Her Montana Christmas Groom

by Southwick, Teresa

  Bo had been a jeans-and-boots kind of guy before being elected and was still that way. He said a few words to the crowd, welcomed everyone to the party and wished all a happy holiday season. There was a photographer set up to take complimentary pictures of each child with Santa.

  Then Austin had the little girl on his lap. Earlier he’d called Homer Johnson and asked for pointers. The man who could barely talk and had to cough his way through the conversation warned him that some of the kids got scared but not to take it personally. Some would tug on the beard to see if it was real. And then there would be skeptics with questions, but he was on his own to answer them.

  Austin waited for Sabrina Clifton to shriek in fear, but she just looked curious. It was pointless to ask what she wanted for Christmas, so he directed the question to Holly.

  “A doll and a tricycle,” the mom answered.

  “Has she been a good little girl?” Of course she was, he thought. How bad could a one-year-old be? But Homer had told him the question had to be asked. No exceptions. Carved in stone.

  The mayor slid his arm around his wife and smiled at his daughter. “She’s perfect.”

  Rose hunched down to Sabrina-level and handed her a pink-wrapped present. “Santa has a gift for you.” Then she handed a candy cane to Holly and whispered, “If you want her to have it.”

  The couple reclaimed their daughter and it got really busy after that. Rose led the children over to him, then he lifted each one onto his lap. After the short conversation she handed each one a gender-appropriate gift and a candy cane. Teamwork kept the line moving steadily and all went smoothly until the two-year-old. Rose let his mother lead the wary child over.

  “Do you want to sit on Santa’s lap and have your picture taken?” Rose asked him.

  The little boy shook his head, but mom pleaded. “I promised my mom I’d get pictures of everything. They can’t be here this year because Dad got sick at the last minute. It’s Santa, Colton,” she pleaded, her own digital camera in her hand.

  As soon as Colton’s mom put the kid on his lap, the wailing commenced, loud enough to shatter windows. In South Dakota. Colton wanted no part of this. Austin tried bouncing his knee, talking Santa to him and tickling, but nothing worked.

  Rose leaned down and whispered, “You don’t have a trick up your sleeve, do you?”

  That gave him an idea. “Hand me a candy cane.”

  She did and Colton’s crying slowed enough to show he’d noticed. Austin hid the candy in his sleeve, then made a great show of pulling it out of the kid’s ear. He stopped crying and took the candy. With the other hand, he checked out his head, trying to figure out where it came from. The picture was snapped without a big smile, but there were no tears.

  Rose smiled at him as if he’d hung the moon. “Ah, the magic of the season.”

  After that, he got the skeptic and beard-puller all in one. Blonde Sarah Swenson was about ten and followed instructions to smile for the camera after he’d lifted her onto his lap.

  Before he could ask anything she said, “Are you real?”

  “Yes,” he answered seriously.

  “Are those whiskers real?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can I see for myself?”

  “Of course.” He braced himself and hoped there was enough adhesive to keep from blowing his cover. And when this gig was over, he really hoped he could get it off with most of his face intact. “Go for it.”

  She pulled and couldn’t budge it but still looked skeptical when it stayed in place.

  “What can Santa bring you for Christmas?” he asked in the deepest Santa voice he could manage.

  “I went on an airplane trip with my mom and dad and it took forever to get there. If you’re really real, how do you fly all over the world and leave presents for kids all in one night?”

  “I’ll tell you a secret.”

  “What?” Her look turned even more suspicious.

  “The sleigh has a flux capacitor that makes it go really fast.”

  “What’s that?” Sarah pushed the stray blond hair off her forehead.

  “It’s pretty complicated, but it gives the sleigh warp drive to make it go at the speed of light. It’s something I invented a long time ago. But it wouldn’t work without the special food for Rudolph.”

  “What kind of food?” Sarah looked interested now.

