A New Year's Kiss

by Delaney Cameron

  “Good morning,” she said, remembering at the last second to hold out her hand. “I’m Norah Comstock.”

  He took her cold, slightly sweaty hand in his and shook it firmly. “Hello, Norah. I’m Lance Langston. Are you the unlucky person who drew the short straw and got stuck giving me a tour?”

  The question was clearly designed to break the ice. Score a point for Mr. Langston. “Not at all,” she said, stepping aside so he could come in. His smile grew, and Norah’s heart skipped another few beats.

  “I’ve got a confession to make. This isn’t my first tour of Wilson-Dawes House. It’s more like my third. I’ve never seen you before. Are you new?”

  “I’ve been here since March. If you’ve had three tours already, you’re going to be bored with this one.”

  He shook his head slowly, his gaze holding hers with an ease she wouldn’t have believed possible seconds earlier. “I doubt it. Distracted maybe, but not bored.”

  Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks. At least she didn’t have to worry about being pale anymore. “If you’re ready, we’ll start in the morning room.”

  Giving a tour to one person should have been a piece of cake. Norah found the reverse to be true. There was no polite way to avoid Lance’s fascinating eyes, or ignore a playful smile that bore a disturbing resemblance to that of Rutherford Dawes. By the time they were returning to Crystal’s office, Norah was less worried about whether she’d still have a job and more concerned about her strange reactions to the man who could very well be her new boss.

  * * * * *

  Lance dipped his head as he followed Crystal into her office. He wasn’t claustrophobic, but he wondered how she could work in such a tiny room. When she waved him to the only other chair, he silently handed her a packet of brochures that looked as if they’d been resting there for some time. She laughed nervously as she took them from him.

  “I hope Norah was able to answer your questions about the historical aspect of Wilson-Dawes House.”

  He laughed inwardly. He hadn’t had time to ask any questions. He’d been too busy trying to keep his eyes from popping out of his head. Norah Comstock wasn’t the usual tour guide, at least not in his experience. The long, wavy hair framing her lovely face was dark blonde with lighter strands of gold that caught the sunlight coming through the beveled windows. Her greenish-brown eyes reminded him of the lodgepole pine trees in the forests he’d hiked through when he worked at Grand Teton National Park one summer. And the full lips she kept chewing…well, they kept him from hearing much of what she said.

  “Er, yes, she did a great job.”

  “She’s the best guide in Charleston. We’re lucky to have her.”

  “I can certainly see why. How many people do you have on staff?”

  “We have two other guides besides Norah and two part-time college students who take care of the gift shop.”

  “Mr. Barrett shared the last five years’ earnings reports with me. Your management of Wilson-Dawes House is impressive.”

  “Most of the credit for that goes to the guides. They’re on the front lines every day meeting the public. Word of mouth goes a long way in this business, and a good reputation pays big dividends.”

  “I agree. If you create a good product, get people to try it, and give them more than they expect, you won’t lack for customers.”

  “Mr. Barrett mentioned that you plan to live in the house.”

  Lance nodded. “That’s right. I’ll also be moving my law practice here. I see no reason why the two businesses can’t coexist. What do you think?”

  He could tell by the relief on Crystal’s face that Mr. Barnett had failed to mention Lance’s plan to keep the tours open. This lapse went along with his already negative opinion of the man.

  “It shouldn’t be a problem. There are several large rooms on the other side of the solarium that aren’t being used.”

  “From what I’ve seen, those rooms will be more than adequate. I’ve been operating in a space half that size for the last two years.” He stood up and held out his hand. “I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to see me.”

  Crystal rose to her feet and shook his hand. “No problem. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  “I’ll do that. Thanks again.”

  On his way back to work, Lance stopped by the realtor’s office to confirm his offer for Wilson-Dawes House. Since he was giving them their asking price, he had little doubt about it being accepted. It was a nice feeling to be on the cusp of getting something he’d wanted for so long.

  He ran into Carolyn in the parking lot outside their building. “Where are you off to?”

  “My husband is taking me to lunch.”

  “Rubbing it in?”

  Carolyn laughed. “Just making sure you’re aware of what you’re missing.”

  “I’m green with envy.”

  “Your pork dumplings from Dragon Lady just arrived, and Tracie stopped by with that information you requested. I put the folder on your desk.”

  “That was quick.”

  “She said you owe her a manicure.”

  “If we win this case, I’ll throw in a pedicure, too. Have a nice time, and don’t hurry back.”

  “For a relationship skeptic, you’re very accommodating.”

  “Just doing my part to keep the home fires burning.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment. See ya later.”

  Lance was looking through the juror report from Tracie when his partner Hunter strolled through the door.

  “The attorneys for the school board in that grade-fixing case want to settle.”

  “I’m not surprised,” Lance said. “They don’t care about Miss Colson or the student she tried to help. They just want this to go away. It’s been in the newspaper for months. What’s your opinion?”

  “Settling would mean the end of Miss Colson’s career. That’s a loss for her and her students. We need to find people who believe breaking rules is justified if it prevents something worse from happening.”

