Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge: New Holiday Romances to Benefit St. Jude Hospital

by Sabrina York

  Yep, he had it pretty damned bad. Maybe he was building her up in his mind to be more to him than she was, but never in his life had he been so nervous about approaching anyone before. From the moment he’d seen Mia, a signal in his brain had gone off, warning him that she was someone special, and he needed to take his time and get to know her.

  But he didn’t want to scare her off, either.

  Mia looked at him onstage and smiled, and then all of a sudden, Noah was tongue-tied again. How in the heck did she do that to him?

  Suddenly, a slightly older woman was calling out for her, approaching Mia from the beach. Noah wondered if it was Mia’s mom, because Mia motioned for whoever it was to join them.

  Gram obviously knew her. “Amanda? How nice to see you away from the wounded warrior home.”

  “Hi, Barb and Will. How’s everything going?” she answered. “I see you’ve met Mia.”

  Gram looked at Noah and smiled. “Well, I’ve actually just met Mia through my grandson, Noah.”

  When Amanda turned and looked him over, Noah could swear she was ready to burst into laughter. “Ah, hah. So you’re the infamous Noah.”

  Mia looked horrified. “Amanda.”

  Winking at Noah, Amanda continued, “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  Mia nudged Amanda in the ribcage with her elbow.

  “Uh, oh.” Amanda smiled at Mia. “I meant from his grandparents, Sweetheart. You know I’ve been volunteering a few days a week at the warrior home, since your dad has been doing a lot of traveling and doesn’t need my assistance as often. Noah’s grandfather has regular appointments with the visiting physician.”

  Mia looked sheepish, smiling at Gramps, who smiled right back at her.

  And Noah grinned. Had Mia been talking about him? Maybe. And suddenly he wasn’t tongue tied anymore.

  So why not have a little fun?

  When Noah jumped from the stage, he approached Mia, reaching for her hand. “Mia? What have you been saying about me?”

  Mia’s jaw dropped, as she stared dumbly at Noah while he clasped her hand.

  Mia glared at Bree, who’d begun laughing.

  But her friend just laughed harder. “You probably don’t remember me, Noah, since you’re a little older than me. I’m Bree Dalton,” she said. “My older brother Paul is a good friend of Brad’s.”

  “Oh, sure,” Noah answered. “I knew you looked familiar, Bree. You used to hang out when we practiced. Didn’t you?”

  She smiled. “I did. Paul didn’t appreciate having to cart me around when my parents were at work though.”

  Mia said, “You’ve never told me that.”

  “Really?” Bree answered.

  “It’s probably about the only thing you haven’t,” Amanda said dryly.

  “Probably,” Bree said, smiling widely at Mia, her eyes lingering on Mia and Noah’s clasped hands.

  Mia was looking extremely uncomfortable the longer he held her hand, and Noah smiled at Gramps, who appeared to be enjoying Noah’s clumsy attempts at flirting as much as Noah was. Judging by her reaction, Noah was pretty certain Mia had never had a real boyfriend.

  Then and there he decided she was going to have one now.

  “I have an idea, since it’s Friday night,” Gram said suddenly, as if she’d read Noah’s mind. “Why don’t the four of you go out for ice cream? It’s a little late for Will and me, so we’ll be heading home with the equipment.”

  When Gramps laid a hand over his mouth and yawned, Noah grinned, suspecting what they were up to. After performances, Noah and the members of the band would normally meet at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn with their girls, since there was a soda fountain open in the café until midnight. Later during the summer, there would even be live entertainment atop the gazebo overlooking the lake.

  Studying Mia’s dazed reaction, Noah spoke softly. “Mia? How about it? Me, Brad and Chris usually meet at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn Café after we perform.”

  When she looked at him with the most dazzling smile he’d ever seen, Noah knew that it was going to be a lot more serious for him than he’d realized. He had virtually no experience with the feelings running through him right now. Protectiveness, anxiety—because maybe he wasn’t good enough for her—and even a little bit of jealousy at the thought of her dating any other guy. Yep, he was falling for her.

  Hard.

