The Christmas Dare

by Lori Wilde

  “I’m visiting for the holiday.”

  “Is your mother here too?” Judy Paulson craned her neck.

  “No, she’s in Dallas readying to take office.”

  “And you’re not by her side?” A disapproving look crossed the woman’s face.

  “Shh . . . it’s not for public knowledge, but Kelsey came to reunite with her childhood sweetheart.” Tasha nodded at Noah. “They went to Camp Hope as kids.” She went on to create a dramatic story of two heartbroken kids who’d forged a bond, then had found a second chance at romance.

  “I—” Kelsey started to set Mrs. Paulson straight, but Tasha bumped her in the back of her knee.

  “Oh my.” The sunshine smile was back on Mrs. Paulson’s face. “That is so romantic! Just like the Twilight Sweetheart legend.”

  Noah cleared his throat as if he intended to say something. The judges looked his way, but Tasha rushed in again.

  “Exactly,” Tasha said. “Why do you think Noah cued up ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’? It’s all for Kelsey.”

  “What a darling story! Another tale for the Twilight legend.” Judy Paulson motioned for the two male judges to follow her over to one side. They held a whispered conversation.

  Kelsey looked at Noah to see how he was taking this. His expression was blank. Unnerved, she dropped her gaze to Tasha.

  Her friend raised her eyebrows and her shoulders, held out her palms.

  Judy left the huddle and came back to where Kelsey, Noah, Tasha, Sean, Joel, and Raylene were standing beside the gazebo. “I have great news. The design is terrific, and the scale of your display is impressive, but what really puts you over the top, Mr. MacGregor, is Kelsey herself and your heartwarming love story. We’re pleased to announce that your entry advances to the final round in the small business category.”

  The judges shook Noah’s hand, and congratulated him on both the display and his renewed association with Kelsey. Mrs. Paulson invited them both to tour the Spencer House.

  As the judges departed, Raylene turned to Tasha. “You laid it on pretty thick about the reunited sweethearts thing.”

  “Hey, it’s all about the marketing, am I right? You heard Mrs. Paulson. Kelsey is the reason Noah is a finalist.”

  Noah put his mackinaw back on, jammed his hands into his pockets. Kelsey still couldn’t read his reaction, but she feared he didn’t approve of the turn of events.

  “You’re a shoo-in as a finalist.” Raylene put a hand on Noah’s shoulder. “No one in town has as much Christmas spirit as you and now you’ve got this whole Sweetheart Legend schtick going on with Kelsey . . .”

  “Hey, hey!” Joel snapped his fingers at Raylene. “I resent that remark. I have Christmas spirit too.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you all.” Noah’s smile was humble, but he did not meet Kelsey’s eyes. “You guys rock my world.”

  “And don’t you forget it.” Raylene elbowed him in the ribs.

  “I’m glad you finalled, little brother.” Joel was two minutes older. “It’s no competition if you’re not in it.”

  “Just wait until I take you down.” Noah dropped his knees to the ground to demonstrate how low Joel would sink.

  Joel laughed. “Gonna whup your ass, bro. Better put on your crying pants.”

  Seeing Noah and Joel together in their good-natured teasing and brotherly playfulness plucked strings of longing deep inside Kelsey. It had been seventeen years since Chelsea’s death, but she still missed her twin something fierce.

  Tasha rubbed her palms together, cast a sideways look at Sean. “So, about that fondue . . .”

  “Mind if we tag along?” Sean asked Noah.

  Noah quirked an eyebrow at Kelsey. Waiting for her approval?

  “The more the merrier,” Kelsey said, even though she longed to be alone with Noah. She’d not yet shared the news that she’d relinquished her phone to Tasha for seventy-two hours, but feared looking selfish if she said no. “Please come along.”

  Noah shrugged. “Sure. Come along. My treat, y’all, for helping finish the gazebo.” He turned to his twin. “Joel, you coming?”

  “Can’t. Gotta prep for Christmas Casino,” Joel said.

  “Christmas Casino?” Tasha cocked her head. “What’s that?”

