Poised above the tree, hovering in mid-air, a white apparition of light appeared. Her blond hair circled with a garland of white beads; her silk wings outstretched and ribbed with the same pattern of beads that rimmed the neckline of her full-flowing gown. Handmade, delicate, lace and netting overlay her gown and formed the sleeves of her dress. In her right hand she held a gold staff, topped with a gold star, and from it sprang thin gold filaments that held tiny stars at each end.
“Can I make a wish?” Matt asked with his voice full of excitement.
“That's on evening stars,” she reminded him.
He pointed. “She's got bunches of stars."
“Okay, but don't tell me, or it won't come true.” From the sad expression on his face, she imagined she knew Matt's wish. He probably missed his father and wanted him back in his life.
He turned to her and took her hand. “You make one."
Looking up at the angelic face topping the tree, she wished that Matt would have the father he wanted so badly, one who would love him and spend time with him, totally disregarding that he'd also be a husband to her.
Katherine swallowed hard and stared at the perfect being depicted by the porcelain figure. She felt in her heart that somehow this Christmas would be special. “Yes, Matt, she's perfect.” Katherine retrieved the box containing the angel from the shelf. “And she's ours."
* * * *
Jared couldn't keep his eyes off Katherine as she made her way toward Santa's North Pole Station. A strand of black hair fell casually across her cheek, bringing his attention to her flashing, jade eyes and her parted lips tinted with a pink lipstick called.-? Well, if the shade she wore wasn't called ‘tantalizing’ it should be, because it tantalized him to no end, wondering what it might be like to kiss her.
A smile tugged at his lips watching her head his way. Skillfully dodging a toddler, Katherine held large bags in both hands and carried on a conversation with Matt, who wore an infectious grin. A tall overweight man turned a corner too sharply and plowed into her, almost knocking her backwards. Jared's hands fisted when the jerk placed his beefy arms around Katherine. After a brief nod and a smile at the buffoon, she continued through the minefield, jabbering to Matt like nothing happened.
She wore casual black slacks, flats and a blue crewneck sweater peaked from the collar of her blazer. The snug outfit reminded him of her perfectly proportioned figure.
A new line of expectant children, laughing, crying, screaming and wetting, drew his attention from Katherine and Matt. He glanced up after some time and saw Matt make his way to the head of the line. He came forward and sat on Jared's lap. Katherine smiled and waved from the sidelines.
“Ho-ho-ho. Have you been a good boy this year?"
Matt nodded, his eyes flickering with excitement.
Jared smiled. “And what do you want Santa to bring you, little boy?"
He grabbed a handful of Jared's white beard none too gently, causing Jared to lean forward. “I knew you wouldn't remember. I told Mom you wouldn't remember me ‘cause I'm at Grandma's for Christmas. Mom thinks I'm special, so there's no way you could forget me, but she's wrong.” His brows furrowed. “Do you need me to go over what I want again?"
Prying Matt's fingers from his beard, Jared tried to diffuse his blunder and remove the hurt he saw in Matt's eyes. “Matt, I haven't forgotten you."
His mouth rounded. “You remembered my name."
“Of course I do. I have elves around the world that help me keep up with where kids live so we don't goof up any of the orders. I thought you might have forgotten something when you told me the first time. Do you want to add to your list?"
Matt shook his head and put his arm around Jared's shoulder. Pressing his chubby legs further up the padded Santa belly, Matt leaned close and whispered in his ear. “Can you do something for grownups, or you only help us kids?"
Jared furrowed his glued-on white bushy eyebrows. “I specialize in kids, because they're the ones who ask for help each year, but I can help grownups, too. They never ask. Do you want me to help some grownup?” He gazed at Katherine, who smiled at them from the sidelines again. A vivid picture of her on his lap flashed into his mind.
Placing his finger over his own lips, Matt said, “Shhh. It's a secret. Mom would never ask for your help, but she needs it."
“Okay, it's a secret,” Jared whispered back, excited to hear how he could help Katherine. “What can I do for your Mom?"
“Bring her a baby."
