With a new determination to face her challenge the next day, and understand her heart, she went up to the roof to intercept Frost’s delivery and pick an outfit. The best way out of their current problem was for her to find true love and get married. She could do this.
Chapter 13
Gabe
Gabe stood behind the camera number two, his arms folded and his hands in fists.
He should be happy. Robyn’s blind date was going great. She and Steven hit it off right away. Steven was in big business. He wore a light gray suit with a blue striped tie and a white shirt. Wardrobe had him wearing makeup. From here it looked like they’d sprayed on a tan, but from experience he knew the guy would come across as healthy-looking on camera.
Gabe hated his successful, happy guts. What did Steven know about anything in the real world? He’d been handed a master’s degree by his one-percenter parents and given a company to run when his dad wanted to spend more time in Nantucket.
Robyn’s laughter pealed through the air. Gabe spun on his heel, scanning the Italian restaurant. The studio had rented out the place for the morning. There were extras pretending to eat at several tables, giving the viewer the idea that this was a hopping joint. They’d also darkened the windows so it looked like night had fallen, even though it was ten in the morning and they should have been serving pancakes.
He could really go for one of Robyn’s feel-good muffins right about now.
The sounds of flirting faded into silence, which was much worse than the laughter. He could imagine all sorts of awful things happening in that silence. He spun in time to see Steven offering Robyn a taste of his meal—from his fork.
“Pft!” Gabe scoffed. Robyn wouldn’t fall for that cliché move.
“Shh.” Jerry, the producer, glared at him.
He nodded, clenching his jaw to help him keep his mouth shut. Jerry might not be his boss, but he had a direct path to firing Gabe if he interfered with any part of filming the show or degraded the participants. Security was supposed to be seen and not heard.
Robyn leaned over and accepted the bite, her beautiful bowed lips closing around the fork.
Gabe wanted to throw something.
“Dude, chill.” Nick sidled up to him.
His brother’s sudden appearance caused his anger to poof out and then deflate like marshmallows in the microwave. “What …? How …?” he stammered, wondering what Nick was doing there.
“The tracking app goes both ways, bro.” Nick smacked him on the back. “You guys were talking about filming on-site today, and I wanted to check it out.”
Gabe widened his eyes and whispered harshly, “You should be in school.”
“I’m skipping gym.” He shrugged.
Gabe bit back several curse words and a long lecture on sloughing any class. The fact that Nick’s eyes were alight and they were having an actual conversation—no cutting marks included—took all the bluster out of Gabe’s sails.
Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s the windbag?” He jerked his chin toward the table.
“Steven.” Gabe couldn’t think the guy’s name without a bucket full of sarcasm; saying it out loud was worse.
“He’s not worth her time.”
Gabe grinned. “That’s something we can agree on. But—” He glanced around quickly; Jerry had moved over to camera 1. “—I need this job, so keep your voice down.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Nick waved off his concern. “I’m going to look for food.”
“Behave,” Gabe hissed after him. The studio didn’t film anything without a buffet of some sort. There was a table in the lobby full of candy bars, bags of nuts, and other goodies to ward off hunger and the accompanying bad mood. Nick could graze there for a while.
Gabe went back to watching the date through the small screen on the big camera. It was easier than seeing it happen in person—a level removed.
“What are your five-year goals?” Steven asked.
What is this, a job interview? Gabe huffed, careful to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Well …” Robyn daintily dabbed her napkin at her lips. “I’d like to be married with a baby by then.”
Gabe’s head jerked back. A baby? She hadn’t said anything about having babies last night. She’d be stunning with a child in her arms. He scowled, wondering if she felt more comfortable with this pretentious jerk than she had with him.
Steven didn’t react at all to her announcement. “I mean, career wise. Is there an opportunity for advancement in your family business?”
“Um.” She set her napkin on her lap. “Not really.”
“Then I think you should look elsewhere, move on.” He took her hand and gazed at her fondly.
Robyn’s mouth fell open. “Move on?”
He used his other hand to rub small circles across the back of her hand, as if he could soothe away the shock he’d plastered on her face. “I’ve seen it time and time again. Staying in a family business clips your wings. Your parents will never see your full potential.”
“You don’t know my parents,” she said dryly.
“I know that a woman like you can be an influencer in the world if you’d get out from under your parents’ thumb.”
She bit her bottom lip. Not in the fetching way she had at other times, but in a way that said she was trying to hold back words. Her eyes darted to her sister, Stella, whose face was as red as her blouse. These two were tight—which meant the whole family was probably close. Insulting their parents was not a good move. Even Gabe, with his little dating experience, could figure that one out without much effort. He passed his hand over his mouth to smother his smile. Steven was blowing their date in a major way.
Steven couldn’t see the warning signs written all over Robyn’s face. “What you really need is someone with a fresh perspective on your life. Someone who can see the amazing woman you are inside and out. I can break you free from the cage you’re trapped in.”
“I’m anything but trapped.” Robyn pulled her napkin off her lap and set it firmly by her plate. “I love what I do—”
“Managing an industrial kitchen is fine, but it’s not life-changing for anyone.”