  “At the North Pole, there are magic crystals in the snow. They’re called dilithium and it makes his nose red so he can find the worm holes.” Austin happened to glance at Rose who was grinning. But the laughter in her eyes told him she knew where he’d gotten this story.

  “What are worm holes?” Sarah asked.

  “Short cuts all over the world. When you go faster than the speed of light, time slows down. Sometimes I can make it stop if necessary. It’s a physics thing. But I can pick up a lot of time that way.”

  “Okay.” The little girl seemed to accept all that spin, but there was still something on her mind. “But how do you get in and out of the sleigh so fast and leave stuff? That takes a lot of time.”

  “It does,” he agreed, as serious as she was. “But I have a trick. I wiggle my nose and beam the presents down the chimney. That really speeds things up.”

  “Can you make a two-wheeler bike go down the chimney?”

  Pride goes before the fall. He was patting himself on the back for all the spin and hadn’t seen that one coming. But Rose happened to hear.

  “Something magic happens when Santa wiggles his nose,” she said.

  “What?” Sarah asked, clearly interested.

  “It’s a process. He demolecularizes everything into a beam of light. When it’s under the tree, it remolecularizes again.” She met his gaze and her eyes were sparkling.

  “In that case,” the little girl looked back at him. “I would like a two-wheel bike for Christmas. Pink. With streamers on the handlebars.”

  “I can do that,” Austin said seriously. “On one condition.”

  “What?” Sarah wanted to know.

  “You can’t tell anyone my secrets.”

  “Not even my mom?”

  He glanced up at the little girl’s mother who’d overheard everything and was doing her best not to laugh. “Not even your mother.”

  “Okay,” she said solemnly. “And Santa? I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  “Sarah,” he answered just as seriously. “Don’t ever stop asking questions. Promise?”

  “Yes.”

  He held up his hand and she gave him a high-five.

  “Here’s the suit.”

  Rose was in her office staring out the window and turned to see Austin in the doorway. It was late afternoon and the party was over, the room cleaned up and all the little ones gone. The building was eerily quiet after the noisy, festive, family-filled event.

  She’d asked Austin to bring the Santa suit back to her, but could just as easily have requested that he leave the big box on her desk. The return didn’t require her presence and she could have slipped away, but it was an excuse to see him one more time.

  She stood behind her desk. It was probably best that she didn’t get too close to him without being in costume. Watching him give magic to the kids had been a whole different kind of magic for her.

  “Just set it inside the door.”

  Beside her elf get-up. More than once she’d caught him looking at her butt or her legs. It was hard to tell with the fake beard and wire-rimmed glasses, but she was pretty sure he’d liked what he saw.

  He did as instructed, then slid his fingertips into the pockets of his jeans and leaned a shoulder against the wall. Apparently he didn’t want to get close to her either, but probably for a different reason. And she owed him an apology.

  “Seriously? Worm holes?” she asked.

  “Give ’em the old razzle dazzle. I didn’t think any suit could be more uncomfortable than a tux, but I was wrong.” He glanced at the big box beside him.

  “Austin, thanks for do
ing it. I mean that. You really saved my—” She shrugged and let him fill in the blank. “The engineer who rescued Christmas.”

  “Yeah, a real hero.”

  “I know you agreed because of the kids, not for me. Not after the way I left you at DJ’s. It’s a wonder you would even speak to me.”

  He met her gaze. “I was out of line with my comments. That was uncalled for.”

  Very gallant of him, but she should have let it roll off. “I feel as if I should explain my reaction.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “Yeah, it is.” She didn’t come around the desk, but stood her ground behind it. For an added layer of protection, she folded her arms over her chest. “When I was in college, I fell in love with a pre-med student. We were together for over a year and a half, moved into an apartment. The whole bit. Graduation was coming up and he’d been accepted to med school on the East Coast. Marriage was the next step and I was ready to work and support us while he went to school. I didn’t want to take help from my family. We’d be poor but happy and both get what we wanted. Medicine and marriage.”

