by Kristen Echo
She cleared her suddenly dry throat. The coffee felt too warm in her hands and her face became rosy. She placed his cup on the table in front of him with yet another smile that was not returned. Theo mumbled a word of thanks, effectively dismissing her.
Leaning against the counter, she wondered why she cared if he looked at her or not. It’s not like he would fall in love at first sight like in the movies. But damn it, she wanted to get a peek at those stunning blue eyes she’d seen on TV.
“How are you still standing upright, girl?” Miranda asked, leaning next to her, fanning her face.
“What?” Carly’s cheeks heated as she turned to face her co-worker. She tucked a few loose curls behind her ears before tugging on the hem of her black t-shirt. The uniform shrunk in the dryer, exposing a tiny slice of midriff on the sides where the apron didn’t cover.
“Theo Montagne talked to you, and your knees didn’t buckle. What’s wrong with you?” She giggled like a school girl.
Anyone who knew anything about hockey would be able to recognize him. Hat or no hat, he was a big deal around these parts. He was that good on the ice, and judging by the size of those giant hands, he was good off it as well. His first-year points beat records created by some of the greats. His second season was more of the same. Drafted right after high school, he wasn’t much older than Carly. He could retire tomorrow with more zeros in his bank account than anyone needed in a lifetime.
None of that impressed her. “He barely said more than two words. Hardly a swoon worthy encounter.”
Judging by the look on Miranda’s face, she thought otherwise. “Girl, are you telling me he didn’t flirt shamelessly with you like all the other men here? Your wholesome face and rocking body keeps this place packed.”
The diner was busy because the food was amazing, not because of Carly’s looks. “You’re exaggerating. He didn’t even look at me, so flirting was out of the question.” A model, she wasn’t. But most of the male clientele commented on her curves and some even asked her out. She turned them all down for several reasons, but mostly because she wanted to focus on her studies. She considered herself pretty enough to catch a man’s eye, except she couldn’t catch Theo’s.
“But you admit he’s hot, right?”
Carly thought about the question and nodded. Theo Montagne might not be someone she would ever consider dating, but she could appreciate a good-looking man. “He’s attractive, but cocky. Not my type.”
Miranda bumped her hip and leaned in close next to her ear. “Hon, he’s everyone’s type. If I had some mistletoe… I would go get me a kiss.”
Carly wouldn’t turn down a kiss either, but Mr. Hockey wouldn’t notice her even if she slapped him in the face with the stuff. It’s not like she expected the guy to drool at her feet after seeing her, but it would have been nice to at least catch a glimpse of his baby blues. Her pride took a slight beating at his lack of response, but she pushed the hurt aside.
Big deal, a famous hockey player showed up and ignored her, so what?
“Good thing we’re out of mistletoe,” Carly said and both girls laughed. Their conversation was cut short when two new customers approached the counter. Something about them gave Carly the creeps. Miranda grabbed a coffee pot and took off.
One of the men towered over her. Everything about this guy screamed danger. “That’s a shame, you ain’t got more mistletoe, since a kiss from you would make my day, sweet cheeks.” The overweight man appeared to be in his early forties with yellowing teeth and a twisted smile.
The pickup line wasn’t a welcomed one, but she smiled anyway. “Happy holidays. Are you staying or getting something for the road?” She hoped he would get what he needed and leave. She had no desire to chitchat with this guy or his friend.
“Well, we were gonna hit the road, but you’ve convinced us to stay.”
She was afraid he would say that. “Grab a table and someone will be with you shortly.” She gestured to the empty table near the back, which happened to be in Miranda’s section. This was one time she wouldn’t have minded being invisible.
“We’ll sit up here at the counter, so we can be closer to you,” the shorter man said in a thick accent Carly couldn’t decipher. He removed his gloves and placed them on the counter. They were covered in scratches, like he had been holding a cat against its will and the beast had clawed for freedom and lost. Poor cat.
They were most likely bored and lonely truckers. She plastered on a smile and remembered that tips were better when she wasn’t snarky. “Great choice. What can I get for you today?”
“This holiday would be a happy one for sure if I had someone sweet like you to share it with.” The taller man raised his brows suggestively. He leaned over the counter, getting closer than she was comfortable with, and eyed her from top to bottom. The men smelled like leather and menace combined. He licked his chapped lips, making her cringe inside. “We could make this a Christmas you’ll never forget. What time are you done here?”
Carly shuffled her feet, wanting to get the last thirty minutes of her shift over with. “I’m not on the menu.” The words popped out. She quickly added. “My shift ends soon. Perhaps the candy cane hot chocolate would be to your liking since you want something sweet. It is on sale too. The lunch special is also a hit; a Ruben with fries and coleslaw. Are you wanting to place a food order?” She couldn’t get the words out fast enough. The sooner she took their order the faster she could get away.
A quick glance left and her eyes landed on Theo Montagne as he walked past, presumably on his way to the washroom. The smirk painted on his face, rubbed her the wrong way. He was no doubt laughing at her discomfort. Jerk.
