A New Year's Kiss

by Delaney Cameron

  “I can almost find it in my heart to be sorry for him, except for one thing. He walked away from you the first time.”

  “He said something to me at the auction that I didn’t understand. Now it makes sense.”

  “What was it?”

  “He said some people want love so badly that they see it where it doesn’t exist, but with me, it’s the opposite. I fail to see it where it does. I think he meant you. He knew I loved you, and he was trying to tell me that he thought you loved me, too.”

  “If only I’d never had you ask him to be in the auction. We would have saved ourselves a bunch of trouble.”

  “You can’t look at it that way. Perry helped me define my feelings for you. He made it impossible for me to ignore them any longer.”

  Lance stood up and started to clear the table. “I refuse to be grateful to him. He cost me quite a few nights’ sleep.”

  She realized they weren’t going to see eye-to-eye on Perry. “Hopefully, we’re done with those. Thanks for fixing dinner.”

  “I think we should make this a regular thing.” He held out his hand. “Let’s go somewhere a little more conducive to quiet conversation.” As they walked together into the living room, he said, “I seem to remember something about a loose spring.”

  Norah laughed. “It’s on the left side of the loveseat.”

  “We’ll make it work.” He dropped down on the right side and pulled her on his lap. “This is like last night at the jazz concert.”

  “A slightly more extreme version.”

  He ran his fingers through her hair. “I don’t have any complaints. Do you?”

  She shook her head, her eyes steady on his. The deep blue depths sucked her into a world she never wanted to leave. Her fingers traced each of his features, starting with his thick brows, gliding over his long eye lashes, down his nose and across the silky hair of his beard. When she reached his lips, he kissed her fingertips. A bolt of electricity coursed through her, waking the butterflies in her stomach. His hand skimmed up her back and into her hair. Her body tingled with anticipation. Following the urging of his fingers, she lifted her mouth to his.

  Lance didn’t stop at one kiss. He kissed her until she was out of breath and glad she was sitting down. Then his lips traveled slowly to her ear, nipping gently at the lobe, before moving to explore her neck and collarbone. His beard grazed against her skin, creating a not unpleasant sensation. She tilted her head to give him better access and heard him murmur her name in response. He returned to her mouth for one last kiss before lifting his head to look at her.

  “I had a perfect record of not dating employees until you came along and flashed those bewitching green eyes at me.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never dated any of my bosses before.”

  Oliver jumped on the loveseat.

  “He’s giving me the pirate look.”

  Norah reached over to scratch Oliver’s head. “He’s curious about you.” A sudden thought occurred to her. “I just realized something. What am I going to do about Oliver if I go to Columbus? I can’t stand the thought of leaving him here all alone, and I’m not sure he could handle the noise and confusion of a kennel.”

  “That’s easy. We’ll bring him with us. You’ve got a carrier, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but I thought you said your mother has a cat.”

  “She does. Jeeves won’t mind. He’s somewhat narcissistic, but he doesn’t have a mean bone in his overweight body.”

  “I’d feel better if you checked with your mom.”

  “Hold on,” he said, reaching into his pocket for his phone. “I’ll call her.”

  “Now?”

  * * * * *

  Lance smiled at Norah’s horrified expression. “Why not? No time like the present. This will give her time to undo any potential matchmaking plans she’s made.”

  “I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”

  “I told you my single state gets a lot of attention.” He scrolled through his recent calls. “I’ll put it on speaker. I may need you to corroborate the story.” His mother answered on the third ring.

  “Lance! What a nice surprise! Summer and I were just talking about you.”

  “That’s never good. I’ve got some news for you. I’m bringing someone home with me for Christmas.”

  “It’s a little late in the year for an April Fool’s joke.”

  “I’m not joking. I have a girlfriend.”

  “Since Thursday when we talked? I find that hard to believe even for someone as charming as you.”

  He laughed. “This is very recent, but I’ve been interested in Norah for a long time. Turns out she was interested in me, too.”

  “Norah? Isn’t that the woman you took to lunch a while back? She works for you, doesn’t she?”

  Lance hid a smile. His memory was nothing to his mother’s. “Correct on all counts. Norah convinced me to change my mind about mixing business with pleasure. Will it be a problem for her to bring her cat?”

  “Of course not!”

  “I didn’t think so, but Norah wanted me to make sure.”

  “This is the best Christmas present you could have given me.”

  “I thought you’d be pleased.”

  “Pleased? I’m thrilled to pieces. Can I tell everyone, or do you want it to be a surprise?”

  “If Summer is there, it’s too late to keep it a secret. Spread the word so everyone can get over the shock.”

  “This is so exciting. I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “And see me?”

  “That goes without saying. When are you coming?”

  “We’re still working that out. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

  “Sounds great.”

  “Love you, Mom.”

  “Love you, too, Lance.”

  Lance leaned forward to put his phone on the table. “What did I tell you?”

  “Your mother sounds nice.”

