What’s a girl to do when everybody has somebody except her?
Mary Thompson has learned to cope with everyday loneliness, but Christmas is a different kind of challenge. Every carol reminds her that Christmas is a time for families to gather and for loved ones to exchange tokens of love. There must be something she can do to avoid another lonely Christmas.
Will Stewart knows little about loneliness. As a single father, he’s got his hands full with two children and his career as a contractor. A few moments of peace and quiet would be a welcome change, but he’s not likely to get them while he’s working on renovating a cottage for a new client. And of course, she wants it done in time for Christmas.
The story of how these two find each other amid the hustle and bustle of the busiest time of the year will warm your heart and renew your faith in love.
The Last Lonely Christmas
A light snow drifted lazily in the darkening November sky as Mary drove home on Monday evening to meet Will. Today, she’d receive his estimate and decide how much she could accomplish in making her old house new again.
Just as she exited her car, Mrs. Kaminski hurried down her back steps and called to her. “Mary! Do you have a minute?”
Mary walked to the low brick wall that separated her driveway from her neighbor’s property. Before she could offer a greeting, Mrs. Kaminski spouted a stream of questions.
“When do you plan to start renovating your house? Before or after Christmas? I’d like to know because I need to make plans with my family for Christmas day. If there’s going to be a construction mess, we might have to go to my sister’s place this year.”
Mary wanted to laugh at Mrs. Kaminski’s rapid-fire delivery and point out that her neighbor’s holiday plans really didn’t concern her. But she also wanted to be a good neighbor. “There’s a good chance the contractor will be in the middle of renovations by the time Christmas comes around.”
The middle-aged woman tightened her gray sweater around her body. “That’s what I thought. I don’t mind putting up with the noise and the mess because I’ve been living next to that sorry old house for too long. Besides, it won’t kill my sister to host the family. Goodness knows I do it every year. Time for her to share in the fun.”
Will’s dark blue truck pulled into her driveway. “I have to go now,”
Mary said to her neighbor. “That’s my contractor.”
Mrs. Kaminski squinted to read the writing on the truck. “I’m not familiar with that name. Let me know if he does good work.”
Mary walked away from her neighbor, but Mrs. Kaminski stayed in her spot. Apparently, eavesdropping and spying were her hobbies.
“Where’s Robin tonight?” Mary asked as soon as she reached the truck.
Will had a paper cup in one hand and his portfolio tucked under his arm. “Her big brother has babysitting duties tonight. I promised him I wouldn’t take more than an hour.”
Robin had talked of her grandmother during her first visit. Now the big brother was caring for her. Where was Will’s wife?
As they passed Mrs. Kaminski, Will nodded and smiled. “Good evening.”
“Evening,” she said, without moving.
Did her neighbor expect Mary to invite her inside? Mary had business to discuss with Will, and entertaining her neighbor would be awkward, to say the least. Although it might be impolite, she ignored Mrs. Kaminski. She unlocked the back door, hung her coat and purse on the nail, and got a bottle of water from the old refrigerator. “Can I get you anything?”
Will held up the paper cup. “Don’t go to the trouble. I brought my own coffee.”
Mary led him into the dining room which contained a thrift store dining table and four unmatched chairs. “Am I going to need CPR after I see your estimate?”
“I don’t think so.” He withdrew a sheet of paper from his folder and passed it to her.
Mary studied the figures. The price for materials was in line with what she had found at the building supply store and the cost of labor seemed reasonable. Still, it was more than she’d predicted. “Is this the best price you can give me?”
Will stretched his long legs in front of him. “I may be able to save on materials here and there. Your biggest expenses are the roof, the updated wiring, and the plumbing.”
Mary’s stomach clenched like an alligator’s jaws. “I hadn’t realized there’d be so much to do.”
“Oh, yeah. This old place needs much more than cosmetic work. Roof, wiring, plumbing, replacing rotten wood, replacing windows, new walls, refinishing the hardwood floors, updating the kitchen and bathrooms. Its bones are good, though. Otherwise, I’d tell you to tear it down and start from scratch.”
Maybe she could do one repair at a time. But where to start? “How long will all of this take?”
“Six to eight weeks. You’re going to live here through the renovations?”
“I don’t have another place to go. As long as you leave me one working bathroom and a place to sleep, I’ll manage. Plus, I’ll be at work five days a week.”
Will shrugged. “As long as you can put up with the mess, it makes no difference to me. I’ll need a check for half now to buy the materials. You pay me the rest when I’ve finished the job.”
Mary opened her check book, but couldn’t make her hand write the necessary numbers. It had taken ten years to save enough money. It would take one minute to spend it.
It was an investment, she reminded herself. If she sold the house next year or lived in it until her hair was white and her face wrinkled, she’d get the money back someday.
Mary looked at Will’s now purple fingernails as he gripped his coffee cup. She could probably find someone cheaper, but not better. Hiring a contractor was all about trust and, according to her boss, Will Stewart could be counted on. “Did Mr. Alden have this difficult a time writing the check?”
One corner of Will’s mouth rose in a half-grin. “No, but Charles Alden and I had our share of disagreements. Your boss kept changing his mind about how he wanted his guest house to look, but he didn’t want to pay for the extra work. You’ve been very clear about what you want done in this old place, so I don’t foresee any problems.”
That explained Mr. Alden’s portrayal of Will as the hot-tempered sort. “Your estimate is very close to my maximum budget. There won’t be much left for a contingency fund.”
Will looked over the estimate again. “Tell you what, Miss Thompson. When you’ve got time, I’ll take you over to a place I know that does construction salvage. You’ll probably find a lot of the stuff you need there for a lower cost.”
“That sounds promising.” Mary looked around the shabby dining room and tried to envision it with fresh paint and refinished floors. The change would be worth it. If she did the most important things now, she could paint and furnish the house bit by bit. She took a deep breath, remembered her dream, and wrote the check. “There’s one more thing,” she said as she passed it to Will. “I’ll need to use the kitchen at Christmas time.”
Will’s dark eyebrows drew together. “Couldn’t you go out to eat?”
“Perhaps. But, if possible, I’d rather have the kitchen available.”
Will slipped the check into a pocket of his portfolio and got to his feet.
“I’ll see what I can do. The roofers will be here in a few days,
depending on the weather, and I’ll be in and out, working as I can.”
Mary led him into the kitchen. She pulled out a drawer and retrieved an extra key to the house. “This will open the back door. Will I see you in a few days?”
Will pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and added Mary’s key to the assortment. “By the time this job is finished, you’ll be sick of seeing me.”
Mary allowed herself a few moments to enjoy his handsome face and masculine build, doubting she’d ever get tired of that view. She shook his calloused hand and closed the door behind him. All she had to do was get through the next few weeks. Then she’d have the home she’d always dreamed of.