Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold)

by Susan Mallery

  By the time all that was done, Madeline found herself in the kitchen with her niece. Jasmine pulled up a bar stool and scooped batter onto waiting cookie sheets.

  “I don’t know, Maddie,” the twenty-one-year-old admitted. “Dad doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the pressure.”

  “Your dad wants you to be happy.”

  “He wants me to be a pediatrician.”

  “Probably, but he’ll settle for you being happy.”

  Because while Jasmine had said she was interested in medicine, her decision to focus on radiology was different than her initial plan to follow in her father’s footsteps. Jasmine’s mother had died of breast cancer.

  Her death had changed them all. Jasmine especially. She’d decided to focus her sadness in a productive way. Something Robbie would have already guessed.

  “He loves you,” Madeline pointed out. “He’ll be fine.”

  Jasmine, a blue-eyed blonde like the rest of the Krug women, wrinkled her nose. “Maybe you could talk to him.”

  “Maybe you could talk to him yourself.”

  “Why do I have to act like an adult?”

  “It builds character and you might want to have the skill later, so it’s good to practice.”

  Jasmine laughed. “If you insist.”

  “I do.”

  Robbie walked into the kitchen. He was nearly six feet, with light brown hair that was going gray at the temples. He smiled when he spotted them talking.

  “How are my two favorite girls?”

  “Good,” Madeline said. “I think it’s going to snow.”

  “I hope so. It’s so fun here when it snows.”

  Madeline grinned at her brother. “I would think you’d get enough snow at home.”

  Robbie snagged one of the cooling cookies and took a bite. “It’s different here.”

  “Magical,” his daughter said.

  “I don’t think I’d go that far, but close.” He turned to Madeline. “You okay with the holiday plans? You can come with Jasmine and me if you want.”

  Madeline appreciated the concern for what would be her first Christmas without her family. “I’ll be fine. I’ve already talked to Mom. I have friends and plenty to keep me busy. Don’t worry.”

  “Grandma Pat said it was okay,” Jasmine added. “Just so you know.”

  Grandma Pat was Robbie’s mother-in-law and Jasmine’s maternal grandmother. “Tell her thank you, but I’m staying in Fool’s Gold.” She had work and a wedding to plan. There was also the slight chance she might be caught under some mistletoe with a very handsome Jonny Blaze.

  * * *

  Around noon on Thanksgiving, Jonny drove into town for the parade. He was curious to see the festivities, not to mention cheer on his car. He wasn’t sure Mayor Marsha was a 1956 El Dorado kind of gal, but who was he to judge?

  He was surprised by the number of people already lining the streets. It took him a while to find parking and then he had to walk nearly a mile back to the parade route. He passed lots of families. Parents with kids in strollers and even parents with teenagers. He would have expected the older kids to head off to be with their friends, but from what he could see, they were pretty willing to stay with the old folks. A few people smiled and called out a greeting. He had a feeling that was about the day and not him, which he liked.

  The temperature was brisk—probably the midthirties. Cold but not unbearable. The sky was clear, but he would swear he could smell the promise of snow. On the corner, Brew-haha had set up a kiosk with mugs of cocoa and coffee. Next to that was a food cart that sold all kinds of Thanksgiving-shaped cookies. Turkeys and pumpkins and Pilgrim hats. He got a coffee and a couple of cookies, then strolled around in the crowd.

  There was plenty of conversation. He heard snippets of different discussions on everything from the favorite part of the parade to what side dishes a certain mother-in-law expected her new daughter-in-law to make. When the faint notes of music drifted toward them, the crowd went quiet, then began to cheer.

  He turned with everyone else, eager to catch his first glimpse of this small-town parade.

  “Oh. My. God. You’re Jonny Blaze. I can’t believe it. What are you doing here? Do you live here? Is it really you? Can I have an autograph and take a picture?”

  It took a second for the frantic words to register. Jonny turned and saw a woman in her thirties staring at him. She was holding a toddler and there was a slightly older girl hanging on to her free hand. He knew he’d never seen her before and guessed she was a tourist in town for the long weekend.

