The Christmas Crusade

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Granddad and Mr. Harchett insisted on my personal involvement with this project from the beginning. In fact, my work load has lightened considerably since Granddad brought in a few more minions to my department.” Kat took a moment to reflect back on how eager her grandfather had been for her to oversee the company’s sponsorship with Center for Hope. Although she was certain he didn’t approve of Levi as dating material for his only grandchild, Kat couldn’t help but wonder what the old man plotted.

  “Maybe your grandfather is trying to give you more free time to pursue things more… interesting, like that incredibly cute guy over there who can’t keep his eyes off you.” Brenna grinned and ducked when Kat tossed a bag of marshmallows at her.

  “You’re full of beans, Brenna, and a dork.”

  ~*~

  Levi had never wanted to break a promise as badly as he did that afternoon. His vow to keep his hands and lips to himself until Kat told him otherwise now seemed like one of the stupidest things he’d ever said.

  He still didn’t understand why she was so adamant about denying the attraction they held for each other. In all honesty, it went far beyond attraction. He loved her with every bit of his heart and then some.

  From the way she responded to his kisses, watched him when she thought he wasn’t looking, he was sure she felt the same way.

  Oh, he knew she had some delusion about her career making it impossible to have a personal life, but if she really loved him, really wanted him, she’d make it work.

  Thoughts of her not caring enough to try made his heart ache, so he turned his attention back to creating a happy Christmas for the families who would receive the boxes of food they spent the day filling. He had it all worked out to deliver the food boxes and giving tree gifts on December twenty-second. The following day, he and any volunteers who showed up would get things ready at the center for Christmas Eve.

  As a thank you to their sponsors for their generosity, Center for Hope planned to host a pancake breakfast. The center had started a children’s choir back in the fall and the group would perform at the breakfast.

  Once they cleaned up from that, they’d launch into preparations for a Christmas Eve dinner served at four that afternoon. Levi planned to keep the center open all evening, giving the homeless in the area, and those in need of some holiday cheer, somewhere to gather that was warm and safe. One of the youth ministers who helped at the center would provide a Christmas Eve service and Santa would make an appearance.

  Levi wasn’t sure how he’d managed it, but he’d finally talked Mike into putting on a Santa suit and pretending to be the jolly old elf.

  Thanks to Harchett Industries, and Kat’s capable assistance, the charity gala brought in nearly eighty-five thousand dollars. They’d also contributed dozens of coats, collected gifts for the giving tree, and assisted with the food drive.

  Mr. Harchett himself stopped by the center the previous afternoon to hand-deliver a personal check to Levi, thanking him for helping bring the true spirit of the season back to his corporation.

  Moved by the man’s sincerity, Levi concluded there was more to the big company than profit margins. He’d witnessed the generous spirit of many employees who worked there, including the head of the PR department. Currently, she laughed at something Brenna said across the room.

  The only way he could keep from marching over to Kat and sweeping her off her feet was to focus on the busy days leading up to Christmas.

  As Levi carried in additional jars of peanut butter to add to the food boxes, he’d overhead part of the conversation between Kat and Brenna. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to touch her and gladly massaged her neck and shoulders.

  The sultry sound of her voice infiltrated his resolve to be on his best behavior, so he retreated to the far side of the gym, away from the temptation she represented.

  “Dude? Are you gonna make a move or what?” Brock bumped Levi with his elbow as he hefted a crate full of bagged potatoes.

  “Move? On what?”

  “Not what, who,” Mike interjected, glancing over his shoulder to where Kat and Brenna worked. “Although I hate to see you put your heart on the line for her, considering how it went last time, you’ve got to try, bro.”

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. At least not right now.” Levi turned to glance at his brother and Brock. “She made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that I’m to cease any flirtatious or other activity with her until it’s her idea.”

  “It’s the other activity that will tip the scales in your favor, man,” Brock said, winking at him. “Think about it. You took this center from the brink of closing to being able to give three hundred families hope for the holiday season. That’s huge. If you can do that in a matter of a few months, surely you can find a way to change one beautiful woman’s mind.”

  Levi ran a hand through his hair then shook his head. “As both of you know, getting this center headed the right direction was a team effort. I couldn’t have done any of this without all of you.”

  Mike slapped his back and grinned. “Yes, you could have. It might have taken you longer, but you’d have found a way, Levi. It’s just who you are.” Mike stood up straight and slapped a hand over his heart. “You fight for the downtrodden and weary. You champion the weak. You bring hope to the hopeless and light to the darkness. You…”

  Levi gave his brother a playful shove. “Enough, already. You make it sound like I should give Captain America a run for his money.” Levi smiled at Mike and Brock. “Honestly, I’m thankful for everything you two have done. You’ve invested time and money into the center and it is truly and sincerely appreciated.”

  “It was our pleasure, bro.” Mike thumped Levi on the back again as he glanced at Brock. “Don’t tell anyone I said this, but delivering these goodies will be way more fun than anything I find under the tree Christmas morning.”

