Free The Kissing Season by Rachael Johns Page B

empty except for Julie, the other assistant, who sat on one of the beds bestowing devout attention to her iPhone. Hannah had thought the other woman a little distant when they’d first met—she spent more time messaging people on Facebook than she did speaking to real humans—but today this didn’t bother her at all.
    As she scrounged in the bottom drawer for any half-eaten packets of candy she might have left there, the bell at the front door rang, alerting her to a potential client. She glanced up, hoping Julie might drag herself off social media and actually do her job. But all hopes of escaping interaction faded when Hannah recognized the visitor as Sarah. Armed with a warm grin and a Tupperware container, Matt’s mother plowed toward her like a woman on a mission.
    Hannah’s hands shook, which was ridiculous considering there was no way Sarah could have found out about her unfair treatment of her son so quickly. And as if that was the kind of thing a man like Matt would share with his mother anyway. Forcing her pathetic nerves aside, she closed the drawer and stood. She walked around the table to greet the woman who’d been a cleaner for her parents the last few years. She’d become a friend to all of them. It was hard not to fall in love with Sarah.
    “Hey, so lovely to see you.” Hannah gave her a hug and peered down at the Tupperware container. “We didn’t catch up for long enough the other night. Are these what I think they are?”
    Nodding, Sarah peeled back the lid to reveal the most gorgeous little Christmas cookies Hannah had ever laid eyes on. A range of bells, stockings and Christmas trees delicately iced with red and green icing. “All for you.”
    “They look too good to eat. You could sell these and make a lot of money.”
    Sarah threw her head back and laughed. “That’s what Matt says.”
    Hannah’s heart flipped at the mention of
him
and she hoped she managed not to show even a smidgeon of emotion on her face. Before she could say anything, Sarah lifted her chin and spoke as if she meant business. “I saw him dropping you off a moment ago.”
    At the accusation in the older woman’s tone, Hannah swallowed, trying to think of an excuse as to why she might have been riding in his car. “Yes, he picked me up outside of town.” She inwardly cursed at her use of the phrase “picked up.” “It was nice of him to give me a lift.”
    Sarah placed her hand on Hannah’s arm. “Honey, I’m going to be blunt with you. Where women are concerned Matteo isn’t nice. He’s suave and dangerous and often devastating. He gets that from his father, who swept me off my feet, got me pregnant and then swept right out of town. He loves women but he’s not the type of man you need in your life right now.”
    Hannah’s libido begged to differ. But it was her heart that hurt—it ached with the thought that now that he’d had the official brush-off from her he might find someone else to entertain him in Wildwood Point. Hannah pushed that thought aside, feeling the color rising in her cheeks. She’d never been warned off someone before. “Thank you for your concern, Sarah, but you’ve got the wrong end of the stick. I’m a big girl and as surprising as it might be, I’m more than capable of turning down Matt’s advances.”
    She fought the urge to touch her nose to check if it were growing. “Men are the last thing I need in my life right now.” At least that much was true. “But cookies? I can never have enough of them. Especially at Christmas.”
    Hoping her words sounded believable, Hannah swiped out a Christmas tree and took one delicious bite. She grinned at Sarah, silently praying she’d think of somewhere she needed to be. Being near Sarah only reminded Hannah of being near Matt and that only hurt. How she was ever going to get through Christmas with his family?

CHAPTER SIX
    M ATT COULD THINK of at least a hundred other places he’d rather be on Christmas Eve than sitting on a hard