Affairs & Atonements by Clarissa Cartharn Page B

who had naively let him into Christy’s office that first day he arrived at the lodge. “I hope she still isn’t feeling too bad about blowing Christy’s secret.”
    Margaret waved her hands at him. “Don’t you worry about Jane. She gets over things so quickly. It’s a wonder she remembers anything at all. She’s a good kid though. A good worker too. She just needs to be pushed to get on to her tasks or she ends up in her own little fantasy world, day-dreaming about who-knows-what.”
     
    *****
     
    Christy watched them in the distance as she walked by towards the family quarters. They stood together laughing. She had already guessed that Ashton had won Margaret’s heart. But they still seemed too close for her comfort.
    She didn’t know what she had been thinking when she had fallen subserviently into his arms last night. But she was certain now she couldn’t trust herself with him. She reminded herself to keep well clear of him. He never wanted to stay and he sure didn’t want to be riddled with a ten year old boy. She drew in a meditative breath, trying to calm her anxiety down. The man was engaged and clearly off-market. If Ashton couldn’t maintain an ethical distance, then it was her responsibility to ensure that he did. His life was back in Philadelphia. If she played it carefully, he might just leave them in peace.
    Her eyes wandered over his naked torso, his body glistening in the heat. If Ashton had been unbearably handsome in his youth, he was deathly majestic as a man. Her eyes lingered delightfully on his well-defined form until she noticed some of her female guests do a double-take on seeing the lodge’s new handyman in his bare glory.
    She frowned. She needed to have a word with Ashton on semi-nudity if he was determined to continue parading himself around the property.
    “He sure is handsome.” Jane sighed, breaking into her thoughts. “I wouldn’t blame you if you fell for him all over again.”
    “It won’t happen, Jane.” She huffed. “He’s engaged.”
    “So you’re saying there would have been a possibility had he been a free man?” Jane asked, amusement lighting up her eyes.
    Christy glared at her.
    “Have you forgotten already that you’re the reason I have…him…,” she spat out. “Lingering about here?”
    “I’m sorry.” Jane lowered her head apologetically.
    Christy immediately felt remorseful about chastising the young girl for what had been an honest mistake. She hadn’t known that Ashton had no knowledge of JR’s existence.
    She sighed. “No, I’m sorry. It was bound to happen sooner or later. And thanks to you, JR knows his father now.”
    “I know, right!” Jane cheered up. “That’s what I think too.”
    Christy rolled her eyes. Trust Jane to recover from her scolding almost immediately.
    “Help me get the dry-cleaning laundry out of the SUV,” she said, hoping some work would get the girl busy and stop yapping anymore about the man who was dangerously on the verge of toppling her life over for the second time.
    They strolled over to the vehicle and Christy pulled open the hatchback, leaning deep in to reach for the laundry baskets.
    “You usually use the crew cab for the laundry.” Jane noted.
    “Yep,” she replied, tugging at one of the baskets. “Unfortunately, someone else has taken captive of the truck. And until he leaves, it looks as if I would have to resort to this.” She lifted one heavy basket and passed it onto her. “You take this one and I’ll come back for the other two.”
    “Four baskets only?” Jane perked her lips.
    “It’s better than last week.” Christy shut the door. “We had only one then. That got me worried slightly. So, I’m going to avoid complaining about having four.”
    They walked quietly towards the family quarters and into the living room.
    “We have a few rooms empty as well,” Jane mumbled. “That is certainly fewer guests in comparison to the same time last year.”
    “Factors change each