by Cindy Kirk
“Quite a coincidence.”
“Not really. Those tables are so close, it’s almost impossible not to overhear other conversations.” While something about the woman unsettled Sam, the notion of her having some hidden agenda in Holly Pointe seemed farfetched.
“I don’t know.” Derek narrowed his gaze. “Her coming here out of the blue seems odd. Sort of like when Jaycee returned to town after being gone for years.”
“That experience has made you suspicious of all women. I get that. I’d feel the same if I were you.” Sam still found it difficult to believe that their childhood friend, Jaycee Collingsworth, had deliberately tried to trap Derek into marriage. “But Stella isn’t Jaycee. Other than the fact that she listens a lot more than she talks.”
“Which means she knows a lot more about you than you do about her.”
“You’re right.” Sam’s sardonic smile had Derek grinning.
“You’ve got a plan.”
Sam nodded. “I believe it’s time I find out a little more about Ms. Stella Carpenter.”
Stella wasn’t sure how it happened. One moment she was circling the ice with Kate, the next she was with Sam. Though she was flattered that he wanted to skate with her, she was also a trifle annoyed.
She and Kate had spent ten minutes gliding across the ice discussing everything but the citizens of Holly Pointe. Kate was warmed up, and there had finally been an opportunity for her to bring up Santa, er, Kenny, when Sam skated up.
“I wouldn’t think a southern girl would know how to ice-skate.”
“My father was from Minnesota. When I was little, we would go back to visit relatives. Do you like to ski?”
“What part of Minnesota?”
The question came out of the blue. Hadn’t he heard her question. “Pardon?”
With an arm around her waist, one hand resting on her hip while the other hand held hers, they glided across the ice as if they’d been skating together for years. Though she’d certainly been held by a man before, she’d never felt this comfortable so quickly.
“You said your father was from Minnesota. I was merely asking what part of the state.”
“Oh, Minneapolis.” She regrouped. “What about—”
“Do you still have family there?”
Stella wished he would stop asking questions. She was the one gathering information, not him.
“Yes. My grandparents live there.” She decided to use this as a segue to discussing his family. “Does your—?"
“What about your parents?”
She blinked. He’d interrupted again.
“They died two years ago.” Then, because she knew he would ask, she added. “It was a car accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and hit them.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His fingers tightened around hers. “I can’t imagine losing both of my parents at once.”
Focus on his family, not on yours, Stella told herself as grief surged. “Do your parents—”
“Faith said you used to work for a newspaper in Miami.”
The guy was like a jack-in-the-box. Each time she opened her mouth, he popped up and asked another question. He’d blown right over her and squelched her question with such thoroughness that she couldn’t raise it again, not right now anyway. Not without the inquiry appearing calculated.
“Yes.” Stella resisted the urge to sigh. “I worked for the Sun Times before I was let go due to budget cuts in September.”
“Yet you waited until now to come to Holly Pointe?”
She opened her mouth, determined to steer the conversation back to this community when he continued.
“Why now? Why not two or three months ago?” Sam slanted an assessing look in her direction. “I would think being in a strange town during the holiday season would prove difficult.”
“Why would you think that?” She was well aware she hadn’t answered his question, but heck, if he could ignore her questions, she could ignore his.
“Traditionally this time of year is about home and family.” His voice took on a probing quality. “Why come to a place where you don’t know anyone? Why not go to Minneapolis and spend Christmas with your grandparents?”
“I could have gone to Minnesota. My grandparents are still alive and living in a retirement community. But with losing the job, well, I felt like too much of a failure.”
“Is that the only reason?” His dark eyes seemed to bore into her soul.
“It probably should give me comfort to be around family at this time of year, but it doesn’t.” Stella somehow managed to keep her tone matter of fact. “I look like my father, and I’m a reminder of what they’ve lost. I see the pain they try so hard to hide, and it makes me feel bad.”
Sam nodded as if he understood. “Don’t you have friends in Miami?”
“Most of my friends were people I worked with at the Sun Times. They’re scattered across the country, wherever they could find a job.” Stella gave a little laugh. “I envy them. I’m certainly willing to relocate. I’ve sent resumes far and wide, but not even a nibble.”
When he closed the mouth he’d opened, she knew she’d addressed the question he’d been about to ask.
A tightness filled her chest. “Not one indication of interest.”
That fact made the carrot Jane had dangled even more appealing.
The hand holding hers squeezed in an expression of comfort.
Lost in her thoughts, Stella barely noticed that they’d slowed or that the other skaters were whizzing by them. “My friend Tasha let me bunk on her sofa for a couple of months.”
At his questioning look, she added. “I had to let my apartment go. It was too expensive, and my lease was up. I couldn’t sign another one. Not only did I not have the money, I didn’t know how long I’d be in Miami.”
When Stella paused for breath, she realized with sudden horror that she’d been rambling. Instead of him telling her his secrets, she’d been the doing all the talking.
