by penny watson
“You know her? You know Hannah?”
“Um, well, it’s sort of hard to talk about . . .” Her voice shook.
Gregor grabbed her shoulders. “Start talking.”
“I can’t. I’ll totally incriminate myself. I could be expelled from Glasdorf.”
“Start talking now, or I’ll have you expelled immediately. I’m not in the mood for any bullshit, Shirley.” A vein bulged in Gregor Klaus’s forehead.
Uh-oh.
“Hey. Hey. Back off.” She tried to pull away from his irate face. “It’s not what you think.”
“I don’t know what to think. Start. Talking.”
“I was just a little girl. Playing around with spells. I got transported to a human child in need. It was an accident! I didn’t mean to do it. But she was cold. And hungry. And she looked so sad. And her aura . . . it was pure sunshine and sweetness.” She turned away from his accusatory glare. “I couldn’t help myself. I gave her my candy cane. I know we’re not supposed to interfere with Suddies and reveal ourselves. I know it’s grounds for immediate expulsion from Glasdorf.” She took a deep breath and continued, “But this girl. I couldn’t just leave her. She was so happy with the candy cane. Her whole face lit up. That was the moment I knew . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“What? You knew what?” Gregor’s voice had softened. He was now sitting on the edge of his desk and watching Shirley with undisguised curiosity.
“I knew. Why Glasdorf exists. I knew what Christmas spirit was about. It was about that. Her smile. I made a child happy on Christmas. That’s what it’s all about.”
He nodded. “Not just any child. Hannah. Do you still know her?”
Shirley rolled her eyes. “So sue me. I needed to make sure she was okay. She was cold and hungry. I—I just check on her from time to time.”
“What the hell. Have you been watching over her all of these years?”
She tugged nervously on her hair. “Yes. Hannah’s been through a lot. Her childhood was tough. Her dad was in a horrible accident . . . and then her husband died. She’s a trooper. She’s sweet and thoughtful and kind. Kind to everyone. I just check in with her every once in a while. She’s never seen me again. Just that once. I’m sure she doesn’t even remember.”
Gregor picked up the shoe. “She is sweet and thoughtful and kind.” His face clouded with uncertainty. “The perfect match for me. The iceman,” he said sarcastically.
She took the shoe away from him. The sternschnuppen danced around her hand, across the heel, and bounced onto Gregor’s arm. The lights flowed and sang as they raced around his torso.
“You might be surprised, Mr. Iceman.”
Gregor arched a brow.
“I need some information,” he said. “I have to find her.”
“Holy cannoli. You have the hots for Hannah.” Oops, I probably shouldn’t have blurted that out loud.
Gregor did not look amused.
“It’s just . . . it’s just . . .”
“Just what, Shirley. Spit it out.”
“Well, Hannah is super sweet and kind to everyone. And you’re . . .”
“Not.” Gregor finished her sentence with a snap.
“Oh. I didn’t exactly mean that. What I meant was . . . she doesn’t seem like your type.”
Gregor gripped the edge of his desk so hard his knuckles turned white. “You’re wrong.”
She and Gregor stared at each other for a few tense seconds, and then finally she caved.
“Okay, whatever you say.” She pulled a sparkly tablet of paper out of her bag and started to write. “Here’s her full name, address, and the names of her family members.”
Gregor leaned over to peer at the paper. “She told me about her family last night.”
“So what’s the plan? How are you going to win her over? You do have a plan, right?” She glanced up at Gregor and was surprised to see a flustered expression on his face.
“Sure,” he answered slowly. “Roses? Perhaps dinner at a trendy new restaurant. Maybe a diamond bracelet . . .”
She rolled her eyes and flung herself onto his leather chair. “You are joking! Not to be critical or anything, but . . . that is the worst plan ever! Hannah won’t be impressed with fancy dinners and diamond jewelry. You know what’s most important to her. Think about it.” She looked at him and waited.
“Family. Family is most important.” Gregor yanked at his tie and loosened it.