  “Did he propose?” There was an edge to his voice and darkness in his eyes.

  “He picked med school over me. I was committed, he wasn’t.” She shrugged. “Not only did it take a long time to get over him, it was time I’ll never get back. I apologize for being snippy the other night. You’ve been nothing but honest and didn’t deserve that. I hope you understand.”

  Instead of answering, he asked, “You want to go get coffee?”

  She did, but it wasn’t that simple. Jackson was already getting suspicious. “What if someone sees us?”

  “Good, that’s not a no.” He straightened away from the wall. “Is there somewhere safe from the Traub brothers?”

  “I don’t think they’ll be going to The Tottering Teapot any time soon,” she said wryly.

  “That place doesn’t have coffee and is probably closed now anyway because it’s way past lunchtime.”

  She was impressed that for such a masculine guy, he was familiar with the female fortress of froufrou food. But he had two sisters and engineers were notoriously detail-oriented.

  “You know what? Let’s go across the street to The Daily Grind,” she said, throwing caution to the wind. “You did me a huge favor and I’m buying coffee to say thanks. If anyone sees us and it gets back to my brothers, they can just ho, ho, ho it out their ears.”

  He smiled for the first time. “You’re on.”

  With coats on, they walked down the stairs to the town hall foyer where Rhonda was saying goodbye to straggler volunteers.

  The older woman smiled at them. “Austin Anderson, I never would have recognized you in that beard and suit and I’ve known you since you were a little guy.”

  “Thanks, I think.”

  “Next year Homer Johnson just might have some competition for the job.”

  “Not on my account. I was happy to fill in, but I hope next year he’s hearty, healthy and Santa-ready.” He stopped and picked the name of a needy boy from the lobby’s Christmas tree and stuck it in his pocket before opening the door for Rose.

  Rhonda stood by with a key to lock up after them. “You two have a nice evening.”

  Rose winced and started to say it was just a cup of coffee. There was no “you two.” But protesting only fueled the rumor mill, making it a bigger deal than necessary.

  Instead she said, “See you on Monday.”

  “’Night, Rose. Austin.”

  It was cold outside and a light snow was falling. She shivered at the change in temperature and Austin looked down, as if to make sure she was all right, but didn’t say anything. In silence they walked across State Street. The Daily Grind, with the picture of a grinder and beans on the big picture window, was straight ahead. Again Austin opened the door and let her precede him inside.

  The interior was a cozy combination of bistro tables, armchairs and displays of mugs for sale, some with Christmas designs for holiday gifts. There was a glass case with shelves of pastries, including scones, coffee cake and muffins. About a third of the tables were occupied, but Rose didn’t recognize anyone.

  A young woman, wearing an apron with The Daily Grind embroidered on it, smiled and asked, “What can I get you?”

  Rose came here nearly every day since she worked across the street, but didn’t recognize the teenager who probably worked weekends only. However, she knew the menu by heart and didn’t hesitate.

  “I’d like a creamy eggnog latte, nonfat milk.”

  “Whipped cream?”

  The Monday-through-Friday group wouldn’t have asked that question. “Oh, yeah.”

  “And you, sir?”

  “I’m normally a black coffee kind of guy, but I’ll have what she’s having.”

  “And a pumpkin scone,” Rose added.

  He looked down at her. “Because you banked the calories saved with having nonfat milk and they’re burning a hole in your pocket?”

  She shook her head. “Because I burned those calories releasing my inner elf today.”

  When the coffees were ready, they found a table for two in the corner where it was quiet. She pulled the scone out of the brown bag and broke off a piece.

  He shook his head when she offered him some. “I think we made a pretty good team today,” he said.

  “I don’t know about me as an elf, but you did a terrific Santa. I had no idea you’d be so great with the kids.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I guess I am,” she admitted.

  “Why?” His eyes narrowed.

  The dark expression was back, making him look older somehow. Sort of battle-tested.