  He drew Norah back against him, inhaling the sweet scent of her skin. “She’s very nice. All of my family is. I predict they’re going to love you.”

  “I hope so.”

  He gently brushed the hair away from her forehead. “It couldn’t be otherwise,” he said, leaning down to kiss her.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Norah took her eyes off the road and glanced down at the strong fingers wrapped around hers. It had been eight days since she spoke the words that changed everything between her and Lance. She felt surprisingly calm about meeting his family, not because she didn’t understand the significance, but because Lance had spent hours showing her pictures and telling her about everyone. It was hard to be nervous when she felt as if she knew these people already.

  Lance hadn’t even shut off the engine before the front door of his parents’ two-story house opened and his mother came running out. Norah was enveloped in a perfumed hug as soon as she stepped out of the car.

  “You must be Norah. You’re just as lovely as Lance said.”

  “I’m so happy to meet you, Mrs. Langston.”

  “Call me Lily, dear.” She turned to hug Lance, who’d walked up behind them. “Your father went to run some errands. He’ll be back soon. Can I help carry anything?”

  Lance opened the back door, removed the cat carrier and handed it to Norah. “No, thanks. I’ve got this. Take Norah and Oliver inside. It looks like it’s going to start raining any second.”

  “I hope it holds off. We’re supposed to go caroling tonight with the church. You and Norah can come, too, if you like.”

  “I’ve never gone caroling,” Norah said. “It sounds fun, though.”

  “We do it for the shut-ins. They really enjoy it.”

  Lance walked around and opened the trunk of the car. “I’m fine with whatever Norah wants to do.”

  “I’d love to go. Do we get to dress up in old-fashioned costumes?”

  Both Lance and his mother laughed. “I’m afraid not,” Lily told her. Come this way.�
�� Norah followed Lily into the foyer and up the stairs. “How was your trip?”

  “It went by so fast. Poor Lance had to listen to me ooh and aah over everything. I’ve never been to Georgia before.”

  “I’m sure he enjoyed the company. He usually makes the trip alone.” Lily ushered her into a bedroom decorated in baby blue and yellow. “I hope you don’t mind sharing the bathroom with Lance.”

  To her annoyance, Norah blushed. “That’s fine. Thank you so much for letting me bring Oliver.”

  “It’s no problem at all. I’m the same way about my Jeeves.”

  Lance stepped through the door, his arms loaded with suitcases and bags. “Dad just got home, Mom. He said he needs to see you in the kitchen.”

  She walked to the door. “That usually means he had to make some ingredient substitutions. I’ll see you downstairs, Norah. Let Lance know if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Lan…I mean, Lily.” Norah waited until the sound of footsteps died away. “Your mother is so young looking. For a second, I thought she was one of your sisters.”

  He smiled. “You’re not the only one. That happens to her a lot. One more trip should have everything. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Norah hadn’t done more than arrange her things on the bed when Lance returned.

  “One of these is yours. The rest are mine. You can unpack later. Right now I want you to come with me.”

  She followed him into a room at the end of the hall. The gray walls covered with posters depicting hockey players told her it was his. “It’s very close to how I imagined it.”

  Lance dropped his bags on the floor. “You took the time to think about what my childhood bedroom would look like?”

  “It’s all part of wanting to know everything about you.” She walked over to a set of shelves on the wall. Along with dozens of sports trophies, there were pictures of him playing hockey, riding waves at the beach, fishing off a pier, standing next to girls at school dances, and walking across the stage in a cap and gown. “You were cute even with acne, braces and glasses.”

  He laughed as he came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Only someone in love could think that.”

  She turned around in his arms. “I’m definitely someone in love.” That remark resulted in several minutes of pure bliss. When she got her breath back, she said, “Along with being good at hockey, you were very popular with the ladies.”

  “Don’t let the pictures fool you. My mother made me join junior cotillion. Dances and formal dinners were mandatory. I didn’t like it at the time, but when I got to college, all those lessons in etiquette and how to behave in social situations came in handy.”

  “I wish I’d had something like that. The first time I went to a fancy restaurant, I couldn’t figure out why they’d given me so much silverware to use for one meal.”

  “That’s something I still don’t understand.”

  “Where did you go whitewater rafting?”

  “There’s a place here that takes you out on the Chattahoochee River. It’s too cold right now. We’ll do it next summer.”

  “So you’re planning to bring me back?”

  He reached for her again. “It’s you or no one.”

  * * * * *

  Lance hid a smile as he and Norah reentered the church van for the ride to the next house on the list. Norah had quickly become a favorite among the group of five couples, and it wasn’t just because of her youthful enthusiasm. He’d been just as surprised as everyone else to discover that she had a beautiful singing voice.

  As the van pulled away from the curb, he put his arm around her and pressed a kiss on her hair. “What other hidden talents do you have?”

  “You’ll have to find that out for yourself.”

  He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “Something I’m very much looking forward to.” She tapped him on the nose. If they’d been alone, he would have caught her hand and kissed each one of her fingers. “Is this Christmas caroling experience living up to your expectations?”

