Mistletoe (Clairmont Series Book 4)

by S. Jane Scheyder

  He felt her questioning eyes on him. He probably should have waited until they were face to face, but that would have been harder in its own way.

  “I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that.”

  Christopher glanced over, surprised. “You are?”

  “Well, not that you’re concerned.” She seemed to hesitate a moment. “Maybe I should ask why?”

  They pulled into the inn’s small lot and easily found a place to park. His brother would have no problem getting a room. Christopher pulled the brake and turned toward Liz.

  “I like Kelly - a lot. It’s not about her.”

  “Okay, good start.” Liz smiled a little, waited for him to continue.

  “I just think they’re moving too fast. Cam still has two years of law school and the work load is grueling.” He ran his hand through his hair - for the first time, maybe ever - wondering if he’d messed it up.

  Liz placed her hand gently on his other arm. It surprised him, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I’m so glad we’re having this conversation.” She leaned back again and gave a relieved laugh. “I couldn’t believe they got engaged - didn’t know how I was going to get Kelly to think this through.” She turned to him hopefully. “I do like Cam, but if we’re in agreement, we might be able to get them to re-evaluate.”

  “I’m not suggesting anything drastic. Just ... slow down the whole wedding planning business.”

  Liz nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. How do they even have time? Cam’s in school and Kelly’s working two jobs right now. ”

  “Cam said she works at a gym in town?”

  “Yeah, gymnastics is her first love - that was the job that brought her to Clairmont. She started at the coffee shop because the gym wasn’t full time.” Liz sighed. “I don’t know which one demands more from her. I can’t imagine how she has time to think about a wedding.”

  Christopher smiled. Liz hadn’t talked that much all night.

  “What do we do?” she finally asked.

  He looked out of the window with a wry grin. “We get out of this car. The windows are ...” he shook his head. “Let me walk you to the door.”

  ***

  Liz was transported back to high school as she processed the foggy windows of Christopher’s vehicle. Not that she’d spent a lot of time steaming up the insides of cars, but it did look rather ... well, incriminating. She hoped no one from the inn happened to look out into the lot and see them. What a story that would make.

  She huddled inside her coat as they trudged carefully through the snow to the porch. “You really don’t have to get out of your warm car,” she said, her voice muffled through her scarf.

  “I’m sorry?” Christopher leaned close and took her arm as they walked up the steps. It wasn’t necessary, but it was kind of nice.

  Liz pulled her scarf down and smiled. “You shouldn’t have gotten out of your car. It’s freezing out here.”

  The corners of his mouth lifted and he shrugged. They reached the top of the steps.

  “And now you’re really in trouble,” she nodded behind him, her hands deep in her pockets. “Mistletoe.”

  Where had that come from? Steamy windows, Liz guessed as she made a production of stomping the snow off her boots. When she was sure she had a new layer from the porch firmly imbedded into her footwear, she looked up with what she hoped was a ‘back to business, we’re both adults here, just kidding about the kissing’ smile. She pulled her scarf back around her face for good measure.

  He looked at her with a smile that she hadn’t seen all night. Nothing big and showy, but there was an intensity to it that Liz found momentarily captivating. Then he gently pushed her scarf back and leaned down. She smiled and prepared for a nice, familial peck on the cheek.

  Christopher tipped her chin and kissed her lips.

  A moment later they pulled apart, both equally surprised.

  He cleared his throat.

  She shivered.

  “I probably shouldn’t have done that,” Christopher finally said.

  Liz stared at his lips. Simple as it was, she hadn’t been kissed like that in a very long time. She’d avoided the ‘good night date kiss’ like the plague. Pulling her eyes back to his, she noted with appreciation their deep, dark brown. Then his eyes dropped back to her lips. Her heart pounding, Liz found herself tipping up as he leaned forward.

  The door rattled and burst open.

  “Oh, right, hey! Just wanted to make sure I didn’t lock up early. Didn’t think I had - just heard voices. Anyway, yeah - I’ll just be inside.” Becky Jacobs grinned and backed into the house.