  Brock waggled his eyebrows at Mike. “Unless it’s that cute little redhead you’ve been dating the last several months.”

  Hours later, after everyone had packed up and gone home, Levi switched off the lights and locked the doors to the gym. He walked around a corner into the foyer and almost plowed into Kat.

  His hands locked on her upper arms to keep her from taking a fall. “What are you doing here? I thought everyone left.”

  Kat caught her breath and stepped back. “They did. I forgot Brock and Brenna gave me a ride this morning and they didn’t remind me before they left. They were anxious to get home to Alex. Brenna’s sister kept him today.”

  “I’d be happy to give you a ride home, if you’d like.” Levi shrugged into his coat and held the front door open for Kat.

  “I’d really appreciate it.”

  Levi shoved his hands into his coat pockets to keep from taking her hand in his. The night was cold, but clear. Stars twinkled overhead as they walked the short distance to his pickup. He unlocked the door and waited until she slid in to close it and run around the cab of the truck.

  After the engine chugged to life, he turned the heater on high and waited for it to stop blowing cool air before pulling away from the curb.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked as he drove down the quiet street.

  “I am. How about you?”

  “Starving, actually. Do you want to grab something?” Levi turned down another side street with a destination in mind.

  “Yes, please. The only thing remotely close to edible in my apartment is an overripe banana and a bag of stale rice cakes.”

  Levi chuckled. “No wonder you don’t have any problem maintaining that girlish figure.”

  Kat smiled and glanced out the window as Levi parked the pickup in front of a little Chinese restaurant.

  He shut off the truck and glanced at Kat. “Have you eaten here before?”

  “No. I’ve never heard of it.”

  “You’re in for a treat, then. It’s authentic Chinese food, not the Americanized stuff.” Levi hopped out and ran around the truck. Kat got out
before he reached her side. He offered her a crooked grin. “Get ready for your taste buds to be tantalized by something way better than mushy bananas and salty cardboard disks. I promise this will be the best Chinese food you’ve ever had.”

  Kat laughed and followed him into the restaurant.

  True to his word, the meal was the best Chinese food Kat had ever tasted. Full and content, she didn’t want the evening to end.

  As they stepped outside, she wrapped her hands around Levi’s arm and gave it a gentle tug. “I need to walk off all that delicious food. Want to take a stroll?”

  Levi hid his surprise and smiled down at her. “Sure. It’s a perfect night to admire Christmas lights.”

  They meandered along a few blocks. Kat observed a display in a bookstore window while Levi gazed across the street.

  Suddenly, he grabbed her hand. “Come on, Kat. This is too good to pass up.” He jogged across the street, pulling her along behind him.

  “No way!” Kat barely suppressed a squeal of delight. “No freaking way! I can’t believe we’re going to see the original The Bishop’s Wife.”

  Levi bought two tickets to the movie playing at a theater that specialized in showing old films. He placed a hand to the small of Kat’s back and ushered her inside. “Do you remember the night we met?”

  “Of course,” Kat said, giving him an odd look. “Brenna invited me to a party you and Mike had at your apartment. You’d gone to the store to get ice and returned complaining about two old women holding up the line arguing about what leading man was the most handsome.”

  Levi’s eyes shone with warmth and longing as he gazed at her. “You sauntered inside the apartment right behind me and said the obvious choice was Cary Grant.”

  She could hardly fathom that he remembered their conversation, remembered that day. If she lived to be a hundred, she’d never forget the moment she first laid eyes on Levi Clarke. “You seriously remember that?”

  “Seriously. I know you’re a big Cary Grant fan.” Levi handed her a bottle of water and picked up the bucket of popcorn and soda he’d ordered. “Let’s go see him in action.”

  Two hours later, Kat left the theater, holding Levi’s hand in a state of bliss. “That was so awesome, Levi. Thank you, thank you. I’ve watched that movie a hundred times, but I never imagined seeing it on a big screen.”

  “You’re welcome, Kathleen.” Levi’s voice sounded low and husky. Although the holiday movie highlighted the joy of the season, they could have played a zombie flick or a cartoon and he wouldn’t have noticed. His interest centered on spending two hours in the dark with Kat close to his side. Her amazing fragrance had tantalized him during the entire show.

  Mesmerized, he watched as she laughed, cried, and laughed again through the movie. He did his best to hide his astonishment when she kissed his cheek as the final credits rolled and leaned against his arm.

  Curious if she was under some sort of holiday spell, he hoped it wouldn’t break anytime soon. Deciding to take a chance, he draped his arm around her shoulders as they strolled back toward his pickup. When she didn’t shrug it off or push him away, he moved a little closer. “What’s your favorite part of the movie?”

  Kat smiled with a light glowing in her emerald green eyes. “As you know, I think Cary Grant was so suave and debonair. I love it when he takes Julia skating. I don’t know why, but that scene is so sweet, especially when Sylvester the cab driver gets in on the fun. People nowadays miss out on so much because we don’t take time to do simple things like that.”

  “I agree. We get so caught up in the latest technology, in having more and doing more, that we lose sight of what really matters.”