The imposing man laughed as though she’d said something comical. Carly tensed as she returned her focus on him. He scratched the dark stubble on his chin, keeping his shady, almost black, beady eyes on her. “Relax, sweet cheeks, I’ll take two extra-large coffees to go. Throw in a couple of cinnamon buns since we’ve got a few errands to run before we can celebrate the holidays.”
She rushed to fill their order. Something about them didn’t sit well with her. The way they watched her as she worked, like they were assessing her. She handed them the two cups, and they both made a few more lewd and inappropriate remarks before paying.
Customers flirted all the time, some taking it a little too far, but these two took it a step past gross. She sometimes flirted back, but this time the thought never crossed her mind to try.
Some Christmas this was turning out to be. Carly breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them. She was used to seeing all walks of life come into the diner and most were harmless. These men were the opposite of innocent.
The bell rang from the kitchen, signaling an order for pickup. She raced to the warming tray and grabbed the hockey player’s plate. Most of her tables were done and soon her shift would be over.
His brown hair curled around the edges of his hat. The flush to her cheeks returned. There was something so casually sexy about him. Too bad he was a hockey player, because he fit her type perfectly. She put his plate down on the table. His nose was buried in his phone as it had been before. “One special. Can I top up your coffee or get you anything else?”
“More coffee would be great, thanks.” He put down his phone but only to pick up his sandwich. “Oh, Miss?”
“Yeah.” She straightened her stance, waiting for him to continue.
“Never mind.” He kept his head down and took a bite.
Not a single glance was sent her way. Without knowing it, this man was getting under her skin. She refilled his cup in silence and left him to eat. She slipped his bill on the table in the process. The less she had to deal with him the better.
Carly glanced at the clock and smiled her first genuine smile of the day. One last table to clear and she was done for an entire week. Soon she would be home for the holidays and she’d be able to put the flutters and Theo Montagne out of her mind.
Chapter 3
One of the regulars sang an off-key version of Let It Snow as he pointed at the window. Sure, the ice crystals made for a lovely picture-perfect Christmas, the kind you see trapped in snow globes, but she wished for clear skies.
She needed chocolate, that always made everything better. Carly looked at the sea of couples around the diner with envy as she cashed out. They cuddled with their loved ones, basking in the holiday ambiance. The place had garland, large candy canes and tinsel covering every square inch. The aftermath resembled Santa’s workshop.
As a little girl, Carly loved this time of year. The lights, the presents and spending extra time with her family. The holidays were all about family, reminding her of how lonely she’d become.
An attempt to deliver her goodbyes with a simple happy holiday, and escape without getting embraced by each of her co-workers failed. Her boss gave her a generous Christmas bonus. Two hundred bucks wasn’t a big deal to some, but to Carly it meant the world. She hugged Mr. and Mrs. Richardson so hard they had to pry her off. She was overwhelmed by their generosity and she became teary eyed. The ordeal took longer than expected, leaving her little wiggle room if she wanted to make her flight on time.
The weather had taken a turn for the worse as the buckets of snow continued to fall. Once she stepped outside, she realized the amount was far more than she’d expected. So much for thirty percent. The hairs on the back of her neck raised as though she was being watched. She dismissed it, thinking it was the storm.
A tiny cherry red sports car was parked so close to her truck she could barely squeeze by. At least she thought she saw hints of red under the mountain of snow it was buried beneath. She opened her truck door enough to reach in and grab the snow brush. The car engine next to her roared to life, startling Carly. She jerked upright and smacked her head against the door frame. The hood fell from her head and she reached to massage the newly formed bump.
Carly wasn’t usually the jumpy type. Nothing seemed to go according to plan today. She turned her back to the parking lot and went to work, brushing the snow off the windshield and wishing her old truck had command start. The temperature was well below freezing, but there was no place to plug in. She gave up the fight to clear the snow when she realized there was no keeping up with the deluge.
The crunching of snow under heavy boots caught her attention. She turned and noticed the two disturbing men from earlier coming towards her. The sinister smiles on their ugly faces looked anything but friendly. They should have been long gone, instead their long strides brought them closer than they had reason to be.
“Hey, sweet-cheeks, we forgot to give you your tip,” the taller man said, closing the gap between them. “We’ve got a fistful of mistletoe.”
A lump formed in Carly’s throat, preventing her from responding or screaming. Considering how busy the diner and adjacent gas station were, Carly couldn’t see anyone else outside. She looked around, but it was only the three of them, and they were getting closer.
She felt trapped. There was nowhere to go. Her grip on the brush tightened, she would use it as a weapon if they got any closer. They were almost within arm’s reach.
“We’re not going to hurt you, much,” the other man said. His accent made him difficult to understand, but Carly caught the meaning of his words. Their intentions weren’t good. The thought of being anywhere near these two caused her to step back.
She accidentally tapped the red car with her behind. An alarm sounded and panic set in. Her heart raced as she swung the brush out in front of her. It wasn’t necessary. The loud noise scared the men away. She overheard them curse as she breathed a sigh of relief, watching their coats disappear into the blizzard.
A close call. Whoever owned the car had unknowingly saved her. If they were close by, she would have kissed them and thanked them a million times over.
