Trouble With Christmas (9781455544066)

by Mason, Debbie

  Gage turned to the heavily bearded bear of a man standing behind him. “Harlan,” he said, nodding at the plow parked in front of the bakery. “You boys are going to have a long night.”

  Harlan waggled a toothpick between his teeth. “Tell me ’bout it.” He nudged the bill of his John Deere cap with his finger. “Hey there, sweetheart.”

  Gage grimaced, pretty sure the endearment wouldn’t go over well. When Madison’s left eye began to twitch, he prepared to intervene. Harlan handed her a long list, and she… smiled. A little forced, but it was a smile nonetheless. She scanned the list, glanced over her shoulder at the menu board, and said, “That’ll be thirty-eight dollars and fifty-eight cents, Mr. Harlan.”

  Harlan scratched his head, looked at Gage, who looked at Madison. Her cheeks flushed. “I just wanted to make sure, you know, after Mrs. Rich…” She shrugged then drew a tray of cupcakes from the glass case.

  Gage leaned across the counter. “I know you’re trying to help Grace, but you can’t just pull a number out of your head. You have to ring the order through.”

  She frowned. “What are you talking about? That’s the total.”

  With an exasperated shake of his head, he rounded the counter. “I’ll take care of it, Harlan.”

  Madison rolled her eyes, handed Gage the list, then went back to filling the order.

  At the appreciative hum coming from Harlan’s direction, Gage turned. The man rested his elbows on the counter, watching Madison, who had her back to them, softly worn denim cradling her shapely behind.

  “How’s the wife doing, Harlan?” Gage asked, slapping the piece of paper on the counter. “Read off the list to me.”

  Harlan chuckled. “No law against lookin’, is there?”

  Gage ignored him and punched in the order. He looked at the total, then checked the list against the items he’d punched in to be sure.

  “Thirty-eight fifty-eight,” he said, wondering why he was surprised she’d been right.

  Harlan pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “It’s like she has a freakin’ computer in her head.”

  “I know.” And for some reason Gage found that sexy, hot as hell. It turned him on as much as her centerfold body.

  Madison nudged him out of the way and placed two trays of coffee on the counter. She glanced up. “What?”

  “Nothing,” he muttered, taking the two twenties from Harlan. He didn’t want to know how she did it. If she started to explain, it would be complicated and long-winded, just like her presentation her first day in town. And then he’d have to kiss her just to shut her up, and he knew exactly what that would get him… trouble, and lots of it.

  He ignored her soft, feminine scent, the brush of her arm against his, and handed Harlan his change. “I’ll help you out with your order,” he offered, picking up the trays of coffee.

  “Appreciate it.” Harlan winked at Madison, who piled three boxes into his arms. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

  Gage battled the wind to get the door open. They were in for a good one. “Madison.” She glanced up, a guilty expression on her face, a chocolate cupcake in her hand. “Were you going to eat that?” he asked.

  “No, I was just fixing the icing.” She picked up a knife, pretending to smooth the top of the cupcake. She sent the candy-coated Santa flying. She scowled at Gage. “Are you just going to stand there grinning like a fool or do you have something to say?”

  Yeah, he was a fool—a fool for her—and that’s why he had to leave. “I have to head out. The storm’s kicking up. If you’re nervous to drive, ask Jill to take you home when she comes in to close.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Madison leaned against Nell’s front door as she tugged on the black cowboy boots with red stitching that Sophia had grudgingly allowed her to exchange for the leather thigh-high pair.

  Nell, who sat at the kitchen table playing cards with Fred and Ted, shifted in her chair and gave Madison the once-over. “Make sure you have your house key now. I don’t want you waking me up in the middle of the night to let you in.”

  She managed not to roll her eyes, barely. They’d been over Nell’s going-out-on-the-town list three times already.

  “You have pin money? Those bank machines break down all the time, you know.”

  “I do, yes,” Madison said, resigned that once again they were going to go through the list in its entirety. But in an odd way, it felt kind of nice to have Nell looking out for her. Probably because when she was growing up no one ever had.

  “What about your phone?”

