Christmas Connection

by Daria White

  Tommy's nose wrinkled. “How would we do that?”

  Alex pointed to their luggage. “You got your guitar. I can make a beat on anything. Jackson can sing.” Alex's eyes roamed and watched the people lounging in chairs and talking on their phones.

  Jackson scratched at his beard. He'd been wondering if he loved music or was this a tribute to Tony. It didn't dawn on him until the pilot turned the plane around. He couldn't imagine his life without music. Tony inspired him, but his own love for it grew.

  Euphoria would wash over him as he would sing and play. The smiles on the crowd’s faces were priceless. Music did wonders for the soul. He loved listening to The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Mint Condition, and TLC. There were too many artists to recall in his mind, since they all inspired him every time he sat to the keyboard.

  Jackson couldn't let his dream go. Tony would be proud that he found his own way. If Lee Records didn't come through for Infinity Signs, they would find another way. They had to. It wasn’t over. Far from it.

  “Let’s do it,” Jackson said.

  Tommy blinked. “Really?”

  Jackson's chest felt lighter. “It’s no different than Mac's place. How about some Christmas carols?” He then motioned for Tommy to grab his guitar. If only Bailey was with him. She would… Jackson’s eyes widened.

  Chapter 12

  Bailey groaned. “This was a bad idea.”

  The wind pushed the snow sideways and created drifts. She barely made it to Bridge Point's downtown area, when the snowflakes grew larger as she drove down the street. What was her plan again?

  She didn't know where Jackson lived. Mac's Nightclub and Lounge was in the opposite direction. They scheduled to leave for New York didn’t they? Was it today or tomorrow? Why didn’t she ask?

  Bailey blew out her cheeks as she pulled into a parking space in front of Edna’s Flower Shop. Should she wait out the storm? Grabbing her phone, she checked the local weather. A blizzard? Just great.

  Bailey exited her car and dashed for Edna’s place. She pounded on the door, grateful that Edna lived upstairs. Bailey then peered down the street. All the other businesses were closed. Her eyes watered as the wind picked up. The trees shivered like phantoms. The flakes stung her face pelting her already frozen cheeks.

  Edna opened the door, wearing a duster, pink slippers, and rollers in her hair. “Get lost on the way home, dear?” She closed the door behind Bailey.

  “Sorry, Ms. Edna. The storm caught me off guard.” Bailey shook her arms out. A few snowflakes fell to the floor. She flexed her fingers to bring back the feeling.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make you some hot tea. Come upstairs with me.” Ms. Edna led the way up her creaking stairs. Bailey sat at her table, her chair scraping the vinyl floor. She rubbed her hands together, listening to the clink of dishes as Ms. Edna retrieved her a teacup.

  Bailey pulled out her phone once more. Her eyebrows etched together as another story trended in her news feed. Tapping on the video, she heard the reporter.

  “We've been waiting it out along with the passengers of Bridge Point Airport. With a week before Christmas, they were hoping their travel plans would come through, but with this blizzard in the forecast, it's a different story.”

  Bailey covered her mouth. Did Jackson make it to New York? Would he be able to return home soon?

  The reporter continued. “There is a bright side to this dreary tale. A local band, Infinity Signs, is sharing the Christmas spirit by providing some needed entertainment.”

  Bailey's mouth dropped as the camera shot to film Jackson, Tommy, and Alex playing music at the airport. She blinked. Jackson's smile beamed as little kids gathered around them and clapped their hands to “Jingle Bells.”

  More than anything, she wished she were with him. She smiled at the screen as her chest swelled with pride. Would he forgive her? Was there anything to forgive?

  Her body tingled, recalling their kisses. She had a choice to make. The sensations of warmth and the chest flutters were one thing, but the thought of making music together with Jackson brought a wave of heat over her.

  It was more than the music. She sensed it in her heart and felt it in her soul. She couldn't deny the look in his eyes. She had to tell him. Could they build something together? Was it love?

  “Here you go,” Ms. Edna said.

  Bailey took the hot cup of chamomile tea. “Thank you so much.”

  Ms. Edna peeked outside. “I hope this snow slows down soon.”

  Bailey opened her mouth to respond but her phone rang. She saw her mother's face flash on the screen. She hadn't been gone long. The thick lump in her throat didn't go away, no matter how much she swallowed.

  “I’ll let you take that,” Ms. Edna said. “I’ll be watching Murder She Wrote.”

  Bailey smiled at Ms. Edna. Then she answered her phone.

  “Please tell me you're safe,” her mother said.

  Bailey clutched her phone. “I'm waiting out the storm at Ms. Edna’s Flower Shop.”

  “Do you need rescuing? I'm worried sick over here.” Her mother's voice sounded strained.

  “I didn't mean to worry you. I went...”

  “Went where?”

  Bailey's vision blurred as fresh tears surfaced. “I went to... Dad's gravesite.”

