A Christmas Kiss

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  “Yes, but that’s it. Just friends. I can’t get emotionally involved with him again.”

  “I don’t think you have much choice.”

  “I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do. How can I be his friend? A friend is invited to a friend’s wedding and they’re happy when they have their first child. How do I do that and the entire time wish I was the woman at his side? How do I not want him?”

  “Sweetie,” Jessie said, taking her hand and squeezing gently, “you never stopped. So my advice is, until that day with the wedding and the children with someone else, have some fun for a change. You’re friends, so do the friends-with-benefits thing. Toss him down on the nearest bed or flat surface, or up against the wall, rip all of his clothes off, ride him until dawn, and enjoy every mouthwatering minute of him.”

  Carmen’s jaw dropped. “What? No! No!” The shock on Carmen’s face was priceless. Jessie started laughing. Carmen joined in. “I can’t do that,” she said.

  “Okay, then make sweet, passionate love to him and then hold on to those cherished memories and never let go.”

  Carmen knew Jessie was talking about her own life. She reached out. They hugged until she heard her cell phone ring. She pulled it out and answered. “Hello.”

  “Carmen?”

  “Yes, speaking.”

  “Hi, Carmen, this is Thomas Ford.”

  She frowned instantly. There was no way possible Thomas Ford would be calling her. She hadn’t even known he had her phone number.

  “Hello, Carmen, are you there?”

  “Yes. What can I do for you, Mr. Ford?”

  “First, you can call me Thomas. It’s about time, don’t you think? And second, I need a favor.”

  “A favor,” she repeated.

  “Yes, an emergency just came up and I’m in a bind. I was wondering if you could give Dean Everett a tour of the town.”

  “What?”

  “I remember how close you were years ago and I thought you’d be the perfect one to show him around Hayden.”

  “Mr. Ford . . .”

  “Thomas,” he quickly corrected.

  “Thomas, Dean already knows Hayden. He grew up here. I’m sure you of all people remember that well enough.”

  “Ah, but we’ve changed, new buildings, new streets, and a whole new attitude and outlook. Your bed-and-breakfast is part of the revitalization of Hayden, and who better to reintroduce Dean to the town than you? And I hoped you’d be willing to pitch in and help the town make a good impression. Having Dean return to Hayden and bring his new company here would be a tremendous boost to the town and in fact to all our businesses. Don’t you agree?”

  “Uh, yes, I guess, but I don’t see how I can help. Beside, I’m right in the middle of . . .”

  “Ah, now don’t be modest, I know you’ll do us proud.”

  “Unfortunately, I’m right in the middle of . . .”

  “Excellent, I’ll point him in your direction. Thanks again.”

  “But . . .” The call ended. “Wait . . .”

  Jessie looked at Carmen. “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “No, that was officially the strangest phone call I have ever gotten.”

  “What do you mean strange? How?”

  “I think I just got hoodwinked.”

  “Hoodwinked, by who?”

  “Salesman extraordinaire Thomas Ford, and you’ll never guess what he wants me to do.”

  Jessie smiled. “Bet I can. He wants you to use your feminine wiles with Dean to get him to bring his company here. How am I doing?”

  Carmen nodded. “Close enough, and he also wants me to give Dean a tour of the town. He said that he’s pointing him in my direction. What does that even mean?”

  “It means Dean is on his way here right now.”

  “No, that’s impossible. How could he know where I am?”

  “We live in a small town, remember. If you said hello to one person on your way here, then everybody knows where you are by now, or he could have just asked your mother.”

  An assistant’s knock on the open door interrupted them. “Excuse me, Jessie. Sorry to interrupt. Paulette Jones just called, she wants you to call her back when you get a chance.”

  “Okay, thanks, I’ll take care of it,” Jessie said. Her assistant left and she turned back to Carmen. “So, what are you going to do?”

  “Simple,” Carmen said, grabbing her cell phone and purse, then standing to leave. “Stay as far from Dean as possible. He’s supposed to check out Christmas Day, so I’ll just not be around.”

  “You know that doesn’t work in a small town.”

  “It will this time,” she said, leaving the studio and walking down the corridor to the front gallery. “Look at me, I’m a mess. My heart is jumping, my nerves are on edge and I’m out of breath just thinking about seeing him.”

  Jessie smiled. “Oh my God, wait a minute.” She grabbed Carmen’s arm to stop her. “I was wrong. It’s not fate. It’s love. You still love him.”

  Carmen, with her mouth open in shock, looked at her friend. She shook her head as Jessie nodded. “No, no, I can’t still love him. I did ten years ago, but not now.”

  “Of course you can. You do. Carmen, you and Dean have always had something special. Ten years can’t erase that.”

  “That was a long time ago. We’re different people now.”

  “Do you think that matters to love?” Jessie asked. Carmen shook her head, turned, and started walking again. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”

  “I’m getting out of here.”

  “You know Dean is probably on his way.”

  “Exactly, and if Thomas knows where I am, I’m leaving before they get here.”

  “But you just said you were back to being friends.”

  “I did. But I’m still leaving.”

  “Coward.”