  Looking up from his cards, Ted shook his head. “You’re turning into a regular mother hen, Nell. Leave the girl be.” Ever since the day he’d interrupted Madison and Gage’s steamy kiss, Ted had become her champion.

  Nell grunted. “A girl can’t be too careful these days. Not everyone who goes to the Penalty Box is from town, you know.”

  Probably a good thing they weren’t, because while Nell, Ted, and Fred seemed to be in the I-like-Madison camp these days, the majority weren’t.

  Both Fred and Ted looked up at that. “Sawyer runs a tight ship, but if anyone gives you trouble, just give me and Fred a call. We’ll come get you.”

  Aw, that’s so sweet. The three of them were growing on her.

  Nell glanced at Ted then returned her narrow-eyed inspection to Madison. “I’m going to give Gage a call. I’d feel better if—”

  “No.” Madison blurted out. “I’ll be fine. Honestly.”

  After yesterday, the last person she wanted Nell to call was Gage. Once again, Madison had made a fool of herself with the man. She’d practically drooled over him. Good Lord, she’d never behaved this way with the straitlaced accountants and bankers she dated. None of them ever made her lose her head like Gage did. She knew why—she was too comfortable with him, too attracted to him, and it was making her stupid. For someone who took pride in her brainpower, that was just annoying, and she had to put a stop to it.

  The bleat of a horn interrupted her thoughts. Opening the door, she smiled. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  “Don’t be late. Behave. Be careful.” She wasn’t sure which one said what, but she felt a warm rush of affection for the three of them. “I won’t, and ditto on the I will.”

  Five minutes later, Sophia drove the candy-apple-red Expedition through the streets of Christmas like she was in the qualifying round of the Indy 500. Blissfully unaware she was giving her passengers heart failure, she continued with her story about the customer from hell. “Today she comes back to return the dress. She says she did not wear it, but it has stains, right here.” Lifting her arm, she pointed out where the stains were with her finger and sailed through the stop sign.

  “Hands… hands on the wheel,” Madison yelped from the backseat.

  “Slow down! You ran the stop sign.”

  “I did not,” Sophia said to Autumn, then looked over her shoulder at Madison. “You are as uptight as she is.”

  Before Madison could protest, the tires hit a ridge of snow and swerved. “Eyes on the road!” Madison and Autumn yelled at the same time.

  “Uptight old ladies,” Sophia muttered, but thankfully returned her hands to the wheel, her eyes to the road.

  She wasn’t an uptight old lady, was she? “Just because I’m cautious doesn’t mean I’m uptight.”

  Sophia snorted. “Hah, you are wound so tight, your head, I am surprised it does not pop off.”

  “Sophia!” Autumn turned. “Don’t listen to her, Maddie.”

  “You are just like her, Autumn. The two of you have no idea how to have fun.”

  “I know how to have fun,” Madison protested. She always had a good time with Skye and Vivi when they went out. Not that they’d gone out very often in the past year—Madison’s fault, not theirs.

  “Prove it. Do not worry what anyone thinks of you tonight. Just enjoy yourself,” Sophia challenged.

  “You’re on. I’ll do it,” Madison said with a decisive nod.

  �
��Uh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Maddie. You need to win over the citizens of Christmas, not—”

  Cutting Autumn off with a dramatic slash of her hand, Sophia held Madison’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Do not listen to her. You do what I say, and you will win… Oh-oh.”

  * * *

  Autumn ushered Madison across the wood-planked floor of the rustic bar to a table beside the dance floor.

  Madison collapsed in the chair. “I need a drink.”

  “Me too,” Autumn agreed, taking the seat beside her. “I never should’ve let Sophia drive. We’re going to need some help digging out of that snowbank.”

  Madison shrugged out of her coat. “No kidding.” At the opposite side of the room, Sophia was wrapped around a blond Adonis who manned the bar. “Who’s she flirting with?”

  “Sawyer Anderson. He owns the Penalty Box. He retired as captain of the Colorado Flurries a couple of years ago.” At Madison’s blank look, Autumn shook her head. “They’re a professional hockey team. You better not let Sawyer find out you didn’t know who they were.”

