Chapter Sixteen

It hadn’t been one of Norah’s better days. Along with having several couples whose children couldn’t be kept quiet even with the bribery of Christmas candy, she also had to deal with Hunter’s sister. Iris arrived mid-afternoon with one of her friends. For some unknown reason, the pair attached themselves to Norah’s group of tourists where they proceeded to talk loudly and ask stupid questions. They wisely disappeared before she could give them the telling off they deserved.

Her already sour mood wasn’t improved when Perry called with the news that he wouldn’t be able to accompany her Christmas shopping. This was the second time he’d cancelled on her at the last minute. It wasn’t that she needed him to go with her, but these were the ‘couple things’ she’d always looked forward to doing with someone.

She might not have been so upset about it except he’d already told her he couldn’t come to the tree lighting ceremony. He was flying to New York to attend a football game. She didn’t expect him to give up all his hobbies, but the tree lighting was only once a year.

What was next? Was he going to decide he couldn’t do the bachelor auction?

Leaving Todd to do the final check of the rooms, Norah went to close the gift shop. Pam was waiting for her inside.

“Hey, Norah. Everything balanced for once.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had all day.”

Pam held up a white envelope. “Guess what? Lance gave me and T.J. ten tickets for the bachelor auction. He said we could invite whoever we want. I hope there are some hot guys to bid on. Besides Perry, of course. We know he’s hot.”

Being hot wasn’t going to get Perry out of the doghouse. “You can see for yourself. I’m picking up the programs and calendars from the printer tomorrow.”

“My boyfriend says I better not bid on any of them.”

“Tell him it’s for a good cause.”

Pam reached under the counter for her purse. “I gotta run. My sister and I are going Christmas shopping.”

The reminder of her ruined plans wiped the smile from Norah’s face. When she exited the gift shop, she saw Iris talking to Lance outside the garage. She hoped he wasn’t getting involved with the attractive ballet dancer. It was true that opposites sometimes attract, but this was an extreme example. There was a shallowness and superficiality about Iris that made her all wrong for someone as genuine and caring as Lance. From comments she’d heard Jody and Carolyn say, Norah was certain she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Lance wasn’t just her boss; she’d come to think of him as a friend. Wasn’t it natural for her to want the best for him?

* * * * *

Lance’s day had been going great until the witness he and Hunter spent countless hours preparing for trial had a meltdown on the stand. Unless they could repair the damage, they were facing either a mistrial or a crushing defeat. This debacle was followed by the discovery that someone had keyed the driver’s side door of his car.

Things hadn’t improved when he got home. Iris appeared out of nowhere just as he was exiting the garage. He couldn’t help thinking she planned it that way. Her relentless pursuit of him was beginning to wear thin, and his polite hints of disinterest had been ignored. He hated the thought of being even more blunt, but he wasn’t sure what else to do at this point.

When he tried to edge around her, he felt her hand come down on his arm. “Don’t go inside yet, Lance. My friend Rae’s in there talking to Hunter.”

Lance smiled faintly. “You’re taking a big chance introducing one of your friends to a notorious playboy.”

Iris shrugged this off. “I’m not worried about Rae. She can hold her own with anyone.”

He glanced pointedly at his watch. “That’s great, but how long does Rae need?”

“Just a few more minutes. What’s your hurry?”

“I’ve got a ton of work to do before tomorrow morning.”

“With what you make off the tourists silly enough to spend money to see your mausoleum, you shouldn’t have to work at all. Speaking of that, Rae and I took one of Norah’s tours today. I’ve never been so bored in my life.”

“That’s strange. My experience was just the opposite.”

Her smile was more of a sneer. “Hunter told me she’s going out with Perry Cabot. I couldn’t believe it.”

“What is there about Perry or Norah that makes you unable to believe it?”

“A billionaire and a girl who grew up on a farm?” she asked derisively. “You have to admit it sounds like the overused plot of a corny movie.”

“Perry wasn’t always a billionaire, and the fact that Norah is from the country is irrelevant. They met in college.”

She nodded. “Before he was anyone. That explains it.”

Lance gave up. “Did you get your ticket for the bachelor auction?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it. I’m thinking of bidding on Perry. Why should Norah have all the fun?”

“Be prepared to fork over some big bucks. I expect the bidding for him to be very competitive.”

“That was the idea, right? Here comes Rae, and she’s smiling. I hope that means Hunter said yes.”

Lance didn’t wait to find out what Hunter said. He nodded in Rae’s direction and made his escape. Sitting in the middle of his desk was a plate of peanut butter blossoms along with a note from Logan reminding him about his promise to take them to get a Christmas tree tonight. Every time Logan asked him to do something, he always ended the conversation with, ‘Do you promise, Lance?’ It was like he needed that extra bit of reassurance. Lance had tried hard to keep all those promises.

While he waited for his laptop to boot up, he sampled one of the cookies. He was going for a second when Hunter strolled into his office and sat down.

“Have one,” Lance said, pointing to the plate.

“I had my own, thank you; hand-delivered by Logan.”

