One More Kiss: Sweet Hart Inn (A Harbor Falls Romance Book 14)

by Sophie Jacobs

  There. There they were. A huge big long line of them. Men.

  All wanting kisses.

  Was this not Heaven? And could there possibly, in that long line of men waiting to sample her kisses, be the man of her dreams?

  All thinking about Will aside, at the notion of a potential suitor in the line, the old feelings of excitement and anticipation that she used to get when perusing the online matchmaking sites came back to her. Choices. She liked choices, didn’t she?

  Well, just because Will Craig had suggested she quit her job just so he could continue kissing, didn’t mean that she couldn’t go sampling kisses, or potential kisses, from others, right?

  I mean, it’s not like he owns me. And how dare he ask me to quit my job anyway!

  It had been a very good idea when she’d come up with it a couple of weeks ago, and it still was. The hospital thought so too. For every kiss she gave out, a man had to pay a dollar.

  Thing was, they weren’t getting real kisses, just candy ones. Hard candy kisses that she’d had made up special for the occasion at Bittersweets. Jillian Bass was such a dear. Normally she only did chocolate truffles, but she had made an exception for this event. And she’d donated all her time and the ingredients.

  It was all part of the hospital’s “Candy for Kisses” campaign to stop the spread of flu germs this winter. The money would go to purchase flu vaccines for the community.

  But oh, looking at the specimens waiting patiently in line in front of her, she wondered if she might sacrifice a few germs for a couple of short pecks on the cheek from just a few of them….

  Somehow, though, she doubted that any man in that line would make her feel as good as Will did, when his lips met hers.

  ****

  Will felt good. Pretty good, anyway.

  And once this night was finished, he’d feel much better. The Winter Carnival was one of the biggest community events of the season, and both the school board and the community expected it to be successful. Emma had been in charge for years, and she’d always delivered.

  He was proud of her, for this year and in the past, and he wondered why he’d never given her huge praises for all that she pulled off. He’d have to remedy that.

  Even though he’d not seen her for a couple of days—he had holed himself up at home working on his dissertation for his doctoral program—he felt semi-good about where they were in this budding relationship. He’d feel better when a few things were settled. One being this thing about her job. He’d thought about it quite a bit, and he didn’t want to lose her at his school, and middle school would drain the creativity out of her. Oh, she was an excellent teacher, and her personality was likely perfect for teaching middle school, but the fact remained that he wanted her here, in his school, and he wanted her kisses, too.

  So they’d just have to work some things out on those issues. Dammit, he’d break his own rule, too, to make it work.

  He was so glad he’d gotten in touch with the Assistant Superintendent before Emma had arrived. He’d not heard back yet from Tom Porter, but he trusted that his request had been met.

  He supposed Emma would be upset about that, but he figured this was not the time to discuss it.

  But they would. Soon.

  He spanned the gymnasium; the crowd was thick and growing. Kids with elf faces where running about. Santa was in one corner taking requests. Mrs. Santa was passing out cookies. There were reindeer games happening over in the far corner with the P.E. teacher, and a snowman building contest happening in the center of it all. The perimeter was lined with booths—bake sales, informational tables, a gingerbread house making station, and there, over in the corner….

  What in the world? There was quite a bit of commotion over there it seemed.

  Principal mode kicked in pretty darned fast. Wherever there were crowds, be those kids or parents, he got worried. Bigger things happened with numbers. He scurried over to that end of the gym just to see what was going on.

  A very long line snaked all the way from the Snow Cone machine, weaving in and out of the “dunk the teacher” machine area, to around the corner. He followed, moving closer to the source, hearing a few cheers and snickers go up on his way.

  He noticed Tom Porter, the Assistant Superintendent, standing off to the side, watching with a scowl on his face. Distracted by that, he went to his side, stood next to him, and gazed off between the people toward the booth.

  “Looks like a lot of action going on here, huh, Tom?”

  Tom’s glare bolted straight ahead. “Yup. Are you going to do something about this, or shall I?”

  He wasn’t sure, exactly, what Tom was referring to until he swung his own gaze a little further to the right, got a good angle between a couple of really tall men, and saw for the first time exactly what Tom was speaking of.

  A very tall man had just dipped Emma Jo Baker, planting a long and sloppy kiss square on her mouth, underneath a big sign that read, Kisses for a Cause: Get ’Em While They’re Hot!

  His throat closed up tight. “Ah, hell…” The words slipped out on a thin breath.

  Inside every vein of his body, his blood boiled.

  ****

  Emma righted herself and then gently pushed back her latest kisser. All right, it was time to rein things in. This was getting a little out of hand.

  She’d had good intentions, truly. And she had raised a lot of money for the hospital flu campaign, so she’d met her goal there. But in all honesty, she’d really screwed with the mission of the event.

  She’d swapped more spit in the last hour, exchanging a helluva lot of germs with way too many men.

  Oh, it had started innocently enough. The first ten guys or so were okay with her bypassing their lips, and her depositing a baggy of candy kisses in their hands. But then came along Nash Rhodes, hunky country singer and husband to Mary Lou, and even though his wife was standing right there beside him, he came around the table, dipped Emma right before God and everyone, with cameras flashing, and planted a huge wet one right on her lips.

