In Love by Christmas

by Cari Lynn Webb

  As if Theo always relied on eye color to guide his decisions.

  But success wasn’t built on daydreams and delusions.

  And if he terminated the matchmaking agreement now, his mother’s disappointment would trail him like bad press. Theo picked up two stacks of paperwork and handed one to Adriana. “Let’s exclude everyone under the age of fifty.”

  His sister ignored the paperwork and grasped his arm. “We are not a part of this.”

  “Fifty-five,” their mother corrected. She leaned toward her cell phone, smiled at Timmy and added, “Sometimes people are still searching to figure out who they are in their early fifties. I’d like someone who knows himself.”

  “So birthdates from 1964 and earlier.” Theo picked up a pen and drew a line through several profile pages, then imagined he could draw a line through Barry’s forthcoming film clips, too.

  Adriana picked up a profile page to hide behind and leaned toward him. “What are you doing?”

  The paper blocked their faces but the frustration in Adriana’s voice vibrated between them. Nothing blocked the obnoxious microphone Nolan lowered over their heads.

  “If she’s dating, then she can’t be wedding planning, too.” Theo snatched the paper from Adriana and drew a line across it. “We’re diverting her attention.”

  “For how long?” Adriana whispered.

  Their mother was never good in a supporting role, like mother-of-the-bride. Lilian Rose laughed, swirled a large smiley face on one of her profile pages and presented the paper to the camera. The blissful tint in his mother’s cheeks made the skin on the back of Theo’s neck bristle. How long before his mother’s dating life collided with the wedding planning and crashed into the business?

  His mother handed the profile page to Adriana. “One of his hobbies is ballroom dancing. Perfect for a first dance.”

  That happy face his mother drew turned smug, whistling its taunt at Theo. The hairs on the back of Theo’s neck shuddered. That was faster than even he’d imagined.

  “Perhaps we could meet for a private dance lesson,” his mother suggested.

  Barry’s foot tapped as if the man danced to his own internal music. Or perhaps that was the happy beat of ratings gold.

  “We recommend all meet-and-greets occur in public places.” The waves in Daphne’s hair looked to be sliding off, each strand like an icicle surrendering to the sun. In this case it was Lilian Rose, and she’d expect Daphne to concede. The matchmaker added, “Casual settings work best.”

  “Still, we prefer to look out for each other, don’t we, Mother?” Adriana tapped her pen against her pile. “That’s why my mother called my fiancé with a fake emergency a month after we started dating.”

  Barry bounced on his heels and leaned toward Nolan. The microphone never wavered. Timmy adjusted the camera lens as his grin widened. Clearly the film trio was more than thrilled by this inside glimpse into the Taylor family.

  “I wanted to know how Ryan would handle a crisis.” Their mother angled her head and eyed Adriana, as if waiting for a thank-you. “He passed, by the way, and that’s the important thing.”

  Precisely why Theo rarely dated. His mother acted according to her own counsel and rarely considered the consequences. As for other people’s feelings, those were their responsibility, not hers. After all, she always had some point to prove, even if her methods were often misguided.

  “You want to know that your partner is levelheaded and competent in any situation.” His mother crossed off several pages like a teacher grading her students’ blank quiz answers. “I want that too—a team player.”

  “My mother wants a man who knows himself, is a team player and will love her like Ryan loves Adriana.” Theo wanted to end this meeting and clear these folks out his office. Now. Before Barry and the crew decided his mother’s search for love really would make a hit TV show. “Daphne, could you please refine your search to include those key words?”

  Barry raised his hand as if he was one of his mother’s students. “Theo, what key words would you use to find your mother’s ideal partner?”

  No. Not happening. This wasn’t a question-and-answer session. Or a producer-led interview. Theo remained silent.

  “That’s a lovely idea. Thank you, Barry.” His mother clasped her hands together and tilted her head at the appropriate angle to radiate genuine curiosity to the camera. “I should know what my own children want for me. What kind of partner they’d like to see me with. After all, he’ll be a large part of their lives, too.”