  “A Christmas-themed gambling party.” Joel grinned. “Just like it sounds.”

  “Ooh.” Tasha rubbed her palms. “I’m in.”

  Kelsey noticed her friend studying Sean from the corner of her eye while the former SEAL moved to adjust a piece of garland that was drooping a bit on the lip of the gazebo gutter.

  “Christmas Casino is our second annual black-tie charity event,” Noah explained. “Last year it was our biggest fundraiser of the season. We’re hoping to top it this year. All the profits raised go to support ALS research.”

  “You guys do a lot of charity events,” Kelsey said. “The Christmas Bards, cookie club brunch, Christmas Casino . . .”

  “That’s not half of it.” Sean caught Tasha eyeing him and smiled. “Together these two are the biggest fundraisers in Twilight. I mean look at ’em.” He waved his hands at the brothers. “Tall, good-looking. The way they smile at you makes you want to crack your wallet wide open . . .”

  “You ladies are invited too,” Joel said. “We’d love to see you there.”

  Tasha crinkled her nose. “Neither one of us brought anything black-tie-y to wear.”

  “That’s easily solved.” Noah nodded in the direction of the Twilight town square. “There’s a formal wear rental shop in town.”

  “Are you going to the event?” Tasha asked Sean.

  Sean shook his head. “Someone has to hold down the fort at the Rockabye.”

  “Sooo . . .” Tasha eyed Sean. “You’ll be here all alone on Friday night?”

  “I will.”

  They locked gazes.

  Kelsey shifted her attention back to Noah and Joel. “Congrats again to both of you on making the final round.”

  “Thanks again for your help. You made it possible,” Noah said, his voice even and his eyes inscrutable. “Without your connection to Mrs. Paulson and Tasha’s creative embellishment of our relationship, the Rockabye wouldn’t have made the cut.”

  “You don’t know that,” Kelsey said. Noah might look easygoing on the surface, but she sensed the Mrs. Paulson thing had gotten under his skin.

  Why? Shouldn’t he be happy that she’d helped him cement his advancement to the final round?

  Doubt pulled at her. Maybe it was the way Tasha had played on their story. She had made it sound like they were lovers.

  “Believe me,” Noah said, a bite of icy steel in his voice. “I know all too well how the rich manipulate people to get what they want.”

  “Oh right,” she shot back, surprising herself by speaking her mind. “Like the poor don’t manipulate.”

  “I’m not saying they don’t. I’m just pointing out that money gives clout and clout gives the power to make or break people’s lives.” He touched his cheek.

  Kelsey’s eye twitched. “Maybe we should call this dinner off.”

  He looked surprised at that. “Why?”

  “You seem upset with me.”

  “Not with you, Firefly. With myself.”

  Chapter 17

  The fondue restaurant, The Swiss Melt, was Bavarian themed, with high-backed booths covered with sheepskin, thick ceiling beams, and wood-paneled everything.

  The curtains were designed to look like Swiss flags, and cuckoo clocks hung on the wall. In the center of the room was a wood-burning two-sided fireplace, alive with crackling logs. Christmas trees flanked either side of the dining room, fondue pots bubbled on nearby tables, and a hurdy-gurdy version of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” filtered through the speakers.

  But Noah barely noticed. In his head, he kept turning over what had happened with the contest judges. How he hadn’t been a shoo-in until Judy Paulson recognized Kelsey.

  Political clout wins
again.

  He was disappointed in himself. That he let it get to him. Why should he care? He was in the finals. One step closer to winning the money for ALS.

  And yet the kid he’d once been, that kid from the wrong side of the river, the kid who’d lost his mother, the kid whose father started drinking heavily to deal with his grief, still lived inside of him. The inferiority complex of not being good enough for the likes of Kelsey James reared its ugly head. The self-doubt he hid behind a lazy smile and easygoing attitude still lived within him.

  Noah helped Kelsey off with her coat and Sean did the same for Tasha. They hung their outerwear on the moose antler coatrack beside their table.

