Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold)

by Susan Mallery

  “I didn’t know if Ginger had picked colors yet,” he said. “The cake could be made to match the decorations.”

  “Pretty,” Madeline said. “Kind of big but—” She turned to the second cake and her mouth parted. “Seriously?”

  “I know it’s a little larger.”

  “A little?”

  She turned the paper so he could see the picture. Jonny shrugged.

  “It’s for my sister.”

  “It’s five layers. It would feed three hundred. The guest list hasn’t hit fifty.”

  “It’s a statement cake.”

  He liked how the individual flowers cascaded down the sides. There was a huge spray of them on the top, and more clustered around the bottom.

  “The work is all custom,” he said. “Normally you have to reserve about two years in advance, but she had a cancellation and we can get one made in time.”

  “It’s huge,” Madeline said. “You know this isn’t anything like Ginger’s described. It’s massive and ornate.”

  “It’s beautiful and Ginger deserves the best.”

  Madeline stared at him for a second before murmuring, “Okay. I’ll send her the link.”

  “We need an answer by Monday. To reserve the big cake.”

  “Ginger usually gets back to me really quickly. Once she tells me which one she likes, I’ll get it ordered. Along with the cookies.”

  She paused and looked at him. “You know the specialness of the day is about Ginger and Oliver and having the people they love around them when they say their vows. It’s not about the cake.”

  He got the message, and while he knew Madeline was right, he didn’t want to scrimp. “I want her to be happy. I want her to know she’s important to me.”

  “Don’t you think she already does?”

  “The cake will seal the deal.”

  “If you say so.”

  FIVE

  LATE AFTERNOON ON Saturday Jonny was done pretending. He’d spent the day at his house, reading scripts and working out. The usual stuff. But he’d been restless and watching the clock. A little after four he drove to town and found parking, then walked through the growing crowd.

  The Christmas tree lighting was at six. Before then there were carolers in the street and a couple of bands. Food carts lined the edge of the park. Lots of local businesses had put up their own trees with different themes. The one by Jo’s Bar had pet ornaments that represented several dog breeds, including a dachshund ornament.

  Several people he passed called out greetings. He recognized a lot of couples from the party at Madeline’s house. All the while he chatted and ate a pretzel, he found himself looking for someone.

  She had to be here. It was a family tradition. But try as he might, he couldn’t spot Madeline anywhere.

  At five-thirty, he’d about given up. Just when he was thinking he might as well head home, a familiar voice called his name. He turned and saw Loretta walking toward him.

  “I thought I recognized you,” Madeline’s mother said, surprising him by hugging him. “Are you here to see the tree lighting?”

  “Sure.”

  She held him close a half second longer than he thought she would. Like a mom. He’d lost his mother when Ginger had been born and his dad hadn’t been one to date so there’d never been a woman around to take care of things. While his dad did his best, some things had been lacking.

  Loretta released him and smiled. “Then come watch with us. These kinds of things are better when shared.”

  She linked arms with him and led him toward the right side of the square. There were people everywhere, but she wove through them, guiding him to a destination he hoped included her daughter.

  “Joseph and I used to bring Robbie here when he was little,” she said. “About the time he turned fourteen, he decided he was too mature to bother with silly traditions. So we left him home. When we got back, we found him crying in his room. It was the last time he missed the tree lighting.” She sighed. “Then we had Maddie and got to start all over with a new little one.”

  “You were lucky with both your kids,” he told her.

  “We were. Very lucky. Children are a blessing.” She glanced at him. “You don’t have any?”

  “No. I’m not married.”

  The smile returned. “These days marriage is more of an afterthought. Not always necessary.”

  “I’m a traditional guy.” He wanted a wife—someone who was a partner. He wanted to be there for someone and to be able to depend on her in return.

  “So what’s the problem?” Loretta asked, her tone light. “From what I can tell, women find you attractive. You have a job and you can carry on a conversation. They could do worse.”

  He grinned. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “I like to see the best in people. I’m sure you have your flaws.”

  “I do, but let’s not talk about them.”

  “Which means I’ll ask the question again. What’s the problem?”

  “What I do, who I am, makes it difficult to have a serious relationship. There are outside pressures. The press gets in the way. The fame.”

  Loretta stopped walking and studied him for a second before glancing around. “Am I missing them?”

  The question was asked in a gentle tone, but the words made him feel foolish. “It’s different here,” he mumbled. “Trust me—it can be intense.”

  “I’m sure it can. I just wonder...” She stared into his eyes. “Jonny, have you ever been in love?”

  “No.”

  She tucked her arm in the crook of his elbow and moved through the crowd. “You need to give it a try. Falling in love is magical. I remember the day I met Joseph. There was no warning. I was minding my own business when there he was. He smiled and introduced himself and that was it. I felt it.”

  “Felt what?”

  “Lightning. I was struck by lightning. Oh, there are other ways to describe it, but the truth is I knew from that moment he was the one. Fortunately, he felt the same way. We’ve been together forty-eight years.” She smiled. “I won’t lie and say there haven’t been times I wanted to back the car over him. Living with someone is always a challenge. But there hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t been grateful to have found him. Joseph has given me a wonderful life and two beautiful children. I want that for you.”

