Charmed (Contemporary Romance)

by Ines Saint

  All that was left for her to do was get a few people to volunteer to clean up after the play.

  She caught up with Marie one day after school and got her to volunteer for the clean-up committee. Marie ended up volunteering Greg, as well, and they stood around a few minutes, Marie filling Jamie in on her wedding plans.

  Despite her lousy attitude toward relationships, Jamie was happy for Marie. Even Alex, her ex-husband, thought she’d found a wonderful man who truly loved her little boy, and she seemed serene and content with her new life.

  On the way home, Jamie was surprised to learn that Marie and Greg were on Timmy and Michael’s minds, as well.

  “I sure don’t wanna stepdad,” Michael declared out of nowhere.

  “Why?” Timmy asked. “Jason gets one. And now he gets more presents.”

  “Yeah, but what if we got one of those evil ones?” Michael asked.

  Jamie quickly intervened. “You two don’t have to worry about that, okay? You are not getting a stepdad. I’d say we’re all pretty happy. We don’t need anyone like that in our lives.”

  “Jason gets a dad and a stepdad, but we don’t get anything,” Timmy grunted.

  “That’s not true. You had a father who adored you, and you will always know that in your heart, and you have an uncle and two grandpas who really love you and are there for you.”

  “How about you, Mom, who do you get?”

  “I get you two and the rest of my family.” Jamie smiled.

  “If we can’t get a stepdad, can we get a puppy instead?” Timmy asked.

  A puppy was way better than a husband and stepdad. “Okay, we can get a puppy if you agree to two things. One, we pick him out from an animal shelter. Two, we wait until after winter so we can housebreak the puppy when it’s not so cold outside.”

  “Yes!” the boys cried in the back seat.

  A quick look in the rear-view mirror showed her high fives between the boys, and she wondered if the puppy had been their real plan all along. Could five-year-olds plan that far ahead and play an adult like that?

  She was left wondering.

  • • •

  By the time the night of the kindergarten and lower elementary school Christmas play rolled around, Nick was very much in a funk. He’d gotten a lot done, but he hadn’t had time for his usual outlets, and it was tiring — no, it was exhausting — to constantly push unwanted thoughts and feelings away. He fully intended to enjoy the play, which was always good fun, and forget about work and everything else.

  Celine asked him for a ride. She too wanted to watch the kids perform and forget her own troubles for a while. Her divorce had become final a few weeks before, and she was having a hard time getting through her first Christmas season back in her hometown. She told him she needed a distraction. Didn’t they all?

  Though Nick was aware there were rumors about him and Celine making rounds, Celine was easier to explain. She’d been Susan’s best friend for years, and Susan had asked him to keep an eye on her depressed friend. He hoped it would also remind people that rumors were always swirling around, and that they shouldn’t pay mind to them.

  The play was set to begin at eight o’clock, but they arrived at seven to meet up with Jamie and other parents at the theater’s doors. He had the keys, and the volunteers needed to set everything up. To his surprise, William Bertrand and his wife, June, were also there. They wanted to witness how the whole production unfolded, from start to finish … or so they said.

  The moment he and Jamie came face-to-face, tension was palpable. They’d stayed away from each other the last two weeks. He was trying so hard not to think of her, he was having trouble sleeping. He noticed both Alex and William were stealing glances at them, so Nick only offered Jamie an encouraging smile before walking away.

  Jamie had worked especially hard on the play and she was probably nervous. He would’ve liked to at least say something.

  Her boys were another matter. They were always happy to see Nick around the school and delighted in giving him high fives, telling him about their schoolwork, and asking him an occasional question about life. They’d only given him heartburn once. Tonight, he was mostly looking forward to their small parts.

  The play was A Christmas Carol, retold in five scenes with three musical performances in between. Small parts with bits of dialogue had been created for the smaller, more outgoing children, and provided comic relief. Plenty of cute blunders made their way into the performances, and all in all it was great fun.

