Countdown to First Night: Winter's HeartSnowbound at New YearA Kiss at Midnight

by Jillian Hart

  “They’ve never met a stranger. When they had their birthday party at the Ice Castle in town, they invited all their classmates. That was forty children from two different classes. Try keeping an eye on that many kids at one time. Thankfully some of the parents took pity on me and stayed to help. And I had Marta. That was their first and maybe their last birthday party. I think my hearing was permanently impaired from all the noise.”

  “That sounds like a lot of fun. I can only remember a few birthday parties.”

  “I never had one that wasn’t a media event for my mom.” The touch of sadness in his voice made him realize he was letting his guard down around Ellie. He quickly tried to shore it back up. If they worked together, it had to be a professional relationship only. She might have been good friends with John, but he couldn’t afford to be this attractive woman’s friend. Too risky.

  “How about friends?”

  “Contrary to what my daughters think, I do have friends. A lot of them live in different parts of the country but not all. But I have to admit, lately I’ve been more focused on my family and career. There’s just so much time in a day.”

  Leaning against the drawing board, Ellie settled her elbow on it with her chin in her palm. “What do you do for fun?”

  “Go on adventures with the girls. Read when I can, usually when they’re finally in bed. Cross-country ski. I’m teaching Abbey and Alexa how.”

  “If the snow doesn’t let up, we could always ski to Snow Falls.”

  Brody laughed. “Have you ever skied downhill?”

  “Well, no, but how hard can it be? I’ve water-skied. I’m quite good at keeping my balance.”

  His laughter grew. “It’s nothing like waterskiing. Snow Falls is miles away. I doubt you’d have the stamina to make it.”

  She looked him in the eye. “I beg your pardon. I’m a quick learner. I’m in very good shape. I exercise.”

  “Oh, what?”

  “Yoga mainly. But I also lift weights a couple times a week and power walk three or four miles three times a week.”

  “Snow Falls is eighteen miles down a mountain.”

  “It’s that far? I didn’t realize. I thought it was taking me so long to get here because of the blizzard.” She glanced toward the large window that revealed the snow—a lot—was still falling. “I have a feeling the mayor isn’t going to be too happy with me.”

  “He’ll have to get over it. If it’s not possible, then it’s not.”

  “I like your attitude, and if it was just the mayor, that would be okay, but the children... You really don’t think we could ski down? I mean, if the roads haven’t been cleared yet? We could probably hitch a ride once we got to the bottom since it’s not snowing as much in Snow Falls. By the way, who in the world named the town?”

  “Did anyone ever tell you that you talk a lot, from one subject to another?” he asked, laughing, a twinkle in his eyes.

  “As a matter of fact, yes, they have. Once I get comfortable around a person, I’m pretty much like that. I love talking to people. I guess I never met a stranger, either. Maybe that’s why I like your daughters so much. Kindred souls.”

  Her last statement panicked him. His daughters already loved Ellie’s books. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for them to want much more. He’d never hear the end of it from them after she left. “You might keep that to yourself. They’ll want to visit you.” Brody moved his arm away so she could see the illustration.

  “Oops. They may have already said something about that, and I may have told them they could.” Ellie peeked at the unfinished drawing. “I’d love to have them visit me in South Carolina, maybe in the summer when they can swim in the ocean.”

  For a moment he had visions of him and his daughters on the beach with Ellie. His heartbeat sped up, and he could swear the heater in the room was working overtime. He grasped onto the reality of her staring at his illustration. “Don’t tell them that. We still haven’t decided where we stand on this partnership. I don’t want to get their hopes up.” Especially about a relationship beyond friendship, because that wasn’t going to happen. Encouraging them and even Ellie wasn’t fair to them. “I know you’re dying to tell me what you think about the illustration. Go ahead. I can take it.”

  “This is starting to look like what I envisioned when I saw your drawings of your girls and we talked about a different direction.”

  “But?”

  “More vibrant. If I’m going to make a change, then I really want it to be big. I want the colors to dazzle the children. Don’t hold back. I want to make a splash.” She met his gaze. “I want Petunia’s arrival to shake up Barnyard Town. When I went with you, I might not have consciously thought I wanted to go in a new direction with the series, but your drawings have convinced me I should.”

  “Okay. I think I can do that.”

  She covered his hand on the drawing board. “I know you can. I’ve seen it. Think of your daughters when you sketch.”

  For a long moment his gaze held her immobile as though she’d been too long outside in a snowstorm. Slowly the warmth from his skin seeped into her dazed mind, and she realized what she had done. She yanked away, anchoring both hands in her lap.

  “I’m glad you have faith in me. This isn’t really like anything I’ve done before.”

  “But it is. Think about Abbey and Alexa and what they love about your paintings. They told me you’re the best artist they know.”

  His laughter filled the air, dissolving the “moment” they had shared. “I’m the only artist they know besides John.”

  “Ah. I won’t tell John where he stands with your daughters. It’ll be our little secret they preferred their daddy over him.”