  Under the table, Theo pressed his heels into the floor to stop the irritation from sending his legs into a rapid shaking rhythm. Finally, he cleared his throat, but not the annoyance. “I want the same things as my mother wants, of course.”

  Beside him, Adriana finished her bottle of water. “As do I.”

  There was nothing faint about his sister’s tone. Nothing waterlogged about her voice. What was his sister up to? They were supposed to be on the same side.

  “Those are things Lilian Rose will discover at their first meet-up.” Daphne’s smile strained at the edges, as if she was struggling not to scowl for the camera.

  “If mother doesn’t like her dates, then Theo will be there to take care of it,” Adriana added. Her half grin steamrolled over Theo.

  Wait. What? Theo frowned at his sister. “I will?”

  Barry pulled a notebook from his back pocket and scribbled on a page. No doubt a note to follow up with Daphne on meet-up times and places. More ratings gold.

  Theo didn’t have time to supervise his mother’s dates. He didn’t want another diversion. He had a company to guide to the next level and that involved his attention and dedication. What happened to canceling this farce? What happened to his decisiveness?

  Theo untwisted the cap from his water bottle and drank. The cool water did nothing to ease his dry throat or his frustration. The wedding planning, the matchmaking and a certain dressmaker dulled his edge.

  “We agreed to look out for each other,” his mother said. “That’s what families do.”

  His mother’s voice was too smooth and a notch too pleasant. Her smile too genuine. He knew that practiced look all too well. His mother had perfected it each year for parent weekend at his boarding school. And now, it seemed, for the TV camera. His teachers had adored her. The other parents had wanted to meet her.

  Their family always looked out for each other from a distance. Until Theo had proven himself competent and dramatically raised the Taylor-family status. Then they came together as a family to be celebrated as an American success story in the press. With their brand solidified, no one in the Taylor family bothered to issue a correction.

  “First, you need to agree on someone to meet.” Daphne clicked her pen. Open. Closed. Open. The steady rhythm fell short of tempering the worry in her tone. The matchmaker had made no matches.

  A twinge of sympathy for the flustered matchmaker tweaked Theo’s conscience. But not enough for him to soothe Daphne’s worry. He had to end this...and quickly. Before Barry offered more insightful questions. Before his mother discovered her starring role.

  Theo drew an X across several of the profiles in his stack. No smokers allowed. No serial marriages—seven times married was not a badge of honor.

  The next one made him pause—“coached little league on Saturdays, widow for six years, favorite meal to cook: pasta. Thankful for a good life and great memories.” Profile HJ-62 sounded promising. Theo wasn’t there to encourage his mother. He was there to oppose. He crossed a line through Profile HJ-62.

  “What else are you looking for, Mother?” Adriana’s gaze remained fixed on her stack of profiles. Only a mild interest leaked through her tone.

  “As I said, dear, what you have with Ryan.” His mother sighed and flipped several profiles into the growing no stack. “What I had with your father. That special
something.”

  “But paper cannot reveal that.” Daphne gathered the discarded profiles from Adriana and Theo as if collecting lingerie spilling from a suitcase at the airport baggage claim. The exasperation in her tone shifted into a breathless insistence. “As I’ve explained, that’s what the first meet-and-greets are for.”

  Theo had witnessed “that peculiar something special” every time he saw his mother and father holding hands. A small, insignificant connection to most observers. Yet Theo had noticed the way his mother’s smile had always flared up into her gaze, lighting her entire face. His father’s grin had always tipped up as if his wife had told him a really good secret.

  Nothing more than warmth had ever seized Theo whenever he’d reached for a former girlfriend’s hand. Certainly nothing that realigned his core as the urge to hold on longer burned through him. Not that he was searching for “that peculiar something special.” Signing up for Daphne Holland’s matchmaking program was not happening. As for holding someone’s hand, he hadn’t wanted to do that until recently. Until he’d stepped into a certain bridal boutique.