  The woman stared at him, then nodded. “It’s you. I can’t believe it. Mike, hurry. It’s Jonny Blaze. You need to take our picture. This is amazing. Can we kiss, because wow, would I like to kiss you.”

  This happened all the time. He knew exactly what to do, how to establish boundaries. He’d been doing it for years. Only in the past few weeks, he’d forgotten what it was like to have the public intruding into his life. So he wasn’t prepared and in the seconds it took him to figure out what he was supposed to say—beyond “Hell, no, we can’t kiss”—the woman was moving in for her picture.

  “You’re going to feel really foolish in a minute.”

  The voice came from behind him, then a woman who had to be in her seventies pushed in front of him.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” she continued cheerfully. “That he’s that movie star Jonny something, right? Happens all the time.” The old lady slapped him on his upper arm. “This is my no-good grandson. He can’t hold a job to save his soul. My daughter is pulling her hair out, let me tell you. Now he’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he’s learned how to clean out gutters. You have some work he could do? He’s honest and he’s cheap.”

  The woman holding the baby took a giant step back. “You’re not Jonny Blaze? And you were going to kiss me? I don’t think so. Yuck.” She rolled her eyes. “Why would I want to kiss a stranger?”

  My point exactly, Jonny thought as the woman and her family hurried away.

  He turned to the old lady. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I saw them moving in for the kill and figured you could use some help.”

  “I’m usually better than that.”

  She shrugged. “It’s okay. Everyone gets to have an off day. I’m Gladys, by the way.”

  “Jonny Blaze.”

  She grinned. “Like I don’t know that. Nice to meet you officially. You’re very handsome.”

  He laughed. “Okay, don’t get scary.”

  She winked. “I know things. You’d be amazed.”

  “I probably would be. And then you’d dump me and break my heart.”

  “Very possibly.” She eyed him speculatively. “I do have a great-niece who’s single. Actually, Nancee’s in a relationship with a no-good jerk, but does she listen?”

  “They never do.”

  She motioned to someone he couldn’t see. “I’m leaving you with protection, seeing as you’re woefully unprepared to take care of yourself.”

  He turned and saw Madeline walking toward them. Gladys quickly explained what had happened.

  Madeline turned to him. “Are you okay?”

  She was genuinely concerned. He could read it in her blue eyes. Talk about strange—people didn’t look out for him, they took from him. He was expected to be the one to provide. If he needed help, he hired security.

  She was dressed in a bright red coat that matched her lip gloss. A matching scarf was wrapped around her neck and she had on mittens. Nothing overtly sexy, yet he found the outfit appealing. And very Fool’s Gold.

  “I’m fine,” he told her. “Just an overly zealous tourist. Gladys shut her down.”

  “Gladys is good at doing that. But brace yourself. She’s going to want payback.”

  “She already mentioned us sleeping together,” he said, telling himself she really had been joking.

  “If only it would stop there.” Madeline glanced around. “You’re a sitt
ing duck out like this. Come on.” She pointed down the street. “You can hang out with my family. We’re small in number, but mighty in spirit.”

  He wanted to say he could take care of himself—that he wasn’t some dweeb who needed protecting. Only he liked her looking out for him. It was strange, but kind of nice. Like the town, he thought as he walked with her.

  Madeline stopped in front of an older couple. Jonny remembered what she’d said about being a late-in-life surprise for her parents.

  “Mom, Dad, this is Jonny Blaze. Jonny, my parents, Joseph and Loretta Krug.”

  If the older Krugs were surprised, they didn’t let on. They both greeted him, then shook his hand.

  “No relationship to the French Krugs,” her father said with a wink.

  It took Jonny a second to make the connection. “The champagne guy,” he said.

  “That’s the one.”

  “I wouldn’t mind being related to a champagne baron,” a tall, younger man said.

