A Dash of Christmas

by Samantha Chase

  “Good girl.” Eliza looked around the room, pleased. Turning toward Emery again, she said, “This is going to be a good night. A great night!” she quickly amended. “And who knows? We may both be surprised before it’s over.”

  Before either could say anything else, the event coordinator was rushing toward them to give them a tour of the room. Emery was thankful for the distraction and they had arrived early specifically for this. By the time they had seen everything and gone over the schedule for the evening, people were starting to arrive. As much as she hated herself for it, she kept one eye on the door at all times while stationed in the far corner of the room. Her logic was that she would have time to get her breathing under control by the time anyone arrived and made their way to her.

  She only hoped it would work.

  The room was filling quickly and she had a death grip on her glass of champagne. She smiled when she had to and made small talk with everyone she was introduced to. It was barely eight o’clock and she was mentally exhausted.

  “You look beautiful, Emery.”

  She stiffened and then gasped as she turned and faced Carter. He looked magnificent in his dark suit and he smelled absolutely delicious.

  The bastard.

  “What—what are you doing here?” She looked around the room and wondered how she had missed his entrance. “When did you arrive?”

  “I got here about noon and I’ve been working in the kitchen all day,” he said smoothly, smiling at the server who brought him a glass of champagne. “Thanks.”

  “Wait—you got here…but how…” She let out a loud sigh. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?”

  After he took a sip of his drink, he gave her a very serene smile.

  So serene she wanted to smack it right off his face.

  “I had things to take care of, and I knew you were busy too and I didn’t want to disrupt your schedule,” he said mildly. Just then another server approached them with a tray of appetizers. Carter grabbed two and thanked him before turning to Emery. “Here. Try this. You inspired it.” He placed a small napkin in her hand and then put what looked like a small deep-fried ball on it.

  “What is it?”

  “Macaroni and cheese bites. Go ahead. They’re delicious.” He popped his into his mouth and hummed with approval. “I never thought those would be my thing, but they’re a bit addictive.”

  But she didn’t try it. Right now she was beyond confused and took a deep breath before she laid into him. “You know what?” she said loudly and then startled when he placed one finger over her lips.

  “Uh-uh-uh. No making a scene,” he teased. Next thing she knew she had a mouthful of macaroni and cheese that made her go a little weak in the knees. The grin on his face told her he knew it. “Good, right?”

  She nodded.

  Carter looked beyond her and waved someone over. “Now you have to try these.” He snagged two sliders and handed one to her before thanking the server. “These are mini barbecue bacon sliders. Just the way you like them.”

  “Carter, I really don’t understand—”

  Burger. In. Mouth.

  And dammit, it was delicious.

  Self-consciously, Emery finished chewing and quickly wiped her mouth. When she saw him glancing around the room, she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. “Stop. Putting. Food. In. My. Mouth. Got it?”

  He nodded.

  She released him and let out another long breath. “Seriously, Carter. What is this all about? You said you weren’t going to be here, and last I checked, you certainly weren’t going to be helping with the food.”

  He shrugged. “Last-minute decision. I made some calls, brought in some of my top chefs, and prepared some of the dishes from the cookbook. It wasn’t a big deal.”

  Emery wanted to growl with frustration. “Did your mother know about this?” Guiltily, he glanced away and that just fueled her rage. With a muttered curse, she wanted to stomp her food and storm away, but that was the old Emery. The new one was here to kick some ass and not feel ashamed of it.

  “That was a really crappy thing to do,” she began and secretly enjoyed the shocked look on his face. “How dare you show up here now after all the grief you gave me before you ran off. That’s right. You. Ran. Off. But not before you made sure you freaked me out enough to have me doubting myself again. Well, let me tell you something, Carter Montgomery, it didn’t work. I’m here tonight and I’m going to work this damn room and smile and make conversation with everyone. Every. One.” She decided to do a quick scan of the room just in case she missed her parents’ arrival.

  She hadn’t.

  Turning her attention back to him, she glared. “Then you think you can just show up with your…your…delicious food, and that’s supposed to make everything okay? Because it doesn’t. If you think you’re going to distract me with tiny burgers and melt-in-your-mouth macaroni and cheese, then you’re sadly mistaken! There is no amount of food you could pull out that would distract me enough so you can go all caveman on my parents and Derek. So if you were hoping to do that and then stand there beating your chest in victory, you can forget it. Go back to the kitchen, because I’ve got some serious mingling to do!”

  Her heart was racing and she felt a little sick to her stomach, but she kept her head held high as she turned to walk away.

  Carter’s hand on her arm stopped her.

  Unceremoniously, he spun her back around and hauled her in close. “For the record, I wasn’t looking to distract you with food,” he growled, his voice low. “Even though we both know I could. And I have no intention of going all caveman here or anywhere.” His eyes scanned her face. “You were right. About everything. It was wrong of me to keep harping on the negative. It wasn’t helping you, and more than anything, that’s what I want to do.” He paused again. “But you have no idea how hard this is for me, because…all I want is to take care of you. And maybe my behavior is a little outdated in these times, but I want to defend you. I want to fight your battles.”

