The Single Dad's Holiday Match

by Tanya Agler

  After all, he had everything he’d ever wanted, and it slipped away in an instant.

  Lightning never struck twice in the same spot.

  And yet, kissing Brooke tonight? Rarely was something as good as the sheer anticipation, and tonight’s kiss had been even better. He hadn’t expected anyone like Brooke coming into his life after Anne, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be beautiful and exhilarating.

  Vanessa’s soft snuffles of sleep made him smile. Brooke had pointed out to Nessie that his daughter could like pandas and Rosie the Riveter at the same time. Liking one thing didn’t mean forgetting another. All he had to do was believe that something special was coming his way. A little action to control the situation never hurt either.

  * * *

  BROOKE LEANED AGAINST Betty’s reception desk near the sign-in sheet. “How is it past three already? I’m running over to The Busy Bean for a cup of coffee and one of their wraps since I forgot my lunch, but I’ll be back in no time.” Tonight was the start of the new GED program and Brooke was assisting the instructor with the first class, which had hit capacity in an instant. “Do you want anything?”

  “No, but the Mimosas are planning a surprise get-together for Mitzi at the Timber River Bar and Grill tomorrow night. You’re invited.” Betty answered the phone and then hung up the handset. “Another hang-up. Something’s going on this week with our system. You should contact the phone company.”

  “I’ll put that on my list, and thanks for the invite.” She waved and headed for the entrance while a warm feeling spread through her at how they’d accepted her.

  Acceptance was a double-edged sword. That meant trusting those around her and cementing the relationships in her grasp. Yesterday, Jonathan had offered her his jacket and a chance at so much more. She wanted to believe he was different from Colin’s father. Last night’s kiss was certainly different. There was an inner strength to Jonathan that Hayden never had.

  And Jonathan? While it was clear his parents’ demanding work ethic had a powerful impact on him, he’d blended his duty along with quality time with his daughters. Hayden had taken one look at infant Colin and slammed the door on them. For Jonathan, work and family were commitments he’d never shirk.

  With a new jaunt in her step, she reached the electronic doors and bumped into Colin, his arrival a surprise with his backpack hanging over one shoulder. She frowned and tugged at her purse. “I thought you were at basketball practice.”

  “Hi to you, too, Mom. Coach had an emergency, so practice was canceled. I came straight here. Riley has volleyball practice for another hour, but she’s invited me for dinner. Then we’ll review for our test tomorrow. Can I go?”

  How much studying would her son get done? “Text Aunt Mitzi you won’t be home tonight.”

  He reached around for his backpack before his face deepened to lobster-red. “Riley left her cell at home today, and I lent her mine after school so she could text her parents. I forgot to get it back. I’ll call her from your office and then study there until it’s time to walk to her house.”

  At least she was raising a gentleman.

  “Okay, but text me when you get your phone back.”

  “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” He brushed a kiss against her cheek and sprinted for her office.

  Brooke rolled her eyes and walked over to Betty. “Since Colin’s confiscating my office, I’ll order that wrap to go and bring it back to the faculty lounge.”

  “Hmm. I think you’ll revisit that plan.” Betty’s eyes twinkled, and she smiled at Brooke. “Mysterious Cute Guy has arrived.”

  Brooke whipped around and found Jonathan headed her way. Unlike the casual jeans he’d worn at the pumpkin patch, he was rather dressed up today in a pair of black pants and a blue sweater, a nice change from seeing him in uniform.

  She turned back to Betty. “How did you know Jonathan is Mysterious Cute Guy? I never told anyone.”

  Betty chuckled. “You didn’t, but I now owe Hyacinth a mimosa at the Grill. She thought MCG was Jonathan, but I was holding out for my Mason. A grandma’s prerogative, you know. Are you still going to The Busy Bean? They close early on Sundays, you know.”

  Brooke ignored the rumblings in her stomach. “Guess not.”

  Betty unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled out her purse. “How about a compromise? If you watch the front desk and talk to Jonathan, I’ll run home for my slow cooker of turkey chili. Joe said he had to work late anyway, and you’re more than welcome to have a bowl of chili for a late lunch. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes, twenty tops.”

  “Sounds great.”

  Betty waved to Jonathan on her way out. “Be nice to our Brooke.”

  Our Brooke. That had such a sweet sound. Sure, the Mimosas were betting on her love life, but that meant they cared. Brooke walked around to Betty’s side of the desk and locked her purse in the bottom drawer just to be safe.

  “Jonathan.” Her mouth went dry, and her palms started sweating something awful. “Betty stepped away for a minute. What brings you here today?”

  He widened his lips into that slow grin of his, the one that melted her heart every time. “I didn’t come to talk to Betty.”

  Something about that smile sent her instincts into overdrive. “Thank you for staying to celebrate Aunt Mitzi’s engagement last night.”

  He chuckled. “Is that the only thing you’re thanking me for? What about the kiss?”

  “It was sweet.” Okay, better than sweet. She settled into Betty’s seat, much higher than her own office chair, a testament to Betty’s shorter height. “And unexpected, just like your visit today. I like that color on you. It’s nice.”

