by Taylor Hart
“Do you have some property?”
The question unsettled him, and he didn’t know why. “Yeah, my dad told both of us if we wanted to come home, the property was ours. He bought it from my mother’s father. It was part of the Snow property that my family originally owned.”
She let out a low whistle. “Your family does have roots here.”
With a grin, he realized he’d missed it a lot. “Yes, we do.” He pulled into his mother’s flower shop and smiled at the Flower Girl sign. “Here we are.” He quickly turned off the engine and hopped out, then opened the passenger door and helped her down.
Walking into the flower shop, he kept her hand inside of his. When he turned, he asked, “It’s cool, right?”
She nodded. “We didn’t talk about this part, but that’s the deal, right?”
Nervous butterflies thrummed in his gut. Maybe they should have talked about what else was included in this deal to have a girlfriend.
“Mike!” The door slammed open and his sister sprinted toward him, leaping into his arms gracefully.
He laughed and held her. “You always have to fly through the air, don’t ya, Lacey?”
“That’s because I know you big strong oafs eat it up.” She got down and pushed him in the shoulder. They both laughed.
He gestured to Zoey. “Ann, meet my sister, Lacey.”
Lacey’s relaxed face suddenly changed, and Zoey could tell she was sizing her up. “Hmm, you don’t look at all like how I thought you would.”
Zoey knew she was blushing, but she shook her hand. She tried to think of what Ann would say. “I wore the boots because of the snow.”
Lacey frowned. “Oh, right.”
“Nice to meet you.” Dang, she didn’t know a Boston accent. Was she supposed to have that?
Lacey hugged her, and Zoey smelled an even more intense scent of flowers. “Welcome. I’m glad you could make it.”
“Mike!” A blonde woman, thin and tall—probably Zoey’s height, five-nine—came rushing for them. Zoey knew immediately that it was his mother.
They embraced, and his mother closed her eyes and held him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re home.” Pulling back from him, she surveyed him up and down. “You look good.” She grinned and turned to Zoey.
Another voice shouted out, “Mike!” An older version of Mike rushed out. Mike and his father threw their arms around each other, both laughing. Their happiness was contagious, and Zoey found herself smiling. Dang, she missed her mother. She imagined what it would be like to be reunited with her mother and father.
After the men pounded each other on the backs a bit more, his father turned to her. “This must be Ann,” he said, wrapping her in a hug.
Zoey warmed. It made her a bit emotional to be hugged like that, with such care.
His father grinned at her and winked. “You are a redhead. And gorgeous,” he said, turning back to his wife. “Isn’t she just gorgeous?”
Mike’s mother nodded. “Mike said you didn’t like your picture being taken, so it’s good to finally put a face with the name.”
This was the only reason all of this could work, because of Ann’s desire not to be photographed. “It’s so good to meet you both,” Zoey said.
“Gorgeous,” his father said, and he smiled at Mike.
“We loved your poetry,” his mother said. “It was so touching that night you read it to us.”
“Yeah.” She glanced at Mike. He hadn’t told her about that.
His mother threw a hand up. “You should read some poetry at the wedding!”
“No,” Zoey said immediately.
His mother turned to Lacey. “She is so good. We should have her do a poem.”
His sister looked less certain, but flashed a smile. “Sure, why not?” The tone sounded like something was going on beneath the surface.
“Ann’s not really into performing,” Mike said, taking Zoey’s hand.
She shook her head. “No, not poetry.”
His mother shrugged. “Think about it.”
“Where’s Dom?” Mike asked his sister.
Lacey waved a hand in the air. “Still clearing snow.” She punched him in the shoulder playfully. “The job you were supposed to do.”
“Ah, he can just tell me how all civilians are lazy.”
The Hamiltons all laughed. Zoey tried to relax and laugh, but she didn’t get it, so she just smiled.
