Chapter Seventeen
Ben was just finishing up the Lego plane set with Todd and Will when Missy walked back in the door of the Harpers’ apartment, her nose and cheeks bright pink from the outdoors, where she’d been hosing off the front sidewalk for the Harpers. She’d refused to let him do the chore, and he was still getting used to the idea of not taking over every job that needed to be done. It was a relief, actually, to know she could pull her weight and then some. And she’d forgiven his misstep. He couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present, his entire world righting itself again.
Madelyn ran up to Missy, excitedly showing her the beaded friendship bracelet she’d made for her new friend Katrina.
He swallowed over the lump in his throat. Watching Missy with the kids—all the thought and care she’d put into making their Christmas special—had been a revelation. She might’ve been through hell and back, but she was capable of great love and compassion. It wasn’t just that she’d prepared a delicious dinner knowing Rena was still teaching herself to cook after years of depending on takeout. Or that Missy refused to take credit for the decorations and gifts, saying they were from the Clover Park community and she was just the messenger. The thing was, Missy made the practical gifts of winter clothing that some would’ve seen as charity sound really cool. She’d carefully selected jackets, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves for the kids, wrapped them up, and declared them not just great for cold days, but also perfect for sledding, snowball fights, and making snowmen. Where most kids would’ve balked at clothes for a present, she got the boys excited about what they could do with them, and Madelyn was thrilled to have a coat very much like her friend Katrina’s coat. He was sure Missy had looked into girl fashion ahead of time too.
After the clothes, Missy had given each kid a toy to open now and four more under the tree for Christmas morning. The boys got Lego sets, a plane and truck respectively, and Madelyn got a friendship bracelet maker. Missy had really gotten into making a friendship bracelet with Madelyn, talking to her the whole time, gently probing if she’d met some nice girls at her new school.
He watched Missy now, head bent, still standing in her coat, talking to Madelyn, and it hit him with a jolt—she was his first and last love. His pulse thrummed, all of his nerve endings tingling, alert and alive. He’d never let himself fall before, always one foot out the door, but maybe that was how it was meant to be so fate could bring Missy into his life. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and he wanted to start right away. Marriage wasn’t out of the question, though if Missy didn’t want to get married again, he’d be just as happy as long as they were together.
He stood and went to help her off with her coat when Rena joined them, handing him the bag with his cookie stuff and his jacket.
“I washed the cookie cutters for you,” Rena said. “You two have done so much. I can’t thank you enough. I’m going to get the kids settled in for bed, try anyway—” she laughed “—so why don’t you go ahead and enjoy your Christmas Eve together.”
“Thanks so much for letting us celebrate with you,” Missy said. “Anything else you need, just give me a call. I remember what it was like to be new in town. I’ve got tons of connections for whatever you might need.”
Rena shook her head, smiling. “I sure landed in the right town. I’ve never felt so welcome. And to think I found it so randomly. It was the only town with an apartment big enough for us that I could afford.”
“Fate works in mysterious ways,” Ben said, nudging Missy.
“I guess it does,” Rena said softly. She turned to the kids. “Ben and Missy are leaving. What do you say?”
“Bye!” “Thank you!” “Merry Christmas!” the kids hollered in a cacophony of noise.
“You too,” Ben said.
“Merry Christmas!” Missy called to the kids. She hugged Rena goodbye before heading out the door.
“Okay if I get a ride with you?” Missy asked on the way downstairs.
“Sure. My place okay? I’d like to spend Christmas Eve with you.” And Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and every day.
Her eyes went soft. “That sounds good.”
He stopped walking to give her a quick kiss. Soft Missy got him every time.
They went downstairs and he held open the front door.
“I need to get my car towed,” she said as she passed him.
Alarm flashed through him. Had she been in an accident? “Why? What happened?”
“Flat tire and then my spare tire got a flat. It’s four blocks away.”