  But he knew nothing about those special feelings his mother liked to talk about. Most likely his memory had adjusted the recollections of his mother and father holding hands.

  Theo tapped his pen against the profile pages, filtering his focus back to the conference table. He was really only interested in the gown Josie Beck produced with her hands. Nothing more.

  As for his mother, he couldn’t envision his mother holding any hand of her potential matches. Except maybe Profile HJ-62, but Theo had already removed him from the running. Just as he was also removing himself from any kind of running other than a business association with Josie.

  “I expect I’ll have a feeling. In here.” His mother set more profiles on the rejection pile then placed her palm over her heart and spoke into her phone. “I have to honor that feeling when it happens.”

  Barry raised his hand again. “I’m struggling to decide who has a faster rejection rate—Ms. Lilian Rose or Theo. What feeling are you both getting that is resulting in such a rapid rejection rate?”

  His mother tapped her heart. “There’s nothing flipping over in here. Nothing good happening.”

  Except Theo suddenly had a good feeling. A very good feeling that his mother wouldn’t have a meet-and-greet this weekend, considering that her rejection rate clearly exceeded his.

  Daphne Holland would need to expand her search criteria into zip codes beyond the city. Arranging long-distance meet-and-greets would require planning and scheduling. That alone would slow the process.

  That elusive something special his mother expected—well, Theo wasn’t convinced she’d ever find that again. Or that Daphne Holland could locate it. Or that it ever really existed in the first place—perhaps it was only part of his boyhood imagination.

  Daphne Holland had an impossible task before her. Theo drew a line through a profile page and smoothed out his grin.

  Almost as impossible as the one he’d given to Josie. Two prototypes in four days. Two dresses that would meet his exacting standards. It wasn’t possible. Just as Daphne wouldn’t be able to find a candidate that met his mother’s exacting standards, either.

  That realization curved optimism through him. He rocked back in his chair, finally feeling like he was back in control.

  Josie would have to give in, too. Admit defeat. Of course, he wouldn’t judge her. Then he’d offer her a spot on his TV show, keeping attention away from the disputing Taylors and keeping the brand in tact for another day.

  As for Daphne, surely he knew several high-profile bachelors to send her way once his mother backed out.

  That left the wedding gown. He’d convince his mother that she wanted a different gown. Then persuade Adriana the Linden Topher—the one-of-a-kind custom dress—was the best option.

  What could be more simple? He’d negotiated seven-figure contracts and guided disparate businesses into lucrative partnerships. He hadn’t faltered in the business world. Surely he could manage his own family.

  Theo crossed off the remaining pages of profiles with a renewed flourish and slid the pile to Daphne. He made his voice sound accommodating and interested. “When would you be able to have more profiles available?”

  Daphne gathered the paperwork and straightened the stack on the table, as if aligning the conviction in her tone. “As soon as tomorrow.”

  He applauded the matchmaker’s confidence. Confidence that reminded him of a certain bridal dressmaker.

  “My next meeting should be only with your mother,” Daphne suggested. “Then she can share her choices with you and your sister.”

  “I disagree.” Theo stood and shifted his smile to offer more sincerity. “This group collaboration worked quite well. The next meeting should be at Glass Violet.”

  Reservations for the exclusive five-star restaurant were often booked three weeks in advance. The current holiday season lengthened the wait time to five weeks, often longer for premium dining times. If he planned appropriately, he could postpone another meeting with Daphne Holland and his mother’s groom search until after the New Year.

  “Lunch at Glass Violet would be delightful. I can’t wait.” His mother rose, hugged Daphne and then reached for her phone and pressed a red button.

  Suspicion dulled Theo’s earlier optimism. He rose from his chair. “Mother, were you recording this meeting, too?”

