Yours for Christmas (Fool's Gold series) Read Free Page A

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    He kept to the back of the room, careful not to make eye contact with the mothers. The dads he could handle. They would either want to talk about a game they remembered or try to prove that his having played pro ball didn’t mean anything. He could handle that, no problem.
    The mothers made him more nervous. He didn’t mind the ones who said their sons wanted to play. It was the women who looked at him the way a hungry cat watches a goldfish that made him glance longingly toward the exit. He’d been propositioned plenty of times. For some people, a wedding ring was an accessory, not a commitment.
He
didn’t feel that way.
    While he was good at shutting down the lady in question, there was always the risk of hurt feelings. Or a husband feeling he had something to prove. Kenny wasn’t in the mood for either. Better to avoid the problem completely.
    He kept his attention on Angel and Taryn, who ran the meeting like the experts they were. When he felt the need to look at something more appealing, he let his gaze drift over to Bailey. Now a proposition from her would be most welcome. Then he remembered Chloe and knew he was totally screwed.
    Angel, a tall dark-haired man with gray eyes and an air of danger about him, explained about the toy drive. The Sprouts didn’t seem to care that their Grove Keeper was a former special ops guy with a scar on his neck like someone had tried to slit his throat. Kenny would guess that day hadn’t ended well for the other guy.
    Taryn stood by her husband and smiled. “You all know Bailey—Chloe’s mom. She’s going to be helping with the toy drive service project. But it’s a big job, so we have someone else joining the grove for the next few weeks. My friend Kenny Scott.”
    Kenny waved from his place by the wall. A few of the girls waved back. He saw Chloe looking at him and he winked at her. She giggled.
    Maybe he was looking at this all wrong, he told himself. Sure, he had his rules for his dating life, but this wasn’t that. He could help the girls with their service project, enjoy the holiday season and walk away without worrying that he’d gotten too involved. That made it a win-win for everyone.
    He acknowledged that at some point he was going to have to deal with the fact that holding himself apart from nearly everyone wasn’t the best idea. But not a psychological hurdle he had to deal with today.
    Taryn explained how the bins would have to be decorated and when that would happen. She also pointed to the sign-up sheets on the wall.
    “Parents, this is where you come in. We’re going to need all the bins emptied every day. Then either Kenny or Bailey will meet you at the trailer so the presents can be secured. Any questions?”
    Taryn and Angel fielded the questions. A couple of the parents walked over to the sign-up sheets and wrote their names. Kenny wondered if it was too early for him to duck out. Before he could decide, Bailey walked toward him.
    Today she had on a fluffy sweater and tight jeans. Both made his mouth go dry. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. She looked great.
    She bit her lower lip as she glanced at him. “Um, I’d like to ask you something,” she murmured. “If you have a second.”
    Did she want to come to his place for the night? Because his answer to that was a big, fat yes. But somehow he doubted that was what she was thinking.
    She drew in a breath. “Okay, so I’m buying a house. It’s so strange to think I can afford it and some nights I worry that I can’t.” She paused and shook her head. “Sorry. The rambling wasn’t supposed to be part of the question.”
    “No problem. Congratulations on the house.”
    “Thanks. It’s my first. The inspection is tomorrow.”
    She tucked her hands into her jeans’ back pockets, which made her chest stick out more. He held in a groan. Seriously, she was killing him.
    “I, ah, don’t know what happens at a house inspection. Or what I’m