That Mistletoe Moment

by Cat Johnson

  He smiled until it crinkled his eyes in the corners. “You had me at bourbon.”

  “Yeah, that part usually wins over the men.” She laughed as she punched the ingredients and quick instructions into a new text in her cell phone. “Here. Put your cell number in there and hit Send. That will text you my recipe.”

  “Great. And I’ll thank you in advance on behalf of my father and all of the others attending today’s dinner who won’t be subjected to my mother’s cranberry sauce.” He punched in the numbers and handed the cell back.

  She took the phone. “It’s the least I can do, considering you’re giving me one of your bags.”

  “It’s my pleasure . . .” He extended his hand and frowned. “I’m sorry, I don’t even know your name.”

  “Noelle.” She juggled the bag to her left hand so she could grasp his right one.

  “I’m Nathan.”

  “Nathan,” she repeated as she felt how strong and warm his grip was. “Um, well, I’d better get going. Got to cook these berries. Thank you again. And Happy Thanksgiving.”

  He finally released his hold on her hand. “Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.”

  After one final glance at her, he tossed his bag of berries in the cart and steered it down the aisle in the opposite direction.

  Noelle pulled herself out of the daze the encounter had put her in. She didn’t have any time to waste.

  She headed for the cash register with what might be the last bag of cranberries in all of Connecticut. All thanks to the generosity of one kind stranger.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Nice of you to come.” Nikki’s sarcasm was clear in her tone and her expression.

  Noelle scowled at her sister. “We couldn’t run out the moment we finished eating dinner. That would have been rude.”

  Besides, she’d enjoyed spending time with George’s parents and two brothers.

  “Sure. First no cranberry sauce, and now you slide in right before dessert.”

  “I texted you about what happened with the cranberries.”

  “I know. I got the text. Doesn’t mean I was happy about it.”

  Noelle blew out a short breath. “I was pretty upset about it myself. Believe me.”

  “So, how was it over there? Are Glen and Gordy still idiots?”

  Noelle cocked a brow at Nikki. “Be nice. They’re George’s brothers.”

  “Doesn’t mean they can’t be idiots.” Finally Nikki sighed beneath the weight of Noelle’s stare. “Fine. I’ll be nice. Now, hang up your coat and come inside. I’ve borne the burden of our crazy relatives alone long enough.”

  Noelle slipped her peacoat off her arms and hung it on one of the hooks just inside the back door as Nikki frowned.

  “Where is George anyway?”

  “He’ll be here in a minute. He just wanted to say good-bye to his brothers.”

  “All right, good. That means we can drink. I’ll pour you one.”

  “What are you talking about? I could still drink if he was around. He wouldn’t stop me.”

  “Oh, he wouldn’t stop you, but those passive-aggressive comments and glances of his are enough to make me want to guzzle straight out of the bottle. I swear, that man acts like he’s an eighty-year-old woman sometimes.”

  “Stop.”

  “I’m serious. Aunt Anna is cooler than George.” Nikki kept her voice low, but Noelle still glanced at the doorway of the kitchen to make sure their aunt hadn’t overheard.

  “Don’t fill up my glass.” Noelle held up one hand as Nikki upended the bottle over a wineglass.

  “Why not?”

  “I have my own car. I met George here.”

  Nikki cocked a brow. “Why didn’t he pick you up?”

  “Don’t know.” Noelle lifted one shoulder and figured it was safest to change the subject. “So, how’s it been here? Anything exciting happen?”

  “Oh, Aunt Anna is in rare form today.” Nikki nodded toward her now-empty glass on the kitchen island. “I’ve had three glasses so far and it’s only five o’clock.”

  “Wow.” Noelle raised a brow and eyed the lineup of bottles on the counter. Two were empty, and one was well on the way to being so as Nikki moved to refill her glass.

  Shaking her head, Nikki finally put down the bottle of red wine. “I swear to you, for Christmas I’m making up a fake boyfriend, just to get them all off my back.”

  “How are you going to make up a fake boyfriend?”

