by Cindy Kirk
If he’d been thinking, he would have realized that this was a place of business, and on the other side of the door were employees-her employees—who could walk in on them at any minute.
But any rational thought fled his brain as he moved his hand up to cup her breast, thankful she wore a cotton shirt today instead of a sweater. His thumb teased the tip of her nipple, and it went hard beneath his touch.
“Faith, I hope—”
The voice cut off.
It took a second for Graham to drop his hand and step back. Controlling his breathing took several more seconds.
Faith’s eyes were bright and her lips swollen from his kisses as she turned to face Krista.
* * *
It was awkward, but no big deal. At least that’s what Faith told herself as she and Graham greeted Krista and as Graham then made a hasty exit.
Now, she was left with Krista, whose eyes brimmed with curiosity.
“I’m glad I didn’t bring the cameraman back with me.” Krista’s eyes danced. “He wanted to get some pictures of the assembly area and of the store.”
“Cameraman?” Faith’s voice might be steady, but her heart still beat an erratic rhythm, and certain parts of her anatomy burned for Graham’s touch.
“We’re filming the segment today for the show,” Krista prompted. “Behind the scenes at Faith Originals.”
“That’s tomorrow.”
Krista flashed a smile. “No. That’s today.”
“I must have put it on my calendar wrong.” Faith nearly groaned aloud. How could she have made such a mistake? Last spring, Dustin and Krista had filmed a segment about her business. Sales had gone through the roof for a good three months.
What had touched her most was all the lovely comments she’d received on the business’s Facebook page and her Instagram feed.
Krista had teased that Faith had been as much a hit as her business. That, Faith knew, was simply her friend being nice.
Since she’d already been featured, Faith was surprised that her friends wanted to spotlight her again, this time in early December, a prime time for the types of items she sold.
“I-I-” Faith stumbled over what to say. “I don’t know what to say. How could something this important slip my mind?”
“Kisses have a way of doing that to you.” Krista chuckled. “I swear that when Dustin kisses me, I don’t know if I’m coming or going.”
“I’m sorry about that—”
“Don’t be sorry. Graham is a handsome man, and he seems quite nice. Why shouldn’t you have some fun while he’s in town?” Krista’s voice turned matter-of-fact. “Not every relationship has to be a happily-ever-after, forever kind of thing. It’s okay to be in the moment, too.”
Put that way, it made sense.
“The man does know how to kiss,” Faith murmured.
“I could see that.” Krista grinned. “And based on the way he was blushing, you’re no slouch yourself.”
“Now, it’s time for business.” Faith glanced down at her shirt, skirt and boots. “This isn’t what I planned to wear for the interview.”
Krista stepped back and studied her. “Your outfit is fine. I brought along Angelique. The camera can be very unforgiving. She can touch up your makeup so it’s camera-ready and make a few adjustments to your hair.” Krista’s mouth twitched with a barely contained smile. “It looks like someone’s been running his hands through it.”
Faith doubted Krista had ever looked anything but gorgeous in front of the camera, but she only nodded. From several things Krista had said, Faith knew the runway world was not the cushy life many thought.
Now, like her, Krista had found her niche. Her and Dustin’s television show allowed them to work together and gave them more time to spend with their sons.
Dustin arrived just as Angelique pronounced Faith beautiful and camera-ready.
They filmed the interview in the shop, with Faith surrounded by items she’d designed. Dustin and Krista had an easy conversational style of interviewing, and Faith soon forgot they were being filmed. Talking with the couple was like, well, talking to friends.
“Okay, we’ve got what we need,” Denny, the producer, announced and gave a thumbs-up.
“When will this segment air?” Knowing it was coming, Faith’s “factory” had been stockpiling items in anticipation of large orders. Workers were also on alert, ready to put in increased hours.
“This Wednesday.”
Faith widened her eyes. “That soon?”
Concern filled Dustin’s gray eyes. “Will that be a problem? I can see if we can push the airing back.”
“We just thought, for business reasons, you’d want the segment to be on sooner, rather than later,” Krista added.
“No. Wednesday is wonderful.” Faith took a deep breath, let it out. “I’ll let my employees know. I want to thank you for doing this. Being on your show is a huge boost to my business.”
“You being on our show is a huge ratings boost,” Dustin said, his expression serious.
Faith chuckled. “That’s nice of you to say.”
“It’s the truth.” Dustin’s gaze searched hers. “I don’t believe you realize what a natural you are in front of the camera. Your products are top-notch and would likely sell themselves, but you add an authenticity to the sales.”
“The public loves you, Faith. That kind of charisma is impossible to teach.”
“You both are incredibly sweet.” Faith gave them each a hug. “I’m blessed to have you in my life.”
“Dustin and I have been talking…” Krista glanced at her husband and received his go-ahead nod. “We’d like to feature your products in our new store.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Dustin said. “That isn’t all.”
The excited gleam in their eyes had Faith dropping into the nearest chair. “I think I need to sit to hear the rest.”
Dustin and Krista pulled up chairs and sat, facing her.
Faith wasn’t sure what to think of their earnest expressions. “Tell me.”
