Love, Lies & Mistletoe

by Jennifer Snow

  She swallowed hard.

  “Do you need me to tell you that I like you? That you’re the first woman I’ve been attracted to in a long time, the first person I’ve gotten close to in even longer? Would that make it less confusing?”

  “Yes.” The word escaped before she could stop it.

  He sighed. “The problem is, I shouldn’t be acting on those feelings, giving in to the urge to kiss you and let you into my life.” He touched her cheek. His hand felt warm, but still a shiver danced down her spine. “My world isn’t something you’ll want to be a part of.”

  Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Why don’t you let me decide that?” Standing on tiptoes, she placed her lips to his, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that told her she still hadn’t gotten any answers from him. She wasn’t even sure she was going to.

  And unfortunately, her heart continued to fall in love with him anyway.

  CHAPTER TEN

  THINGS WERE GETTING COMPLICATED, and that wasn’t good.

  He’d successfully skirted Heather’s questions about Amber the night before, but he knew that wouldn’t be the end of her mission to find out more about him. And the biggest problem was that he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue hiding things from her. He’d revealed so much already. A few more Google searches and she could probably figure everything out on her own.

  The thought that she’d snooped made him a little uneasy, but he’d created this anti-trust situation by holding back.

  Opening his locker, he saw a dark green envelope with his sister’s handwriting on it. He closed the door to the room before opening it and removing a holiday card. Handmade. A beautiful abstract snowflake design on the front, and inside, a message from Amber.

  Jacob (my pain in the *** brother)

  Sorry it’s taken me so long to write, but it’s taken me this long to stop being stubborn and see this situation for what it is—you doing what you believe is right and as always, keeping us safe, if not together. I just wish you could have sent us somewhere warmer, but I digress.

  I hope wherever you are, you are happy. I am. I’ve met someone here in the place that can’t be named or the authorities will tear a hole in my beautiful homemade card. For the first time in my life, I’m truly happy.

  Wow. He had to reread the words. Amber had met someone? Since Kyle was born, he could count on one hand how many dates she’d had. Always putting her son and her art career above everything else. But now, in the oddest of circumstances, she’d met someone.

  Just as he had.

  He’s wonderful. And Kyle adores him. He teaches at Kyle’s school. Of course I can’t tell him anything, which is really annoying—

  He knew all too well.

  —but he has a good heart, and I’m hoping that if and when I can eventually tell him the truth, he will keep loving Kyle and me anyway.

  It’s Christmas, after all, the time of year to put our faith and trust in one another.

  Take care, little brother,

  Love, Amber.

  Jacob closed the card and slid it back into the envelope. Faith and trust. Could he put his faith and trust in Heather? He wasn’t sure he had any other choice. For once, he refused to do the “right” thing and walk away from her.

  * * *

  “SO I’M THINKING I need a tree,” Jake said as he sat with Heather on his tiny love seat in the attic apartment two days later.

  They’d been almost inseparable since the kiss outside of Jill’s. Heather wasn’t sure what had caused Jake’s sudden change of heart, but she refused to question it. She also refused to ruin it by asking him anything else, even though her questions were burning a hole in her mind.

  She scanned the twenty-by-twenty space that served as his home. With a single bed in one corner, the love seat and television in the middle, and the kitchenette on the other side, there was hardly room for a sprig of mistletoe, let alone a tree. “Where on earth do you think you can fit a tree in here?”

  He removed her legs from his lap and stood.

  “Hey, get back here. I was comfy,” she said with a pout.

  But he was clearly on a mission. Without waiting for her to get up, he pushed the love seat toward his bed until it touched, making a few extra feet of space.

  “That’s better.”

  Not really. “How are you going to get out of bed?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll climb over the back of the sofa.”

  Every morning? That would get old soon, she thought, an amused smile on her face as he continued to move his furniture around the apartment, hunched slightly as the six-foot ceiling was just a little too low to accommodate his height. “Why did you rent this place, anyway? You barely fit in here.”

  He set the tiny table in the corner of the kitchenette, then lifted the old television from the floor and placed it on top of the dresser, shoving aside his deodorant and hairbrush. His only two grooming products. “The price was right,” he said.

  “But it’s just temporary, right?” He couldn’t possibly be planning to stay here for too long. He’d have a permanent neck cramp. No wonder he didn’t spend much time at home.

  He stopped and turned to look at her. “What’s wrong? You don’t like my place,” he said, coming toward her, tickle fingers active.

  Oh, no. She hated being tickled. “No, Jake...don’t. I’m sorry, I was kidding. Your place is wonderful. Perfect!” The last word was a high-pitched squeal as he went for her ribs.

  She folded her arms tightly to prevent the attack, but he was too strong, pinning them above her head on the couch with one hand as he continued to tickle her with the other. She was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

  “Besides, you live in a B and B,” he reminded her, leaning against her legs to stop her flailing.

  “I know...stop...please... I’m going to pee my pants!”

  “That would be hilarious,” he said, continuing to tickle.

  “I’m serious, Jake!” She wiggled and squirmed until he finally stopped.

