“Yeah, right. Sorry,” he said. But, he didn’t really mean it. He had longed to kiss her from the very first time he had seen her again, when he’d come into the store with his sister. “But, if you put up mistletoe, what do you expect?” He tried to coax a smile.
“It’s okay. No big deal,” she said, tight-lipped, her cheeks flushed. “Now, I need to get going. I have a ton of things to do.”
Cole nodded, and watched her open the car door. “I’ll see you later,” he said and waved as she pulled away from the curb.
It was clear that both of them were confused about how they felt about each other. Cole pondered Kristin’s obviously eager response to the kiss, wondering what had popped into her head to make her stop and push him away. He couldn’t help feeling that there was something he didn’t know.
Was she seeing someone else and hadn’t told him? Surely that couldn’t be it. Evie would know, wouldn’t she? The idea of her with someone else had haunted him over the years, but now it ate a hole in his heart. Was she worried about the future? Was she still angry at him? Well, whatever it was, he was determined to find out.
When he returned home, Evie was rushing around the house like a nervous cat. Mom was trying to calm her down, and Dad was sat in his recliner pretending to read his paper, but was secretly laughing at them. Cole placed his keys on the table, and went to the kitchen. “Okay, what can I do?” he asked.
Evie looked at him, wide-eyed and frantic. “The petit fours haven’t been delivered, the glasses we rented are all broken, and there isn’t enough punch,” she wailed.
“Mom?” Cole said, raising an eyebrow. Evelyn was prone to be a little bit over-dramatic.
“The petit fours haven’t been delivered because Alison will be bringing them with her tonight. One tray of the glasses is broken, but as we ordered extras it shouldn’t be a problem, and we have plenty of time to make more punch,” Mom said with a grin.
“I just want everything to be perfect,” Evie said, her bright red lips pouting, her arms crossed in front of her like the stubborn girl-child she still was.
“And it will be. So, go upstairs and get in the tub. Have a nice long soak and get out of my hair with your whining, for Heaven’s sake,” Mom said, trying to usher her daughter towards the stairs.
Reluctantly Evie started going up the stairs. “My goodness, that girl is a handful. I almost feel sorry for poor Kyle,” Mom said affectionately.
“He knows what he’s getting,” Cole said grinning at her. “They’ll be fine.”
“I know. He’s so calm, and he really understands her. He’s good for her,” Dad said, putting his paper down and coming to join them. “Now, shall Cole and I get the chairs loaded?”
“Yes, darling. That would be most useful while I finish finding a place for all the food,” Mom said.
Cole smiled at the interchange between his parents. They had their ups and downs, like any couple, but they really were rock solid in their love for one another.
Cole had once believed that he and Kristin had a relationship that would stand the test of time, just like theirs had, but it had foundered before it could grow roots. Cole wished he could turn back the clock, and work harder to help Kris understand.
But, most of all, he wished that he had done it the right way by not springing the final details on her. He thought he could do what he wanted and she’d just go along. Now, he knew that his pride had lost him the one thing in his life that had been worth having. If he could convince her to give him another chance, he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
12
The house was full when Kristin and Jeremy arrived for the shower. Evie looked radiant, as she greeted her guests, Kyle holding her hand. Kristin had finally managed to convince him to come, as he had been stubbornly refusing to go because of his run-in with Cole. “This is about Evie and Kyle. They’re your friends. It’s not about Cole Wright,” Kristin had exploded at him when he had tried to back out of coming. “You bite down your pride, and you go and you be polite because you care for them.”
“I’ll not stay long,” Jeremy grumbled under his breath as they made their way into the kitchen and took a glass of punch each from the table.
“You’ll stay, you’ll be friendly and supportive, and you’ll stop behaving like a child,” Kristin said through gritted teeth. Jeremy’s antipathy towards Cole was really beginning to grate on her last nerve. She had tried to understand it, but really couldn’t fathom why Jeremy hated Cole so much. The level of animosity didn’t seem to match an event that had happened more than seven years ago. To top it off, she wasn’t in a relationship with Cole any longer, so it just didn’t make sense.
“Hey, you came,” Cole said, wandering in behind them carrying a tray of tiny canapés. He put it down, and moved forward to kiss Kristin on the cheek. Jeremy glowered, but held out his hand and the two men shook hands.
“Evie and Kyle are our friends, so of course we’re here,” Jeremy said, pompously echoing Kristin’s early admonishment. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go and talk to Kyle.”
“I am sorry about him. He’s been a bit protective of me for some reason,” Kristin tried to explain.
“You don’t need to apologize again for him, Kris. Jeremy and I haven’t ever really gotten along. I must confess, that though I didn’t actively participate in the bullying the football team dished out to him in school, I didn’t exactly do anything to stop it either. I’m sure he just lumps me in with everyone who made his life difficult. And, as your friend, I am sure he is just trying to stick by you, and offer you his support.”
“I wish I could say that it is nice to get the old gang back together, but quite simply, it leaves a bit to be desired at the moment.” Kristin tried to sound as though it didn’t matter to her. But, it did. She wanted the people she cared about to get along. She hated seeing people at odds, especially when she could see that they could be good for one another, if they could just learn to look past their differences.
