing money from Ruth? She’d tried to talk to Ruth while Austin was brushing his teeth this morning, but the older woman had an uncanny ability to turn forgetful when she didn’t want to discuss a certain subject. Natalie didn’t know whether Ruth did it on purpose, or her memory truly failed when she became agitated. Natalie wanted to be sure Brad wasn’t involved so she could reassure Liam that the missing money had nothing to do with her.

“She’s happy you’re here,” she went on quickly, realizing he was staring at her. “I know she’s missed you.”

“What about you, Nat? Do you ever miss me?”

* * *

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Liam regretted them. He wanted to know that she’d missed him—that she’d spent as many moments remembering their time together as he had. He was scared to death she hadn’t.

She opened her mouth to answer just as a small voice cried out, “Mom, over here.”

Natalie whirled to where a row of kids lined the hallway wall. Her son was waving furiously, almost jumping up and down with excitement. She glanced back at Liam, her gaze unreadable.

“Pretend I never asked the question,” he said quickly.

Her mouth quirked. “As if.”

“Mom!”

She walked over to Austin, then bent at the knee to look him in the eye. Liam couldn’t hear what she said but the boy’s face lit up, his smile wide. As Austin threw his arms around his mom, Liam’s chest tightened. Of course Natalie was an amazing mother. For all her tough exterior, she was one of the most nurturing people he’d ever met. She had that in common with his former nanny.

He slipped into the community room, spotting Ruth near the front. She waved, pointing to a row of empty chairs along the wall. He grabbed one and pushed it close. “Don’t you love the holidays?” she whispered as he sat, her eyes glowing as bright as Austin’s. “I’m so happy to have you with me.”

“Me, too.” He cleared his throat when his voice caught on the words. He shrugged out of his coat, suddenly warm in the crowded room. As the schoolchildren filed in and up onto the risers set at the front, Ruth reached over and took his hand in hers. Her skin felt paper-thin, her fingers cool and fragile wrapped around his. How had she aged so much in the couple of years since he’d last visited? He knew the fall had taken a lot out of her. The doctor had told him she was lucky she hadn’t broken any bones.

A teacher stepped to the front and introduced the third grade class from Crimson Creek Elementary. The kids launched into a rendition of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that was more energetic than harmonious, but it didn’t seem to matter. The audience loved the kids’ enthusiasm and many of them sang along with the well-known carols. When one of the boys came forward for a whisper-soft solo of “Silent Night,” Liam saw Ruth wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.

It made him remember how much she’d always loved the holidays. During the time he’d lived with her, they’d gone into the woods together to cut down a fresh Christmas tree, then decorated it with a mix of homemade and sparkling new ornaments. She’d had him help her bake cookies and string lights, adding more spirit to his holidays than he’d ever had with his parents. His father’s idea of a perfect Christmas was spending the week at an exclusive beach resort. There might be decorations but never of the homey, personal kind he associated with Crimson.

Looking over at his former nanny’s shining eyes, the kids dressed in various shades of red and green, Liam realized he hadn’t seen one decoration on display at her house. It was only the first week of December, but usually she had her Christmas tree up even before Thanksgiving. He decided at that moment that he’d make up for lost time and give her the best, most festive holiday she’d ever seen. It certainly wouldn’t hurt that Natalie would be a part of it.

The kids sang several more songs, each greeted with rousing applause from the audience. At the end of the performance, the director of the assisted living center announced a cookies and juice reception in the dining hall next door. As the children followed their teacher from the room, Austin slipped out of the line and ran over to give Ruth a hug. She dropped Liam’s hand to wrap her arms around the boy.

“You sounded beautiful,” she told him, and his smile widened.

“I’ll save you a cookie,” he said and joined the back of his class.

“He really feels connected to you.” Liam stood and offered his arm as he walked her toward the door.

“He keeps me young,” she answered, patting his hand. It was a slow procession toward the dining hall, especially with Ruth’s cane. “I should be done with this thing in a week, after my next appointment.”

“Are you sure you won’t come and stay with me if you don’t want to live at Evergreen?” Liam led her around the corner. “There’s a whole suite on the first floor of the house. I can set it up however you want.”

“I’m not leaving the farm, Liam.”

“It worries me to have you there by yourself.”

“I’m not by myself. Natalie and Austin are there.”

“You know what I mean.”

She put her hand on the doorway to the dining hall to stop their progress and turned to him. “I’ve lived in that house for over twenty years. Stan and I dreamed of growing old together on the farm. He took his last breath on that property the year before you came to live with me. I made a promise to him that I’d create for myself in Crimson the life we’d imagined together, and I have. I won’t give it up. I may be older and slower, but I’m strong enough to honor his memory.”

Her eyes shone as she spoke the words. How was Liam supposed to argue? He nodded instead. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to stay in town through the holidays.”

“It’s more than okay, sweetie. It would make this the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time.” She inched forward, leaned her cane near the edge of the doorway. “Now help me to the refreshment table. I’m sick of holding that thing.”

“Are you sure?” He stepped in front of her. “Should we check with Natalie or a doctor?”

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. “Natalie’s a saint but I don’t need her or a doctor to tell me how much my body can handle.”

“If you get me in trouble with Natalie over this, you’ll have to look for another partner in crime.”

She laughed, taking his arm to slowly walk into the dining hall. “You’ve been in hot water with that girl since the day you left town. Maybe it’s about time you fixed it.”

If only he knew how. Luckily he was saved from answering when several people approached them. Ruth made introductions and Liam was barely surprised when her friends had more details about his company and the possibility of its headquarters in Crimson than he did.