  “I don’t have time to watch much TV,” she said, which sounded lame, even to her. She sighed. Maybe Sophia and Skye had a point; she didn’t do much else other than work. Something that became more obvious the longer she stayed in Christmas.

  Well, tonight she’d prove both women wrong and have fun.

  “Ready to order?” Autumn asked.

  “Sounds good to me.” It did, until Madison saw who their server was. “Make that a double,” she muttered when Brandi, wearing a tight black-and-white-striped jersey and short black skirt, approached their table.

  Autumn grimaced. “Hey, Brandi. How’s it going?”

  The other woman’s red-glossed lips curled as she gave Madison an up-and-down look. One that made Madison feel like a wad of gum stuck under her clunky heels. “Been better. What can I getcha?” she asked, slapping a bowl of pretzels in the middle of the table.

  “Oh, I don’t know. What do you recommend?” Autumn asked.

  Brandi’s gaze cut to Madison. “Sawyer created a drink in honor of Ms. Lane here. Why don’t you go with that?”

  “Aw, that’s so nice. I’ll have one of those. Maddie?” Autumn gave her a see-everyone-likes-you smile.

  Madison knew better. “Sure,” she said in a resigned voice.

  “Two Grinches coming up,” Brandi said with a smirk.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Madison said when Autumn opened her mouth to call after the woman.

  Sophia flounced to their table, waving an annoyed hand at the crowd belly-upped to the bar. “Look at them. They are watching the game, and Sawyer, he says no karaoke until it is over.”

  Madison brightened. “Karaoke? I love karaoke.”

  “Sawyer, another one for karaoke,” Sophia yelled across the room. When his only reaction was an amused shake of his head, Sophia solicited the customers at the neighboring tables to champion her cause.

  With a finger, Sawyer nudged up the bill of his cap. “Behave, or you’re going in the box.”

  “The box?” Madison asked.

  “The penalty box.” Sophia pointed to the left of the jukebox, where a white bench sat, enclosed by white-and-black-painted boards with an electronic clock affixed above. “He puts you in there if you cause trouble.”

  “It’s like a time-out for adults. Sophia spends a lot of time in there.” Autumn gave her friend a pointed look.

  “For what?” Madison asked.

  “Excessive flirtation.” Autumn said drily.

  Sophia made a face. “I do not flirt. I am just friendly. You should…” She caught sight of the two women entering the bar—Grace and Jill—and waved them over. But they were waylaid by Sawyer, who came out from behind the bar to greet them.

  Both women looked tired when they eventually wove their way to the table and took a seat. After her son’s fall yesterday, Madison imagined it had taken some convincing on Sophia’s part to get Grace to join them. And knowing how Jill felt about Madison, Sophia must’ve had to do some arm twisting to get her to come along. Jill had grudgingly thanked Madison when she arrived to lock up the bakery yesterday, then reverted to her taciturn self. Madison had braved the storm and driven herself to Nell’s.

  Brandi delivered Madison and Autumn’s drinks to the table—two martini glasses filled to the brim with a foamy lime-green concoction topped with a green cherry. Brandi patted Grace’s shoulder. “Nice to see you out. How are you doin’?”

  So, not always a bitch.

  Grace smiled. “Good, I’m good, Brandi. You?”

  “Give me a week or two, and I’ll be great. When is it exactly that you’re leaving, Ms. Lane?”

  Nope, she’s a bitch. “Oh, didn’t you hear, Brandi? The citizens of Christmas are so friendly I’ve decided to stick around. I’m looking at the house that’s up for sale just down from yours.” Madison smiled sweetly.

  The women at the table, along with Brandi, gaped at her. Geez, don’t they get sarcasm? “Kidding,” she said.

  Brandi rolled her eyes then turned to the other women. “What can I get you ladies?”

  “I’ll take one of those.” Sophia pointed at Madison’s drink. Jill and Grace ordered the same.

  “Three Grinches coming up.”

  Sophia’s narrowed gaze followed Brandi across the dance floor.

  “Did she say what I think she did?” Grace asked.

  “Yep.” Madison raised her glass. “Named after yours truly.” She took a sip. A little sour, but not bad. She figured after a couple more their jibe wouldn’t sting quite so much.