“I am glad you’re both here,” Cole said. “And I know Evie and Kyle will be, too. So, in a way we are all back together again, or as together as we can be.”
“I wish Mom and Dad could be here,” Kristin said, suddenly feeling a pang of sadness at their absence.
“Mom said she spoke to your dad today. They’re hoping to at least make it for the wedding,” Cole said, surprising Kristin that he knew something like that before she did.
“I wonder why they didn’t call,” she said, pulling out her cellphone. She chuckled when she saw that there were three missed calls, all from her Mom. “I take it back.” She showed Cole the screen, and then played the messages on speaker that her mom had left.
“Sweetheart, can you make up the spare bed for us, your dad has been able to get out of the fish fry event after all, so we’re on our way,” Mom’s voice said cheerfully in the first message.
“I love that they call it the spare room,” Kristin said. “It is their room, still. I haven’t done a thing to it!”
“But, it is good they acknowledge that it is your home now, and not theirs,” Cole said.
Kristin smiled as she listened to the next two messages, both saying they hoped to be with her early the next evening. She looked up to see Jeremy scowling at her.
“Excuse me, Cole,” she said, picking up a fresh glass, and making her way over to her friend. Maybe he was feeling left out because she was spending so much time with Cole.
“Sure, catch you later,” Cole said amicably, and headed off into the dining room.
Kristin joined Jeremy and a couple of their friends from high school, and chattered with them for a while. It was nice to be out, and dressed up. It had been a long time since she had worn anything fancy, or put her makeup on. She felt pretty and desirable for the first time in a really long time, and every now and again she caught Cole staring at her, his gaze intense at times and thoughtful at others. She couldn’t help but feel flattered, even though she had to keep on warning
herself to tread carefully.
“Maybe we should organize a night out, that has nothing to do with the wedding,” she suggested, when someone mentioned that Evelyn looked as though she might explode. “She needs something to take her mind off it all. We could get the entire gang back together, for old time’s sake.”
“I’m up for that,” Tim Wells said, nodding eagerly.
“Me, too,” Kyle added as he breezed past them, picking up on the conversation. “And you’re right, Evie needs a distraction!”
“How about you, Kyle?” Kristin asked, giving her friend’s arm a squeeze.
“Sure, why not,” he said.
“Great, I’ll get everything organized,” Kristin said, as Cole appeared with a tray of sandwiches. “You’ll come, too, won’t you?” she asked him,
“Absolutely. Be good to catch up properly with everyone,” he said eagerly.
Behind her, Kristin heard Jeremy give an odd harrumph. She turned to give him a look, but he was pushing past her, and making his way to the door. She chased after him, catching him at the end of the garden path. “What was that all about?” she demanded.
“Can you do anything without him by your side, now?” Jeremy spluttered.
“Of course I can,” she said. “But, these people are his friends, just as much as they are yours or mine. He’s welcome to come and spend time with them.”
“Well, I won’t be there if he is,” Jeremy said bitterly. “I won’t watch as he breaks your heart all over again.”
“You won’t have to. We’re friends, Jeremy, just like you and I are. That’s not going to change.”
Jeremy winced, pushed the gate open and disappeared down the street without even saying goodbye.
Kristin went back inside, but she was unable to regain the excitement and pleasure in the evening, knowing that Jeremy was feeling so unhappy. She just wished there was a way to get through to him that their friendship was one of the most important things in her life. He had no need to feel threatened by Cole’s return.
After all, Cole would be returning to the military as soon as the wedding was over. He was a temporary fixture at best. But, he had come to mean so much more to her than that. Cole had never been a passing phase. He held her heart, and much as she wished it wasn’t so, there wasn’t a thing she could do to change that.
13
Sunday dawned bright and fresh and Kristin. Kristin picked up her phone and dialed Jeremy’s number. It went straight to voicemail.
“Hey,” she said. “The sun is shining, and I would love it if you would come on a hike with me. I need some buddy time after all that work cooped up in the store. I’m headed to church, but maybe we could grab some lunch and then take a walk. If you’re there, we can talk about it then. If not, call me back. Bye.”
After she was dressed and ready to go, she rushed downstairs to the kitchen where she fixed herself some cereal and a cup of coffee. She ate and then placed the dishes in the sink, and the phone rang. She picked it up, expecting to see Jeremy’s name on the display, but was surprised to see Cole’s. “Hi,” she said, flicking the screen to accept the call.
“Hi. I wondered if you might like to go for a drive up to Austin. I heard their lights are better than ever this year.”
“I’d love to, but I think I need to spend some time with Jeremy this afternoon. He’s feeling a bit left out, I think.”
“Well, I was thinking we’d go later this afternoon, so we’ll get there closer to dark, anyway. That’ll give you time to make him feel special,” Cole said, a teasing tone in his voice. She knew he was grinning, and the picture of his happy face in her mind sent a thrill through her.
“I’m about to leave for church, so I’ll call you later if Jeremy turns me down,” she said.
“No man in his right mind would ever turn you down, Kristin Love,” Cole said gallantly.