  “I’d love to,” she answered quietly, tucking a strand of silky sable hair behind her ear.

  Noah sighed heavily because the moment her eyes met his, his heart flipped over in his chest.

  7

  When Noah finally let go of her hand to finish gathering a few other things that had been left onstage, Mia felt an instant sense of loss, and truthfully?

  Her emotions were beginning to scare her.

  Even though she hadn’t admitted it to Bree, Mia had noticed Noah Erikson in the hallway during the first day of school, and she was pretty sure that he’d noticed her too. Their eyes had locked, and the connection had felt electric. She could see it in his eyes as plainly as he could probably see it in hers.

  Noah’s grandmother had suggested the four of them go out, but Amanda was studying Mia and Bree quizzically, seeming to come to a decision when Noah returned after watching the remaining members of his band drive away.

  “I think I’m going to head home and let the three of you drive to the inn together. I have a feeling I’d look a little out of place hanging around with you guys,” Amanda said dryly, before turning to Mia. “Be home by eleven?”

  Mia smiled. “You’ve got it.”

  Amanda looked at Noah’s grandparents. “I think the three of us would cramp their style.”

  “What’s that all about?” Mia snorted. “That’s the second time you’ve said that today.”

  Eyes twinkling, Noah’s grandfather answered, “She’s right. Us tagging along just wouldn’t be cool.”

  “Anyone who gives me a hard time about something as stupid as that, isn’t really a friend,” Noah said, winking at his grandfather.

  “He’s such a good boy,” Noah’s grandmother said.

  Noah rolled his eyes, grimacing at Mia.

  Mia smiled widely.

  Noah mumbled, “Gram. Whatever you do, make sure that doesn’t get around? I’d hate to ruin my rep.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Amanda said, “I guess I’d better be on my way before it gets darker.”

  Noah’s grandmother asked, “Can we take you home?”

  “I can drop you off, Amanda,” Bree said, turning to Noah’s grandmother. “The house is right on the way to Dragonfly Pointe.”

  “You know what, Bree? I wouldn’t mind a ride,” Amanda admitted. “It’s not too far from here, but the path isn’t well lit.”

  “You’ve got it,” Bree answered.

  “In that case,” Noah’s grandmother smiled, “we’ll just see everyone later.”

  Noah’s grandparents made their way to the truck, where his grandfather held open the door for his grandmother before making his way around, stepping inside and settling behind the wheel, revving up the engine.

  Noah muttered, “Don’t try to unload any of that equipment, Gramps.”

  “Yes, Sir,” his grandfather answered with a smile. “I’ll park the truck in the barn. You can take care of it tomorrow when your friends arrive for practice.”

  “Alright. I should be home by eleven-thirty,” Noah said.

  “Enjoy yourselves kids,” Noah’s grandmother called out. “It was nice to meet you, Mia and Bree. See you, Amanda.”

  As the truck went into motion, Amanda shouted over the roar of the engine. “Bye, Barb. I’ll see you later next week, Will.”

  Watching his grandparents driving away, Noah reached for Mia’s hand again.

  And her eyes met his. Had he felt that shock?

  She had to think yes, because he was looking a little muddled when he spoke. “Okay, so I guess I’ll meet you two in the parking lot at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn
?”

  Mia looked at Bree who was smiling from ear to ear. “Bree?”

  “Huh?” Shaking her head, Bree answered, “Oh, yeah. That’s fine. We’ll be there after we drop off Amanda.”

  Mia didn’t even look at Amanda because she was certain Amanda was trying to control her laughter. When it came to interaction with boys, Mia and Bree had to be the most socially inept girls in town.

  Looking down at their hands, Mia finally answered Noah. “Alright. We’ll see you in about fifteen or twenty minutes.”

  “Alright,” Noah said, wearing a silly smile. But he wasn’t letting go of her hand.

  Mia looked at him with a shy smile. “I guess I’ll need my hand back.”

  Mia heard Amanda’s muffled laughter.

  Shaking his head, Noah blinked, dropping Mia’s hand while laughing softly. “I guess you will. I’ll see you in a few.”