Chapter Four
Jared's mouth dropped open. Matt can't mean what I think he means. There are baby dogs, cats, horses and baby dolls-an endless list of what a kid could mean. And they all frolicked playfully in his mind. He leaned closer. “What kind of baby?"
“I don't think Mom would be choosy, so a boy or a girl baby would be fine. Just born, you know. Not old, like me."
Jared swallowed hard, his heart moving into his throat. Okay, big mouth, you got yourself into this mess, you should never have said Santa helps grownups, too. How do you get yourself out of it, without letting Matt down and really disillusioning him about this whole Santa thing? “A real baby? Why would you think your mom wants a real baby? Did she tell you she wanted one?"
Matt shook his head again. “I'm smart. I figured out what Mom needs by myself. She cries sometimes, and I heard Grandma say last night that I'd be growing up and leaving so Mom wouldn't have anyone. Mom told Grandma that she dreams of babies. I want her to have a baby so she won't cry, or be alone."
Jared glanced at Katherine. So, her mother was pressuring her to marry again. All the more reason to stay away from Katherine. He was not in the market for a wife. Well, he knew that telling Matt it would be a long time before he grew up and left wouldn't solve this dilemma completely. He cleared his throat in as Santa-like way as possible. “But, Matt, in order for your mom to get a baby, she'd need to be married. How about your father?"
Matt frowned. “Can't we have a new dad? He's the one that made her cry, and I don't think he likes either of us very much."
Jared felt the heat in his face as his jaw muscle worked. He could understand Matt's dad not liking Katherine. Hell, they were divorced, and one of the ‘Ten Commandments of Divorce’ seemed to say: “Don't like your ex.” Or at least from all the bad-mouthing his client's did, that seemed true to him.
He knew kids of divorce often thought the divorce was due to them, and that the more-absent parent didn't like them. But why would Matt think his father didn't like him? “Why would you say your dad doesn't like you, Matt?"
“He calls and cancels our visits. Besides, I can tell. I feel it.” Matt pointed to his own heart.
Jared tightened his arm around Matt's shoulder. So, that's how it is. Damn. Okay, now you know. What are you going to do about it, Santa? He moved Matt to his other knee. Think, Jared. Think. “Matt, it takes nine months to have a baby."
“Are you sure? Jimmy's mom had one, and she went to the hospital and got it in a day."
Jared tried not to laugh, but smiled at him instead. “Jimmy's mom carried the baby inside her for nine months before they went to the hospital to have the baby. It really takes nine months. Santa wouldn't lie to you about something like that.” Jared watched as Matt stared over his padded Santa shoulder for a moment, scrunching his forehead-deep in thought. Oh, hell. You said the baby was inside. Please don't let Matt ask if Jimmy's mom swallowed the baby, or how it got inside to begin with. Jared felt sweat roll down his back, waiting for Matt's response.
“It does?"
Jared nodded, praying it would end there.
“How long does it take to start one?"
Wonderful. Jared stared through the wisps of cobwebby eyebrows glumly. It would have been better if the boy had stuck with “inside.” Now he had moved on to “start one." Jared chuckled. “Not long, but it takes two grownups to start a baby, Matt, a man and a woman, and both grownups need to be willing to have a baby.” At least that's how it's supposed to work, he thou
ght, and felt the muscles tighten along his spine. He shifted again, trying to avoid the uneasy and unexpected tension. Which was the reason he'd never have a child, he supposed. Not even one as special as Matt. He never could imagine a woman he could make that kind of commitment with.
Matt grabbed his beard again and almost yanked it off. Jared held a death grip on the part still attached to his ears and face. “You're Santa. You gotta do something to talk her into it for her own good."
Jared groaned. You're digging your grave a little deeper. A vivid picture of Katherine shooting him when he tried to explain why they needed to sleep together flashed before his eyes. When Jared said, “We need to start a baby,” a bullet from her pistol lodged in his groin. Jared, you are a dead man if you breathe one word of this to Katherine.
He took a deep breath, held it, exhaled and slowly dislodged Matt's tight fingers from his Santa beard again. He glanced at Katherine and shook his head. Man-oh-man, he wanted to help Matt. But from the way Katherine acted around him, her husband must have really done a number on her. He could think of only one solution-talk Matt into something less drastic than Katherine starting a baby.
