“She was out to it before her head touched the pillow,” he said.
“I’m not surprised,” Rob replied. “It’s a long way to travel.”
“She’ll be awake early,” Linda said. “The jetlag will get her. When I hear her in the morning I’ll get up so you can sleep in.”
“That’s okay, Mom. You don’t have to do that.”
Linda wagged a finger at him. “She’s my granddaughter and might only be here for a short time. If I want to be with her every waking moment, you won’t stop me.”
Chris reached over and gave his mom a hug. “In that case, I’ll take up your offer of a sleep in. Thanks.”
For the next half hour they chatted together about their plans for Christmas Day. Melissa was desperate to know how long Chris and Jasmine were staying in Lakefield, but didn’t dare ask.
“Can I get anyone another coffee?” Chris asked after the conversation gradually wound
“Not for us. We’ll never sleep if we have too much caffeine at this time of night,” Rob said.
Linda checked her watch. “It’s getting late. We might head off to bed and leave you two to catch up.” Melissa didn’t miss the little wink she sent Chris’s way.
When they’d left the room, Chris’s fingers brushed against her hand so hesitantly she wasn’t sure whether he’d done it deliberately or not. She glanced at his face and saw the blush on his cheeks. It was barely noticeable, but she saw it.
“How about you, Mel? Coffee? Tea? Or maybe I can interest you in some peppermint schnapps in hot chocolate.”
He winked at her and she screwed up her face at the private joke. He knew how much she detested schnapps after getting more than a little bit drunk on one occasion after a high school football game. Unbeknownst to her, he’d made the hot chocolate with the schnapps, and had taken it to the game. She’d then added two extra shots and paid for it dearly with a shocking hangover the next day.
“Coffee sounds perfect.”
While she sat and stared into the fire, Chris disappeared into the kitchen. He returned moments later and placed a tray on the coffee table. He’d laden it with an assortment of donuts.
She stared at him in surprise. The Chris she remembered was a health and fitness freak. “Are you trying to make me fat?”
“They’re not for you, they’re for me. You have no idea how much I’ve missed these donuts. While you were in the shower earlier I ducked back into town to grab a box. I’ve been raving about them to Jaz and I couldn’t wait for her to try them. We were actually heading to Tim Hortons when we bumped into you.”
“Don’t you have Tim Hortons in Australia?”
“No. They have Krispy Kreme but they’re not the same.” He took a bit and sighed with pleasure. “Mmm. So good.”
“Jasmine reminds me of you a bit,” Melissa said after a while.
“Was I that rude to people I’d just met?”
Melissa’s mouth dropped open at his honesty. At least he’d noticed Jasmine’s snitchy attitude. “She hasn’t been rude, she’s just checking me out,” she said.
“I won’t put up with it.”
“Give her time. She’s probably missing her mom.”
“I doubt it.”
Melissa frowned. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “I should explain. Jasmine has grown up with Erin present physically, but not emotionally. What I didn’t know was that Erin was having an affair even before she fell pregnant with Jasmine. Because of that, they never really bonded – probably because Erin was reminded of me every time she looked at Jaz. As you can see, the resemblance is strong. At least I never had to question whether she was mine or not.”
“Oh, Chris, that’s awful.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but Jazzie’s a special kid and I’m lucky I have her.”
“How did you manage to juggle everything? Look after Jasmine and keep working yourself? Aren’t you some kind of specialist now?”
“I am. Emergency. And I couldn’t have done it without the help of some amazing friends in Australia. One couple, the O’Connors, became like a mom and dad to me while I was there. Lorraine helped with babysitting. Jasmine is a bit younger than her granddaughters Ruby and Annabel and the girls often played together.”
“Jasmine will miss spending Christmas with them.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Chris said. “Depends how long it takes for the novelty of snow to wear off.”
“So where’s Erin living now? Is she back in Canada too?”
“No. She’s still in Australia. She and her partner live in Sydney. They’re expecting their first child any day.”
Melissa swallowed the last of her coffee and took a bite of a donut while she formulated a response. “I overheard you say you have full custody of Jasmine.”
He nodded. “I do.”
“What does that mean for the future? Will you go back to Australia so you’re near Erin so Jasmine can see her mom?”
“I still haven’t decided.”
“Fair enough.” She wasn’t sure what else to say.
A few minutes later when his hand curled around hers and he squeezed gently, her heart began to beat so loudly she was surprised he couldn’t hear it.
“It’s really good to see you, Mel,” he said quietly.
She laced her fingers with his and leaned in to rest her cheek against his chest. His own heart pounded steadily and assuredly beneath his sweater.
“Ditto,” she whispered.
Over the years they’d sat like this on many occasions and Melissa knew the drum of his heart almost as well as her own. She closed her eyes and allowed the rush of memories to swell and build and cascade over her.
This was where she belonged.
Chapter 8
When Melissa nestled into him, Chris’s nerve endings exploded. Until this day he hadn’t even known how much he’d missed her, or their cuddles. Now he didn’t want to move from her side. Funny how Mel had a way of fitting beside him that Erin never had. As the logs crackled and shifted in the hearth, they sat in comfortable silence enjoying each other’s company.