She leaned against her truck to catch her breath. This day couldn’t get any worse. The noise blared in her ear as she wiped the snow off her bottom. She turned her attention to the car, inspecting the flashy scrap of red metal for any damages. No dent, thank goodness.
The snow fell in sticky, wet clumps, soaking her hair and face. Her ears rang, and she wondered how such a little car could make so much noise. Soon the entire dinner would come out to investigate her small indiscretion. On cue, the owner of the sports car clicked a remote button, silencing the alarm.
“For your information, there’s nothing worth stealing in there,” Theo Montagne said, approaching the car. His dark blue eyes focused on her and this time her knees buckled a little. Of course, the car belonged to him. He lifted his hat, revealing more of his handsome face, like he wanted her to know who she was dealing with.
Carly’s cheeks flushed a rosy color that had nothing to do with the cold weather. “I wasn’t trying to steal anything. You parked way too close.” Her initial reaction to smother the owner in kisses and thankyous wasn’t going to happen.
“You’re saying it’s my fault you hit my car?” He closed the distance between them until he stood right next to her. She could feel his warm breath against her cheek and once again her knees buckled. She expected him to check out his car, but he kept his intense blues on her. His cocky grin sent goose-bumps across her skin. If her heart hadn’t already been racing, it would have started.
The air felt supercharged, like she was standing in an electrical vortex. “Um, I don’t think the situation merits any blame. Your car alarm must be sensitive since I barely tapped it.”
“So, you admit that you did hit my car.” His tone was playful as he leaned against his hood like he had all the time in the world. A luxury she did not share.
Carly didn’t have time for games, even if those games were with the super-hot and famous hockey player. She had a plane to catch and flirting with Theo Montagne wasn’t on her to do list. First, he ignored her, and now he was being cute.
“There’s no damage, look for yourself.” She pointed to where she grazed his car, but his eyes went to her lips instead.
He licked over a small scar on his plump lower lip as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “You may have dented the door. I can’t tell with all this snow. We should exchange contact information just in case I find some damage later on. Add your details.”
She stepped away from his outstretched hand and wiped the heavy snow off her windshield with the brush again. “I bumped your car with my butt, there’s no dent, and there’s no way I’m giving you my information.”
“Choosing the hard way, I dig it. Let’s start with your name, sweetheart?”
Carly felt his eyes follow her rear as she finished clearing her windshield. She may have bent over more than required. When she looked back he was checking her out like it was the most natural and casual thing in the world. Most women probably fell at his feet, but she wouldn’t be one of them. Her blood boiled at his arrogance. Her encounter with the two men was all but forgotten with him standing so close to her.
“My name is Carly Saint, and I am not your sweetheart. Jackass.” She used the brush to push the last of the snow towards him, covering his chin and jacket with snow. She laughed at the look of shock on his handsome face.
A smile curled at the corners of his mouth, finally he looked like a young twenty-year-old man. He shook out his jacket and laughed right along with her. A rich and profound sounding vibrato that enticed her senses. If she had more time, she might have stayed to hear more of that laugh, but she couldn’t, moreover she shouldn’t.
“You don’t talk like a saint, but you look like an angel.”
The compliment warmed her, but she knew better than to fall for smooth lines. Rather than go close to him again, she rounded the front of her truck to get away. She opened her passenger door and slid across to the driver’s side.
Her attempt at a speedy getaway was foiled when her truck refused to start. The early nineties pickup struggled to turn over as she cranked the ignition. It hated the cold more than she did. She tried again and the
old pile of crap showed no signs of life. Mr. Hockey-Heartthrob sat on the hood of his car with a bright big smile, watching her struggle.
Click, click, click. Nothing.
He was beginning to resemble a snowman as she kept trying and failing. She gave up, knowing the beast wouldn’t cooperate. This wasn’t the first time the truck had let her down. A look in the rearview mirror reflected a tired raccoon with big brown eyes. Hair clung to her face since the elastic no longer contained her auburn tendrils. She fixed her ponytail and wiped away the mascara from under her eyes. All the extra effort that morning was not reflected back.
With her tail between her legs, so to speak, she opened her door. This was so not how today was supposed to go. Carly searched the parking lot for options.
“Need a lift, Carly?” He asked as she closed the truck door behind her. “Or maybe you’re hoping those big guys from the diner will come pick you up?” His joke wasn’t funny.
A few cars down, she spotted a big white pickup truck idling. She couldn’t be sure, but she assumed there were two men sitting inside. It was difficult to make out any faces from the distance, but she felt certain the occupants were the same men from earlier. They downright frightened her.
She wondered why they were still there with their truck running. It couldn’t be them, surely, they had better things to do on Christmas Eve than scare the shit out of a waitress. Through the snow, she couldn’t see anything but her gut told her they were staring at her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist.
“Yes, I’ll take a ride please,” she said, turning her attention back to her knight in snowy armor. Her rush to leave had doubled in the last few minutes.
He came around his car and opened the passenger door for her like an old-fashioned gentleman. Carly slid into the warmth and his manly scent made her forget all about the truck and the strange men lingering outside her work. The heat from the seats and the air was a welcomed reprieve from the cold.