“Christmas is the time for miracles.”
Lance smiled at this familiar line. He had a sudden wish to be a little boy again, the one who believed anything was possible, instead of the adult who spent so much of his time in the rigid world of absolutes.
“I hear we’re moving the Thanksgiving festivities to St. Marys.”
“Nice change of subject. Did you learn that technique in law school?”
“Don’t be modest, Mom. You know I got it from you.”
“It’s nice to know something about me made an impression. Anyway, you’re right about Thanksgiving. We took a vote and Leah won.”
“How did I miss that?”
“Because you never get on Facebook.”
“True. I don’t mind the change of venue. St. Marys is a much shorter drive for me.”
“Which means you can stick around longer. Give me a call when you get home.”
“Will do.”
* * * * *
Norah spent Sunday afternoon doing laundry and paying bills. The muted chime of her phone had her lifting piles of clothes off the couch. She finally found it wedged between two of the cushions. When she saw the words ‘Did you miss me?’ in the text bubble, she couldn’t help smiling. This was Perry all over.
‘I didn’t know you were gone.’
‘Not quite the answer I was hoping for. I’m on my way back from Atlanta. Along with sitting through some very boring meetings, I also did some work on behalf of your bachelor auction. Will Lance mind if you have dinner with me tonight so I can tell you the good news in person?’
Lance wasn’t around to give his opinion or use as an excuse. He, Jody and Logan had gone to Columbus for the weekend. After a moment’s hesitation, she texted back, ‘What time should I be ready?’ She wasn’t sure if she accepted out of curiosity, or her belief that she had a handle on things. In the end, she guessed it didn’t matter. The decision had been made.
‘Six-thirty.’
She was waiting on the porch when he arrived. He came to a stop at the bottom of the steps and put his hands on his hips.
“You really didn’t miss me?”
Norah laughed as she joined him on the sidewalk. “Is that so hard to believe?”
They started walking toward his SUV. “Actually, it is. I have thousands of followers on social media who get upset if I don’t send out daily updates.”
“It’s no wonder you’ve got such a big ego.”
“Thanks to you, it’s not nearly as big now as it was a week or so ago. After being refused so many times, I was shocked you agreed to come with me tonight. Does that mean I can expect to see Lance before the evening is over?”
“I doubt it. He’s out of town.”
Perry sent her a curious look as he opened the passenger side door and helped her get inside. “Why didn’t you go with him?”
“It was a family thing.” As soon as she said the words, she realized her error.
He didn’t say anything until he joined her inside. “So he’s hiding you from his family, too? I’m starting to wonder about this guy. I mean, this is the man you’re supposed to be in love with.”
Norah used buckling her seatbelt as a way of avoiding his glance. “I don’t think I used those exact words.”
A faint frown appeared on his brow as he started the vehicle and backed out of the driveway. “Maybe not, but the implication was clear enough.”
This wasn’t a debate she wanted to have. “Does it matter?”
He laughed shortly. “Of course it matters. If you’re not with Lance, then that opens the door for other people.”
Did he mean himself? Her thoughts ground to a halt. Building dreams on the uncertain foundation of assumptions had been her mistake before.
“You haven’t changed, Perry. You still throw out comments that can mean everything and nothing. It’s very confusing, and in many cases, intensely painful, for whoever is on the receiving end.”
Norah hadn’t intended him to ever know how much he hurt her, still less had she thought she would ever speak so candidly or critically. But she was coming to realize that loving someone didn’t mean being blind to their faults or allowing them to hurt you with impunity. She owed it to Perry and herself to be honest about what happened.
To her astonishment, he nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Norah. I don’t always weigh the effect of my words.”
She’d been prepared for him to be offended or make excuses. He did neither. His candor and humility were reminiscent of the younger Perry who’d captured her heart. “I didn’t mean to imply…”
He interrupted her. “Don’t back down now. Everything you said about me is true. I can’t deny that I let my early success go to my head. In the process I hurt a lot of people, you included. Can you forgive me for being a jerk?”
“Yes…of course.”
He sent her a heart-stopping smile. “Does that mean we can be friends again?”
“We never stopped being friends.” That was a bit of a stretch, but she was more than willing to meet him half way.
“No thanks to me.”
His willingness to take responsibility for what happened was even more astounding. “You apologized for that so there’s no need for us to mention it again.” She glanced out the front window. They were heading toward the ocean. “Where are we going?”
“Didn’t I say? I thought we’d try Jack’s Place. It’s on Sullivan’s Island. One of Carson’s friends owns it. With it being a Sunday evening, we’ll probably have the place to ourselves.”
“I prefer it that way. I don’t like trying to eat in a place so full and loud you have to shout to be heard.”
As he predicted, there were only a few other customers inside the restaurant. They were shown to a secluded corner table with a nice view of the water. After they gave their dinner orders to the waiter, he returned to their earlier conversation.
“I might not have changed, but you have.”
She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt on top of the world. “How so?”
“You’re not as easy to figure out, for one thing. You’re more provocative and...elusive.”