Robyn was half out of her seat. “Are you saying that a child’s happiness on Christmas morning doesn’t matter?”
A fire lit in Gabe’s chest. Half of him was incensed on her behalf—who did this guy think he was to judge her career choice? The other half of him was impressed with the warrior princess rising up to defend herself. That was hot.
“What do children have to do with anything?” Steven took on a tone of condescension.
“Children have to do with everything!” Robyn slapped her palm on the table, making the silverware bounce.
“Really? I would think you’d be above shackling yourself to a nursery.” Steven glared. “I’ve seen the way a child brings a woman down. She goes from a powerhouse to a powder puff in nine months flat.”
Gabe grunted in disgust.
Stella bared her teeth.
Robyn’s look could have frozen over the tablecloth.
Just then, Nick walked past, wearing a white apron and carrying a serving tray. He pretended to trip on the carpet, and an entire cherry-covered cheesecake landed in Steven’s face.
Stella let out a whoop.
The director clapped her hands and then slapped them over her huge smile.
Robyn stared at Nick for a brief moment before realizing she should pretend she didn’t know him. Gabe prayed he was the only one who caught the look of recognition. His heart hammered. He should step in, but if he did, then he could lose his job.
Steven sputtered, shaking cake from his face and wiping cherries off his white shirt. He left behind pink smears that were never going to come out. “You stupid, clumsy—”
Robyn reached across the table and grabbed a handful of Steven’s suit. He scrambled back in shock but had nowhere to go while still sitting down. “I will never kiss you.” Her voice dripped with ice. The feeling was so
strong that several people, including Steven, shivered. She shoved Steven away and backed up, her hands shaking with rage on behalf of his brother.
Gabe surged forward, his whole being needed to insert himself between Steven and Robyn, who held on to Nick’s arm in a possessive way.
“I didn’t sign up for this!” Steven spat.
Gabe made it to the table just as Steven got to his feet, dripping cheesecake all over the carpet. He jumped into the fray and puffed out his chest, spreading his arms out to keep Steven from getting to the people he cared about more than anything else in this world.
Robyn’s hand landed on the small of his back, filling him with warmth and happiness even as he wanted to tear into this guy for calling his brother names. Nobody called Nick stupid!
Chelsea surged forward, her hands out in front of her as she tried to calm Steven down. “We’ll compensate you for the suit. I’m so sorry.”
A chunk of cream cheese fell off Steven’s face. “I’d like to get cleaned up and give this another shot.” He pasted on a fake smile. “I’m really interested in you, Robyn. I was just taken off guard. It’s not every day I get a cheesecake in the face.”
Chelsea twittered. “Who does? We were all shocked.” She looked closer at Nick. “I don’t remember your name.”
Nick glanced at Gabe. “I, uh, don’t think we’ve met.”
Robyn put her hand on Gabe’s arm, gently pushing it down so she could step into the conversation. “It doesn’t matter. What does is that I’ve seen the real you, Steven. You’re driven, and you’re going to be successful in whatever you do in this life. But I don’t think we have the same long-term goals. I want a family, and you want to make yourself look good.”
“Those two things can work together.” Steven reached for her.
She recoiled into Gabe’s chest. His arms wrapped around her without a thought, and he held her.
The mood in the room shifted. Chelsea glanced at the two of them, something clicking in her eyes.
Stella ran forward and ushered Steven out of the dining area. “Perhaps a dry cleaner can get the stains out …” She looked back and then pushed him along with a little more force. Her actions spurred the rest of the crew into movement. It was like they’d all forgotten they were here to film and do a job; they’d been caught up in the drama.
While Chelsea threw out instructions for cleaning up the trail of graham cracker crust crumbs he left in his wake, Robyn whispered to Gabe, “Get Nick out of here.”
He looked at her. “But … you.”
“I’m a big girl. He’s the one who needs to escape—quickly.” She nudged him. “While they’re all distracted.”
He nodded. Lifting her hand, he pressed a quick kiss to her palm and then grabbed Nick by the back of his shirt and hauled him into the kitchen.
“What?” Nick growled.
“Stop wiggling and look contrite.” Gabe gave him a little shake.
Nick stuck out his lower lip and hung his head in the worst impression of humility Gabe had ever seen. He worked to stifle his guffaw. His brother was not an actor. Once they were through the employee door and in the alley, Gabe let him go.
“Admit it.” Nick’s whole face was alight. “You’re glad I smeared him.”
Gabe finally let the lid off his laughter. The look on Steven’s face—priceless. “Get on back to school before someone figures out we’re related.” He pretended to kick Nick in the backside.
Nick danced out of the way. “Hey, bring some of that garlic bread home. It smelled really good.”
Gabe shook his head. “You’re lucky you’re not grounded.”
“Robyn wouldn’t let you ground me.”
“Robyn isn’t your mom.”
“No, but she could be my sister-in-law.” He walked backward a few steps. “Think about it. She has to marry someone by Christmas for the show, right? Why not you?”
Gabe’s chest felt heavy. “We’re two very different people.”
“Who make out in the kitchen.” Nick snickered.
“Hey.” Gabe lunged at him as if he were going to tackle him.
