His Jingle Bell Princess

by Barbara Dunlop

But he couldn’t help that. He couldn’t fix that. He had to get far away from the party and far, far away from Jasmine.”

  “Get out,” he told her.

  She blinked at him in what looked like pure shock.

  “Get out of my truck,” he repeated. “Go to the party. Have a great time. But don’t ever include me in any of your plans again.”

  “This isn’t about me,” she said.

  “I know. It’s about me.”

  He pulled the truck into a U-turn.

  “Sam!” She protested. “It’s about the girls. Can’t you at least come in and for a few minutes?”

  “You want me to attend the Christmas party where my wife was killed.”

  The blood drained from Jasmine’s face. “Kara was killed at the party?”

  “On the way home.” He did not want to have this conversation. He wasn’t going to have this conversation. “Please get out of my truck.”

  She gripped the dashboard, facing him. “I didn’t know.”

  “Well, now you do.” He wasn’t angry anymore. He was tired, dead tired.

  “Belle thought you were ready.”

  “It’s not her decision, and it’s definitely not your decision.”

  “You’re right, Sam. I apologize.” Jasmine seemed genuinely contrite. “You are none of my business. Your family is none of my business. I’ve obviously done more harm than good here.”

  He told himself she was getting it. He told himself he was glad she was getting it.

  She released her seatbelt and opened the door. “I’ll tell Belle we made a mistake.”

  Jasmine left the truck and firmly shut the door. She started up the road to the warehouse.

  Sam drove. He didn’t let himself look in the rearview mirror.

  He was on Main Street before his heart rate slowed.

  He was halfway through town before the fog lifted from his brain and he had the presence of mind to pull over.

  He had to face his true feelings.

  Jasmine hadn’t done a single thing wrong. He was angry with himself not with her. His reaction wasn’t about Kara, and it wasn’t about the party. It was disappointment about the date with Jasmine at the Lavender Cafe.

  This was all about Jasmine. Everything was about Jasmine. She’d come to mean far too much to him.

  *

  As soon as she walked into the party, Jasmine knew something was wrong.

  The room was too quiet, almost eerily still. There was a large crowd, but the band wasn’t playing, nobody was visiting Santa or the buffet, and people were talking to each other in hushed voices.

  Glancing around, she realized the problem.

  Amelia and Sophie had asked to include photographs of their mother as part of the decorations. It had seemed like a good idea, an homage to Kara. But the pictures were larger than expected, and combined with spot lighting, Kara’s presence was very impactful.

  Amelia and Sophie were holding hands, pressed together. Belle looked overwhelmed. Nobody seemed to know how to react.

  Jasmine didn’t know what to do either. But she had to try. She knew had to help the family who had been so kind to her.

  There was a microphone on the stage in front of the band. She had no idea what she was going to say, but she made her way to it anyway, hoping against hope some words would come to her while she walked.

  She mounted the short staircase. She could feel all the gazes in the room on her. The crowd grew quieter still and each step felt like an eternity.

  She touched the microphone, angling it toward her as Darren had taught her so many times. She knew how close to stand, and she knew how to position her head and her body for an address. Everything Darren had said to her over the years came flooding back. She knew she had to project confidence in order to make the audience feel at ease.

  “Good evening, everyone.” She kept her tone positive but not too cheerful. She had to respect their discomfort but somehow turn the fragile mood into something positive.

  “My name is Jasmine Arcelus. As most of you know, I’ve only been in Tucker for a short time. While here, I’ve had the absolute privilege of being hosted by Belle Zachary and her wonderful family. I’ve gotten to know Amelia and Sophie, and Sam. And through them…” She paused and let her gaze move through a number of the photographs of Kara. “I’ve gotten to know something about Kara Cutler.”

  Some people in the crowd shifted at the mention of Kara’s name. But Jasmine caught a glimpse of Belle and she looked hopeful. She quickly looked to Amelia and Sophie. They were listening carefully, obviously waiting for her to say more.

