Michelle watched in admiration as Austin interacted with the children. He was firm without being harsh, and it was obvious the kids adored him. They might’ve struck out in the mom department, but they’d hit a home run when it came to dad. She’d always been a sucker for a man who was good with kids.
But Austin was still the parent of one of her students. And he was still helping Wellsprings Pharmaceutical.
The kitchen filled with happy laughter as they worked together to prepare dinner, soothing her bleeding heart. This is what she wanted in her life—a loving husband, great kids, a nice house in the suburbs. The only thing that was missing was the family dog. She missed Bella so much.
Maybe she’d been hasty to give up on love. This seemed like a life worth fighting for.
They sat around the kitchen island, dishing up their plates. “So, are you guys doing anything fun tomorrow?” Michelle asked. “Sounds like you’ve already had a pretty fun weekend.”
“Mom is taking us to Santa’s Village,” Sydney said, standing on the chair in excitement.
“Pockets on the chair,” Austin said, his tone mild, and Sydney immediately complied. “Your mother said she’d try to come. You know she’s been very busy lately.”
“Mom promised this time,” Spencer said. “They have real reindeer there that you can feed and everything.”
“We’re not going to Santa’s Village,” Mariah said, her tone bitter and sharp. “Mom will find something more important to do at the last minute. She always does.”
Michelle caught Austin’s eye across the island, her heart breaking. His lips were pursed into a hard line, and she could see the pain he was hiding from his children.
“Your mom loves you very much,” Austin said.
“Mom loves money and Roberto,” Mariah said. “We’re barely even an afterthought.”
Michelle wanted to reach across the counter and wrap all three children in a tight hug.
“Mommy loves me,” Sydney said, her lip trembling.
“Guys, let’s not talk about this anymore,” Austin said, his voice stern. “There’s no use getting upset over something that might not even happen.”
“It will happen,” Mariah said. “You’ll see.”
A phone rang, and Austin pulled it from his pocket. His entire face darkened. A muscle spasmed in his tightly clenched jaw. Brows furrowed over dark eyes that were now narrowed. “Excuse me. I need to take this.” He rose and left the room.
“It’s Mom,” Mariah said, her tone dark. “He only gets that angry look when she calls.”
Michelle’s heart broke for this family—for Austin. She couldn’t imagine watching her children suffer like this.
Wellsprings Pharmaceutical might be evil. But Austin most definitely was not. She didn’t care what Their Only Voice said.
“So, Mariah,” Michelle said, trying to change the direction of the conversation. “How do you like being at the junior high?”
“It’s okay, I guess.” She slumped in her chair.
“What subject’s your favorite?” Michelle prodded.
“I like the labs we get to do in biology.”
“I always enjoyed that class, too,” Michelle said. Except when they’d had to dissect the frog. She’d staged a protest outside the school with a picket line and everything that day. “What about you, Spencer? Do you like science?”
Michelle kept up a tense conversation with the kids for the next few minutes. But everyone grew quiet when Austin came back into the room and took his seat.
He cleared his throat, dark shadows underneath his eyes. “Well, that was your mother.”
“She’s not coming,” Mariah said, her tone bitter and eyes dim.
“Roberto is receiving an award this weekend, and she feels like she really needs to support him.”
“So basically her boyfriend’s more important that her kids,” Mariah said. “Sounds about right.”
Spencer looked down at his plate, and Sydney’s lip trembled. Anger warred with sorrow in Michelle’s heart. How could a mother ignore her children?
“We can still go to Santa’s Village,” Austin said. “Let’s go first thing tomorrow. We’ll take the horse-drawn sleigh and feed the reindeer and drink hot chocolate and whatever else you want to do.”
“It’s not the same,” Spencer said.
“I know.” Austin’s voice broke. “But I think we’ll still have fun.”
Michelle looked at Austin across the table. His eyes were awash with sadness, and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and apologize for his ex-wife’s actions. But maybe she should leave instead. This felt like a private family matter.
“I miss Mommy,” Sydney said, her bottom lip trembling.
