Mistletoe and Mr. Right

by Sarah Morgenthaler

  Jessica’s eyebrow arched as she accepted the new drink. “My daughter lets you pay for her?”

  “When I’m lucky enough,” he said. “It took some convincing.”

  “I’m sure. Are you in love with her?” Jessica smiled slightly. When Rick blinked at the question, she added, “I know the answer. I was just wondering if you do.”

  Rick didn’t know this woman, and to be honest, she radiated a sort of intimidation that made part of him want to find anywhere else to be right then. But she was Lana’s mother, and that meant something. So Rick set his glass, untouched, to the side.

  “Yes. I’m in love with her.”

  Acknowledging that out loud to Jessica and to himself wasn’t easy…but it was freeing. He was in love with Lana. How could he not be? Saying it to Lana’s family instead of her first felt wrong, but Rick wasn’t going to pretend he was something he wasn’t, no matter how many bow ties the Montgomerys tied around his neck.

  Jessica swirled her scotch in the glass, eyeing him. “Why?”

  Frowning, Rick wasn’t sure how to answer. “Why do I care about her?”

  “If you loved her for her money, then she never would have brought you here to meet us.” Jessica licked a drop of amber from her lips. “So I’m curious as to why you love my daughter.”

  The challenge in her eyes was clear. There was nothing Rick could say that would justify his place at Lana’s side, and he knew trying would only leave him a crushed ant beneath this woman’s thumb. And because she loved Lana too, Rick didn’t blame her.

  He didn’t think he was good enough for her either.

  Straightening, Jessica turned and looked out at the ballroom.

  “There are men in here who would marry her in a heartbeat if she agreed to it. She’s rich and she’s powerful and she’s beautiful. And one day, she will own more than anyone else in this room ever will.”

  With an indelicate snort, Jessica took a sip of her scotch. “Lana knows that’s what they see when they look at her, so I’ve never worried about her falling for the wrong person. My daughter has never been the type to let her feelings blind her to reality. Usually.”

  When Jessica let that hang between them, Rick inhaled slowly, then exhaled a long breath.

  “You think I’m bad for her.” Just because he wasn’t surprised at the information didn’t mean Rick liked hearing it.

  “You? I’m not sure yet. Moose Springs? Absolutely.”

  Rick’s frown deepened. “I don’t understand.”

  “Lana has been running away to your little town since she was old enough to drive herself. She’d idolized it as this perfect place where she can be happy. And in her attempts to carve out a place there, she’s making choices that will cost her. If the board of directors doesn’t have faith in her ability to dissociate her emotions from her financial decisions, she’s going to lose her spot at the head of the company.”

  “Isn’t the board her family?”

  Jessica nodded.

  “And you still don’t trust her?”

  “I trust my daughter with my life. I’m still deciding if I trust her with my money.” Jessica finished her drink. “I usually let people make their own mistakes, but I appreciate you being here for Lana. I’ll give you a word of advice, Rick. The more ties Lana has to Moose Springs, the worse off she’s going to look. Buying a town because of a schoolgirl’s crush isn’t what CEOs are made of, no matter how savvy my daughter is.”

  Rick stood there, watching Lana move about the ballroom, unable to go more than a few feet without someone new wanting her attention. She might not want to be the center of attention, but damn, she was good at it. She deserved a lot more than he—or Moose Springs—would ever be able to give her.

  And she still found his eyes despite the crowd, checking on him. Smiling at him in a way that would always bring Rick to his knees.

  “You asked me why I’m in love with her,” Rick said quietly. “It’s because she tries to catch moose so people keep their Christmas lights. She finds kittens homes and helps grumpy kids when they make mistakes. She makes completely accurate gingerbread towns for people who don’t even like her and dives into freezing cold water after strangers.”

  Rick drained his scotch and picked up his date’s drink, the anger he was feeling at Lana’s family undisguised in his tone.

