by Ciara Knight
My heart pounded hard and fast, my pulse beat against my neck, and I felt lightheaded. I didn’t miss his double meaning. If I was right, he was as interested in me as I was with him. He lowered me to the floor and I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek.
“What was that for?” He asked.
I took a step back and he grabbed my arms and pulled me tight once more. “I only ask because I’d like it to happen again.” His lips hovered close to mine and for a second, I thought about kissing him. I knew he was thinking about kissing me the way his gaze fixed on my lips.
Mr. Toni cleared his throat. “I guess I’ll leave you two to your…planning.”
Great, the entire town would know that Brent and I were getting closer. Did it matter? Why try to keep it a secret we were both consenting adults? The way he looked at me, held me, clung to me, made me feel special. It was time to give this thing between us a chance. Who knew, maybe I’d convince him to move to the Keys someday.
He held my hand out the front door, down the street, and into the police station where everyone could see.
“Have you ever been to the Keys?” I asked.
He stopped one step inside the front doors of the police station. “Once.”
“Really, did you like it?” I urged him toward the registration desk, so I could get my troubles sorted out and concentrate on all that was Christmas Mountain and Brent Donnelly and saving the Christmas Mountain Community Center and the town.
“I don’t know. I didn’t stay long.”
“Why? The Keys can be beautiful. Hot, but gorgeous water.”
“Because when I got to the boat, I’d booked through a charter company I saw the captain with another man.”
“I don’t understand. Me?” Yes, I was slow, but when I caught his expression with slack lips and sorrowful eyes it hit me. “What did the guy look like? Any chance he was tall and thin with a swimmer’s frame and wearing a cap?”
“Yeah, I’ll never forget him.”
“That’s Clint, my business partner. He’s engaged, and we’ve never been anything more than friends. Why did you book under a different name?”
He rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes, “Because I finished college and I thought I’d go sweep you off your feet. Instead, I ended up tripping over my own.”
I thought back around four years ago, I’d heard he’d graduated school I rested my head against his chest and took a moment to comprehend that Brent Donnelly had flown to the Keys to see me. And I never knew anything about it. “Four years. We wasted over four years.”
He tipped my chin up to look at him. “It doesn’t matter, we have now. Now is good for me. How about you?”
“Now’s perfect.”
Eleven
“If you two are done snuggling by the door, I have the paperwork ready you asked for Mr. Donnelly.” Officer Hutchinson interrupted. I was starting to think we’d never get five minutes of quiet.
“Right.” He slipped from my grasp like he’d done a thousand other times in my dreams and addressed the overbearing officer.
I offered a sincere smile despite our earlier differences. “Don’t I have to go to court?”
“No Ms. Brooks. I’ve decided to not pursue this. Mr. Donnelly already spoke to my superior who agreed. The car has already been driven back to the rental facility and we have paid the bill in full. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
I stood there dumbfounded. I wanted to ask what was going on but thought better of it. “That’s nice of the department. I need a car, though, to return to my flight in Nashville when it comes time.”
Officer Hutchinson eyed Brent. “I’m sure you won’t have a problem with transportation. Sign here and you may be on your way.”
“My coat?” I sighed. “I’d left it in the car.”
Officer Hutchinson reached underneath the front desk and dropped my coat onto the counter.
I scribbled my unreadable signature, snagged my coat, and headed for the door where Brent was waiting.
“Ms. Brooks, I do hope that you stay out of trouble for your remaining time in Christmas Mountain.”
That wouldn’t be a problem with Brent at my side. He provided all the adrenaline rush I needed. “I intend to keep a low profile. Thank you.”
Brent opened the door for me and I bolted out onto the sidewalk. He eyed his watch. “I need to go open up the shop. Would you come hang out with me for a bit so that we can discuss this plan you have to save the Christmas Mountain Community Center and Christmas Mountain? And anything else you decide to take on while you’re here, Ms. Fearless?”
“Me, fearless? No, not even close.”
We walked up Main passing the rich aroma of coffee and sweets, past one of the many abandoned store fronts and a book shop. A man washed the front window of the bookstore. He only nodded and then returned to his work. Brent leaned into me and whispered, “That’s Tim. Don’t take it personally, he’s not sociable. He’s owned the shop for three years, but I barely know him. He’s great with his daughter, though.”
Brent pulled the store keys from his pocket and then veered to the bench where Melba Cross and Sara Blake sat, obviously waiting to be allowed inside the knitting shop. They had been closing for as long as I could remember. For each kind gesture and quick wit of Sara, Melba matched with spit and vinegar. Melba tapped her foot with impatience.
“Sorry, Mrs. Cross, Ms. Blake, I had some other business to take care of.”
“What?” She more yelled than spoke at him. “No excuse to keep an old lady waiting. I might die from exposure.”
Brent unlocked the door and held it open for the long-time customers.
“Thank you dear,” Sara said. “Don’t mind Melba I think she put her Depends on backwards today.”
Brent grinned from ear to ear, but only nodded. He waved me inside and I could smell his grandmother’s perfume from years ago. It was a faint, stale, floral aroma that brought back so many memories. “She was always such a sweet woman, great to us kids after school.”