  “Very much so. I hope you’re not finding it boring.”

  He laughed. “Boring? This is better than watching Ninja Warrior. At every stop, there’s a competition to see who’s going to stand on the other side of you. I’m thinking of auctioning off my spot to the highest bidder.”

  “Be nice. These people are giving up an evening with their family to bring some Christmas cheer to someone else.”

  “I’m sacrificing, too. I could have taken you to Cooper Creek Park to see how fast we could fog up the windows of my car.”

  She smiled. “Is that where you took all your high school girlfriends?”

  “All? I only had two. You might think the acne, braces and glasses were cute, but no one else did.”

  “If only they could see you now. All those girls would regret not taking a chance on you.”

  “We’ll never know. I haven’t been to any of my high school reunions.”

  “I went to my five year. Nothing much had changed except that the boy I had a crush on in eleventh grade had transformed from a Greek god into something much less impressive.”

  “That happens. We’re slowing down.” Lance looked out the window and started to laugh as the van came to a stop. “This is Summer’s house.”

  “Your sister Summer?”

  “Yep. This’ll be fun. Maybe she’ll come to the door in her pajamas.”

  “You’re awful, Lance.”

  To Lance’s disappointment, it was Garrett who answered the door. On cue, everyone started to sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Summer evidently heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. The look on her face was priceless. It was obvious his mother hadn’t mentioned this would be happening. After they finished, she made a beeline for Lance, talking a mile a minute as she gave him a throttling hug.

  “What you doing here? Mom said you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”

  “Between you and Mom, it’s more likely that you got the date wrong. If you haven’t guessed already, this is Norah. Try not to scare her to death.”

  “I don’t scare people, Lance.” She turned to Norah. “He says the silliest things sometimes. What do you think of Columbus so far?”

  “It’s very different from Charleston. I love the rolling hills and all the trees.”

  “Have you seen April yet? Of course you haven’t. I forgot they’re visiting Barry’s grandparents today. Leah and Stratton will be here tomorrow. You won’t get to meet Violet this trip. She and her husband Jackson left for Nashville yesterday. What’s it like working for Lance? Is he very bossy?”

  Norah smiled. “Not at all. He’s very considerate.”

  Summer shot a teasing glance in his direction. “I guess he’s mellowing in his old age.”

  When his brother-in-law joined the group, Lance took the opportunity for a little payback. “Norah, this is Summer’s better half, Garrett.”

  Garrett laughed. “You must be feeling brave, Lance.” He held out his hand to Norah. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “I hate to break up the party,” Lance said, “but we’ve got more carols to sing. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.” They said their goodbyes and started walking to the van. “Summer is the social butterfly of the family. She can outtalk everyone.”

  “She’s bright and sunny like the season after which she’s named.”

  “Remember when I told you about the woman I loved who married someone else? Holly was Summer’s best friend. That’s how I met her. She lives in St. Marys now.”

  There was a few seconds of silence and then, “Did you see her at Thanksgiving?”

  “Yes. What was normally a very uncomfortable experience wasn’t that bad at all. Falling in love with you…it was…it was important. It was necessary for me to feel like this. Sometimes I’m not always sure about the important things, but somehow feeling this way again with you, I know it’s right. I know
that I don’t have to feel the pressure or the pain from before. Everything with you feels new; it’s like I’m getting a second chance at first love.”

  “We’re both getting a second chance at love.”

  “A chance I don’t intend to waste.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Growing up on a farm had made Norah an early riser. It didn’t matter how late she stayed up the night before. On this particular morning, something else besides the rising sun woke her: the sound of something scratching on the door. She flipped back the duvet and swung her feet to the floor. Then she padded over and cracked the door open a few inches. A huge, white paw came into view. Smiling, she opened the door wider and a very fat Persian cat waddled in.

  “You must be Jeeves.”

  If it was possible for a cat to sneer, Jeeves did so. He made his slow, ponderous way to the window seat. From there he stared fixedly at the spot where Oliver was curled up asleep.

  “I guess you’ve come to check out your houseguest.” Norah gently shook Oliver awake. “There’s someone here to meet you.” Oliver blinked a few times as if unsure what attitude he should adopt. Then curiosity got the best of him. He crept toward the edge of the bed. Once there, either his interest or his bravery gave out.

  Since neither cat seemed unduly concerned about the other, Norah returned to bed. It was the sound of water running in the bathroom that woke her the next time. Lance must be in the shower. She rolled over and reached for her phone to check the time. Six-forty. She might as well get up.

  As she got out of bed, her glance moved to the window seat. The sight of Jeeves and Oliver sharing the space brought a smile to her face. “I see you two worked things out like gentlemen.”

  By the time she decided what to wear, there weren’t any sounds coming from the room next door. Figuring Lance was finished, she grabbed her overnight bag and walked out of her room. The bathroom was empty, but the scent of his aftershave still hung in the air. This was something she could easily get used to.