Who on earth would be wearing heels in December in Maine? Maybe it was Stella playing a prank on her to make Lucy laugh. Just then, she got her answer when Missy came into view wearing a ridiculously hot-pink coat with matching leggings. Her feet were encased in a pair of black stilettos that were completely incompatible with the wintry weather. Lucy knew her mouth was hanging open, and she had to force herself to close it.
“Hi, Lucy. I just wanted to return this book. It was a fascinating read.” Missy slid the book across the counter, her long pink nails looking freshly manicured. Lucy picked up the thick book and read the title. Shakespeare’s Complete Sonnets and Poems. Lucy had learned a long time ago not to be surprised by a patron’s reading material. Although Missy was a bit froufrou, she clearly loved books with substance. This particular book was one of Lucy’s own favorites.
Lucy forced herself to smile at Missy. It was hard not to think of the kiss she’d witnessed, but she had no right to take it out on her. “Thank you, Missy. I’m glad you were able to use the visitor’s card. It comes in handy for out-of-towners.”
“Me too. Now I can go home and recite sonnets to my husband,” Missy said in a chirpy tone.
Lucy sputtered. Had she misheard her? “Husband?” she asked. “You’re married?”
A sheepish expression appeared on Missy’s face. “Yes, I’m married. Through some small miracle I’ve been able to keep it from the press.” She wrinkled her nose. “We’ve been through some ups and downs, including a separation, but we’re going to spend Christmas at this isolated cabin in Montana so we can hash out our problems. I’m really hopeful.”
“What about Dante?” Lucy blurted out the question before she could rein herself in.
Missy knitted her brows together. “What about him?”
Protectiveness swept over her. Lucy cared about Dante, and she didn’t want someone to jerk him around. It was a strange feeling to still want the best for him when her own heart wasn’t whole. “Aren’t the two of you together?” she asked.
Missy let out a hoot of laughter. “You’ve been reading too many gossip rags. We’re friends. I’ll be honest with you, Lucy. I tried to push for more on a few occasions, but he wasn’t having it. He’s a good guy. He set me straight in no uncertain terms.”
Friends. Just like Dante had told her. A dizzying sensation caused her knees to wobble. After all her accusations against Dante, he’d been nothing more than friends with Missy. She’d misconstrued what she’d seen in the courtyard, and as a result, ruined things with Dante. Why hadn’t she trusted him? He’d told her time and again how much he’d worked on being a better man over the years. And she’d seen the evidence of it in his words and deeds. Still, it hadn’t been enough for her.
“Lucy, are you all right?” Missy asked, concern in her voice.
“I-I’m fine. Just a little hangry,” she lied, knowing it was the furthest thing from the truth. She wasn’t fine at all. She’d made the most foolish mistake of her life, and there was no coming back from it. Dante was out of her life because of her own actions. He was due to leave Mistletoe right after Christmas and there wouldn’t be a third chance for them. She knew it deep down in her gut.
“Okay. That’s good. I need to head out to the airport so I can meet up with my hubby. Montana, here I come!” Missy raised her arm in the air in a celebratory gesture.
“Bye, Missy. Have a safe trip home.” She really did wish Missy well. Everyone deserved a second chance to make things right with the person they loved. She wished she hadn’t failed so miserably at her own. If she had only trusted Dante.
Missy turned back toward her and winked. “Good luck with Dante. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a keeper.” With a wave of her hand she clickety-clacked away from Lucy and sailed through the doors of the library. As soon as Missy was out of sight, Lucy sank down into a chair and let out a ragged sigh. Her limbs were trembling and her mouth felt as dry as a desert. Missy’s unexpected visit to the library had been revealing and heartbreaking. Lucy still felt shaken by her own stupidity.
Even though she was trying her best to get in the holiday spirit, she couldn’t ignore that this was shaping up to be the worst Christmas ever.
* * *
Dante wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself. He’d finished principal filming in Mistletoe and all the cast and crew were now scattered around the globe for the holidays. In a few weeks he would shoot additional scenes in Los Angeles, then focus on postproduction. He was looking forward to seeing the final product and making any adjustments before Without You was completed. He’d finally hit upon a title that spoke to him. Considering everything that had gone down between him and Lucy, it seemed fitting.