  Liz and Christopher stared at the door and then turned to each other.

  “Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Lunch with the kids, right?” Liz tried desperately to think past the kiss.

  “Yes, lunch with the kids.” Christopher hesitated, and Liz wondered if he’d been rocked, too. “I’ll see you then,” he finally said, and stepped out into the snow.

  Tuesday

  After a rather fitful night’s sleep, Liz woke to the sun pouring in through white lace curtains. She stretched and smiled, unaccountably happy despite not having slept well. She perched up on her elbows and took in her surroundings. The room was cozy; decorated in a nautical theme, anchors, primarily. She admired the antique dresser and desk, marveling at the impossibly delicate chair legs. A rocker with plump cushions occupied the coveted window spot, perfect for sitting with a cup of cocoa or tea. She determined to make that happen before she left. Sliding out of bed, she walked over to the window and drew the curtains aside. She squinted at the sun sparkling on the waves; the ocean was closer than she’d thought. She’d certainly missed that the evening before.

  A few minutes later, dressed in her ski gear, she made her way downstairs for breakfast. A rich coffee aroma complimented the unmistakable smell of bacon and something Liz couldn’t identify. She rarely ate more than oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, so whatever was in store was going to be a treat. She hoped that she and her daughter would ski long enough to work off some of the calories.

  Becky greeted her cheerfully. “Good morning, Ms. Michaels. Ready for coffee?”

  “Actually, I’m not so much of a coffee person. And please, call me Liz.”

  “Hot chocolate’s in here,” Becky offered, and at her nod, poured cocoa into a hearty stoneware mug for Liz. “We’ve also got tea-cups over there if you’d prefer.” She gestured to the sideboard where a variety of delicate antique cups hung on hooks.

  “Oh no, this is great,” Liz assured her.

  Becky smiled. “Help yourself to the muffins and scones while I whip up an omelet. What would you like in yours?”

  Her mouth watering at the prospect, Liz replied, “Well, the bacon smells wonderful. Pretty much anything else you add will be fine.”

  Becky nodded. “I’m on it. You’re welcome to relax in here, or feel free to come out to the kitchen. Less formal - more cheery.”

  “I’m on it,” Liz grinned, following with her mug. While she wasn’t sure what lay ahead, given Becky’s finding her and Christopher together the night before, she’d rather face the awkwardness and be done with it. Besides, she didn’t particularly want to be alone with her thoughts. Every time the kiss resurfaced, she’d had to scold herself for the silly smile that inevitably accompanied it. It had happened with alarming frequency during the relatively short time that she’d been awake.

  Sitting down on a bar stool at the counter, Liz took in the bright, airy kitchen. If she had a place like that to cook, she might actually enjoy the process.

  “So, do you and your sister own the inn?” she asked, hoping she wasn’t being too nosy. Small businesses and their operation always fascinated her. She knew that Maddy’s Inn was fairly new, and was curious about the back story.

  “Oh no,” Becky replied. “This is all my sister’s - Maddy’s, well, and her husband’s. She bought the place and they
renovated it together. Then they got married.” She grinned. “Maddy went from being a single woman in a dump to a married woman with two stepsons and this fabulous place, all in less than a year.”

  Liz smiled. “And what’s your role? If you don’t mind my asking?”

  “Well, I ran the inn while she went on her honeymoon last fall, and then stayed on while they got used to being a new family. I was between jobs,” she explained. “Then I got a teaching position at the high school here. Art,” she added with a smile. “Now I help out from time to time when Maddy and her crew are gone. Right now, they’re visiting my folks in Illinois for the holidays.”

  “Oh, you don’t get to go home?” Liz didn’t want to be the reason someone couldn’t be with family for Christmas.

  “It’s all good. My fiancé’s been traveling a lot, and he’s finally home for a few days, so we’ll get some time together while I’m helping out here.” A look of concern passed briefly over her features, and as quickly disappeared. “We’ve got a few couples spending the holidays, so it worked out well.” She sipped her coffee. “I had a nice visit with my folks at Thanksgiving, and they’re coming out here in February.”