They got into his car out front while he turned over this new information in his mind. Missy must’ve hauled all that stuff to the Harpers’ apartment herself. He was sure she wouldn’t have asked for help. He turned on the car, about to ask her how many trips she’d had to make for all that stuff when she shared all on her own, telling him this incredible story of one disaster after another that ultimately led to her goal of a happy Harper Christmas, though she confessed, they were already happy when she got there.
He stared at her, incredulous. “And at no point did it occur to you to ask for help? Not with the flat tire? Not with carrying so many things after hurting your hip? Not with the mess of broken glass, jelly, and pie?”
“It sounds ridiculous when you say it all like that.”
“It is ridiculous. Even if you didn’t want to call me, you’ve got friends and family in town.”
“I’m just not used to asking for help.” She bit her plump lower lip. “After the jelly jars shattered and the pie was ruined, I had a—” she heaved a sigh “—a brief moment where it occurred to me I probably should’ve asked for help.”
He bit back a smile at her reluctant confession. “Well, you made it work.” He put the car in gear and pulled into the street. “You made those kids really happy.”
“I did.”
“You’re kind of like your own superheroine.”
“I guess I am.” She beamed and squeezed his arm. “And with your superhero complex, always wanting to rush to the rescue and fix everything, that makes us a good team.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I hear an insult hiding in there.”
“No, really, it’s good,” she insisted. “We’re both competent people who like to help others.”
“But…” He waited for the insult part.
She smiled to soften the blow. “But maybe you could help a little less, and I could ask for help once in a while.”
“Okay. So…you think I’m a superhero?”
“Sure, in a way.”
He relaxed. “Finally, she gets it.”
“Arrogant much?”
“Uh, yeah. It comes from knowing I’m right.”
“Uh-huh. So you say.”
He glanced over at her; a small smile played over her lips. “Don’t tell me you still think I’m Mr. Wrong.” She’d called him that back when he hadn’t recognized her with her red hair dyed brown. A play on his name, Mr. Wright.
Her lashes fluttered down. “No,” she said softly. “I don’t think that anymore.”
His chest puffed with pride. “Say it, woman.”
“You’re Mr. Wright,” she droned good-naturedly.
“I’m your Mr. Right and I don’t mean my last name.”
She gave him one of her soft smiles. “Yes.”
He spoke around the lump in his throat, his voice gruff. “Thank you.”
She let out a soft sigh. “I’m going to call my brother-in-law about my car. One of his guys will pick it up and take care of it.”
“So that guy you call for help.”
She rolled her eyes. “He owns a garage.” She gave him a playful jab. “Don’t worry, I’ll find something for Super Ben to do one day.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I will! Promise. How about tonight you rub my feet for me? That would be a real help.”
“Okay, but, fair warning, my hands will wander.”
She laughed. “I was counting on that.”
She pulled out her phone and arranged for her car to be taken care of, then closed her eyes and fell asleep. He wasn’t too surprised, it was dark out, the car was warm, and she’d been up since five working like a dog. He turned the volume up on the radio, singing along to “I’ll be Home for Christmas” in a low sleep-friendly tone, thinking of how much he wanted to bring Missy with him for Christmas dinner at his grandmother’s house. Christmas Eve would be just for them.
After he pulled into his garage, he turned off the car, considering carrying Missy to bed when she suddenly lurched upright. “Where am I?” she asked, sounding alarmed. “What time is it?”
“You’re at my house,” he said in a soothing tone. “It’s close to nine.”
She relaxed. “Oh. Sorry. Sometimes I startle awake if something feels off. A reflex from when I didn’t feel safe from one day to the next.”
“You’re always safe with me.”
She put a palm to his cheek, giving him soft Missy eyes, before getting out of the car. He followed behind, turning on lights and then heading for the family room to light a fire in the fireplace.
“You got a tree!” she exclaimed, rushing over to check it out.