“I still don’t understand why Holly Pointe. Just the trip here had to make a serious dent in your savings.”
The man was like a dog with a bone. He should have been a reporter.
“Tasha, the friend I was bunking with, told me I had to move out. She has a small apartment, and her roommate was tired of having me on the couch.” Stella paused as a parent stepped onto the ice to take a picture of his child. “Ohmigoodness.”
Stella jerked from his grasp nearly sending the both of them toppling to the ice.
“What’s wrong?” His gaze scanned the area around them as if searching for threats.
“The only reason I’m here today is to snap pictures.” She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I haven’t taken a single one since I’ve been skating.”
“You’re also here to enjoy yourself.”
At her “get real” look, he grinned. “How can you report on the flavor of the town without allowing yourself to get a feel for all it has to offer?”
“Good point.” She agreed with him. If her being here was as she’d said. The trouble was, Jane wanted a spin. And in order to get her old job back, Stella had to find a way to give Jane what she wanted.
Sam cocked his head. “Where’s your camera?”
She lifted her red phone. She loved everything about her iPhone. “This is it.”
“Your phone is your camera?”
The doubt in his eyes didn’t surprise Stella. Several years ago, heck, even two years ago, she never have thought she’d see the day when a phone’s camera would replace her Fuji. “If I was doing studio photography or high-end work, I’d use something else. But an increasing number of social media photographers use their phones exclusively. It’s less intrusive and easier to lug around. The pictures look great online.”
He didn’t appear convinced. “If you say so.”
“You’ll say so, too, when you see the ones from today.” She studied the crowd for subjects who would convey that this was a fun family event for
kids of all ages. She pointed. “See that guy over there?”
He obediently followed the direction of her finger. “Coach Walters?”
As the man was the only adult in a sea of kids, she nodded. “I want to get a shot of him.”
“Why?”
“He’s got an interesting face, and you can see the kids adore him.” She thought for a moment. “He’s like a Pied Piper.”
Sam snorted. “I don’t think he’d appreciate the comparison.”
Too busy setting up the shot in her head, Stella didn’t respond. If she crouched down and caught him as he passed . . .
She took off, weaving through the crowd of skaters. She was nearly to the center of the lake when Sam caught up to her.
“What are you doing?”
Stella grimaced, remembering her manners. Or rather her lack of them. “I’m sorry. I should have said I needed to get to work.”
“I thought you wanted a picture of Coach.” He stared in puzzlement at three young girls intently working on spins.
“I want a low angle shot of him as he passes by.” Stella gingerly squatted, but when she raised her phone and leaned over to check the angle, she nearly toppled.
Once again, she was saved by a pair of strong hands.
“Thanks.” She grinned. “This is getting to be a habit.”
“I don’t mind.” He returned her smile, and Stella went warm all over. “Why go low?”
“When you photograph from below eye level, it makes the person look powerful.”
“Like a Pied Piper?”
“Exactly.” Stella glanced at the ice and grimaced. “I’m going to have to sit. Would you mind standing in back of me while I do? Just so someone doesn’t plow into me and hurt themselves.”
“If you sit, you’ll get wet.” He pointed out the obvious. “And Santa will be here at noon, so you won’t have time to go back to your apartment and change.”
Darn if he wasn’t right. “Got a better idea?”
To her surprise, he appeared to be giving the dilemma some thought. “Okay, you crouch down. I’ll be directly behind you, hands on your shoulders, steadying you. It’s not ideal, but it’ll work. As long as you shoot quickly.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Stella saw the coach and his entourage of adoring children headed their way. “Okay.”
She scrunched down, and Sam did the same behind her. His hands on her shoulders gave her the stability she needed.
As the man passed, Stella did a burst of shots. When one of the children beside him said something and the man tossed back his head and laughed, Stella caught it.
She was ready to stand when she spotted two girls—who couldn’t be more than twelve—skating slowly and acting as if they didn’t notice a group of boys about the same age trying to get their attention.
The faces of the girls were reddened from the cold, but their smiles held an innocent happiness she wanted to capture.
Straightening just enough to be at eye level with them, Stella took several shots, then watched in horror as one of the boys skated backward right in front of them. With no time to react, they both tumbled to the ice.
She caught the fall, as well as the giggles that followed with her camera. And something more.
When the two started to lose their footing, Sam was already skating the short distance to them. His tall body protected them from other skaters while he pulled them to their feet. Only when the girls had resumed their circle around the lake did Sam skate off to speak with the boy.
She couldn’t tell what he said, but the boy’s cheeks turned even redder, and he hung his head. Then Sam slapped the boy on the back as if to say all was good, and he returned to Stella.
His kindness had a lump forming in Stella’s throat. “That was nice of you.”
“What?” As if noticing her gaze still on the girls he smiled. “They’re good kids.”
“You know them.” That explained a lot.
“One is the daughter of a friend of mine. The other one, well, I don’t know her, but I know the family.”
