Melodies and Mistletoe (Christmas in the City Book 3)

by Kasey Stockton

  “But Mom, it’s not bedtime yet.”

  Amber’s brows lifted. “Now, please.”

  “I’ll get your hot chocolate ready while you’re upstairs,” Hailey said. Kendra nodded before leaving the kitchen and the awkward, thick silence hanging around the women. They’d seen one another in passing all week but never had Amber tried to talk like this, and Hailey felt the discomfort of it in her bones. She was still upset by Amber’s actions. The woman hadn’t even apologized for trying to hold Hailey back. Not really.

  “Ryan tells me that you have your plane ticket now.”

  Hailey nodded. “I leave in ten days. I emailed you about—”

  “I know.” She swatted her hand, shaking her head. “I’ve begun interviewing replacements already. My mom might come up and help me in the interim.”

  “I wish I could stay longer.”

  “It’s fine. We’d have to replace you either way.” She sighed, drawing the sound out. What was the point of this awkward conversation? Guilt-tripping?

  Hailey crossed to the cupboards and pulled out two mugs. Looking over her shoulder, she caught Amber’s eye on her. “Should I make you some hot chocolate too?”

  Amber shook her head. “Listen, we need to talk. I really…I just…” Scrubbing a hand over her eyes, she looked up with resolve. “I want to apologize for what I did. I’m just embarrassed that I even considered stooping so low. You have a right to be angry with me, but I hope one day you can come to forgive me. I don’t want Kendra to lose you forever over my stupidity.”

  Setting the cups down, Hailey turned around and leaned against the counter. That could not have been easy for Amber to admit her faults, or to apologize, and Hailey immediately felt a lightening of her spirit, as though the gross negative feelings that had been weighing her down were now gone.

  “I forgive you.”

  Amber’s face relaxed. “Oh, good. I really…I just think about what I did, and it makes me sick. I can’t believe I played with your life like that.”

  “Kenny’s special. I understand wanting to protect her from anything in her life changing.” Maybe not to the extent of trying to sabotage someone’s career, but that was officially in the past now.

  “Not that I expect this to make up for it at all, but Luis and I got you a little going-away present.” She stepped forward, digging through her purse, and pulled out a long, white envelope. “I don’t know if you want to use it for a new wardrobe when you get to LA to impress all those music execs, or if you want to use it to get an apartment, or whatever. It’s yours.”

  Hailey took the envelope, her chest robbed of air, and slipped it open. The number of zeros on the end of the check knocked her back. She sought Amber’s eyes. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “We want to. Think of it as a bonus for taking such good care of Kenny and a show of goodwill. I really do wish you the best, Hailey.”

  Hailey’s eyes welled up with warm tears and she dashed them away, crossing the kitchen to pull Amber into a hug. “Thank you. And thank Luis for me, too. This is too kind of you both.”

  Amber returned the hug then leaned back, awkwardly smiling. “Sure thing. Now that I’m home, do you want to take off early tonight?”

  “How about we all share hot chocolate first?”

  A warm smile curved her lips, her eyes suspiciously shiny. “That sounds great to me.”

  By the time Hailey, Kendra, and Amber had finished their hot chocolate, it was nearing evening. Hailey hugged them both goodbye and slipped on her coat, warm satisfaction resting on her heart. Amber was only human, and her effort to make an apology was a balm to Hailey’s nerves. Leaving the east coast, moving to a city she had never even been to before, was a huge step for her. Having an emergency stash of money to fall back on, or to give her wardrobe a facelift, was a comfort.

  Punching in her code to bring up the elevator, Hailey sighed, lowering her shoulders. She hadn’t realized what a weight they had carried before, but reconciliation had a way of lightening her soul, restoring balance to her equilibrium.

  Beeping sounded through the foyer and the doors slid open, revealing a handsome, dark-haired man leaning back against the wall, his eyes on his phone. Ryan. He glanced up, straightening, and paused when his eyes met hers.