He flicked the switch for the multicolored Christmas lights on the tree. “It’s artificial, but yeah. Looks real enough.” He always did the tree up, each ornament a reminder of his mom. She’d given him one every year for Christmas, usually related to food (the pizza ornament had been his favorite as a kid) or his favorite sports teams. He also had ornaments from their vacations and crafty ornaments he’d been forced to make at school. Some of his masterpieces—a pinecone with glued-on sequins, a toilet paper roll turned into a Christmas tree (sort of), and a plaster handprint from preschool. His mom had loved every crappy last one of them. Maybe one day he’d have his own kids’ crap on the tree and think it was special.
He smiled to himself as he got the fire going, listening to Missy ooh and aah over the tree. After he finished with the fire, he retrieved the flat box he’d wrapped in the colorful Sunday comics for her weeks ago from under the tree. The comic wrapping paper was another Christmas tradition with his mom.
He held the gift out to her. “Here. Merry Christmas.”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
He laughed. “Don’t look so shocked. It’s Christmas. Of course I got you something.” He pulled her hand from her mouth and placed the box in her hands.
She stared at it, then at him. “Ben! I didn’t get you anything.” She stared at the box again, shaking her head. Then she gave him the soft eyes. “You’re so wonderful. I was miserable without you.”
He smiled big time.
Her lower lip stuck out. “You don’t have to look so happy about it.”
He took her by the elbow and walked with her to the sofa. “I’m glad you were miserable without me because I felt like I’d lost a limb.”
She set the box on the coffee table and hugged him tight, burying her head against his chest.
He hugged her back, took a deep breath, and spoke in a rush. “Missy, the reason I was so mad when we kissed at work was because I couldn’t risk looking unprofessional. I was falsely accused of sexual harassment by a woman I hired and fired.”
Her head shot up.
“I was cleared of all charges. I was never even alone with her. I was sure another strike against me would destroy my career and ruin our chances with investors. I couldn’t risk being seen as inappropriate with you. That’s why Logan was taking the lead for those meetings. Word had leaked out about the sexual harassment charge.”
“But you said it was cleared.”
“I know, but it still looks bad even to be accused.”
She scowled. “Anyone who knows you at all would know you’d never do anything like that! You’re the best man I’ve ever met!”
A surge of love shot through him, his chest puffing out with pride. “Thank you.”
She scowled some more. “It’s true. I can’t believe someone would do that to you.”
He framed her face with his hands and gave her a quick kiss. “Even though I was being professional with you, every day I was building on our friendship, hoping when the time was right, it would be more.”
Her eyes went soft and she leaned her cheek into his hand. “Oh, Ben. I-I love you.”
His pulse skyrocketed, all of him charged and alive. He was about to say it back, but she kept talking straight from the heart, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “I haven’t said those words to a man since my ex-husband. I’ve been afraid to love. I thought it would make me weak, but with you I can still be strong. And safe.”
He felt like dancing on the coffee table, pure elation surging through him. “That is the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
“Really?” she asked uncertainly. She’d taken a risk on him, and he knew that was big for her.
He stroked her soft cheek with his thumb. “Really. I love you too. I’ve loved you since you tried to sell me a bird sweater—”
She laughed.
“And I will love you until the day I die.”
“Ben,” she choked out, swiping at her eyes, “don’t say things like that. You make me cry.”
“It’s true.” He guided her to sit on the sofa with him and set her present in her lap. “Come on, open your present.”
She stared at the Sunday comics. “It’s so cute. Do you always wrap with the comics?”
“Yeah. It was a tradition with my mom. I keep her traditions as a way to honor her memory. She always made holidays special.” He swallowed hard. “Most of the holidays are reminders of her.”
“That must be difficult for you.”
He nodded. “It was at first. But now it’s almost like she’s with me.”