“Carrying your items in our store means you’ll have to ramp up production. You can retain the small facility here in Holly Pointe, but it would be best if you took some of the factory space we’ve leased in Gatlinburg.”
Faith blinked. “You really think that’d be necessary?”
“We do.” Krista nodded. “Keeping the store here, along with limited output, would make your Holly Pointe operation a destination for tourists. Kind of like Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury. But the main production would happen in Tennessee.”
“You’d be able to simply create, and there would be people to follow through on your designs and ideas.” Dustin’s voice turned persuasive. “You’d have the time to do what you do best…and we hope time for one other enterprise.”
Faith inclined her head.
“We’d like you to be one of the voices of our brand.” Dustin held up a hand when Faith opened her mouth, as if he sensed the words of refusal pushing against her lips. “Hear me out. There’s something about you that speaks to warmth and trust and down-home goodness. Our audience responded very positively to you.”
“I’m not trained—”
“Neither Dustin nor I were trained to run a television show, but we learned.” Krista put a hand on Faith’s arm and leaned forward. “I realize this is a big decision. Think about it. Come up with your questions, and we’ll discuss it again.”
Faith opened her mouth, then shut it. She knew plenty of people who would kill for this opportunity. While she didn’t believe she was one of those, past experience had taught her the value of thinking through major decisions. “Thank you. I’ll definitely think about it.”
As if by tacit agreement, the two stood.
“Krista and I are taking the boys out to Landers Tree Farm tomorrow morning.” Dustin glanced at Krista. “Do you know if Graham is putting up a tree?”
Faith smiled, happy that the discussion had veered off the business trac
k. “He doesn’t have one yet, but I know he promised the twins he’d be getting them one.”
“We’d like to get to know him better, since we may be working with him on the ad campaign.” Krista pushed back a lock of silky hair. “We were thinking of going to Landers at ten. Maybe you could see if he’d be interested in bringing the girls and coming with us?”
Faith had no doubts the outing was something Graham would make time for. “I’ll ask. Or I can give you his number, and you can call him direct? That might be better than me being in the middle.”
“Sounds like a pl—” Dustin began.
Krista put a staying hand on her husband’s arm, her smiling gaze remaining focused on Faith. “Why don’t you just ask Graham? And plan to come along, too.”
Chapter Ten
Graham’s thoughts were still spinning by the time he arrived back at the Candy Cane Christmas House. He couldn’t believe he’d lost control when he’d kissed Faith. He never lost control.
There was something about Faith…
“Come back for the cookie baking,” Mary called out to the group of women leaving with containers of what Graham assumed was candy. “Next Friday.”
A chorus of “I’ll be there” and “Wouldn’t miss it” filled the air.
Graham stepped aside on the porch and found himself the recipient of smiles and greetings. He swore he’d been greeted and smiled at more since he’d arrived in Holly Pointe than he had in the entire last year.
The second he stepped into the house, the scent of chocolate and sugar had him taking a deep breath. He realized he was still off-balanced from the incident with Faith. Now that he’d had a little time—okay, not all that much time, but enough, as well as some distance—he wondered what he’d been thinking.
He liked her. That was a given. Another given was they lived in two very different worlds. He was happy in his. She was extremely happy in hers.
He also wanted her. In a way he couldn’t recall wanting any woman since Steph had died.
A brief liaison?
The notion that marriage had to follow a sexual relationship was archaic and outdated. But for all her quirkiness, Faith seemed more of a traditionalist.
“Graham.” Ginny crossed the room to him.
He glanced around, expecting to see his girls following in her wake, but didn’t see them. “Where are the girls?”
“Upstairs napping.”
“Seriously?” Graham didn’t recall exactly when, but he definitely recalled Tiffany telling him around age three—or maybe it was four—that the twins had given up their nap.
Since the change hadn’t impacted him, he hadn’t paid the news much mind.
“I think last night wore them out,” Ginny admitted with a wry smile. “They were up later than usual. And even though they thought sleeping on the air mattresses was a great adventure, I’m not sure they slept well.”
“They just said they wanted to take a nap?” Somehow, Graham couldn’t see either girl suggesting that option. Not with so much activity going on in the house.
Ginny laughed as if she found the idea as unbelievable as he did. “Oh my goodness, no. They were picking at each other, so I suggested we go upstairs so they could play with their ponies. The quiet play appeared to relax them. I suggested they lie on their beds and I’d read to them. They both were asleep by the middle of book three.”
Graham stared at his mother-in-law in amazement. “You’re a wonder.”
Pleasure suffused her lined face. “I’m just a grandma.”
“I’m glad they’ve had this chance to get to know you better.”
“Not as glad as I am.” Ginny smiled. “I need to get home to make dinner for the descending herd, but I was wondering if you have time to share a quick cup of cocoa with me.”
Actually, Graham really needed to get some work done, but he knew he wouldn’t be very productive with all these thoughts of Faith swirling in his head. Maybe a cup of cocoa would help him settle. “I’d like that.”
At that moment, a burst of laughter sounded from the kitchen. He smiled. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to hear ourselves in there.”
“I checked your cupboards and the refrigerator upstairs. You have what I need to make cocoa.”