  “Because she’s not like the rest of us. What Lana’s ‘made of’ is more than we could hope to be. And what she does with that is her choice. If you’ll excuse me.”

  Leaving Jessica to watch him walk away, Rick met Lana in the middle of the ballroom, where she was still surrounded by an increasingly growing group of people. Her smile was genuine, and the strain in her eyes was so slight, no one would be able to notice it. But he’d done nothing but stare at Lana since the day she’d walked into his life. He knew every expression, even the ones she was so good at hiding.

  “Dance with me?” he asked, ignoring everyone else.

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Leading her onto the dance floor, Rick ignored the fact that he didn’t know how to dance very well, concentrating on Lana instead. When he pulled her into his arms, she came willingly, even though others were moving around the floor with far more skill than Rick would ever possess.

  “This is my new favorite song,” Lana told him when it shifted to a softer, slower melody.

  Rick winced. “Did I sing this to you when you tranquilized me?”

  “If you did, I’ll never tell.” Eyes sparkling with mischief, she rested her head on his shoulder.

  Allowing himself a moment of sheer indulgence, Rick closed the last inch remaining between them. Let people stare. He didn’t care about them or what they thought. He didn’t care if they all wanted something from Lana. When she was wrapped up in his arms, none of them could get to her. Speaking of which…

  “Do you mind if I cut in?” A man he didn’t recognize had approached their party of two, standing there as if he had every right to interrupt.

  “I mind.” Okay, maybe that came out too much of a growl, but Rick wasn’t interested in letting anything or anyone come between them tonight.

  Lana giggled at Rick’s flat refusal. “I’ll dance with you the next song, Alex,” she said.

  “Not if I can convince her to dance with me again, Alex.” Rick turned so his back was between Lana and the stranger.

  Lana lightly smacked his arm. “That was rude.”

  “And yet you look happier than you have all night. Random stranger Alex doesn’t get to steal you away until that smile stays at least another dance longer.”

  “I never said I minded rude.” Lana winked at him. “I’m just saying it was.”

  Fine. If everyone thought he wasn’t good enough for her, he might as well reinforce the idea and have some fun with it. Rick turned her in a quick, unexpected circle and then dipped her. Lana was still giggling at his antics when he straightened, curling a hand behind her neck and drawing her in for a long, deep kiss.

  “There was mistletoe,” he said, because technically, it was true. In a place like this, there had to be mistletoe somewhere.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” Lana asked. “We’ve made our presence known, and considering the gossip about Killian is spreading like wildfire, no one will question why we’re leaving.”

  “I’m still questioning why we’re even here.” Rick shook his head.

  As Lana looked around the ballroom, he could hear her whisper, “Because money makes people prioritize the wrong things. I’m so tired of playing by these rules.”

  Rick had only been in her world a couple of hours, and he was tired of it too. He could only imagine a lifetime of having to “save face.” Not being broke would be nice, but Rick would pick his life—including his grumpy cat and empty pool hall—over this any day of the week.

  He’d
pick standing by Lana’s side every day of the week.

  They tried to slip away unnoticed, but the collective attendees at the party had other ideas. Even with her hand in his, person after person stepped in their way as they tried to make it to the door. Yes, Lana would have her people call their people. No, she wasn’t in town long enough to meet for dinner. Sorry, Alex, there would be no dance.

  They reached the valet parking in record time: the longest two people had ever taken to get out of a house and to the sidewalk out front.

  “Do I need to ask you to get me another drink?” Lana asked him as if he had said something funny.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you’re glaring at everything but me.”

  “If I’m glaring at everything, it’s because everyone is determined to keep me away from you.”

  “And Killian,” Lana said with a sigh. “I’d like to check on him to see if he’s stabilized. No one is giving me any updates, and I’m worried.”

  Rick was worried too. He kept an arm around Lana’s shoulders on the drive back to hospital, resting his cheek against the top of her head. Even now, with only the two of them, her defenses were still up, her body tense as she leaned on him.

