Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology (Echo Ridge Romance Book 1)

by Lucy McConnell

  “Because you couldn't stand to not be around art, even if you were having trouble creating it yourself?” Kaya had seen the joy and excitement in his eyes as he uncrated paintings and unwrapped statues. She understood that excitement and zeal.

  “Exactly.”

  “But that painting of Shyanne, it's amazing. And the one of Chad on the horse, I’m sure it's not recognizable to someone who doesn't know him well, but it's him, right?”

  He smiled, threading their fingers together. “Yeah. I couldn't help it, though it made me think of seeing you going for a ride when you were Shyanne's age, and calling back to your grandma that you were doing it.”

  Kaya chuckled. “Sounds about right. I always loved horses, for as long as I can remember. Being able to work with them every day is like a dream come true.”

  “Then we both got our dreams, in one way or another.” By now he had both of her hands held tightly in his. “We should probably start skating before we turn into popsicles.”

  “Good idea.” They started cleaning up the empty containers.

  “Have you thought about teaching art classes up here? Maybe in the summer, like the ones you took?” Kaya had wondered if there were any good classes in the area. After working with him, she might be interested in one, just to learn more about it.

  “I'm not a teacher.” He didn't even give the question a moment's thought.

  “Why not?”

  “Because, I'm an artist, not a teacher.”

  It irritated her a little that he wouldn't even consider it. “But you probably thought you weren't a gallery owner once too, didn't you? And now you are. So why not expand that a little more? I didn't know I wanted to help other people with horses, not for a long time. It took nearly finishing my degree, planning to become a vet, before I even started to consider therapy.”

  He pursued that line of discussion instead of the one she’d been asking about. “Do you wish you had taken more vet training?”

  She considered calling him on the change of topic, but decided to let it go. “I got in a few basic classes. I do a lot of the regular maintenance on my animals since it's far less expensive than bringing in a vet, but therapy is where I shine. It's what makes it all worthwhile.”

  Jonah handed her a pair of skates. “I can tell that it's important to you. I'm glad. Everyone should have the opportunity to do work that they love. I wish more people did.”

  “More people could if they prioritized. You didn't become a great artist by sitting at home and wishing for more. The gallery isn't happening because you long for a reason to be near your grandma, it's happening because you dug in and got to work. Nothing really great, really worthwhile, happens without hard work.”

  “I guess that's true.” A storm was moving in and snow was on the forecast for the night, but the cloud cover didn't seem to have warmed the air much. “Do you think it will start to snow before we go home tonight?”

  “I hope so. I think skating under a light snow would be cool.” And romantic, a draw she couldn’t ignore.

  They sat on a bench near the lake to put on their skates. “Have you skated much?” Jonah gave his laces a final tug and tied a bow.

  “I've been out a few times over the years, but not recently.” It made her a little nervous. What if she made a fool of herself?

  He grinned at her. “If you did okay last time, you should be fine tonight, once you get the hang of it again.” He stood to face her, giving her a hand up.

  Jonah tucked their boots under the bench and he took her hand as they crossed the sidewalk and made their way down the ramp to the ice.

  She had to stiffen her ankles to stand. Her skate blades sank into the snow as they crossed to the ice. “I hope so. They say it's like riding a bike, you never forget how.”

  Kaya was wobbly at first, needing a minute to get the hang of it again. Jonah took off as if he had been on skates every day of his life. “You don't seem to be rusty.” She wasn't sure if she admired his grace or resented it.

  He circled back to take her hand. “I love to skate, summer or winter, if I get tied up in knots and can't paint, I'll grab my in-line skates or ice skates and go out for a while. It usually helps me work through whatever's on my mind and gives me a chance to look for inspiration.”

  “In that case, it's a good thing you have Chickadee Lake.” Kaya wondered how much time he'd spent skating after his girlfriend's accident, or if he had been too upset.

  “Looks like you still need a minute to get your feet.” His hand was surprisingly warm considering how cold it was outside.

  A trio of boys whizzed by them and another couple skated leisurely around the edges. One little girl was trying a sit-spin near the middle of the pond, but fell over. She frowned, pushed herself back up and tried again.

  Kaya admired her fortitude. “I've never tried anything like that. She must be pretty determined.”

  “You don't become an Olympic ice skater by zooming around the edges,” Jonah said, approval filling his voice. If he had noticed that she was steady now and didn't need him to hold her hand, he didn't indicate it. She wasn't about to pull away.

  How was it that even through their gloves, she felt a bit of electricity when they touched? She tried to ignore the feeling and enjoy the exercise.

  He turned, ending up in front of her, skating backward. “Have you ever tried any kind of turns or special maneuvers?”

  “I've skated backward a couple of times. Badly. I always fell.”

  “Try it now, come on.” He glanced behind him, then gave her hand a tug.

  “Okay, but you need to keep an eye out behind us. I don't want to end up in a heap on the edge of the ice.” She really didn’t trust herself.

  “Don't worry, I've got this.” He gave her hand a tug again and she took a fortifying breath before turning into his arms so her back was facing his front. She could do this.