His mother’s eyes swept across the group. “Why don’t you guys go back to the house and eat something. We’ll be out shortly with all of these flowers.” She looked right at Zoey. “If you’d like to help decorate, you are welcome to, but you don’t have to.”
Lacey cocked an eyebrow at her. “You have to. Let me tell you: once you’re in this family, flowers become part of your life.”
The words “in this family” sounded a bit presumptuous.
Her mother wagged a finger at Lacey. “Maybe be grateful because we’re all doing this for your wedding.”
Lacey put her hands on her hips. “I am grateful, but I’m not the one who thought we needed to order flowers to decorate twenty-one Christmas trees.”
Zoey was a bit amused at the scene in front of her.
His mother mimicked Lacey’s stance. “Who wanted to invite the whole town?”
Lacey, Michael, and Mike all burst out laughing. Zoey saw his mother smile too.
Lacey and her mother pointed to each other, laughing. “You did!”
Mike put an arm causally around Zoey, turning to her. “I told you. Snow Valley weddings are an experience.”
Lacey shook her head. “It’s like a theme park where you go and can’t get off the ride until you’ve met everyone in town.”
Lacey seemed friendly, and Zoey was relaxing. Yes, she could do this. “I would love to help decorate.”
His mother winked at her. “I love your attitude.”
Mike tugged her away from all of them. “We’ll see you at the house in a bit. We’re going to get some fries from Big C’s.”
They all waved, and Zoey found Mike had the best manners, walking her to the passenger side door and opening it for her. “Thank you.” She thought about how Josh hadn’t really made it a point to open doors for her. Then she hated that she was comparing them at all.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, she blew out a shaky breath. “That was intense.”
Mike laughed and shook his head. “Lacey’s right. Snow Valley is a ride.”
Zoey nodded. Yes, she could have fun, couldn’t she? It’d been so long since she’d thought of fun.
A couple of minutes later, they pulled up to Big C’s, and it wasn’t too busy. After he got out and helped her out, they walked in together. There was a jukebox playing, and it felt like a sixties diner.
Mike seemed to know everyone. He ordered and paid for fries before they sat down. “So, you’re cool with the whole holding hands thing.”
“Obviously,” she said, dipping a fry in fry sauce. This town was a nice distraction from her life. “We probably don’t need to kiss or anything, though.”
“We don’t?” he asked, and she noticed he was blushing.
“Do you think we need to?”
“We’ve been together three months.” He lifted a hand. “It’s kind of what we’d be doing.”
“Right. Okay, small pecks on the cheek.”
He let out a laugh. “O-kay, sounds great.”
She could tell it didn’t sound great. “Look, I really don’t know how you want me to act. Just tell me.” Her mind rushed back to when she and Josh had first been together.
“I don’t know.” He searched her face. “What are you thinking about? You’re turning red.”
“Nothing.”
He pointed at her. “Were too.”
“No.”
“Tell me.”
It felt like a challenge, and she found herself caving. “I was just thinking about how I used to paw all over Josh when we were first together.”
Mike wagged his eyebrows at her. “And you can’t do that with me?”
She glared at him. “You’re not paying me enough.”
He laughed. “Ouch.” The door dinged, and Mike’s face went pale. “Brace yourself. My ex-girlfriend just walked in.”
“Ex-girlfriend?” She turned, and in strode an amazingly tall blonde with ringlets around her face.
“Yep, and her name’s Nellie, so just shut it.”
Zoey watched the Amazon-sized girl scan the place, then settle on Mike. A huge smile warmed her face, and she ran toward them. “Mikey!”
Chapter 8
Mike couldn’t believe that Nellie Bells had shown up right now. He barely stood before she was throwing herself at him. He hardly had a chance to open his arms, and he had to brace himself so he wouldn’t fall. “Nellie.”
She did a little dance in his arms. “My fry guy! I just had this feeling you would be here. I can’t believe it’s you! I just had this feeling this would be a magical Christmas for us.” She laughed and then crushed her lips to his.