“That’s even better. I don’t have to share. This afternoon went about as bad as it could.”

“I agree. We lost a lot of jurors today.”

“Any ideas on how to get them back?”

“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

“We’ll both be working on it. I hope you didn’t plan on sleeping tonight.”

“I’m way ahead of you. I dropped by my place for a change of clothes before coming here.”

Jody stuck her head in the door. “Hey, Hunter.”

Lance was shocked at the change that came over Hunter. The hardness disappeared from his eyes as if by magic, and what could only be described as a goofy smile replaced the more cynical one on his lips. Was it possible? Lance almost laughed out loud. And he’d thought Louise was reaching when she talked about him and Norah.

“Oh, hey, Jody. How’s it going?”

“Pretty good. I came to tell this workaholic that dinner’s almost ready. You’re welcome to join us if you don’t have other plans.”

“I’d love to. Thanks for the invite.”

“You’re welcome.” She looked at Lance. “You boys have ten minutes. Don’t forget to wash your hands.”

Lance waited until the sound of her footsteps died away before speaking. “From something Iris said, I figured you’d be taking out her friend Rae.”

“Not tonight. She needed a date for a Christmas party on Friday.”

“Your services are always in demand.”

“I have to do something while I’m waiting on…the right girl,” he finished somewhat lamely.

“The right girl?” Lance asked, smiling a little. “I didn’t think there was a woman alive who could change your mind about matrimony.”

Hunter laughed. “I didn’t, either.”

Lance leaned forward. “Does that mean you’ve found someone who might be the right girl?”

“I have someone in mind, but it’s complicated.” He looked unsure of himself, something that hardly ever happened. “I don’t know why I don’t just come out and say it. I’ll have to tell you about it anyway. It’s Jody. Now before you say anything, I know it’s too soon. I also know she’s your cousin, and that she was married to your best friend. You probably don’t think I’m good enough for her, but…”

“Wait a minute,” Lance interrupted. “The subject of when or if Jody decides to date again is up to her. The same goes for who she goes out with. As for your last remark, you’re right. If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t think Nigel was good enough for her either. He proved me wrong.”

“To be honest, she’s the last person I would have expected to fall for.”

“Having seen a few of your girlfriends, I can believe that. When did all this falling start?”

Hunter stared down at his hands. “Back in October when I went to one of Logan’s hockey games. I can’t even describe what happened. One minute I was sitting beside Jody and the next minute I felt as if I couldn’t think or breathe. I spent weeks afterward telling myself I imagined it, but it happens every time I’m around her.”

Lance laughed at the bemused look on Hunter’s face. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Nigel. Whatever you do, you better not hurt her.”

“I would never do that. You have my word.”

“Then I wish you the best. I’m taking her and Logan to look for a tree tonight. Come with us. It’ll give you a chance to talk to her away from here.”

Hunter looked skeptical. “Why are you helping me?”

“I’m not helping you. I’m doing this for Jody. Whether or not anything happens between you and her, she needs to start thinking of herself as more than just Logan’s mom.” He rose to his feet. “Time for dinner. We definitely don’t want to be late. That’s one thing you’ll learn about Jody very quickly. All that red hair has to mean something.”

* * * * *

Norah was quietly airing her grievances to Rutherford Dawes when she heard footsteps behind her.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you talking to that portrait,” Lance said, his tone teasing. “I believe you’re a little in love with him.”

It wasn’t being caught doing something silly that kept her silent. It was the sudden blinding awareness that she’d made a terrible mistake. It wasn’t Perry that she loved. It was Lance! Just putting that thought into words had her insides quaking. At the same time, she felt an almost exquisite relief. Everything was clear at last. Now she knew why she’d been so conflicted and confused.

“I’m sorry.” That was Lance’s voice, closer than before. “Did I scare you again?”

She needed to say something instead of standing there like a statue. “No. I was…miles away, thinking about something else.”

He nodded. “I get that way myself sometimes. What are you doing here so late?”

“I’m not in the mood to go Christmas shopping, but I don’t want to go home.”

“You’ve got quite a conundrum there. Maybe I can help. Would you like to go with me and the gang to get Logan a Christmas tree?”

Conventional wisdom would say she should refuse, but the heart seldom listens to such things. The implications of what she’d just discovered would have to be faced, but she couldn’t do anything about Perry tonight. Figuring out how she’d so badly misjudged her heart was a problem for another day. 

“I’d love to. Just let me get my purse and coat.”

“Come to the garage when you’re ready.”

She was surprised to see Hunter sitting in the back seat with Jody and Logan. His active dating life was another of the subjects talked about among the tour staff. Going to look for a Christmas tree wasn’t something Norah would have thought he’d be interested in.

In no time at all, Lance was pulling into the gravel parking lot of Dave’s Nursery. Norah sniffed appreciably as they entered the enclosure illuminated by strings of white lights. Logan, Jody and Hunter started down one of the aisles. Lance watched them go and then turned to her.

“I think they’ll be fine on their own. Let’s go this way.”