  He released her hand and put one hand on each side of her waist so he could guide her backward. “Good. Just make your feet open and close, pushing the ice. Now, turn again to face me.”

  She started to twist and the tip of her skate caught the ice. He managed to keep her from totally falling, but only just. His knee hit the ice instead.

  Kaya cringed. “Oh, I'm sorry. Did that hurt?” She could just see herself seriously injuring him on their first date.

  He stood up again and took her hand. “It barely brushed the ice, it's fine. Try again. Come on.” He started them moving again. When she was doing well with that, he released her for a moment, twirling twice as he moved across the ice, then took her hand again. “You can do that. It's pretty simple.”

  Yes, but she’d learned long ago that simple didn’t always mean easy. “I don't know.”

  “Just try. Watch my feet.” He demonstrated again, pointing out his technique, then urged her on. They laughed together, moved through the motions and she fell on her butt a few times before she managed it even once.

  Kaya threw her arms around his neck in celebration. “I can't believe I did it!”

  “I can. You just had to keep trying.” His arms slid around her waist, pulling her closer.

  Their faces were only inches apart and Kaya realized he was going to kiss her. Maybe. And that she wanted him to. A lot. She looked up into his eyes and the icy air caught in her throat. She pressed her lips together, and his gaze dropped to her mouth.

  The trio of rowdy boys passed them again, a little too close for comfort and laughing loudly. One of them made a crude comment about the two of them.

  It broke the spell and Jonah pulled back. “I'm half frozen. You ready for that hot cocoa?”

  Part of Kaya didn't want it to end, but her teeth were chattering and she knew she needed to get inside before she froze something important. “Sounds good.”

  He took her hand again, and led her to the bench to change back into their boots. The boots were freezing, but Kaya told herself they would warm up quickly in the café. She tied the skate laces together and
set them over her shoulder, then took the hand Jonah offered her. She felt a little giddy that it seemed second nature to walk hand-in-hand with him and then thought maybe it had been a little too long since she was in a relationship. The sidewalks were clear and ice free, so it wasn't as if she needed help, but she wasn't about to complain.

  “Did your parents have horses?” Jonah asked as they waited for the light to change so they could cross the street.

  “No, my Dad died when I was young and Mom and I lived in a little apartment. There was no room or money for horses. I loved whenever we came to Grandma's, because she taught me to ride when I was so young, and she always let me spend as much time with the horses as I wanted.”

  “I didn’t know that about your dad. I’m sorry, it must have been hard.”

  She just nodded. It wasn’t something she wanted to discuss in depth on the first date.

  “I remember you, a couple of times. I think. When I visited Grams.”

  That pleased her, though it shouldn't have mattered. “That's possible. After my dad died and Mom was struggling just to pay the bills, I spent a lot of school breaks with Grandma, mostly because Mom couldn't afford daycare, I think. I didn't complain. I love it here. This town, the farm, the animals. The Candy Counter at Kenworth’s.”

  Kaya was pleased when he chuckled at that. She finished her line of thought. “I loved Grandma most of all. She made me feel safe and loved.”

  The light changed and they were prompted to cross the street. “You didn't feel safe at home?”

  Had she said that? No, but he wasn’t entirely wrong, either— though not because her mom wasn't great, when she had time to breathe and actually talk with Kaya. “We couldn't afford much, and I didn't go out when Mom wasn't there, especially when I was younger. She worked all the time, or it seemed that way, so after school I came home and locked myself in the apartment. I knew bad things were going on in the neighborhood; we even had a few drive-by shootings in the area, so I stayed home after school until I was in high school. Even then, if it hadn't been for Robbin, my best friend, I wouldn't have gotten out much. I was really shy.”

  “I don't see much of that now.” They passed the front windows of the gallery, headed for the café beyond it.

  “I've gotten over a lot of the shyness. When I'm having trouble with it, I usually brazen through. It's not always easy and I don’t always succeed.”

  Jonah studied her for a few seconds, his expression soft. “Well, you make it look easy.”

  “Thanks.” It had taken a long time to at least give off the appearance of confidence in public. She wasn't always sure she managed it.

  They walked into Fay's Café and were instantly enveloped by smells of hamburgers, coffee, and the sweet tinge of ice cream in the air. The style was classic 50s— it had definitely been updated recently. It still sported the white enameled tables with silver trim on the sides, plush booths with matching black Naugahyde, and white and black tiled floors, but they were a lot shinier than she remembered. Pen and ink sketches of girls in poodle skirts and roller skates, kids dancing in front of a juke box and similar scenes graced the walls. The twenty-something waitress who came over to the table they had chosen didn't look like she had come from the fifties, though. Her long, wavy hair was dyed black with hot pink streaks, she wore a snug T-shirt over frayed jeans, almost as much jewelry as Mr. T, and her arms were covered in tats. When she greeted them, her voice was soft and sweet, like you'd expect to hear from a southern belle, only without the accent. “Hello, how are we doing tonight?” She looked at Kaya. “You work for him, right? I've seen you coming and going a few times.”