  “That’s the beauty of modern technology. I don’t even have to. There’s an app for that.”

  Noelle widened her eyes. “Really?”

  “I kid you not. The Build-A-Boyfriend app. I read about it online. One more comment from Aunt Anna and I’m signing up tomorrow. Or tonight if I’m not too drunk.” Nikki handed Noelle one glass and pressed the other to her lips. After swallowing a big sip of wine, she blew out a quick breath. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

  After downing a bracing swallow herself, Noelle followed her sister down the hallway toward the living room. The acoustics of the old house meant she heard the soft buzz of conversation in the hallway long before she entered the room.

  “Noelle.” Her mother jumped up from her seat and came forward. “When did you get here?”

  “I found her sneaking in the kitchen door while I was getting some wine.” Nikki sat and shot Noelle a glare as she answered their mother’s question.

  “I didn’t sneak. It was just easier to come in the back door. Happy Thanksgiving.” Noelle kissed her mother’s cheek and then moved to do the same to her father. “Dad.”

  “Good to see you. Where’s George?” Her father knelt by the fireplace to poke at the log inside, sending sparks flittering up the chimney, before he closed the screen and stood again.

  “Where is George? Isn’t he coming?” Aunt Anna asked as Noelle moved to her.

  “He’s coming. He’s next door. He’ll be right here.” She bent low to kiss the older woman’s cheek. “Nice to see you again, Aunt Anna.”

  The scene was exactly as Nikki had predicted. Their great-grandfather was snoring softly in the easy chair in the corner of the room nearest the fireplace. And Great-Aunt Anna, their grandmother’s sister, was as nosy as ever.

  Nothing changed. Their father was spending his day completely absorbed in tending a fire that was burning just fine on its own, and their mother was spending the day trying to feed them more food than any human could eat.

  “No ring yet?” Aunt Anna’s stare settled on Noelle’s bare left hand.

  She smiled at her aunt as she perched on the edge of a chair and wondered if there was more wine stashed somewhere. “No, not yet.”

  Aunt Anna scowled. “How long have you been dating?”

  “Five years next May.”

  The older woman let out a humph that spoke volumes.

  The sound was ripe enough with meaning that Noelle felt the need to defend her boyfriend and their relationship. “Actually, he’s doing really well in his job and he just moved into a great two-bedroom place, so I’m thinking it might be soon. Maybe even for Christmas or my birthday.”

  Their aunt’s penciled-on brows rose. “Really. Well then, I’ll look forward to seeing you again at Christmas. Maybe there will be a wedding to plan.”

  “Maybe. We’ll see.” Noelle smiled even though she’d already envisioned her dream wedding with George and no nosy old relative was going to muck up her plans.

  The sound of a masculine clearing of a throat had her spinning in her seat.

  “Um, hello, everyone.” George stood in the doorway looking a little paler than usual.

  “George.” Back to tending the fire, her father nodded in his direction before leaning over to grab another log.

  “George, how is your family? Did you all have a nice Thanksgiving?” her mother asked.

  “Everyone is well, thank you.” He was taller than Noelle and leaner than his two brothers. But like his siblings, he had blue eyes and sandy-colored hair, a few shades
paler than Noelle’s own brown.

  With Noelle’s green eyes and George’s blue ones, she figured their children had a good chance of inheriting one or the other color. They’d have gorgeous babies. She knew it.

  Noelle stood and walked over to George where he hovered in the doorway.

  “Hi.” She leaned in to give him a kiss on the lips, but he turned his head and her mouth landed on his cheek. “Do you want some wine?”

  He frowned down at the glass in her hand. “No, thank you.”

  “Okay.” Noelle took a sip from her own glass.

  George followed her motion before he glanced around the room. “So, I didn’t miss dessert, did I?”

  Her mother jumped up. “No. I was just about to get the pies on the table. Girls, do you want to help me?”

  “Sure, Mom.” Nikki walked close and grabbed Noelle’s arm. “Come on.”

  “I’m coming.” Noelle asked once they were in the kitchen, “What is wrong with you?”