  She put a hand out to hold the elevator doors open. “Do you want to come in?”

  Shaking his head, he took her hand and pulled her into the elevator, his skin warming hers. “That’s okay. I’m coming back tomorrow to have dinner with them.”

  Ryan’s hands slid around her waist and she had to pull her purse higher on her shoulder to avoid him knocking it to the ground. The doors slid closed behind her, and Ryan reached over to hit the button to take them down.

  In his arms, she was whole, her heart racing in rhythm with his, and her mind at peace.

  “I’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” Ryan said, pulling her close and pressing his lips to hers.

  She smiled beneath his kiss, her hands tightening on his coat. Pulling away, she laughed. “You do that all the time.”

  “But not under mistletoe.” He quirked a brow, and Hailey glanced up, finding the dried mistletoe hanging on the elevator ceiling, the red ribbon wound around it.

  “How is that still there?”

  “I don’t know. Someone must have forgotten they put it up.” His smile grew mischievous. “So let’s not let it go to waste.”

  “I’m pretty sure it’s been dead for a while. Do we still kiss if the mistletoe is dead?”

  Ryan laughed, and the doors opened. He pulled her close and kissed her hard. “You’re one of a kind, Hailey Grant.”

  Epilogue

  Two Years Later

  Hailey stepped off the plane at JFK and traveled down to baggage claim as fast as her stiff legs would carry her. She wasn’t quite at the point where everyone recognized her yet, but she still got stopped occasionally for an autograph, and right now she was in too much of a hurry to stop for anything.

  Stepping through the doors, she made a straight line for the right carousel and scanned the crowds for the tall, dark, super-hot guy who was supposed to be waiting for her.

  When her eyes caught Ryan’s, she broke into a run, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. He leaned up to kiss her and she squeezed his neck, kissing him back.

  “Ew, Hailey! Gross.”

  The young voice broke through her euphoric thoughts, and she leaned back, grinning at the man she loved with all her heart. “You brought Kendra?”

  Ryan laughed. “You think she would let me leave her home?”

  Hailey disentangled herself from Ryan’s grip, lowering her feet to the floor and turning toward the little eight-year-old she loved dearly.

  Kendra wrinkled her nose. “You aren’t going to kiss me too, right?”

  “You bet I am.” Hailey pulled Kendra in for a hug, loving the squeeze of the girl’s small arms around her waist, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

  “Did you check a bag?” Ryan asked.

  “Yes. Light blue with a bright green ribbon.”

  He went to watch for her suitcase, and Hailey turned back to Kendra. “So, how are things going with Rachael?”

  “Will you be sad if I tell you that I love my new nanny?”

  “Not at all, you goose. That’s what I want for you. Heaven knows you’ve tried enough of them.”

  Kendra rolled her eyes. “Most of them are fine, but Mom is picky.”

  Hailey lifted her eyebrows. “And this one passes all the tests?”

  “So far,” Kendra said, her smile hopeful. “I think she’s here to stay.”

  Ryan came up behind them with the correct suitcase and took Hailey’s hand. “We ready to go home?”

  “Yes.”

  He leaned over and kissed her again. Taking her hand, he brought it up and kissed the finger holding her wedding ring. “Good. Because we’ve missed you here. That tour was eternally long.”

  S
he squeezed his hand. “I saw you three weeks ago.”

  Ryan grinned. “That three weeks was torture. Next time sign me up as a roadie because I’m coming along on the whole thing.”

  “You could, you know. You can always work out of the bus.”

  He held her gaze. “Maybe I will.”

  “Can we go see the leaf cutter ants this week?” Kendra asked.

  “Yes. But I was thinking we could go see the Natural History Museum, too. And I found an insect exhibit down in SoHo that’s only going to be here for a few weeks, so we need to hit that first.”

  Kendra looked up at Hailey. “Can we bring Rachael?”

  “The nanny?” Ryan asked.

  “Absolutely.” Hailey smiled. “The more, the merrier.”

