Mistletoe Mischief: A Christmas Romance (Island County Series Book 9)

by Karice Bolton

  I looked over at Colton to see if he noticed, but he didn’t let on.

  “Anyway, it smells wonderful here, and I’m sure you have dinner to get to so . . .” Lester pressed his lips together. “We should probably get out of your hair.”

  “I feel so awful about your having to drive us.”

  “Don’t. It would be my pleasure.” He nodded, sliding me a glance.

  My grandma reappeared with a plastic baggie full of cookies and handed them to Wilma. “My specialty. Hopefully, your family will enjoy.”

  “They’ll love them.” Wilma held onto the bag. “I’m so grateful we ran into such a sweet family to help us out.”

  My grandma’s expression turned to pride as I grabbed a coat and headed to the door.

  “Are you headed out with Colton?” My grandma asked, and I nodded.

  “Don’t need him getting stuck in the snowstorm.” I looked in Colton’s direction, and he smiled as he pulled his knit hat back on before we all trudged out the door and piled into Colton’s SUV.

  By the time we found the road we needed, the snow was falling even heavier and the heater was on full blast.

  “If memory serves me right, it’s only a little longer down this road. Maybe a minute or two?” Wilma didn’t sound very confident in her estimation, but we kept heading down the narrow, slippery road until a glow of lights hinted that we were headed in the right direction.

  “So if you don’t mind me asking,” Wilma began. “If you’re not siblings and you’re not dating, how did you two wind up spending Christmas Eve together?”

  I gave Colton a look out of the corner of my eye and saw his smile grow. “I like to think of it as fate.”

  “Aww. Destiny,” Lester echoed.

  “My car broke down on my way to my grandma’s, and he happened to be driving by. He’s an old high school acquaintance.”

  “Interesting,” Wilma cooed.

  “We’re almost strangers, really,” I added.

  “Oh, I don’t believe that for a minute.” She let out a long, tired sigh. “You two share a connection. It’s plain as day. Don’t they, Lester?”

  “Sure do.”

  I laughed, and Colton surprisingly slid his hand to mine and held it for a quick second.

  “So, is either of you seeing someone?” Wilma continued, and I had to laugh. She certainly was persistent.

  “No, I just got out of an awful and long relationship. I’m not looking for anything other than friendship.”

  “Friendship is the basis for all solid relationships,” Lester informed us. “That’s how I fell in love with my wife. Friends first and—”

  “Not even partially true,” Wilma interrupted, giggling like she was back in high school. “He kept asking me out to every school social, and I kept turning him down until one day, he just showed up at my house with a corsage, spoke to my father, and the next thing I knew, I was at the Snowflake Social with Lester Manning, football player and all-around player that the girls knew to watch out for.”

  “Just a harmless flirt was all I was. If I happened to see a pretty girl at the soda stand, you can bet I’d buy her a float.”

  Wilma chuckled. “Anyway, that night after the social, he kissed me and I knew he was the one.”

  “Just like that?” I asked, turning around in my seat to see Wilma’s eyes sparkling with so much love and admiration for Lester, it made my heart hurt. I quickly glanced at Colton and wondered what he was thinking. He’d gotten awfully quiet.

  “Just like that.” She nodded and folded her hands in her lap. “Love doesn’t follow a plan. It can’t be forced and stretched into a mold that you want. Either love works or it doesn’t, and you’ll know pretty quickly.”

  “I learned that the hard way,” I muttered to myself more than anyone. “I spent six years trying to pretend love existed when it didn’t.”

  “I know, dear. But it’s never too late to open your eyes and accept the idea of true love. You can’t experience it unless you believe it exists. Kind of like Santa.”

  “What about you, fella?” Lester asked, and I chuckled. “You spend your life going after the wrong women?”

  Colton’s deep laughter made my world spin, and I unexpectedly reached for his hand.