  It was all for publicity, and they had planned that out too. Thing was, the rest of the men in line hadn’t realized that, and when they approached for their turns, they wanted the same treatment Nash got. And what surprised her was that all the wives were cool with it. They were all laughing and having a good time, and Emma was wondering if she would come out of this with a nasty cold, and hoped, not the flu.

  She also hoped the hospital people wouldn’t be too upset with her.

  To say the least, she was getting tired of kissing, even though it was a little fun—and for a good cause.

  But all of that spun on a dime when Will Craig cut in line, moving all the guys back with a couple of principal-like barks and stood red-faced before her, hands on his hips, his sport coat pushed back at his waist, and glared at her.

  “What in the…” he glanced about, leaned in, and lowered his voice. “What in the heck do you think you are doing,” he bit out.

  Emma swallowed, hard, and tried like hell to stare him down, tit-for-tat. “Um. Kissing?” He looked like he was about to blow a gasket. “No seriously, Will, it’s a fundraiser. Relax.”

  If his face could get any redder, it just did. His voice even lower, he strung the next words out. “Relax? You’ve got to be kidding me. This is wrong on too many levels.”

  “Will, please. You’re making a scene.”

  He crowded closer. “I’m not even started yet. I can’t believe you did this.”

  She knit her brow, leaned closer, and whispered, “What are you so upset about, Will. Seriously? You need to get a grip. It’s all in good fun.”

  He set his jaw tight. Emma could see his jawbone quivering. “Go home, Emma. You’re shut down. Go home. Now.”

  She leaned closer and whispered, “And if I don’t? What are you going to do? Spank me? We outlawed corporal punishment in this school years ago, Mr. Craig.”

  His gaze narrowed. “Don’t tempt me, Emma.”

  “I
wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “Go home.” His anger surprised her and it cut straight to her heart. She didn’t understand what was happening or why he was so darned angry. But the look on his face meant business, and it plummeted every teeny little hope that there might ever be something between them.

  “Will,” she began softly, really feeling a need to explain, “this isn’t what it looks like. Let me tell you what this is about. Really, Will, it’s all harmless fun and…”

  He reached up, grabbed the kissing booth sign off the side of her display, and slapped it down on the table with force. A collective gasp went up in the surrounding crowd, but she kept her gaze fixed on Will. She’d never seen him like this, not in all her days of teaching with him.

  “That was rude.”

  “You’re going to see what rude is in a moment, Emma Jo.” He crowded closer, and what he said next, was only for her ears. “If there is any kissing to be done by those lips,” he glanced to her mouth and then jerked back up again to her eyes, “I will be the one doing the kissing. Not them.” He tipped his head to the rear.

  “That so.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She didn’t know how to respond to that but he was continuing with his little rant anyway.

  “Now, please go before I blow my top. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  And at the moment, that was her intent. She reached under the table, grabbed her purse, and then paused, starting at Will. “Just so you know,” she said, “I’m not leaving because you ordered me to. I’m not leaving because you are acting like an ass. I’m not leaving because I think you are right and that anything I did here was wrong. I’m leaving because right now, I want to. Because right now, I don’t want to argue with you. And because I have no desire to continue this verbal abuse that you are throwing my way. So I’ll leave. Goodbye, Will.”

  Then she spun, feeling more humiliated than empowered, if she were truthful with herself, and raced away from the table—and right into the chest of the Assistant Superintendent.

  Shit. “Oh! I’m so sorry.” She looked up into his face, wondering if he had just witnessed that whole scene. The look he gave her said that, yeah, he probably had.

  Will was suddenly at her side.

  Now, she thought, was probably a good time to ask for that transfer, seeing that she had just embarrassed herself to no end here with the elementary school folks. In fact, this was probably the best time in the world since it seemed neither man right now was very happy with her and likely wanted her out of their hair.

  “Mr. Porter. I know this isn’t the best timing in the world, but on Monday morning, I want to speak with you about a transfer out of Harbor Falls Elementary. Perhaps you have something, um, out in the county? I know those schools are difficult to staff.”

  He still glared, and then shifted his gaze to Will, and back again. “Sorry, your request for transfer has been denied, Ms. Baker.”

  She was confused. But what was new, lately? “I don’t understand.”

  He shrugged. “Talk to your principal. He asked me to deny your transfer request a couple of days ago. So consider yourself denied. You have two options, either stay at Harbor Falls Elementary, or quit. And given the conduct I’ve seen from you tonight, I am personally hoping you will consider the latter.”

  Nothing, nothing, in her professional career had hurt so much. And hearing that Will had asked to have her request denied—two days ago!—well, nothing had ever hurt her heart quite as much either.

  She couldn’t look either man in the face and fled.

  Chapter Nine

  “All right Ms. Sour Puss. It’s been over a week. Aren’t you over this yet?”

  Emma watched the swirls the creamer made in her coffee and felt like she was diving down into those swirly depths of dark herself. “I’m fine.”

  “Like hell you are.”