Lucy appeared to be avoiding him just as much as he’d been dodging her. Their last face-to-face encounter had left them at an impasse. All he knew was that she’d hurt him in ways he hadn’t imagined possible. He’d worked so hard to become a better person over the years, only to be second-guessed by Lucy. It had been crystal clear to him that she would never be able to have complete faith in him.
Nick had invited him over to eat dinner with him and Miles this evening. He was excited to finally spend some quality time with his godson and one of his closest friends. It would help lift the heavy weight off his chest. As he drove into Nick’s circular driveway, Dante couldn’t help but chuckle at the epic Christmas decorations in their front yard. A neon-green six-foot Grinch sat next to an inflatable Rudolph with a blinking red nose. A big-bellied Santa Claus was standing next to Mrs. Claus and a gaggle of elves. Flashing lights lit up their roof. It was the type of over-the-top decorations people drove past in their cars to see for themselves.
When Dante rang the bell, the chorus to “Blue Christmas” rang out, proving that Nick and Miles were totally rocking the holiday theme. They’d really gone all out this year.
As soon as he opened the door, Nick started in on him. His friend rubbed his eyes as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “What’s going on? You look terrible, man,” Nick said as he gave Dante the once-over. “I hate to tell you this, but most people wouldn’t even recognize you as a world-famous movie star. You look like you haven’t shaved in days. Or slept.”
“Thanks, Nick. Nice to see you too,” Dante drawled as he stepped over the threshold.
“Any time. Is that five-o’clock shadow for a movie role or something?” Nick asked, peering closely at his face and running his finger along his jawline.
“No, it’s not. I’m just trying something new,” he answered, swatting his hand away. He didn’t want to admit he was just going through the motions these days. He’d been in a funk for days. He needed an infusion of holiday cheer.
Miles came running toward him at lightning speed, catapulting himself against Dante’s chest. “Dante!” Miles cried out. “You’re here. I kept asking Dad when you could come over.”
“Well, I’m here, buddy,” Dante said, wrapping the boy up in a tight bear hug. He lifted him off the ground, causing Miles to let out a squeal of excitement.
Once Miles was back on the ground, he tugged on Dante’s hand. “Come see my Star Wars Lego world I built. It’s the one you sent me last month.”
“Cool. I can’t wait to see it all set up,” Dante said, buoyed by the boy’s enthusiasm. “I had the feeling you’d like it.”
“Like it,” Nick said with a snort. “He’s talked of nothing else for weeks.”
Miles grinned, showcasing a gap-toothed smile as well as a resemblance to his mother. It was uncanny how much his godson resembled Kara. Despite the tragedy of his wife’s death, Dante imagined that it was gratifying to Nick to have a miniature version of her in his house.
“Dinner will be ready soon, so when I call you, Miles, you need to wash up then head into the kitchen. Deal?” Nick asked his son.
“Deal,” Miles said. “C’mon, Dante. Let’s go.”
Dante allowed himself to be pulled down the hall toward the playroom before he even had a chance to tak
e off his coat. Miles happily showed him the ropes of playing Star Wars Legos. Dante figured he must be a big kid at heart since playing with his godson was the most fun he’d had in weeks. When Nick called them, Miles let out a groan before begrudgingly getting up and heading toward the kitchen. Dante trailed after him, washing his own hands in the sink right after Miles finished.
A full meal was laid out on the kitchen table. Roasted chicken. Potatoes. Baked bread. Salad. Nick had gone all out in fixing him a home-cooked meal. A warm feeling settled in his chest at being treated to such a spread.
“Take a seat, guys,” Nick said. “Sit wherever you like.”
“I’m impressed, Nick. You set a fine table,” Dante said. “I didn’t know you could cook.”
“Daddy is a really great cook. So was my mom,” Miles said, smiling as he placed a piece of chicken on his plate.