“That’s why you went to their rescue.”
A puzzled look skittered across his face. “I would have helped them even if I didn’t know them.”
“That wouldn’t happen in Miami.” Stella knew she wasn’t being fair to her home community, but it was how she felt. “If you don’t know someone, you don’t get involved.”
“Then it’s a good thing you don’t live there anymore.” He smiled and held out his hand. “C’mon, it’s time to play.”
It’s time to play?
Sam nearly groaned aloud. If Kevin were here, he’d have laughed his ass off at such a comment. Seriously, could he have sounded anymore lame?
But Stella smiled and put her hand in his.
There was something about this woman that short-circuited his brain. She’d been stunning at the cocktail party in that short dress and high heels, with miles of long toned legs.
But today, in her ski coat, with her sun-streaked hair tumbling around her shoulders, he found her equally lovely. He liked that she was tall. And strong. He didn’t know too many women who could—or would—crouch down on skates and twist their bodies into weird angles, all in hopes of getting just the right shot.
They skated in comfortable silence for several minutes. Sam liked that she wasn’t a person who felt the need to fill every moment with aimless chatter.
While Sam found himself attracted to her, Derek was right. There was still so much about her he didn’t know. He was still searching for the right question when she spoke.
“You’re a good skater.”
He smiled. “Thanks for the compliment.”
She dipped her head. “I’ve been trying to do better.”
“You lost me.”
“I read a lot of self-help articles. I read somewhere recently that when you think something nice about a person, you should tell them.” Stella offered an embarrassed laugh. “You know, instead of just thinking it.”
“I like the concept.” Sam studied her face, thought for a moment. “Tell me, Stella Carpenter, what’s the best compliment you ever received?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a breathy laugh, waving away the question.
Sam wasn’t about to let her off the hook this easily. He studied her, an expectant smile on her lips.
Several long seconds passed.
“Okay. Shortly after I started my first full-time job out of college, I did a series on teens making a difference in their communities.” She smiled, and her eyes grew bright with memories. “What those boys and girls did sparked other communities to step up and institute some of the changes in their own backyard.”
“You were recognized for your journalistic skill.”
“Yes, but that wasn’t the compliment.” Pride filled Stella’s voice. “My father told me he was proud I’d grown into someone who cared about others, that I’d become someone who strove to make the world a better place.”
Tears formed in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them back. “What about you? What’s the best compliment you ever received?”
He should have anticipated that she’d turn the tables on him. The woman could teach a master class in redirection. The thought made him smile.
Still, could he really expect her to share and then not reciprocate? He took her arm as an unsteady burly man holding the hand of a small child got a little too close.
“My brother once told me my greatest strength is that I don’t give up on those I care about.” Sam felt the familiar tightening in his chest. In the end, he’d had no choice but to give up, or rather accept that his smart, happy-go-lucky brother wasn’t going to win his battle with cancer.
“Sometimes,” Stella sighed, “even the best memories can be bittersweet.”
Sam caught sight of a team of reindeer pulling a sleigh over the hill just as a cheer rose up from the crowd. “Here comes Santa Claus.”
Stella shifted her gaze. Her eyes lit up. “Race you
to the side.”
She shot off like a rocket and had a start of several feet before he took off after her.
Sam never had been able to resist a challenge.
Chapter Six
Stella stepped back and lowered her phone. There were only so many pictures of Santa, reindeer, and children that one woman could take in a day.
She’d tweeted, blogged, and done her utmost to show the fun everyone was having at Star Lake. Her work here was nearly done.
Tonight, she would begin again. While a soup supper, including a chili cookoff, might not sound like fun, after being out in the cold for hours, Stella was looking forward to being in a warm church basement and downing a bowl of spicy chili.
For now, she’d have to settle for a steaming cup of hot cocoa while waiting for Santa to leave the area. Stella increased her pace when she noticed there was no line at the concession stand.
She strode straight to the window. “Hey, Mel.”
“Stella, hello. I was wondering if you were going to stop by to see me.” Mel smiled. “You’ve come at a good time. For most, hot chocolate simply can’t compete with petting a reindeer.”
Stella waved an airy hand. “Once you’ve pet one, you’ve pet them all.”
Mel laughed. “What can I get you?”
“Hot chocolate, of course.” Stella set her money down on the weathered counter.
“Coming right up.” Mel filled a disposable cup and handed it to Stella. “On the house.”
“Thanks, but I can pay.” She did, after all, have an expense account from the Sun Times. Though the thought of what she was expected to do for that money made her feel a little sick inside.
“After what you and Sam did for Camryn and her friend, the cocoa is on me.”
“Camryn?” Stella took a sip and felt the warmth all the way down to her toes.
“The girl with the blonde hair who fell on the ice.” Mel’s expression softened. “She’s my brother Derek’s daughter.”
Forget six degrees of separation, Stella thought. In this town, they were down to four. Or maybe two.