Until he’d landed in Toronto and started the familiar drive north, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed Canada. The red and white maple leaf flags flying from flagpoles felt as if they were welcoming him home.
As he turned onto the main street he caught sight of a gigantic Christmas tree outside the historic Christ Church. It was adorned with tiny fairy lights. Larger lights were strung between the buildings on the main street making it look like something from the set of a movie. He’d enjoyed his Aussie Christmases but it wasn’t the same without snow.
Lakefield was a small village of a little over two thousand people that swelled considerably in the summer months when Ontarians traveled to their northern lakeside cottages in the Kawartha Lakes system. He hadn’t been back in years.
At first, when he was at university, he blamed the four-hour round trip from Toronto, which ate into his valuable study time. Then he blamed Erin. She’d grown up in Lakefield, couldn’t wait to get out of there and found a million excuses why she didn’t want to go back and visit.
After that Chris blamed his career for his staying away for so long. He allowed himself to become too busy and too focused on the things that weren’t important, like work. Turns out, the most important thing after all was family. If his disastrous marriage to Erin and Jasmine’s birth taught him nothing else, it taught him that.
As if sensing he was thinking of her, Jasmine stirred in the back seat. “How much longer until we get to Gran and Grampy’s house?” she asked.
Jasmine had traveled brilliantly, like a Jolie-Pitt kid, not once complaining about the long flights, even longer delays or temporarily lost luggage in Los Angeles. She was about to meet her grandparents for the first time and yet was as calm as a cucumber about the whole deal. He took his hat off to her and once again pinched himself for having such an amazing child. It was about the only thing he and Erin had gotten right.
“I thought you might enjoy seeing where I grew up first,” he said.
Jasmine sighed theatrically. “But you promised me a hot chocolate and special donuts hours ago,” she drawled.
Chris laughed. He’d promised her Tim Hortons and she hadn’t let him forget it once. When they’d landed in Toronto, all he’d wanted to do was get into the hire car and drive and all she’d wanted to do was taste the donuts he’d been raving about for as long as she could probably remember. It was the only time Jasmine had dragged her feet and he’d had to bribe her with promises of “Timmie” donuts as well as the best hot chocolate in the world if she hurried up. She’d complied immediately.
“You’re right, I did. Do you want to stop for one here now or go straight to Gran and Grampy’s house and get a donut later?”
“Now,” she said.
“Now it is.”
As he waited at the lights, he glanced at the red brick police station on his left. Over the years a succession of businesses had traded out of the old building alongside the police, but it still looked the same. The lights changed and he moved off slowly. It hadn’t snowed all day, but the roads were slippery and he was still getting used to the feel of the hire car. First thing he’d do when he was settled at his parents’ would be to swap it for a four-wheel drive. That way he could take Jasmine further up north and explore the Canadian wilderness safely if she wanted to.
He took in the familiar buildings – the Home Hardware on his left where he’d worked part time while he was in school, the Kawartha Lake fudge shop alongside the jeweler on his right. Beside that was Nuttshell Next Door, a bustling café that served the best pecan crusted chicken salad in all of Canada. His stomach grumbled at the memory and reminded him it had been hours since he’d last eaten. Over the road was Trinkets and Treasures where his mom still worked part time. The Village Inn had received a total makeover and directly opposite it was a new, flash-looking day spa.
Chris couldn’t wipe the grin from his face. It felt so good to be home. If the weather wasn’t so icy, he would have wound down his window just to inhale the fresh lakeside air.
He found a carpark after going around the block twice and stepped out into the cold, going around to the side to open Jasmine’s door. “It’s going to be cold, sweetheart,” he said as he helped unbuckle her belt.
Grasping her fingers, he realized he’d need to stop and buy her proper winter clothes. She’d need mittens, hats, scarves and a good pair of boots for the snow. But that shopping trip could wait until tomorrow. Today, they had nothing on the agenda other than hot chocolate drinks, donuts and getting to his parents’ house before nightfall. Chris couldn’t wait to see the stunned expressions on their faces when he rang the doorbell.
As they dawdled hand in hand up the street to Tim Hortons he realized he’d made a mistake. It might have been years since he’d been home, but if anyone recognized him now, they’d be straight on the phone to his parents and the surprise would be ruined. It was the middle of the day and there were people everywhere, making his chances of being seen one hundred percent. They wouldn’t know who Jasmine was, but with his height and build, he’d be easily spotted and recognized.
He tugged on Jasmine’s hand until she came to a stop and he squatted beside her. “Darling, I’ve changed my mind. It’s cold out and we’re both exhausted. How about we head straight to Gran and Grampy’s now and I’ll go out later and get you donuts? I’m sure Gran will have hot chocolate at her place.”
Jasmine’s bottom lip wobbled. “But you pwomised.”
It didn’t take more than that for him to give in. “Donuts it is,” he said, grasping her hands, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around in a whizzy-dizz. She giggled with glee until they collided with someone.
The woman landed on her backside with an oomph sound as the air rushed from her lungs. It took Chris a moment to realize what had happened. He stood staring down at the woman collapsed on the ground at his feet. Her hat had been knocked off her head and the first thing he noticed was how long and thick her dark hair was. Then he noticed the wardrobe worth of clothes that had spewed from her shopping bags when he’d knocked her over.