“How are your folks doing?” he asked eventually. “Are they still living in the cottage?”
She shifted slightly, but remained snuggled up against him. “No. They sold it and moved to Florida. They’re both retired now.”
“Really? Florida, eh? What about your brother?”
“Would you believe Justin is in Dubai earning tax-free dollars and living in the lap of luxury?”
“Lucky him. Is he married?”
“Partner. But don’t ask me her name because it’s a different one every time I ask.”
“So what made you stay in Lakefield if your parents aren’t here and you work at the hospital in Peterborough?”
She shrugged. “It’s not that far to commute.”
What wasn’t she telling him? He wanted to reach out and tuck the strand of hair that had fallen across her face behind one ear, but he held himself in check.
“Do you enjoy it?” he asked. “Nursing, I mean.”
Melissa’s expression sobered. She wrapped her hands around the half empty cup and stared at its contents as though an answer would magically appear. “I love it. I work in pediatrics and get so much satisfaction out of looking after little kids. But unfortunately, I just lost my job.” She explained about the ward closure at the hospital.
He hugged her tight. “Oh, Mel. You’ve been hit from all sides, haven’t you? First the fire and now your job.”
She swiveled her body to face him, drawing one knee up and tucking the other one underneath. She grabbed a cushion and clutched it to her chest. “That’s not all.”
He linked his hands behind his head and waited for her to explain.
“Do you remember Ashleigh Noble from school?”
He frowned and dredged up a face from the past. “Vaguely. Tall? Blonde? Bit dippy.”
Melissa nodded. “That’s her. After you left Lakefield, Ash and I started hanging out a
lot and unexpectedly became friends. The bimbo turned out to have brains and became a lawyer. Unfortunately our friendship ended abruptly about two weeks ago when I discovered she was having sex with Andrew, my boyfriend.”
Chris swore softly. “You’re kidding me?”
“Nope. They were having an affair right under my nose and I was the only one who had no idea.”
Air escaped slowly through his pursed lips. “I know exactly how that feels. What does this Andrew jerk do?”
“He’s a doctor.”
“Want me to kill him?”
She smiled then and snuggled back against him. He dropped his arm from the back of the couch, placing it across her shoulders and pulling her in closer. “I’m really sorry, Mel. You didn’t deserve that.”
“No, he didn’t deserve me.”
Chris chuckled. “That’s my girl.”
He placed a gentle kiss to the side of her head then stroked her cheek with his palm. Without thinking he cupped her chin and angled her face toward his. Lowering his head, he let his lips glide over hers, savoring the fullness of her mouth and the hint of coffee on her lips.
She drew back in surprise, eyes wider than dinner plates. “What was that for?”
He sucked in a long breath and fought back the wave of emotions that struck him deep in the gut. What had he just done? He stared at the flames licking over the logs before allowing his eyes to linger on her lips. He hadn’t expected them to feel so soft.
He lifted his gaze further and saw Melissa staring at him, waiting for an answer to her question.
His mind swirled with speculation. What if he kissed her again and dealt with the consequences later? A stab of shame pricked his side. She’d recently discovered her boyfriend was having an affair and now he was kissing her. That was probably the last thing she needed. Right now she needed his friendship and support, not his kisses.
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Mel. I shouldn’t have done that.” He pointed to the mistletoe hanging from the doorframe between the lounge and the entry and tried to smile. “Blame it on that.”
He could have sworn a look of disappointment flitted across her face but then it was gone, replaced by her usual smile.
His insides clenched. Should he tell her how he felt and remove the elephant from the room? Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned to see Jasmine framed in the doorway. He caught his breath at the tears streaming down her face.
He jumped up and rushed over to her. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? I thought you were asleep. Did you have a bad dream?”
Jasmine balled her little hands into fists at her sides and glared straight past him to Melissa.
“I don’t want you kissing my daddy ever again,” she shouted. Spinning on her heel, she sprinted back up the stairs. Moments later a door slammed.
Chris gazed up the stairs in astonishment. Jasmine had never behaved like that. Then again, he supposed she’d never seen him kiss a woman other than her mother. He ran his hands through his hair, removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.
Melissa came to his side and touched him gently on the arm. “You’d better go and make sure she’s okay.” She smiled at him but this time it didn’t reach her eyes.
If he could turn back time he would have closed the door to the lounge room or checked on Jasmine first to make sure she was sound asleep. His daughter’s angry outburst shocked him, but more than that, it concerned him.
“I’m sorry, Mel. I don’t know what’s gotten into her. She’s never spoken like that to anyone.”
Melissa shrugged. “I can understand why she’s upset. It must have been a shock waking up and walking in to find us kissing. It’s hard for her. If you like, tomorrow morning I’ll make arrangements to stay somewhere else.”
He stood and caught her arm as she tried to walk past. “No. I don’t want you to go. Tomorrow we need to talk.”