  “Me? What’s wrong with him? It’s Thanksgiving. Would it kill him to smile? And what was that face when you offered him wine?”

  “Stop. His face is perfectly fine.” Scowling, Noelle was not going to let Nikki get her upset.

  It was a holiday. There were homemade pies. She was spending the weekend with her boyfriend. Nothing was going to bring Noelle down, especially not her bitter sister.

  She knew her optimism was well-founded when George rested his hand on hers at the dining room table and whispered, “I’m going to follow you to your place. I have something I want to talk to you about.”

  Noelle nearly choked as she swallowed the remnants of the bite of pumpkin pie in her mouth. She nodded. “Okay.”

  Her simple response belied what she felt on the inside as her heart thundered.

  He wanted to speak to her in private. That could only mean one thing. She wouldn’t have to wait until Christmas. Her ring was coming sooner than she’d expected.

  Usually she wouldn’t have minded hanging out to help her mother and sister do the dishes and clean up, but today she couldn’t stand the wait. She had to know what George wanted to talk about, but she had to get home first.

  She watched, and the moment she saw him put his dessert fork down, she asked, “Ready to go?”

  He glanced up. “Um, sure.”

  Pushing her chair back, Noelle gathered up her glass, and her pie plate and his. She carried it all into the kitchen, coming back out with her coat in her hand. “We’re going to get going.”

  Her sister frowned. “So soon?”

  “Yeah. It’s been a long day.” Noelle would call later with the news. Then her sister would understand her rush. The whole family would and they’d be thrilled, she was sure.

  Seeing her with her coat and purse, George stood and turned to address her parents. “Thanks for dessert.”

  “You’re always welcome. I’ll see you at our Christmas party, right?” Noelle’s mother asked.

  George nodded. “Yes, you will. My parents were talking about the party today. Mom’s making her stuffed mushrooms.”

  Her mother smiled. “Perfect.”

  As the good-byes were said, Noelle nearly bubbled over with joy. In all her excitement she had almost forgotten about her family’s annual Christmas Eve party. The entire neighborhood came, George’s family included. It would be the perfect time to show off the ring.

  Maybe that had been George’s plan for proposing tonight instead of on Christmas. He always had been a detailed planner. It was one of the things she appreciated most about him. She wasn’t so great in the advanced planning department.

  Noelle was shaking by the time she pulled into the parking space in front of her apartment. George pulled in behind her. She was so flustered over what she’d built up in her mind as a definite—the most important moment of her life—that she forgot to turn off her headlights.

  Walking over to her car, George said when she opened the driver’s door, “Lights.”

  “What?”

  “You left your headlights on. You’ll end up with a dead battery.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I forgot.” She reached in and flipped the button, grateful one more time for his attention to detail. “Just distracted tonight, I guess.”

  “Tonight?” He blew out a breath. “You’re forgetful every day.”

  She pursed her lips. “No. Not always.”

  If she was distracted, it was usually for good reason. Her being forgetful was just a sign of an active mind. But she wasn’t going to let George’s comment put a damper on her perfect evening.

  After grabbing her purse, she slammed the door and hit the key fob to lock the doors. “Okay, let’s go.”

  “All right.” He looked serious as they walked.

  That wasn’t a surprise, she supposed. If what she thought was going to happen was really happening, George had every right to be nervous and serious.

  She unlocked the apartment door and flipped on the lights in the living room. “Come on in.”

  Tomorrow night, that switch would also turn on her Christmas tree lights.

  Tomorrow morning, she might be an engaged woman shopping for a tree with her fiancé. The thought sent a thrill through her.

  Closing the door behind him, she asked, “Do you want something to drink? I have wine and beer. Or rum. I bought eggnog to go with it.”

  She’d been thinking of having an eggnog herself.

  They’d need something to toast with. Since this had come as such a surprise, she didn’t have champagne, but eggnog would do.

  “No. I have to drive.”

  She drew her brows low. “I thought you’d just spend the night.”