  “Exactly. I’ll see you tonight.” Just as she got to the front gallery, she stopped cold.

  Dean left the town hall building shortly after three o’clock. He’d just spent an hour and a half having Thomas and a number of local business owners tell him everything he already knew about Hayden. He was exhausted, and had every intention of heading back to his suite to get some work done.

  He had been up for hours. Shortly after dawn, a marathon of phone calls, text messages, and emails had begun and they’d continued the rest of the morning. But that didn’t matter since he hadn’t gotten much sleep anyway. And the sleep he did get was laced with dreams of Carmen. Kissing her again and being with her in the attic the night before had him twisted in knots. And, in truth, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Even now, the thought of her brought a smile to his face. Just then, a car horn blew and a man waved. Dean didn’t recognize him but he waved anyway.

  Thomas walked up beside him and also waved at the passing driver. “That was Bill Keys—he’s new to the town. I brought him in myself. He owns the local newspaper. He wants to do a full-page feature article on you for the Christmas edition. I told him we’d think about it, but I think a better way to go would be to . . .”

  Thomas kept talking as Dean looked up and down the street. There were people everywhere. And just as Thomas had professed over and over again, Hayden had certainly changed in ten years. All of a sudden, the sleepy little town he’d thought was so small and backwards was coming into its own. He considered going for a walk to check it out, but that would have to wait for another time. He had work to do.

  Even though everything was going well with his company’s sale, there was still work to be done and he knew he had messages and emails that needed his attention.

  “. . . don’t you agree?” Thomas said, looking at him to reply.

  Dean had no idea what Thomas had just said. Thankfully, just then his cell phone rang. He excused himself and took the call. He spoke a few minutes with his assistant, then ended the call and turned back to Thomas, who’d been very obviously eavesdropping on his conversation.

  “Th
omas, I’m going to have to cut this short. I have some calls I need to make.”

  “Oh, that’s a shame. Carmen will be disappointed.”

  “Carmen?”

  “Yes.” He pointed across the street. “She’s right over there in the art gallery. I know she’s looking forward to giving you a tour of the new Hayden. She’s waiting for you right now. We’d planned it earlier. But if you don’t have time, I understand. It’s just that Carmen is expecting you.”

  Dean nodded. “Fine.”

  “Excellent, excellent, I’m sure we’ll see you at tonight’s ice-sculpting event. It’s going to be really cool,” he said, chuckling hard, laughing at his awkward attempt at levity.

  They shook hands; then Dean walked across the street, clearly pleased for the first time since earlier this morning. He knew Thomas was trying to use him to move his company to Hayden. A blind man could see that. Poker obviously wasn’t his game, but even with all that, there was no way he was going to pass up seeing Carmen again.

  As soon as he walked into the art gallery, a salesperson walked up to him, smiling. “Hi, how can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for Carmen Stiles. Is she here?”

  “Sure. I’ll get her.”

  Dean nodded as the sales assistant walked away. He started looking around the gallery. Then, barely a second later, he heard his name and turned to see Carmen and a familiar face. He smiled. “Hi.”

  “Dean. You’re here,” Carmen muttered.

  He nodded and walked over to them. “Yes, I’m here.”

  “I mean I didn’t expect you so soon.”

  “Thomas said you were in here waiting for me.”

  She opened her mouth to continue speaking, but nothing came out. Her mind went blank. Everything Jessie had just said reverberated in her head and sunk into her heart a soon as she saw him. She knew then Jessie was right. Ten years didn’t matter to her heart. She still loved Dean, even if he only wanted to be friends.

  “Hi, Dean. I don’t know if you remember me, I’m Jessie Singleton. We went to high school together. Welcome back to Hayden,” she said, extending her hand to shake.

  “Hi, Jessie. Yes, of course I remember you. It’s good to see you again. How’ve you been?”

  “Good, working hard. You know how that goes.”

  He smiled. “I gather this is your gallery?”

  Jessie looked around nodding proudly. “It is.”

  He glanced around briefly. “You have some really nice pieces here. I remember you from high school. You painted, right? Are any of these yours?”

  “No, I’m afraid not. But maybe one day,” Jessie said.

  He nodded. “I look forward to seeing them. So, Carmen, I hear you’re supposed to show me around the town.”

  “That’s right. You guys had better get started—there’s a lot to see,” Jessie said, ushering Carmen to the front door.

  Carmen glared at her friend as Dean opened it and they walked out. Her last sight of Jessie was the very amused grin plastered on her face.

  Chapter 9

  As soon as Carmen stepped outside, she stopped and turned to Dean. “Let me guess, this tour of the town was your idea, right?”

  Dean grinned. “No, not at all. Actually, I was under the impression from Thomas that it was your idea. He said you were waiting for me at the gallery.”

  She looked at him, then realized the truth. Not only had she been hoodwinked, she’d also been set up. “Thomas,” she said knowingly. “He must be getting desperate. Why don’t you just put him out of his misery and tell him you’re not bringing your company here to Hayden?”

  “Why would I tell him that?” Dean asked.

  “Because it’s true. You’re not staying.”

  “Actually, I think I’m gonna have to.”