“Grandmother? Yep, she was. It’s funny, she always thought we belonged together. Kept telling me I had to open my eyes before the perfect woman slipped away. I guess I should’ve listened.”
Melba dropped her oversized purse on the coffee table with a loud thwap. “Where’s the jar for your extortion money?”
Brent offered a polite smile. The kind reserved for customers that were supposed to be friends, but always used that to try to score discounts or special consideration. I knew that well. “It’s on the table.”
“What?”
Sara held one hand at Brent. “Don’t worry, I’ve got her club money. The rest of the ladies should be here soon. Oh, and I need some cream worsted weight yarn for my Aran knit afghan.” She sat down and pulled out the most amazing squares I’d ever seen. Each square was unique, a garden theme with a cottage, rain, flowers, spider, and other squares.
“Those are beautiful.” I said.
Sara’s eyes shone with pride. “Thanks, I hope to finish this one by Christmas to give to someone.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Don’t know, I’ve made one for everyone in town, I think. Wish I could give them away or sell them to other’s outside our town.”
Marketing ideas flooded my head. “You got any paper and pens here?”
“Of course.” Brent rounded the large mahogany registration desk and returned with a legal pad and pencil.
While Brent retrieved Sara’s yarn and collected club money from the other ladies. I sat down and jotted down a list: Two nights at Mistletoe Inn, afternoon hot chocolate at Sleigh Cafe, Dinner at Prancer’s Pancake House, Hay ride at the Olmore Farm, discount shopping coupons for Main street including afghans, books, and more, private hikes, picnic lunches, rock climbing, snow skiing. When he was done, he rejoined me and studied my notes. “Wow, you just thought of all that?”
“It’s only a brainstorming session.”
Brent rubbed my shoulders and my crazy insi
des did a happy dance while my shoulders relaxed. Each time he touched me it was like riding a bucking bronco at a carnival with no rope to hold on to. “How are things with your mother?”
“I haven’t spoken to her today. I’m hoping to go by the grocery store later to see about when Dad is available for a visit. That is, after I go check on Ms. King.”
“She’s not in town. Word is that she had an appointment in Nashville, she should be back tomorrow.”
“For what?” I hoped it was good news regarding her health.
Brent ran his fingers through my long hair. He made it tough to concentrate. “Don’t know.”
“Okay, so I’ll speak to my mom. I want to know why things were the way they were between us for so long.”
“Does it matter if things are good now?”
“Yes, because if I don’t understand what happened, how do I stop it from happening again?”
“Good point.”
I leaned back against his solid chest and stomach. He obviously didn’t eat many gingerbread men or scones or drink frou-frou hot chocolate. “It’s your turn.”
“For what?”
“To talk to your father.”
He scooted around next to me, resting his elbow on the table. I liked our closeness and even began to believe something really could happen between us.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about that. I’m going to drive up to Wyoming at the end of the week. Would you mind manning the store Friday afternoon? I know it’s a lot to ask, but I don’t want to close since Friday afternoon there’s a knitting club meeting. Almost all the women over sixty come with a bottle of wine and a knitting project. Let’s just say, it can get a little out of hand.”
The way he said out of hand made me think the seniors of Christmas Mountain were party animals in disguise. “Sure, I don’t see why not. How long will you be gone?” Brent leaned into me, stealing my oxygen. At least, that’s how it felt. “It sounds like you might miss me.”
“Desperately.” I teased.
“Me, too.”
“You two gonna play kissy face or you gonna get me my yarn?” Melba yelled in a screechy tone.
Sara leaned into her. “Turn up your hearing aide, you’re being too loud.”
“What?” Melba yelled.
Sara did a motion with her hand as if she was winding her ear.
Brent sighed.
Melba turned up her hearing aide. “So what about my yarn?”
“He already got it, look in your lap.” Sara said.
I scanned the old shop and remembered the endless hours I’d spent here with Brent’s grandmother. How at home I felt, the loving arms that greeted us. Nothing but kind words. “I miss your grandmother.”
“Me, too,” Brent said in a far-off tone. “Do you remember her engagement ring?”
“The one that all the women in town were jealous of?”
“Yes. That’s the one.”
Brent opened a cabinet behind me and pulled out a small box. “I found this a year ago when I was cleaning out the storage area with a note that told me she’d hidden it for me. She didn’t want my dad hocking it.” He opened the box and the silver ring with bright diamonds in the shape of a rose glistened as if brand new yet had an antique quality to it.
“That sounds like your grandmother.” I touched the tip of the ring as if to reach out to her. “She was an amazing woman.”
“She was. You remind me a lot of her.” His thumb brushed my chin and his gaze drifted down my nose over my cheeks and back to my eyes. “She had that same wandering spirit you do.
He closed the box and placed it back in its home then took me in his arms once more. “I wish she was here, so she could give me advice about my father. She was always good at translating him for me.”
“What are you going to talk to your father about?” I asked, trying to focus on his words instead of his touch.