  “Be nice to my apartment now?” he asked, still holding both of her wrists as he pulled her to her feet.

  “Yes,” she said as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

  He released her hands and touched her flushed cheek. “Besides, what else could I possibly need in here?”

  She knew what he meant, and her heart beat wildly in her chest. Things were heating up between them, that was for sure. But it was more than that—their feelings were getting stronger. She knew it when she caught him looking at her and by the affectionate way he touched her. She also knew it by the excitement she felt whenever she was going to see him and the nausea in the pit of her stomach every time she remembered she was leaving.

  Like now.

  She took a deep breath and stepped away. “A tree. You need a tree.”

  * * *

  “HEY, YOU GUYS!” Melody greeted them as they arrived at the Monroe family tree farm an hour later. She and her two boys were handing out handsaws and hot chocolate to customers in front of the tree lots. Homemade wreaths and poinsettias for sale sat on the table in front of them, and Christmas music played over speakers above the trees. Multicolored Christmas lights decorated the fence and hung between the large lights illuminating the tree farm for the after-dark crowd. According to Heather, the tree farm had been in the Monroe family for decades.

  “Hi, Mel. Hi, David and Josh,” Heather said, bending to accept hugs from Melody’s children.

  Jacob wasn’t even going to try to figure out which of the twin boys was which, so he just smiled and waved to the family.

  “What brings you two by?” Melody asked, glancing between them, interest showing in her dark eyes.

  If Heather noticed her friend’s curiosity, she ignored it. “Sheriff Matt
hews here needs a tree.”

  Melody laughed as she turned to him. “I heard you were renting that attic apartment in Mrs. Kelly’s house.”

  “Yes, I am,” he said, accepting a handsaw from one of the boys.

  “Can you even fit a tree in there?”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Heather said, hiding a grin. “He’s moved some things around.”

  “There’s always room for Christmas,” he said with a shrug, wrapping an arm around her. He could never satisfy his need to be close to her, which was really going to suck when she left town.

  “That’s a man after my own heart,” Brad said, joining them. He was dressed in a pair of jeans, cowboy boots and hat, a large silver belt buckle reflecting the late afternoon sun, almost blinding the group. He looked nothing like the baseball-hat-wearing guy he’d met at the tree-lighting ceremony.

  “What’s with the outfit, Brad?” Heather asked, sizing him up.

  A sliver of jealousy ran through him at the sight of her staring at the music star.

  “It’s for the bachelor auction at the community hall tonight,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Mrs. Dawson really should go into politics.”

  Melody’s eyes widened. “Better not say that around her. She used to date Mayor Parsons years and years ago. I think she did have political aspirations at one time.”

  “Bachelor auction? But...uh...aren’t you two...?” Jacob was confused as he glanced between the couple. He’d been certain the two of them were together.

  Melody wrapped an arm around Brad’s waist. “Yes, we are. Well, I think we are... I mean, nothing’s official or anything,” she teased him, holding up her empty ring finger.

  “Like it, put a ring on it,” Heather agreed, winking at Brad.

  The poor cowboy looked uncomfortable as he shifted from one foot to the other. “Quit pressuring me,” he said. “Anyway, I have to head over to the community center early to get assigned a number for tonight. You guys are all coming?”

  Melody nodded, then kissed him. “Yes, but I’m not paying money to date you.”

  “I’ve already given Mrs. Dawson a blank check,” he said.

  When he left, Melody turned back to them. “Are you two planning to attend?”

  “Maybe, if we get the tree set up...” Heather said.

  Jacob nodded, relieved that somehow he’d escaped Mrs. Dawson’s radar. Guess she figured no one would pay to spend time with him up until the incident with Lily a few weeks ago. Hey, whatever worked. “As long as I’m not being auctioned off, I’m there.”

  Ten minutes later, he spotted the tree he wanted. Holding it up, he called to Heather, “I think this is the one.”

  She laughed when she saw it. “Where are you planning to put it? The front yard? Jake, that tree is seven feet tall.” She shook her head. Glancing around, she selected a different one. “This is more the right size, I think...”

  He eyed the teeny, tiny Charlie Brown tree. “That one’s so small.” How was he supposed to decorate that? Not that he had any decorations yet.

  “Have you seen your apartment?” she asked, effortlessly cutting down the short evergreen.

  “Fine. I guess that’s the one.”

  “Okay, let’s go buy decorations.” She picked up the tree with ease. “I think about six ornaments oughta do it.”

  * * *

  “MY HANDS ARE still sticking to everything I touch,” Jake said, removing the napkin stuck to his palm as they sat at the table with Melody and Brad’s family at the bachelor auction later that evening.

  “Tell me about it. I swear I have sap in my hair. Who knew a three-foot pine tree could produce so much of this stuff?” Heather said with a laugh. Putting up the tiny tree in his tiny apartment had taken no time. Cleaning up the pine needles and hiding the fact that they’d gotten a real tree—which went against his rental agreement with Mrs. Kelly—had been the real challenge.