“Matt, do you know what I think your mother really needs?"
“What?"
The trusting expression on Matt's face made Jared realize the awesome responsibility he had to get this right. “I think she cries because she's lonesome for someone her own age to have fun with-what grownups call dates. All she needs to do is date. If it works out, they'll get married, you'll have a new dad, and later on your mom can have those babies she wants."
Matt scratched his head. “You really think it'll work?"
Jared nodded. If Matt saw his mom dating a couple of times, and happy, even though he had no idea how he could pull that off with that jittery woman, Matt would think Santa had kept his promise. It was a win-win situation. Would it work? It had better. Because he sure as hell wouldn't get Katherine pregnant so Matt would still believe in Santa.
He looked at the domed-skylight above the mall atrium feeling trapped by his own big mouth. If I ever get so dumb as to play Santa again, shoot me dead, or zap me with a bolt of merciful lightning.
Reaching into the bag by his chair, he removed the mistletoe he'd bought to hang from the mirror in his truck. He needed all the help he could get with Katherine. “Shhh. This is our little secret, Matt. Give this mistletoe to your grandma and tell her you got it from Santa. She'll know what to do with it."
Matt hugged Jared, grabbed the mistletoe and stuffed it into his pocket. “It's a love potion,” Matt whispered. “I learned about love potions from TV.” He grinned, his eyes flickering once again with excitement. “I knew you wouldn't let me down, Santa."
* * * *
Katherine spotted Mrs. Taylor, the ‘birthday-lady', as they entered the party. “Are you sure pants are appropriate for a dance at a church?” Katherine asked, stowing her and Matt's coats on a back table. She looked down at the pale, blue-beaded, mohair cardigan that hugged the knees of her satin drawstring pants. “I should have worn a dress.” Tightening the backs of her pearl earrings, she shifted her weight from one heel to the other.
Her mother smiled. “Stop fidgeting, dear. It's Saturday night, not Sunday morning. Pants are fine and you look lovely in them. Besides this birthday party is very casual.” She glanced at Katherine's outfit, moved closer, and whispered, “Your beads sparkle like starlight, so does your headband. You'll turn some heads tonight whether you're ready for a social life or not."
Katherine blushed and stared down at the winking beads that reflected the candlelight flickering from the centerpieces. She inhaled the heady scent of cranberry that filled the room. Great, I look like I'm wearing a flashing neon sign that says, “I'm available." Frowning, she straightened the clasp on the pearls her mother wore. One good thing-it couldn't be classified as a real date if Jared did show up at the dance and feign any interest in her.
“Did you see the size of Matt's eyes when you set your potato salad on the buffet table and he spotted that multi-tiered chocolate cake?” Her mother chuckled and waved to Mrs. Taylor, whose trusty camera sat poised in front of her at the head table.
The DJ announced nostalgic music had been requested for the program, rather than traditional Christmas music. Katherine smiled, recognizing her mother and father's favorite song. The heart rendering refrains of “Love Me Tender” flowed from the turntable of the stereo and voices of people dancing on the hardwood floor and milling around the room joined in to sing the beautiful words. She glanced at her mother, knowing the waterworks would start any minute. Reaching into her beaded bag, she retrieved a tissue, and pressed it into her mother's palm.
Her mother stood in a lovely floral dress, dabbing at the corners of her eyes. “I love old movies and old songs, don't you? They don't write them like they used to.” She looked up and grinned like the cat that swallowed the pet canary.
Turning to see what her mother looked so thrilled about, Katherine's gaze rested on a charcoal and blue-striped silk tie nestled against a light, blue shirt. Her gaze climbed up to a dimpled, clean-shaven chin and stopped at a full mouth, which wore an inviting smile that ignited warmth deep in her stomach. Her mouth went dry and her tongue licked her lips. Finally lifting her eyes the rest of the way, she met a smoldering blue gaze. Her voice failed her, and she exhaled a sigh of relief when her mother broke the heady spell.
“Jared, I'm so glad you could make it."
His smile broadened, and that irresistible dimple in his right cheek deepened. “Ladies, you look beautiful.” He glanced down at Matt, who sported dress pants and a shirt. “You look real grown up tonight, pal."