  Kelsey and Noah sat together on one side of the booth. Tasha and Sean on the other. A double date.

  It felt awkward at first. Uncomfortable.

  No one said anything.

  Noah cast around for something witty to say, but he was so overwhelmed by Kelsey’s intoxicating fragrance he came up empty. “You smell good.”

  “Thank you.” She folded her hands in her lap.

  “How are your hands?”

  “Good. The burn cream you put on them is helping them heal.”

  More silence.

  Yikes. Okay, this was not going according to plan.

  Stop thinking about how awkward you feel. Operation Kelsey, remember? This is about making her feel special.

  A perky server named Samantha, dressed in a uniform that looked like it came straight off a box of Swiss Miss cocoa, appeared with menus. Noah recognized her right away—she’d dated Joel for a couple of months the previous summer.

  Samantha took one look at Noah’s face and her eyes widened. “What happened to you?”

  “Long boring story.” Noah waved a hand.

  “Of course, it is. Nothing exciting ever happens in Twilight,” Samantha said, passing out the menus.

  Noah didn’t agree. He sent a sidelong glance toward Kelsey and met her gaze. She grinned, and he couldn’t help grinning back. He might not deserve her, but he enjoyed being with her.

  “Bite your tongue, woman,” Noah told Samantha. “Twilight is a hotbed of excitement.”

  “If you believe that, then I really don’t want to see what you consider boring.” Samantha crossed her arms.

  “She’s right,” Sean said. “I moved to Twilight because it is boring.”

  “But you do like some excitement, right?” Tasha sidled closer to Sean.

  Kelsey leaned across the table and whispered, “Be prepared. She’s a swashbuckler.”

  “Not that I don’t love you,” Tasha said to Kelsey, “but keep to your lane, sister.”

  “Burn.” Sean chuckled. “She got you.”

  “See what I mean?” Kelsey said. “Tasha is really good at swordplay.”

  Tasha stuck out her tongue. “For the record, Sean enjoys the way I play with swords.”

  “Joel was really good at swordplay.” Samantha sighed.

  “TMI.” Kelsey put her hands over her ears.

  “You’re no fun,” Tasha teased. “Noah, lighten her up. She’s in desperate need of some swordplay herself.”

  “Tasha!”

  Tasha grinned, shrugged. “Just speaking my truth.”

  Noah looked over at Kelsey.

  She sat so contained, so proper. Spine straight. Shoulders back. Her blond hair braided in that long, restrained braid. She wore a high-necked white blouse with all the buttons done up underneath a simple gray cardigan, black designer-label slacks.

  He ached to ruffle her up, turn her back into the adventuresome young woman who’d once sneaked away to meet him on the dock.

  Firefly, he thought. You light up my world.

  She was the first woman he’d been interested in since his divorce. Kelsey supercharged him, but the timing was all wrong. She was stinging from getting stood up at the altar and the last thing he wanted was to be her rebound man.

  She tilted her head and met his gaze, a slight smile tugging at her lips and it felt like Christmas morning when he ripped open the packages and found absolutely everything he’d wished for.

  “What should we order?” Kelsey studied the menu.

  “Here’s the thing,” said Samantha. “It’s basically all the same. You pick the items from the list on this side”—she leaned over to run a finger down Kelsey’s menu—“that you want to dunk in cheese, and on the opposite side, you pick the kind of cheeses you want to melt. My fave is the nutmeg-infused Gruyère paired with lamb.”

  “That’s quite helpful,” Kelsey said. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll get you guys started with some drinks,” Samantha said. “What’ll you have?”

  “Beer,” Sean and Tasha said simultaneously, then looked at each other and laughed.

  “What kind?” Samantha asked.

  In unison, Tasha and Sean said, “Whatever is on tap.”

  “I’ll have iced tea, unsweet,” Kelsey said.

  “You don’t want an adult beverage?” Noah asked.

  She shook her head. “I want to keep my wits about me.”

  Hmm, what did that mean? “I’ll have the same,” Noah told Samantha, “but make mine sweet tea.”

