The Mistletoe Affair

by Judith Gilbert

  The sound of her palm connecting with his face sounded like thunder.

  Chapter Eight

  Katherine couldn't believe Paul had come over to see Matt so early the next morning. Her mother seemed to derive enjoyment from Paul's arrogant mood at the breakfast table. Looking at him over a forkful of pancakes, Katherine frowned. She would like to do what her mother had suggested the minute he showed up-toss him out the backdoor-headfirst.

  “What do you mean Mr. Randall's taking you to buy Christmas presents?” Paul asked Matt. Without waiting for a reply, he turned to her, his voice rising in volume. “You want to explain?"

  She opened her mouth then closed it around the delicious pancakes. Withdrawing the fork, she took her time savoring the rich maple taste. “I'm sorry,” she murmured with a bright smile, “were you yelling something at me?” She sipped her coffee.

  His steel-gray eyes showed irritation, but he lowered his voice to a reasonable decibel level. “Would you please tell me why Matt is going Christmas shopping with Jared Randall?"

  Putting her cup down, she glanced at Matt, who shoved the last bite of ham into his mouth. She smiled at him. “Why don't you brush your teeth, while your dad and I discuss a few things? I laid clothes on the bed for you to wear. I'll be up soon to help with the buttons."

  Wearing what could have passed for a smirk on her lips, her mother forked another pancake from the stack while Matt left the table and trotted up the stairs.

  Paul's gaze followed Matt and grimaced. “I should have waited until he was out of earshot."

  Katherine nodded. “Matt wants to go with Jared."

  Paul viciously sliced his ham with his knife, grating the metal against the china plate. “The boy's six-years-old, for Pete's sake. Stop babying him. He needs to learn he can't have what he wants all the time.” Pushing and slicing again, his knife sailed and landed beside her plate.

  She shoved her shoulder blades back and took a deep breath. “Matt's five. He'll be six January eleventh. And I think you've already taught him he can't have what he wants every time you cancelled visits.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “Jared's taking Matt to the nearby mall to buy a few gifts, including a present for you."

  His jaw tightened and the angles of his cheekbones sharpened. He tossed his fork and napkin onto the plate, reached into his pocket and withdrew his money clip. “For Matt,” he said, taking a deep breath and throwing a fifty-dollar bill in front of her.

  Picking up the money, she moved it back over to Paul's place mat. “That won't be necessary."

  His lips compressed into a thin line. “Is this another one of those lessons you're trying to teach me, like the pendant?"

  “No,” she said, and glanced to the side.

  Her mother's ears seemed to grow two inches.

  Katherine coughed. “You can use your money to take Matt shopping another day-just the two of you. A father and son outing. Today, Matt will be spending money he's earned, and Jared wants to make up any difference."

  Paul snarled. “I bet he does. He's using Matt to get to you. We both know what he really wants."

  “And what's wrong with another man wanting my daughter?"

  Their heads snapped in the direction of her mother. Katherine glanced back at Paul. He sat inert, apparently stunned into silence.

  “Bound to happen sooner or later to a beautiful, highly successful, divorced woman like Katherine.” Devil lights flashed in her mother's eyes. “Guess she has two men chasing her now. And plenty of time to decide if she wants one. Or none."

  Katherine passed Paul's stunned state and now entered her own catatonic state. Inside, though, her mind was anything but quiescent. Images of two men raced by, one a GQ photo-shoot perfect male with steel-gray eyes and jet-black hair, and another a rugged Fabio look-alike, muscular male with lush, dark blond hair and baby-blues deep enough to dive straight into and drown.

  “Katherine, I'm talking to you. Are you listening? Earth to Katherine."

  Her attention focused on GQ-she shook her head-Paul.

  He took a sip of his coffee, keeping his focus on her. “Your mother's right. It's unreasonable of me not to expect someone else to want you. You're beautiful, successful, desirable-and a wonderful mother to Matt."

  Who, me?

  “Don't forget divorced,” her mother added.

