Trouble With Christmas (9781455544066)

by Mason, Debbie

  Ted stared him down while Fred impatiently beat a tattoo on the arm of the chair. Gage shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “What exactly do you mean by intentions?”

  “I thought he was supposed to be smart. Graduated at the top of his class, didn’t he?” Fred said to Ted.

  Ted nodded. “I heard that, too. Maybe—”

  “All right already,” Gage cut him off. “We’re dating. I care about her. She’s important to me. I’d never do anything to hurt her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  The two men shared a look that said Gage wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

  “Come on, give me a break. We’re taking it slow. Her living in New York won’t make it easy. But I told her Dad, Ethan, and I will make some calls for her, see if there might be something for her in Denver.”

  That perked their interest. They leaned forward in their chairs. “What’d she say?” Ted asked.

  “She doesn’t need our help, at least not yet. Joe Hartwell is talking to someone who might be interested in hiring her. Their home office is in Denver.” He smiled, remembering their conversation, what she looked like while they were having it and what they’d been doing before and after.

  The two men guffawed, then Ted said, “Okay.”

  “Okay? Okay, what?”

  “You told us what we needed to know,” Fred said.

  “What did I say to make you change your minds?”

  “It’s not what you said.” Ted grinned. “But we know now that you love her.”

  “I do. I mean, I do?” His voice jumped an octave. “What makes you say that?” It was something Gage needed to know so he could stop doing it right away. He didn’t want to deal with Annie and the citizens of Christmas who might not be happy with his choice. He needed to take it slow. To get Annie used to the idea of him with Madison and not her mother. Give the folks in town a chance to know Madison better.

  He worried that if news of their being together got out too soon, not only would he have to put up with a lot of crap, so would Madison. He’d been able to come up with a plausible explanation for the picture of him and Madison in the supply-closet—she’d been helping him get ready for his stint as Santa. At least Lily and Annie had bought it. But if anything else was printed about them, people would start getting suspicious. And the last thing Madison needed, given her past, was everyone ganging up on her.

  “I’m ready,” Madison said, putting an end to their conversation. Standing in the entrance to the living room in a pair of jeans and a blue sweater that matched her eyes, her gaze flitted to each of them. She frowned. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing. We better get going, the girls are waiting.” He wanted her out of there before Ted or Fred repeated their conversation.

  The two men snorted, then Ted said, “You go on with Joe College. We’ll get on the horn with Ethan, straighten everything out.”

  Madison, seemingly oblivious to his new nickname, kissed their cheeks before retrieving her coat from the hall closet.

  Ted and Fred kept an eye on them as Gage helped her into a plaid jacket that looked a lot like his aunt’s.

  “You watch out for her, Gage. She’s a city girl. They’re not used to tromping through the woods.”

  “Fred’s right,” Ted agreed. “Maybe you should go on over to Charlie’s. He has some mighty fine trees on the lot.”

  Madison held back a smile. Gage didn’t have to. He wasn’t smiling. “I’ll take good care of her.”

  “Promises, promises,” she murmured, wrapping a neon-green scarf around her neck.

  Taking hold of either end of the scarf, he tugged her closer. “If I could get you alone for few minutes, I would.”

  “I wish.” She sighed, shoving the hot pink, bunny-eared hat on her head.

  He raised a brow at her get-up. Nothing matched, and she didn’t seem to care. He flicked a bunny ear. “You’re one of the most low-maintenance women I’ve ever met.” And after living with one who wasn’t, it was one more thing he appreciated about her.

  “Mitts,” the two men called from the living room.

  “Aren’t they adorable?” she laughed, following him out the door.

  She was adorable. They were a pain in the ass.

  * * *

  An hour and a half later, Gage decided he should’ve listened to Ted and headed to Charlie’s tree lot instead. His plan to spend an enjoyable morning with the three girls in his life had pretty much ended the moment he’d pulled out of Nell’s driveway.