Austin scooted away from the bar and pulled her onto his lap, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “I know, pumpkin. But hey, we can still have a lot of fun. And the fun starts right now. What do you want to do tonight?”
Sydney looked across the table at Michelle. “Maybe you could make us that caramel popcorn and we could watch a movie?” she suggested hopefully.
Austin buried his head in Sydney’s hair, and Michelle thought she caught a glimmer of tears in his eyes. If caramel popcorn and a movie would help this family feel better, even for a few hours, she would do it.
“Sure,” Michelle said. “But I’m going to need some big helpers in the kitchen to make sure we get it just right.”
The knife that had lodged in Austin’s back when Victoria called slipped loose. Michelle was staying. The excitement on his three children’s faces had his heart somewhere in the region of his esophagus, and he struggled to keep his emotions from showing.
Michelle gathered loose mocha-colored curls into her hands and slipped a rubber band around them, utterly distracting him. “Austin, want to turn on some Christmas music?”
“Sure.” He’d run out to the store and buy a stereo right now if she asked him to. Luckily the house was wired with bluetooth speakers, and soon the rich timbre of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas filled the kitchen. A grin split Spencer’s face as Sydney bounced to the music.
“Perfect,” Michelle said. “Let’s pull over a chair for you to stand on, Sydney. I guess you guys have popcorn, right?”
“We do.” Spencer scampered over to the pantry. “Sometimes Lucy makes it for us.”
“Excellent,” Michelle said. “Mariah, can you grab the brown sugar and vanilla? Let’s see, we’ll also need baking soda and salt. Hmm. I guess you don’t have any coconut oil or dairy-free margarine do you?”
“I don’t think so,” Austin said. They sold that at grocery stores, right? The closest one was only a five-minute drive.
Mariah rolled her eyes and disappeared into the pantry. She emerged with a giant white tub, a bright blue label slapped on the front.
“When did we get coconut oil?” Austin asked.
“I asked Lucy to buy it,” Mariah said. “My cooking teacher said it’s great to fry things in.”
“Excellent,” Michelle said. “You guys won’t believe how yummy this caramel corn is.”
“I don’t see any caramel,” Sydney said.
“We’re making our own.” Michelle opened a cupboard, her hips swaying to the music. “Where are you pans?”
Austin ripped his eyes from Michelle’s figure. Pans. Did they even have those, or had Victoria taken them in the divorce? “Uh …”
Mariah sighed, opened a cupboard on the island, and pulled out a pan. “Will this work?”
Guilt gnawed at Austin. It wasn’t fair to Mariah that she’d had to take on so many household responsibilities since Victoria left.
“Perfect,” Michelle said. “Now, who can tell me what caramel is made of?”
Spencer glanced at the ingredients on the counter. “Brown sugar?”
“Bingo,” Michelle said. “It depends on who’s making it, but caramel is basically butter, sugar, cream, and vanilla. We’re going to use baking soda and coconut oil instead of butter and cream.
You won’t even be able to tell the difference. Promise.”
“I’ve never made caramel before,” Mariah said. Her phone remained shoved in her pocket, and Austin’s happiness compounded.
“It’s easy,” Michelle said. “Here, I’ll teach you.”
“What can I help with?” Austin asked.
Michelle waved her hand. “Just sit at the bar and watch. I’ve got the perfect helpers right here.”
For the next hour, Austin watched as Michelle patiently taught Mariah how to make caramel corn, with Spencer and Sydney assisting. The kids started out timid and quiet, but by the end the entire kitchen was filled with rich laughter. Austin was sure this recipe took Michelle half the time to prepare on her own, but she never once showed signs of frustration or complained.
The kids were so desperate for positive female attention—all of them. And Michelle provided exactly that. The hurt, cold woman from last night had completely disappeared. Was this the real Michelle, or was this a mask she wore when convenient? He’d thought he knew Victoria, too.
But this felt different. Michelle felt different.
“It smells so good,” Sydney said, bouncing up and down on her chair in time to Jingle Bells.