Nick evaded capture, laughing lightly. “Gabe and Robyn kissing by the sink,” he sang.
“Get out of here!” Gabe pointed to the end of the alley.
Nick went, still singing. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes a baby named after me in the baby carriage.”
Gabe mock glared after him until he rounded the corner and disappeared. As soon as he was gone, Gabe deflated and kicked at an empty box. Yeah, marriage would be great. But it wasn’t like he and Robyn ran in the same circles. She dated guys in suits, not uniforms. When he really thought about the two of them together, all he could see was their differences. Discouraged, he went inside. He had to at least act like he was doing his job. If anyone found out that the kid who snuck in was his brother, he’d be in the unemployment line in a heartbeat. He might not get the girl this Christmas, no matter how much he wanted her, but he’d make sure he filled Nick’s Christmas list. That was something he could make happen.
Getting the girl for Christmas … he wasn’t sure was even a possibility.
Chapter 14
Robyn
Robyn handed the casting assistant a wet wipe she’d pulled out of her magical purse.
“Thanks.” Jenn cleaned her hands while studying the information in front of her. She’d run her hand across the dry-erase board and come out all inked up.
“You’re welcome.” Robyn continued around the room, coming up with solutions to problems almost before people knew they needed them. She gave out a red pen, a two-foot piece of string, and a hair clip before she felt Jerry needed to talk to her. Bounding over, because it felt so good to give in to her Santa side and serve others, she grinned. “What can I do for you?”
He took her sudden appearance in stride. “First of all, I’m sorry about Steven.” He ran a hand down his face. He noticed he needed a shave, and therefore Robyn noticed. Her fingers itched to pull a battery-operated razor out of her purse and hand it over. However, that level of insight into people was hard to explain away. She’d leave it on his desk later.
He continued with his apology. “He hit all the right marks on your profile, including a love of Christmas.”
“My what now?”
He reached out a hand, and his assistant slapped a pile of papers in his palm. “The profile you gave us on your ideal man.”
Robyn zeroed in on the top page and found Stella’s handwriting. Of course! She could only imagine what type of guy Stella thought she should be with. Well, she didn’t have to imagine, because she’d just sent him out the door with a cherry on top.
Bless Nick! She could have kissed him for landing that cheesecake in Steven’s face. As soon as she had a moment, she’d send a text to Ginger and have Steven etched onto the Naughty List for the way he’d spoken to Nick.
“We’re working on another candidate. He’s actually a brother to a staff member, who will vouch for him. I want you to know that I’m personally invested in this project. The idea of finding you a husband and having a Christmas wedding has taken over all of our thoughts. We’re rooting for you, Robyn. We want you to find love.” His earnestness was endearing.
“I’m not upset. I’ve been trying to do this for over a year now. It’s not an exact science. Thank you for trying, though.”
Jerry leaned closer. “I have to confess that my wife is all over this. She begs me for information about the show and even you. It’s the most we’ve talked in months.” His desire for a happy marriage flooded Robyn. He loved his wife with all his heart and felt like he let her down with how many hours he worked.
“Bring her with you tomorrow. I’d love to meet her.”
His face brightened. “That’s a fantastic idea.” He wanted to be seen as successful and for his wife to know how much he put into making the show a success. For her to see how many people’s jobs depended on him doing his. He wanted to be her Su
perman. Not because he was prideful, but because he cherished her opinion.
A bud of hope grew in Robyn’s chest. If Jerry was a man like that—then there were good men out there.
“What’s going on?” Stella sauntered over. She winked at Robyn to let her know that everything with Steven was all smoothed over. Stella had Santa’s charm and wasn’t afraid to use it. Where Robyn often had to fight her instincts in public, Stella just let them all gush out—and people adored her for it.
So. Not. Fair.
“We were just discussing tomorrow’s show.” Jerry filled her in.
“I’m not sure there’s going to be another show.” Stella gave Robyn a look full of meaning. Yeah, Robyn had jumped into Gabe’s arms in front of everyone—and been quite happy to land there—but that didn’t mean he was her one and only. They hadn’t had the chance to run the kiss test, because Steven morphed into a South Pole elf before she got the chance.
“Boss.” Gary, the production assistant, held out his phone. “We got another one.”
“Play it,” Jerry instructed.
“Here?” Gary glanced at Robyn and Stella. A strong sense of protection came from him. Whatever was on that phone didn’t bode well for the Kringle sisters.
“Yeah—they need to know.”
“O-kay.”
He tapped the screen, and a familiar, menacing voice came through. “Robyn needs to go away. Either you guys stop filming with her, or I’ll make sure she doesn’t make it to her next date. And take my episode down—today. I’d threaten to get a lawyer, but I’d rather take care of things myself—if you get my drift.”
Stella put her arm around Robyn.
Jerry scrubbed his cheek. “This isn’t the first threatening message he’s left.”
“It’s the meanest,” said Gary.
“Call Officer Teggert; send him a copy. Let him know we’re filming out of the studio today. And get the rental ready. We’re sending her over tonight.” Jerry sent Gary off to take care of the police and turned on Robyn. “I need to know how you knew those things about the contestants. Specifically Kylo.”
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