Enjoying the peace, he pulled a pillow up behind him and thumbed into his email. He was even more curious than usual about this week’s numbers because his own piece was online. A message from Frankie, Kaleidoscope’s IT director, caught his eye.
Stanton idea genius—look at subs!
Nick’s pulse shot up the way it had when he first saw his byline in print years ago. Apparently, he wasn’t totally jaded yet, he mused with a grin. Reaching for his laptop, he signed into the site’s control board and saw that overnight, their subscription rate had zoomed upward like the first rise on a death-defying roller coaster.
The risk he’d taken in offering Julia’s intro for free had paid off, big-time, and he breathed an actual sigh of relief. As Mavis had predicted, people were coming back for more on the elusive ambassador’s daughter. He wondered if Julia’s online orders had gone up the same way his magazine’s had.
He scrolled to her number in his contacts list, then stopped short. No doubt she was in church listening to his father’s carefully prepared sermon. While she probably silenced her phone during a service, he didn’t want to chance interrupting anything important with her Christmas ringtone. He was dying to share his accomplishment with someone, but he settled for thanking Frankie for the news. Then he settled back into bed to savor his victory.
Taking off his editor’s hat, he let himself enjoy a more personal satisfaction than he normally got with his business. He usually stood aside and let his reporters take most of the credit for their successes. This time it was his own article that had generated so much interest, and he couldn’t remember when he’d last felt so proud of himself.
It never would’ve happened without Julia, he recognized, and that thought made him smile. The past few days he’d been thinking about her a lot, wondering what she was doing. A few times he’d even wondered if she missed him hanging around her shop. Unless she was the greatest actress in history, she seemed to enjoy his company as much as he enjoyed hers, which wasn’t a good idea for either of them. He’d purposefully not called her, hoping some time apart would get her out of his system.
The strategy had always worked before, but he found himself thinking about her even more, looking forward to seeing her again. The harder he tried to focus on other things, the more she kept sneaking into his mind. When he closed his eyes, her face swam into view like a fade-in from a movie. Smiling at him, tilting her head in that chiding gesture that told him she wasn’t buying whatever line he’d floated.
Tossing a pillow over his face, Nick groaned. Despite his best efforts, he knew he was way too close to being in serious trouble with the pretty toy store owner. Normally, this would be his cue to move on to someone else or even leave town entirely. But now that he’d started her biography, he couldn’t pull the plug without disappointing his readers. Not to mention the fact that once he’d secured the story, he’d promised his mother and sister he’d stay in Holiday Harbor until Christmas. He didn’t want to let them down.
That meant he had to do something about his growing attraction to Julia. Since he had no clue what that might be, he decided to sleep on it.
Chapter Five
“Good morning,” Julia greeted Nick as she unlocked the door for him on Tuesday. “I was starting to think you’d changed your mind about me.”
He gave her an odd look, then shook his head. “Last week was so hectic, I decided to get some business out of the way yesterday so I could focus on your article today.”
“The intro was very good,” she said, going to the small coffee bar to pour them each a cup. “Did your readers seem to like it?”
“They loved it.”
He sipped his coffee, and she waited for him to say something else. When he didn’t, she frowned. “You don’t look very happy about it, though. Is something wrong?”
That got her a crooked grin. “You’re really good at reading people, aren’t you?”
“I try to be.” Answering a question with a question raised a red flag for her, and she pressed a little. “What is it, Nick?”
After a long, thoughtful look at her, he shook his head again. “Nothing important. Is this a good time for some background on your childhood?”
“As long as I can set up while we chat.”
“Works for me.”
That was pretty much how the entire day went. When she was between customers, he took the opportunity to ask her questions. When she was busy, he sat at a bistro table near the fireplace and typed away on his computer. It was all very cordial and professional, nothing like their earlier talks.
Which, of course, was exactly how she wanted things to be. She just couldn’t pinpoint why it felt so hollow. At six o’clock, she ushered her last customer out and flipped the sign on the door to Closed.
When she started flicking off the lights in the rear of the store, Nick looked up with a confused expression. “What’re you doing?”
“Closing up so I can get over to the church. They need some more adult help with the Christmas pageant, and I volunteered. Rehearsal is at six-thirty tonight.”
“Yeah, I remember those,” he commented absently as he resumed typing. “I was always a shepherd.”
From his tone, Julia couldn’t decide if he considered that a good or bad thing. They hadn’t talked about his past at all since he’d dropped his bombshell about his brother, and she’d gone out of her way not to push him to discuss his family any further. He had to be ready before he could truly accept the idea of forgiving himself and making peace with his father. But how could she get him to that point? She’d known dozens of reserved people, but he was the most closed-off soul she’d ever come across. Somehow, she had to figure out a way to get him to be more open with her—and hopefully with his father. Confiding in her had been a good start, but there was still a long way to go.
There were only three weeks left until Christmas and the end of his visit. A tall order, she acknowledged with a sigh, and she still had no clue how to make it happen. Then inspiration struck, and as she turned off the lights on the village tree, she casually asked, “Would you like to come along?”
That got her a short laugh. “No, thanks. Not really my kind of scene.”