Michelle laughed, giving the popcorn another turn with a wooden spoon Austin hadn’t even known they had. “Hold still, Syd. I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”
“I didn’t know making caramel was so easy,” Mariah said. She’d put on an apron at some point and looked truly happy for the first time in months. Sugar granules clung to the fabric, and Austin thought he could see the shine of coconut oil on one cheek.
“I’ll write down the recipe before I leave,” Michelle said. “That way you can make it on your own, if you want to.”
“You think I can do that?” The hopeful note in Mariah’s voice killed Austin. Had Victoria ever praised the girl for anything?
“Absolutely,” Michelle said. “All done. Spencer, grab five plates and we’ll give it a try.”
Spencer did as he was asked, and soon they all sat around the island, a plate of caramel corn in front of each of them.
“Dig in,” Michelle said.
Austin picked up a piece of the sticky mixture. Popcorn without butter didn’t sound too appetizing, but he would eat the entire plate and act like it was the best thing ever. He took a large bite, prepared for a flavorless, soggy mess.
Holy cow. Not only was Michelle funny, compassionate, great with his kids, and gorgeous, she was also an amazing cook. He was never letting her leave. The popcorn gave a satisfying crunch, and flavor burst in his mouth—sweet and smooth, with just a hint of coconut that somehow added to the overall taste.
“I love it,” Sydney explained from her barstool.
Michelle laughed. “Don’t act so surprised.”
“I can’t even tell it’s vegan,” Mariah said. Spencer gave a thumbs up and smiled, revealing a mouth full of half-chewed popcorn.
“Manners, Spencer,” Austin said. “This really is delicious, Michelle.”
“You’re not just saying that?” she asked.
“I was skeptical at first, but you’ve made me a believer. You can cook vegan for us anytime.”
They grabbed their bowls, napkins, and drinks, then settled into the sectional to watch a Christmas movie. Sydney and Spencer immediately claimed the spots on either side of Michelle, and before the movie was half over, Sydney was asleep, her head resting against Michelle’s shoulder. Austin watched the tender scene, a terrifying and exciting realization settling over him.
He was falling for Michelle.
She glanced over, as though sensing his gaze, and gave him a small smile. His arm ached to rest around her shoulders. How had she managed to patch the hole in their lives so quickly? He’d bet his career that the children had completely forgotten about Victoria’s abandonment while they made popcorn.
By the time the movie ended, Spencer was asleep as well, and Mariah was fading fast. Austin picked up the remote and clicked off the TV, silence filling the room.
“We bored them clear to sleep,” Michelle said quietly.
Austin gave a low chuckle. “They’re just tired. Let me get these two upstairs and I’ll come back for her.” He pointed to Sydney.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Michelle said. It felt like a promise—one he very much wanted to accept.
Austin nudged Spencer awake and guided both him and Mariah up the stairs and into their bedrooms. When he came back downstairs, Sydney was still nestled against Michelle’s side.
“I hate to wake her up,” Michelle said. “She looks so peaceful.”
“I’ll carry her. She sleeps like the dead, anyway. We couldn’t wake her up if we tried.” We. He liked how effortlessly the word had slipped from his lips.
His hand brushed against Michelle’s shoulder as he gently lifted Sydney. She let out a mumble before settling against his shoulder, her warm breath puffing against his neck.
“Be right back,” Austin whispered.
Michelle nodded.
When Austin returned a few minutes later, he found Michelle washing dishes in the kitchen.
“You don’t need to do that,” he said.
“I don’t mind. Here, you can dry while I wash.” She smirked. “You do know where the dish towels are, don’t you?”
“Yes,” he said. And it only took two wrong drawers before he found the right one.
Michelle handed him a small bowl, and he toweled it off. “We do have a dishwasher, you know.”
“I know. But I like hand washing things. It’s soothing, plus it saves energy. I do my best thinking while I’m washing dishes.”
He took another bowl from her. How long had it been since he’d felt like a team with a woman, even in such a mundane task? He and Victoria had never truly worked together. They’d always been half a beat out of sync. “And what are you thinking about now?”