  “Joseph isn’t my type.”

  She laughed. “See. You’re charming. Put that charm to good use and find a girl. Fall in love. Get married. Have children. You’ll be amazed at how happy all that makes you.”

  He wanted to point out that she didn’t know him well enough to make that assessment, but he couldn’t help thinking she was right. That was exactly what he wanted.

  “You make it sound easy,” he told her.

  She faced him again. “Love is many things, but it’s not easy. It requires everything. Whatever you’re most afraid to give is exactly what it will demand of you. But it’s worth it. That’s the secret. It’s worth it.”

  Before he could ask her what she meant, he spotted the woman he’d been looking for. Madeline hurried over.

  “Mom, are you being scary? Jonny looks trapped.”

  “Not trapped,” he assured her. “Mesmerized.”

  “Uh-huh. If only that were true.”

  “I found Jonny waiting for the tree lighting and told him he should be with friends.”

  Madeline looked at him. “You don’t have to stay with us.”

  “I want to,” he said, telling the truth. “You have a tradition and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of that.”

  He was going to say more, but the music faded and Mayor Marsha stepped up in front of the microphone.

  “Welcome, everyone,” she began. “This is our sixty-second tree lighting.”

  As if on cue, snow began to drift down from the sky.

  “How does she do that?” Madeline asked. “I swear, the woman knows God personally.”

  “Maybe they text.
”

  She laughed. The sound was as light and engaging as the Christmas bells he could hear in the distance. Without considering what it meant or any consequences that could follow, he put his arm around her. For a second Madeline didn’t move. Then she leaned into him, snuggling close. Jonny liked the feel of her next to him. He liked her family and this town and the fact that it was only a few weeks until Christmas. Because for now, he could fit in, just like everyone else. And sometimes, that was the best gift of all.

  * * *

  “I’m late,” Madeline yelled as she raced to the door of Paper Moon.

  “You said that five minutes ago, which means you’re really late,” Rosalind called after her. “And I mean that in a helpful way.”

  “You’re such a mom.”

  “Thanks. Have fun.”

  Madeline wasn’t sure fun was the word she would describe where she was going, but it wasn’t entirely wrong. Helping out at the holidays was expected and this was her thing.

  She would have been on time except for an unforeseen shopper that morning. Apparently her theory about no proposals over Thanksgiving hadn’t been correct. One young man had popped the question and a new bride-to-be had wanted to try on dresses.

  Now Madeline hurried toward city hall. As it was less than two blocks away, she had a good shot of getting to her meeting before it started.

  She waited to cross the street. As she stepped off the curb, Jonny came up beside her.

  “Hey,” he said. “How’s it going?”

  “Great.”

  She told herself to act casual. She hadn’t seen him since the tree lighting a couple of days before. The fact that he’d put his arm around her for nearly an hour didn’t mean anything. This wasn’t high school. He’d been keeping her warm, not stating his intentions. She knew because when the tree lighting had ended, he’d said good-night and walked away without a backward glance. Or a kiss. Was it wrong to want a little tongue for the holidays?

  He kept up with her as she circled around city hall to head in the front entrance.

  “Did your parents fly out this morning?” he asked.

  “Yes. They’re in the air on their way back to Florida as we speak.”

  “Sorry to see them go?”

  “Always. They’re fun to hang with. My mom is totally freaked about the cruise they booked for the holidays. She’s worried I’ll be all alone on Christmas. I’ve told her I’ll be fine, but I’m not sure she believes me.”

  “She loves you and wants you to be happy.”

  True, but slightly strange to hear him saying that.

  She stopped in front of the large, three-story building. “Did we have a meeting? I sent off the email to Ginger about the cake and the other things and she hasn’t gotten back to me yet. She and Oliver are going to make their decisions in a day or so.”

  Jonny nodded. “She told me that, too. She should probably start cc-ing us on the emails so she doesn’t have to write two.” He glanced at city hall. “What’s in there?”

  She assumed he was asking what she was going to be doing, rather than requesting an explanation of city government. “I’m on the Live Nativity committee,” she told him. “We’re finalizing arrangements for the twenty-fourth.”

  His brows rose. “Live as in...”

  “You have no idea.”

  “Great. Can I come?”

  “To talk about the ramifications of having an elephant in the Live Nativity? It’s not that interesting.”

  “It is to me. It’ll be fun.”

  He started up the stairs without waiting for her, which meant she had to hurry to catch up. The man was nothing if not unexpected, she thought, unclear on any possible interest he could have in the committee.

  Once they entered the building they went down the hall, then up the stairs to the second floor.

  “The meeting room is down here,” she said.

  “So why are people upset about the elephant?”

  “Aside from the fact that there probably wasn’t an elephant around when Baby Jesus was born?”

  “Yeah, that.”

  “Because there are other people with unusual pets who think they should be included. Plus, there was a little pushback when we allowed a service dog, namely a toy poodle, to stand in for Baby Jesus. We were supposed to replace her with a doll, but somehow that didn’t happen and, well, there were some letters to the editor.”