  “I’m sure it will come as no surprise to any of you when I say I’ve learned Kara was an extraordinary woman. By all accounts, she was a loving mother, full of creativity and a zest for life, who had time for games and fun with her family.”

  Jasmine found she was able to relax, and she could feel the audience relax with her. She silently thanked Darren for his advice, and marveled that it actually worked.

  She shared some of the stories the girls had told her. She could feel the moment when the last of the tension left the crowd. One of the stories Melanie had shared popped into her brain. It was funny, and people chuckled as she told it. A few sidebar comments and quiet conversations started up around the room. And she could see heads nodding as other people’s memories obviously kicked in.

  Though it frightened her to do it, she moved on to Sam, talking about his love for Amelia and Sophie, his lasting love and respect for his late wife, and his determination to carry on for their daughters. She talked about the snowball fight, and about Storm, and about the dog bathing mishap.

  Before she finished, everyone was laughing, even Belle, and Jasmine knew it was going to be okay. She seized the moment, inviting the band to start playing and pointing out the buffet tables, thanking all of the volunteers who’d cooked and decorated to get the party ready.

  As she turned to leave the stage, she saw Sam standing near the door. Her footsteps faltered along with her confidence. She had no idea how long he’d been there, and she couldn’t read a thing in his expression. She hoped he wasn’t angry with her for taking over the room.

  She’d been trying to help. She thought she had helped. But she knew from experience, good intentions didn’t always count.

  He held her gaze and she found she couldn’t look away. People smiled and thanked her as she passed. She was polite in her responses, but she barely heard what they’d said. Her stomach churned. Had she upset Sam even further? Made him angrier? Made things worse for him?

  He didn’t move, and she kept walking until she stopped in front of him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, not letting herself hesitate. “I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark, for the party, for not respecting what I knew were your wishes.”

  “It’s not your fault,” he said. “None of it is your fault.”

  “I should have told you.”

  But he shook his head. Then his gaze moved to the stage where the band was now playing. “You know, I’ve never been able to look at it that way before.”

  She didn’t understand what he meant.

  “All these months,” he continued. “These years, I’ve been focused on how Kara’s life ended, and on what we’d lost. I couldn’t remember all that she’d given us.”

  Jasmine didn’t know what to say. She was afraid to hope. But, she couldn’t help herself. For the first time since she’d met Sam, he looked like he was at peace.

  He reached for her hands, taking both in his. “Thank you, Jasmine.”

  The buzz of conversation in the room took an abrupt rise. Suddenly, Amelia and Sophie were rushing through the crowd toward them.

  “Daddy,” Amelia called out. She grabbed his hand, one barely managing to slide to a stop beside him.

  “Daddy, look!” Sophie cried, pointing.

  Jasmine looked.

  The crowd parted, and her father appeared, surrounded by several bodyguards, and Darren was in step
behind him.

  Her stomach lurched in astonishment, and she automatically curtsied.

  Sam stared at the king in obvious confusion.

  “What are you doing?” he asked Jasmine, taking in the curtsy. “Who is this? Do you know him?”

  It was obvious to the partygoers that the king was someone important. They pointed at him and talked quickly to one another, obviously speculating about his identity.

  “Yes,” she answered Sam. “That is my father.”

  Sam seemed to compare their appearances. “Why did you curtsy?”

  There was nothing to do but put all of her cards on the table.

  “My father.” She repeated. “His Majesty, King Elsworth Arcelus of Vollan.”

  Sam stared at her in incomprehension.

  “You’re a princess?” Amelia asked in obvious awe. “A real princess?”

  “I’m a real princess,” Jasmine answered. There was no point in pretending anything else.

  Her father stopped in front of her. She was immensely relieved to see Darren in the company behind him. The king had obviously had a change of heart and re-hired him.

  “Princess Jasmine.” The King intoned, his displeasure with her obvious.