His right eyebrow lifted the way it did when he was worried about something. It was funny how much I remembered about his details. “I’m going to tell him that I won’t be working for him anymore. You inspire me, Ash. The way you take life and make it work for you. You didn’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself because your daddy didn’t give you a better position in his company. Heck, I don’t even want to work in any of his companies. I want to make my own way, do my own thing, like this active outdoor town promotion idea we’ve got brewing. I thought money and prestige would make me happy because that’s what my parents believed.” He brushed his lips against my cheek on his way to my ear. My skin erupted with Brent bumps.
My chest tightened cutting the air from being released. I wanted to tell him I felt the same, I wanted to tell him that I waited for him, that there was never another. Not in sixth grade, not in high school, not now. I couldn’t though. I only lowered my chin to my chest and bit my bottom lip. I had held on to the idea of him for so long, what if it didn’t work?
Twelve
For three mornings I woke, dressed, and found Brent waiting at my bistro table downstairs. We spoke of plans to save the Christmas Mountain Community Center, we spoke about what businesses would thrive in Christmas Mountain; we spoke about all sorts of matters except the one thing that truly needed addressing: us. We both danced around the subject of me leaving, him staying, what we meant to each other, but we enjoyed each minute together getting to know each other again. On Thursday morning we sat down together, but my phone rang. I checked caller ID and saw it was Clint, but I sent him to voice mail.
“What is it?” Brent asked through a whipped cream mustache and a smile.
“I’m not sure.” I saw the message light pop-up and I read the few lines. I have the money and I want to buy you out. Call me so we can finalize. My skin went winter cold.
Brent wiped his mustache away and grabbed my hand. “You ok?”
My throat constricted. “I don’t want to start over. It took so much to get the business going. Why would he do this? I told him I would help him expand the business, give him his own location to run, but instead he wants to take over completely.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not following.”
“Clint, he says he’s going to buy me out of the company.”
“Can’t you say no?”
“I could, but I know Clint. When he sets his mind to something, he’s going to make it happen. I trusted him, though. I gave him access to all the spreadsheets and information. I’ve always run the company and marketing. I’m so stupid.”
Brent stood and knelt by my side. “No, you’re not. You’re a good person who trusted your partner. There’s nothing stupid about that. Listen, I’ll cancel my trip tomorrow and I’ll go with you to Key West to work this out.”
I cupped his cheek. The sincerity in his eyes warmed my heart. “You would do that for me?”
He turned his cheek and kissed my palm. A delicate, personal, breathtaking kiss. He closed his eyes then turned back to face me. “Of course I would, even though it would gut me to see you leave now. I’m a selfish creature, Ash. I want you to stay, for us to have more time, but I would never hold you back. You’d only hate me later.”
His words scared me, I wanted to jump up and run away from the possibility, but I wouldn’t run anymore. I wanted Brent. No matter how much I got hurt, I was in this time. “I could never hate you, Brent. I tried.”
He took my hand and placed it to his chest. “Why would you want to hate me?”
“Because I thought you didn’t see me as anything more than a friend.”
The front door opened, and Mom entered. “Hey, you two, I thought I’d find you here. I had a thought about the Christmas Mountain Community Center. We could incorporate a fundraiser into your new business venture.”
Brent stood and faced my mom. “That sounds great, but I think the project will be for you and me to complete. Ash needs to fly back to the Keys.”
Mom’s smile vanished and instantly I saw the same woman who had told me to leave that morning so long ago. I crumb
led inside myself. My body felt heavy and lost, but then anger pooled in my stomach and bubbled until it over flowed. Not at anyone else, but at myself. I wouldn’t let everyone down again. I shot up from the chair. “No, I won’t leave. Not now. I told you I’d mind the knitting store and I will. I’ll fly down Sunday and face Clint in person, but I’ll be back for the extravaganza. I promised Ms. King.”
“And then what? You gonna leave and not return for another eight years?” Mom’s words were harsh and her tone even sharper.
I looked at my pink hiking boots then back up at them. “I don’t know, I don’t have all the answers yet.”
Brent squeezed my shoulder in a way that told me he’d have my back no matter what my decision. And he did, he ran interference with my mother without being asked.
He escorted Mom to the bistro table and pulled up another chair. “Please sit and tell us your ideas.”
“Yes, please, do. This means a lot to me.” I squeezed her hand, trying to let her know how much she meant to me despite our differences. “Tell us about your fundraising idea.”
“Well, you said Brent wanted to start his own company here, and how you spoke about doing an adventure store and tour company and offering package deals with the Inn, Sleigh Café, Prancer’s Pancake House, and such. What if we put something together for this Christmas and auctioned it off? You could do it online, right? All you kids work magic with the Internet.” She opened her purse and handed me a check. “Your father and I saved some money. We want to invest in your new company. Invest in you.”
I opened the check and tears flooded my eyes. It wasn’t enough to open a business, but it was more than I could’ve imagined. The amount didn’t matter, but the check meant everything. “You believe in our idea that much?”
She squeezed my hand this time. “I believe in you, Ash.”
She called me Ash, something she’d always refused to do growing up. Said it was trendy and made me sound like burnt cigarettes. “Mom.” Was the only word I could say before my words lodged in my throat. I shook my head and took a stuttered breath. “I don’t know what to say.”