“In that case,” Graham swept an arm, “lead the way.”
Ten minutes later, they were seated in the small kitchen, cups of steaming peppermint hot chocolate, complete with a candy cane stick, in front of them.
“I want to tell you again how sorry I am that I didn’t have room for you to—”
“Ginny. It’s okay. Really.”
“I feel partly to blame.”
“I don’t understand how.”
“I let Shawn know at Thanksgiving that I’d bought the family lift tickets to Jay Peak for Christmas. They’re expensive, but I know money is tight. I thought they’d come after the holidays.” Ginny stirred her cocoa with the candy stick. “Shawn has always been impulsive, but I never thought he’d pack everyone in the car and drive here.”
“It’s good he did.” Graham reached across the table and covered her free hand with his. “Family is what this time of year is all about.”
Then why, Graham wondered, had he spent the past couple of Christmases in New York with no family? His parents, well, they had their own new families. But Ginny. Why had he not reached out?
“Steph has been gone almost three years, Graham.”
He looked up, met her direct gaze.
“She would want you to be happy,” she said. “To find someone who makes you happy.”
“I don’t have time to find that someone,” he told Ginny honestly, not wanting to get into what Steph would want or not want for him. He’d let her down. The day she died, he’d let her down big-time. Based on how he’d behaved, he wasn’t sure he deserved another shot at happiness. Even if he’d had the time. “My job is a time suck, and the girls, well, even with a nanny, they take time.”
“You’re a young man. You shouldn’t have to go through your life alone.”
Graham stared at this woman who’d been kind to him from the first time Steph had brought him home. Ginny was the one who’d comforted him after the accident. The one who had stayed with him and the girls until he’d gotten himself together. All that, while dealing with her own profound grief.
“You hear all the jokes about mothers-in-law.” Graham leaned forward, his gaze on her face. “But I hit the jackpot. I’m lucky to have you in my life. The twins are lucky to have you as their grandma.”
Tears sprang to Ginny’s eyes. “I believe that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“I should have done more to get you and the girls together, made more of an effort.” Graham blew out a breath and decided complete honesty was in order. Especially with Ginny staring at him as if he’d hung the moon. “I only came here this year because I gave Tiffany the month off and needed someone to watch the twins.”
He expected Ginny to look shocked, then disapproving, but her smile didn’t waver as she brought the cup to her lips and took a long sip. “I know life for you hasn’t been easy. I wanted to help. Which is why I feel—”
Holding up a hand to stop her, Graham shook his head. “This is officially an apology-free zone. I don’t want to hear any more apologies from you.”
“And I don’t want to hear any more apologies from you.” Ginny set down her cup and pointed a finger at him. “Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“Now, tell me about the party.” Ginny fixed those clear blue eyes on him. “There wasn’t really time earlier. It sounded as if you and Faith had fun?”
“We did. The drive up was a little interesting, but the house and…” Graham found himself telling her details he hadn’t realized he’d noticed. The way everyone seemed to know and like Faith. How kind she was to everyone. “Even though on the surface she’s as different from Steph as she could possibly be, there’s something about her…”
Graham sto
pped himself before he could tell her about kissing Faith and how he wanted her so badly he ached. Sexual attraction was an off-limits topic with a former mother-in-law. Or if it wasn’t, it should be.
Ginny nodded. “Faith is different than Steph in many ways, but they both have good hearts.”
Graham nodded. He drank his cocoa and resisted the urge to say more, fearing if he did it might be something he’d regret.
“It’s difficult being a single woman in a small town.” Ginny appeared to ponder her next words. “There aren’t many men for women to choose from. I suppose it’s the same for single men. You’re lucky if you find that special someone here.”
“Faith has a lot going for her.”
Ginny nodded. “She does. She’s smart and kind and caring. She’s also an excellent businesswoman and good to her employees. Mary grew to depend on her, but I told Mary today that she’s capable of doing so much more.”
“Mary is? Really?”
Ginny hesitated for only a moment. “Mary has a great many friends here, but no family. When she got sick, Faith came. She filled a void in Mary’s life. There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that for those first six months, Mary needed Faith’s comfort and support. Now it’s time for Mary to let Faith know she’s healed.”
“You think Mary is afraid if Faith discovers she doesn’t need her, that she’ll leave?”
“I do. I don’t know whether Faith will or not. I think Faith genuinely loves it here. But we should never make such important decisions for other people. Mary needs to let Faith decide.” Ginny’s expression turned introspective. “I know how difficult that can be.”
Graham cocked his head.
“I didn’t want my girl striking out on her own, going to that big city to pursue her dreams. That’s what she wanted, and I had to let her go.” Ginny’s lips curved. “It all worked out.”
Something inside Graham went cold. “How can you say that?” His voice was taut with barely restrained control. “Steph is dead.”
Ginny didn’t immediately respond. When she set her cup down with slow, controlled movements, the eyes that met his were firm and direct. “Steph had friends who supported and encouraged her. She had a career she loved. Then she met you and fell in love. She got married and gave birth to two healthy girls. Sounds to me like a life well-lived.”