  He grinned. “I love this town.”

  “You didn’t have to deal with the letters.”

  He held open the door and she stepped into the conference room.

  There were four long tables pushed together, forming a square. The chairs were on the outside. Madeline saw that Mayor Marsha was nowhere to be seen, which most likely meant the other woman wasn’t going to attend. Mayor Marsha was nothing if not prompt. Dr. Galloway, the committee chair, was also absent, but as there was a folder in front the seat she usually occupied, Madeline figured she would be here any second.

  Most of the other chairs were occupied by the usual suspects. Everyone looked up when Jonny entered. Madeline realized she had absolutely no explanation for his presence other than “He thought it would be interesting.” Fortunately, Jonny was used to dealing with an audience.

  He introduced himself and asked if he could sit in on the meeting. The ten women in the room glanced at each other. They all looked confused, but a couple nodded.

  Jonny flashed his movie-star smile, then walked over to sit next to Gladys.

  “Thanks for your help the other day,” he said.

  “It was nothing,” she told him. “My great-niece, Nancee, has to deal with difficult situations all the time. She’s in Washington, DC, and the things that go on in government...” Gladys shook her head. “Especially when you’re young and attractive. But Nancee knows what she wants and it’s not a one-night stand with a congressional aid or lobbyist.”

  Madeline took a seat across from Jonny and smiled sweetly. “You wanted to come with me,” she murmured.

  Eddie sat next to Gladys. She peered around her friend.

  “You’re attractive,” the seventysomething said.

  “No,” Madeline told her. “Whatever you’re thinking, no. You can’t, you won’t, you shouldn’t and no.”

  Eddie glanced at Madeline. “You used to be such a sweet little girl.”

  Madeline was undeterred. “I know and that has nothing to do with this.”

  “What is she thinking?” Jonny asked.

  Madeline groaned.

  Gladys looked from her friend to Jonny. “You think?” she asked.

  “Of course.” Eddie leaned toward him. “Gladys and I have a cable access show.”

  The other women started to smile. Madeline thought briefly about screaming but didn’t think that would distract either of the old women. They were nothing if not tenacious.

  “You want me to be a guest?” Jonny asked.

  “Not all of you,” Eddie told him. “We hold a contest every week. Guess That Butt. We show pictures of butts and viewers text in who they think that butt belongs to. It’s an honor to be chosen.”

  Jonny looked at Madeline. “So you weren’t kidding.”

  “I told you, but did you listen? Yes, this is real. But they left out a very significant detail.” She stared at the two women. “Do you want to tell him?”

  “It’s male butts,” Gladys offered.

  Eddie grinned. “Naked male butts. That’s very important.” Her smile faded. “But come to think of it, I’m not sure you would qualify. Didn’t you use Clay Stryker as a butt double in Amish Revenge? Why would you do that? Is there a problem?”

  The two old women looked at each other, then back at him.

  “Something you can’t talk about?” Gladys added in a low, concerned voice.

  Everyone else at the meeting leaned forward, as if desperate to know. Madeline wanted to bang her head against the table.

  “We’re here for the Live Nativity,” she said, knowing her mothe
r would be proud of her for being mature. “Let’s get back to that.”

  “Dr. Galloway isn’t here yet,” Eddie pointed out. “We can’t start without the committee chair.”

  Before Madeline could think of a comeback to that, Jonny stood.

  “There’s nothing wrong with my butt,” he told Eddie and Gladys.

  “Prove it,” Eddie said firmly.

  Before Madeline could figure out what was happening, Jonny turned his back on the room, unfastened his jeans and...

  “Oh, my,” Eddie and Gladys breathed together. The other women sighed collectively.

  Madeline had to agree. Jonny’s decision to use a butt double had nothing to do with the body part in question. It was perfect. Muscled and just the right size.

  “Is it hot in here?” one of the other women asked as she fanned herself.

  Madeline had to admit, she was feeling a little heat herself. Jonny pulled up his jeans, fastened them and settled back in his chair.

  “Any questions?” he asked.

  “We’ll sign you right up,” Gladys said.

  The door opened and Dr. Galloway walked in. The woman walked briskly to her seat.

  “Sorry I’m late. Some of my appointments took longer than expected. What did I miss?”

  “Nothing at all,” Gladys told her. “I’ll start. As most of you know, we’ve had a couple of animal suggestions for the Live Nativity. The two that make the most sense are the fainting goat and the potbellied pig.”

  “How does a fainting goat make sense?” one woman asked.

  “You didn’t see the other animals nominated. These two are the right size, clean and socialized.”

  “But if the goat faints, won’t that be a problem?”

  Madeline stole a glance at Jonny. He was listening attentively, looking perfectly calm. Not at all as if the man had just dropped trou and flashed them. Although there hadn’t been any complaints.

  Before she could turn away, Jonny looked at her and winked. She had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing.

  The man had style—she would give him that. And a superior butt. That was kind of a nice combination.