  “Wow, that sun’s deceiving. It’s freezing out here.” Stomping her feet, Madison blew on her purple-mittened hands. “Is anyone else cold?”

  “Quit talking about it, and you’ll be fine.” He tried to keep the frustration from his voice, but since she’d been complaining about the cold for the last hour, it was difficult.

  “Daddy, can we go now?” Lily asked, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

  Before he could respond, Annie said, “Do you remember the time Mom made snow angels with us, Lily? She played outside all day and never complained once. And it was really cold out.”

  From the look on Madison’s face, Annie scored a direct hit. His oldest had spent the entire walk through the woods talking about Sheena. Madison had been a good sport. Up until now, she’d ignored the subtle digs Annie couched in praise of her mother. To hear his daughter tell it, Sheena should be crowned Mother of the Year.

  Lily scrunched her nose. “I don’t remember that. Maybe you’re mixing Maddie up with Mommy. She made snow angels with us yesterday, ’member?”

  Annie turned on her sister. “Shut up, Lily. You don’t know anything.”

  “That’s enough, Annie. All of you pick a tree. Now,” Gage said through gritted teeth.

  “Mom’ll like that one.” Annie pointed to a perfectly proportioned spruce just off the path at the same time Madison pointed to one of the scraggliest at the bottom of the hill, and said, “That one.”

  Annie pulled a face. “Mine’s better. Yours is ugly. It won’t hold the decorations.”

  Lily looked from her sister to Madison. “I like Maddie’s tree. He looks kinda lonely and sad.”

  Annie’s “Pick mine, Dad” sounded suspiciously like Pick me.

  Now what was he supposed to do? His gaze shot to the Douglas fir they’d just passed. “What about that one?” He jerked his thumb at the tree.

  Madison stomped over and wrenched the ax from his hand. “You take whichever one you want, but that’s my tree, and I’m taking it home with me.” She stalked down the hill to her butt-ugly tree and began whacking away at the trunk.

  “Stay put,” he said to Lily and Annie, who gaped at Madison. He walked up behind her. “Give me the ax. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

  “No, I don’t need your help.” She kept her back to him, her voice husky.

  She went to take another swing, and he wrapped a hand around the handle, sliding his other arm around her waist. He lowered his mouth to her ear. “I’ll cut it down for you, honey.”

  She sagged against him. “I don’t understand why Annie hates me now. What did I do wrong?”

  “She doesn’t hate you. She’s mad at Sheena, and she’s taking it out on you. Every year her mother promises to show up for Christmas and never does.”

  Madison sniffed. “That’s horrible.”

  “Yeah, and this year’s worse because Sheena didn’t make it for Thanksgiving, either. And as much as Annie won’t give up on her mother coming home for Christmas, she won’t give up on the idea Sheena and I will get back together again.” Madison stiffened in his arms. “It’s not going to happen,” he reassured her before explaining what the real problem was. “And it doesn’t matter that you’ve given her more time and attention in these last few weeks than her mother’s given her in the last eight years. Once she caught me kissing you, you became a threat to her fantasy.”

  Madison tipped her head back. “Because she knows I’m in love with you.”

  “No
.” He smiled. This was the first time she’d said the words out loud. “Because she knows I’m in love with you.”

  She turned in his arms, rising up on her toes to look over his shoulder. “I want to kiss you, but I won’t.”

  “I always want to kiss you. But for now, until Annie gets used to the idea, we’ll save it for when we’re alone.”

  “Okay.” She took a step back and pressed the ax into his hands. “I think you’d better get chopping. Lily’s doing her I-gotta-go dance again.”

  “You know what? The three of you are a pain in the ass. Next year, we’re buying our tree at Charlie’s lot.” He nudged her out of his way and caught the look of surprise in her eyes. “What?”

  “You said next year we’ll buy our tree at the lot.”

  “Yeah, and I meant it. You’re the whiniest bunch of females I’ve ever met.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “It’s really beautiful out here. I’m glad you brought us, even if I am freezing.”