  He intrigued her. When you peeled away his protective layers, there was so much depth to him. Those barriers most likely were there because of his unusual childhood, living in the limelight with the media wanting to know everything about him—the only child of a star.

  His mouth quirked into a grin. “I’d say you’re safe. I think he knows how the girls feel about my talents. He was staying here once when my daughters decided to charge their friends to tour my studio. I was running late and when I walked into the house there was a parade of kids coming out of the breezeway. That’s the last time I left John in charge of watching my daughters.”

  The amusement in his voice spoke of a deep friendship between him and John, a man whose age was closer to Brody’s father’s. “How did you two meet? He never told me.”

  “He dated my mother for all of two months when I was a teenager. Their relationship didn’t last, but ours did. I know this is cliché, but John was the father I never had.”

  “It’s not cliché. I had adults in my life other than my parents who were important to me. I had an English teacher who saw potential in my writing and encouraged me.”

  Brody nodded and took another drink of his coffee. “Thanks again. Should keep me alert so I can finish this before you leave tomorrow.”

  When he mentioned tomorrow, her heart instantly began to pound. She would have to make her speech without her usual preparation. That is if she even made it into town. At the thought of disappointing her young fans, she had to take some deep breaths. “My cue to leave and let you work.”

  “Would you mind taking those sweatpants on the chair by the door to Marta?”

  She glanced down at her watch and hopped off the stool. “I’m late for a tea party. See you later.” She scurried to leave.

  “A tea party? It’s eight at night.”

  “I know. But the girls insisted we have another one. They had a proposition for me.” Besides, it would take her mind off her predicament.

  “A what?”

  “Proposition. My word, not theirs. They said they had a deal I couldn’t refuse.”

  His laughter
followed her out of the studio along with a warning to beware. Yes, good advice, because she was quickly getting sucked into this family.

  There was no reason to dive into a personal relationship that was doomed to fail from the beginning because the man didn’t want to make any kind of commitment. She’d been through one like that. Never again. Only a professional one with Brody, if she could get him to agree. That was the way they both wanted it.

  * * *

  LOOKING AT THE RAPT expressions on his daughters’ faces, Brody stood in the doorway, listening to Ellie read to Abbey and Alexa, who should have been in bed an hour ago. He’d lost track of time trying to finish the illustration. Almost there but not quite.

  Ellie closed the book. “Okay, time for bed. You said you’d go to sleep if I read one more story.”

  “But we have to hear the last one.” Abbey produced the fourth in the series from behind her back. “Daddy always reads it.”

  Brody cleared his throat and said, “It’s way past your bedtime. You’ll have to hear it tomorrow.”

  Both girls swiveled their attention to him. Alexa’s eyes grew round while Abbey tilted her head and said, “How long have you been eavesdropping?”

  “Five minutes. You were engrossed in the story.”

  Abbey shifted. “I knew the whole time.”

  Alexa giggled. “Then why did you ask him how long he’d been there?” She continued in a solemn voice, “Daddy, you know you shouldn’t eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. But I’ll forgive you if you let Ellie read the last story.” She opened the book she wanted Ellie to read and passed it to her.

  “While that is big of you to forgive me, Alexa, it doesn’t change my mind. Bedtime. You’ve monopolized Ellie enough for one day.”

  “She doesn’t mind, do you?” Abbey asked.

  Ellie looked from the twins to him. “I don’t.” Then she added, “But you always need to do what your dad says. Remember when Susie didn’t do what her father told her? A fox almost got her.”

  Alexa nodded. “It was a good thing she was small and could hide in the hole in the henhouse. What made you think of a mousehole?”

  Brody moved into Abbey’s room before his daughter managed to steer the conversation in a wild-goose chase to delay going to bed. “Girls, tell Ellie good-night. Then under the covers.”

  They did as they were told but grumbled under their breath. While Ellie shelved the books she’d read, Brody leaned over and kissed each daughter, then started to leave. Alexa popped back up.

  “Daddy, I need to show Ellie where everything is in my room.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Go to sleep.”

  “Are you sure? Don’t forget to show her the night-light in the bathroom.”

  Abbey punched her sister in the arm. “Ellie is a grown-up. She doesn’t need a night-light like you do. Daddy, I don’t need one, either. I don’t want it on. It is my room.”

  “But Alexa likes it—” Brody switched on the soft light on the table “—so it stays on.”

  “You’re such a baby,” Abbey mumbled and turned her back on her sister while pulling the covers up over her head.

  “I am not. We’re the same age. In fact, I’m older than you are.”

  “By five minutes. You’re still a baby.”

  “Girls, no more or you two will stay here with Marta tomorrow instead of going to the First Night celebration.”

  Alexa pushed at Abbey. “See what you caused.”

  Abbey shot up in bed and shifted toward her sister. “Nothing. I’m being quiet.” Then she made a motion by her mouth as though she were turning a key in a lock, then buried herself under the covers again.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Brody whispered close to Ellie’s ear.