  “He’s going to be okay,” Rick promised, even though he knew he might be lying. Killian was in bad shape.

  Her weak smile was worth that possible lie. “He will. Killian’s strong.”

  Rick just hoped Lana’s cousin was strong enough.

  The hospital shouldn’t have allowed them after visiting hours, but more rules than one were getting broken for the hospital donors. They were halfway out of the elevator when a crash from down the hall pulled their attention. They rushed to Killian’s room, the source of the commotion.

  “I said, get me the damn doctor,” Killian yelled at whomever would listen.

  “Killian, stop it.” Lana’s sharp order was enough to stay his hand. The remains of all the flower vases within his reach lay shattered on the floor, expensive flowers crushed and water pooling beneath their feet. “What’s wrong?”

  The look he gave her was wild, and he was panting. “I need the doctor. I need more pain meds.”

  Ignoring his heaving chest and clenched fists, Lana sat on the edge of his bed and placed a hand on his forehead. “You’re burning up from fever. Where’s the nurse?”

  “I threw her out.”

  Leaning his head back on the pillow, Killian’s fists clenched into the bedding. Rick positioned himself close enough to interfere if he turned on her. This wasn’t the cousin she knew. This was a man in terrible pain, and Rick doubted he truly understood what he was doing right now.

  “I’m here.” The doctor strode into the room. “Mr. Montgomery, I understand you’re in a significant amount of discomfort, but it’s dangerous to up your medications. Your kidneys have been severely damaged—”

  “You think I don’t know? You think I don’t know that I did this to myself?” Killian bellowed. He swung his arm at what was left on the side tray, a plastic pitcher of water. Rick didn’t have time to stop him, so he grabbed Lana and twisted, taking the force of the flying object to his shoulder.

  “Killian, stop it.”

  This time, Lana sounded near tears.

  When Killian didn’t stop, Lana stumbled out of the room, her near-constant composure finally shot. Leaning against the wall outside the door, Lana turned to Rick, clearly shaken. They could both hear Killian yelling at the doctor, the laid-back cousin replaced by someone neither of them could recognize.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Lana said in a whisper. “I don’t know how to help him.”

  “Let’s take a drive. Staying here staring at the floor isn’t going to help.”

  Wordlessly, she handed him her car keys. Her hands were shaking far too badly to hope to drive safely right now.

  * * *

  When they hit the edge of the city, they kept driving. Empty corn and soybean fields stretched all around them, blanketed in snow.

  “Here. Pull over here.”

  At her request, Rick exited the highway, turning in to an all-night truck stop. It was late enough that a few truckers had parked for the night, everything dark but the undercarriage lights glowing on their rumbling semis. A restaurant took up the bulk of the truck stop, filled with more people than Rick would have expected this late in the evening.

  “The Mudgeton truck stop is always busy, no matter how late at night,” Lana explained as they slid into in a booth in their finery.

  “Mudgeton?”

  “This place was the start of the Zoey-Lana ladymance. Like a bromance but far more productive and long-lasting.”

  After waiting a few minutes, a cheerful—if tired—waiter came over and took their order. They ordered strawberry milkshakes because Lana promised they were the best on the planet. The kitchen was quick, and within a couple of minutes, their server placed a massive glass in front of Rick overloaded with whipped cream and fresh strawberries on top. For the first time that evening, Rick found himself looking at something he actually wanted to eat.

  “You might have been underselling this milkshake.” Rick slurped a sip, not caring that the straw made a loud sucking noise. “This is ridiculously good.”

  “Right? I told you! You should try the apple pie. It’s to die for.”

  It was the most animated she’d been in hours. Milkshake forgotten, Rick took Lana’s hand. “Are you okay?”

  She glanced down at the table, swallowing hard. “It’s difficult seeing him like that. He’s never raised his voice or mistreated someone in his life. That wasn’t Killian in there.”

  “Pain can make us become people we aren’t. Make us do things we would never consider doing.”