Chapter 9
Melissa woke the next morning with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Chris wanted to talk. Talk and no doubt apologize for kissing her and giving her the wrong impression. Talk and remind her that they were “just friends”.
She’d slept surprisingly soundly after expecting to toss and turn all night replaying Chris’s kiss. Just being near him again after so long had awakened feelings inside her she’d forgotten existed. Now she was awake the memories of his lips on hers flooded her mind. She didn’t regret kissing him back, that was for sure, but she knew it wouldn’t lead to anything.
Hauling herself into a sitting position she raked her fingers through her hair and forced herself to put Chris and his kiss out of her mind. As much as she would have liked to stay, and as much as he said he wanted her stay, she obviously needed to find somewhere else to live. At least until Chris and Jasmine returned to Australia.
She threw back the covers and flung open the curtains, surprised to see the ground covered in a fresh blanket of thick snow. More snow was falling heavily, putting a halt to her plans of leaving the house that day.
She grabbed her robe, pulled on thick socks and headed downstairs to turn on the coffee machine. She was getting out the beans and the grinder when a noise startled her. She jumped and spun around, dropping the grinder on the floor. No one was there. The grinder landed with a clatter and she muttered a curse. No doubt she’d woken up the rest of the slumbering household.
Sure enough, Chris appeared a minute later.
“How did you sleep?” she asked, already knowing the answer. The dark circles beneath his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept much, if at all.
“I was up and down all night. Jasmine took ages to settle.”
“I hope she’ll be okay.”
He shrugged. “I’ll keep her busy and she’ll forget all about it.”
Melissa pressed her lips together to stop them from quivering. Obviously he meant that she’d have to work hard to forget all about their kiss too.
“What have you got planned for today?” she asked, keeping her back to him as she fiddled with the knobs on the coffee machine. She willed her heart to slow down.
“If it stops snowing I thought I’d take Jaz tobogganing. Want to join us?”
“Is that such a good idea?”
“Yes,” he answered adamantly. “You and I are friends and Jasmine is not going to get in the way of that.”
She glanced at him, noting his rigid stance. She recognized the stubbornness in his eyes and hid a smile. Poor Jasmine. Whether she liked it or not, Melissa was about to play a part in her Canadian Christmas adventure.
*
Later that morning, while Chris was over at his brother’s house collecting toboggans and skis small enough to fit Jasmine, Melissa wandered into the kitchen. Linda was adding ingredients into a bowl for another batch of chocolate chip cookies. Jasmine sat at the kitchen table, staring at the screen of an iPad. She glanced up when Melissa entered the room then went straight back to whatever she was watching. Not before Melissa caught the dark look that crossed her little face.
“What are you watching?” Melissa asked, pulling out a chair beside her and sitting down.
“Nothing,” Jasmine said, switching off the device and laying it face down on the table.
Linda glanced in their direction.
“Can’t be nothing or you wouldn’t be sitting here staring at a black screen.” Melissa reached over and turned the iPad back on. The screen came to life. “Who’s that?” she asked, pointing at a cartoon character she didn’t recognize.
“You wouldn’t know because you don’t have kids. And you’re not Australian.”
Melissa heard Linda’s sharp intake of breath but she refused to let the insult upset her. She knew what kids could be like.
“No, I don’t have kids, but I work with kids. Maybe the kids I look after would like to see your Australian show. Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Jasmine didn’t reply.
Melissa looked at Linda and shrugged.
“
Jasmine, how would you like to help me make a gingerbread house?” Linda suggested, hastily clearing counter space. She placed some warm cookies on a plate and slid them across the countertop along with a can of pop. “I’ve made cookies. These are my secret recipe and they were your daddy’s favorite when he was growing up. They taste best when they’re warm. Try them.” She tapped the stool. “Why don’t you sit up here and while I’m getting things ready you can taste-test some of the candy and decide how to decorate the gingerbread house?”
“It’s not candy, they’re called lollies,” Jasmine answered with a defiant pout. “And it's not pop, it's called soft drink. And they’re not cookies, they’re biscuits.” With each statement, her voice quavered and rose in pitch and volume.
“We call them candy and cookies and pop in Canada,” Linda replied calmly.
“Well I don’t want to be in Canada! I want to be in Australia where they understand what I’m saying.” Jasmine scooped up the iPad and ran out of the kitchen, her little feet stomping across the timber floor and up the stairs to her room.
Melissa sat back in her chair and grimaced. Linda heaved a sigh as Chris walked in.
“What’s up with you two?” he asked.
Melissa hesitated before replying. She wanted to be honest, but she wasn’t sure how much she should say. If she came across as negative or critical of his daughter, he’d be sure to take sides and that was the last thing she wanted.
“Jasmine was very rude to Melissa just now,” Linda said.
Chris dumped his keys on the table and gave Melissa a questioning look. “Is that right?”
Melissa nodded. “And to your mom.”
He let out a huff of frustration. “That’s not good enough. I’ll go have another word with her,” he said.
After he’d left the room, Linda handed Melissa a cup of coffee. “What was all that really about?”
Operation Mistletoe Magic Page 5