  She swallowed, kicking herself for using the bland word when that kiss was special and unique and close to perfect. Had he dropped everything to come to talk to her? He certainly dressed up for the visit, and he was the kind of guy who wore clothes well. Two attractive attributes, indeed.

  “I chose it specially for my job interview.”

  She kept her jaw from dropping open. An interview? Here she thought he was as much a part of Hollydale as the Timber River, the Holly Days Diner, and this community center. She never dreamed he’d consider leaving behind something that seemed such an intrinsic part of him. “Did it go well? How far away did you have to drive?”

  “Five minutes.” That grin was back, and she could have sworn she now saw a slight swagger in his stance. He met her gaze. “You thought the interview was out of town.”

  She glanced at Betty’s messy work area and started sorting stray paperclips and assorted papers. “I was concerned for Vanessa and Isabella. They seem happy here.”

  He reached over and tapped the bottom of her chin until she looked at him. “Were those the only Maxwells you were concerned about?”

  Biting her lip, she considered whether she should put her heart on the line. Those hazel eyes almost convinced her she should follow her feelings instead of what her brain was telling her. “The kiss was the most special part of my stay in Hollydale so far.” And that was saying something, since Aunt Mitzi’s announcement was huge and terrific and amazing, and she’d actually been here for it.

  “Would you like to have dinner with me at Ristorante Dominic’s this weekend? They serve the best piccata and their pasta is homemade. There’s candlelight and the nighttime view is spectacular.” His throat bobbed, and he stood up straight. “After my interview, which was a disaster, I couldn’t think of anyone else I wanted to see, anyone else who could make me feel better by my being in their presence.”

  That might have been the single most touching compliment anyone had ever paid her. The electricity crackled around them. “How did the women of Hollydale not snap you up before I moved here?”

  “Women, huh?” That twinkle in his eyes returned, and he laughed. “That’s kind of you.”

  “Why do you think your in
terview was a disaster?” She quit tidying the reception desk and focused on him.

  He traced the edge of the sign-in sheet with his finger. “I’m not related to the district attorney.”

  “What’s the interview for?”

  “A detective position opening up in Hollydale.”

  “That sounds like it would involve more hours.” Hadn’t he said his parents were workaholics?

  She ignored the goose bumps that had popped up along her skin. Good thing he couldn’t see them beneath her blazer or he’d be quite insufferable.

  In the cutest way possible.

  Jonathan shook his head and picked up the clipboard. “If that were true, I’d have turned down the interview.”

  “Is this something you really want to do?” She tapped her finger on her cheek. “Weren’t you a detective when...”

  He nodded. “It’s okay to bring up Anne. That is, unless that makes you uncomfortable.”

  “That’s not a problem. I assumed you decided on the job shift when she passed.”

  “There was an opening in Hollydale, and I love it here.”

  “Do you miss being a detective?”

  “Yep. I have a degree in criminal justice, and I love solving puzzles almost as much as I love my chocolaty cereal puffs in the morning.” He cracked a smile, and then his face lit up.

  She could tell this was something he was passionate about. “If you were this animated during the interview, I’m sure you’ll get the job.”

  He placed the clipboard down again. “Actually, I wasn’t. I sat there like a stuffed shirt, probably because I want this so much. I’d have a more consistent schedule. While I’d be called in for emergency situations, the hours are steadier, and it comes with holidays off.”

  “You’re a police officer. You must have known working holidays came with the job.”

  Why did talking to him come so easily to her? In fact, there was something about Jonathan that made her want to snuggle with him in front of a warm fire. Somehow he made everything a little simpler, and there were so few people she’d felt comfortable with so relatively quickly. Usually it was better, safer, for her to hold back.

  “I know that, but in Savannah, I was on the holiday rotation schedule.”

  She froze. Was she part of his quest to become a detective? Or was she more? Before she could go any further, she had to know she counted for something. That a commitment to her would be as important as his work and his daughters. For years, it had only been her and Colin. Making room for someone else in their lives was something scary and different. She had to know he’d value her and Colin and wasn’t using her like Hayden had.

  “Does this investigation factor into it?”

  He shuffled his feet. “Yes, I need to solve this case to have an edge, but I already told you why this matter strikes a chord with me.”

  The thread of a connection seemed rather thin, and she needed time to digest this development. “Do me a favor. Check out the locker, and then we’ll talk about the kiss.” One she’d thoroughly enjoyed and something she wanted to repeat and often. She’d be lying to herself if she denied it was the last thing on her mind when she went to sleep and the first thing on her mind when she woke up. “I’ll wait here. Remember, my future in Hollydale is at stake as well.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  He walked away, slowly at first. Then he glanced both ways as if checking for anyone else who might be in the vicinity. Always vigilant, always aware of his surroundings. There truly was no separating the police officer from the man himself. Was that something she understood and could accept?

  She glanced down and saw the extension for her office phone lit up. Most likely, Colin had called his cell and was talking to Riley. Now was as good a time as any to remind them of Colin’s curfew. She picked up the handset and paused when someone other than Riley spoke. “This worked out better than I planned.”

  She started to let them know she was on the line when Colin’s voice came through her headset. “I don’t know who you are, but you have the wrong number.”