  Lana nodded, falling silent. Deciding not to push the issue, Rick looked around instead.

  Even though they were in the lower forty-eight, it wasn’t all that different from home. The land was flat, true, but the heavy Carhartt jackets were the same. Cold hands wrapped around hot cups of coffee as truck drivers ate slices of pie. Waiters and waitresses on sore feet spoke tired greetings to their customers, and the smell of French fries permeated the air.

  “So this is where you met Zoey?” Rick took in the restaurant, trying to imagine Lana and Zoey here without him.

  “Yes. She always worked the night shift, usually those tables over there, and I stopped in one night on my way to see some friends.”

  “Real friends or people who wanted something from you?”

  Lana smiled wryly. “You picked up on that tonight, huh? You know, love, it’s possible you’re starting to understand me a little too well.”

  Love. Did she mean it the way Rick meant it earlier that night? Or was it just an affectation of speech? He didn’t know her nearly well enough.

  She pointed at the far corner of the restaurant. “That table is where I technically met Zoey,” Lana told him. “Right over there. She was serving a table of truck drivers, and they were teasing her about being short. I watched her tell six men to go screw themselves and then pour a glass of water on the closest one’s lap. She was so fearless. I wanted to be her when I grew up.”

  “And now?”

  “Now I’m still very inspired by her, but I wouldn’t want to have to be married to Graham. I’m content being me.”

  Rick chuckled, scraping the sides of his milkshake glass to get the last drops. “So this is where it all began. The Thelma to your Louise?”

  “Absolutely. I could have lived here,” she told him. “I tried to. Zoey rode a bicycle home after her shifts, and I offered to give her a ride. She introduced me to her grandmother, and I fell in absolute love. I don’t think I left Mudgeton for a month.”

  “Does her grandmother still live here?”

  “Grandma Madge? Yes, she’s here.” Lana hesitated, then she bit he
r lower lip. “Would you like to meet her?”

  Rick would. It was nearly eleven at night, but according to Lana, Madge was a night owl. She also informed him that she would be in big trouble if Madge found out Lana had been in town and hadn’t said hello. Calling up Madge was easy. Procuring her the last piece of apple pie from the greedy hands of the other diners was harder, but Lana managed it.

  They drove down the street to a small single-family home, decorated with an eclectic collection of windchimes and ceramic gnomes in Harley clothes.

  “Is Madge a biker granny?”

  “Totally. Brace yourself,” she told Rick as they knocked on Zoey’s grandmother’s door. “And just agree with her. Madge won’t take no for an answer.”

  An absolutely delighted elderly woman opened the door as if it were noon and they were completely expected. Zoey’s grandmother was as tiny as Zoey was and then some. Head to toe in Hogwarts-themed pajamas, Madge Caldwell hustled them inside, telling Rick he was handsome so vigorously that his cheeks burned by the time he was told to sit down at the kitchen table. She made a fuss over Lana like she was a long-lost granddaughter.

  “Sweetie, just look at you,” Madge kept saying. “You’re so thin. I bet you haven’t eaten all year. Sit down, no no, sit. I’ll get you something to eat.”

  Unlike Zoey, Madge wasn’t shy in the least.

  “So tell me about my granddaughter. Zoey keeps sending me pictures of that man she met, and he’s certainly good-looking enough. But I worry about her up there all alone.”

  “Zoey’s happy.” Lana took Madge’s age-spotted hand. “I’ve never seen her so happy. She and Graham are perfect for each other. And I promise, he’s not leaving her alone for a second. He’s smitten.”

  “I looked him up online, you know. These fingers might be old, but they’re more than capable of finding dirt on a man who’s stolen my only granddaughter away from me.”

  “Are you doing okay? Zoey worries about you too.”

  “Nonsense. That child has lived with me for years, and it’s about time she went off and took something good for herself. I have plenty of company, and you know the local boys are always over here helping me out. If they knew you were here, the tires would already be squealing.”