  Jonny took in the similarities between Joseph and the man standing next to him, then held out his hand. “You must be Madeline’s brother.”

  “Robbie. Nice to meet you. And this is my daughter, Jasmine.”

  “Hi,” the young woman said with a smile. “Wow, you really are Jonny Blaze.”

  “It’s just a rumor,” he told her.

  The music got louder and everyone turned toward the street. He could see a banner carried by members of the high school drill team. Behind them was his car with Mayor Marsha sitting on the open back, her feet firmly planted on the rear seat.

  “She’s beautiful,” Madeline teased. “Does it hurt to see her in public like that?”

  “No. Better for her to be admired by all.”

  Robbie moved next to them. “We’re talking about the car, right? Not that I don’t love Mayor Marsha, but words like that would make me really uncomfortable.”

  Madeline linked arms with her brother. “Don’t worry. Jonny is already spoken for. Gladys has made her play for him.”

  Robbie slapped him on the back. “You’re a braver man than me.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Behind the car with the mayor was the marching band. Jonny wondered if the good mayor had thought to invest in earplugs, because the music was loud. Then he remembered this wasn’t her first rodeo. She was California’s longest-serving mayor and he would guess there was very little she wasn’t prepared for.

  After the marching band came the floats. Some were expected—like the decorated fire truck. Others surprised him. There was a giant plastic polar bear, all decked out for the holidays. Of course, that was nothing when compared with an actual live elephant, dressed like Santa.

  Loretta, Madeline’s mother, moved next to him. “Before you ask,” she murmured, “they keep it on with Velcro. Several women in town banded together to make the costume. The tricky part is getting it on her. Not that she doesn’t cooperate. She does. But she’s a big girl.”

  He nodded, wondering how on earth an elephant came to be dressed as Santa in a parade. Of course, she was trailed by a pony and a goat, both in elf costumes, so hey.

  Loretta leaned close. “What are your plans for dinner? Would you like to join us? Before you answer, I’ll tell you that it’s just family for the meal. Maddie and I have been cooking since yesterday and everything is delicious, if I do say so myself. After dinner, there’s an open house. Our friends and neighbors stop by to welcome in the holiday season.”

  He thought about the big, empty house waiting for him back at his ranch. He’d come to Fool’s Gold looking for privacy and solitude. After having found both, he had to admit that the nights could get a little long and lonely.

  “I’d like that,” he told her. “Thank you.”

  She patted his arm. “Good. Friends are always welcome at our table.”

  She moved back to stand next to her husband. Jonny glanced from her to the man at her side and wondered how his life would have been different if he hadn’t lost his mother when Ginger was born and his father over a decade ago. Family was important. He knew that Ginger kept him grounded. When he wasn’t sure what decision to make about a project, he picked the one he knew would make her proud. Without someone to love, a person didn’t have an anchor.

  Madeline smiled at him. “Everything okay?”

  “Your mom invited me to dinner. Hope it’s okay I said yes.”

  Her smile was immediate and welcoming. “Brace yourself. It’s loud.”

  “Small in number but mighty in spirit?”

  She laughed. “Exactly.”

  FOUR

  ’’MADELINE KNEW THAT in a few weeks her life would return to normal and she would look back and wonder if any of this had actually happened. But until then, she would simply go with it and tell herself that washing dishes with movie star Jonny Blaze was just one in a series of memories she would bore people with when she was eighty.

  As she’d already told him twice he wasn’t expected to help, she didn’t bother saying it again. Instead, she passed him a clean casserole dish to dry. The dishwasher was chugging away, the leftovers were already put in the refrigerator and a final batch of sugar cookies was in the oven. The warm, sweet scent filled the kitchen, overriding the last delicious whiff of turkey and gravy.

  “I’m so full,” she admitted as she reached for the china gravy boat. “I hope I still fit in my clothes tomorrow.”

  “Do you get a lot of customers on Black Friday?” he asked.

  “Not really. It’s not a big shopping day for brides-to-be. Thanksgiving doesn’t bring out the proposals. Christmas and New Year’s are different, so in January I’m busy.”