  Jill bit her lip as though trying not to laugh.

  Sophia sighed. “Mine was the Gold Digger.” She shared a commiserating smile with Madison, bumped her shoulder against hers then grinned. “We’ll order mine after we drink yours.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Madison laughed. “Let’s get this party started, ladies.”

  “Oh, no,” Autumn groaned. “Don’t encourage her, Maddie.”

  “Don’t be a spoilsport, Autumn. If Sophia and Maddie want to cut loose a bit, they should. God knows someone deserves to have a little fun,” Grace said, then glanced around the table. “Sorry, I…”

  Jill put an arm around her sister-in-law’s shoulders. “You have nothing to apologize for. If anyone deserves to sound bitter, it’s you.”

  Grace groaned. “I did sound bitter, didn’t I? I don’t—”

  Jill interrupted her sister-in-law, shooting Madison a censorious look. “The bank called to set up a meeting for Monday.”

  Grace squared her shoulders. “It’ll be okay.”

  It wouldn’t be. While going over the books last night, Madison had been surprised the bank hadn’t called sooner. “Don’t worry about it tonight, Grace. I’ll go with you to the meeting on Monday.”

  “Really? So the numbers aren’t as bad as I thought?” Grace asked, exchanging a hopeful glance with her sister-in-law.

  No, they were bad, probably worse than Grace even realized. She hadn’t seen the profit-and-loss projection for the next year like Madison had. She chose her next words carefully. “Look, I deal with stuff like this all the time. Let me worry about the bank and enjoy yourself tonight. We’ll get together on Sunday and go over the idea I mentioned to you yesterday.”

  If the bank wouldn’t get on board for the expansion loan based on Madison’s prospectus, she’d already decided to invest. And not because she felt guilty. Madison never allowed her personal feelings to come into play where money was involved. Her analysis of the market validated her belief that Grace’s sugar plum cakes would be a hit.

  For the first time since she’d met her, Jill gave Madison a genuine smile.

  “Thank you, Maddie. You don’t know how much…” Grace’s eyes filled, and she shrugged helplessly. “Sorry,” she said once she got her emotions under control. “Sometimes it’s just so hard.”

  They all reached for Grace’s hand at the same time. Sophia clear
ed her throat, slapping her palms on the table. “Time for karaoke. Come on, ladies.” Pumping her arms, she encouraged them to join her in a we-want-karaoke chant.

  Behind the bar, Sawyer shook his head and laughed. The dark-haired man seated in front of him swiveled on the high-backed stool to face them, his lips curved in a smug smile. Madison’s stomach did a little dip at the sight of Rick Dane and his trusty camera. She shrugged it off. After all, it wasn’t like she planned on doing anything that would land her on the front page of the Chronicle.

  * * *

  The first person Gage saw upon entering the crowded bar was Madison, sitting in the penalty box with Sophia. The minutes ticking down on the clock over their heads indicated they’d been given a major. What the hell did she do now? was the first thought that popped into his head. Followed closely by Geezus, she looks hot in that dress. On any other woman, the simple red-knit number wouldn’t be what you called provocative, but on Madison with her bombshell curves, she was a wet dream come to life, at least his. Her hair fell to her shoulders in that sexy, mussed-up way that drove him nuts. She laughed, her beautiful face glowing, and a warm tingly sensation raced through him. He forced himself to walk in the opposite direction.

  He should’ve refused to meet Ethan here. But his father had gotten it into his head that Gage didn’t get out enough. Paul McBride ordered him to go and have some fun at the Penalty Box, and he took Annie and Lily for the night. Gage knew it wasn’t a coincidence that his father had just hung up from Nell when he’d made the suggestion. After meeting Madison while picking up the girls from choir practice yesterday, his father had obviously decided to try his hand at matchmaking. He was as bad as Nell.

  Gage glanced at the clock. Just enough time to hear what Ethan had to say and get out of there. Heading for the table at the far corner of the bar, Gage said hello to several people while pretending not to see the others who flagged him down. If he acknowledged them all, he’d never get out of there.

  “What did she do now?” he asked, as he pulled out a chair.

  Ethan looked up from his BlackBerry. “Hello to you, too.”