  “I don’t know.” Suddenly she wasn’t hungry for her favorite pumpkin scone and turned the piece in her hands to crumbs. “Just connecting the dots, I guess.”

  “What dots would those be?”

  “Kids would be part of a serious relationship and you’re not looking for serious. Totally understandable. A guy like you—”

  “Meaning a guy my age?” His voice didn’t go up in pitch. If anything, it was husky, edgier, hinting at a deep pocket of anger.

  Rose realized she’d never seen Austin really angry. Annoyed. Irritated. That’s the side he’d shown to her snippy the other night. But this was very different.

  “Age has nothing to do with it,” he said. “There’s no chronological connection to wanting kids and I did. I’ve always felt that way. In fact I was sure I’d be married and have one of my own by now.”

  “But I thought you were only interested in having fun. Playing the field.”

  “I am. Now.” There was a brooding look on his face as he turned his cardboard coffee cup. He hadn’t taken a sip. Just kept turning it as the brood intensified.

  She’d told him her story and clearly he had one, too. Maybe confession was in the air. She dreaded the answer but had to know. “What happened to you?”

  “I asked a girl to marry me. Rachel.” He met her gaze. “It was a couple years ago. She was a summer waitress at DJ’s. I’d just graduated from college and was home for the summer. She was beautiful and outgoing and I fell—hard and fast. I thought she’d leave when the vacation crowds thinned out in September and I didn’t want her to go.”

  “Did you propose?”

  That was the same question he’d asked her earlier. It was pretty obvious that his story didn’t have a happy ending either.

  “At DJ’s,” he confirmed. “She was working. The place was packed. Someone overheard me pop the question and next thing I knew, everyone was cheering and clapping for me. For us. I put the engagement ring on her finger.”

  Rose had lived in this town long enough to know that kind of news didn’t stop within the walls of the restaurant. The word spread all over Thunder Canyon that Austin was getting married.

  “And?” she urged.

  “I didn’t realize until later that she never gave me an answer. It only felt like she’d said yes an
d I was getting the family I’d always wanted.”

  “What happened?”

  “She left town. Disappeared without a word and took the ring with her. As failures go, a public one sucks.”

  He wasn’t talking about his tattoo because that didn’t show. But Ben Walters knew which meant he shared with people he trusted. Obviously, Austin got the double whammy for all to see.

  At least the guy who’d hurt her had done it in private, but Austin hadn’t been so lucky. It didn’t matter that all of Thunder Canyon would take his side, Austin’s humiliation was right out there for everyone to see.

  “Oh, Austin—” Rose didn’t think. She just reached out to touch him.

  He pulled his hand away. “After that I decided to go for my doctorate.”

  Translation: He kept himself too busy for anything but shallow, uncommitted relationships. Nothing serious because that way he wouldn’t get hurt.

  The twit who’d run out with his ring had robbed him of something even more precious. When she’d dumped a great guy like Austin, a guy Rose could really care about, she’d stolen his trust. Now Rose got really angry. What ticked her off was that kind of experience would leave a mark and it would be a long time, if ever, before he’d believe in anyone or commit again.

  Now she knew all the gory details of his dark secret and almost wished she didn’t.

  She didn’t have dilithium crystals or light speed to make time go backward and eliminate their age difference. And even if she could, he wouldn’t risk getting serious again.

  For her, that was a double deal breaker.

  Chapter Eight

  At five minutes to five Rose stood at Austin’s front door waiting to ring the bell. The small stucco house where he’d grown up, where his mom had raised two daughters and a son, was outside of town and had a well-maintained yard. She supposed there was grass under the snow, but neatly trimmed bushes were definitely visible. His truck stood in the driveway, the only vehicle there, meaning Angie probably wasn’t home. They’d be alone. For Pete’s sake, the yard had a white picket fence.

  Could it be more family-friendly? His salary as an engineer would certainly support a swinging bachelor pad, but he had a white picket fence, for goodness’ sake.