Norah didn’t mind where they went. For the first time in weeks, she felt at peace. She didn’t yet know how she was going to untangle everything, but she had no doubt about her reasons for doing it.

“This is where I bought my tree,” she told him.

“Carolyn comes here, too. Since I always go to my parents for Christmas, I don’t normally put up a tree. With Jody and Logan living with me, that all changed. Unless you’re deaf, I’m sure you heard how excited he is about having a tree in his room.”

She smiled. “He’s the sweetest little boy. I love to hear him laugh.”

“Me, too. I find myself doing things just to get him to laugh.”

“Thanks for asking me to come tonight. This is what I needed. I was having one of those days you want to forget about.”

“I was, too, until about a half hour ago.”

Remembering what she’d seen coming out of the gift shop, she couldn’t resist asking, “Was that when you ran into Iris?”

He laughed. “No. It was who I ran into after that.”

Was he talking about her? She didn’t have the nerve to ask. “Iris and her friend joined one of my tours today. I’m not sure why because they obviously have no interest in history.”

“I wouldn’t think so. Anyway, I doubt you’ll see them again.”

“Don’t take this wrong, but I’m glad to hear it.”

“Why would I care? Iris is Hunter’s problem.”

Lance couldn’t have said anything that would make Norah happier. “I was shocked to see him in the car.”

A curious smile formed on his lips. “You know what they say: a woman has a strange effect on a man.”

She digested that for a few seconds. “Do you mean he and Jody…are dating?”

“No, but he’d like to be. I have no idea how she feels about it.”

“I imagine it would be hard to start over again, plus she’s got Logan to think of.”

“I just want her to be happy.”

“Can I ask you something? It’s a personal question. Feel free to tell me to mind my own business.”

“I wouldn’t do that. Fire away.”

“Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”

His smile was half-amused, half-ambiguous. “That’s an easy question with a complicated answer.”

“Let’s break it down then. Do you have something against dating in general?”

“Well, I’ve had some pretty bad dates.”

“We’ve all had those. What’s your worst?”

“That would have to be Brandy. She was a fellow law student. When I asked her out, she did something no other woman has ever done. She requested that we go to a certain restaurant, which happened to be very expensive. I didn’t have much money in those days, but I wanted to impress her, so I agreed. Right after we ordered, she suddenly remembered she’d left her purse in the car. I told her I’d go get it. Later when the waiter brought our food, Brandy’s was in a take-out box, and mine was on a plate. Without a word, she picked up the box and walked out of the restaurant. I was left with an embarrassed waiter and the curious stares of everyone around us.”

“I can’t believe she did that. What did she say when you saw her at school?”

“Nothing. She acted like it never happened. It was the weirdest thing. I almost began to doubt myself, thinking I might have dreamed the whole thing. Then the credit card bill came in the mail.”

 “I don’t know if I can top that, but here’s my one and only bad date. My college roommate kept bugging me to go out with her cousin. I wasn’t impressed with him, but I finally gave in and agreed to go. All through the meal, he kept bragging to me about how much money he made, the expensive car he owned, etc. When it came time to pay, his credit card was declined. He tried another one. It was declined, too. I ended up having to pay for the meal. What made it worse was he didn’t even offer to pay me back.”

“What did your roommate say?”

“She tried calling him, but he wouldn’t answer. So she took it to Facebook and Twitter. It didn’t end well.”

“Going public never does.”

“So you’ve had a few bad dates. That’s not enough to keep you single.”

“You’re right. That’s just an excuse. I lost interest in dating after the woman I fell in love with married someone else.”

“That’s understandable.”

“I thought so. That lasted about a year, I guess. Since then I’ve taken out a few women here and there, but they’ve been spaced so far apart that everyone assumes I never date. Hence all the concern.”

“So you don’t have anything against love and marriage?”

“No, but let’s keep that our little secret.”

“I knew someone so family-oriented couldn’t have decided to skip one of life’s most rewarding experiences.”

“Not many people pick up on that. Are you getting excited about Saturday?”

“You mean the auction?”

He found this very funny. “Yes, the auction. Your night of triumph.”

“It’s yours and Fallen Heroes’ night of triumph.”

“You’re getting something out of it, too. The auction brought you and Perry together.”

Norah didn’t want to be reminded about Perry. In a way, she wished Carolyn had never suggested him in the first place. What had seemed like a dream come true had turned into a humiliating mistake.

Logan suddenly appeared at the end of the aisle, a huge grin splitting his face from ear to ear. “Lance and Norah! We found a tree.”

“Okay, bud. We’re right behind you.” Lance slid his arm through hers. In a voice only she could hear, he said, “Let’s hope it doesn’t look like the tree Charlie Brown picked out.”

Norah couldn’t stop the quiver that slid through her. Something had just occurred to her; something that put her situation into an entirely different light.

What would Lance think about her abrupt change of heart? She cringed inside just thinking about all the things she’d told him about Perry. Would he label her fickle, a woman unable to make up her mind about something as important as love? And if she ever got the chance to tell him how she felt about him, would he believe her?