  “I’ve spent most of my time working, growing our family business.” He drew a deep breath. “I haven’t really had much time for love or relationships.”

  “Everyone has time for relationships,” Wilma said.

  “Well, I guess I haven’t made relationships a priority.” He looked over at me, and my insides twisted into a million little knots. There was no denying the chemistry between us, and that kiss . . .

  That kiss.

  But what did any of it mean? I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me beyond those days in school.

  “But maybe I should make it a priority.” Colton straightened up, and his eyes widened as we came upon the house.

  I turned my attention back to the road and saw a beautiful home situated at the end of the road that had now funneled into a driveway.

  Icicle lights hung from the wraparound porch, and more white lights dangled from the roof, windows, and front door, creating a sparkling radiance that bounced off the snow, making the house look angelic, otherworldly.

  “Your son certainly knows how to decorate,” Colton said, nodding. “I’ve never seen a home look this beautiful.”

  “Our son is a special boy. He’s been a gift to our family from day one, but sometimes, I’m not sure he sees that no matter what we do.” A sadness tinged Wilma’s words, and I wondered what she meant. “He loves his family more than anything. We’re so happy we were able to make it here this year. Believe it or not, we’re getting up there in age and we don’t know how many more of these we have left.”

  “If our car keeps breaking down in the middle of snowstorms, I’d say not many.” Lester chuckled as Colton parked the SUV.

  “Well, thank you for all of your insight on relationships, Wilma.” I turned in my seat and smiled, noticing a few tears dotting her lashes. I wanted to reach out to her, but I didn’t think it was my place.

  “Don’t waste another second on the wrong love, my dear. Sometimes, things aren’t as complicated as you think.” She dabbed away the tears and glanced at Colton. “That goes for you, too.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Colton smiled.

  “But we do appreciate all the work you’ve done for seniors,” Lester added. “So you don’t have to look for love too hard if it will get in the way.”

  Wilma smacked him playfully, and they exited the car, waving at us as they made their way to the front door, but Wilma stopped suddenly and turned toward the car, motioning for me to roll down the window.

  “And remember, forgiveness goes a long way.” She waved again just as her son opened the front door and welcomed them inside.

  “Well, this has been an eventful night.” I drew a breath and looked out the window before returning my attention to him.

  There’d always been something odd between us, a chemistry that made no sense and I tried to ignore, which was why I was so crushed when he never showed up all those years ago. I’d let myself believe in the possibility of an us. No matter how young and naïve I was back then, I’d always wanted to believe those feelings had been real, and maybe they had been.

  “More than I would ever have imagined.” His eyes stayed locked on mine, and I got the same rush as under the mistletoe. “So maybe after the holidays, we’ll have to keep in touch? You know, like Lester said... destiny.”

  Chapter Eight

  Colton was slicing the midnight roast, my grandma was making the gravy, and I was on the phone to my mom and dad, who’d just gotten home from the hardware store. It was the oddest Christmas Eve, and yet for some strange reason, I didn’t want to change a thing about it.

  The ride back from dropping off Lester and Wilma was the most comfortable silence I’d ever experienced with someone before. We didn’t say a word, but Colton
held my hand the entire ride back. It didn’t hurt that he pulled me into him for a quick kiss under the mistletoe before we went inside, and now, as my mom’s explaining to me what time we should get there tomorrow, all I can think of is spending tonight with Colton. I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was up to the tow truck driver as to when we might get there.

  “Honey, are you okay? Are you even listening? I said your sister doesn’t think she’ll make it over.”

  That snapped me out of my loopy fog.

  “She’s still feeling that bad?”

  “She is, but Ken thinks she’ll rally once Christmas morning hits.”

  “I sure hope so. This has turned into the most bizarre Christmas Eve.”

  Colton was talking to my grandma, and I strained to hear what he was saying, but his voice only lowered when he noticed.

  “Who’s that?” my mom asked.

  “It’s Colton.”

