“He probably would,” Jake agreed. “He always complains about our music. If we fix up his with all his old stuff he could listen to it instead.”
“What do you consider old?” When Joy thought old, she thought Lawrence Welk, but she couldn’t quite picture Ed liking Mr. Bubbly.
“Meat Loaf,” Tim said helpfully.
“Hey, I like Meat Loaf, and I’m not old,” Joy protested. The collective expressions of the boys said differently. “Gee, thanks.”
“We could spend his Christmas money and get him an adaptor, so he can play his iPod in the car,” Jake continued.
The three boys talked amongst themselves for a few minutes, then turned to Joy. She could see that they wanted her opinion.
“I think that’s a great plan.”
She was off the hook. Yes, Jamie would probably have come up with something unique and wonderful. Programming an iPod for Christmas wasn’t exactly unique, but Joy figured it could count as wonderful if you wanted your music loaded.
“Listen, Ms. Joy,” T.J. said. “Dad’s waiting down in electronics. Do you think you could get rid of him? We’ll get that adaptor.”
“I’ll take him up to my office with me. I really should check in. When you’ve picked out the adaptor, just give it to the clerk behind the counter. He’ll get it bagged for you, so your dad doesn’t see it.”
The boys shouted their approval of the plan.
“Okay, but then you’re going to have to finish your shopping. It’s after four and I’d hate to have to close the store without everyone having something.”
“We’ll be fast,” Jake promised, and his brothers echoed his promise.
“Okay. And you know your family rules?”
The boys nodded.
“You have to obey every one of them while we’re gone.” They looked far too thoughtful for Joy’s peace of mind. “Every single one of them.”
Grimaces and sighs abounded, but finally all three said, “Promise.”
They headed back and found Ed readily enough. “Dr. Hall, I wonder if you’d come with me for a few minutes. I’m sure the boys will be fine here, won’t you?”
A chorus of yeahs and sures rang out louder than the Christmas carols on the intercom.
“See, they’ll be okay. I have to go up to my office and need you, as their guardian, to sign some waivers.”
“What kind of waivers?” Ed asked.
“Oh, you know, one that will allow us to use that picture of your family in promotion, one that says if any of the gifts you bought on our shopping spree blow up, Harrington and Vine’s isn’t responsible for damages.” She shrugged. “That kind of thing.”
He still looked hesitant about the boys, so she tried something risky. She’d seen her mom do it, seen her cousin do it, as well…she tried parent-speak.
Okay, she wasn’t a parent, but she knew the phenomena existed. She’d witnessed it. But since she hadn’t ever used it, she wasn’t sure she could get it to work for her. Come with me, she tried, willing the message to move from her to him without any words being spoken.
It was all in the eyes. She knew that. So she opened wide and tried again. Come with me.
Ed stood there, looking totally unaware of her silent message.
Maybe he needed something less cryptic. She tried again.
Come on, you doofus. Can’t you see your boys are practically itching for you to leave so they can get your Christmas present?
This time his eyes widened, and she could see a question in them. A very articulate, parent-speak, huh?
Come with me, she tried again, then vocally said, “Dr. Hall—”
“Ed,” he corrected.
“Ed. This really will only take a few minutes. The boys are going to wait down here and think about gifts so that when we get done, we can finish up fast. Jake will be in charge. Right, Jake?”
“Yes, Ms. Joy. We’ll follow all the rules, Dad. And we’ll be ready to finish up as soon as you get back.”
“There, you see,” she said to Ed, while parent-speaking come on.
“Uh, fine.”
Afraid he’d change his mind, she said, “Go on, boys,” then took Ed’s hand and pulled him out of the electronics department.
“I didn’t think you were going to get my message.”
Ed looked confused. “What message?”
“I was using parent-speak to tell you to get out. The boys figured out your gift and needed a bit of privacy in order to get it.”
“Parent-speak?”
Joy felt her cheeks warm. “I know it’s not scientific, but I’ve seen my own parents use it. And you obviously got my message because you agreed to come.”
“I thought maybe my kids had finally caused you to burst a vessel. You looked like you were having some sort of stroke and I decided you needed a break.” He chuckled and she heard him murmur, “Parent-speak.”
She couldn’t take offense. It did sound sort of funny, but no matter what he said, she knew it had worked because here he was, walking next to her, holding her hand.
She dropped his hand quickly. “Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry,” he said.
“I…”
As if he sensed her discomfort, he said, “So are there really things I need to sign?”
Joy took a deep breath and nodded. “Just a waiver for the pictures, if that’s all right. And, if you don’t mind, as long as we’re up there, I should probably spend a couple minutes checking on things.”
“I don’t mind.”
They walked, side by side up to the reception area. Joy nodded at him to follow her, and they cut behind the counter where Betty was looking a bit frazzled. “How are things up here?”
“You’ve only had a couple calls, I forwarded them through to your voice mail. Oh, and that rush job you asked to have taken care of? It’s done and everything’s on your desk.”
“Great,” she said. “How did it turn out.”
Betty chuckled. “I think you’ll be pleased.”