  By the end of the play, every single person in the audience was smiling broadly. Nick was always pleased to see a sea of happy parents.

  • • •

  Jamie was relieved the play was over. As much fun as it had been to work with the teachers, parents, and children, and as wonderful as it had been to watch her children perform, she could finally relax.

  She and other moms received a gorgeous bouquet of wildflowers on behalf of the parents, and Nick presented her with a beautiful arrangement of roses from the school. They barely looked at each other when the exchange took place, but to her, the air around them felt thicker than the air anywhere else.

  Timmy and Michael made their way to Jamie, and she hugged them enthusiastically, telling them how wonderful they’d been.

  As the audience began filing out, Jamie caught sight of her parents. She was on the clean-up committee along with Charlene, Marie, and Greg, and her parents would be taking the twins home. She saw Nick talking to her parents and giving each boy a hug. She guessed he was saying a final goodbye. He’d be leaving for his trip in ten days; the semester was over, and they wouldn’t see each other again.

  The theater was almost empty, and Jamie began folding chairs and carrying them into a corner. She looked around for the rest of her cleanup crew and spotted Marie making her way to her, but she couldn’t find Charlene.

  “Jamie, I’m so sorry,” Marie began, and Jamie was at once surrounded by Alex, Marie, and Jason. “Greg stayed home sick, and he just called and asked me to buy some more cough syrup. He’s feeling worse. I won’t be able to stay and help clean up.”

  Nick walked up to them then, and Marie turned to assure him she would join other committees next semester to make up for skipping out that night, but Greg was miserable.

  Jamie was sympathetic, until a side-glance treated her to Alex’s devilish grin. “Where’s Charlene?” she asked, suspicion prickling her spine.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. Charlene told me to tell you she was having early contractions, and her husband thought it would be best for her to leave,” Alex shrugged.

  “Contractions? She’s what — three months along?” Jamie didn’t hide her disbelief.

  “Oh, it happens,” Marie assured her.

  “I’d stay and help, but Marie’s actually giving me a ride tonight, and Jason’s coming home with me,” Alex explained, and Jamie wanted to kick his knee like a three-year old would.

  They congratulated Jamie for all of her work, and all Jamie could think was blah, blah, and blah. Alex must’ve sensed the waves of antipathy coming from Jamie because he surprised her by leaning over and giving her a peck on the cheek. He then shook Nick’s hand and left.

  Jamie had never seen Nick so tense; he was always so in control and easygoing. “I’m not sure I can stay and help, either,” he said. “Let me see if I can get someone else to stay and lock up.”

  After the high of a successful play, Jamie was surprised at how low she felt. Thoughts of Nick made her feel achy in places in her heart she’d thought were turned to stone. Nick probably couldn’t stay because he had plans with Celine, and she tortured herself by wondering what they’d be doing.

  • • •

  Nick stopped William Bertrand just as he was leaving the building. “Wonderful play, Nick, the best in years. Mrs. Sullivan did a bea
utiful job.”

  “Oh, yes!” June Bertrand chimed in. “What a lovely evening.”

  Nick thanked them and asked to speak to William privately for just a minute. “William, I need you to stay and lock up. Mrs. Sullivan’s clean-up committee bailed on her, and I don’t think it’s wise for me to stay alone with her.”

  “What are you afraid you’re going to do?” William raised an eyebrow.

  Nick was taken aback. “That’s … not it. I agreed to stay away from her. I don’t want anyone saying things about us, William — that would really hurt her.”

  “I thought you were worried about your career.”

  Nick became exasperated for the second time that night. “Can you stay and lock up, or not?” he said in the most polite voice he could muster.

  “I can’t, Nick, I’m sorry. But I trust you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about the rumors — you’re leaving in ten days. And after tonight, I’ve dismissed the credibility of the person who came to me with the rumor.”

  “Why? Who was it? What happened?”

  “Don’t worry, Nick. Just lock up and come see me before you leave for your trip.” William took June Bertrand by the hand and turned to go.