He continued gawking at her for longer than was socially acceptable before his brain kicked into gear. “I’m so sorry,” he said, extending a hand to help her up.
“It’s all right. No harm done,” she replied, sweeping her hair from her face.
The voice jarred him first and when she lifted her gaze to meet his, Chris thought his heart would stop.
“Melissa?”
He didn’t know why he was even questioning who she was. Melissa Allen was as familiar to him as his own reflection in the mirror.
Chapter 5
Melissa blinked furiously as she struggled to her feet. Her heart beat frantically in her chest as memories flooded her mind. What was Chris Nicholls doing home and why hadn’t his parents said anything?
“Chris! Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Australia?” she stammered. She ignored the fact her brand new clothes had fallen from the shopping bags she’d been carrying and were getting soiled in the mushy snow on the edges of the sidewalk and stared at him in amazement.
“I was. Until yesterday. I’m home now.”
A smile sprang to her lips.
He returned the smile. It was then she realized they were standing merely inches apart. She took a step back, partly to put some space between them and partly so she could get a better look at him. Her feet slipped in the snow and Chris automatically reached out to grab her arm to steady her before she toppled over again. She beamed her thanks and shook her head. If he wasn’t physically touching her, she’d think she was having a dream. A very good dream.
Chris looked as different as he did familiar. Age suited him. Like her, he had some strands of gray at his temples, although she kept hers well covered with regular trips to the hairdresser. His laughter lines were deeper, his face suntanned and slightly more weathered than she remembered, but he was even more handsome than ever. Her breath caught before she reminded herself th
at he was married. She glanced at his hand to check if he was wearing a ring, but they were covered in gloves.
The little girl at his side tugged at his sleeve, pulling Melissa from her thoughts.
“Daddy, who’s this?” she asked.
Her cute Australian accent nearly knocked Melissa over a second time. Chris had a daughter? How did she not know that either? The little old ladies at church were losing their touch if that information hadn’t been passed around the gossip chain.
Chris glanced down at the little girl and stroked her dark hair back from her face. Gray-green eyes stared, unsmiling, up at Melissa. No prizes for guessing whose DNA she shared.
Melissa shifted under the little girl’s intense scrutiny. The kid would make a good interrogator.
“Melissa, this is Jasmine. My daughter.”
“Hi Jasmine, nice to meet you,” she said, gathering her scattered thoughts yet again.
The resemblance to Chris was eerie and for a moment Melissa wondered if Erin was her mother. Erin was blonde and fair while this child was dark with eyes the identical shade of Chris’s. Did the color of her eyes change depending on her mood, the way Chris’s did?
Chris nudged Jasmine with the palm of his hand against her back. A forced smile flitted across the little girl’s face as she gazed up at Melissa. “Hello,” she said, greeting Melissa politely but neutrally.
“How’s Erin?” Melissa asked.
A muscle clenched in Chris’s jaw. “We’re divorced.”
“Oh.” Melissa licked her lips and glanced at Jasmine. “I’m sorry.” She opened her mouth to ask what happened before realizing it might not be appropriate to ask questions with his daughter listening on. She shut her mouth.
In the past there’d never been awkward silences between them but this one stretched into infinity.
“So, wow, it must be, what, nearly ten years since you’ve been back in town,” she said.
“It’s been a while.”
“Time flies, eh?” she said, at a loss to know what else to say. She had so many questions but now didn’t seem like the time or the place.
“How about you? Any kids?” he asked.
She shook her head and gave a tight smile. “No kids yet. I’m not in a relationship at the moment.” She felt her cheeks flame. Why had she told him that?
“Daddy, we have to go.” Jasmine pulled on his coat sleeve again.
Chris shot Melissa an apologetic smile. “Yeah, sorry. We’re on our way to get donuts then head out to Mom and Dad’s. We should catch up though.”
Melissa frowned. “Your parents didn’t say anything about you coming home.”
Chris grinned, reminding Melissa of the school boy she first met when she was only a little older than Jasmine. “They don’t know.”
Melissa let out a surprised sound. “You haven’t told them?”
He shook his head. “It all happened on the spur of the moment and Jaz and I decided to surprise them. I figure my old room probably hasn’t changed and Jasmine can sleep in one of the spare rooms.”
Melissa opened her mouth to tell him that she was currently sleeping in the spare room, but he continued talking as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his wallet and she didn’t have a chance.
Opening it up, he extracted a business card and handed it to her. “If you want to catch up, call me. Is the Canoe and Paddle still open? Perhaps we could get a meal one night. For old time’s sake.”
Melissa stared at the card in her hand before nibbling on a fingernail, a habit she had given up years earlier. A jumble of emotions tumbled around her brain. During high school, they’d spent many nights at the local hangout, dreaming and talking about the future. For as long as she’d known Chris he wanted to be a doctor and it was at his urging she found herself pursuing a nursing career. They used to talk for hours about what the future held, even though she’d reconciled the fact that she would never be part of his.