  Peeking up over her cup, she caught Annie’s stare, then looked back down again. There was a small crowd gathering at Sugar High, so she kept her voice low. “Look,” she said finally, “if the reason you asked me to coffee this morning is to verbally beat the crap out of me over this entire incident, well, you can stop now, because I assure you I have beaten my own self up enough for the two of us.”

  Annie responded with an outstretched hand placed over hers on the table. “Emma, look at me.”

  It took her a moment, but she did look up and connect with Annie. “What?”

  Annie sighed. “Forget it all. You have your job and that is the important thing.”

  “Well, only because Will refuses to let me out of my contract in the middle of the year, and only because there are no positions open anywhere else in the district. Or so they say. That sixth grade position was suddenly filled. He’s stuck, so I stay.”

  “I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

  Emma huffed. “You don’t? Well, I have news for you. That man wants nothing to do with me.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. Give it some time. Perhaps things could work out.”

  “Really? Then why hasn’t he contacted me in the past week? Looks like he would have, you know.”

  “Have you tried to contact him?”

  Emma shot her a look. “No! And why would I?’

  Annie gave her a look back. “Well, to try to talk this thing through? To discuss while you both are rational, rather than angry? To try and get some closure? Come to a resolution?”

  She shook her head. “No. Not happening. It is his place to apologize to me.”

  Annie sighed. “Well look. He’s under some stress here, Emma. You know that. He’s trying to finish his dissertation on top of all of this. Perhaps he needed some days to distance himself and throw himself into the writing. Give him time, for God’s sake!”

  But Emma wasn’t convinced. “No. No amount of time…” Her words trailed off, and she really didn’t want to think or talk about this anymore. Her stomach hurt. “Besides, I’m really mad at him. He acted like an ass. What does he think, a few kisses and he owns me? Um, no.” She glanced off and sighed.

  “Well, there is that…”

  “Hey girls, what are you doing up so early in the morning?”

  Both Emma and Annie lifted their heads toward the voice. A bright and smiling Suzie approached their table. “Fancy seeing you two here early this morning. Have you tried Sydney’s latest scone? Champagne mint. Oh, man…”

  “We just had one. They rock.” There was not one iota of enthusiasm in Emma’s voice.

  Suzie shrugged and stepped closer. “Emma, I’m really glad I caught you. Wear the black dress tonight. If you don’t want to come to dinner, just come to the after-dinner party in the suite at the Lodge. It will be so much fun, and I’m sure you will enjoy getting to know this guy I want to introduce you to.”

  Shit. She had forgotten all about that. Looking to Annie, she said, “Is today New Year’s Eve?”

  Annie nodded.

  Where have my days gone?

  Emma shook her head. “I’m really not feeling up to it, Suzie.”

  A huge frown crossed the woman’s face. “You’re not backing out on me.”

  Had I ever really confirmed? She couldn’t remember. No, she hadn’t. She’d told her she would think about it.

  Suzie started in again. “You do have the dress, right?”

  “I do, but…”

  “No excuses.” She leaned over to peer into her face. “Don’t make me get ugly, Emma Jo. My reputation is at stake. I have not failed in my matchmaking attempts and I’ll be damned if I am going to let you wallow around in self-indulgent pity while my skills are on the line. Now, I’ll forgive the dinner if you are not up to that, but I want you knocking on the door to the Black Bear suite at eight o’clock sharp tonight for the party. You got that?”

  It was very difficult to ignore the intensity of Suzie’s stare. Even more, Annie’s gaze was trained straight on her as well.

  “Why do I feel like I’ve been set up? Again?”
/>   Both women stared. “Because you have been,” they said in unison.

  “It’s not Will, is it? Promise me it’s not Will.” She glowered at both women who gazed back in silence. “Please, say it’s not Will.”

  Suzie did a quick shake of her head. “No.” Then Suzie glanced quickly to Annie and back to Emma.

  “You’re sure?”

  “No.”

  “You’re not sure, or it’s not Will?”

  Annie exhaled and broke into the conversation. “Heck, Emma. It’s a blind date! Don’t go overthinking this. Just do it.”

  Emma pushed out a quick breath. “Oh, Hell’s Christmas Bells. All right.”

  ****

  Mistake. With a capital M. That’s what this was.

  Will paced the living room of the Black Bear suite. He’d arrived at a quarter before eight as Suzie had suggested. He knew what was coming down, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it, but he was going to do it because some things had to be settled between him and Emma.

  Perhaps Suzie was right and this was the best way.

  Element of surprise and all. Face it head on.

  Still, he wasn’t so sure. It felt an awful lot like trickery.

  He had a lot of talking to do, apologies to make, and he just wasn’t convinced that Emma Jo Baker would stick around long enough to listen.

  There. A small rap on the door.

  Show time.

  With a deep inhale, followed by a cleansing, lengthy exhale, he crossed the room and wrapped his hand around the cold doorknob.

  ****

  The door swung open and the first thing Emma registered was the lack of sound. She had expected a party but there was no party clatter happening in the background. Almost simultaneously, she realized it was Will holding the door.

  A hand went to her throat. “Will? Oh, God…”

  He grasped her hand and tugged a little. “It’s all right, Emma. Come on in.”