  Actually, the real challenge had been keeping her attention on decorating the tree and not on watching him decorate the tree. He’d insisted on glass ornaments in red, green and gold, claiming he was a traditionalist when she’d suggested a blue-and-silver color theme. He’d also bought strings of gold garland and an angel for the top.

  After all his grumbling about her decorations at the bar, she’d been amazed watching him work—he’d placed every ornament strategically, and she’d even caught him moving some of the ones she’d put on. An hour after they’d started, the tree rivaled those in the window displays at Macy’s.

  “Where did you learn to decorate?” she’d asked as they’d plugged in the lights in his only outlet. They’d had to unplug his coffeemaker and microwave.

  He’d shrugged. “I’m a natural, I guess.”

  “Come on, seriously...” She was dying to get to know him better, but so far, he’d refused any real conversations.

  He’d pulled her onto his lap on the sofa and said, “Everyone in our family is kinda creative I guess.” He’d paused, pushing her hair away from her neck, and placed a soft kiss on her collarbone.

  She’d been tempted to once again bring up his sister and the art gallery, but she was starting to think that ignorance really was bliss. She was having such a great time with him, and she didn’t want to ruin things. He’d already revealed a little bit about himself; the rest would come...when he was ready.

  “Ah, here he is,” Mel whispered, bringing Heather back to the present as Brad took to the catwalk. Brad was the last of this year’s ten contestants; the number of eligible men in town was dwindling. But Brad’s participation was guaranteed to bring in the necessary funding to make the charity event for the local medical clinic worthwhile. And while he’d told Mel he’d given Mrs. Dawson a blank check for Mel to claim him, she’d told them she had zero intentions of doing so. Though Heather suspected she’d change her mind quickly if one of the young, single girls in the crowd somehow outbid the older women for Brad’s attention.

  As he reached the front of the stage, he removed the cowboy hat and winked at Mel. The collective ahhh across the room made Melody’s cheeks light up. “He’s such a performer,” she said, but Heather knew her friend loved the man up on the stage—the man who had given her another shot at her own dreams of performing.

  The paddles flew through the air so quickly that Mrs. Dawson had trouble keeping up at the podium, and when she finally stopped the bidding at eight hundred dollars, she was out of breath. “Sold to... Mrs. Norris...for eight hundred.”

  “Mrs. Norris always gets the good dates,” Heather said, collecting her coat and purse.

  Melody stood, as well. “I guess I should go tell him to have fun,” she said with a smile, obviously relieved the group of younger girls in the front row had run out of funds at five hundred.

  “Um, excuse me, everyone,” Brad said, taking the microphone from Mrs. Dawson.

  Everyone stopped moving and turned toward the stage.

  “Before I go on my date, there’s a question I’d like to ask Melody Myers, if you could all indulge me for a second,” he said.

  “Oh, my God.” Melody went pale next to her.

  “Is he about to propose?” Jake whispered at her side.

  “Shhh,” Heather told him, her eyes glued to the stage.

  “Mel, you know I love you...and Josh and David. This last year, having the three of you with me on tour, performing with you and watching you shine, I’ve just fallen more and more in love with you...every day. So, Melody Myers—will you finally stop being so stubborn and marry me already?” He jumped down from the runway and dropped to a knee in front of her.

  “For real?” Melody asked.

  “I’ve asked you four times already—you should know by now it’s for real,” he said, reaching into his pocket and producing a Tiffany’s box.

  “Mel, that’s a
Tiffany ring. Say yes or I’m going to,” Heather hissed when her friend hesitated.

  “A Tiffany ring, huh? That’s all it takes to get a yes? Thanks for the tip,” Jake whispered in her ear, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her pulse quickened, and she barely heard Melody’s acceptance. Her mouth went dry as she glanced over her shoulder at him, but he’d directed his attention back to the proposal.

  He’d been kidding. Of course. He was just messing with her, as usual. That’s what they did, after all. Right?

  She watched her friends kiss and smiled and congratulated them when they finally broke away from each other.

  “Thank you,” Melody said, absolutely glowing as she extended her hand to show Heather the two-carat solitaire diamond.

  Then, as a crowd gathered around the newly engaged couple, Jake led her away. “So, what’s their story anyway?”

  “Melody was married to Patrick Myers, Brad’s best friend and bandmate, but there was an accident four years ago, and Patrick died.” Heather didn’t feel the need to add that the accident had been Brad’s fault. It was a long and tragic story, and tonight was about love. “Anyway, last Christmas Brad was home filming a holiday special, and the two fell in love.”

  “Didn’t Victoria and Luke fall in love while she was in town for the holidays, as well?” he asked.

  She nodded as they stepped outside into the cold night air.

  “I’m sensing a pattern,” he said, taking her hand.

  She laughed. “Apparently Christmas in Brookhollow has a way of making people fall in love.”

  He stopped when they reached the car, and placing his hands on either side of her face, he gently lowered his lips to hers. “Then maybe you should have gotten out of town sooner.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN out of town sooner. Yes, it would have made things a whole lot easier, Heather thought, if she’d left town before she’d started to fall for a man who could break her heart.