Michelle flicked a glance his direction. “I’m not sure I should say.”
“I think that means you definitely should tell me.”
“It’ll sound judgmental.”
“Out with it.”
She sighed. “I’m thinking about your ex-wife. How can she stand to not be with those kids? They’re so great—all of them. Mariah is responsible and picks up on things very quickly, and Spencer jumps right in and helps without asking. And Sydney is so sweet. They’re all polite and respectful, and they’re so funny. This was the best evening I’ve had in a long time.”
Austin took the last bowl from her hands, their fingers just brushing. “Victoria is someone I never should’ve married. She was always a free spirit—that’s what attracted me to her initially. It didn’t take long after we had Mariah for me to realize Victoria didn’t really want to be a mother. But birth control isn’t always effective, and we ended up with Spencer and Sydney. I was thrilled, but she got worse and worse with each child.”
“I’m so sorry, Austin. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking this is for you.”
“It’s beyond heartbreaking. But seeing you with them tonight was incredible. I don’t know if I can ever thank you enough.”
She blushed, looking down. “I’m glad I could distract them from their disappointment for even a few hours.”
He reached out, brushing his knuckles along her cheekbone. “You’ve definitely distracted me.”
Her breathing stuttered. “I should get going.”
“Okay.” But he didn’t step back, and neither did she. He searched her face and saw the longing he felt reflected there. He took another step closer, but then she did break away, taking a few steps back.
“Thank you again for tonight,” she said.
He stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded. “Will you … be okay at home?”
Her eyes filled with tears, but she quickly blinked them back. “Last night was hard, but I’ll be okay.”
“Let me walk you to your car.”
Michelle nodded. He waited for her to slip int
o her shoes and jacket, then followed her into the chilly December air. She unlocked her car door, then turned to face him.
“Can I call you sometime?” he asked.
“Okay.” She gave a little laugh. “I guess that means you need my number.”
“Yeah, I guess it does.”
“Give me yours, and I’ll send you a text.”
He rattled off his number, and his phone buzzed in his pocket a moment later.
“There.” She leaned forward and Austin wrapped his arms around her. She melded against his body perfectly, and he inhaled her watermelon scent. She dropped her arms, and reluctantly he let her go. “Goodnight,” she whispered.
“Goodnight,” he said.
She climbed into her car and drove off. Austin stood on the sidewalk, watching until her taillights disappeared. Then he fished out his phone. The text icon blinked, and he opened it. The text was only five words: I miss you already. -Michelle.
She’d almost let him kiss her.
Michelle drove home on autopilot, replaying the evening over in her mind. Sydney and Spencer had warmed up to her almost immediately, and by the end of the night, even Mariah had relaxed. Michelle had loved teaching the kids how to make caramel popcorn, had loved it when the two youngest snuggled up against her for the movie. She’d caught Austin watching her more than once, and each instance sent warm shivers up her spine and whispered of a promise she wasn’t sure she should accept.
She knew he liked her. The electricity that sparked between them each time they met was undeniable. But she wasn’t sure what to do about it.
On Sunday, Michelle wandered aimlessly around the house, aching for Bella. She pulled out her phone more than once to text Austin, but each time put it back untouched. She’d see him tomorrow at the Christmas assembly, and she didn’t want to interrupt family time. Had he taken the kids to Santa’s Village? Were the kids having a good time, or was the visit a painful reminder of their mother’s abandonment? Michelle wanted to wrap that entire family in a hug and never let them go. They deserved so much better.
On Monday morning, Michelle dressed carefully, mindful of the media that would be present at the assembly. She looked back and forth between the green A-line dress with the three-quarter length sleeves and the black lacy skirt with a white silk blouse. Which would Austin like more? She chewed on her lip, holding both outfit up to her chin as she gazed into the mirror. His opinion shouldn’t matter. The green dress was less formal, and therefore more appropriate for work. He probably wouldn’t even notice that it was the exact same shade as her eyes.
Mistletoe Match (No Match for Love) Page 7