  A soft sigh lingered between them as Kat tipped her head back and stared up at the sky. “Can you picture it, Levi? Can you imagine being out on a pond in the country somewhere, skating around and around with the only noise coming from the skate blades cutting across the ice? There would be a big bonfire, of course, and the scent of wood smoke in the air. I’d wear one of those plaid skating skirts and a fur muff. I always wanted one of those things even though I’d never use it. Brenna says they look like some deranged animal is trying to swallow your hands.”

  Levi snorted with laughter. He unlocked the pickup door and held it as she climbed inside. “You girls come up with some of the craziest stuff I’ve ever heard.”

  Kat shrugged. “What can I say? You should be honored to be in the presence of two such brilliant minds.”

  Levi bowed to her and theatrically flapped his hand in front of him. “Yes, your highness.” He shut her door and ran around to his side.

  It didn’t take long to drive Kat home. Levi started to get out of the pickup, but she touched his arm, bringing him to a stop. He closed his door to keep the warmth of the cab from escaping and turned his gaze to hers.

  Her face appeared incredibly soft in the light filtering into the pickup from the street lamp. A desire to kiss her made his mouth water, but he gripped the steering wheel instead of surrendering to his longing.

  Kat leaned across the seat and pressed a sweet, tender kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Levi, for one of the nicest evenings I’ve had in a long time. I’ll never forget seeing the movie with you.”

  Levi’s hands tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. His control teetered on the verge of dissipating. One more kiss to the cheek or inviting look from Kat and he’d lose it altogether. “Would you like me to walk you up to your door?”

  “No, Levi. I’ll make this good night, but thanks again. I’ll see you in a few days to help deliver all that Christmas cheer we put together today.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

  Kat opened the pickup door and got out. Before she shut it, she blew Levi a kiss and gave him a flirty wink. “Bye!”

  Levi nodded and watched her hurry into the building. His hands ached from squeezing the steering wheel. He released his hold on it and ran a hand over his face. Just a few more days and he’d know if all his crusade work, both for the center and Kat’s heart, would pay off.

  Chapter Seven

  Kat looked around the small diner that had seen better days, perplexed her grandfather picked it to meet for lunch.

  Even with the rather worn covers on the booth seats and the deep scuffs on the ancient floor, it held an undeniable charm, especially with holiday decorations covering every surface.

  Garlands and lights draped across the front windows. Huge, tacky ornaments in red and green hues dangled from the ceiling on frayed ribbons. Pots of poinsettias graced the counter near the cash register, and each table sported a fake miniature tree.

  Kat’s grandparents often took her to the diner for a treat like an ice cream sundae or a piece of warm blueberry pie as a little girl. As adults, she joined them there for lunch or an occasional dinner. They always sat in the same booth, if it was available, three down from the door. After Kat’s grandmother passed away five years ago, her grandfather hadn’t taken her to the diner again. Although she doubted he went there alone, she didn’t know for certain.

  Baffled by his invitation to join him there for lunch, she couldn’t turn him down no matter how pressed for time she was. A long list of things to accomplish before she left for the day waited on her desk back at the office. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she had several errands to run right after the sponsorship breakfast at Center for Hope.

  Harchett Industries shut its doors from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. Kat looked forward to having a week off to get her head back on straight.

  After going to the movies with Levi the other night, she couldn’t think of anything except how much she wanted to be with him, how much she loved him. He reminded her of Cary Grant, and not just the role he played as the angel in the movie, but also with his good looks and undeniable charm.

  One of the most humble, caring individuals she’d ever encountered, Levi held an unwavering confidence in himself and his abilities. She’d seen him woo any number
of people into donating to the center, offering monetary or in-kind donations. Unlike some charities that worked on the guilt factor to solicit assistance, Levi simply presented the truth in such a compelling, honest manner people couldn’t tell him no.

  Of the two brothers, Kat would have said Mike possessed the most charisma when she first met them. Levi was the quieter, more solemn one. In the three years she’d been away from him, though, he’d changed, grown more sure of himself and his purpose.

  Those changes made him even more appealing, at least in Kat’s opinion.

  In fact, he’d appealed to her so much the other night, she almost slid across the seat and threw herself into his strong, capable arms. If he’d tried to steal a kiss, she wouldn’t have denied him.

  Rather, she would have been the one initiating a deeper connection.

  However, Levi proved to be a man of his word and kept his hands and lips to himself, much to her regret. The evening had been so perfect, so absolutely beautifully perfect. A kiss from him would have made it seem surreal.

  Thoughts of how much she wanted his kiss, wanted his mouth pressed to hers, made a blush fill her cheeks and heat climb up her neck. Hastily, she reached for the glass of ice water on the table and took a drink before glancing at her grandfather.

  “Whatever naughty thought entered your head might tip Santa’s scales out of your favor,” Lewis Kingsley teased his only grandchild. With his wife, son and daughter-in-law gone, Kat was all he had in the world. He couldn’t be more proud of the girl, but he was tired of waiting for her to realize there was more to life than a corporate career.