  Noah’s bike was parked behind the bandstand, and when he walked away and headed towards it, Bree pulled out the keys for her car.

  While Bree walked ahead of them across the parking lot, Mia peeked at Amanda’s face as they followed.

  Amanda had been holding back her laughter since meeting Noah, and sure enough, she was ready to explode.

  And when they stepped into Bree’s car, that’s exactly what she did.

  8

  As he hugged the curve around the bay on his Harley heading toward Beach Road, Noah grimaced, running the conversation he’d just had with Mia through his mind.

  He’d acted like a total idiot. You’d think he’d never talked to a girl before, with as much trouble as he’d had having a normal conversation.

  Waiting until Bree had exited the parking lot in her compact Volkswagen, Noah had followed them along the road until Bree had turned into the driveway belonging to the mansion on the hill, which overlooked Crystal Rock Lake.

  It figured Mia’s family were the ones who had built that house. Noah had watched it being constructed, wondering who’d torn down the cabins belonging to the resort which had been abandoned for several years. Noah knew it had to be someone who was probably rich and powerful.

  He sighed, because apparently it was Mia’s father.

  Noah didn’t want to think what that would mean for him if he continued pursuing Mia. He just hadn’t been able to stop himself. The stupidest thing he’d probably done is waited to approach her since he’d known he’d be enlisting. In the back of his mind, Noah had been thinking if they never actually connected, he’d have one less person to worry about once he was off to boot camp. He was concerned enough about his grandparents; most particularly Gramps, who’d had a lot of trouble with infection in his leg off and on through the years.

  But it had hit him hard, that he wouldn’t be seeing Mia anymore. Strange as it was, seeing her around school had been enough for him until now.

  Well, that and the fact he didn’t have any real competition. Noah had been able to discourage anyone who’d talked about asking Mia out by telling them to keep their hands off. Noah had to laugh—why in the hell did so many guys at school seem to think he was such a tough guy?

  It had to be the Harley.

  But after thinking about how he’d be leaving at the end of the year, Noah had decided to make a move. Even if she hadn’t been at the concert tonight, which had been pure luck, he knew where she liked to hang out.

  It really was a beautiful night, Noah thought as he pulled into the parking lot of the inn. The remnants of sunrise remained, casting a golden rosy glow while the moon was beginning to rise in the sky above.

  But the satisfaction he was suddenly feeling about his life most likely had to do with the fact he’d finally had the courage to approach Mia.

  He parked his bike, and only a few minutes later as Noah stood and waited near the sidewalk leading toward the entrance, Bree drove into the parking lot, pulling into an empty spot beside Noah’s Harley.

  Bree quickly stepped out from the car, while Mia was more hesitant.

  Smiling, Noah approached, reaching for Mia’s hand, attempting to immediately put her at ease. “Look at the sky. It’s beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

  Mia looked less nervous and let him take her hand, before staring upward at the stars. “It is.”

  Noah glanced at Bree, who seemed to be holding back, while letting them have their space. “Come on, Bree. You’ve gotta know most of the people here?”

  “Probably,” Bree answered. “You sure I’m not in the way?”

  “Of course not,” Noah and Mia answered in unison.

  Noah smiled, looking into Mia’s eyes.

  Bree laughed. “Okay. Since you both seem to agree, I believe you. Let’s go get some ice cream.”

  “I suppose you’ve eaten here a lot, since you live pretty close?” Noah asked Mia, holding open the door for the girls, and then following them through the breezeway into the lobby.

  “A few times. Dad likes to take me here when he’s home,” Mia answered, grimacing. “Which hasn’t been too often lately.”

  “We used to come here quite a bit when we were young,” Bree said. “But Mom and Dad work an awful lot, and my two older brothers always seem to have something better going on. We used to eat together all the time when we were growing up, but not much anymore.” Bree grinned. “I have more meals with Mia and Amanda than I do with my family.”

  “My mom and I used to always have dinner together, even though she worked weekends, and sometimes pretty late during the week,” Noah said quietly. “I always try to eat dinner with Gram and Gramps, even when I’ve got a lot going on, because I don’t know where I would be right now without the two of them.”