  “You’ll be just fine, Nick!” Mrs. Bertrand called over her shoulder, having apparently heard every word.

  • • •

  Soon, Jamie’s clean-up committee was gone, and Jamie and Nick were left alone, though she wondered if Celine was waiting for Nick outside. They worked in silence. Each had gone to opposite sides of the room, systematically folding chairs and putting them away. Jamie made sure not to go to the storage closet when Nick was there.

  It was a far cry from the rapport they’d shared weeks before when they’d been stupidly flirting their way to a devastating kiss.

  It was more pleasant to think of the evening behind her, so Jamie ran through the entire play in her mind, smiling to herself whenever she remembered the bloopers and blunders. Thoughts of Timmy hopping about and wiggling his nose in his bunny costume and Michael’s one line as a wise squirrel made her feel better. Nick was working faster than she was and they soon they reached the last row of chairs.

  Nick cleared his throat. “You did a great job. I think it’s the best play we’ve had in years.” Though he was being sincere, she knew he was forcing himself to talk to her.

  “Thanks — I’ve actually just been replaying the whole thing in my mind.”

  “‘The Ghost of Christmas Presents.’” Nick smiled, repeating Michael’s line. He was supposed to say, “The Ghost of Christmas Present,” but he’d had Christmas presents on his mind.

  Jamie laughed, too. “Do you know how many times we rehearsed that?”

  “Timmy was cute, too. How can he wiggle his nose like that?”

  Jamie wiggled her nose. “It’s a family talent.”

  “Cute.” Their eyes met for a few seconds, and Jamie allowed herself a quick Nick-feast. The fit of his black, long-sleeved dress shirt was sexy, outlining his broad chest and trim waist nicely. The dark shade made those eyes of his really stand out, and having those eyes trained on her made her heart begin to pummel out of beat.

  “I’ll start putting the props away.” Jamie walked toward the stage and climbed up the side stairs. She began carrying the bigger props to the storage room just as Nick was coming in. They met in the middle of the doorway, and there was an awkward moment when each kept trying to sidestep the other. Jamie stopped and just stared at his chest, waiting for him to move, but she remembered pressing her body up against that solid chest during the night of the ball and it made her slightly dizzy.

  Nick finally took hold of Jamie’s shoulders and gently pushed her to the opposite side. “I’ll try to be quick so you can get on with your plans for the rest of the evening, I’m sure you don’t want to leave anyone waiting,” she found herself saying.

  “I don’t have any plans.”

  “I thought maybe Celine Bliss was waiting for you outside,” she remarked in her most blasé tone. But Nick still raised an eyebrow when he looked her way.

  “No, I told her beforehand I could only give her a ride one way.”

  Jamie shrugged and carried another set of props to the storage room. He came in after her with his own set of props. Her nerves were now in a tizzy. It had been fine when he was halfway across the room, but the storage room, as it began to fill up, was getting smaller and smaller, and they kept brushing up against each other. Jamie took a few empty boxes and tried to think of something to say to keep her mind from wandering. “You know, Alex and Marie’s son had quite a few lines, and he didn’t flub any. I think he’s pretty talented.”

  “You mean Jason?” Nick asked.

  “Yes, Jason. Alex told me he wanted to rehearse all of the time,” Jamie continued.

  “Well, I’m sure he learned persistence pays off from his father.”

  “Alex is persistent? I didn’t know that about him.”

  “Really? You didn’t know that about him? Let’s see, how many times did Alex ask you out before you two got friendly?” Nick’s tone was light and casual.

  “Friendly?” Jamie frowned and turned to face Nick, but he didn’t look at her. “What do you mean by friendly?”

  “I’m talking about persistence. It pays off. Good lesson for Jason to learn,” Nick replied. Instead of taking the stairs, he heaved himself upstage with just one arm and an athletic leap.

  Jamie froze. Nick couldn’t be jealous, could he? “Nick? Not that it’s anyone’s business, but Alex and I are just friends.”