  He cut down her tree with one solid whack. “Good.” He rested the ax on his shoulder. “But I’m not changing my mind.”

  The return trip turned out better than he’d expected. Madison warmed up by dragging her Charlie Brown Christmas tree back to the truck, and a pit stop behind another tree took care of Lily. Annie seemed to sense she’d hurt Madison’s feelings, and there was no more mention of Saint Sheena.

  Once they reached Nell’s, Gage got Madison’s tree out of the trunk while she said good-bye to Annie and Lily. “I’m going to give your costumes to your dad. Don’t forget to bring them with you to rehearsal. See you at three.”

  He carried the tree inside for her. “Why don’t the four of us go to the diner after practice? Then, if my dad doesn’t have any plans for the night, I’ll have him stay with the girls, and we can decorate your tree together.”

  She opened the closet, handing him a garment bag. “That’d be nice, but you might want to check with Annie first. I think she’s had enough of me for one day.”

  Good point. Gage didn’t relish the idea of suffering through a dinner with Annie taking pot shots at Madison. If he intervened, it’d look like he was slamming her mother instead of standing up for Madison. And if Annie thought he was sticking up for Madison… Yeah, it was a lose-lose situation.

  “You’re probably right. I…” The words backed up in his throat at the hurt look in her eyes. He shut the door. Hooking the garment bag on the knob, he took her in his arms. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her. “It’ll just take time for her to get used to the idea we’re together.”

  “Maybe if you tell Sheena what’s going on, the two of you can make Annie understand it’s over between you. Let her know that you’ve both moved on with your lives.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure how Madison would react to what he had to say. “Up until you, there’s never been anyone I wanted to move on with.”

  “Hold it. I thought you said you haven’t been in love with Sheena for a long time.”

  “I haven’t, but since I also haven’t been in a serious relationship since we split, Sheena thinks…”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Sheena thinks what?”

  He sighed. “That I’m still in love with her, and that one day we’ll get back together.” Madison opened her mouth. He held up a hand. “I’m not. But Sheena thinks everyone’s in love with her. So in her mind, why would I be any different?”

  “She’s not involved with anyone?”

  “No, I wish she was. But she’s dedicated to her career and doesn’t have time to invest in a relationship.” It sounded like someone he knew—at least it used to.

  “And you’ve never given her any reason to believe you’re still in love with her?”

  That he was in love with her? No. That he found her physically attractive and shared some good memories? Yes. The bedroom had been about the only place they were in sync. “No,” he said slowly, wondering how much he should tell her.

  “I hear a but there.” She searched his face, and her jaw dropped. “You had sex with her!”

  He put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from taking off like she appeared ready to. “It’s not what—”

  “When?” she snapped.

  “Last Valentine’s Day. It was the one and only time. We had too much to drink. And… it was Valentine’s Day,” he said, as if that explained everything. “I don’t know, maybe we were both lonely. But what I do know is it was a stupid mistake. And I knew that even before Annie discovered us sleeping in the same bed the next morning.”

  Madison gasped. “Poor Annie—no wonder she thinks you’re getting back together.” A horn blasted. “You’d better go.” She reached around him for the doorknob.

  “No, not until you hear me out. It was just sex, Madison. Don’t make more out of it than what it was.”

  “How can you say that? We had sex and—”

  “We didn’t have sex. We made love. And if you don’t think there’s a difference, tonight I’ll show you there is.” He framed her face with his hands and went to kiss her. She turned her cheek, wrapping her fingers around his wrists.

  He pulled back. “You’re not giving up on us, are you?”

  “No, but for a smart guy, you can be a real dumbass, Sheriff. You’ve got to fix this. Promise me you’ll talk to Annie.”

  Okay, that was going to be a hard promise to keep, at least for right now. “I will, but this is a tough time of year for her. Can we get through the holidays first, and then I’ll talk to her?”

  “Fine.” She gave him a know-it-all look. “You see, this just goes to prove my theory that the ‘friends with benefits’ thing doesn’t work.”