  “Carter…”

  He reached up and cupped her cheek. “I want to be your knight in shining armor, Em. I can’t help that.”

  Everything in her melted at his words because…no one had ever wanted to be that for her. And the fact that this strong, confident, arrogant man wanted to be that for her simply meant more to her than she could ever have imagined.

  While she knew she was going to fight tonight’s battle on her own terms, having Carter there beside her helped more than anything else in the world.

  “I love you, Emery Monaghan,” he murmured, leaning in close. “You aggravate the shit out of me and you make me crazier than any human being alive, but at the end of the day, I want to be with you. I want to know all of your hopes and dreams. I want to comfort you when you’re sad and celebrate all of your successes with you. Like tonight.”

  “Carter…”

  But he wasn’t done yet.

  “I promise you I am here to support you,” he vowed. “I’m here to hold your hand and give you strength if you need it.” Then he laughed softly. “Although somehow I don’t think you will, because you’re the strongest woman I know. But I couldn’t stay away, and I’m sorry I ruined things and I’m sorry I wasn’t listening. Please tell me you forgive me so we can mingle and work the room together, and then later we can go home and I promise to make it all up to you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Please, Em.”

  Tears stung her eyes for the second time since she’d arrived. She cupped his face as she leaned in and kissed him. Carter maneuvered them to a quiet corner where he kissed her thoroughly until they were both breathless.

  “Oh my,” she said as she tried to catch her breath. “That was—”

  “Just the beginning,” he promised. He gave her a sexy smile that practically had her in a puddle at his feet as he pointed to the s
pace above them.

  Mistletoe.

  “Is that the only reason you chose to kiss me?” she asked with a hint of sass.

  “Seems to me you kissed me first. I was simply moving us out of the way of the guests.” Then he pulled her in close. “But since we’re here and that’s up there…”

  His lips claimed hers and all she could think of was how she wished they were back at her house, in her bed.

  The kiss was full of promise and now Emery knew she’d be watching the clock tonight for a whole other reason.

  When they finally broke apart, Carter took her hand and said, “C’mon. Let’s do this.” A server was walking by with a tray of food she hadn’t sampled yet, but when she went to reach for it, Carter stopped her. “Don’t—I mean, you can try that later.”

  Emery looked at him curiously. “But…I want to try it now. What is it?” She studied the tray. “Stuffed mushrooms? I love those!”

  “Just…trust me. Let’s find the guy with the sliders again. I could go for another one, can’t you?”

  “Carter,” she whined.

  “Okay. Fine.” He grabbed two of the mushrooms and thanked their server. “Here.” He all but shoved the mushroom into her hands.

  Suspiciously, she sniffed it and studied it. Then it hit her. “What’s in it? What did you do to this innocent mushroom?”

  “Try it.”

  “Oh no. You’re not tricking me. Clearly there’s something in here you know I don’t like.”

  “Actually, I don’t know if you don’t like it. In all our time together, you’ve never eaten it.”

  “You’re stalling, Carter.”

  “Fine!” he huffed. “The mushrooms are stuffed with sausage and…gouda. There. You happy now? I said it. There’s gouda on the menu tonight.”

  He looked so adorable as he stood there trying to be defiant. It was impossible to be annoyed with him, and…she supposed now was as good a time as any to confess.

  “As a matter of fact, I happen to enjoy gouda,” she stated and took a bite of the mushroom. It was fantastic, but what did she expect? Everything Carter made was.

  His dark brows drew together as he studied her. “But…you…” A low growl came next. “You carried on about the gouda when we started on this project!”

  She shrugged and popped the rest of the mushroom in her mouth. “I simply suggested there were other cheeses. I never said I didn’t like it.”

  The blank expression changed to a big smile as he pulled her in close and hugged her. “Like I said, you make me crazier than any human being alive.” He pulled back. “But I love you.”

  “Good. Because I’m not letting you go again.”

  “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” he whispered close to her ear. “You’re stuck with me.” He kissed her cheek and they turned toward the crowd.

  “There you two are!” Eliza approached and hugged them both. “Carter, everything is delicious! Everyone is raving, and we’ve sold the first batch of books we put out. I have people restocking the display already!” Then she looked at Emery. “Please don’t be upset with me for not telling you about this. I really wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “It was,” she replied with a laugh. “It most definitely was.” Then she looked at Carter. “But it was the best kind.”

  “Oh, this is wonderful! I swear, you don’t have to get me anything for Christmas this year, Carter, because this is the best gift I could ever get,” Eliza gushed.

  “The food?” he asked.

  Eliza shook her head. “Seeing the two of you together again. This makes me so happy!”

  “But the food’s good too, right?” he teased.

  “Stop fishing for compliments,” Emery chastised, playfully elbowing him in the ribs.

  “Everything’s fantastic, Carter. You’re going to have to promise to make those macaroni and cheese bites on Christmas Eve,” his mother said before getting distracted and telling them both to have a good time, then heading over to join some friends.