She gave him a quick kiss before tearing the paper off and lifting the lid of the shirt box. “Oh!” She pulled out a red cashmere sweater. “It’s gorgeous! Did you get me red because you miss my red hair? Because even if I went back to red, it would clash with this.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it. I just thought it would cling to your luscious breasts.”
She kissed him and said in a teasing voice, “Now you’re making me feel dirty.”
“Excellent. More on that later.”
She rubbed her cheek against the sweater, smiling.
“Would you like to have Christmas dinner with me at my grandmother’s house?” he asked.
She put the sweater in her lap. “Oh. Usually I spend Christmas with Lily’s family. Maybe I could do Christmas morning with them and Christmas dinner with you.” She set the sweater on the coffee table, retrieved her phone from her purse, and joined him on the sofa, texting rapidly. A moment later, she held the phone up to show him.
Lily: I knew he was Mr. Right!
“So you told her about Mr. Wrong?” he asked, playing with a lock of her hair.
She set the phone on the table. “I was forced to after she kept bugging me to bring you to Sunday dinner. It’s step one in a lasting relationship.”
“Awesome, I’m there.” He nuzzled her neck before whispering in her ear, “Now if you pass the grandmom test, you can move in with me.”
She pulled back to look at him. “Oh, really? Only if I pass?”
He grinned. “Just mind your manners and I’m sure you’ll pass.”
She lifted her chin. “Maybe you have to pass a test too.”
He gestured for her to bring it on, wiggling his fingers. “I’ll ace it.”
She stared at him, her eyes wide and searching. “Does it really not bother you knowing about my past?”
“Missy,” he said gently, “I had a lot of the same experiences.”
“Not Louis.”
He took her hand. “No, but that would never change my opinion of you.”
She stared at their joined hands. “Do you see me as a victim?”
His chest tightened in sympathy. “Is that how you see yourself?”
“I was back then,” she said softly. “Which is why I didn’t want you or anyone to know because then you’d see me that way. The only person who knows is my sister.”
He squeezed her hand. “Anyone who knows you now would say victim is the furthest thing from who you really are. I look at you and I think strong.” She smiled a little, so he kept talking. “Practical. Stubborn. Sexy as hell. Smart-mouthed. I can keep going.”
“Please do,” she said with a bright smile.
He gazed at her, his heart full. “I look at you and I see my forever love.”
She threw herself on top of him, kissing him all over his face. He laughed and lay back, taking her with him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her back in what quickly became a hot and heavy make-out session. Only one way this was going to go—rolling onto the floor with his sexy wrestling alligator woman. He was about to suggest they take it upstairs, where they’d have a softer landing with all her wrestling, when she lifted her head and smiled down at him.
“What?” he asked.
“Too bad you didn’t buy that bluebird of happiness sweater. I’d love to see you wear it Christmas morning.”
He cupped her ass and squeezed. “And I’d love to see you in nothing but your elf hat. Maybe some strategically placed jingle bells that I could ring.”
“Pervert.”
“You say that, but I can tell you’re thinking about it. Your cheeks and neck are pink.”
“That’s from your stubble.”
He rubbed his jaw. “I’ll shave tomorrow.”
“You’re kind of a sweetie, aren’t you?”
“How dare you.” He sat up, taking her with him, and she grinned. He kissed her, then lifted her off him, setting her on her feet. “If anyone’s a sweet thing, it’s you all soft and naked in front of the fire.” He took her hand and led her to the hearth.
When they got to the warmth of the fire, she threw her arms around his neck and spoke against his lips. “What if I’m not sweet? What if I’m, as you so romantically put it, in wrestling alligator form?”
He kissed her and lowered her to the rug. “That wasn’t a complaint. I love your alligator. I’m happy as long as you’re naked.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Make love to me.”
His heart stuttered. Not fuck me, love me. His voice gruff with emotion, he cupped her face with both hands. “I will love you body and soul.” His eyes stung, hers were glossy with tears, and they met halfway for a searing passionate kiss that held all the love in the world.