Chapter Six
After dinner and the gift exchange, Amber eagerly rose from her seat in the living room. She loved the next event on the Barnetts’ annual agenda. Caroling on Christmas night was one of her favorite parts of the holiday. This year would be even more special with Michael here.
“Follow us,” she told him.
At the front entry, Josh already stood by the hall closet with Drew next to him. “The line forms to the right,” Josh announced. “You know the drill.”
“Nick and Michael don’t,” Brooke protested.
“First time for everything,” Nick said. “Right, Michael?”
“Right. And I think we’ll manage to catch on soon enough.”
Josh tossed jackets and hats and scarves to Drew, who began passing them down the line until they reached their owners.
Michael shrugged into his jacket, then helped Amber with hers.
“Thanks.” She pulled on her hat and mittens and led him through the front door. On the sidewalk in front of the house, they stood in the cold night air, waiting for everyone to join them. Or to be exact, everyone but Mom and Penny.
“Are you ready for this?” she asked Michael.
“I’m ready for anything.”
She glanced sideways at him. He had tugged his ski cap down, framing his eyes, sending her gaze directly to his. The street lights reflecting off the snow made his eyes shimmer, adding a glow that brightened his entire face. A face she knew so well, and not just from the times he had stayed at the lodge.
On more nights than she could count, Michael played a starring role in her dreams. That secret pleasure made her eager to drift off to sleep at night. Even better, on those mornings after, she woke with a smile on her lips…until she opened her eyes and reality hit.
Blinking, she looked away. Her family paired up to head toward the house where the carolers would meet. Michael reached for her mittened hand.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“What do you think? Saving you from getting drafted into that meet-market competition.”
“Well, thanks for riding to my rescue, Prince Charming. But at the moment, nobody’s watching. We’re practically alone. Look, everyone’s getting ahead of us.”
“And when they discover we’re missing and look back to find us, what do you want them to see?”
She flushed at the pictures flashing through her mind. A couple sharing a laugh…a hug…a kiss… What more could a girl ask to make her star-studded Christmas evening complete?
Of course, the visions were just more dreams. When that girl stood wide-awake, eyes open, out in the bracing air, she found the strength to keep from getting caught up in fantasies. Or else. “I don’t want my family to see anything.”
Before she could pull free, he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and started walking.
Fantasy warred with reality in a one-sided battle. But nothing could win out over the truth. A week from now, Michael would be gone from her life again. Abruptly, she said, “Do you want me to take down the tree at the lodge tomorrow?”
“The day after Christmas?” He sounded surprised. “What’s the hurry? Is this when you’d take down your tree at home?”
“No. We always leave it up past New Year’s. Through Little Christmas, January sixth, as a matter of fact.”
Last year, he had hit her with a double whammy. Along with turning down her request to play Santa, he’d cancelled his plans to come to Snowflake Valley the week of the party. Needing something to cheer her up, she had left the tree standing in the lodge almost the entire month of January. Even worse, this year, he had accepted her request, then backed out. Who knew when she would finally be ready to put away the decorations?
But she didn’t own the lodge.
“Since you’ll be around,” she said, “I thought you might rather have the tree gone.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want to do with it is fine. But wouldn’t you like a break from all the Christmas cheer?” He gestured at the strands of red and green lights twined around the lampposts. “It’s everywhere you look in this town. Don’t folks who live here like to get it out of their houses, at least?”
“Not me. I love it. And now I have a question for you. I heard you talking with my dad as we were leaving. You were awfully quick to say you’ll attend the opening ceremony of the festival with us tomorrow. What happened to having so much work with you?” Again, that grim, tight-lipped expression crossed his face. She didn’t like seeing the change. Or, worse, knowing she’d caused it. “Besides,” she rushed on, “I’d think you would run as far as you could from anything to do with the festival.”
“Because I’m a Scrooge?” He gave her a crooked smile. “Yeah, normally I’d take a pass. I’m only going along with that for you, too.”
Prince Charming, all right. From her hand on his arm to the tips of her toes, warmth spread through her. Afraid he would see her reaction in her face, she looked away. She couldn’t believe in a fairytale that, for her, wouldn’t come with a happy ending.
Keep it light. Keep it real. As they passed another lamppost, she gestured toward it. “Speaking of decorations everywhere we look, I suppose I should warn you. Before the ceremony, we’re all going out for lunch to celebrate Lyssa and Nick’s engagement.”
“No problem. I like to eat.”
“At the Candy Cane?”
He groaned.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. I can tell by the size of your grin. I’ll bet you love that place.”
“Down to the last tiny ornament.”
“The Candy Cane.” He shook his head. “Whoever came up with a name like that for a diner?”
“Anatole, the owner. And for your information, the Snowflake Valley Chamber of Commerce approved it unanimously. The name is good for business, plus it goes along with the Christmas cheer. Which, by the way, we call ‘adding a little touch of magic.’”
“I call it being a little touched in the head.”
