The Christmas Compromise

by Susan Hatler

  “People forget things. It happens. Did he miss work that day?”

  “Just the morning. But that was enough.” His brown eyes turned stormy with emotion. “There’s a rule at the sawmill that if you have to check the conveyor belt, you padlock the switch in the control room when you turn the machines off. That way everyone knows there’s a person in the room. It’s a safety thing. On the day my dad didn’t show up for work, one of their co-workers—a guy named Brian—came in to find the machine off. There was no padlock, so he assumed nobody was in the room and he turned it on. My uncle was in the room.”

  A sinking feeling filled my gut. “What happened?”

  His eyes closed for a moment and he breathed in slowly. “One of the logs jammed on the conveyor belt. The pressure built up until it spun off and hit Uncle Richard in the head. The accident left him severely brain damaged. He now lives in a care facility in town and barely recognizes who I am.”

  “I’m so sorry.” My vision blurred. I reached for his hand, squeezing it. “What a terrible accident, but that’s not your fault.”

  “My uncle probably didn’t put the padlock on because he was rushing, doing the work of two men so my dad wouldn’t get in trouble for being late to work.”

  My chest tightened. “You are not to blame for that.”

  “If I’d woken my dad up like I was supposed to then they both would’ve been at work. My uncle wouldn’t have been hurrying and skipping safety precautions.”

  “You don’t know what made him forget to put that padlock on, but that wasn’t your responsibility.” I put my hand on his shoulder and stared into his eyes, hoping he’d believe me. “He could’ve been distracted by something else on his mind. There are so many variables. Maybe the accident would have happened anyway.”

  His lips went flat. “Maybe not.”

  My heart ached for him. “You were just a kid and shouldn’t be responsible for waking a grown man up in the morning.”

  “Uncle Richard had acted like a buffer between my dad and me. After the accident, my dad’s drinking got worse. He got worse. The accident happened just before Christmas. I’d decorated a Christmas tree for us that year as a gift to my dad. He picked it up and threw it at me.”

  I gasped. My hand flew to my mouth. I’d been so worried about my relationship with my parents and Dallas had been through so much worse than I could ever imagine. I looked away, letting my hair fall against my cheek to hide the horror that was surely visible all over my face.

  “After graduation, I joined the Marines. I served four years, then got a job in Idaho and didn’t speak to my dad for seven years.” His fingers slid through my hair, tucking my hair behind my ear, and playing with the ends until I looked up at him. “When my aunt passed away last year, I decided it was time to come home. Somebody needed to be here for my uncle.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Have you seen your dad?”

  “We saw each other at the funeral. He acknowledged me, but it wasn’t exactly a happy family reunion. He’s retired from the sawmill and doesn’t have much to live on. I drop by once every couple of weeks to make sure his refrigerator is stocked. That’s the extent of our relationship.”

  “I’m sorry.” I shook my head, knowing those two words weren’t close to conveying how much my heart broke for him. How much I admired his loyalty to his uncle and even to his dad, especially after how he’d been raised. “I didn’t know that’s why you returned home.”

  “Why did you come back here, Morgan?” His fingers trailed along my jawline, the backs of them brushing my cheek. “You’re running a big risk with your folks—especially since you can’t hide forever. You could have set up your own salon in Miami. So what brought you home?”

  Home. The word settled under my ribs, went straight into my heart.

  I stared into his eyes. “I missed Christmas Mountain.”

  It was the simplest truth, and the only one I could think of to give.

  “I missed you,” he whispered. Then his expression softened and he cupped my face in his hands, slanting his head as he moved closer. I held my breath and he leaned forward until our mouths were close, only a whisper apart.

  Under his spell, I rose onto my toes and pressed my lips to his. His mouth was warm. The kiss was soft and sweet, holding all of the emotion of what he’d just shared with me. Then his mouth opened and his tongue connected with mine, tasting warm and velvety like the wine we’d both had. Butterflies danced in my belly and I felt like I was floating.