  Ryan squeezed her fingers, and she smiled up at him like a lovesick fool.

  She never thought she would end up being so grateful for a critique.

  Holly Springs

  Small town Christmas Romance

  Snowflake Wishes

  She needs to save her diner. He's got orders to kick her out.

  Madison Bell has tried everything to keep her diner from failing in the small town of Holly Springs. When a handsome stranger shows up just before Christmas should she trust his marketing advice or keep doing things her own way?

  Jake Tyler has two motivations for traveling to the tiny town of Holly Springs: he needs to learn why his parents have kept him from his grandmother his whole life, and he’s got orders to evict a diner owner from his family’s building. But when he meets Madison, the charming woman running the diner, he realizes that he has a real shot of helping her keep her business. If only he can keep his motives a secret.

  But as feelings begin to develop, will Madison and Jake find a way to come together in order to save the diner, and themselves?

  Sneak peek at Snowflake Wishes

  Chapter One

  I saw the object flying right before it hit me square in the face.

  “Watch out!” a masculine voice yelled from the other side of the street.

  His warning was too late. Struck between the eyes by the small, but hard object, I dropped the box of Christmas decorations I’d been clutching and fell flat on my back, the wind leaving me in one quick swoop.

  My lungs searched for air as I lay sprawled on the sidewalk, my eyelids heavy and thick. A headache formed instantly between my eyes and I blinked slowly as a sparkly silver object came into focus on the cement beside me. My tinsel garland, of course. I blinked away the fog threatening to descend on me, the trash can next to me and tree branches above it slowly coming into focus. My nose throbbed and tears sprang to my eyes, blurring my vision and the man that was now leaning over me.

  “I am so sorry!” he said, picking up the errant Christmas decorations and shoving them back in the box. “I didn’t think that through.”

  I sat up slowly, pushing away the strong hands that gripped my shoulders. “I’m fine,” I lied. I was fairly positive my nose was broken and this idiot was to blame. My hands came up to gingerly cup my nose and I winced involuntarily, eliciting a frown from the man squatting beside me. Warm, gooey blood seeped from my nostrils and covered my fingers.

  The stranger pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and shoved it at me. I balled it up and pressed it to my nose. I couldn’t help but notice his expensive watch. What kind of man carried around a handkerchief? A rich one did.

  “Please, let me drive you to the hospital.” He glanced around, obviously unfamiliar with the area. “We should get someone to look at your nose.”

  We did not get strangers often in our small town of Holly Springs. When we did, they were either adventurers stopping for gas, or lost tourists in need of directions to one of the larger ski resorts they were heading to.

  “That’s really not necessary,” I said, coming to a stand. I felt fine. Aside from the probably broken nose and fuzzy feeling in my brain, naturally. And the blood. I glanced down at my shirt and groaned. It was never going to come out. Somehow it had even managed to drip on the short apron tied around my waist.

  He reached forward as though he meant to steady me and I pushed away his hands. Why was he constantly touching me? Uncomfortable, I stepped away. “But thanks anyway.”

  He scoffed. “I can’t just leave you like this. At least come in and sit down a minute.” He gestured toward The Bell behind us. “This place looks quiet.”

  I clenched my jaw. He didn’t know; he couldn’t. I leaned down and picked up my box with one arm, keeping the other pressed to my nose. My voice came out nasally. “Yeah, it’s quiet.”

  He stepped forward, his longs legs crossing the distance in one stride, and held the door for me. I set the box on the floor and took a seat at a booth along the back wall. The blood seemed to have slowed. I grabbed a napkin from the table and pressed it to my nose, shoving the sodden handkerchief into my apron pocket.

  He slid in opposite of me, his dark eyebrows pulled together in concern. Combine his angular jawline and piercing blue eyes, and I had a veritable romance novel cover model on my hands. Perhaps that was what he was doing around here—an on-location photo shoot.