  Her scent like apples and cinnamon teased his senses. He pulled back. This woman attracted him—more than he should let her. They lived with a country between them. She lived in South Carolina—hot, humid—sultry, like the woman. He shook that thought from his fried brain and strode toward Alexa’s bedroom. She wanted a family while he had no interest in having more children. He barely kept his head above water. More children would drown him for sure. Whoa. Why was he even thinking about children and Ellie?

  “With Marta living here, I don’t have a spare bedroom. When we have guests, Alexa bunks with Abbey. I hope that’s okay with you,” he said as though he were conducting a business transaction.

  “It’s fine. I would even sleep on a couch if I had to. It beats sleeping in a car buried under snow.”

  He chuckled. “I guess it does.” That was another thing about Ellie that he liked. In one day with her, he’d laughed more than he usually would in a week.

  But what if they could work together? Keep it strictly professional? The only way was if he could illustrate to meet her needs. He didn’t do a job unless he could do his best. Was that why he told her they shouldn’t work together after all? He wasn’t pleased with what he’d produced originally. Now, though, after meeting Ellie in person, it just might work out, especially because she now wanted what he did naturally. At least he hoped that was what she meant.

  Ellie made a full circle in the middle of Alexa’s bedroom with its canopy bed and white furniture. “I love pink. Definitely a little girl’s room. Lots of frills.”

  “Yeah, Alexa embraces being a girl while Abbey struggled with it. She told me the other day she wanted to play football. I heard that and nearly scalded my throat when I gulped my coffee.”

  “What are you going to do? Do they have football for girls?”

  “Not in Snow Falls, thankfully. I suggested soccer or softball. She’s thinking about it.”

  “What does Alexa want to do?”

  “Dance.”

  “That makes sense.” Ellie flicked her hand at the Degas ballet dancer reproduction.

  “That’s her favorite picture.”

  “Even over your paintings?”

  He nodded. “I can’t complain. She’s got good taste. I love that period of art.” Heading toward the door, he said over his shoulder, “I’ve got something for you to wear. Be right back.”

  In his bedroom he dug around in his dresser drawer until he found what he was looking for. When he returned, Ellie was sitting on the bed, surrounded by stuffed animals, staring out the window. Watching her with his girls earlier had attracted him to her even more. Dangerous thinking, but he couldn’t seem to stop it.

  “It amazes me how bright it is outside even though it’s night. It looks like the snow isn’t coming down as hard as before.” She swung her gaze to him. “Or is that wishful thinking on my part? I do not want to call the mayor and tell him I’m not going to make the opening ceremony. Does he have the power to ban my books in Snow Falls?”

  “No,” he said with a chuckle, then crossed to the window and looked out. “Besides, his grandkids would kill him.” The snow fell in a steady stream, but the wind had died down and he could see the pine trees that surrounded his house. “I think you’re right.”

  “Oh, I’m going to have to remember you telling me I was right.”

  “Because it might not happen again,” he said in deadly seriousness right before a smile spread across his face.

  Her laugh warmed him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her beauty came from within. A kindness shone in her expression that he hadn’t often experienced growing up among vultures who always wanted something from him—to them he’d been a way to get close to his mother. Ellie would be a good mom. She should have all those kids she wanted. The thought sobered him.

  He tore his gaze away from her and moved the few feet to her, thrusting his pajama top toward her. “If you want, use this to sleep in.”

  She took the soft blue shirt and examined it, holding it out to check its size. “Yours?”

 
“Yes. Since you don’t have any extra clothes, I thought you might want something comfortable to sleep in.”

  Pink dusted her cheeks. “I am getting kind of tired of these jeans and sweater, especially since we don’t know how long I’ll have to wear them tomorrow.”

  “Hopefully not too long, especially if the snow continues to slack off.”

  “I’m not even worried about my speech as much as just showing up at one.”

  “We’ll get there somehow. I guess I’d better go. Let you get some sleep.” But he didn’t want to leave. He was just getting to know her, and tomorrow, the First Night celebration would be hectic.

  She rose. “Yeah, I’ll need to rehearse my speech in the morning. Maybe the girls wouldn’t mind being my audience. I think I remember some of it.”

  “We all will if it’ll help. I certainly understand how you feel about not wanting to speak in front of strangers.” The more he thought about her the more he decided they had a lot in common. She understood the creative process and had given him space tonight, entertaining his daughters for him. If he weren’t so attracted to her, she would be a good friend.

  “Thanks.” She rubbed the oversize flannel shirt between her fingers.

  The action riveted his attention. He imagined those hands touching him. He imagined those lips... He wrenched his thoughts away from where they were going.

  When he started for the door, he mumbled, “Good night,” and increased his pace. He didn’t breathe decently until he was in the corridor, striding toward his bedroom. What was wrong with him? Snowbound one day with a woman and he began to envision her in his life?

  * * *

  DRESSED BACK IN HER JEANS and sweater early the next morning, Ellie paused at the large window in Alexa’s bedroom to see if it was still snowing. When she opened the blinds, white greeted her everywhere, but the snowfall had tapered off quite a bit and the gray clouds weren’t dark like the day before. Hope blossomed in her. She might be able to get back to the lodge and even possibly change before the opening ceremony.