  Liz nodded, relieved. “This is my first Christmas away from home in a long time. Feels strange to spend it in someone else’s house.” She sipped her cocoa and looked around the kitchen. “It’s a nice change, though, and this is a beautiful place to hide away.”

  “Yes, it is,” Becky agreed, giving the omelet a final turn. “Toast?”

  Liz considered the muffin in front of her. “Thanks, I’m good. I’ll have plenty of carbs for skiing.”

  “It’s a perfect day for it,” Becky replied, glancing out the window.

  “You might have another guest, if you have room,” Liz said, digging in. She didn’t particularly want to talk about Christopher’s brother while enjoying her wonderful breakfast, but figured Becky might as well know about the possibility. “By the way, this is amazing. Thanks again.”

  “Oh, you’re welcome,” Becky replied. “So, who’s checking in?”

  Liz tried to ignore the sparkle in Becky’s eyes. No doubt, she expected the mystery man from the evening before to be the guest. “My daughter, Kelly, just got engaged, and her fiancé’s uncle is in town. He expressed interest in staying out here.”

  “Really?” The sparkle continued to dance in Becky’s eyes. “Well, we definitely have room, so please tell him he’s more than welcome.”

  “It’s not what you might be thinking,” Liz said, deciding to come clean. There was no point in pretending that Becky hadn’t seen her and Christopher together. “The uncle isn’t ... well, the man you saw last evening ...” She set her fork down. “Okay, this is awkward, and you probably don’t even want to know ...”

  “Then you don’t know me very well,” Becky replied cheerfully. “Please, continue.”

  Liz smiled and shook her head. “Okay, so here’s the thing. My daughter, Kelly, you know her from the coffee shop, which is, of course, why I’m here ...”

  “Right. I love Kelly. Haven’t met her fiancé.”

  “That’s Cam. Nice guy, just met him myself. I have no problem with him, it’s just that Kelly only started dating him this summer and they’re already engaged.” It felt good to sort this out with someone. Liz hoped that Becky’s counter would be a safe place to do it.

  “That’s pretty quick,” Becky agreed.

  “Right. It’s not that I don’t trust my daughter - she’s got a good head on her shoulders - but she hasn’t really dated that much, and I think she’s just been swept off her feet.” Liz shook her head again. “Anyway, I’d hoped to spend our Christmas visit helping her slow down and re-evaluate. I got in last night and found out that they’re engaged. I feel like I’ve missed my opportunity.”

  “Well, they don’t have to get married right away. Apparently, that’s a thing,” Becky said with less than her usual cheery air.

  “Personal experience?” Liz asked gently.

  “Yes, but we can cover that later. Your problem, first.”

  Liz smiled, enjoying Becky more by the minute. “Right, maybe we can help each other?”

  “I’m banking on it. So, delaying the wedding ...”

  “Right. That’s what I’m aiming for. I’d hoped to talk to Cam’s dad about it - see if we could work together to get the kids to think this through. We spent the evening playing Trivia at the shop,” she explained. “He didn’t really say much.”

  “And?”

  Liz swallowed. “And then he offered to drop me off.”

  “Ahhhh.”

  “Yeah. I don’t even know what happened. I mean, I’m not blind, he’s a very good-looking guy, and there is something to the challenge of drawing someone like him out.” She shivered despite the cozy kitchen and the hot cocoa. “I found myself drawn to him throughout the evening, but you know how that happens when someone is absolutely off limits. Suddenly, you can think of nothing else, and all rationality goes out the window.”

  “Yeah, I was never very rational when it came to men,” Becky admitted. “Got to the point where I even swore them off forever, but then Tank came along.”

  Liz smiled. “Tank? The fiancé?”

  Becky smiled, big. “Yeah. Tank the fiancé.” Then her face fell. “But he’s never here. He keeps bugging me to plan a wedding but he’s never around long enough to make it happen. His life is just too crazy right now.”

  “What does he do?”

  “He’s a former pro football player - had to retire due to a series of concussions.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah. I didn’t know him while he played, met him afterwards when he was recovering.”