  “That’s the tricky part. Our society runs on people following rules; not taking it upon themselves to decide when it’s okay to break them.”

  “I’ll start pulling together some potential juror questions. How did your morning go?”

  For a reason he couldn’t explain, a picture of Norah Comstock appeared in Lance’s head. “Very good. The offer for Wilson-Dawes House has been made. I should be hearing back from Mr. Barrett soon.”

  “That’s great. I’ll let you get back to your lunch.”

  After finishing the dumplings, Lance reached for the fortune cookie. The words on the slip of paper had him laughing. “You often meet fate on the road you take to avoid it.” Was there a message for him in there?

  Chapter Three

  Norah wished she hadn’t shut off her alarm and gone back to sleep. That extra hour in bed had been nice, but it wasn’t going to solve her empty stomach problem. With her first tour starting in ten minutes, all she could do was fill the void with coffee. On her way to do that, she ran into one of the other guides.

  “Hey, Kathy. How was your weekend?”

  “Too short. I heard we have you to thank for saving our jobs.”

  “That’s an exaggeration. Hopefully this guy will be as hands-off as our group of investors.”

  “Crystal said he’s hot.”

  Norah laughed. “He is, but since we can’t show him as part of the tour, I’m not sure what good that’ll do us.”

  “If he’s single, he could do one of us a lot of good. Think about it; he’s got to be loaded if he can afford to buy this place.”

  “You’re forgetting something. He’s our boss. I don’t know about you, but I’m not jeopardizing my job no matter how rich or good looking he is.”

  “I’ll have to see him first. He might be worth losing a job over.”

  “One thing’s for sure, it’ll be different having the owner living in the house.” No
rah turned to go. “My audience awaits.”

  “Don’t forget about the Scentsy party at my place tomorrow night.”

  “I won’t. The two girls who live across the hall from me are coming, too.”

  “The more the merrier.”

  During her lunch break, Norah followed her usual practice of eating in the solarium. The sunny room located on the quiet side of the house was the perfect place to relax, and since it wasn’t part of the tour, she didn’t have to worry about being interrupted. Or at least that’s how it usually was.

  The sound of childish laughter close by pulled her attention away from the book she’d been reading. Through the tall, glass windows, she saw her new boss holding open the side gate for a young woman and a little boy. There wasn’t time for Norah to disappear even if she wanted to. In the few seconds before the solarium door opened to admit the threesome, she swallowed the bite of food in her mouth. Lance’s amused glance went from the half-eaten apple in her hand to the open book on her lap.

  “Sorry for disturbing your lunch break.”

  “That’s okay. I’m nearly finished.”

  He indicated the pair next to him. “This is my cousin Jody and her son Logan. They’re going to live here and help me take care of Wilson-Dawes House.” He turned to Jody. “Norah is one of the tour guides. I’ve been informed she’s the best in Charleston.”

  Thanks a lot, Crystal.

  Jody smiled brightly. “It’s nice to meet you, Norah.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, too.” Norah turned her gaze on Logan. “Are you excited about living here?”

  Logan nodded vigorously. “Mommy says I can have my own room, and sometimes I can stay up late and play checkers with Lance.”

  “That sounds like fun. I haven’t played checkers in a long time.”

  “You could play with me. I got a new wooden set for my birthday.”

  “After you move in, we’ll set up a time.”

  Logan thought about this for a few seconds, and then asked, “Do you live here, too?”

  All the adults laughed. “It feels like it sometimes, but no, I don’t. This is where I work, so I’m here nearly every day. Did you know this house has a secret staircase?”

  Logan’s eyes got wide. “Where is it?”

  “If I tell you where it is, it’ll spoil all the fun. The hidden staircase is just the beginning. This house has all kinds of neat places to explore.”

  “I’m fine with that,” Jody said. “Just don’t tell me it’s haunted.”

  Logan rolled his eyes. “There’s no such thing as ghosts, Mommy.”

  “That’s true,” Lance confirmed, “but there are such things as clients. I know because I have two coming to see me this afternoon. We need to commence with picking out bedrooms, and let Norah get back to reading. We’ve kept her away from James Patterson long enough.”

  Norah could have told him it was an interruption she hadn’t minded in the least. Even after the trio disappeared into the house, she felt no inclination to return to her book. One of the many questions about Lance circulating among the staff had been answered. He wouldn’t be living in this big house alone. What Norah couldn’t figure out was why she’d been so relieved to find out Jody was Lance’s cousin and not his wife. What did it matter to her whether he was married or not?

  * * * * *

  Before going upstairs, Lance gave Jody a quick tour of the rooms he planned to use for his new office. “I’ve got a contractor coming tomorrow to give me an estimate for the renovation.”

  “I’m not sure a workaholic like you should have your business in your house. Carolyn can’t get you to leave the office as it is.”

  “The difference is I’ll have you here to make sure I don’t skip dinner.”

  “I’ll be happy to take on that responsibility until you get married.”

  “Sounds like you’re going to be here for a while.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  Lance laughed. “Get in line. You’ve got my sisters, my mom, and Carolyn ahead of you.” She stuck out her tongue at him. “Keep that up, young lady, and you’ll be sleeping in the attic.”