  “He’s still there?” Her voice sounded far too interested.

  “Well, with the pass closed in both directions, we weren’t going to make him sleep in the car.”

  “And you said you knew him?”

  “Yeah.” I’d managed to leave a certain fact out, like he was a McAlister, in our last phone call. “From high school.”

  “Would I know him?”

  A few seconds of silence hung between us.

  “It’s Colton McAlister.”

  His eyes flashed to mine, and I smiled awkwardly. We both knew what kind of response that could elicit and I braced myself.

  “Now, that’s an odd pairing if I’ve ever heard of one. Grandma Tuckerman and a McAlister together on Christmas Eve. Wait until Dad hears about that.”

  “Are you sure he has to?” I half-teased.

  She laughed. “You know, we’ve all had our differences, but believe it or not, the McAlisters have done a lot of good around our town recently.”

  “Really?” I asked, toying with the phone cord attaching me to the wall.

  “Yeah. It’s actually even made your father soften slightly to the younger McAlisters.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Well, I don’t know how long it will last, and I only said slightly.”

  I glanced at Colton out of the corner of my eye and saw him laughing with my grandma.

  “Sounds like quite the party.” I could feel my mom’s unexpected smile radiate through the phone.

  “Apparently, grandma has a new boyfriend,” I whispered into the phone.

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

  I chuckled and wished my mom an early Merry Christmas before hanging up.

  “All set?” My grandma spun around with a bowl of carrots and potatoes.

  “I am. My mom says Merry Christmas and she’ll see us tomorrow.” I took the bowl from my grandma and set it on the table.

  “And on that note, they’re getting the pass opened up on both sides earlier than expected. The side into town is opening up first so I thought I’d—”

  “No.” I shook my head, interrupting his thought. “The tow truck driver said he’d give us a lift back into town. I’m not going to let you drive both ways twice.”

  “Have you ever ridden in a tow truck for an extended period of time?”

  I eyed my grandma and she shrugged.

  “No.”

  “If you had, you’d know you don’t want to ride in a bumpy tow truck down a mountain road covered in snow and ice just to avoid being in the car with me.” His eyes twinkled with that familiar spark of heat and humor that I was beginning to get a little too fond of.

  My grandma giggled and sat down at the head of the table. While I was on the phone, she’d spread out a red tablecloth and green napkins. I couldn’t help but love our little feast at midnight.

  “It’s not to avoid being with you,” I grumbled, taking a seat next to Grandma.

  “Sounds like it to me.” My grandma mindlessly scooped some potatoes and carrots onto her plate, not bothering to look in my direction.

  “I’m just trying to be considerate. He’s already given up being with his family tonight, on Christmas Eve, of all nights, and I can’t expect him to give up half of Christmas Day.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m just polite.”

  “Maybe I’d rather spend time with you than my family.” He piled a few pieces of meat on his plate. “Ever think of that?”

  “That I’m an excuse to get out of family drama?” I scowled. “No, I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

  “Well, there’s not much drama in my family, just not a lot of speaking either.” He dished my plate up and set it back down in front of me.

  I tried not to notice how natural everything was around Colton. It was just easy, but maybe that was because of our awful history. How much worse could it get?

  “Your family gets together but then ignores one another?” I asked.

  I’d always had this imaginary scenario of the McAlisters living in their sprawling estates, enjoying the wealth they’d ripped from others, laughing and drinking champagne while they patted each other’s back. I didn’t expect them not to speak to one another.

  “Essentially.” He dished my grandma up, and she thanked him before eyeing me suspiciously as if I was headed into dangerous waters. “Beyond work, we don’t have much in common, and since my father’s stepped down, there’s even less to argue about.”

  “I’m sure you’re overexaggerating.” I dipped a carrot in the gravy and took a bite. There was nothing like my grandma’s pot roast.

  “I wish I were.” He took a bite of roast and let out a low whistle. “This is the best pot roast I’ve ever eaten.”