  “That’s so nice,” Mia said. “I don’t remember those kinds of things about my mom. I was only about eight when she passed away.”

  “I didn’t realize that you…” Noah sighed. “I don’t remember too much about my dad, either,” he said, pausing at the entrance of the café and looking into her eyes. “So we’ve both lost our moms?”

  Mia sighed heavily, giving him a rueful smile.

  Bree was walking ahead of them, and glancing back, she grinned. “I’ll go save us some seats. I already see a few people I know. How about ordering me a chocolate shake?”

  Mia grinned. “Alright. Thanks, Bree.”

  Noah held up her hand. “Ready to make an entrance? You know they’ve been waiting to see if I show up with you?”

  Mia blinked. “No?”

  “Yes,” he answered smiling, tugging her hand and guiding her towards the soda fountain.

  When Mia paused, studying the menu high on the wall, Noah grinned because he knew she was having a difficult time ignoring the whistles echoing through the air.

  She muttered, “Is that for our benefit?”

  “It is,” Noah answered. “You’re the first girl I’ve ever brought along with me.”

  Mia looked stunned.

  Noah smiled widely. “What would you like?”

  “What do you recommend? I had no idea this soda fountain was here. I’ve only been inside the restaurant, and a couple of the shops—like three or four times.”

  Noah pursed his lips. So that’s why he’d never run into her when he’d been working. “Really? I can’t believe you’ve never been here. It’s always been a hangout for high school kids. You’ve lived in town like what—nine months?”

  “Bree and I used to cruise around town on our bikes before we drove, and we spent a lot of time at the Dragonfly Pointe Beach. Even in the winter, we’d watch hockey or go skating there. It seems like the concession stand near the beach is always open.”

  “Skating, huh? That’s something that I’m not too good at,” he admitted, giving her a rueful smile.

  She gave him an impish grin. “Kind of like the dancing, huh?”

  Geez, she was pretty, Noah thought, becoming distracted.

  But she was looking at him strangely. And then she shook her head and gave him another one of those dazzling smiles, which reminded him a
little of the sun coming up, because it was just that vibrant.

  “I think I’m going to have a small chocolate sundae,” she said, opening her purse.

  Noah held his hand over hers. “It’s on me.”

  A friend of Noah’s finally came over to wait on them. “We’ll have a chocolate shake, and two small chocolate sundaes.”

  Phil answered, “Sure thing, Noah. Coming in tomorrow?”

  “Two to six. The Band’s playing tomorrow night,” Noah answered, motioning at Mia. “Mia this is Phil.”

  “Nice to meet you, Phil,” Mia said, smiling.

  Phil smiled back. “Same here, Mia.”

  Preparing the sundaes, Phil turned back to Noah. “Hey. Danielle Loughlin was asking the other day if I thought you guys would be interested in performing at some of their Summer Under the Stars concerts?”

  “Really? Of course we’d be interested,” Noah said.

  Phil laid the sundaes on the counter. “Between you and me? They pay pretty well.”

  “Anything helps,” Noah said, trying to halt the conversation. He didn’t feel comfortable discussing finances around Mia.

  “What else was it you ordered?” Phil asked. “A chocolate shake?”

  “Yes. It’s for Mia’s friend,” Noah said.

  Phil glanced across the restaurant. “Hey was that Bree Dalton who came in with you two?”

  Mia answered, “That’s who the shake’s for.”

  Phil’s eyes went wide. “Really?” He grinned. “In that case…”

  Phil turned, and began preparing the shake.

  Both Noah and Mia watched in amazement as Phil loaded ice cream into the largest cup available and began piling ingredients—whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and even three cherries on top—after making the deluxe shake extra thick.

  Laying the monstrous shake on the counter, Phil looked at Mia. “Tell her it’s on me. Will you?”

  Mia grinned at Phil and then looked at Noah. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to carry that thing. It looks too heavy. You’d better take it, and I’ll grab the sundaes.”