She nodded. “Yes. What else?”
“Christmas. Holiday traditions.” He began to roll up his sleeves. Someone was getting ready for battle.
She dug through her bag and found some chocolate candy, which she proceeded to stuff into her mouth.
“You know, her twins have always wanted to go ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza. But it’s too expensive for her—and too hard for her to watch both boys at the same time.” She paused dramatically. “You’re a pretty good skater, aren’t you? Klaus?”
“Yes. Excellent.” He glanced out the huge picture window in his office.
Shirley could see the wheels spinning in his brain.
“If you want to capture Hannah’s attention, you need to strategize. Just like you do at work. She’s an amazing woman.” She leaned back in his chair and propped her legs on the top of his pristine desk. “Don’t blow it, Klaus.”
Gregor dumped Shirley out of his chair and pointed to the seat across the desk. “Sit. Time to make a plan. And you’re going to help me.” He took the sparkly paper tablet from her hands and turned it to a fresh page. “Let’s go. Tell me everything you know about Hannah De Luca Andersen. Everything.”
And so it began . . .
Chapter 5
“Mommmmmmy!” Matteo’s voice was so loud, it echoed through the short hall of their apartment, bounced off the back wall, and re-entered the kitchen. Just to torture Hannah, she was sure of it. Her over-indulgence of eggnog was making the morning difficult.
“Matteo,” she said quietly.
“Yeah, Mom.” He hugged her leg.
“Sweetie. Too loud, okay. What is it?”
“Can I have a juice box?”
“Help yourself. They’re in the bottom drawer of the fridge.”
He skipped into the kitchen, and Hannah blinked back tears. Last night while she was getting drunk on eggnog and dancing with a stranger, her son had been screaming in terror. Not the first time he’d had a bad dream, and certainly would not be the last. But since David had died, sleep was not always a welcome respite in their home.
She brushed a hair out of her eyes and picked up a sponge. Time to scrub. Scrub away her guilty feelings. She could not believe she’d been swept off her feet by by Gregor Klaus. How ridiculous! He was rich and famous. She was ordinary and unsophisticated. She’d been dressed in a second-hand gown. He’d boasted a shiny Rolex on his wrist. He must have been silently laughing at her as she babbled on about her family and Uncle Gino’s Pizzeria. Although he hadn’t seemed stuck-up, but how could he feel otherwise? He was from one of the most powerful families in Manhattan, and she was living in a crappy apartment in Hell’s Kitchen.
She shuddered out a painful breath and rubbed her head. The headache from the eggnog wasn’t helping. It didn’t matter anyway. The night was over. She’d wanted a night to remember. Well, she got it. Especially that kiss. She would never forget the feel of his lips on her, but she needed to refocus her energy on the boys. They needed her. A lot more than Gregor Klaus. She was probably just a way for him to pass the time at another boring event.
She bit her lip as a tear slipped down her cheek. She had no business feeling sorry for herself. There were a lot of folks in dire need this holiday season, and she had so many things to feel grateful for.
The doorbell buzzed loudly, and Hannah cringed at the noise. Just like clockwork, Dina Marcelli was there, offering a shy hello to the boys.
“Hi, Dina! How are you doing. Please come in.”
“Thanks, Hannah.” Dina’s thin frame was bundled i
n layers of sweatshirts. “I—I hope this isn’t a problem.”
Hannah waved a hand. “Not at all. I’m happy to help out. I’m so sorry that Roger is still in the hospital. I hope he’s released soon.”
“Me, too.” Dina’s voice was hoarse.
The poor woman had four children at home, all under the age of eight. Her husband was sick and unemployed. Hannah was worried about her.
She passed her a shopping bag. “I have a hearty dinner for you and the kids—a lasagna you can freeze and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.”
Dina trembled as she hugged Hannah. “You are the best. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“It’s nothing. Any time you need help, just stop by. Promise?”
Dina nodded. “I promise. The kids will love these cookies. Thank you so much.”