  “Oh, you know what to say to get invited back,” my grandma nearly gushed, and I raised a brow in her direction as her cheeks reddened.

  “She makes the best gravy too.”

  Apparently, my compliment wasn’t as weighty as Colton’s because she skipped right on to the next topic.

  “What made your father step down from the business?” she asked.

  Colton continued chewing and looked at me for a brief second.

  “Or was it a hostile takeover?” She chuckled and Colton smiled.

  “Actually, his memory had been slipping prior to the decision.” He drew a breath. “And we were lucky enough to get an Alzheimer’s diagnosis when we did. He had early-onset, and so many doctors don’t seem to recognize the signs in time so it can often go untreated. We were able to get him started early on medicine, which certainly delayed a lot of the symptoms and complications that arise—”

  “Oh, Colton. I’m so sorry,” my grandma nearly gasped. “I shouldn’t have been so petty.”

  “You’re not being petty.” He straightened in his seat.

  “Is that why you’re opening the memory care unit that Wilma and Lester mentioned?”

  His gaze landed on mine and his expression softened. “Partly. Our family has been very fortunate, and during my father’s treatment, we’ve seen how few services there are for seniors.”

  Worried I was losing the battle with the emotions swarming through me, I dropped my gaze to my plate. My mind didn’t want to let my heart soften as much as it wanted to.

  “My brothers and I turned the apartment complex Wilma and Lester spoke about into Senior living units before my father was officially diagnosed.”

  “And where’s that at?” I asked, thinking back to our small town.

  Colton pressed his lips together and paused a second before answering. “Where your old hardware store used to be.”

  My heart thudded with such a heavy weight, my eyes flashed to his, and my pulse spiked. All these years, I was so angry at them for making a profit at my family’s expense.

  “When did the change happen?” I cleared the catch in my throat. “From regular apartments to affordable senior housing?”

  “We had to slowly move through each unit as the leases expired. We started the project about six years ago with the first two apartments and finished th
e last one about three years ago.”

  “I had no idea.”

  His eyes filled with pride. “You wouldn’t know it unless you needed it. We don’t have signage on the building or anything. Anyway, my father was still somewhat able to comprehend what was going on when we started the project, and he wasn’t pleased.”

  Colton’s eyes stayed on mine, and I saw the kindness of the grown man sitting in front of me. I no longer saw the boy I thought stood me up all those years ago or the son of the evil tyrant of our small town. I saw a man who wanted to make the world he lived in better, and according to Lester and Wilma, he was doing just that.

  “I’m really impressed,” I said softly. “I had no idea.”

  “It probably doesn’t take away the pain of being booted out of the property all those years ago, but maybe . . .”

  “It actually does,” my grandma said. “It really does, Colton. I can’t tell you why, exactly, but it makes me feel better that our hardware store got moved for something like that rather than just for money.”

  “Well, I won’t lie. My family made a pretty penny on that apartment complex leading up to our changing the use.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s what you’re doing now.” My grandma dabbed a tear. “This is what I like to see in the world. Young people making a change or bucking the system.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t think I’m setting the world on fire. It’s just a little something we did.”

  “Oh, really? I have a friend in one of those memory care places a few towns over. Those aren’t cheap to build or run. You’re doing something really great, Colton. Don’t shy away from that.”

  “Yeah, Colton.” I smiled. “Listen to my grandma.”

  He croaked out a laugh. “You two are certainly good for my ego.”

  “I highly doubt your ego needs any work.” I smiled, feeling warmth wash over me.

  He laughed and nodded in agreement. “You’re probably right about that. Enough about me. What are you doing now, Gina?”

  “I’m a buyer for one of the local hardware chains.” I smiled. “Who knew I couldn’t escape it?”

  “Her parents are hoping she comes back home and takes over the family business someday, but it’s not looking promising.” My grandma’s brows furrowed. “But I hope that changes.”