“Hannah will be there,” she prodded while the model train coasted to a stop. “She’s playing the lead angel this year, and I’m sure she’d love to show off for her uncle Nick.”
That did it. Angling his head, he gave Julia an I-know-what-you’redoing look…but then his shoulders slumped in resignation. “Fine. But I’m officially not a kid person, so I’ll only be watching Hannah.”
His adorable niece was this Scrooge’s weakness and Julia congratulated herself on finding a way to get through his detached facade to the good heart underneath. If only he’d allow more people to see it, his life would be so much easier.
But then he wouldn’t be Nick, she reminded herself while she went to get her coat from her office. God had made him the way he was for a reason, and while she didn’t understand it, she’d just have to work with what He’d given her. Fortunately, she enjoyed a challenge.
When she came back out front, Nick was ready to go. He held out a hand, and she gave him a puzzled look. “What?”
Shaking his head, he took her coat and made a circular motion with his finger. Coming from him, the gesture stunned her, but she spun around and slid her arms into the sleeves. Her scarf slipped to the floor, and he bent to retrieve it. Gently turning her to face him again, he dangled it around her neck, holding the fringed ends as if he didn’t want to let them go.
For a moment, they stood that way, almost touching but not quite. His dark eyes glittered as he stared at her, and awareness danced along every nerve while she waited to see what he’d do next.
Slowly, as if it pained him to do it, he released her scarf and stepped away. “We should get going. You don’t want to be late.”
More disappointed than she had a right to be, Julia knew if she tried to speak, it would come out in a breathless squeak. Hard
as she’d tried to keep him at a distance, nothing had worked. Now she was wishing for him to give her—what? A hug? A kiss? Cautious as she had always been with men, Bernard’s betrayal had made her even more so. She must be out of her mind, hoping for such an intimate moment with a man she hardly knew.
Gathering up her dignity, she nodded and headed for the door.
*
What was he thinking? Nick asked himself while they walked across the square to the church. He’d come dangerously close to kissing Julia just now, and his head was still reeling over the near miss. He’d never been one to pass up a golden opportunity like that before, but those had been with casual acquaintances, women he had no intention of pursuing beyond the occasional dinner out. And this one? he wondered. What did he feel for her? It took less than a second for him to answer his own question, which rattled him even more.
Julia was special.
In the gentle way she spoke, the elegant way she moved, the generous way she lived her life, she was the most amazing woman he’d ever met. And those were only the qualities he could see. Instinct told him if he got to know her better, he’d find even more to admire. If he wasn’t careful, she’d become more to him than the fascinating subject of his evolving biography.
And then he’d really be in trouble.
As they approached the chapel, he focused on the snow crunching underfoot to get his thoughts back on an even keel. When he’d agreed to go with her, it hadn’t occurred to him that he’d be returning—voluntarily—to a place he’d despised for most of his life. Again, he wondered what was wrong with him.
He didn’t realize his feet were dragging until she turned to look back at him. “Are you okay?”
“Sure.”
He tried to sound confident, but that familiar feeling of dread started creeping up his spine. Doing his best to shrug it off, he caught up with her in time to open the sanctuary door. Once they were inside, she glanced over her shoulder and turned to him.
Sympathy shone in her eyes, and she murmured, “Nick, if this is too much for you, I understand.”
Her unexpected show of kindness was just what he needed. She was giving him an out, and no one but the two of them would know if he took it. Despite the fact that he barely knew her, he was positive she wouldn’t mention it to anyone, not even his sister. Wary by nature, he didn’t believe in very many people, and even then it took him a long time. It didn’t escape him that this sweet engaging woman had somehow managed to earn his trust without even trying. And while that meant he could trust her not to use this show of weakness against him, it made him not want to disappoint her, either.
“Don’t worry about me.” Hanging up his coat, he reached out for hers. “I’ll sit in the back.”
She nearly blasted him off his feet with a brilliant smile. “All the bad boys do.”
With that, she spun and left him standing there with his jaw on the floor. Unfortunately, that was how Lainie found him.
“Hey, big brother. You all right?” When he turned to her, she laughed. “Oh, I recognize that. It’s the Julia effect.”
“She’s something else, that’s for sure,” Nick agreed as he took her and Hannah’s coats.
“We love Julia,” his niece informed him without hesitation. “Everyone does. Mommy, the other angels are up front. Can I go sit with them?”
The former English teacher cocked her head, and Hannah sighed. “May I go sit with them?”
“Yes, you may. I’ll be working on costumes in the Sunday school room if you need me.”
“Okay.”
She took off like a shot, and Lainie ordered, “No running in church.”
In response, Hannah skipped toward the altar, and Lainie sighed. “Close enough.”
Nick couldn’t help laughing. “I like her.”
“You would.” After seeing her daughter finally sit down in one place, she leveled one of those knowing feminine looks at him. “You like Julia, too.”
He shrugged. “From what I hear, everyone does.”
“But we’ve gotten to know her over the past few months. You don’t normally warm up to people for years, if ever. What’s so different about her?”