The girl was strong. Made sense, since she’d been captain of the Volleyball team for four years and all-state. He pushed her back with a laugh. “Stop, Nellie.”
She pulled back, a pout on her lips. “Mikey, I’ve missed you.”
“Excuse me,” Zoey said loudly with a ticked-off tone in her voice. She’d gotten to her feet and stuck her head into their space. “He’s my boyfriend now.”
Nellie’s arms fell back. “What?” She gave Zoey a disbelieving look and cocked an eyebrow. “I know you like redheads, but her?” She pointed to her feet. “Those boots?”
The way she said her made it seem like Zoey was chopped liver or something.
“Yeah.” Zoey snapped three times in a zigzag. “So back off, sister.”
Nellie frowned, but turned her attention back to Mike.
“Nells,” he said, holding her at bay. “Stop.”
“You heard him,” Zoey said. “Get back.”
Nellie got right in her face, pushing her shoulder hard. “Who’s gonna make me?”
Before Mike could even process it, Zoey pushed her back, hard and forceful. “I am.”
It would have been flattering if he didn’t have to worry about Nellie crushing Zoey’s petite frame into bits.
Nellie recovered, her eyes wide. “You did not just push me.” She pulled her fist back.
Mike stepped in between them, facing Nellie. “Whoa. No.” He took her wrist and whispered to her, pushing her as he pulled her toward the door. “Nellie. Nellie, that’s my girlfriend, and we can’t be having a scene.”
Too bad the whole place had stopped, like in a movie, motionless and staring at them.
“Ha ha.” Mike waved. “Nothing to see here.” He got to the front door and pushed it open, taking her through the door with him.
Nellie yanked free of him. “Mike, but …”
He put his hand up. “Nellie, we broke up two years ago.”
She scoffed, and her nostrils flared like a bull’s. He used to find this expression endearing. Now, he only found it annoying. “We sort of dated last summer before you left, remember?”
He’d meant the date as a goodbye, but he’d made out with her, so she was right. “I … look, I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Mikey, I don’t accept this.” She shook her head.
He let out a laugh. “Sorry.”
The door dinged, and Zoey burst out, looking furious. “Mike, let’s go. Now!”
Mike found himself obeying. He moved with Zoey toward his truck, going to the passenger side with her. “Bye, Nells!” He opened the passenger door and spoke to Zoey. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that—”
Before he could finish, Zoey wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her into him, her lips on his.
The world stopped. Her lips were soft, yet fierce. Kinda like her. He tasted fry sauce, and he was surprised when she deepened the kiss. At a loss, his arms went around her waist, and he pulled her closer.
Before he could get too lost, she pulled back and then hiked herself up onto the truck platform and glared at Nellie. “He’s mine now, so keep your lips off him!”
Mike’s heart raced, and all he could do was wish to kiss her again.
“Let’s go.” She snapped her fingers.
He ran around the truck, shrugging at the look Nellie gave him, and got in. “This is insane.”
Mike’s adrenaline had kicked in when Nellie had first walked in, but after Zoey kissed him like that—like he’d just come home from war and she was lost without him—his world had shifted. The ground didn’t feel the same. He drove like a maniac back to the ranch. “What was that?”
She was staring out the window and jerked her gaze back to him, like she hadn’t even been thinking about the previous drama. “What do you mean?”
“You kissed me in a major way back there.”
She snorted. “Well, fry guy, when the past came to haunt you, I guess I had to step up. That’s what you’re paying me for, right?”
This mystified him. “Uh, yeah.”
“It was the deal. So Nellie, really? Like from Little House on the Prairie?”
He laughed. Sure, he’d thought about the reference a long time ago, but Nellie had just grown up with him. “It’s been an on-again, off-again thing for us.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “I can see that.”
For a moment, they were quiet.
She turned to him. “Why didn’t you ask her to be your girlfriend this Christmas?”