  For most of my youth, I’d dreamed of kissing Dallas, and now all of those feelings washed over me, blanketing me in a sea of warmth that told me I hadn’t been brought home to Christmas Mountain only for my mentor, or for my career, or for my family, but for him.

  The fireplace crackled as we kissed again and again. My whole body lit up with this strong electrical current passing back and forth between us, increasing as the kisses lengthened and deepened. Oh, my.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew there was no chance of implementing the plot to get him out of my business space via over-feminizing the salon. Whatever. I preferred more neutral tones anyway.

  Suddenly he pulled back, studying me through heavy-lidded eyes. I let out a heavenly sigh and smiled at him. His lips curved upward and the sadness in his eyes was gone. His arms slipped around me and pulled me close, making me melt against him.

  My toes literally curled inside my shoes as he continued kissing me senseless.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning, I was enjoying a bowl of cereal and coffee when I heard the front door of the townhome close. A moment later Ruby entered the kitchen with a large bag in one hand and a smile on her face. I wished I looked as happy as she did this morning.

  I’d stayed at Dallas’s house way too late. Eventually we’d moved to the couch and talked until the fire went out. I had to admit there was also more kissing. Swoon. But when I got home, I listened to a voicemail from my mom and reality hit me hard. I’d been home for two days and still hadn’t told them about my new career. Or that my new business shared spaced with the man my mom blamed for my sister’s death. On top of that, I seemed to have fallen for him.

  But what was I supposed say? “Surprise! I’m going to style hair instead of working at your bank. I’ll give a great discount, though. And Dallas Parker? He’ll be working with me and kissing me on the side. Merry Christmas!”

  Yeah, that would not fly well.

  “Hello? Earth to Morgan, come in please . . .”

  “Huh?” I looked over at Ruby, realizing I’d slumped my chin on my fist and spilled a spoonful of honey oats in my lap. “Oh, no!”

  She threw a kitchen towel at me. I mopped up the oats, but they left a not-so-sexy wet splotch on my knee. Lovely.

  “Guess someone needs a second cup of coffee.” She laughed.

  “Sorry.” I hung my head in shame, wondering what she’d been saying to me. Then I got distracted by her bag. “What on earth were you shopping for so early this morning?” I asked.

  The bag crinkled as she reached inside it. Her smile turned impish. “It’s not that early. You slept in pretty late, probably because you were out late. Or at least I think you were since I didn’t hear you come home before I went to bed.”

  “No comment.” I gulped the coffee, stalling for time to think of an answer to where I’d been. Ruby gave me a suspicious look before pulling plain Christmas tree bulbs from the bag and lining them up on the table. I set the cup down. “Are you painting Christmas ornaments?”

  She nodded and fished around in the bag some more. “I’m hoping you’ll help. You can paint an angel like nobody’s business.”

  “Angels have always been my favorite,” I said, my mood momentarily lifting.

  She set a tray of paints and a pack of brushes on the table and went to the coffee pot. She poured herself a cup and came back. “So . . .?”

  “Yes, I’ll paint an angel,” I said, knowing that wasn’t what she really wa
nted to know. I couldn’t help envying how perky she looked this morning. She wore a pretty red sweater, a black wool skirt with black tights underneath, low-heeled ankle boots, and a pair of earrings shaped like dangling Santas. Her blonde hair was pinned up in a bun, showing off those festive earrings.

  I glanced down at my flannel pajama pants, an old long-sleeved shirt, and a set of fuzzy slippers. Ugh. I so needed to get more in the Christmas spirit. I took my bowl to the sink, rinsed it, and put it into the dishwasher. Then I poured more coffee and headed back to the table.

  “Paint as many as you can.” Ruby pushed a few silver and red balls toward me, and a set of paints and brushes. “The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is tonight. I got roped into helping with the ornaments.”

  I took a brush from the container. “The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is such a wonderful tradition.”

  Ruby dipped a brush into paint and nodded. “I’m so behind, though. Work has been insane since they announced that this year they want to do a doggie parade down Main Street.”