“Michael.”
He laughed and squeezed her hand.
Being so close to him, laughing with him, teasing him…she’d done all those things so many times before. In her dreams.
Keep it real. Could things get any more real than this?
Keep this for as long as you can.
“Come on, everyone’s waiting for us.” She pulled her hand from his arm and grinned up at him. “Last one to Santa’s mailbox has to make hot chocolate tonight.”
…
While Michael put the SUV away in the garage, Amber settled Penny in the playpen. Though it was nearly ten o’clock after a long day, the baby was still wide-eyed and excited.
Like mother, like daughter.
Smiling, Amber went to turn on the tree lights. The perfect touch for the best Christmas ever. The twinkling lights in the room matched the lights inside her. Who wouldn’t have felt a little glow with a man like Michael by her side? So what if she had only a week before her prince left town? By then, anything could happen.
At the sound of the kitchen door closing, she wrapped her arms around herself. The hug did nothing to settle her excitement. Her heart raced, but for a much different reason than when Michael had arrived…only last night?
As he entered the living room, he took one look at her and frowned. “Are you cold? Want me to start a fire?”
You already have. But who would say no to an invitation like that one? Curled up together on the couch in front of the fireplace, who knew how hot things would get. “That would be great. I haven’t thawed out from our walk through town.”
“You should have said something on the ride home. I’d have cranked up the heat in the SUV.” He knelt in front of the fireplace. “Another thing you forgot to mention—that Christmas caroling gig. Were you afraid I’d turn down your invitation to it in front of your entire family?”
“Try complete panic. What if you’d insisted on auditioning for them—and not been able to carry a tune?”
“Surprised you, huh?”
“That’s an understatement. You didn’t mention one single word about a tryout.”
He turned to scowl at her over his shoulder. “Very funny.”
She smiled. After a pause, she said, “Did you have a good time today?”
“Yeah, I did.”
Now who was surprised? The trace of emotion in his tone made her hopes soar. Forget memories and dreams. Focus on miracles. If Michael could learn to enjoy the holidays and get comfortable being around her family, what else might he come to like? “Don’t sound so shocked,” she told him. “We’re not that bad.” She laughed softly, not wanting to disturb Penny.
Michael crossed the room to her, and the laugh caught in her throat.
“Some of you aren’t bad at all,” he said.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should.” He reached for her hand. She hadn’t realized nerves had left her toying with the zipper tab of her knitted jacket. Warmth from his fingers heated hers. “Want some help taking off your sweater?” She’d heard that same teasing tone this morning when she’d wondered if he meant to flirt with her.
No wondering now. And her imagination wasn’t working overtime. The curve of his lips and the gleam in his eyes told her he was going for the full flirt. And more. Slowly, he unzipped her jacket. With every inch the tab lowered, the higher her excitement climbed.
Words like boss and employee, paycheck, and independence, filled her mind. She brushed them away like snowflakes, leaving room for words like anticipation and possibilities and together.
Michael tugged at the final inch of the zipper. A shiver ran down her spine.
Once he’d helped her slip out of the jacket, he tossed it onto the couch. He moved a half step toward her, close enough for her to feel the heat from his body. His lips curved another few degrees.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. His gaze held hers for a long, silent moment, then drifted to her mouth. She could read his thoughts. They echoed hers.
The sparks inside her burst into fireworks, consuming every caution she could give herself, every warning she wanted to obey. For months, she had imagined what it would be like to have Michael kiss her.
She held her breath, watching…wanting…even willing to make the next move.
The warmth of his lips on hers, oh so briefly, sent a rush of pure pleasure through her. With one finger, he traced a strand of hair brushing her cheek. “As late as it is, I wasn’t sure you’d want to come all the way back up here to stay the night.”
“Of course,” she said softly. “I told you, I don’t have anywhere else to go. Or anywhere else I’d rather be.” She wanted to wrap her arms around Michael, to have him wrap his arms around her and hold her forever. But for now, she’d take another kiss. Smiling in anticipation, she stared up at him.
He lowered his hand and stepped back.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have teased you or touched you. And I sure as heck shouldn’t have kissed you. As you said tonight, there’s nobody here to see us now. This isn’t real.”
“It feels real to me.” She gestured around them. “Lights flashing on the tree. The fire crackling. I can even smell the pine garlands on the mantel.” All things she loved about the holiday.
And in front of her stood the man she loved more than Christmas.
No teasing. No doubts. No going back. In her heart she knew she had loved him all along.
“I meant us,” he said. “Being together. We both know that’s not real.” He took another step back. “I think I’ll call it a night.”
Nodding, she watched until he disappeared from sight up the stairs. She glanced from the crackling fire to the cozy couch. The empty couch.
Not exactly the way she’d expected the night to end. But what was one night, when she still had hopes of forever.
…
The next morning, Amber drove down into the valley to leave Penny with her parents. After running a few errands in town, she went alone to the Candy Cane. Well, not completely alone. Thoughts of Michael shared the ride with her.
