Free Christmas Comes to Main Street by Olivia Miles

fire.
    â€œTold you to be careful,” he said, approaching, but there was a hint of concern in his voice.
    Gritting her teeth against a comeback, Kara struggled to pick herself up, already feeling the sting of a bruise on her left hip. Her cheeks flared with heat and she was aware of a soggy mark on her butt and thighs. She brushed at her backside quickly, letting her hair fall over her face as she struggled against the slick pavement.
    A hand appeared in front of her. She hesitated and then, cursing silently, set her hand in it. She’d forgotten her gloves at the bakery, and she was surprised by the warmth of his skin, despite the cold temperature. His palm was smooth, his grip firm, and she was so busy anticipating the awkward moment when she released his hand, and the gratitude she would have to project, that she didn’t even notice the patch of ice near her left heel. No sooner was she halfway up than she was going down again. And this time, she was taking Nate with her.
    She caught the surprise in his eye as he tipped to the side, struggled with his footing, and landed with a heavy thud beside her.
    Horror washed over her body as she lay next to him outside the Main Street B&B, staring up at the gray sky. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear children squealing as they played in the snow on the town square, but otherwise, the street was quiet, the world still, punctured all at once by a rumble of laughter.
    Nate’s chest rose and fell as his amusement cut through the wind, and Kara joined in, too, though a little less enthusiastically.
    â€œGood thing you didn’t have any cookies on you this time, or I never would have heard the end of it.” Nate’s grin seemed a little easier as he picked himself up and then, more carefully this time, helped Kara to her feet.
    â€œConsider us even,” she said, still hot with embarrassment. She motioned to the birch logs that had spilled into the snow, no doubt now wet. “I hope there’s more dry wood in the pile.”
    Nate glanced at the logs and gave a good-natured shrug. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he met her gaze. “Gives me something to do. I’m not really used to keeping idle.”
    â€œWell, there’s lots to do in Briar Creek,” Kara said. “And I’m sure your aunt would be thrilled to have you spare her an insurance claim and salt the walkway. I know I’d be grateful…” She looked up at him, grinning slowly.
    What was she doing? If she didn’t know better, she’d say she was flirting with the man! But no, no, she was just giving him the benefit of the doubt. She couldn’t punish him forever, after all. And he had helped her up. And she had pulled him down… And he was a visitor. She should show him a little hospitality, at least.
    Nate barked out a laugh. “Good point. But that will take all of five minutes. What else do people do around here?”
    â€œOh…” Kara shrugged. She’d been locked in her kitchen for so many hours these days that she almost couldn’t remember what she used to do for fun. “There’s a gym. And a few restaurants on Main Street. Some shops. There’s always a lot going on in town during the holidays.”
    Nate’s lip curled a bit. “So I’ve heard. My aunt is very passionate about this town.”
    Now it was Kara’s turn to laugh. “That she is. But we all are, I suppose.”
    â€œYou’ve lived here all your life then?” Nate asked as he bent down to pick up some logs.
    Kara reached for one that had rolled near her foot, careful not to slip again. “Born and raised. I left for college, though.” She took satisfaction in saying that. Even if she hadn’t figured out her life until recent months, she had earned a degree. She wondered if that surprised him.
    â€œAnd now you run the bakery.”
    â€œNow I
own
the bakery,” she said