“I don’t know.” On their own, Nick’s eyes wandered toward the front of the church where Julia sat cross-legged on the floor and chatted with a group of kids. Hannah was front and center, staring at Julia with heroine-worship in her eyes. He wasn’t four, but Nick had a good idea how his niece was feeling right now. “There’s something, though. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Well, whatever it is, I’m glad.” Standing on tiptoe, Lainie kissed his cheek. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you look this happy.”
She strolled past him to head downstairs, and he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Have you noticed her hanging out with anyone in particular?” he asked. “Guys, I mean.”
Lainie shook her head. “She was with someone last year, in Europe I think. It didn’t end well, and all she’ll say about it is that she’s done with men. I’m afraid you’ve got your work cut out for you.”
Nick wasn’t sure why Julia had kept the details about Bernard the scam artist from her good friend but had entrusted them to him. Whatever the reason, it gave him an odd sense of accomplishment.
“I’m not interested in her that way.” That got him Lainie’s give-me-a-break look, and he grinned. “Okay, maybe a little. Mostly because we’re nothing alike, so we have a lot to talk about. But it’s not going to turn into anything other than friendship.”
“Uh-huh. You just keep telling yourself that.”
Any other time, he’d have come up with a witty comeback and strolled away. But for the second time that evening, a woman left him staring after her, completely at a loss for words.
Pushing the awkward conversation from his mind, he went inside and paused behind a back pew to look around. Like the rest of the town, the chapel was a simple frame building that hadn’t changed much in its long history. Small but immaculately maintained, its claim to fame were six tall stained-glass windows that depicted scenes from the Bible. Even now, it amazed him that something so fragile had managed to survive nor’easters and blizzards since the early 1800s.
A couple of the moms spotted him, and their glares reminded him that a lot of folks in town still regarded him as the pastor’s son gone wrong. Since he’d made only quick visits—and very few of those—in the years since his wild teenage days, he’d escaped the worst of the disapproving stares and whispered comments. Fortunately, his skin was even thicker now than it had been a few years ago, and he couldn’t care less what they were gossiping about. He waved in their direction, amused when they flounced their shoulders and pointedly turned away. Not exactly subtle, he thought with a grin, but no different than they’d been in high school.
In a back corner, he noticed an old buddy hunched over a toolbox and sauntered over to say hello. Offering his hand, he said, “Hey, Ben. How’ve you been?”
All-county in every sport but badminton, Ben Thomas had the outdoorsy look of someone who spent a lot more time outside than Nick did. His wide-open face lit up in the kind of smile you didn’t see very often, and he stood to shake Nick’s hand. “Doing great. How ’bout you?”
Nick bit back his usual sarcasm and replied, “Just fine. Last I heard, you were working construction with your dad.”
“Still am. Folks around here are always looking to build something. Lainie told me you started your own magazine on the internet. How’re you liking that?”
“It’s a lot of work, but most days I enjoy it.”
A booming, all-too-familiar voice called out Ben’s name, and Nick’s blood froze in his veins. How could he have been so stupid? Of course the pastor would be here, overseeing the Christmas pageant.
In a single heartbeat, Nick was twelve again, planted in the front pew between Lainie and his mother, listening to another sermon about how God welcomed the righteous into heaven and condemned the wicked to eternal suffe
ring. Even then, he’d known that a boy responsible for his brother’s death was as wicked as they came.
Nick sensed someone watching him, and for some reason his eyes went straight to Julia. She locked gazes with him, smiling encouragement just before his father stormed into the chapel and stopped dead in his tracks. Out of sheer, stubborn pride, Nick forced himself to meet the pastor’s eyes directly. “Hi, Dad.”
“What are you doing here?”
The harsh greeting felt like a slap, and for the life of him, Nick couldn’t come up with anything other than a steely glare.
“He’s helping me, sir,” Ben replied quickly. “I needed an extra set of hands.”
Nick hadn’t done a thing even remotely helpful, but he appreciated Ben standing up for him. As his anger cooled into the boiling range, he answered for himself. “Julia invited me to come along, and I thought it’d be fun to watch Hannah.”
Nick caught something in his father’s eyes he’d never seen before: a glimmer of respect. He congratulated himself for coming up with the only answer that would prevent a very public display of McHenry temper.
“Your mother will be happy to see you.” His flat tone made it clear his own feelings ran in the other direction. “Ben, I wanted to discuss a few things about the manger set with you.”
With that, he turned on his heel and hurried away. Ben flashed Nick an apologetic smile and followed after him, scribbling notes while the pastor dictated what he had in mind. Once they were gone, Nick found a shadowy spot in a back pew and gratefully sank into it.
He’d come back to his father’s church and survived an encounter with the dictator himself. Maybe there was something to this Christmas-spirit thing after all. From the entryway, he heard a gasp and turned to find his mother staring at him, mouth open in a huge smile.
As she rushed toward him, he smiled back and stood up. “Hi, Mom.”
“Nick, I’m— I don’t know the word. It’s so wonderful to have you here again.”
“Thanks.”
After a warm hug, she beamed proudly up at him. “How are you and Julia doing?”
Love Inspired December 2013 - Bundle 2 of 2: Cozy ChristmasHer Holiday HeroJingle Bell Romance Page 47