  “Bailey, I'm so sorry.” Her mother's voice trembled.

  Bailey wanted the pain to end. “Stop apologizing. You did what you thought was best.”

  “But what I've done to you, I never meant...”

  “I know you didn't.”

  “I don't want this to come between us, Bailey,” her mother said.

  “It won’t. You're my mother.” A feeling as if someone had lifted a load relieved the ache in her chest. It wouldn't heal overnight, but she couldn't lose her family. They were all she had. All except... Jackson.

  “Sweetie, I want you to know you have my support. I meant what I said before. If you want to sing, I'll be in the front row cheering you on.”

  Bailey wiped her damp cheeks. “Thanks Mom.”

  “Now, I only have one more question,” her mother said.

  “What's that?”

  “When will I meet Jackson?”

  Bailey lifted her gaze and looked out the window. The snow slowed. Could she make it home?

  “Bailey?” Her mother sounded concerned.

  Bailey swallowed the last of her tea. “I'm on my way, Mom.”

  Chapter 13

  “Everything for Christmas,” Bailey sung to herself, as the track “Everything for Christmas” by The Temptations played in the background. Her mother and Aunt Celia insisted that the family should eat together after church. Bailey recalled the family dinners as a child, but as she grew up, they became fewer.

  Tonight that changed. Bailey stared at the dinner table: sweet potatoes, turnip greens, broccoli cheese casserole, roast beef, and her mother's chocolate cake. It was practically a Christmas dinner with the holly scattered around the table, but Christmas would come the following day. There was another menu planned, according to her mother. Did her mother mention frying a turkey?

  Bailey sighed. She hadn't heard from Jackson. Christmas Eve came too quickly for her. All her calls went to voicemail. When he called back, she missed him. Was he back since the blizzard? Did he go to spend Christmas with his family? What if he did? Did he visit his parents in Costa Rica?

  “Are you okay?” Kenya stood next to her. “Your Mom says we can eat in a few minutes.”

  “I will be,” Bailey said.

  Kenya took her hand. “Nothing's changed too much has it?”

  Bailey smiled and embraced her cousin. “I love you all.”

  “We love you too.” Kenya hugged her tight.

  Bailey opened her mouth to say more, but the music playing in the background grabbed her attention. It overpowered her mother's radio music. “Still” by Mali Music filled her ears. It was one of her favorites.

  “What is that?” Kenya asked, as the
y broke their embrace.

  “Bailey, what’s happening?” her mother asked.

  Bailey hurried and grabbed her coat. The wind chilled her when she opened the front door. Jackson stood at the edge of the walkway.

  A silly grin took over his face. “You're not answering your phone?”

  She pointed her finger at him as she inched closer. “I could say the same for you.” She didn't care that her family was spying on her through her mother's large windows. “You could have left a voicemail. Left a text.”

  “Didn’t seem right. I wanted to say it in person.” Jackson rubbed his gloved hands together.

  “How did you know where my mother lived?” Bailey asked. She bit back her squeal, giddy that he found her. Yet, she held her emotions inside.

  “Small town, Bailey,” he said. Then his gaze turned serious. “I'm sorry about what happened when I—”

  “Don't be. I shouldn't have said what I—”

  “You were angry.” He motioned at the house behind her. “Are you and your family okay?”

  “We're getting there.” She glanced back only to see them jerk back from the windows. Bailey giggled. As if they could be subtle. She returned her gaze to Jackson. “I saw the video. It was amazing what you did at the airport.”

  His smile reached his eyes. “It also got the attention of other record labels.”

  Bailey bounced on her toes. “Really?”

  “It did. Some can't meet with us until after Christmas, but with almost one million hits on YouTube, we have people's attention.”

  Bailey rubbed at her arms. “I'm happy for you.”

  Jackson inched closer. “For the first time, I know I'm doing this for myself.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

  “My brother, Tony, loved music. After the accident, I tried to make up for what he missed. I'm not doing that anymore. I love music.” He reached out his hand and touched her cheek.

  Bailey melted into his touch.

  “I know you love it too. I can't decide for you, but I would love to go on this journey together.”

  Her teeth chattered. “Can we get out this weather?”

  Jackson laughed and then kissed her lips. Warmth flooded Bailey's chest. She snaked her arms around his neck, while he embraced her waist. Mali Music's song “Still” must have been on repeat. She heard the intro music once more. Did Jackson sway her as they kissed?

  Bailey lost her sense of awareness as Jackson claimed her lips. His mouth was soft, and his beard tickled her mouth. Their kiss was deep and passionate. Did goosebumps surface on her skin?

  Her bottom lip tingled, as his gloved fingers grazed her neck. Would her lips be swollen from all their kissing? Bailey didn’t care. Her mind numbed. Her heart drummed inside her chest. His mouth was tender but intense and when he drew back, her knees weakened. Thank goodness he still held her close.