  Nick turned to face her, his eyes cool. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Jamie. I was just making small talk.” He stood in front of her and looked down, his eyes remarkably distant. His attitude ignited her temper.

  “You’re right, anything and everything that Alex and I do together isn’t anyone’s business.” She crossed her arms and looked up at him and finally saw something move behind his eyes. A storm was brewing.

  Jamie turned away, satisfied, to gather a few wooden trees. Nick walked out of the storage room just as Jamie was coming down the stairs. Because she was more focused on where he was than on the stairs, she tripped, regained her step, lost her balance, and toppled down. Nick grabbed her to break her fall, but lost his balance as well. They both fell on a heap on the floor, Jamie on top. Neither moved.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Jamie only nodded, knowing she should move. But a force stronger than gravity did not allow her to get up. Nick gently put her aside, got up, helped her to her feet, and walked away. Jamie walked into the storage room and leaned against a wall, overwhelmed.

  “You looked terrified,” she heard him say outside. “Like you were afraid I was going to try to kiss you again,” he teased her, the way he used to.

  She listened to him walk up the stage stairs. “I must be losing my mind because I was afraid you wouldn’t,” she whispered. She ran her hands up her face and then through her hair, breathing out as slowly as possible. She’d wanted him to kiss her more than she’d wanted her next breath of air. What was wrong with her?

  “What did you say?” Nick was standing right in front of her.

  Jamie instantly stood straighter. “I just heard you walk up the stairs — ”

  “One of the trees you dropped fell down a few steps,” he explained, his eyes trained on her lips. Her heart pounded wildly, and she couldn’t breathe.

  An instant later, she tugged on his shirt, wanting just one soft kiss before he left. She needed the release. But Nick wasn’t doing soft. He pressed her up against the wall, and his lips moved over hers in a long, hard, searching kiss. His hands caressed her waist just under her sweater and she grabbed onto his shoulders, wanting more. His mouth was warm and firm, his breath sweet.

  Nick broke away and sent her
a smoldering, heavy-lidded glance before lowering his mouth to hers again. Softer this time, slower, making her dizzy with drugging, lingering kisses. Jamie undid the buttons of his shirt and splayed her hands against his chest, needing to feel the warmth that radiated from him. Her lips parted and he swept in. She felt him everywhere. He had her breathing hard and clinging.

  Somewhere in the distance, she heard a familiar ringing sound, but she wasn’t aware enough of her surroundings to have anything fully register. All that mattered was his lips on hers, his hands caressing her skin, his heat.

  Nick gently grasped the hair at the nape of her neck and the kiss deepened, became more intimate. She moaned, and slid her arms around his neck for support.

  The ringing began again, and they both slowly and reluctantly pulled away. “I think you’d better get that,” he finally whispered, breathing hard and holding her close.

  It took Jamie a few beats to understand that her cell phone had been ringing. She tried to remember where her coat was. Her cell phone was in her coat pocket.

  Nick took a step back, and Jamie slipped away to find her coat. Feeling faint, she fumbled for her cell phone as it rang again. It was Michael. She struggled to keep her voice and breathing normal as she reassured him she’d be home soon. Her mom came on, all flustered because she hadn’t known Michael was calling her.

  When she turned around, Nick was standing beside her. She swallowed hard and wondered if he knew how utterly sexy he looked with his eyes blazing like that, shirt open. If she didn’t look away, she might never make it home that night.

  “Is everything all right?” he asked.

  “It’s — well, Michael won’t go to sleep until I get home. He’s worried about me driving alone in the dark.”

  Nick nodded. “I’ll finish up here. We were almost done, anyway. Go home and don’t worry about it, okay?” He caressed her cheek with his thumb and sprinkled a few, gentle kisses on her forehead and the tip of her nose.

  Jamie didn’t trust herself to speak, so she just pulled away, grabbed her coat, and made her way to the door. She wasn’t even sure what she would say if words were in her power.