  “I actually wouldn’t mind that. Can you imagine the view from up there?”

  “I’m sure it’s worthwhile, but the lack of air conditioning or heat makes it less attractive as a bedroom.” He turned into a narrow hallway and opened the door at the end. “These are the proverbial back stairs. It’s one option for getting around the house without running into tourists.”

  Jody laughed. “We definitely want to avoid doing that. The people who visit here aren’t paying good money to see me walking around in my bathrobe and furry pink slippers.”

  “Some of them might,” he suggested with a straight face. He deftly evaded her sudden lunge in his direction. “You’re setting a bad example for Logan.”

  “I’m not the only one. What’s the second option for navigating five floors?”

  “Right around the corner,” he said, motioning them to follow him. Just past the kitchen and the butler’s pantry was what looked like an ordinary paneled wall. Lance pushed the cleverly concealed button and one of the panels slid open to reveal an elevator.

  “This can’t be original to the house,” Jody told him as she and Logan stepped inside.

  “It was installed in the 1960s. I think we’ll find it very convenient.”

  Logan positioned himself in front of the panel. “Which button should I push?”

  “Number 4.”

  A few seconds later they were stepping out on the landing adjacent to the main staircase.

  “There are four bedrooms on this floor,” Lance told them. “Two to the left and two to the right. Look them over and see which ones will work best.”

  “What about you?”

  “I have no preference.” He glanced at his watch. “You’ve got a half hour.”

  Jody waved that away. “It won’t take that long.”

  “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a woman say that, I’d be a wealthy man.”

  “You’re already a wealthy man.” She held out her hand to Logan. “You heard him. Let’s go pick out our rooms.”

  Lance smiled as he watched them go. This was the most relaxed he’d seen Jody in months. Hopefully that was a sign of good things to come. It wasn’t easy to come back from losing the love of your life. At the same time, she was only twenty-six. He didn’t like to think of her living the next sixty years alone, and he knew Nigel wouldn’t have wanted her to. It was a subject the two men had discussed several times before Nigel decided to train as a SEAL. Jody might not be thinking along those lines, but Lance firmly believed the day would come when she’d meet someone who would make her willing to open her heart again.

  Walking in the opposite direction, he explored the first of the other two bedrooms. The group of investors who previously owned the house had furnished the rooms on this floor with period pieces in hopes of expanding the tour. Lance wasn’t sure why those plans never materialized, but it saved him having to do it.

  Hanging over the elaborate marble fireplace was a portrait of a young woman. The name plate identified her as Charlotte Dawes. The style of her clothing put her somewhere in the late 1800s. Like a lot of formal portraits from that time, she wasn’t smiling, but there was a twinkle in her clear, gray eyes that the artist had expertly captured. Lance wondered why she was here and not downstairs with the rest of the family. He vaguely remembered Norah mentioning the name Charlotte Dawes during the tour, but the specific details about her escaped him. That wasn’t the only thing he couldn’t recall from that day. He’d been more than a little preoccupied.

  “Lance!” Logan shrieked. “Where are you?”

  Before Lance could answer, he heard Jody remind Logan to use his inside voice. It was a familiar refrain. Like most boys his age, it was nearly impossible for Logan to contain his excitement.

  Lance stepped into the hall. “I’m right here, bud.”

&n
bsp; Logan ran over to where Lance stood. “We’re done, and Mommy said it only took fifteen minutes.”

  “That must be some kind of record. Now I can call the moving company and begin making arrangements.”

  There was a hint of tears in Jody’s eyes. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’re doing for me and Logan.”

  Lance put his arm around her shoulders. “You seem determined to try, though. This arrangement will make life easier for both of us, and since we’re on the subject, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you about the cleaning service I hired to come in twice a week…no, don’t frown at me, Jody. You can’t do everything. I want you to have time for yourself and Logan; not be slaving over this house. You’ve been going full steam with no break for months now. It’s time to relax. Play in the maze. Dig in the garden. Take that dance class you’re always talking about.”

  She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I should be mad at you.”

  “You can be mad if you want, but I made a promise to Nigel, and I intend to keep it.”

  “I’m sorry. I get so focused on my own loss that I forget you lost your best friend.”

  “The two things aren’t comparable. Your loss far outweighs mine. Am I forgiven for presuming to make arrangements without your knowledge?”

  She sent him a wobbly smile. “Yes, but I hope having us here won’t cramp your style.”

  Lance chuckled as they walked to the elevator. “You’ve seen enough of my social life to know there’s not much to interrupt.”

  “Not now, there isn’t. But you can’t hang your hat on that forever. One day you’ll meet a woman you can’t ignore; one who’ll turn your world upside down.”

  She didn’t know he’d already met someone and had nothing to show for it. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Then you’ll have the satisfaction of saying, ‘I told you so’.”

  “While I’ll certainly enjoy doing that, it’s more that I hate to see so much potential go to waste. With the right training, you would make an excellent husband.”

  The elevator doors opened and they all three stepped inside. “Training? I’m too old to learn new tricks.”