Big Sky Christmas. C.J. Carmichael

it because of Olive that you didn’t want to come? Or me?”

      “A little of both.”

      “Ouch. Brutally honest, aren’t you?”

      “I didn’t say that to hurt your feelings.”

      “Oh. So it was a compliment, then?”

      “Damn it, Winnie. It’s complicated.” She couldn’t know how hard this was for him. If only he could see her the way he saw Laurel, Cassidy or even B.J.’s new wife, Savannah. They were all beautiful women, too.

      But only Winnie set his blood on fire.

      And it was so, so wrong. It had been wrong when Brock was alive. And it was just as wrong now that he was gone.

      “I’ll come by the café tomorrow afternoon to start work on the new bedroom.”

      “Are you sure? If seeing me is such a chore, maybe I should hire someone else to do the work.”

      “Hire? I wasn’t asking you to pay me.” He sighed. Somehow this conversation had gone completely sideways. “Brock would want me to do this. For the baby. For you. So please let me build you the extra bedroom, Win.”

      She looked at him as if there was something missing, something she wanted but couldn’t find.

      He was relieved when she finally turned away.

      “Okay, Jackson. I won’t say no. You can start the work whenever you want. And I promise to stay out of your way.”