  It wasn’t as if he hadn’t slept over before. Besides, she wanted to hit the tree lot early in the morning, before the crowds. So she wouldn’t miss the best trees.

  Most importantly, if he did propose, wouldn’t he want to stay so they could celebrate?

  “Um, yeah. No. Not tonight.” He shook his head.

  “Oh. Okay.” She stood there, at a loss as to why he was being so weird.

  “Can we sit?” He glanced at the sofa.

  “Sure.” She moved to the sofa and sat.

  He sat next to her, reached out, and took her hand in his. “So . . . when I walked in tonight, I heard you talking to your family. About getting married.”

  Her heart thundered. She hadn’t meant for him to hear that. Her comments had been in response to her aunt’s provoking, but if it led to him proposing early, she’d give Aunt Anna a big hug and a kiss when she saw her at Christmas.

  “Well, when Aunt Anna asked about us . . .” Noelle let the sentence trail off.

  A crease furrowed his brow. “Is that what you want?”

  Wait? Was that a proposal? “What do you mean?”

  “You see us getting married?” he asked, the surprised tone of his voice not at all encouraging.

  This wasn’t going quite as she’d envisioned it. “Yes. Don’t you?”

  He let out a short burst of a laugh that did not instill confidence in her plan to be engaged by Christmas. “I don’t know. I never really thought about it.”

  How could they have been on such different pages when it came to their relationship? Starting to get a little annoyed, she said, “Well, think about it now.”

  “Honestly?” he asked.

  “No, I want you to lie to me.” Noelle rolled her eyes. She regretted her sarcastic comment the moment it was out of her mouth and he drew back at her words. She softened her tone. “Of course, honestly. I want the truth.”

  “Fine, but there’s no need to be a bitch about it.”

  Had he seriously just called her that? This conversation had disintegrated—fast. She drew in a breath that had her nostrils flaring as she considered.

  Noelle had two choices to make here. She could start a fight over his “bitch” comment, or she could focus on the bigger issue. Their relationship and its future.

  She chose the latter. “George, do
you see us ever getting married or not?”

  “Not really.” He shook his head.

  Her eyes widened. “Why not?”

  “We’re very different.” He shrugged.

  That was true. They were different. She’d always thought that’s what they both liked about the relationship. “Then why are you with me—why have you stayed with me—for five years?”

  “Habit, I guess.” He shrugged again. The move made her want to hit him with one of her prized antique bookends. The fact he’d called them “expensive dust collectors” didn’t help squelch that urge any.

  Habit? What the hell kind of a reason was that to stay with someone? “So, what are you saying? That I was convenient? That it was too much work to find a new girlfriend?”

  “I don’t know. Look, can we just go to bed and sleep on it?” He stood and extended one hand to her where she sat on the sofa glaring up at him.

  “Go to bed here? You’re staying the night now? I thought you didn’t want to.”

  “I think in light of everything, it might be best if I slept here. We’ll kiss and make up. You’ll wake up in a better mood, and we’ll start fresh in the morning getting that tree of yours.”

  The way he said the words “kiss and make up” were ripe with suggestion, as was his smile. He thought he could drop the bomb that he’d never seen them spending their lives together and then she’d jump into bed with him?

  “Oh no. You really think I’ll just forget—”

  “Noelle, just relax.” He tipped his head. “Hey, I just thought of something. Is it coming up on your time of the month? Is that why you’re acting so crazy?”

  “Oh my God. This is not about me or my time of the month. This is all about you.”

  “I think you need some time to calm down.” He’d kept his voice low. His treating her like a child made it all worse.

  She lifted her brows high. Time? He thought that was going to calm her down? Make her forget what an ass he was?

  “No. No, no, no. You’ve gotten all the time from me you’re going to get. We’re done.”

  His sandy brows rose. “Excuse me?”

  “Yup. I’m sorry to inconvenience you, especially right before your office Christmas party, which I know you already RSVP’d to for two people, but we’re finished. I’m done being a stand-in girlfriend until a woman you can picture yourself marrying comes along.”