Hannah shut the door and trudged back to the kitchen to finish the dishes. She heard the buzzer again and assumed it was Andi. Her sister had sent a cryptic text last night saying she was leaving the event early. A few minutes later she heard the boys talking and then . . . a very deep voice. She rushed into the living room and stopped in shock.
Standing in her doorway was Gregor Klaus. With a bouquet of amaryllis flowers and a look she knew well.
Ice. Cold.
She looked like a teenager with her hair in a ponytail, no make-up, and an old college T-shirt. Young and fresh-faced and innocent. But pale. She obviously wasn’t expecting to see him again.
Well, too bad. He was here. And he wasn’t going anywhere.
He always played to win.
Hannah glared at him. “What are you doing here? Anthony, why did you let a stranger into our house?”
Anthony shrugged. “He said he was your date last night and you left something behind.”
Gregor held up her green satin pump. “Missing this?”
Hannah blushed. “Oh, for goodness sake . . .” She marched over to him and snatched the shoe from his hand. “I . . . ugh. This is embarrassing.”
“Mom? How’d you get home with just one shoe?” Anthony asked.
“You must have looked funny, Mom.” Another little boy giggled.
“Actually, your mother did not look funny. She looked absolutely stunning.” Gregor enjoyed her blush.
“We know. She looked like a princess, didn’t she?” The second boy nodded in solidarity. “I’m Matteo. Who are you?”
Gregor held out his hand. “Gregor Klaus, at your service.”
Matteo shook his hand and laughed.
Anthony crossed his arms belligerently. He would be harder to win over. “Did you dance with her?”
Gregor nodded. “I did.”
Anthony frowned. “Did you drink cham—champagne?”
Gregor tried not to laugh at his disgruntled expression. “She prefers eggnog. She told me you boys like it, too.”
Matteo jumped onto the sofa. “We do! It’s our favorite Christmas drink.”
“Well, that and hot chocolate. Those are our two favorite Christmas drinks,” Anthony said.
“Yeah, but you have to put a lot of whipped cream on top, or it’s not any good,” Matteo chimed in.
Hannah put her arm around Anthony’s shoulders. “Okay, boys. That’s enough. I’m sure Mr. Klaus has to go—”
“Actually, no. I don’t need to go.” Gregor quirked a brow.
“We weren’t really expecting any visitors today.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure you’re all up for a spontaneous bit of fun, right?”
Hannah narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
He took a step closer to her, and she bit her lip. God, he wanted to nibble that lip. Badly.
“These are for you. I figured you would like some holiday flowers since you love Christmas so much.” He handed her the bouquet of amaryllis. Shirley had assured him these were Hannah’s favorite holiday blooms.
Hannah’s expression softened immediately and she cradled the flowers in her arms. “Thank you,” she whispered. “They’re beautiful. We don’t splurge on flowers a lot.”
He knew that. He knew everything about her, thanks to Shirley’s intel. The quirky little elf had been a goldmine of information. And Gregor wasn’t above using it to get what he wanted.
He wanted Hannah.
He crouched down on the floor next to the boys. “I thought we could head over to Rockefeller Plaza for some ice skating today. I made reservations for us. What do you boys think about that idea?”
The twins paused for a beat, and then they both screamed and jumped in the air. Gregor chuckled at their enthusiasm.
“Mom. Please. Please. Mom. Can we go? Please. Please say yes . . .”
“Say yes, say yes, say yes, say—”
Hannah held up a hand. “Stop. I’m sorry, Mr. Klaus . . .”
“Call me Gregor. I insist.” There was no way he was letting her ignore the intimacy they shared last night.
She huffed out an aggravated sigh. “Fine. Gregor. I’m sorry, but the skating is too expensive for us . . .”
“I’m treating you. We didn’t get to finish our ‘date’ last night, so I decided we’d finish today. With the boys. If that’s okay with them.”
“It is so okay!” Matteo jumped off the back of the sofa.
Hannah stepped closer to Gregor, and he had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms.