  “Absolutely.” His mother tucked her phone into her purse and patted her flawless hair into place. “I’m making a video memory book of my next love story.”

  Theo paused. “A video what?”

  “You won’t understand.” His mother walked over to him and tapped his cheek. “It’s nothing to concern yourself with.”

  Theo had used those same words with Josie. Josie had thrown those same words back at him earlier. Now his mother. Those words made him concerned. Those words suddenly made him want to get involved—very involved.

  “Now, I have errands to run.” His mother blew kisses into the room and grinned at Barry. “Would you gentlemen care to join me?”

  “They’re spending the day with me,” Theo said, then slammed his mouth closed. The last thing he wanted was to spend the entire day being filmed. But his mother alone with the trio... Theo added, “I’ve promised them an exclusive interview and a behind-the-scenes look at the company.”

  Barry rubbed his chin, smoothing his fingers through his goatee. His assessing gaze shifted from Theo’s mother, then back to Theo.

  His mother could not be alone with a film crew. Theo launched another volley. “I have a meeting at the Pioneer Stadium with the team owner. He mentioned extra playoff tickets he has to give away.”

  Nolan and Timmy high-fived. His mother had lost out to the local professional football team and possible box seats. But Theo sensed it’d been a close race. Too close.

  His mother preened at Barry and his crew. “Until next time.” Then she was gone.

  Barry gathered Timmy and Nolan. “We’re going to get refills at the coffee bar and talk to a few of your staff.”

  With that, Theo’s office was almost back to normal.

  “Mother can be rather particular. I wish you luck.” Adriana handed her stack of rejections to Daphne and left the office.

  “Particular is my specialty,” Daphne muttered. She crammed the paperwork into her tote bag and blinked at Theo as if only then realizing he was still in the office. She straightened, pinned a smile on her face and put positivity in her tone. “The more time I spend with my clients, the more I learn about them. That’s always good.”

  It was also good to be back in control. Why didn’t he feel in control? Theo stepped behind his desk and checked the calendar on his computer. One meeting with his editorial staff. A conference call to discuss potential shareholders. He’d have the rest of the evening to get caught
up on his work from the morning and regain his footing. “I’m certain my mother would like to spend more time with you.”

  And Theo would most certainly appreciate the distraction Daphne Holland provided.

  “I know it can be hard for children to see their mother with someone other than their father.” Daphne crossed the office and stopped on the other side of Theo’s desk. “I’m aware that no man will match up to yours.”

  Perhaps not in his mother’s eyes. Theo was counting on that much. At least until his sister recited her vows and her wedding was over. After that, he’d worry about his mother’s dates fitting the image for their brand. But that was for later.

  Right now, he needed his mother occupied with endless profile pages and her diverted from wedding planning. Theo escorted Daphne to the elevator lobby. “My mother’s happiness is important to me.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Daphne stepped into the elevator and held the door open. “Perhaps next time you can put her happiness first and not reject every single candidate.”

  “I’m also quite particular,” Theo said. “I suppose I get that trait from my mother. I’m sure you can meet our expectations in time.”

  “I intend to.” Daphne nodded, clenched the handles on her bag and let the doors slide shut.

  Theo intended to stop letting dressmakers and matchmaking distract him from his real work.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  JOSIE WAS OUTSIDE for the first time since she’d arrived at work eight hours ago. She’d spent the entire day inside her shop. No lunch meetings. No quick stopovers at the Coast to Coast Living offices. Yet it was already Friday and even closer to Sunday’s fitting and another encounter with Theo. She wanted to see Theo again and she wanted more time to prepare.

  She took a long, deep breath of the cool evening air. Many stores on the block had turned on their Christmas light displays in their front windows. Small trees and more colored lights blinked from the windows in the apartments several floors above the businesses. Across the street, the Christmas lights circling the Pampered Pooch pet-store window chased each other in a cheerful red-green-blue pattern. They were beautiful. Enchanting.