“Mia, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?” It was pitch-black in the closet until she groped and found the light switch.
“This is how you can help.” She pulled something off the door hanger and turned to him.
“Oh, no. Absolutely not. Not a chance in hell, Mia.”
“Come on, Noah. Please. You have to. You’re our only hope. Don’t let these kids down. Do it for me. Please….”
“You’re going to owe me big time!”
“I’ll turn around and you change. I’ll have to zip you up in the back.”
She heard his pants zipper come down, and all kinds of inappropriate thoughts ran through her mind. It was getting really hot inside this closet. He needed to hurry up.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
She got a grunt in reply.
“This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever done,” he groaned.
“No, it’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done, I’m sure.”
“Alright, it’s on. Zip me up and let’s get this over with.”
Mia turned and found the sexiest Santa she’d ever seen standing in front of her. Her smile lit up her eyes.
As she pulled the zipper upward, her hand caressed his lower back all the way up his spine. Her fingers tingled where they touched his skin.
He turned around slowly, his eyes burning intently.
“Thank you for doing this, Noah.” Her voice sounded husky even to herself. She couldn’t help herself She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
His arms came around her waist, pinning her to him as he kissed her back.
“Noah,” she whispered against his lips.
“Mia,” he groaned back.
She stepped back and shook her head. “Okay. Sorry. I let the excitement get away with me. Let’s go surprise some kids.”
Grabbing hold of the doorknob, she said cheerfully, “Ready?”
Ready? He was standing at attention for Christ’s sake.
“Let’s do this.”
Thirty-two kids had sat on his lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas. Some had asked for toys, but most of them had asked to get better and be able to go home.
“I think that was the last one, Santa. You did great, by the way,” Mia praised. He smiled. He’d actually enjoyed himself, but he couldn’t shake the melancholy feeling from watching these sick children. Kids didn’t deserve to be dealt these kinds of cards. It just wasn’t right.
“Miss Benedetti, we have one more child who hasn’t seen Santa yet,” a nurse told Mia. “She’s too sick to get out of bed. Would Santa be willing to visit her in her room?”
Mia looked over to Noah for his agreement. He nodded his affirmation.
“Of course he would. Lead the way.”
“This is Jenny. Jenny, you have a special visitor.”
The child was four- maybe five years old. She lay with an oxygen tube strapped to her nose, and an IV line running into her vein. She was pale, but still managed to smile when she saw Noah walk into the room. She wore a pretty pink hat with rhinestones.
Noah paused. Mia could read the surprise and shock at the sickly sight Jenny presented. Then she smiled again.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas, Jenny!”
Mia watched as Noah charmed her. He presented her with a gift from his bag. He asked her if she had brothers and sisters. She did. An older sister named Maggie and a younger brother named Jason.
When he asked Jenny what her Christmas wish was, the room fell silent at her answer.
“My wish is for God to be with my mom and dad when I die and take care of them the way He will take care of me when I’m not here.”
Noah wasn’t prepared for an answer like that. He looked up at Mia for assistance. She stepped forward, placing her hand on Noah’s shoulder.
Jenny was the one who came to his rescue. “It’s okay, Santa. Don’t be sad. I’m not afraid to die. I know I’ll be okay.”
“Jenny, you are a very brave and special little girl. I think you need to get some rest now, and Santa needs to get back to work,” Mia told the little girl.
Noah’s jaw was clenched tight and Mia was fighting tears as they left Jenny’s room. Her mother followed them out.
“Sorry about that. Jenny knows what her situation is. We don’t hide it from her. She’s very outspoken and has come to terms with it as best a five-year-old can. Actually, she handles this better than we do.” Tears filled her mother’s eyes.
“There isn’t anything that can be done for Jenny?” Mia asked.
“There’s a new trial, but our insurance doesn’t cover it. That was our last option. We aren’t giving up yet, but as you can see time is running out.”
Jenny’s mother turned to Noah. “Thank you for listening to her. I know it meant a lot to her. She’s always loved Christmas.” Her voice broke. She hugged Noah and went back to Jenny’s bedside.
Neither of them moved. They were trying to process the whole helpless situation.
“I want the details of that trial on my desk this afternoon,” Noah instructed Mia as he turned and headed for the door.
Eyes wide, she quickly followed suit. She was delayed saying her good-byes on their behalf. Noah was already in the car, waiting for her out front with George holding the door open when she exited the hospital.
They were headed back to the office, both lost in thought. The heaviness of the situation was thick in the backseat of the car.
“Why did you have me go to the hospital today?” His voice was void of any emotion. Alarm bells went off inside Mia.
“It’s never an easy task to see children hurting, but as difficult as it was for us to see, just imagine how it is for them. They need all the love and happy distractions they can get. Your dad was fully committed to the children’s hospital. Your mother says it was his absolute favorite visit out of all his charity work. The small amount of time makes a difference, Noah. You made a difference today.”
She took a deep breath. “I wanted you to see and feel a part of what your father’s legacy has been built on besides the work day. He built relationships that impacted people’s lives.”
