Had they cast Linc as the leading man in this cheesy Christmas movie that had somehow become her life?
But they were supposedly as surprised as she was by this challenge. That would mean it was probably William orchestrating the pairs. She had a Wilder man to blame. What else was new?
She glared at Poppy and Olivia, both propped up against the pillows in the big bed. “Just stop. The idea of Linc and me together as anything other than teammates for this ridiculous contest is…”
“Tempting?” Poppy suggested.
“Inevitable?” Olivia added.
“Insane,” Eva corrected with a frown.
And that was all she was going to say about the matter because it was the truth. She and Linc together? It would be a disaster.
Nope. Never gonna happen. But this challenge? That was definitely happening and they were going to win if she had her way.
She needed a plan. If only she could see what had been done for past Christmases she’d know what she’d be up against. How could she get that?
Maybe there were some family Christmas albums laying around. Wyatt didn’t have an Instagram. Did Ethan have one? And if so, did he post any Christmas pictures on his? She’d have to do some stalking but she wasn’t hoping for much.
Fuck it. Linc said he wanted to meet? She’d meet with him and then she’d make an unbeatable battle plan.
If she was going to be forced to play Wilder games, she was going to make sure she took the title of the reigning queen of Christmas in Bitter End.
Let the games begin.
Chapter Six
Linc pulled into his usual spot near the front door of the building that had become the place he hung his hat since getting out of the Army and moving out of his family’s home.
It wasn’t too far from the main house, but far enough to take the truck rather than walk. Especially since the sun set early this time of year and the weather was unpredictable.
Eva pulled her car up behind his truck. He turned and, leaning against the bumper, waited for her.
She’d insisted on taking her own vehicle and following him so she could leave whenever she wanted, as she’d said.
Fine with him. He didn’t need to be trapped in close confines with the fiery redhead for any longer than necessary.
They were here to plan the event they were assigned. As he’d suggested and she’d shot down just yesterday. Why she’d changed her mind, he didn’t know but whatever. She was here now.
“So this is the Wilder Lodge?” Eva asked, gazing up at the stone and timber faćade of the building.
She pulled a jacket that was much too thin for December closer around her, covering today’s T-shirt selection which read, I’m not a control freak, but you’re doing it wrong.
That sentiment didn’t bode well for their future partnership in the challenge but he nodded anyway in answer to her question about the lodge. “Yup.”
He pushed off the truck and flipped to the key on the ring that would open the front door.
“And what do you do with this monstrosity when it isn’t Christmas and you aren’t having any Yule log festivities?” she asked, staring up.
He glanced up himself and tried to see the building through her eyes.
Stone formed the columns. Thick, old wooden half timbers decorated the front. The second-floor roofline of the Tudor inspired building was supported by dark wood trusses. The original roof showed off weathered slate tile.
It was impressive, he supposed. It was also cold and damp if he didn’t keep the heat turned up. And impossible to keep free from cobwebs. But he loved living there. Loved the solitude—when he didn’t have guests like his new Christmas challenge partner.
And he’d been making improvements, slowly but surely. Turning it into a full-time residence rather than an occasional place for recreation for the males of the family, which was what it was designed for. Hunting. Drinking. Card games. Not much more.
But he’d updated the systems. The new larger hot water heater now never ran cold. And after shopping for a new fridge and microwave, and installing a dishwasher, he had a kitchen that rivaled the one in the big house that Wyatt had just updated.
He turned back to Eva to answer her question. “I live here.”
That got her attention. Her gaze whipped to his. “This is where you live?”
“Yup.”
“I thought you lived in a cabin. That’s what everyone calls it. That’s what you call it.” She shot him an accusatory glare.
He shrugged as the thick wooden door swung in. “That’s what Gramps used to call it. But officially on maps and in history books it’s the Wilder Lodge.”
“Of course. Even the Wilder cabin is on maps and in history books. Why am I surprised?” she mumbled.
She walked through the front door and swept the dim space with her gaze.
He flipped on the switch and updated LEDs hidden alongside the ceiling beams cast light throughout the first floor.
Eva turned back to him and he waited for further commentary from her.
“You live here alone?” she asked.
“Yeah. It’s not as big as it looks.” He shrugged.
One red brow shot up.
He continued, “I mean there’s only one bathroom, and two small bedrooms upstairs. The rest is mostly a big open common area.”
Why he felt the need to justify his home to her, he wasn’t sure, but when she looked at him like that—like she was right and he was lacking—he couldn’t help himself.
She was still frowning at him and he guessed why. “I grew up in the big house but after the Army… I wanted a place of my own. So I moved out and into here.”
“Which is still on the family property.”
“Yes.” Was she calling him spoiled? Or stupid that he thought moving a quarter mile away mattered?
“And Ethan didn’t want to move in with you after Wyatt and Livvie got married?”
Linc raised a brow. “No, he didn’t.”
With the lack of privacy, he and Ethan would kill each other if they had to share this space for any length of time. With the size of the main house, Wyatt, Ethan and their dad were just fine living over there together with Darcy. Even with the addition of Olivia and a new baby coming.
There was plenty of space for Linc too in the house. A whole floor if he really wanted to stay living there. But after the military, he’d craved his own place. Somewhere to get away from the others where he could be completely alone. Find quiet when he needed quiet.
The cabin fit that bill perfectly. It was close enough that he could drop by the house as often as he liked. Or when he was too lazy to make coffee or food for himself.
But Eva didn’t seem to agree with his choice to reside here, alone, judging by her deep frown and how she continued to spin and gape as she turned in the center of the vaulted ceilinged great room.
He tried again to see the space through her eyes. Yeah, the ceilings were twenty feet high. But as he said, that meant the rooms upstairs were tiny, tucked beneath the eaves.
Yes, the local stone of the six-foot wide fireplace continued all the way up the wall, but that stone had been quarried right here on the property. It wasn’t like it was imported Italian marble. The same with the timbers that had been cut on Wilder land.
She let out a sigh and turned her attention back to him. “This is a lot of space to decorate. What do you usually do in here?”