“What do you think you’re doing? And how did you find out where I live?” she whispered furiously. “And we cannot afford that outing . . .”
“That’s a lot of questions, Hannah De Luca Andersen. I have my sources. And I insist on treating all of you today.”
She frowned at him. “I’m sure last night was just a bump in the road. You could be socializing with anyone from high society, and you’re here? I don’t get it.”
He leaned down, closer to her. So close he could see the dark shadows under her eyes. He wanted to kiss them away. “I’m not in the least bit interested in socializing with high society. I’m here because I want to be here. You can’t possibly believe that our chemistry last night was . . . faked? Is that what you think?”
“I—I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.” Her eyes filled with worry.
He rubbed his thumb over her pale cheekbone. “Sweetheart, that was as real as it gets. And I’m here for one simple reason. I want to get to know you better. And the twins. Please let me treat you to a day of fun. Say yes.”
He held his breath while she debated the invitation. The boys continued to bounce and beg.
He reached out and took her hand. “Please.”
She finally shook her head and laughed. “Have you ever been out in New York with five-year-old twin boys?” She had a gleam in her eye.
“Um, no. I can’t say that I have.” Gregor played along.
She folded her arms across her chest. “When was the last time you went skating?”
He hesitated. “Um . . . it’s been a while. But I’m sure it’s like riding a bike.”
Hannah surveyed him from head to toe. “You’re wearing a suit and tie, a camel wool topcoat, fancy shoes, and a cashmere scarf. You don’t look like you’re dressed for a day of skating with five-year-olds.”
“You think I’m overdressed for our outing?”
She smirked. “Yes.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage.”
“Be careful what you wish for. This might just be your undoing.” She turned to the twins. “Okay, boys. Since Mr. Klaus has made such a generous offer, we might as well join him for the day.”
Matteo and Anthony screamed and rolled around on the floor.
Gregor cleared his throat. “Hopefully skating will tire them out a bit.”
Hannah raised a brow. “Good luck with that.” She patted the boys on the back. “You two need to get dressed for skating. Warm jeans and sweaters. You know the drill.”
The twins raced to their room.
Gregor slid his arm around Hannah’s waist. He felt
her tense up. “You ran from me last night. Why?”
She tried to pull away from his touch, but he only tightened his grip. She wasn’t escaping him again.
“You don’t understand. I got a text from the babysitter. Matteo had a bad dream. He used to have them a lot after David died. It’s gotten better, but I haven’t been out for a while. I guess he got nervous last night. I should have been here.” She refused to make eye contact with him.
Gregor cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at him. “Hannah, I would have been happy to take you home. I understand about family coming first. But I didn’t like you running from me. Don’t do that again.”
“Why? You know there is no way . . . anything is going to work out between us. This is crazy. I live in this crowded apartment. I’m sure you live in a luxury penthouse. I’m a single mom with a lot of responsibility. My life is not glamorous. Your life . . . I can’t even imagine. I don’t understand what you’re doing here.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Gregor wanted to smash something. He hated to see her upset.
“I’m here because there’s no other place I would rather be. No one else I would rather spend the day with. And if you think I care about the square footage of your apartment, you’re crazy. I care about spending time with you—the woman who loves eggnog and the Hallelujah Chorus and the candlelight service at the Church of St. Paul. The woman who helps an old lady hang an ornament on a tree, while everyone else in the room ignores her. The woman who drops everything to rush home to her son when he needs a hug. You.”
She took a deep shuddering breath. “I’m—I’m sorry I ran away last night. That was rude. Please forgive me. I guess . . . I sort of panicked. You’re way out of my league, Gregor Klaus. I didn’t know what to do.”
He kissed her gently on the forehead. “I have a suggestion. Why not just relax and try to have fun today?”
She laughed. “You sound like Andi. That’s what she’s been telling me for the last year.” She pressed her hand over his heart.
Gregor froze.
He was close.
So. Very. Close.
He could feel it.
“Okay, you win. I’ll try to relax and enjoy the day. But I did warn you. The boys can be a real handful.”