  The other person laughed. “Oh, I have the right number. All I need is your cooperation and five minutes. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while. A simple exchange, and you’ll never hear from me again. Name your price.”

  “You obviously have the wrong person.”

  “Don’t hang up, Colin Novak. You have access to your mom’s keys, right?”

  The line went dead, and Brooke stared at the receiver in her hand. What had she just heard? Her heart raced, and she stopped short of stampeding into her office and demanding an explanation.

  Except Colin sounded as clueless as she felt right now.

  She’d told Jonathan she trusted Colin, yet did she? What was her son involved in? She couldn’t wait for Yolanda or Olivia to monitor the front desk. If someone came in right now, they could wait two minutes. She ran to her office and opened the door, not bothering to knock.

  “Colin?”

  He glanced up, that fleeting glimpse of fear gone so fast she wondered if she’d imagined it. “I’m leaving for Riley’s in half an hour. Just enough time to finish my chemistry homework.”

  “I picked up the phone. What was that call about?”

  “You tell me. I picked up the handset to call Riley as the phone rang. I said hello without thinking much about it. Someone wants something from me, but why?” He shut his textbook and walked over to her. “Are you in some kind of trouble, Mom? We can go to Aunt Mitzi.”

  Someone called Colin, yet he was worried about her. How could she have thought the worst of her son?

  “Of course not.” Should she tell Jonathan about this? And what exactly would she say? Neither she nor Colin knew the caller, and Colin hung up before the man identified himself.

  But what if Colin needed protection? The call sounded ominous. “Did you recognize the voice? Did he say his name?”

  “No and no.” Colin folded his arms. “I want this to stay between us. For the first time, I’m fitting in. I’m not giving that call a second thought. If the basketball coach thought I was trouble, he’d kick me off the team. And Riley’s parents? If they think I’m getting weird phone calls, they won’t let me hang around Riley.”

  Brooke rubbed her eyes and glanced at the hall. “I have to return to the reception desk. Will you be okay?”

  “Mom, I’ll be sixteen next week. I can take care of myself.” He grinned and shuffled his feet. “Well, mostly. I still like you and Aunt Mitzi looking out for me. And let’s be honest, I’ll never be too old for Aunt Mitzi’s fried green tomatoes.”

  His message came through clearly, and she went back to work. She hadn’t even settled in Betty’s chair when Jonathan made his way to the desk. That gorgeous smile of his warded off some of the chill coming over her, but it didn’t completely do the trick.

  “Hey, there.” He approached the desk and leaned on his elbows. “Sometimes the best news is no news.”

  The stash was still in the locker, but that didn’t surprise her, considering the caller was probably the one responsible for planting it there. “Good to know.”

  “Let’s talk about something better. You.” He met her gaze, those observant hazel eyes glinting in the rays flooding the atrium with light. “You’re pretty wonderful.”

  The electronic doors opened, and in rushed a fortysomething female. “Excuse me. Is this the right place for the GED class?” A nervous tic twitched, and she stepped backward. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

  Brooke went to reassure the woman. “Of course you should be. We have a marvelous instructor, and I’ll be helping tonight.”

  Jonathan nodded and smiled. “Trust Brooke. It’ll be the best decision you’ve made in a long time.”

  The knots in her stomach had nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with Jonathan. Trust Brooke. She shoul
d mention that phone call, but she stayed silent for her son’s sake. She didn’t want him to be the subject of stares and whispers if people thought he was running with the wrong crowd. One mistake could haunt a person for years, and picking up the phone wasn’t even a mistake.

  Thank goodness for this class. Now she had time to decide how to back away from what could have been the best thing to happen to her in years.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  BROOKE STARED AT her smartphone from the comfort of Aunt Mitzi’s living room. This was the third text message from Jonathan today. So far she hadn’t replied to any of them, unsure of what to say. Any response might lead her to spill the beans about that phone call she’d overheard at the center, and that would be devastating for Colin. Until last night, no nightmares about those nasty gossips had haunted her sleep since the move. She’d spent a good part of the day yawning, even drinking an extra cup of coffee to dispel her drooping eyelids due to a restless night.

  Secrets had destroyed her relationship with Colin’s father, and she’d been the one to pay the price, keeping his identity to herself for his peace of mind. The difference this time, though, was Colin would pay the price if anyone believed he was part of this. He didn’t ask for that phone call, so it was up to her to keep it to herself. Jonathan had opened his heart to her, and she’d chosen to protect her son.

  How could they build a relationship with trust at its foundation if she kept the truth from him?

  Until Hollydale, she wouldn’t have given that type of omission a second thought. However, her lack of full disclosure to those she’d become so close to tore her apart, an invisible fissure causing heartache on a scale previously unimagined.

  The other night, Jonathan had lent her his coat, shielding her from the mountain wind. Maybe she should in turn let him in and tell him of the phone call while keeping Colin out of the conversation.

  But what if Jonathan was only using the center to achieve that promotion he so wanted? Would someone once again be saying the nice words she wanted to hear to get what he wanted rather than putting his heart on the line and making a true commitment?