  “What?” she said, stunned. He smiled. She looked at him, not sure if he was joking with her or not. Then she resolved that he had to be joking. She knew he hated small towns like Hayden. Still, the possibility of him staying, no matter how improbable, made her unintentionally smile.

  “What? Is that another smile I see? You’re getting there.”

  “Okay, okay, let’s get this tour started. What do you want to see first?”

  “Surprise me.”

  She looked down the street then started walking. He followed, walking by her side. Several residents waved and greeted them while others stopped her to chat, and also to be introduced to Dean. She watched as he was his usual gregarious self—laughing, joking, charming to everyone they met. She shook her head in amazement as they continued walking.

  “Well, everything is pretty much like before, but we do have a few new shops, boutiques and restaurants. “The bookstore, bakery, café, cell phone center, and of course Jessie’s art gallery are recently new to the town. Plus we’re hoping to attract a few more large franchise chain stores.”

  “Your friend Jessie was a model, wasn’t she?” he asked.

  Carmen nodded. “Yes, but she quit a few years ago.”

  “Why?”

  “She had a personal tragedy. Her husband died suddenly.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Carmen nodded. “It was quick and unexpected. She was away on a modeling gig and got the call. She moved back here a little over a year ago.”

  “Right around the time you moved back too,” he said. She nodded again. “Your mother told me you once lived in New York City.”

  “Yes, I did. After you left Hayden I went to college there a year later. Then I got a job and stayed for a few years. When Dad got sick I moved back here to Hayden.”

  “Do you miss the big city?”

  “New York, not really. Hayden will always be my home.”

  “It took me a while, but I can see why,” he said.

  “Really? That’s surprising. You hated being here when you were younger,” she said.

  “Yes, I did, for a long time.”

  “So what changed?”

  “Me. I changed. I was looking for something out there that was here all along.”

  “In Hayden?” she asked.

  “In you.”

  She turned to him. “What do you mean, in me?”

  “You, everything about you. Your love for this town and the people here. I never understood it until I left. It’s all a part of you. Hayden is your family, your roots, and your history. I never had that growing up. You know how my parents were. They worked and traveled nonstop, anything not to be in the same house together. I used to always think it was about me, that I was the cause. It took me a while to realize I wasn’t.”

  “What made you realize that?” she asked.

  “Well, they each have new families now and they’re exactly the same way. My mother is still obsessed with shopping and appearances, and my father is focused on working and money. They were my models for family life and relationships. Then, when I moved here, I got a glimpse of a real family dynamic through your eyes, and I didn’t appreciate it until I left.”

  “But what about your grandparents?”

  He smiled as if enjoying a private memory. “They are family. But I was too angry about being dumped here to appreciate them. I rebelled, as you well know.”

  She chuckled. “Yeah, I remember a lot of rebelling.”

  “The good old days.”

  “All I know is family. I learned that at an early age. The Stiles have lived here for generations. My ancestors started the bed-and-breakfast as a flophouse over a century ago. It was for people and families who weren’t allowed to stay in other hotels and boarding houses because of their skin color. They were welcomed at the Stiles, and its popularity grew from that.”

  “So you’re telling me, in all the generations, no members of the Stiles family have ever left Hayden?”

  She smiled. “No, of course not. My dad left, my grandfather left, and I left. I went to college and then lived in New York for a while. It’s just that even when we go away we always find our way back. This is and always will be my home.
”

  Dean looked around. “So, what’s going on over there?” he asked, seeing several foreclosed and for-sale signs in storefront windows. They crossed the street and stood in front of the vacant stores.

  “Like with most of the nation before 2010, the failed economy hit us hard. Being a small town, it was much worse. Hayden suffered. It was a struggle for a while. A lot of people gave up, moved on, and a lot of businesses failed and closed down. But recently things have changed. The town is starting to come back to life. People are moving back and bringing new ideas.”

  “What kind of ideas?”

  “Well, for one, the town has begun to model itself after the 1920s Harlem Renaissance in New York. It’s reinventing itself as a charming cultural haven and a tourist and creative mecca.

  “The town’s main streets are intentionally lined with antique shops, small boutiques, and quaint art and craft studios. We have a small theatre for live performances and music shows just around the corner. But Hayden’s main attractions are the celebrated festivals and events throughout the year. The wine, craft, art, jazz, and antiques festivals are extremely popular events.

  “Thousands come from all over the country. And now we’re hoping to tap into the international market. This town has layers of history, and every building is artistically distinct. We’re building on that,” she said.

  “You sound very proud of Hayden.”

  “I am. We’ve come a long way and there’s a lot of promise for more growth here. And as you can see, the huge holiday festival this time of year draws a tremendous amount of visitors to the town. They come in droves. By Christmas Eve, the streets will be teeming with people.”

  He looked around, seeing all the new faces and feeling the tremendous joyful energy of the holiday celebrations all around him. “So where do you fit into all of this?”

  “I run the bed-and-breakfast. People stay there.”

  “And you like being an innkeeper?” he asked.

  She nodded and smiled. “Yes, very much. Some days are admittedly a bit trying, but overall, I love being there.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I can see that now. This is nice, us talking and walking around town like this.”