  “I needed to get that out of my system,” he said.

  Bailey giggled.

  “Bailey,” her mother called out. “Come inside before you both freeze.”

  Bailey turned her head to face her mother. “Coming.” She glanced at Jackson once more. “You want to meet my family?”

  He smiled. “Yes.”

  She clasped his hand, and they walked to the front door. “By the way, they know how we met.”

  “And?” he asked.

  “Be prepared to answer questions.”

  Jackson laughed.

  Bailey gazed at him with focus. “Do you remember when we first met?”

  He tightened his grip on her hand. “Bridge Point Middle School.”

  She blinked. “When did you figure it out?”

  “It was something in your eyes. The more I thought about it, I remembered running after this girl in middle school. You were supposed to sing at our talent show. I found you crying later, and I hated what those kids did to you,” he said.

  Bailey paused when they stepped onto the porch. “You helped. I stopped singing that day. Thank you for believing in me then... and now.”

  Jackson kissed her again. They would go inside soon enough.

  Epilogue

  One week later...

  “Are we good guys?” Bailey stood in the recording room, a small booth for vocals and a mic on a boom stand. The lighting was dim.

  After discussing the various record deals, the band signed with Moore Records. The label even negotiated with creative control, agreeing to maintain the integrity of their music and style. Infinity Signs had a record deal! Bailey held back her squeal. She couldn’t believe it.

  Alex proved to be not only a great drummer but also a great manager scout. Liam Sims hit the ground running when they hired him the day after Christmas. Already he booked the group a New Year's Eve gig. The scheduled performance surprised Bailey, but the YouTube video ratings increased by the hour, including the one of her first live performance.

  Bailey smiled and adjusted her headphones. Jackson teased her for not calling them cans. Weren’t they still headphones? She would learn more musical terms as she went. Bailey peered through the glass window. Alex twirled his drumsticks in his hand, while Tommy gulped his bottled water.

  Then she spotted Jackson on the leather couch. He worked so hard on their songs. While he and Tommy tagged team on writing them, Jackson had a gift for writing lyrics. He held a piece of sheet music in his hand, bobbing his head. She loved their new song, “Something about You.” The lyrics played over in her head.

  Something about you

  The way the stars shine in your eyes

  How the bells ring when you smile

  I’m falling hard for you

  “That's good, Bailey,” Tommy said through the speaker.

  She gave him a thumbs up and removed her headphones—cans. Bailey would have to get used to that one. She felt rejuvenated by the adrenaline. Stepping into the seating area, she sat next to Jackson. He draped an arm around her shoulders. She inhaled, detecting that their Chinese takeout had died down in the air.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “Like this is a dream. I can't help but think I‘ll wake up and this will all disappear.” She looked around and listened to Tommy play back her voice with their track.

  Jackson inched closer. “Babe, it's not a dream.”

  Bailey leaned in as he stroked her arm. She kissed him.

  “You two can't wait until we leave,” Alex said.

  Bailey giggled against Jackson's lips and drew back. Then her cell rang inside her pocket.

  “Right now?” Jackson lifted an eyebrow.

  Noelle's face showed on the screen. Strange. She had a date tonight with Lucas. “I'll be back. It's Noelle.”

  Jackson winked at her and she blew him another kiss. Entering the hallway, she answered her best friend. Was everything okay?

  “I thought you were out with Lucas tonight,” she said.

  Noelle whimpered. “It's over, Bailey.”

  Bailey choked. “What?” This was not good—at all.

  “The wedding is off,” Noelle said.

  A sudden feeling of cold expanded in Bailey's core...

  To be continued in Anything for Noelle

  ###

  Thank you for taking the time to read my book! If you enjoyed Christmas Connection, please leave a review at any of your favorite retailers.

  Best Regards,

  Daria

  About the Author

  Daria started writing as a teenager. Since she loves romance novels, she figured why not write them too? She graduated with a degree in health care management, so writing was not in the cards for her. It’s rare that you won’t catch her reading. Aside from that, she loves Turner Classic Movies, painting, Pilates, the piano, and chocolate.

  Stay in Touch!

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  Thank You from Daria

  I didn’t plan on writing a series. I usually write standalone books, but once I started Jackson and Bailey’s story, the ideas flowed for more. I’m not sure how long it will last, but I invite you to stick around for more in the Bridge Point Romance Series. Who do we have next? Bailey’s best friend, Noelle. Look for Anything for Noelle soon!

  Again, if you enjoyed this story, please take a few minutes to leave a review. If it’s only a few words, it’s perfectly fine with me. Unbelievably, it helps other readers to decide if they want to read my work or not. I look forward to sharing the next story with you. There’s more to come!

  God Bless,

  Daria

  Shout Outs!

  www.viladesign.net (Tatiana you’re the best!).

  Special thanks to my family and my writing partners.