  Honestly, a man this conventionally handsome could not be anything but a model. His shoulders were too broad and eyes too blue for much of anything to be going on in that perfectly styled head of his.

  “What was it that hit me?” I asked, a headache forming above my eyes.

  He grimaced. “A bottle of hot sauce. I was aiming for the trash can.”

  “From across the street?”

  He had the grace to look chastised. He glanced away, giving me a view of his profile—he even looked perfect from the side. If he was not a cover model for romance novels yet, then he really should be. He could make a killing in that field.

  “Wow,” he said under his breath. “The service here is something else, isn’t it?”

  “I’m sure they’ve got a good reason for taking their time.” I glanced around the small diner, trying to see it from an outsider’s perspective. It was quiet, yes. But it was also simple, and lovely, and rich in history. But then again, I was biased.

  “If I yell out to Duke do you think he’ll answer?” He indicated the framed photo on the wall behind the counter. It hung beside the award for Best Diner in Town, with the name Duke Bell typed in the winner’s line. “No wonder this place is empty. No one is working.”

  I stiffened. Reminding myself that this stranger knew nothing and would shortly be gone forever, I pasted a smile on my face. “Are you hungry?”

  “Actually, yes. I went into that market down the street but all I got was an energetic sales pitch on the guy’s homemade hot sauce. I bought a bottle just to get him off my back.” He laughed. “Then I escaped.”

  “Fred.”

  “Excuse me?”

  I kept the annoyance from my face. Or, I tried to. “That guy’s name is Fred and he runs the market. The market where he sells his homemade hot sauce.”

  Hot sauce which this guy used to break my nose.

  I stood, my irritation nearing a breaking point. The bell rang over the door. I glanced at the entrance and caught Britney’s eye before turning back to the stranger and pulling a notepad from my apron pocket. “What can I get you?”

  His eyes bulged as he took in my apron for seemingly the first time. “You work here?”

  “You could say that.”

  He was either dumbfounded or working really hard to recall every point of our conversation where he’d talked about my diner. I shoved the napkin in my pocket, the blood seemed to have stopped for now, and tapped my pen on the pad while I waited. Britney took a seat at the bar behind me and my false smile stretched further the longer I waited.

  He cleared his throat and turned to face me, his arm lying lazily across the back of the bench. “Do you have a decent soup selection?”

  “I’m not sure what qualifies as decent, but I’ve got a French Onion today and a corn chowder.”

  “
I’ll take a French dip sandwich then.”

  “Soup?”

  “French Onion.”

  “Drink?” I asked.

  “Coke.”

  I pivoted away, sliding behind the counter and giving Britney exasperated eyes. I caught my messy reflection in the picture frame on the wall and dipped a fresh napkin in a cup of water before wiping the dried blood from my face.

  Britney looked over her shoulder and turned back to me, her sleek blonde eyebrows raised in question. I tried to silently convey that I would not be discussing the stranger while he was sitting in my diner. I filled a glass with Diet Coke and placed it in front of her with a straw before starting the sandwich on the stove against the wall.

  Whether from sheer stubbornness or an effort to assuage my pride, I delivered the best French dip sandwich and soup I had ever made with a fresh Coke and a side of hot fries.

  “I didn’t order the fries,” he said when I placed the plate in front of him on the table.

  “On the house.”

  “Oh, but I don’t…”

  I looked at him expectantly. He didn’t what? Want them? I tried to smile, growing less patient as the headache grew more pronounced. The ring of the bell above the door saved him from answering and I left him to eat in peace as I seated Mrs. Hansen and began brewing her regular mug of tea.

  I delivered the mug with a side of plain rye toast—there really was no accounting for taste sometimes.

  “Madison, you’ve a little something right there,” Mrs. Hansen said, pointing to the bridge of her own wrinkled nose.

  Instinctively I reached up to touch the bridge of mine and regretted it instantly. “It’s probably a bruise,” I explained. “Let me know if I can get you anything else.”

  Safe behind the counter again, I slumped forward, resting on my elbows.