  My eyebrows went up. “Come again?”

  Ruby laughed. “Not even kidding. I’ve been swamped by people who are desperate to get their dogs trained to stop eating the antlers, ears, and other things on the costumes their dogs will be wearing in the parade. Not to mention they want to ensure their pooches behave while walking with a crowd of spectators cheering.”

  “Sounds super festive.” I started painting an angel with a blue dress.

  “Addie Wilcox is having sheer fits because she’s so sure Bertie Grier’s Great Danes are going to eclipse Addie’s little Pomeranian in the parade.”

  “Huh,” I mumbled, because that information was too much for my under-caffeinated brain. I dipped a brush into the paint and gave the angel dark hair. “Well, that would be a tragedy.”

  Ruby said, “I’m sure. I don’t even know if Addie’s Pom knows how to walk. Every time I see the poor dog she’s toting him. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

  I added glowing wings to the angel. “What question?”

  “So . . . what were you up to last night?” Her tone was playful and a smile spread across her face. “You couldn’t have been at the beauty salon that late.”

  Time to come clean. “I went to dinner with Dallas.”

  “You did?” Ruby dropped the bulb she’d been holding, which rolled off the table and onto the floor. I winced at the sound of glass shattering. Ruby jumped to her feet and pulled a broom from the closet. “Tell me everything. Did you try the prime rib special? Was it awesome?”

  “It was awful.”

  Ruby began sweeping up the pieces. “Why?”

  “My folks were at the restaurant and so was Addie Wilcox, who saw me outside my new business space yesterday.” I groaned, remembering how hard my heart had pounded. It was a wonder I didn’t need a cardiologist after that episode. “Addie would’ve outed me to my parents and she nearly spotted me. I had to hide under the table.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “I did,” I said, remembering what a good sport Dallas had been about the whole thing. “I think Addie might have told my mom where she saw me. She went over to Mom and Dad’s table and said something to them. A minute later my mom called me. I silenced the phone and then Dallas had to smuggle me and our dinners out of the restaurant.”

  Ruby finished disposing of the broken bulb and took a seat. “You should call your mom and tell her everything. She’s going to find out sooner or later and the longer you wait—”

  “I know.” I glanced out the kitchen window. Trees and houses were decorated with colorful twinkling lights, looking like something out of a fairytale. “I will tell them, I just want to get the place fixed up a little first. They’ll take it better that way. Plus, my mom’s not going to be thrilled I’m sharing the space with Dallas.” I sighed, thinking of the impending blow-up. “Do you remember the rumors about Dallas in high school?”

  “Sure.” Ruby blotted her paintbrush and then looked at me. “Just that he was trouble. But he was always nice to me. Remember the fun we had together as kids?”

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  The tip of Ruby’s paintbrush jabbed into the air in my direction. “Remember how he almost killed your brother with that go-kart stunt.”

  “To be fair, Connor was just as guilty. He did make his own go-kart sleigh.”

  “True.” Ruby’s eyebrows rose upward. “But Dallas did earn his bad boy rep fair and square. There was that time he stole the frogs from the biology lab and lined them up in the cafeteria under a big old sign that read murder victims.”

  I sipped coffee and began to work on a second angel. “To be fair, nobody should have to dissect a frog. It’s just gross. And not fair to the frogs. Besides, I didn’t hear you complaining when the school decided we couldn’t use them and waived that year’s dissection test.”

  “You sure like to defend Dallas Parker.” Ruby smiled knowingly. “But how can you defend him when he took Coach Borden’s golf cart for a joyride. He’s also the one that dared the track team guys to jump from the water tower.”

  “None of them did, though,” I pointed out. “He did. Broke his leg as I recall.”

  “Which goes to show that even if he can’t talk someone else into doing something crazy he’s totally committed to doing it himself.”

  I couldn’t even argue with that one. I gave the angel a set of rosy cheeks and then my gaze flicked to hers. “What have you heard about the accident involving his uncle?”