  “Are you their first stop?” he asked, putting the dry dish on the counter next to the others.

  They’d already finished the wineglasses and serving dishes. She emptied the dishpan and rinsed it, then peeled off her gloves. She leaned against the sink.

  “While it’s not all about the dress, it’s an easy thing to start looking for,” she told him. “Going to look at flowers or studying menus isn’t exactly the same. Trying on a dress gives the bride immediate feedback. She can see how she’s going to look on her wedding day. Tasting a small piece of cake isn’t the same as seeing the whole thing, life size.”

  She smiled. “It’s fun to see them, all excited, flashing the ring. I guess it’s one of the last rites of passage and I enjoy being a part of that.”

  Something he couldn’t possibly be interested in, she thought. But even as she thought about changing the subject, he moved a little closer, as if listening intently.

  “What’s the best part?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure what it is for them, but for me it’s when the bride knows she’s found the right dress. I can tell by the look on her face. Everything just feels right.”

  Like this moment, she though hazily. If only the tall, handsome man in her kitchen would step a little closer still and maybe lean in for a—

  The doorbell rang. She filed her fantasy away for another time and pointed to the back door. “This is your last chance to escape,” she teased. “Otherwise, prepare to meet some of the founding families of our town. Or at least the ones I know.”

  “I don’t scare easy. Lead on.”

  She walked into the living room and saw that several couples had arrived at once. The next few minutes passed in a blur of introductions. Madeline was pleased that no one was overly shocked to find Jonny Blaze in her living room. Or maybe they were like her—secretly stunned, but keeping their reaction to themselves.

  She went back to the kitchen to start piling goodies onto platters. There were cookies and brownies and bars of all kinds. Shelby came in and walked to the sink where she washed her hands.

  “So, how’s it going?” her friend asked.

  Madeline smiled. “Fine. Did you have a nice dinner?”

  “Sure. Kipling and Destiny are always fun to hang out with. And I adore Starr.”

  Starr was Destiny’s half si
ster. The teen lived with them.

  Shelby dried her hands, then started adding more cookies onto platters.

  “Want to talk about it?”

  Madeline widened her eyes, as if confused. “Talk about what?”

  Shelby put down the brownies and settled her hands on her hips. “Jonny Blaze is standing in your living room. Last I heard, you had a serious crush on him. Serious to the point that you couldn’t even look in his direction, and now he’s here?”

  Madeline grinned. “I know. It’s so strange.”

  “And?”

  Madeline finished filling the plate, then faced her friend. “It’s all Mayor Marsha’s fault.”

  “Most things are.”

  She quickly explained about the wedding and how she was now spending time with the action star.

  “Are you freaked?” Shelby asked.

  Madeline realized Isabel had voiced the same concern. She must have really been acting strange when Jonny was nearby. “At first, but it’s getting better. He had dinner here. That was surreal. But my parents took it in stride and I pretended that I was just as calm.”

  “Has he kissed you?”

  The unexpected question caused Madeline to flush. “What? No. We’re working together. Besides, I’m, you know, regular. He’s Jonny Blaze.”

  “I’m sure he’s just as interested in sex as the next guy.”

  “Shelby, no.” Madeline glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. “It’s not like that. He would never want that from me.”

  “Then he’s an idiot. You’re great.”

  Because Shelby was a loyal friend. Madeline knew that she was pretty enough for regular people, but in the sphere that was Jonny’s world? Not so much.

  “It’s okay. I’m getting over my crush and enjoying what I know is very one-sided sparkage. It’s nice. My own little fantasy holiday entertainment. I’m also having fun planning the wedding. It’s different. I haven’t met Ginger yet, but we talked on the phone and she’s really nice.”

  “When he comes to his senses and ravishes you, I want details,” Shelby told her. “I’m in a very arid dry spell. I will live vicariously through you.”

  Madeline pretended to fan herself. “I hope I have something to share.”