  “Yes, Kaya Fiedler. I live in town, but I don't get out much. I haven’t been here in years.”

  “I'm Fay Griffith, and I hope you make it back again soon. What can I get for you two? You look cold.”

  Kaya was stymied. This young woman was Fay?

  “We are cold. Could we get two hot cocoas with extra whipped cream?” Jonah asked.

  She grinned as she made a note. “You do like your whipped cream.”

  “I love your cocoa, and the whipped cream makes it extra special. It's the best cocoa I've ever had.”

  “Flattery will get you that extra whipped cream. Anything else?”

  “Not tonight, thanks,” Jonah said.

  She scribbled something on her notepad and slipped it back into her pocket as she walked away.

  “You really haven’t been here in years?” Jonah asked. “They have the best hamburgers, and their onion rings are to die for.”

  “Why do I get the feeling that you eat here a lot?”

  “Because you're observant. With the gallery next door, I eat here at least once per day.” Their hands had separated as they had divested themselves of skates and coats before they took their booth, but now he captured hers from the tabletop again. “You've been so much help getting the gallery ready. I don't think I'd be ready for tomorrow's opening without you. Even if I'd given up sleeping altogether.”

  She shook her head in disagreement. “I haven't worked that many hours. I wish I could have helped more.”

  “I appreciate it. I see how busy you've been. It was lucky for me that you had scheduling problems at Kenworth's. Are you sure you don't want to keep working for me after the holidays?”

  She shared his smile, glad he liked having her around. “It's tempting, but I've earned enough for my animal feed, and I need to get back to all of the things I've been putting off on the farm.” Though she had no interest in working two jobs permanently, she would miss spending so much time with him. “Hasn’t this always been Fay’s? How is that possible when she’s so young?”

  “Her grandmother owned it before. She died a couple of years back and Fay, who was named after her grandma, stepped in and took over. She totally redid the place. Do you like it?”

  “It’s fantastic, seriously. I love the art around the walls. Is that new too?”

  He looked up at the pen and ink drawing nearest to them. “I don’t remember them, but I didn’t come here much when I was growing up. We weren’t in town all that often. Maybe I didn’t notice them back then. They’re really good.”

  The conversation continued, easy and fun for the rest of the evening, before they walked back to the gallery to double-check a couple of last-minute things for the night.

  “I should head out. Five-o'clock milking comes early,” Kaya said when they approached the front door.

  He veered toward her car. “It was a nice evening. Thanks for joining me.” He took her hand once more, giving it a light squeeze.

  She smiled, unable to do anything else. “Thanks for asking. It's been a really long time since I had such a fun date.” She didn't want to leave. Being with him made her heart race, her stomach quiver, and her nerves stand on end.

  Or maybe that last one was the freezing cold breeze that wrapped around them.

  “I'll see you in the morning? We have a few odds and ends that need to be done before the artist and dignitary lunch tomorrow.” He stepped in a little closer to her.

  “You bet. I don't have any clients, so I'm yours all day.”

  His eyes never left her face as they shifted closer together. “Is it stupid that I'm so nervous? I've been to so many galleries and opening night shows. I know what I'm doing.”

  “It's not stupid at all. This is your gallery. You're bound to have butterflies.” She sure did. Right now.

  He shifted even closer, and she met him halfway. “You seem like the kind of person who likes butterflies.”

  “What can I say, like calls to like, and apparently I'm a bit of a flutter-budget.”

  “You don't seem flighty to me.” They stood there, together for several aching seconds, the light breeze blowing hair across her face. He lifted a hand to brush the hair away. “You amaze me.” His lips pressed against hers and she felt sweet excitement fill her chest. Finally. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss for
one glorious moment before he started to pull back.

  She released him and he backed away several inches. Jonah studied her face for a moment before letting go of her other hand, which he still held. “See you in the morning?”

  “Yeah. Bright and early.” Kaya clicked the door open with her remote. He opened the door for her and helped her inside. For a moment, she thought maybe he was going to say something else, but after a moment's pause, he shut the door, and waved as she drove away.

  He watched her until she drove around a corner and she couldn't see him anymore.

  Kaya's heart was pounding and she could hardly believe the excitement that thrummed in her veins. It had been such a good night.

  She hoped he felt the same.

  JONAH WATCHED UNTIL KAYA was out of sight, then turned back to his gallery. He had finished making the frames for Manuel's last few paintings that afternoon while Kaya had been working with clients. He just needed to assemble all of the pieces and seal the paintings against humidity and other things that could degrade them over time.

  He went in the back way and finished assembling the frames. It was getting late, but his fingers itched. He just wasn't sure what he wanted to work on. He had framed the painting of Shyanne, as well as the charcoal sketch of Chad on horseback. That one was shot from the side, with just a hint of Chad’s face silhouetted against the darkness behind him, the lights on the barn and a couple of poles around the ring lighting him up. It would be nice to have a couple pieces of his own to add to the collection. Especially something new.

  He took the last couple of paintings out and hung them in the spaces he and Kaya had selected for them and then stood in the front window.