Chris’s warm gaze held hers, wrapping her in a familiar cozy way and causing her nerve endings to hum. While she searched for something to say, he reached over and gave her a quick hug, releasing her too soon.
“It’ll be good to catch up,” he said.
Chris was right. It would be great to catch up, but right now she wished she was a fly on the wall when he got home and surprised his parents before receiving a surprise of his own.
“Merry Christmas, Mel,” he called over his shoulder as he grabbed his daughter by the hand and walked off.
Tears formed and she brushed them away. Why was she crying? Seeing Chris again was the best thing that had happened to her in weeks. If not years.
Chapter 6
Chris bounced up the street toward the car as though he was walking on pillows of air instead of snow. Who cared about getting donuts now? Jasmine trotted at his side, struggling to keep up with him, slipping and sliding on patches of ice. He slowed his pace and tried to wipe away the grin. Why hadn’t he considered that Melissa Allen would still be living in town? He knew from his parents she was working as a nurse in Peterborough but he’d never considered that she would have stayed in town and commuted. Bumping into her had made his day, if not his entire year.
“Who was that lady?” Jasmine asked when they got back to the car. Luckily she’d forgotten about the donuts too.
“An old friend of mine.”
“She didn’t look old.”
He smiled. Jasmine was right about that. Mel looked incredible. Age had done amazing things to her figure and her face. She’d always been pretty but now, with her slim figure, long dark hair and rosy cheeks set against a pale complexion, she was stunning, reminding him of a Disney princess.
“She’s not old. She’s the same age as me. We met when we were at school, about the same age as you are now, maybe a bit older.”
“Was she your girlfriend?”
“No. We were just friends.”
Just friends. How many times over the years had they justified their relationship to others? Everyone thought it odd that a boy and girl could be such good friends without the temptation to become romantically involved. He blew out a quick breath. Not for the first time he wished Melissa hadn’t insisted dating would ruin their friendship. He would have loved to have been much more than friends with her, but for whatever reason, he had never told her how he really felt. And then Erin came along and it was too late.
The skin on the back of his neck prickled. Perhaps it wasn’t too late for him to start over with Melissa. It might not be possible to make up for his mistakes of letting their friendship disintegrate, but he could take her out for dinner and let her know how sorry he was. Then, if she wanted to pursue the friendship, he’d let her lead the way. If he was lucky, he might have a chance to tell her how deeply he’d cared for her.
He absentmindedly listened to Jasmine’s chatter while he strapped her in to her car seat and took off for his folks’ house. Up until bumping into Melissa – literally – he hadn’t given her a thought for years.
Moments later he turned into his parents’ driveway, his tires crunching on the gravel. He unwillingly pushed Melissa from his mind as he pulled up in front of the double garage doors and switched off the engine.
“Wow,” Jasmine exclaimed. “Do Gran and Grampy live in a castle?”
Chris laughed. He’d forgotten how big the house was and how intimidating it could be to first-time visitors. The rusty red siding complemented the stonework and white trim and it was as immaculate as it had always been. His dad was semi-retired now and the house and gardens showed how much time he spent looking after the property.
The front of the house was imposing, but Chris couldn’t wait to show Jasmine the back. The rear of the three-story property faced the lake. “Trillion dollar views,” Rob had proudly boasted when he purchased the land and built the house when Chris was barely old enough to remember. Until moving to Toronto for university, it was the only house he had ever lived in.
Luckily, as large as the house wa
s, his mom was born with the gift of hospitality and with her laidback manner and love of the outdoors, she was the perfect person to raise five active sons. Growing up there was rarely a time when the house wasn’t filled with strangers who soon became family friends. Melissa had been one of those.
He’d barely shut down the engine when the front door swung open and his mom emerged onto the wide front porch, frowning at the unfamiliar car. The pale afternoon rays of sun that washed over her made her appear like she was spun from gold. Even from a distance he saw she’d barely aged.
Jasmine inhaled. “Is that Gran?”
“Sure is,” he replied.
“She looks like an angel.”
He chuckled. “She’s more of a saint.”
Moving to the other side of the world was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, knowing distance could potentially put a wedge between him and his family. He’d never been able to convince his mom to use Skype, but at least she’d ventured onto Facebook recently and over the years they’d kept in good communication. He’d frequently begged his parents to visit Australia to meet Jasmine but they’d claimed it was too far to travel.
Chris knew the other reason was his parents were so busy at home helping look after Chris’s tribe of nieces and nephews. His four older brothers lived locally and between them there were fifteen kids. When Jasmine was born she earned the nickname “Sweet Sixteen.” It was yet another of Chris’s regrets that his parents had never met their youngest grandchild. Something he couldn’t wait to rectify. A strange giddy feeling came over him and he blinked back sudden wistful tears.
He lifted his hand in a casual greeting. “Nice day for it, eh?” he called out. “I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d drop by.”
A grin stretched across Linda’s face as she closed the door behind her and approached him, but when he opened the rear door of the car and Jasmine clambered out, Chris thought his mom would pass out. With a squeal she bolted down the front steps like a teenager, arms wide, and smothered Jasmine in a massive hug, ignoring him completely.
Operation Mistletoe Magic Page 3