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Carson pulled on his Stetson and left his office. He headed down the boardwalk anxious to put some distance between himself and his office—and the vision of Marlee across the desk from him. He needed to center his thoughts on the weaving mill he was trying to bring to town, and he wouldn’t likely get things handled if he couldn’t stop wondering what Marlee would look like naked.
“Mr. Tate? Mr. Tate?” someone called.
He paused and looked around the busy boardwalk, then spotted Audrey Meade heading toward him. She was a pretty woman with a good head on her shoulders. Carson knew Chord was courting her and, at that moment, it hit him that Chord was a fool for not asking her to marry him yet.
“I just wanted to thank you for what you’ve done.” Audrey gave him a pleasant smile, and like most everyone else in Harmony, hurried away, not wanting to keep him from his business.
Carson had no idea what she was talking about and was in no mood to ask, so he started walking again. As he passed Goodwin’s Dry Goods, a flash of blue caught his eye. Blue, deep blue, like the dress Marlee had on in his office. He stopped and, sure enough, spotted her at the far end of the empty alley.
Anger rose in him, a welcome relief from the other emotions raging within him. What was the matter with her? Why was she alone in the alley? Didn’t she know it was dangerous?
Carson stalked toward her ready to chastise her for being so foolish, then stopped still in his tracks. Her back was to him and her shoulders shook. She was crying.
Fear and anger rocked him with a strength he’d never experienced. Had someone hurt her? Carson was overwhelmed with the need to protect her, and kill anyone who’d dare to lay a finger on her. He closed the distance between them in three long strikes, grasped her arm and whirled her to face him. Tears poured down her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy.
“Get away from me!” she said, and tried to yank her arm from his grasp.
Carson held her firmly. “Are you hurt? Did somebody hurt you?”
She looked up at him as if he’d lost his senses.
“No!”
“Then why are you crying?” he asked.
“Because!”
That didn’t exactly answer his question, but he was relieved no one had attacked her. Still, she kept crying and Carson didn’t know anything else to say so he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Marlee tried to jerk away, but he held on and she came full against him, sobbing into his shirt.
When her tears finally stopped she eased away. Carson took his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her.
“Now,” he said softly. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing,” she told him, dapping at her eyes with the handkerchief. Then she sniffed again and said, “Everything.”
Carson was overcome with the need to fix what was wrong—whatever it might be. He had to make things better, no matter what it took. Then it hit him that he might be the problem; it didn’t make him feel very good about himself.
“Is this because I wouldn’t donate the money you asked for?” he asked.
Marlee sniffed and drew herself up. “You are certainly entitled to spend your money as you see fit, Mr. Tate.”
She’d responded to his question but hadn’t really given him an answer. Carson knew something else was going on. He thought back to when she’d been in his office, how she’d stormed out in a huff. She’d seemed to accept his decision, though certainly it hadn’t pleased her. Nothing else had happened—
“Audrey,” he said, and managed not to utter a curse. “I saw her. She thanked me for something. Does she think I agreed to donate the money?”
“Apparently the ladies of Harmony had a great deal of confidence in my fundraising ability,” she said, and looked away. “Mrs. Tuttle booked the Laughlin Singers on the assumption I could secure your donation.”
Maybe he should have told her.
The thought sprang into Carson’s mind and for a long moment he considered telling her the reason he’d refused to make the donation.
He’d never told anyone in Harmony why he lived his life the way he did, but at this moment telling Marlee seemed like the right thing to do.
Still, Carson couldn’t bring himself to say the words, to tell her what had happened all those years ago. And besides, it wouldn’t change the problem she faced.
He drew in a heavy breath and said, “I’ll donate the money you need.”
“No.”
He looked down at her, not sure she’d heard him correctly.
“I said I would donate the money—”
“No,” she said again. Marlee straightened her shoulders and faced him squarely. “I don’t want your pity—and that’s exactly what your offer is about. I’ve spent my life handling my own problems and I will continue to do so.”
“This isn’t a good time to let your pride get in your way,” Carson said gently.
That seemed to fire her up again, which was far better than seeing her cry.
“I will raise that money somehow—without your help,” she told him.
Marlee glared up at him, defiance etched in the tight line of her mouth and the hard look in her eyes, and all Carson could think was that he wanted to kiss her.
Then she seemed to crumble again and took a step back.
“Immediately after Christmas, I’m leaving Harmony. I’m going back to Philadelphia,” Marlee said, then hurried toward Main Street.
Carson watched her walk away and a heaviness crashed down on him.
She was leaving.
And he was falling in love with her.
Chapter Nine
Marlee sat on a stool in the Harmony General Store gliding a feather duster along a display of matchboxes and candles. A dozen or so customers roamed the aisles. Their words carried to Marlee as she crouched in the back corner, cringing at everyone’s topic of conversation.
The festival. The festival that everyone assumed would be a success because she hadn’t yet told Mrs. Tuttle that she had failed to get the donation from Carson. After her confrontation with him in the alley, she simply hadn’t had the strength to give the mayor’s wife the bad news.
Of course, it didn’t have to be bad news, Marlee reminded herself as she shifted on the stool. Carson had said he’d donate the money—but she’d turned him down. Why had she done that? All her problems—and Harmony’s—would have been solved.
Yet Marlee knew she couldn’t allow herself to be in his debt, emotionally. She couldn’t let him rescue her, save her from admitting she’d failed. She had to stay strong, handle her own problems as she’d always done. It would do her no good to rely on Carson, or anyone else, who wouldn’t be around in the future.
All those thoughts had struck her in a flash as she’d stood in the alley gazing into Carson’s handsome face, still feeling his arms around her, basking in the warmth of the heat he gave off. For a moment, Marlee let the memory fill her mind, and the feelings encircle her heart.
How wonderful that he’d held her while she cried. He’d been concerned that something had happened to her. She’d seen that he’d wanted to fix the problem, whatever it was. No one had ever done those things for her before. She’d felt special in his arms, as if she belonged there, as if he wanted her there.
What would it be like to step into his warm, strong embrace again and again? How wonderful it would feel if Carson would always be there for her.
Marlee forced aside those thoughts as a more troubling one presented itself. In turning down Carson’s donation for her own personal reasons, she was being selfish. She’d let her feelings overwhelm her good sense. Yet she couldn’t imagine going back to Carson and asking for his money, even if it was for the good of Harmony. Not until she’d attempted to get the funds elsewhere first.
“You okay, boss?” Drew asked.
Carson let his gaze drift to the young man standing in his office doorway who was looking as if he’d found him dancing a jig atop his desk. Carson didn’t blame him, though. It wasn’t often he sat back with his feet on the corner of his desk, staring out the window.
“It’s just that, well, you haven’t been out of your office all day, and every time I look in here you’re just sitting there doing nothing,” Drew said. “You’ve got those investors coming and—”
“I’m heading out in a minute or two,” Carson told him and turned his attention to the window again.
Folks passed by on the boardwalk but Carson didn’t really see them. He was lost in thought—and it didn’t concern the investors he was expecting.
Marlee. She filled his mind. When he’d kissed her all he could think about was bedding down with her. But after seeing her crying in the alley, holding her, comforting her, something in him had changed. At the time the notion that he was falling in love with her had sprung into his head. Now he knew it was true. He loved her. And she was leaving. She’d be gone right after Christmas, she’d told him. Carson didn’t remember a time when he so assuredly did not want Christmas to arrive.
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