“What? So now you and my mother have ganged up against me to improve me, is that it? Is that what this week has been about—changing me?” Anger deepened his voice to a growl.
“Of course not! Why would you think that? I was only trying to help you see another part of the business you’ve worked so hard to grow. Because of your successes, your company has helped so many people. Now when you sign those checks, you have real people…real faces associated with the dollars.”
“Here’s where we’re different, Miss Benedetti. I don’t need to build those relationships. I have a team of people to do that for me, so that I can continue to manage a multi-million-dollar business. If I don’t stay focused on that, we won’t have the money to give to charities, now will we? All this other racket just gets in the way.”
Mia was heartbroken at his response. She had failed.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, sir. For the record, I think you’re missing out on some amazing experiences by closing yourself off.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting back tears. She would not cry in front of him.
“For the record, it isn’t up for discussion any longer. I humored you this week, now let’s move on. While I appreciate your efforts, they have been misplaced. Let’s get back to the office so we can get some real work done.”
CHAPTER 7
“Ma, Frankie’s hogging all the pasta!” Mattheo smacked the back of his brother’s head.”
“Frankie, take your share and pass it on. Mattheo, don’t smacka your brother’s head. You wanna give him brain damage or something?” Angelina Benedetti scolded her sons.
Wednesday night family dinner was mandatory unless you were dying or wanted to take on the matriarch’s wrath. No one did, so everyone showed up.
Tonight Mia would much rather ha
ve gone home and curled up in bed and had her own pity party. Instead, she was having to listen to her annoying brothers whom she adored despite their antics.
“Hey, so Pops, looks like we’re getting the Giovani job. That’s gonna be a big one for us.”
Her father’s kind, weathered-from-the-sun smile lit up his face. “It’s good. Very good. We’ve a worked hard for that one. The bid was fair. They get a good price.”
Luca, her oldest brother, and his wife sat across from her at the dinner table. All three brothers worked for her father’s construction company. Luca’s wife even worked in the office. Mia was the only family member who had done her own thing.
“What’s a matter with you tonight? Why so quiet? Cat got your tongue?” Frankie elbowed her. Normally she’d elbow him right back, but she definitely wasn’t in the mood for a round with him tonight.
“Knock it off, Frankie. I’m not in the mood, okay?” She continued to eat her salad. Immediately she had the whole family’s attention. There was no privacy in her family.
“What is it, cara? Is something troubling you?” her papa asked.
She needed to put them off now, or she would never get out of here.
“Everything is fine, Papa. It’s just been a long day. I’m tired.” She looked over at her mama, pleading without words to stop the barrage of questions she knew would continue.
“Let the girl eat in peace. She works hard. She’s too skinny. Eat, Mia.” She smiled at her mother.
“Yes, Mama.”
With the focus off her, the family banter continued, mostly between Frankie and Mattheo. She knew she wasn’t completely off the hook with her mother, but at least she wouldn’t have an audience.
“Mia, help me with the dishes.” And there it was. “Yes, Mama.”
She gathered up the remaining plates from the dinner table and went into the kitchen. Her mother still hand-washed dishes, even though she had a dishwasher. She believed it to be therapeutic.
“Okay. Out with it. It’s never a good thing when my girl goes quiet. What’s bothering you?”
“The short version—I wanted to help Noah see there’s more to life than just work, and that work is a means to a positive end through the company’s charity work. He didn’t see it that way.”
“Umm. How did he see it?” her mother asked, continuing to wash dishes while Mia dried.
“Basically he told me to stop trying to change him and that work is what his focus was, that he didn’t need anything else, especially not relationships with people.”
“Ah. Therein lies the real dilemma, doesn’t it, sweetheart?”
Mia put the last glass away and turned to her mother, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“What do you mean by that, Mama?”
“You think I don’t know how you feel about your Noah?”
“Am I that obvious?” Embarrassment crushed her.
“Only to your mama, sweetheart.”
“Oh, Mama. I only wanted him to reach inside and let go of this…this door he keeps closed on his emotions. I know they’re there. I’ve seen them. He was so good with the children and the residents at the nursing home. I just don’t understand why he shut down on me today. I don’t know what to do now.”
Her mother’s hand cupped her cheek. “Now you wait. If it means that much to you, wait. Be patient. What’s meant to be, will be.” Everything was so black and white for her parents. They had faith that everything worked out as it should be.
“I love you, Mama.”
“I love you too, Baby.” Her mother squeezed her tightly. Best hug in the whole world.
Her cell phone rang, turning her bad day into even more heartbreak.
CHAPTER 8
It was after eleven o’clock when Frankie pulled into Mia’s driveway. Her eyes were closed as she leaned back on the headrest. Her head ached from crying.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay? You want me to stay with you?” her brother offered. He might be a lug head, but he had a huge heart.
She squeezed his hand. “No. I’ll be fine. I know it’s part of life’s circle, but it still hurts to lose someone you care about. I loved Mrs. Johnson. I’ll miss her, but she had a happy life. I’m grateful for the time I spent with her.”