  Paul plunked his cup down. The saucer clanged. “I'm jealous. Plain, old-fashioned jealous. I'll go shopping by myself for a few items. I don't want to be here when he picks up Matt.” Paul pushed his chair back and stood. “I really am trying, but you aren't cutting me any slack, Katherine. Not one bit."

  He stomped across the room. She jumped when the front door slammed.

  Her mother reached and patted her hand. “Well, I think that went very well, even if I do say so.” Katherine stared. “Now tell me about what you did last night, this pendant thing."

  * * * *

  Jared laughed at the size of Matt's eyes when he saw the front of the Houston Galleria. He knew Matt would enjoy the enormous Texas-size shopping mall a lot better than the small local one he had intended to take him to. Katherine had agreed with Jared's change of plans when he picked Matt up, and she told them to have a good time.

  “It's so big!"

  “Yeah. There are two hotels, business offices, shops and restaurants galore."

  They walked through the entrance. Thousands of shoppers scurried within the dome like mice frantically spinning on wheels. Jared and Matt held hands and joined the crowds hurrying from one store to another store.

  “What's that?” Matt pointed to a group of couples swirling around in a big open area in the middle of the mall. “They got boots on, and there's a humongous Christmas tree."

  Jared knelt beside him. “It's an ice skating rink."

  Matt's face set in determination. “I wanna learn to do that."

  “We'll talk to your mom.” Jared stood. “Maybe the three of us could come and try it sometime."

  Matt clapped his hands, his gaze swinging from right to left. Christmas music echoed throughout the mall. Every store was decked with snow scenes, Christmas lights and sale signs, which served like a feeding frenzy to the myriad of shoppers.

  “We gonna go to all these stores?” He turned around and around in circles. His shoes scraped across the marble with each movement. He started tilting on an angle and stumbled backwards with his arms splayed out.

  Jared placed his hands on Matt's shoulders and slowed him down. “Whoa there, pal. You'll get dizzy and fall."

  Matt giggled. “You got dizzy when I went around and around, didn't you?"

  He winked and ruffled Matt's dark hair. “You found me out, pal. Now, about all these stores. I don't think we can see three hundred in one day. We'll shop until we drop though. Maybe we'll get to-oh, I don't know-two hundred and ninety-nine?"

  Matt shook his head and doubled over in laughter. “No way. You're funny."

  “You think so, huh?"

  When Matt finally stopped laughing, Jared said, “Okay, here's the real plan. First, let's get the gifts then have lunch. After that, if you want to look around some more, we will. How's that sound?"

  “Cool!"

  Matt grabbed Jared's hand and pulled him toward the escalator. Once they reached the second level, they fought their way through the crowds and trudged to the retail stores.

  “Do you have any idea what you'd like to give your mom?"

  “No, sir, but I'll know it when I see it. It's out there, and I'll find it.” His small, tousled jet-black hair nodded firmly.

  Thirty-minutes and three stores later, Jared wondered about the wisdom of letting Matt ramble around the aisles in search of his Holy Grail. Maybe the boy needed some hints from a grown up.

  Passing through the lingerie section of one of the department stores, Jared stopped and stared at a red teddy on a floor mannequin. Matt ambled ahead, intent on a stack of silvery Christmas ornaments. The sign beside the sexy display promised a silky, se
nsual feel of satin that hugged the body. Jared pictured Katherine's full figured curves surrounded with nothing but this sheer, wispy fabric. He fingered the folds of the material.

  “Hey, Matt, come back here."

  Matt turned, strolled up the aisle and stood beside Jared.

  He shook his head. “Nope. Mom hates red ones. I saw her cut one up and throw it in the trash."

  Jared's face heated. He searched a nearby clothes rack. Finding an innocent looking flannel nightshirt with a matching robe, he held it up for Matt's approval.

  He shook his head again. “Do they got worms here?"

  Jared's jaw dropped. “Worms? For your mom?"

  “Not live ones. Mom won't fish with anything but plastic."

  Okay, why hadn't he thought of that? He remembered seeing the pictures of Katherine fishing with her dad. No wonder he hadn't thought of it; she looked to be about five or six-years old in those photos. “Some of these stores are bound to carry a sports section with camping and fishing gear. Let's find one, pal."