  “Let me think.” Ruby finished her bulb and set it on a paper towel to dry. “There were various stories floating around about the details. Mostly, I heard his dad said the accident was Dallas’s fault. I mean, why would his dad say that if it wasn’t?”

  “Because his dad is a mean drunk!” I snapped and then cringed. I gave her an apologetic look, but I thought it was terrible the way he’d neglected Dallas and then blamed him for the accident. My heart hurt for him. He already blamed himself, which was bad enough. But to have the whole town believe he was to blame for that tragedy? No wonder he’d left town after graduation. “The accident wasn’t his fault. He wasn’t even there that day.”

  “Wasn’t where?” she asked.

  “At the sawmill the day of the accident. Dallas worked there part-time, but that was one of his days off. He wasn’t anywhere around there when it happened.” I got up and went to the counter, staring out the window again. The sun twinkled off the trees, sending a glow of light around each branch. “Why do people believe rumors so easily?”

  “Wait a minute.” Ruby made a clucking sound with her tongue. “You sound super protective of Dallas. I thought you wanted him out of your salon.”

  “I did want him out of my salon.” I turned around, imagining all of the crazy scenarios in keeping our businesses together in the same space. “I mean, come on, opening a furniture store slash beauty salon? Just what every small town needs. No way is that going to work. What would our slogan be, come for the perms and stay for the sofas?”

  Ruby wiped her fingers on a paper towel. “That’s actually kind of catchy.”

  I groaned. “No. It isn’t. It’s—

  Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ruby’s doorbell cut me off. I glanced down at my pajamas and gave her a sheepish, pleading smile. “Well, it’s obviously not for me.”

  She took the hint and stood. “Probably someone selling something. I’ll get it.”

  “Thanks.” I took a deep breath as she walked out of the room.

  Why was everyone so quick to blame Dallas for his uncle’s accident? I could make a long list of reasons why it wasn’t his fault. My childhood crush had turned into much more after last night. I was thinking hard about my complicated feelings for Dallas that at first I didn’t even register the familiar voice talking to Ruby.

  Then it hit me.

  I startled out of my thoughts and looked up to see my brother, Connor, walking toward me. He had the same pear-green eyes as I did, his d
ark hair was neatly combed back, and he had on what looked like a very expensive half-zip sweater. He also wore a knowing smirk.

  “Hey, sis. Mom just called me. You’re in so much trouble.”

  And with those words, my heart took to pounding against my ribs again.

  I looked down at the bulbs of angels staring up at me with their big blue eyes and pink mouths. It was as if they were trying to tell me I’d run out of time and the whole mess I’d created with my secrets—too many to count at this point—was about to blow up in my face.

  Chapter Six

  I jumped up from the table and dashed toward Connor, throwing my arms around my big brother. “Hey, you. We haven’t seen each other since you came down to Miami last year for our family cruise.”

  Connor hugged me back. “You’re glad to see me even if I am the bearer of bad news?”

  “I’m not exactly excited about that part.” I released him and stepped back.

  He gave me a quick once-over. “Whoa, look at you. Not sure I even want the full story of what’s going on.”

  I looked down at my pajamas, imagining the dark circles that had to be under my eyes. “No, you probably don’t want to know.” Connor made a big show of looking at his watch and coughing into his hand. I rolled my eyes. “I know. I overslept. Sue me.”

  Connor rubbed his neck with one hand, a sure sign he was nervous about something. “Listen, odds are Mom knows you’re here. At Ruby’s, I mean. You haven’t answered her texts this morning and by now she’s called or dropped by to visit every old friend you have here. It’s probably a good idea to get out of here for a while. You want to take a ride?”

  “Let me get dressed.” I raced to my room and grabbed clothes, yanking on a blue long-sleeve top, a pair of jeans, my coat and boots. I came back out after pulling my hair up in a messy twist, knowing I should probably put on makeup in case we did run into Mom so she’d think I had my life totally together (yeah, right). But I was more worried about getting out of the townhome before she could show up and corner me than I was about running into her in town.