Dante saw Nick flinch at the mention of Kara. He was a man still dealing with his massive grief. Even though it was healthy for Miles to talk about his mother, Nick didn’t seem as if he could handle it. Christmas must be an especially hard time for them, with a void in their lives the size of an ocean. He understood it. Even though it wasn’t the same, there was a hole in his family’s heart where his father used to be. Dante felt it every time he walked inside the family home.
“Your mom was awesome,” Dante said. “The most popular girl in high school.”
“Whoa,” Miles said, turning to look at his dad for confirmation.
“She was,” Nick said with a nod. “And the prettiest.”
“Well, I figured that,” Miles said, making a goofy face that made them both laugh.
Being with Miles and Nick was lightening his mood. Miles was a precocious kid who had an opinion on everything under the sun. They enjoyed a wonderful dinner with lots of commentary from Miles.
“If you’re done eating, why don’t you put your pajamas on? Then maybe we can play a few rounds of Scrabble,” Nick suggested when his son’s plate was empty.
Miles jumped up from his seat and raced down the hall. “I’ll be back in a flash,” he called. “Don’t start dessert without me.”
Nick and Dante chuckled. Miles had mentioned several times during dinner that he was saving space in his stomach for chocolate cake. It was one of the things he had a favorable opinion about.
When they heard Miles’s door shut, Nick pulled out two bottles of beer from the fridge and slid one over to Dante. “I didn’t want to ask in front of Miles, but what’s going on with you and Lucy? No offense, but you seem a bit off-kilter.”
Dante scoffed. “There is no Lucy and me. It crashed and burned, just like last time.”
“I’m surprised to hear that,” Nick said. “I thought this was your second chance to walk off into the sunset together.”
Dante took a sip of his beer. “There you go again with your romantic happy endings. Sadly, my friend, life isn’t like the movies.” He leaned across the table. “Let me give you an example. In real life, a person gets accused of making out with his costar when in reality she was laying a kiss on him. A person did the right thing and handled it the best way he could, but it wasn’t enough because he’s deemed as not being trustworthy. You see, he’s still being judged for what happened in the past. It’s pretty hard to walk off into the sunset when you’re completely at odds with the other person.”
Nick gaped at him. “Sounds like a lot went down between the two of you.”
“Yeah. You could say that. Merry Christmas. Bah humbug.”
Nick held up his hands. “Okay, before you get all Grinchy, maybe the two of you can work through it. It’s a misunderstanding. Just lay it all out for her.”
He raised an eyebrow at Nick. “Not trusting someone is way bigger than a misunderstanding.”
“That’s true,” he conceded. “All I’m saying is that I would give anything to have another chance with Kara. If you have a shot at fixing things, what are you doing moping around instead of getting your girl?”
Ouch. Nick wasn’t playing fair by bringing up his wife. Nick and Kara had been one of those idyllic couples. He would bet they’d never even had a single fight.
“She doesn’t want me. End of story. Period,” he snapped.
Nick leaned in his direction. “So, answer me this. Do you love her?”
Dante hesitated for a moment before answering. If he responded to Nick truthfully, something would shift monumentally in his universe. The very idea of it was terrifying. Earth-shattering. But he was done running from it. It was the realest thing he’d ever known, and he needed to express it. “Yes, I love her. Truth is, I always have.” Just putting it into words made him feel stronger and more centered.
A smile slowly came to life on Nick’s face. “Have you told her?”
“No,” Dante said in a low voice. “I didn’t really have a chance before all hell broke loose.”
“Then why are you sitting here with me instead of telling her how you feel?”
“I’m scared, man. What if she laughs in my face or just pushes me away?”
“Dante, this is Lucy we’re talking about. She’s not going to do either of those things if you look her straight in the eye and speak from your heart.”
“She might,” Dante said.
“If you think about it, Lucy has every reason to be cautious. I know you’ve been beaten up about it a million times, but you broke her spirit. You wounded her. I can’t imagine trusting someone after that, but she tried her best from the sounds of it. Part of loving someone is lifting them up when they can’t do it themselves. Try thinking of it that way, Dante. You have to show her what’s possible for the two of you.”