  Two stores later, they hit pay dirt. Jared stood in avid fisherman's territory-his territory. Thank God for a woman with more in her head than bangles and stocks and bonds. He picked up a fly-fishing rod, gently testing its flexibility. A woman he could fish with.

  Matt seemed as eager to set his mother in the middle of a stream as Jared. State-of-the-art fishing rods and reels, hooks, sinkers, red and white corks, and colorful flies and lures formed a domed pile on the register counter. Above the mound, Jared could see the clerk's frantic eyes as she scanned each item, ran out of shopping bags and had to borrow some from the other register.

  “Can I really buy all this?” Matt asked, his gaze glued to the conveyor belt at the cash register.

  “Sure."

  Jared watched them ring up the items they'd selected for Katherine, all charged to his Platinum credit card.

  They made a mini-trip to the parking lot with their shopping bags, rather than lug them around the mall.

  “How come you know so much about fishing stuff?” Matt asked, his arms almost dragging on the ground as he pulled a small set of bags toward the car.

  “Because I own a boat and take it out at least once a month.” Jared grabbed the largest bag Matt was struggling with.

  Matt grinned up at him and let go. He angled a skeptical look Jared's way. “Think you could talk my Mom into going? She used to fish with Grandpa a lot."

  Jared shrugged. “Maybe. Of course, I won't be going out again for quite some time, but if she's still visiting your grandma when I do, I might ask her along."

  After stowing the gear in the Lexus and taking a bathroom break, they began hunting a gift for Grace. Jared withdrew the list of sizes Katherine had provided from his jeans’ pocket, reviewed them and shoved them back in. Placing his hands on his hips, he eyed Matt carefully. “Any ideas for your grandma's gift?"

  Matt's head moved in a bouncing bob. “Something green. Her favorite color is green. Pajamas, maybe. I think I'll-"

  “Know them, when you see them,” Jared finished.

  Matt giggled.

  One hour and five stores later, they stood in another lingerie section.

  “That's it,” Matt said, pointing to the voluptuous blond mannequin modeling satin lime-sherbet pajamas with a rather risqué ‘Fly-Away front’ slit. Jared couldn't see Grace wearing anything so daring, but Matt felt confident his grandma would love them, so onto the Platinum credit card they went.

  Matt wanted to have the thing wrapped, so they located Customer Service. Of course, Matt selected the most colorful Holiday paper available. It matched Matt's personality-bright, and full of life. Curse Paul if he would ruin this little boy through neglect. Jared's subsequent frown was directed at the innocent woman wrapping the gift, who looked startled at his sudden scowl. He dropped his gaze and kept the frown.

  Despite Jared's sudden turn of mood, Matt became a great hit with the women at the gift-wrapping station. They double bowed his package and let him have the most expensive paper without charging extra.

  After placing Grace's present in the car, they decided to sit on one of the benches and watch the skaters for awhile.

  “Have you ever seen so many windows and lights?” Matt asked, laying on the bench and staring up at the ceiling.

  Jared's gaze followed Matt's. “It's a glass-covered atrium. The way it fans out makes it seem to stretch for miles and miles above us. If you look carefully, sometimes you can see a rainbow."

  “I see one,” Matt pointed. “Right there.” His voice rose with excitement. “Do you see it?"

  He nodded. “I see it, too."

  Jared's stomach growled, reminding him of his liquid breakfast, the bitter coffee he had drunk alone in his empty, echoing house. He glanced at his watch. “It's almost one o'clock. You ready for some lunch?"

  Matt nodded and they made their way to the maze of restaurants dotting the Galleria. “What do you feel like eating?"

  The boy grew quiet for awhile, staring at one establishment after another. “Can I have s'ghetti? The kind that's red."

  “Italian it is,” Jared said and took him to a small café.

  The hostess showed them to a booth. A young, pretty waitress handed them a menu.

  Holding the pen and paper, the waitress smiled a slow, seductive smile. She dashed something across her pad, ripped the sheet off and handed it to him. A glance proved his suspicions-she'd passed him her name and phone number.

  “You see anything you want, just call this and let me know.” She grinned.