At the lodge, she had come downstairs determined to act like herself around him. Her normal housekeeper-not-woman-in-love-with-you self. Hard enough to do when she felt sure he’d see the love shining from her eyes. Impossible to accomplish when she couldn’t find him.
Finally, she spotted the note on the kitchen table.
He had already eaten breakfast and gone off to the ski slopes.
So much for having work to do. So much for promising her dad he would join them for the opening ceremony for the festival. How she would explain his absence to her family, she didn’t know.
As she had told Michael, Christmas and New Year’s weeks were the busiest of all in Snowflake Valley. The Candy Cane’s parking lot proved that point. With the lot nearly filled to capacity, she wedged her small car into a sliver of space.
When she opened the diner’s front door, a wave combined of warm air, mouthwatering scents, and ringing voices washed over her. From behind the front counter, Anatole, the diner’s owner and chief cook, sent her a smile and a nod. She veered in that direction.
“How are you, gorgeous?” he asked.
“Hungry,” she shot back.
“Good.” Anatole slapped his ample waistline, covered by his apron. Almost as round as he was tall, the man was perpetually jolly. The locals teased that once his jet-black hair and mustache turned white, he would be elected Snowflake Valley’s chief Santa. “You’ll find plenty to your liking on the menu today.”
“I always do,” she assured him.
“Your gang’s already seated in the back room.”
“Thanks.” Smiling, she made her way through the diner, pausing to say a quick hello to many of the locals.
Garlands and ornaments and twinkling lights decorated the entire room. While some of them were additions brought out for the holiday season, most stayed up for visitors year-round. She loved the Candy Cane and every Christmas-themed business in town, even when the stores were filled with people she didn’t know. Maybe especially then, because she appreciated the idea of complete strangers enjoying her hometown.
Why couldn’t Michael be like them?
How long would it take to win him over?
In the doorway of the rear dining room, she came to a screeching halt. Her heart matched that with its own little skid-step. Her family had claimed the largest table. All seats but one had been taken. The one beside Michael.
After reading the note he’d left that morning, she had never expected him to show up here.
He was half-turned away from her, talking to her dad, and she took an extra few seconds to look him over. Taller and broader-shouldered than anyone at the table, he was hard to miss. His light-green sweater made his hair and eyes look black as coal.
He glanced in her direction, and his gaze met hers. Her throat tightened, her breath caught, and her stomach did a little flip as though she were six years old again and turning somersaults in the backyard. As he continued to hold her gaze, she struggled to remind herself he sat surrounded by her family, some of whom had to be looking her way now, too.
Sure enough, Lyssa waved, flailing her arm in Amber’s sightline, breaking the spell.
Not sure whether to be happy or sorry for her sister’s interference, she hurried across the room. She took her seat between Penny and Michael. With a party of twelve including Penny, space was even tighter here than it had been at Christmas dinner. As Michael shifted in his chair, he bumped against her.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I guess this table wasn’t made for people with elbows.”
She laughed…until he reached over to drape his arm across the back of her chair. Well, of course. They had an audience again.
She could feel the warmth of his hand just inches from her shoulder. The scent of his aftershave, something with a hint of spice, made her long to close her eyes and take a deep breath. With suddenly trembling fingers, she grabbed a menu from the table in front of her. Not that she needed to look at the dinner options. She could have recited each of Anatole’s Christmasy-titled items from memory.
As if she had broken another spell, everyone reached for their menus and began discussing what they planned to eat.
Her hands still shaky, Amber leaned over to say hello to Penny. Her shoulder grazed Michael’s fingertips. Yet again, a pleasurable shiver ran through her, followed by a realization that hadn’t hit her till now.
Yesterday was a holiday dinner. Today was a date.
Granted, it was a group date. And except for Penny, she would rather have had the group stay home. She loved her family. She just didn’t need them along on her first—and most likely only—date with Michael.
What a horrible thought. Flushing, she stared down at the table. They were here to celebrate Lyssa and Nick’s engagement, not to bring her fantasies to life.
“You okay?” Michael asked in a low voice.
She started. “Yes, I’m fine. Why?”
“You turned red all of a sudden.”
“Oh.” She fanned herself with the menu. “It’s a little warm in here.”
“You think so?” He had lowered his voice, adding a huskiness to it that turned her tiny white lie into nothing but the truth. “Want some help taking off your jacket?”
Her gaze shot to his. He’d asked her the same thing last night, but now he’d raised the flirt factor. His dark eyes were gleaming, and his mouth curved in a sexy, one-sided smile. Her cheeks grew hotter yet. Her palms felt suddenly damp. She brushed them across her lap.
“No, I’m fine, thank you.” Except for her wild imagination. “And wow,” she murmured, so low he had to bend closer to hear, “you’re good at this pretend stuff.”
“That’s not all I’m good at,” he whispered into her ear.
A little warm didn’t come close to describing the heat wave now rushing through her.