The both got out of her car. He enveloped her in a tight hug, holding her for just a moment. “You got a big heart, sis. I love ya. Call if you need us.” He kissed her forehead and walked over to their brother Mattheo’s car. He was standing outside the car and waved to her.
“Thanks for driving me home.” She watched her brothers pull out of the driveway, and walked the few steps up her front porch. She was inserting the key to open her door when she heard a man’s voice.
“Little late to be out on a work night, isn’t it, Mia?”
She screamed. Turning toward the voice and ready to run, she stopped when it registered in her frightened mind just who was on her porch.
“Jesus, son of Mary, Noah. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
She slouched against her front door, trying to calm her racing heart.
Noah slowly stood from where he had been sitting on the porch swing. It was hidden by the bushes surrounding the porch, and in the dark she hadn’t seen him sitting there. She was going to have to put a motion sensor light out here.
“What are you doing here so late?” He stood in front of her, towering over her in the moonlight.
“I need to talk to you.”
“And it couldn’t wait until in the morning? You had to come sit on my front porch and scare me half to death?”
“No. It couldn’t wait.” He wasn’t asking for permission to come in.
“Do you plan on staying out here, or are you going to open the door so we can talk?”
Her breath escaped her in a huff. “I’m really not in the mood to talk tonight. Can’t this wait?”
“I’m not leaving until we talk.” She recognized that tone. Heard it many times in the conference room. He wasn’t budging.
Resigned, she opened the door, held it open, and allowed him passage into her home.
“Have a seat. I need coffee. You want some?” She flipped on the lamps on the side tables in the living room, providing a soft glow. The light gave Noah his first clear glance at Mia’s face. He walked over to her and grasped her arm.
“You’ve been crying. Why?” His voice was harsh with concern.
She looked down at her feet and then back up into Noah’s eyes. With a break in her voice she told him.
“Mrs. Johnson from the nursing home passed away this evening.”
“That was the woman whose hair and makeup you were doing, isn’t it?”
Fresh tears formed and slid down her cheeks. She nodded, unable to form words.
“Aww, Mia. I’m sorry.” He gathered her in his arms and just held her. She let him. She needed his comfort. Breathing him in, his scent was woodsy and all male.
He was caressing her back and whispering in her ear. Suddenly the tears stopped and awareness grew. Her entire body was zinging.
Leaning back, she looked into Noah’s eyes. What she saw caused a sharp intake of breath. Desire. His eyes burned bright with it.
She didn’t know which one of them moved first, but they met in the middle as his lips met hers. They both stepped back for a millisecond as if shocked, then all thought was lost as they came together in a frenzy of kisses and touches.
His hands were everywhere. She couldn’t get close enough. She’d dreamed of this moment. Imagined what it would be like. Yearned for him to want her as much as she wanted him. Nothing could compare to the reality of his touch.
He trailed kisses down her neck. “God, Mia. You’re all I can think about. All I want. It’s been driving me crazy.”
His mouth covered hers once again, his tongue seeking entrance and dancing with her own.
Breaking away, she said, “Good, because you’ve been driving
me crazy for three years.”
They both laughed, the sexual tension breaking slightly. He rested his forehead against hers, both trying to regain control. Their heavy breathing amplified in the quiet house.
“We really need to talk.” His hands were massaging the back of her neck.
“Agreed. I’ll go make coffee. Why don’t you sit.”
Noah looked at the cozy couch and back at Mia.
“It might be safer if I come in the kitchen with you.” He grinned.
“You might be right.” Laughing, she said, “Follow me.”
They sat at her kitchen table, holding steaming mugs of black coffee. Noah was quiet for a few moments, and then said something she had only hoped of hearing.
“I came here tonight to apologize for how I reacted earlier. I was a colossal ass, and I’m truly sorry.”
Again she laughed. “I’m sorry. I just…well, you rarely apologize for anything. I just wasn’t expecting that. What part are you sorry for exactly?”
“You aren’t going to make this easy on me, are you?” One eyebrow was arched, his lips quirked upward.
She shook her head. “Nope. Part of the 12-step program is for you to admit you were wrong. Now you need to climb the other 11.”
He chuckled in return.
“No one has ever challenged me the way you do, Mia. From day one, you’ve been honest and upfront, always professional, but you were never afraid to question or challenge me.”
“Hoping that’s a good thing…”
“It is. Look. This week opened a doorway I wasn’t prepared to go through mentally. I’ve always been good at business. It’s my comfort zone. You forced me out of my comfort zone. I liked it, but I didn’t like it. That made me angry.”
“Now I’m confused.”
He raked a hand down his scruffy face. She’d never seen him with his five o’clock…well…almost midnight…stubble.
“I’m not explaining this very well. I don’t talk about feelings. It’s not who I am, but I want to for you. I want you to understand why I reacted the way I did today at the hospital.”
He paused, considering his words carefully.
Christmas in the City II Page 47