He sighed. “Nellie is aggressive and wants things from me I can’t give her.” He didn’t want to explain himself about this, but thought he probably should. “I’m waiting for marriage, and Nellie didn’t want that.”
Giving him a skeptical look, she nodded. “That’s cool.”
Not realizing how nervous he’d been, he said, “That’s the reason we broke up in the first place. I just …”
She scoffed. “You mean other than the fact she is a bit the cave woman in the relationship?”
“Exactly.” He laughed.
“But you were on-again, off-again.”
He shrugged. “Small towns.”
“Right.”
It made him feel better to have her know the truth about him and Nellie. “Since we’re talking about the past, we should probably get to know each other better.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re going to be together for four days.”
“No, you’re going to be with Ann Smith for four days.”
“True.” He guessed there wasn’t a good reason to get to know Zoey, but he wanted to.
“Why don’t you tell me more about Nellie Bells?”
Mike didn’t want to talk about Nellie. “Look, I liked her in high school, but I don’t know. I went to MSU for four years and didn’t see her much. The summer before business school, we hung out. She’d been engaged, and it hadn’t worked out. The problem was she wanted things I wouldn’t give her.”
She sniffed, evaluating him. “So you didn’t like her enough to ask her to marry you.”
His cheeks heated with embarrassment. “I guess not.”
They pulled up the long driveway to his parents’ house. There were a lot of trucks parked in the back by the barn.
“I guess you guys do have a lot of help,” she muttered.
“Yeah,” he said, nodding. They moved past the house and the guesthouse, going around to the back toward the plowed path that all the trucks were on. Clearly, everyone had been busy: the pasture had been cleared of snow and had two large tents up, and Mike saw Dom working with a couple of Snow Valley peeps to put the dance floor and stage down. This was how it went in Snow Valley. A couple of years ago, he’d helped with Chase Moon’s wedding, and this was the exact same thing they had done. It was a ton of work.
He turned to Zoey. The sun had broken through the clouds and was shining on her copper hair and pale skin. She was staring out the window,
looking mystified.
He parked the truck. “Look, I’m going to go talk to the guys. If you want to wait here, that’s no problem. I’ll take you back to the house and get you settled.”
“Why would I wait here?” she asked.
A nervous ball rolled into the pit of his gut, and he didn’t know why he wanted her to wait. “You wouldn’t.” He got out and went around to help her down.
She was already getting out. “Look, I’m not a princess. You don’t have to help me do everything.” She flashed a smile. “And I am your girlfriend, so introduce me around.”
Mike took her hand, and they walked toward the tents. He felt a surge of warmth. Maybe this plan was the best plan he’d ever had. “Sounds good.”
As they approached Dom and the guys, Dom stood, smiling and heading for them. He looked at Zoey, then back to Mike, giving him a double-eyebrow raise as if to say, “Nice.”
They hugged like brothers. Over the course of the last two years, he’d seen Dom at a lot of family stuff. He and Dom had actually gotten together to hang out when Dom was on leave at different points. Even a couple of months ago, Dom had gone to Boston since he got to fly for free. He’d stayed for the weekend, and they’d taken in a Boston baseball game.
“About time your lazy butt got here.” Dom let him go, but kind of shoved him at the same time.
Mike grunted. “I’d expect you would have had all this work done by now.”
Dom turned to Zoey. He took off his work glove and put his hand out. “So you’re the one dating this numbskull?”
Zoey cocked an eyebrow. “I took one for the team.”
Dom laughed. “You mean the team of all womanhood?”
She grinned. “Pretty much.”
Dom shook her hand and then held it a bit longer, surveying her. “I didn’t meet you when I was in Boston a couple of months ago, did I?”
Zoey held his gaze and then turned to Mike.
Nervous angst went through Mike’s gut. “No, Dom, we didn’t start dating until after you’d come.”
Dom held his gaze for a moment. Mike didn’t know if it was being in the Special Forces or because Dom didn’t have a family and they’d become his family, but Dom always looked like he could see through ten layers of your soul.