  “It’s hard to believe Christmas is still three weeks away. It feels like it’s happening right here, right now,” Emery said, still looking around the room in awe. “This is like the ultimate winter wonderland, isn’t it?”

  With his arm around her waist, he tucked her in close to his side. “It’s okay. I liked our winter wonderland out in Montauk better.”

  With a soft gasp, she turned and looked at him.

  “What? What did I say?”

  “That’s exactly what I thought earlier when I got here.”

  Placing a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose, he said, “That’s because we are one. And it’s amazing.”

  Together they walked around the room, talking, eating, and socializing. Eliza stood up on the stage an hour later and made her speech thanking everyone for their hard work and for all the donations to The Hospice Foundation. Emery listened, smiled, clapped, and all the while scanned the room, wondering if somehow she had missed her parents. But they weren’t there.

  Odd.

  Several members of the board joined Eliza on the stage and gave impassioned speeches about the importance of giving—especially at this time of the year—and as hard as she tried to pay attention, Emery’s mind began to wander. When the last speaker was done and the room erupted in applause, she finally shook herself out of her reverie. Carter leaned in close.

  “Are you all right?”

  Nodding, she said, “Sure. I mean…yes. I’m fine. I’m good. I’m—”

  “Em,” he interrupted. “What’s going on?”

  Knowing she sounded crazy, her arms dropped to her side and she faced him. “Why didn’t they come?” she cried. “I’ve had myself worked up now for weeks, and for what, huh? Why would they say they were coming if they weren’t? I mean, maybe something came up or maybe they just wanted to mess with me. I shouldn’t be surprised, but…”

  Eliza walked over. “What a fantastic night! Oh, I feel like I am floating on a cloud!”

  Forcing a smile, Emery praised Eliza for all she’d accomplished and for the successful event, but clearly the older woman wasn’t fooled. “Will you both follow me?” she asked pleasantly. “I’d like to show you something.”

  They made their way through the crowd but it was slow going, because everyone wanted to stop and talk with them. When they finally made it to a small office, Eliza shut the door behind them and let out a long breath.

  “My goodness. That was quite a feat, wasn’t it?” she asked with a nervous laugh.

  “What’s going on, Mom?”

  Moving around them, Eliza reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. “I just found out about this, and…dang it. I hate trying to search for things on my phone.”

  Carter stepped forward and took the phone from her hands. “What are you looking for?”

  “I think I saved it in my searches. Just…you’ll see.”

  He glanced at his mother and then Emery before returning his attention to the phone. Emery had no idea what he was looking for, but Eliza’s face showed it wasn’t good news. Carter’s gaze narrowed, but his expression remained neutral. He scanned the screen before handing the phone to Emery.

  For her?

  Cautiously, she took the phone and saw the headline and gasped. Eyes wide, she looked up at Eliza.

  “Tabitha Skinner just showed it to me,” Eliza said, her expression sad. “Her husband was the arresting officer.”

  “Congressman Derek Whitmore was arrested tonight and charged with sexual battery. Unlike the previous allegations, the victim called the police immediately after the attack. Police arrived to find witnesses who were willing to confirm what had happened,” Emery read out loud and then stopped, feeling like her heart was going to beat right out of her chest.

  Her parents were the witnesses.

  The attack ha
d happened at their home.

  This time when the tears came, she let them fall. “All this time they defended him,” she said, her voice shaking. “All this time they chose him over me. It didn’t have to come to this. They let a predator into their home because they ignored all the signs and all the reports, and now this happens.”

  Carter took the phone from her hands and immediately wrapped her in his arms.

  “All night I’ve been watching you looking at the door and searching the room for them,” Eliza said quietly. “I thought you should know why…well, you know.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Carter said quietly and Eliza nodded and left them alone. His arms tightened around her and he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I’m so sorry, Em. I really am.”

  And she knew he was. She also knew he was probably fighting to keep his words and opinions to himself so he didn’t upset her any more than she already was.

  “You want to know something funny?”

  He laughed softly. “Right now? Sure.”

  Pulling back, she looked up at him. “I’m not sad that they aren’t here. And I’m not sad that I didn’t get to confront them after I’d prepared myself for it. I’m angry because their actions caused someone else to get hurt. In my opinion, they’re as much to blame as Derek.”

  His expression was full of compassion. “You’re an amazing woman, Emery, you know that?”

  “Me? Why?”

  “Because you have the biggest heart. Even through your own pain and disappointment, you’re concerned for someone else.”

  “She’s a victim, Carter. And if she was in my parents’ home, she trusted them.” Moving out of his embrace, she took a couple of steps away. “I have no idea who she is and yet I’m angry for her! And I’m sick to my stomach over this—like, seriously sick! When is it going to end?”

  “I have a feeling it ends now. Tonight. If your folks are willing witnesses, I’d say things may finally turn around. Like you, I’m sorry it had to come to this. I’m sorry you had to be hurt again. But more than anything, I’m sorry this ruined your night.”