“Isn’t that better than being predictable? I would think you’d find such a thing very boring after a while.”
“I never found you boring.”
It might not be true, but it was nice to hear.
“Another thing,” Perry continued. “I don’t know what to make of you or your relationship with Lance. You’ve been very hard to pin down on that subject.”
“I didn’t think it was a subject of so much interest to you.”
“Now you know different. So I’ll ask you again. Are things serious between you two?”
Norah played for time by reaching for her glass and taking a drink. In the face of what had just passed between them, it seemed disingenuous to hide behind a falsehood. And yet she wasn’t ready to say the words that would reveal the measures she’d taken to protect herself from him. Accepting his apology was one thing; forgetting how easily she’d been cast aside would take some time.
“Can’t we leave Lance out of this? He doesn’t have anything to do with our friendly reconciliation. I want to hear your news about the charity.”
“Like I said. Provocative and elusive.”
“I prefer a lady of mystery and intrigue.”
He laughed. “Have it your way. As for my efforts on behalf of the auction, please hold your applause until the end. I was able to convince several business acquaintances to be corporate sponsors. What they’ve agreed to give should easily cover your expenses, which means everything you make from ticket sales and the auction itself will be free and clear.”
Norah’s heart almost leapt out of her chest. “That’s wonderful! Lance will be so pleased.”
“Don’t take this wrong, but I’m not interested in what Lance thinks. I did it for you.”
Moved almost beyond words, she reached her hand across the table and laid it on his arm. “Oh, Perry!
I appreciate this more than I can say. It’s like…getting an early Christmas present.”
His smile returned as he picked up her hand and played with her fingers. “I hope to do better than this.”
The waiter’s arrival with their food was probably a good thing. Norah had been on the point of asking what he meant by that.
The rest of the meal was like those magical first days of getting to know each other. Perry talked in detail and with a great deal of frankness about his life, painting a very different picture from the glamorous one she carried around in her head. He refused to be deflected from hearing everything she’d been doing. His interest in her mundane affairs was particularly pleasing. Before she knew it, several hours had passed, and they were the only two left in the restaurant.
As they walked to his SUV, he reached for her hand, his eyes lit with a warmth and admiration that sent her pulse racing. Given their conversation on his tendency to give the wrong impression, she could only assume this was a genuine response. This was something she hadn’t counted on. It was also the one thing Lance couldn’t help her with.
* * * * *
The sleeping pair in Lance’s backseat woke up just as he gave in to the temptation to drive past the house where Norah lived. He wasn’t sure what he expected to see, but the sight of her and Perry standing close together on the porch wasn’t anywhere on the list of possibilities.
The cobblestone streets forced him to go slow, which in this case wasn’t an advantage. At least he didn’t have to worry about being seen. Norah and Perry only had eyes for each other. A bitter taste formed in Lance’s mouth. Why hadn’t she mentioned her plans when they exchanged texts earlier in the day? Even a fake relationship had standards to uphold.
“Isn’t that Norah?” Jody asked.
Lance sighed inwardly. He’d hoped she wasn’t paying attention. “Yes.”
“The guy she’s with looks like Perry Cabot.”
“That’s because it is Perry Cabot.”
Logan giggled. “He’s kissing her hand, Mommy.”
Lance’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
Jody was practically pressed against the glass. “That explains why he was willing to do the auction.”
“It would seem so,” Lance said, trying not to grit his teeth.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if they got together? They could have a Christmas wedding.”
In spite of his irritation (and enough jealousy to make him uncomfortable), he burst out laughing.
Jody retaliated by thumping him on the head. “What’s so funny?”
“The way the female mind works. A guy kisses a girl’s hand, and you’re already thinking about them getting married.”
“Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
“Let’s hope not.”
“I’m happy for her, but that puts you back at ground zero.”
“How so?”
“I’ll let you figure that out.”
Lance didn’t need or want to. All he could think about at the moment was Norah being kissed by Perry. He hadn’t actually seen it happen, but he didn’t doubt it would. His mind quickly formed a picture for his driving entertainment. Anger-fueled adrenaline raced through his veins.
He didn’t know with whom to be more frustrated: Norah for outflanking her own defense or himself for being so disappointed and offended over a situation that didn’t really exist.
Chapter Eleven
An elderly couple kept Norah occupied long past the official end of the tour. Luckily, it was her last of the day which meant she didn’t have to worry about keeping anyone waiting. When she returned to the main hall after showing them a quicker route to where their car was parked, she found Perry waiting for her. The sight of him leaning against the wall, muscular arms crossed and that pulse-racing half-smile on his face, caused her breath to hitch in her chest.
“You’re too late for a tour.”
“That’s okay. I just wanted to see where you work.”
“Why?”
He grinned as he walked over to join her. “Why do you think?”
“I don’t know. Are you in the market for a historic house?”
“If I was, would you come work for me?”
“I don’t know. I’m very fond of this house.”
“Just the house?” he asked, his eyes bright with mischief.
“We covered that subject last night. I see no reason to go into it again.”
He tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her skin. “I’m really starting to like the new, unpredictable Norah.”
“Time will tell,” she said more lightly than she felt.
“I did have another reason for stopping by. I recently bought an original Audubon. It was delivered today. I thought you might want to see it.”
The distraction of his fingers on her neck was forgotten. “Might want to? You know me better than that.”
Perry laughed. “How soon can you get out of here?”
“Twenty minutes, maybe less. You can wait in the garden if you like.”
“Afraid Lance might see me?”
She gave him a playful push toward the door. “He’s not here.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“That’s all the answer you’re going to get.” When she returned from seeing Perry outside, she saw Crystal standing in the doorway of her office, a look of avid curiosity on her face.
“Am I missing something? I thought you wanted to avoid him.”
“I…did.”
“But you don’t now?”
“The situation has changed. Perry and I had a long talk over dinner last night.”
Crystal continued to look skeptical. “That must have been some talk. What about your ace in the hole?”
“My what?”
“The made-up story about you and Lance being romantically involved.”
Norah wished she hadn’t been quite so forthcoming. Viewed from any perspective, the actions she’d taken to protect herself from Perry looked immature and downright silly. “It’s no longer necessary.”
“I wouldn’t be in a rush to remove your safety net. Once it’s gone, there’s no going back.”
As Norah went from room to room closing curtains and shutting doors, she tried not to let Crystal’s words dampen her enthusiasm for the evening ahead. The elusive dream she’d thought would never come true had suddenly reemerged like a lost signal on a radar screen. Maybe this time the story of her and Perry would have a happy ending.
She was returning from locking up the gift shop when she almost collided with Lance. In spite of her preoccupation with her own affairs, she couldn’t help noticing the lines of fatigue around his eyes and mouth.
“Long day?” she asked, smiling up at him.
* * * * *
Lance could no more ignore Norah’s smile than he could stop his heart from beating. It didn’t matter that his fears about her getting back with Perry looked to be coming true. The sheer joy that seemed to radiate from every atom in her body brought a lump to his throat. It would be wonderful to know he was the one who inspired it, but that privilege belonged to someone else. The same someone who owned the SUV taking up two spaces in the staff parking lot. He could only hope she wasn’t making a mistake putting her faith in someone who’d broken her heart once already.
“Yep, and it’s not over yet. Do you have a few minutes? I’ve got a meeting in an hour with the board of directors for Fallen Heroes. I’d like to give them an update on the auction.”
“Of course I have time.”
“Let’s go to my office. I’m sure you’re as ready to get off your feet as I am.”
“You’re right about that.” She walked through the door he held open. “How was your weekend in Columbus?”
“Nonstop, but very enjoyable. My parents’ house was filled to the brim with relatives I hadn’t seen in fifteen years. It was nice to catch up with everyone. There was the usual battle for the bathroom, b
ut I’m used to that from growing up with four sisters. What I still can’t figure out is why it takes so much time for a female to get ready to go somewhere.”
“I won’t say the obvious thing.”
He grinned. “That women have more to do?”
“That’s not a reason. It’s a consequence. Women want to look their best. It takes doing many things to achieve that.”
He didn’t imagine Norah had much to do. “Your efforts are always appreciated.”
“If not always necessary?”
“If you’re asking my personal preference, then yes. I think women are most beautiful when they don’t stray too far from their natural state.”
“That’s not a state most women are comfortable in. We have a desire to hide our flaws.”
“What most women see as flaws are the very things that make them unique and interesting.”
She laughed as they walked into his office. “It’s all about perspective, isn’t it?”
“Most things in life are. Help yourself to some of Jody’s almond brittle.”
“I really shouldn’t,” she said, even as she picked up one of the light brown triangles. “I have a terrible sweet tooth.”
“If I didn’t before, I’ve got one now. Jody is always in the kitchen fixing something.”
“Did you get in late last night?”
Not late enough. He arrived in town just in time to see her with Perry. “Around nine. Why do you ask?”
“You look tired. Are you burning the candle at both ends?”
“For some people, there is no such state.”
She laughed. “Nonsense. You’re as human as the rest of us and fully capable of working too hard. If I had any say in the matter…” she stopped, looking embarrassed.
He’d love for her to have some say in the matter. “Don’t stop now. This sounds like something I’d like to hear.”
“All I meant was…you always seem to be working. It’s not good to do that to the exclusion of everything else.”
Lance laughed. “I’ll take that under consideration.”
She colored up even more. “I’m sorry. I’m speaking out of turn. As far as the auction goes, the promotional fliers have been distributed. Radio and television announcements have been going out all week. I was able to get Jim Sampson, the host of Good Morning, Charleston to be our M.C. and auctioneer. At last count, we had eight bachelors signed up. I’m hoping to get four more. Tickets for the auction itself go on sale tomorrow. The next big thing is getting bios and pictures for the event program we’ll provide to the bidders. I was thinking of contacting a few restaurants and see if they’d be willing to offer special meal packages to the winners. If so, we can include that info in the program as well.”
A New Year's Kiss Page 8