  He took in her jeans and t-shirt, her plain shoes, and her messy hair.

  “Your Majesty.” She curtsied again.

  He looked at Sam.

  She made the introductions. “Your Majesty, may I present Sam Cutler. He’s been kind enough to host me while I was stranded in Tucker.”

  The king frowned at Sam.

  “My mother-in-law was the official host,” Sam said, obviously interpreting the king’s frown as a criticism of the impropriety of her staying with a man.

  Jasmine didn’t interpret the king’s frown in that way at all. It would never occur to her father that anyone, man or woman, would treat her with anything but the utmost respect. There was something about Sam that annoyed him, but it wasn’t their living arrangement.

  “Your Majesty,” she continued, hoping to move past it, “these are Sam’s daughters Amelia and Sophie. They have also been wonderful hosts to me.”

  The king glanced to the girls.

  They both imitated Jasmine’s curtsy, causing her to smile with intense fondness.

  “Are you a real king?” Amelia asked.

  King Elsworth didn’t answer. Amelia had no way of knowing she shouldn’t speak to the king unless invited.

  Jasmine tried to understand his presence. “Your Majesty, do you have an event in America?”

  “I’m in America here to bring you home.”

  To call that unusual, was the understatement of the decade.

  “Darren could have picked me up,” Jasmine said.

  “Darren was the one who lost you in the first place.”

  Jasmine looked to Darren, who appeared exceedingly nervous. He obviously expected to be fired again within the hour. It was a reasonable expectation.

  “It was my fault, Father.”

  “We will discuss it later.” The king gestured to the door.

  His aides quickly aligned themselves for his exit.

  “What are you doing?” Amelia demanded, placing herself in front of Jasmine.

  The king shot the young girl a look of disapproval.

  Sam’s arm went around his daughter’s shoulders, drawing her protectively close.

  “Jasmine can’t leave.” Amelia protested, oblivious to the undercurrents. “The party’s just started.”

  Jasmine was torn. She couldn’t disobey her father, but she hated to walk away from Sam and the girls. She especially hated to walk away from Sam right now. She was thrilled he’d changed his mind and come to the party.

  She moved closer to her father, speaking quietly. The aides backed away, giving them privacy.

  “Your Majesty, may I have permission to take a moment thank my hosts?”

  His eyes widened in surprise.

  “They were very kind.” She rushed on.

  “Are you suggesting that I wait?”

  Jasmine realized that she was. It was entirely against protocol to ask the king to wait on anyone else’s convenience. But she couldn’t leave without a proper thank you.

  “A few moments only.” She dared to say.

  The king looked askance.

  “These are extraordinary circumstances,” she said.

  “Your Majesty.” Darren spoke up.

  Jasmine was surprised, and the king was obviously shocked at Darren’s impertinence. She could only guess Darren thought he had nothing left to lose.

  “I can escort Princess Jasmine to the plane.”

  “Your Majesty.” This time it was the king’s private secretary who spoke. “You have a call with the ambassador. Perhaps Princess Jasmine could meet us following the call.” The private secretary turned to Jasmine. “It will be thirty minutes.”

  Jasmine held her breath while the king considered the request.

  “Acceptable,” he finally said. Then he looked to Darren. “Do not let her out of your sight.”

  Darren gave a sharp nod of acquiescence.

  The king turned strode away.

  Jasmine hesitantly looked to Sam.

  “I want to believe that was a joke,” he said, watching the royal group’s progress toward the warehouse exit.

  “It wasn’t a joke.”

  Sophie reached out, tentatively touching Jasmine’s arm.

  Jasmine crouched down and gave her a hug. “Oh, sweetheart. It’s still me.”

  Amelia came into the hug.

  “But you’re a princess,” Sophie said.

  “Do you have to go?” asked Amelia.

  Jasmine nodded. “I’m afraid I do.”

  “Sophie will miss you.”