Matt giggled.
“I was beginning to think my daughter wouldn't have anyone but old folks to dance with tonight, Jared."
Dance? She tried to think of some way to avoid Jared holding her in his arms. One thing she knew-her body didn't want to cooperate with her mind tonight. Her mind kept reminding her, ‘He's cut from the same cloth as Paul, and you know how that ended.’ Her body kept shouting, I don't care. And from the way his gaze inventoried the length of her body, he knew the attraction burning in the atmosphere around them. A burning his blue eyes said he wanted to ignite.
Relief flooded Katherine's mind when Mrs. Taylor approached them with her camera to capture her celebration on film. Everyone wished her a happy birthday. Mrs. Taylor took a picture of Katherine's mother and Matt. “Jared, stand next to Katherine, so I can get a picture of the two of you."
Katherine's body stiffened. She rotated her shoulders to relieve the tension.
“I swear. Young folks today don't know how to have a good time. Pretend you like one another, and you're having fun at my birthday party.” She orchestrated the picture she wanted. “Jared, wrap your arm around Katherine's waist and lean in close. Katherine, don't look so sour, dear."
She swallowed hard. Jared's hand touched her, felt its way around her waist, inched past her back and held her. He pulled her against his firm, warm body.
“Say cheese!"
She'd like to scream ‘Help’ instead and stop the emotions his touch aroused. Emotions she hadn't felt in years. Emotions she tried to fight. Looking straight at the lens, she forced a smile and inhaled slowly as the camera exploded before her eyes. As red dots floated in her horizon, Jared released her abruptly and she shuddered at the sudden chill. Mrs. Taylor smiled and moved on to some other unsuspecting scrapbook memory.
Grabbing Matt's hand, her mother strolled toward the tables. “I think I'll save us a spot and sit with Matt while you and Jared fix our plates."
Katherine's mouth flew open. Her mother intended for Jared to join them at their table.
Turning to face her, his gaze held hers fast. His finger pressed underneath her chin and closed her mouth then moved back-and-forth leisurely across her bottom lip. “Grace is putting you in a bad spot again. I hate fix-ups, too. I won't share another meal with you and your family unless I'm welcome
by everyone.” He removed his hand from her face and waited.
The tingling aftershocks of his touching her mouth made her blush. How could she explain to Matt that she refused to let Jared eat at their table because she didn't trust herself with him? Let alone how to tell Jared that he made her all jumpy? How could she punish either of them like that? Besides, what could possibly happen with Matt and her mother as chaperones? “Let's hit the buffet. You're welcome to eat with my family."
“Hey, Jared.” A beautiful leggy blond tottered up behind him in the buffet line. She stood in navy heels, her sparkling V-neck dress drawing attention to her breasts. Bending slightly, she stuffed a piece of paper in his pants pocket. “My new number. I figured that's why you never called after that night we were together,” she said in a sultry whisper.
He turned and gave her the once over as her slender body slithered away. Jared glanced at Katherine, smiled and shrugged.
Katherine jerked her head around to the buffet table to avoid looking at his Don Juan-type grin. Adding a dinosaur sized turkey leg to one of the plates, she turned to Jared and shoved a napkin in his hand. “Matt has trouble with drool, too."
She'd bet her life Jared didn't even remember Miss Busty's name. If she didn't write it along with her phone number, he'd have no idea the identity of the woman who had propositioned him with a second one-night stand.
His eyes lit with mischief. “I never claimed to be a saint, Katherine-just a red-blooded, one-hundred-percent careful male."
Jerk, she wanted to add. Ignoring him, she concentrated on shoving dressing, candied sweet potatoes, cranberry salad mold and yeast rolls onto plates. His hand reached out and held hers still. Cranberries dripped over the sides of the over-stuffed plates onto the table. She blushed, grabbed paper napkins and cleaned up the excess.
Taking the soiled napkins from her, Jared retrieved the crumpled paper the ditzy-blond shoved in his pocket. He added it to the pile and threw the whole mess away. “Katherine, I didn't ask for her phone number. She approached me, remember?"
The Mistletoe Affair Page 5