Joy couldn’t wait to take a look. She turned back to Ed. “Let’s go back and I’ll get those messages, then you can sign the paper, then we’ll check on the boys.”
“Fine.”
When Joy opened her door, and turned to let Ed in, Betty followed right behind him.
“Yes?”
Betty cleared her throat and looked up. Ed was standing under mistletoe.
“How did that get there?”
“No idea,” Betty said innocently. Much too innocently.
“Don’t you have a line a mile long out there?”
“Yes, I just wanted to be sure you both got to your office all right. Merry Christmas, Joy.” Betty glanced at the mistletoe again. “Some presents aren’t wrapped and under the tree, but they’re enjoyable nonetheless.”
Joy shook her head as Betty left her office. Ed was still standing under the mistletoe looking confused. “Was that more parent-speak, because I might be a parent, but I was lost.”
“No. That was woman-speak. Or more accurately, Betty-speak. That’s enough to make anyone lost.”
“So are you going to tell me what it was all about?”
“Betty came in here while we were gone and put up some mistletoe.”
Ed looked up and then back down at Joy. He looked amused, but there was something else there in his eyes. Something that didn’t have anything to do with humor.
“So?” he sort of drawled.
Joy’s mouth felt dry, which made speaking hard, but she managed to croak out, “So?”
“So are you going to leave me standing here all alone under the mistletoe?” He paused half a beat then before she could respond, he added, “And before you answer, let me assure you that if you do leave me here, I’ll probably need therapy because your rejection will produce a crippling sense of self-doubt.”
She took a hesitant step toward him. “Well, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for crippling you.”
“I should think not.”
She took another step. She was close enough now to smell his cologne. Warm and woodsy. “You smell good.”
“A Father’s Day gift from the boys. Come a little closer so you can really get a good whiff of it,” he said softly.
Joy took the last step and closed the gap without saying another word.
“So?” he asked.
She drew in a deep breath. “Very nice.”
He leaned forward and she could feel his breath whisper against her neck. “You do, too.” He looked up. “So what do you think? I’m pretty sure I’ve read that if you’re under the mistletoe and don’t kiss, it’s bad luck.”
“We can’t have that.” And before she could remind herself that she’d just met this man, Joy stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss.
She pulled away and instantly took two steps backward. She was surprised that something so small and chaste could leave her heart skipping a fast, erratic beat.
“Now you have to move,” she said, wanting him out from under the mistletoe so she wasn’t tempted to go back and try a second, longer kiss.
“You don’t want to tempt yourself?”
“I don’t want to tempt fate. Your boys are running loose in my electronics department. We’ve obeyed all traditions, and you’ve got papers to sign while I pick up my messages so we can get back to them.”
“Right.”
* * *
JOY SEEMED FLUSTERED after their kiss, and despite the fact it only amounted to a small peck, Ed had to admit, so was he.
He hadn’t reacted so strongly to a woman in a very, very long time. And to be honest, he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Joy had admitted that she was less than comfortable with his crew when they’d first arrived. But as the day unwound she seemed to feel more at ease.
At ease enough to date a single dad?
Ed knew that dating long-term would be tough. It’s why he’d always kept things so casual. It wasn’t that he was against getting serious about a woman, it was just that he hadn’t found one he thought was worth the effort of juggling the kids, work and dating.
Until today.
Until Joy.
Suddenly he was thinking that maybe the effort of dating would be worth it.
He watched her bustle around her desk, thumb through a file, all the while casting glances his way.
He didn’t need parent-speak to see she was nervous. That led him to believe that maybe their kiss had affected her as much as it had him.
“Here you go,” she said, pasting a way-too-bright smile on her face. “If you could just read the release, then sign and date it, that will be done. While you’re doing that, I’m going to check my voice mail.”
She sank into her chair and pressed a button on her phone base. She made notes, pressed more buttons, all business until suddenly she broke out into a small smile, that progressed to an out-and-out grin.
“Good news?” he asked as she hung up.
“The best. My cousin’s had her baby. It’s a girl. Six pounds, nine ounces, twenty-two inches. She’s tall and skinny. My cousin’s husband says she looks like Yoda, but she yelled in the background that she’s beautiful and threatened to name her Leia. He told me they’re naming her Noelle Joy.”
“After you.”
She nodded. “I hate that I’m not there.”
“Can you get back for a visit sometime soon?”
“Not soon enough. The after-Christmas rush is crazy. But hopefully, in the new year I can get home for a few days.”
“It’s hard, isn’t it? I know when the boys spend the rest of the break with their mom, I’ll be wandering around the house and nothing will feel quite right, which is odd because most days I’d give my eyeteeth for a bit of peace and quiet.”
“I know what you mean, it’s weird. When I was in San Diego, I used to chafe with all the family stuff we did together. I mean, I’m an only child, but we have a big extended family and everyone lived in each other’s back pocket, so sometimes it was hard to remember that I was an only child, if you know what I mean.”
He nodded.
“I used to wonder what it would be like not to spend my holidays jumping from one relative’s to another’s, a string of holiday meals and parties. It got exhausting. Now I know what it’s like not to have to do that and it’s not as great as I imagined.”