  Jasmine’s throat closed up. “And I’ll miss Sophie. And I’ll miss you, and Belle, and—” She stopped herself, and her gaze rose to Sam.

  His expression was unfathomable as she came to her feet.

  Just then Belle arrived.

  “What’s this I hear?” she asked Jasmine.

  “Jasmine is a princess,” said Amelia.

  “A real princess,” said Sophie.

  “Jasmine is leaving us,” said Sam, his tone flat.

  “Who were all those people?” Belle asked Jasmine.

  “Belle,” said Jasmine, drawing her into a hug, “I can’t thank you enough for letting me stay with you. My father’s here now.” She drew back. “He’s come to take me home.” Her voice caught over the last words.

  “That was your father?” Belle asked.

  “Yes. I’m Princess Jasmine Arcelus of Vollan.”

  “Well, whoever you are, we’re going to miss you,” Belle said. “When do you have to leave?”

  “She has half an hour,” Sam said.

  Darren looked down at his watch. Jasmine expected him to correct Sam and note they had twenty-five minutes. There was no way he’d allow her to be one second late.

  “Can we talk?” she asked Sam. She had no idea what she was going to say, but it needed to be said alone.

  “I’ll watch the girls,” Belle said. “I brought your dress,” she said to Jasmine with a helpless shrug. “But I guess there’s no time for that.”

  “I wish there was,” Jasmine said, a fresh sadness engulfing her.

  She was leaving Tucker. She didn’t want to leave Tucker. She wanted to stay for the party. She wanted to see how Sam was doing in the morning. She wanted to enjoy some more of Belle’s pancakes. And she wanted to see how Sam’s house turned out after the renovations.

  But mostly, mostly she wanted to stay with Sam. She wanted to be part of his life. She knew it was impossible, but she also knew with all her heart that it was true.

  “Can we?” she asked Sam.

  He took her arm. “This way.”

  She walked with him in silence. She knew Darren would follow at a distance.

  “Am I even allowed to touch the princess?” Sam asked, looking at their linked arms.
r />   She tried to make light. “Only if you’re invited.”

  He let her go.

  “You’re invited,” she told him.

  But he didn’t take her arm again.

  “Though here.” He opened a door that led to a small office.

  He turned on a light and closed the door behind them. There was a grey metal desk, a pair of bookshelves lined with random binders and textbooks. The old computer and telephone were covered in a layer of dust.

  He faced her. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I couldn’t. At first I was worried about security.”

  “You thought I was a danger to you?”

  “No. Not you. Anyone, everyone. This is the first time I’ve ever been alone.”

  He seemed to contemplate that.

  “And then. Well, afterward. I liked the way you treated me, as if I was just like everyone else. I liked pretending I was normal. You didn’t know who I was. You didn’t know my father. You didn’t know”—she couldn’t help but smile—“they’d put you in jail for kissing me.”

  “Jail?”

  “I’m afraid so.” She gave into temptation and put the flat of her hand against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat.

  His expression seemed to relax a little. “Am I about to be arrested?”

  “Not if you don’t tell anybody in Vollan.”

  “Are you going to tell anybody in Vollan?” His gaze went to her lips.

  She shook her head. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  *

  Sam covered Jasmine’s hand with his. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what to think. The memory of their kiss was dangling in the air between them.

  Did she want him to kiss her again? Did he dare kiss her again? Her assistant, or her bodyguard, or whoever he was, was standing just outside the shipper’s office. He doubted there was any such a thing as extradition to Vollan for unauthorized kissing, but he also didn’t want to get Jasmine into any trouble.

  “I don’t know what to do,” he told her honestly.

  “I don’t either.” She smiled, and he knew how badly he was going to miss her.

  “Why did you come into my life?” he asked.

  “It does seem improbable, doesn’t it?”

  He took both her hands in his. “I so wish you could stay. I want you in my life.”

  Her smile faded, and her expression turned wistful. “We always knew I couldn’t stay.”