“Get away with you,” Kristin said, but as she hung up, she couldn’t repress the feelings Cole had stirred inside her.
He was definitely flirting with her, making it more than clear that he still found her attractive, and wanted to spend as much of his leave as he could with her. She had to be so careful. It would be so easy to fall in love with him all over again. But her opinion hadn’t really changed. She didn’t want to leave Sandy Cove, even for Cole. She wasn’t sure she could trust him. It still wasn’t right, no matter how much she might want to explore a new relationship with him.
She was about to put the phone down, when she realized Jeremy had sent her a text. She opened it. It said he was on his way to church and he’d see her there. She smiled, and went to the hall closet and pulled on her thick coat and a warm scarf.
As she headed to the sanctuary after she’d parked her car, she saw Jeremy standing at the doors waiting on her. She waved and kept walking to him.
“I’m sorry I was a jerk last night,” Jeremy said, when she reached him. “I promise I’ll be on my best behavior today. I won’t say a single bad thing about Cole Wright, or warn you away from him. You’re a grown woman, you know your own mind, and I know you’ll always do the right thing.”
“Thank you,” she said as she linked her arm in his to walk into the building. “Now, where shall we sit?”
After church, they met back at Kristin’s house after changing clothes to go on their hike. They had a quick sandwich at her house instead of taking time to get something out. The after-church crowds would delay their hike.
The day was perfect. They hiked the trail just outside of town, and it was as if their recent spats had never happened. Jeremy dropped her off at around four o’clock, and Kristin was sure everything was right between them once more. She was glad. Jeremy was her oldest and closest friend. She hated them being at odds with one another. “Thanks for an incredible day,” she said, as she got out of the car.
“My pleasure. I am honored you wanted to spend one of your rare and precious days off with me,” Jeremy said, with a wink. “I think Charlie and I are going over to Tim’s tonight to shoot some pool in his new man cave. Want to come with us?”
“Thanks, but I’m really tired. Think I’d better just get some rest. We’ve only got a few days now until the wedding, so it is going to be panic stations at the shop!”
“Understood,” Jeremy said amenably. “If you change your mind, you know where we are.”
Kristin felt a small pang of guilt as she waved him off, but it didn’t stop her from picking up her phone and dialing Cole. “Still want to take me to Austin?” she asked. She could hear his smile before he even spoke.
“Sure,” he said. “I’ll meet you outside in just 5 minutes – if that is long enough for you to get into something a little less outdoorsy!”
“You were spying on me?” she asked.
“Not exactly,” Cole said with a chuckle. “But, I’ve been checking the window every few minutes or so, in the hope you would be home in time for us to go.”
She laughed and hung up, rushing to get changed.
14
The drive to Austin was fun. Kristin put on a Christmas CD, and they sang along, swaying and giggling. Cole felt eighteen all over again. They had made this trip once before, just a few months before he had left Sandy Cove for the army. He wondered if Kristin remembered how magical that night had been. He hadn’t told her about his plans at that point, and that trip to see the Christmas lights had been the last argument free date they had shared.
The streets of the city were bustling, filled with last minute shoppers desperate to grab a bargain. Kristin and Cole weaved through them, looking up at the spectacular display of lights and festive floral arrangements that adorned the buildings, and hung across the streets. “Do you want to find somewhere to warm up? I’ll even treat you to some dinner, if you like,” Cole said when he noticed Kristin shivering a little.
“That would be great,” she said. “Alessandro’s is still open.”
Her words told him that she remembered that long-ago night as vividly as he did. They made
their way to the cozy Italian restaurant, and were happy to be seated in a quiet corner.
“I think I’m having the shrimp.” He looked up from his menu with a smile.
“You ordered the shrimp that night, too.” She smiled at the memory. “As I recall from my taste, it was very good. Creamy and full of shrimp. Yum.”
“It was. That’s why I want it again,” he chuckled. “You ordered a special, a ravioli dish, wasn’t it?”
“I did. But, it doesn’t seem to be on the menu this time,” Kristin said sadly.
She looked up to him just as their waiter came back to take their orders.
“First, we have a question. We were here about seven years ago and my friend had a ravioli dish she loved. We don’t see it on the menu tonight, but I wonder if your chef would be able to fix it?” Kristin flushed with embarrassment.
“Really, there is no need,” she protested. “I love the clam dish, too. That’ll be fine. I don’t want to trouble you.”
“Can you describe the dish to me? I am sure he would want you to have what you really want. My father prides himself on making sure people are completely happy,” the waiter said with an indulgent smile.
Cole watched as Kristin described the dish she had enjoyed, noting the way her eyes lit up, and the way she elaborated on her words with her hands. The waiter nodded knowingly, and made a brief note on his order pad. “That’s my Nonna’s special recipe you’re describing. No wonder you want it again,” he said with a grin. “Papa will be delighted to make it for you.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Cole. I was quite content with the clams.”
“But, you wanted the ravioli,” Cole said simply. “How many other things in your life do you settle for, Kris, when you really want something else?”
A Christmas Surprise (Second Chance Christmas) Page 6