Lucy. Sweet, trusting Lucy. She was kind and loving, and despite everything he’d done to wound her, she’d forgiven him for the past. It was his turn to show her that he believed in them. He hadn’t done a single thing in the past to fight for them. He’d let everything slip through his fingers. Nick was right. What kind of man would he be if he didn’t reach for the brass ring with Lucy?
Everything he’d truly ever wanted was in Mistletoe. Home. Hearth. Family. Lucy.
Most of all, Lucy. He was going to step out of his comfort zone and lay it all on the line for Lucy. This time around, Dante was going to fight for his happily ever after.
Chapter Twenty-One
It was Christmas Eve, which had always been Lucy’s favorite part of the holiday. Christmas morning was wonderful too, but the night before was always filled with so much anticipation. Every year Lucy’s parents invited a few people over for a special celebration. It was a festive evening she looked forward to each holiday season. Despite feeling as if she might shatter into little pieces, Lucy was determined to put on a cheery face. She’d made plenty of treats—deviled eggs, garlic shrimp, and chocolate mint brownies, as well as her special peppermint eggnog. Lucy had a million Christmas songs on her playlist, so she planned to attach her phone to a speaker and let the good times roll.
“You look merry.” Stella came up beside her and placed her arm around her waist.
“Do you like it?” she asked, twirling around to show off her emerald-green dress with the red-sequined belt. Getting decked out in her holiday finery had cheered Lucy up a bit. Just because her love life had come crashing down around her didn’t mean she couldn’t still get blinged out.
Stella gave her the once-over. “It’s nice. Very glittery. Glinda the Good Witch has nothing on you.”
“I’ll take that as the highest of compliments. She’s pretty epic.”
“You’re doing great, Lucy. I’m proud of you.”
Lucy winked at her. “Right back atcha. Look at us. Founders of the Broken Hearts at Christmas Club.”
“Nope,” Stella said, vehemently shaking her head. “That’s a club I don’t want to belong to, never mind being one of its founders. We’re survivors. This too shall pass, right?”
“Absolutely,” Lucy agreed, even though she had serious doubts. What made her think she would ever g
et over Dante when she’d been in love with him for as long as she could remember? Perhaps she would walk through life with this dull ache as her constant companion.
She was going to be fine, she told herself. Better than fine. It was almost Christmas. She wouldn’t feel this way forever. She might never fall out of love with Dante, but she knew that she could live without him. She’d done it once before. Now if she could only find a way to ease the pressure in her heart. It was a physical ache that just wouldn’t let up. Maybe if she lived to be a hundred, the pain would go away.
Lucy focused on setting up the buffet table with food and drinks. She put on a festive apron to shield her outfit from getting any stains. If she just concentrated on the holidays, then maybe she could get Dante out of her mind. She inhaled the aroma of her mother’s famous Swedish meatballs. After taking a quick look around her to make sure no one was watching, Lucy picked up a toothpick and jabbed at one of the meatballs. She quickly stuffed it in her mouth, letting out a groan of pleasure as it hit her taste buds. Perhaps this is what she needed to get herself over the hump—a steady diet of Swedish meatballs and peppermint eggnog.
“Lucy, you need to come outside right now. It’s an emergency.” Tess was tugging on her sleeve with urgency. Her eyes threatened to pop out of her head. Lucy bit back an exasperated sigh. In Tess’s eyes, an emergency constituted running out of chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting or a cute dog being walked in the neighborhood.
“Sweetie, I’m a little busy at the moment,” Lucy said as she placed her shrimp tray on the table and set out utensils.
“Please. It’s really, really important,” Tess pleaded. “It’s an actual E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y,” she said, spelling out the word.
“On a scale of one to ten, with a ten being a raging fire at my house, what is this?” Lucy asked.
Tess bit her lip, appearing uncertain. She seemed to be really focusing on Lucy’s question. “A ten! No, wait. A nine. It’s a definite nine.”
No Ordinary Christmas Page 24