Ed couldn’t think of anything to say to that, so he simply said, “Sorry.”
She gave herself a little shake, and shot him a forced smile. “It’s okay.”
“Oh, before we head back, I have those picture frames the boys bought for their grandparents. And I have something for you.”
Ed noticed the three identically wrapped gifts on the corner of her desk. She took the top one and handed it to him. “Open it now.”
She was grinning in a way that reminded him of the type of expression the boys wore when they’d done something particularly diabolical. “Do I have to be careful of things jumping out at me, exploding or something else horrible?”
“No, you’re safe.”
He ripped off the paper and opened the long, shallow box. There was a frame, identical to the two the boys had chosen. In it was a picture. A picture of a very disgruntled Santa, the three boys and Ed. Jake was in the back, making devil horns over T.J.’s and Tim’s heads. T.J., for his part, had crossed his eyes and Tim was reaching for Santa’s beard. Ed noted his own expression was one that someone on their way to the gallows might wear.
When the picture was snapped, he’d been frustrated, now he was simply amused. “It’s perfect.”
“The wonders of digital photography. I saw it as the photographer discarded it. He was right, it wouldn’t work for Harrington and Vine’s purposes, but I thought you might like it.”
“Joy, I—” He wanted to tell her that today hadn’t turned out the way he thought it would. That although shopping on Christmas Eve wasn’t exactly his idea of fun, meeting her was an unexpected treat.
He didn’t get to say any of that because she suddenly went all business on him. “Let’s head back and see what your boys are up to.”
He noticed she gave the mistletoe, hanging just inside the doorway, a wide berth. But he didn’t. He walked right under it and cleared his throat.
She turned and immediately registered where he was standing. “You did that on purpose.”
“What can I say? I’m a guy. Sue me.”
She sighed a very put-upon sigh, but he thought he saw a hint of a smile as she leaned forward and gave him an even more peckish kiss than the first time. Rather than let her ease away, he pulled her in closer and gave her a longer one, an introduction to the kind of kiss he’d really like to give her. “There.”
She looked torn between confusion and annoyance. “Why did you do that?”
“You looked like someone who needed to be kissed.”
“I… You…” she sputtered. “Oh, come on.”
Ed followed her out of the office and down the hallway, as the piped-in music started a rousing rock version of, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” It struck him as very appropriate and he enthusiastically hummed along.
Joy turned around and shot him eye-daggers.
He chuckled and went back to humming. For some reason he felt amazingly spirited.
CHAPTER NINE
AFTER ALL THE FOOLING around earlier, Joy was surprised by how quickly the boys finished their shopping once they finally got down to business.
Their half siblings finally had age appropriate gifts. Jamie might be the store’s Personal Shopper, but Joy couldn’t help but feel a bit like a shopper extraordinaire as she surveyed the boys’ pile of gifts, including the jewelry box with their mother’s gift in it.
Joy felt choked up all over again looking at it.
From their expressions, the three boys were obviously just as pleased with themselves.
“Let’s go upstairs to the lounge and wrap everything, and then you’re done.”
“Joy, that’s not necessary.
We can wrap them at home,” Ed interjected.
“Not necessary, but at Harrington and Vine’s if we do something, we do it right. We’ll see to it these are ready to be opened tomorrow morning.”
The boys didn’t need more prompting than that. They started noisily distributing the bags filled with gifts between them as Joy and Ed started toward the escalator.
Ed looked concerned. “Are you sure about this? We’ve taken up almost your whole day, and I’m pretty sure we can manage the wrapping at our place.”
“I’m sure. I have to tell you this has been the highlight of my holiday. The boys’ enthusiasm has helped me regain some of my own holiday spirit. Plus, I’m thinking about buying my own gaming system after hearing them sing the various games’ praises.”
He chuckled. “Oh, they got to you all right.” He glanced back over his shoulder.
“Yeah, they sure did.” She looked at the three bag-laden boys racing up the escalator and couldn’t believe it—she actually felt a stab of regret that the day was winding down. She liked the trio.
At that particular moment, T.J. punched Tim, and Jake, obviously feeling the part of big brother, thwacked T.J. who looked a bit teetery for a moment.
“Be careful,” Joy called, visions of boys tumbling down the escalator dancing through her head.
“Rule Number Thirteen,” Ed barked without looking.
“How do you do that?”
“When people become parents, they’re given eyes in the backs of their heads.”
She laughed. “And what was Rule Number Thirteen?”
“Boys?” Ed called.
“No physical contact with your brothers. Ever. Especially in public,” they parroted in unison.
“Have I mentioned that I really like these rules?” Joy asked Ed.
“I don’t know if they’re the best form of discipline. I mean, my ex was never much of a fan of them. But hey, they seem to work. I’d rather parent with a sense of humor than with a stern hand and this seems to do the job.”
They walked by Betty’s station. “Did you boys have fun?” she called.
They all shouted out yes.
“The lounge is back here.” She led them down the hall and past her office. She threw open the lounge door.
Dashing Through the Mall: Santa, BabyAssignment HumbugDeck the Halls Page 23