  Jared's face heated. He glanced at Matt, but his nose was buried in the menu. Perhaps the boy hadn't noticed. “I'll let you know when we're ready to order.” Jared let out a deep breath as the waitress walked away.

  Matt's face lifted out of the sauce-stained menu. His eyes followed her. He turned to Jared. “You think she's pretty?"

  Like instant radar, the waitress stopped, listening to their conversation. Jared coughed, and looked down to avoid the brown eyes that turned and cut his way. That's how it always starts. A certain look, an exchange of information leading to a date, progressing all the way to bed. He tore the piece of paper to shreds and laid it on the table. “Yes."

  “Prettier than my mom?"

  He thought about Katherine and the pure pleasure of holding her and kissing her lightly on the cheek. The heat he had felt when he drew her into his arms and pressed her sweet body against his. Her forehead had rested on his shoulder, but he'd never forget the desire reflected in those jade eyes.

  “No, your mom's far more beautiful."

  Matt grinned from ear-to-ear. “I think so, too. She'll get lots of dates and marry one of the dates. My friend Jimmy said that's how it works. His mom dated five men, and she's married again. And she isn't half as pretty as my mom."

  Smiling a little too warmly at Jared, the waitress returned, and took their orders. Within fifteen minutes, she had delivered their meal.

  The lobster Jared swallowed threatened to swim upstream. He didn't like the idea of Katherine dating another man, let alone five. His hand fisted on his lap. But that's what he wanted, wasn't it? For Katherine to date, get married and for Matt to have a new dad.

  After feeding Matt half his lobster and cleaning up spaghetti sauce everywhere a five-year-old could possibly get it, they headed off to buy Matt's dad a present. Jared grimaced. What do you get a two-timing, low-life like Paul Cahill? “You have any ideas about what you want to get your dad?"

  “No, sir."

  “Well,” Jared said looking over Matt's head at the colorful men's shop behind him. “You'll know it when you see it."

  “I don't think so."

  The mumble brought his gaze back down. He peered carefully at Matt's bent head. “You don't, huh?"

  “No. I don't know Dad too well.” He paused. “Anymore."

  “Ahhhh.” Jared exhaled, disguising his scowl by dragging his hand over his face. Damn Paul!

  One half hour and four
stores later, Matt suddenly cried out: “That's it!” He pointed to a mannequin wearing a gaudy shirt and tie. Jared tried not to laugh. If Matt picked it out for him, he'd be proud to wear it. But no way would a man like Paul be found dead in a paisley shirt and white tie.

  Jared beamed. “Perfect."

  Matt scrambled around the shelves looking for his last gift. He located the shirt. Jared helped with the correct size, and unable to locate any similar ties among the racks, took the tie off the mannequin.

  Halfway up an aisle loaded with toys, a talking book caught and held Matt's attention. He knelt down and pulled it off the shelves. Staring out the store window, Jared had a clear view of the hotel lobby next door. An entirely different scene caught and held his attention.

  Damn him to hell and back.

  Paul Cahill stepped out of the posh hotel elevator. A blonde bimbo was glued to his side. He reached the exit and the woman locked lips with him, grinding her hips against his. Paul pulled her arms from his neck and palmed her rear-end before turning and leaving the hotel.

  You lying piece of shit.

  Jared held Matt's attention by way of a series of ridiculous knock-knock jokes until his Dad moved completely out of sight. Adding Matt's book to Paul's gifts, they headed to the cash register.

  They talked about storing Katherine's gifts at Jared's house until they were wrapped and ready for the tree. Disguising them would take a bit of work. Matt didn't want her guessing what he had bought for her.

  The whole time, Jared's head was spinning in a strange way. Should he tell Katherine? Walking with Matt back to the Lexus, he couldn't shake the image of Paul and the clinging-blonde. He weighed his options as they drove home.

  If he did tell her, would she believe him? Why should she?

  On the other hand, Katherine had the right to know her ex-husband was a two-timing liar.

  But did Jared have the right to tell her? It might hurt her less if the information came from Paul. Still, Jared mused as he angled the car through dense, erratic traffic, would a man like Paul actually tell Katherine?