  Liz nodded and waited for her to continue.

  “He was going to teach at the high school and help coach football, but then everyone started wanting him to come and speak about the concussion thing and how it affects players, blah, blah, blah ...” Becky sighed. “I mean, I know it’s important, but suddenly, he’s Mr. Concussion Expert, and everyone wants a piece of him, and, well, we have a life, too, and it’s all on hold.”

  “That’s tough. I’m sorry.”

  “And now I’ve derailed your story, and we agreed that we were helping you first.” Becky got up to refill her cocoa. “So, where were we? Oh, right, the whole impossible attraction thing.”

  “Yeah.” Liz thought for a moment, switching gears. “I didn’t think anything would come of it, then we were standing under the mistletoe, and ...”

  “Wow, this is complicated,” Becky agreed with a grin that belied any true concern.

  Liz put her head in her hands. “I know! The kiss shouldn’t have been a big deal, and maybe it wouldn’t have been, but there was that moment when we both considered a second go to see if the first one was as amazing as it seemed ...”

  “And I interrupted.”

  Liz smiled wryly. “Yeah, and a good thing, too.”

  “I don’t know,” Becky replied, considering the possibilities. “Maybe another kiss might have made you realize that it was just a fluke.”

  “I keep telling myself that.”

  “On the other hand,” Becky’s voice clearly indicated which option she favored, “this might be the real thing, and you can’t fight that.”

  “Oh, yes I can,” Liz said with determination. “I have to. How can I help my daughter slow down her engagement if I fall for her father-in-law-to-be within hours of meeting him? And don’t even get me started on how bizarre it would be to have a parallel generational ... thing going on.”

  “Yeah, weird,” Becky agreed. “Too bad, huh?” She added more cream to her coffee. “So, what’s up with the uncle?”

  Liz rubbed her eyes. “Well, I think he’s pretty harmless.” She looked up. “He kept hitting on me last night, and he thinks it would be great fun to hang out here together.”

  “Oh, too bad we’re full, huh?”

 
Liz smiled. She liked having Becky on her side. “I wouldn’t ask you to keep him out. Maybe just run interference occasionally?”

  Becky regarded her for a moment. “Absolutely,” she replied, the sparkle back in her eyes. “It’ll be fun.”

  ***

  Cross-country skiing was a perfect way to clear her head, and the scenery along the wooded trail that Kelly had chosen was breathtaking. Liz managed to stay on her her skis for most of the ninety minute hike through the woods. Kelly zipped along like the natural athlete she was and Liz envied her agility.

  They neared an open area where they could ski side by side, and Liz decided it was time to talk. “Hey, slow down a little!”

  Kelly looked back with a grin and slowed her pace. “It wasn’t that long ago that I was trying to keep up with you, Mom. What happened?” she teased.

  “It was a very long time ago,” Liz assured her. “I haven’t matched your speed since you were in eighth grade.”

  Kelly laughed. “And I’m the one with the short legs.”

  “Slightly shorter - way, way stronger,” Liz pointed out. “I’m determined to do more cross-country this year. The down hill’s great, but I don’t have to work so hard; just control my fall.”

  Kelly grinned. “So, what do you think about Cam? Pretty cool, huh?”

  Grateful for the opening, Liz replied, “He seems very nice.”

  “Nice ... I was hoping you’d be more impressed,” Kelly countered.

  “Well, I’ve hardly talked to him,” Liz reminded her. “I’ll have opportunity this week, obviously, though I wasn’t prepared to be getting to know my future son-in-law.”

  “I know. Pressure, right?” Kelly was quick, almost frantic to respond. “But you’ll love him. He’s so focused - really knows what he wants to do and how to get there. He’s a hard worker, Mom. You’ll see.”

  Liz understood why the work ethic was important. Had Kelly’s dad been more motivated, their marriage might have ended differently. Still, building a life with someone involved a lot more than a good work ethic. Liz hadn’t really seen a significant spark with Cam the night before. In fact, she’d sensed more of a connection between her daughter and Drew.