  “Yeah.” He kissed her, then grabbed the garment bag and opened the door. “Just remember, you and me, we’ve gone way past friends.”

  And the thought didn’t scare him anymore, not as much as losing her did.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Madison was late for practice. After Gage’s confession, she’d walked to the hospital to see Nell instead of driving, as a way to burn off her anger and frustration at the man. On the way home, she got caught in a snow shower that left her soaked to the skin and as frustrated as when she’d headed out.

  And that was where her TMI moment with Vivi came into play. Madison should have taken a hot shower instead of calling her best friend to vent. But then again, if she hadn’t ended up having to defend Gage and his relationship with his ex-wife to Vivi, Madison wouldn’t have talked herself into being somewhat more understanding of his position. She couldn’t say the same for Vivi. Her best friend had threatened to hop on the next plane and stage an intervention.

  Madison ran into the hall. “Sorry I’m late.” She shrugged out of her jacket and, along with her purse, tossed it on a chair before walking toward Hailey and Holly, who were surrounded by kids clamoring for help with their costumes.

  Hailey glanced at her sister. “It’s okay. We understand.” She smiled at Madison.

  Madison’s stomach did a belly flop. “What’s wrong?”And there had to be something wrong, because Hailey never smiled, at least not at her.

  “We heard the news.” Hailey’s head whipped around. “Billy, that’s Liam’s staff, not yours,” she barked, then turned to Madison. “If you aren’t up for practice, we totally understand. Don’t we, Holly?”

  “Oh, yes. Totally.” Holly nodded with a sympathetic smile.

  “Okay, y’all are starting to scare me. What happened? Is it Nell?” No, Nell had been fine, better than fine, when Madison left her a couple of hours ago. But if it wasn’t Nell… She scanned the hall for Annie and Lily, and her pulse kicked up. “Where’s Annie and Lily, has something happened to them?” Her knees buckled when the sisters grimaced.

  Hailey grabbed her arm. “Jesus, don’t faint on us. Holly, get her a glass of water.” Hailey turned to the two boys whispering behind her. “I didn’t swear, Billy. I said, ‘Praise Jesus.’ ” She stared the little boy down until he walked away, dragging his co
w costume behind him.

  “Hailey, if you don’t tell me what’s happened, I’m going to scream.”

  “Keep your voice down. Lily and Annie are fine.”

  Holly returned with the water. Hailey took the glass from her sister. “You really don’t know, do you?”

  “Would one of you just—”

  “Madison.”

  Thank God. She turned to see Gage striding toward her, his hair looking as though he’d repeatedly raked his fingers through it. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for the last couple of hours,” he said, a harried expression in his eyes.

  “Is it Fred and Ted? Has something happened to Fred and Ted?” She clutched Gage’s arm.

  He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  She was close to losing it now. “No. One of you”—she swept her finger over the three of them—“is going to answer me. What. Is. Going. On?”

  Gage glanced at Holly and Hailey, who stood arms akimbo. “Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, Sheena made it home for Christmas. She’s here.”

  “Here?” Madison croaked. The three of them watched her closely, waiting for a reaction. They weren’t going to get one. Nothing could be as bad as the scenarios she’d been panicking about only seconds ago. “How nice for y’all. I’m sure Annie and Lily are just thrilled to bits.”

  Gage rubbed her arm. “I’m sorry, honey. The girls wanted her to come with them to rehearsal and—”

  “She’s here here?” Madison’s hand went self-consciously to the still-damp hair she’d pulled into a ponytail while talking to Vivi.

  “Yeah.” He looked over her head and grimaced.

  Madison slowly turned… And wished she hadn’t. Sheena McBride, her beauty-pageant hair tumbling in luxurious chestnut waves over the shoulders of her furlined brown leather coat, walked toward them like she owned the room. Her gorgeous face lit up with a teasing smile when she looked at the man standing behind Madison. Her daughters held on to her hands, Annie beaming up at her glamorous mother.