  “Well, I see who’s going to be the life of this party.” Samantha nodded at Tasha and Sean, who were busy peering into each other’s eyes. “I’ll get your drinks and be right back to take your food order.”

  The conversation lagged, and Noah had a feeling that Tasha and Sean were playing footsie underneath the table.

  Those two were in their own little world, and the awkward silence was back between him and Kelsey.

  “How long has this place been here?” Kelsey asked, grasping at conversational straws. “Looks like it’s the happening place in town.”

  “A couple of months,” Noah said.

  It was six p.m. on a Monday, and the place was filling up with families. Dads in jeans and Stetsons, coming in off the local ranches. Or the chinos and collared shirts of office workers or small business owners. Moms in skirts or slacks and yoga pants. Kids with backpacks and electronic devices. People greeted one another. Raised hands and hearty voices. Shoulder claps and handshakes. Folks in Twilight talked slow and moved slower. People congregated near the door, visiting, catching up, touching base.

  How’s your mom after her surgery?

  Did you get the text I sent about the toy drive?

  Congratulations to little Billy for winning the spelling bee.

  Hey, I heard your car is in the shop. Do you need a ride to work tomorrow?

  Twilight. Communal. Gossipy. Bighearted. Noah loved his hometown.

  He knew without having to ask that this was a far cry from Kelsey’s monied world of political glad-handing and campaign fund galas. What did she really think of Twilight? Did she find it quaint and amusing? Or hopelessly backwater and old-fashioned? Would she ever consider living in a place like this?

  Whoa there. Slow down. Gotta cut thoughts like that off at the knees.

  “Ooh.” Kelsey nudged him with an elbow and nodded to a fir tree in the corner. “I just now noticed that Christmas tree is decorated with Swiss Army ornaments.”

  “The restaurant is donating real Swiss Army knives as prizes for our Christmas Casino event.” His side felt tingly where her elbow had prodded him, and he caught a whiff of her hair, which smelled like strawberries.

  “Fun! What are some of the other prizes?”

  “The mattress store is donating memory foam pillows.”

  “Comfy.” She hugged herself. “I adore memory foam. Who knows, maybe I’ll win one. Although I’ve never really gambled before.”

  “You are such a comfort kitty.” Tasha gave Kelsey a meaningful look.

  “What’s that?” Noah asked.

  “She loves her creature comforts. Give her books, a bubble bath, and a cup of hot tea and she’s in heaven.”

  “Really?” Noah said, trying hard not to imagine Kelsey lounging naked in a sudsy tub, her long hair pinned to the to
p of her head, reading glasses on the end of her nose, book in hand. The song “Hot for Teacher” ran through his head. He slid a glance at Kelsey. “What’s your favorite tea?”

  Kelsey’s cheeks turned pink. “I like a lot of different varieties.”

  “Tell the truth,” Tasha popped off. “Her favorite is passion tea. That’s because tea is the only place she gets any—ow! Why did you kick me?”

  Kelsey smirked. “Oh, did I kick you? I’m so sorry. I was just moving my foot.”

  Noah hid his grin behind his hand. Kelsey might come off as straightlaced on the surface, but underneath, fire lurked. She’d just been suppressing it for so long, she’d forgotten it was there.

  “So.” Noah propped his elbow on the table and his chin in his upturned palm and gave his full attention to Kelsey. “What do you like about passion tea?”

  “I like mint tea too. And chamomile.”

  “But they aren’t your favorite. What is it about passion?”

  She shot him a stare that said she wished he’d stop saying passion. “The tea is healthy and caffeine free.”

  Tasha exaggerated putting her palm over a big fake yawn.

  “The brand I like comes in the prettiest pink packaging.” Her face brightened. “It’s made from hibiscus flower—”

  “FYI,” Tasha interrupted. “Kels has always wanted to go to Hawaii, but Filomena says it’s too full of tourists.”

  Kelsey crossed her eyes at Tasha.

  “Oops, sorry. I have a big mouth.” Tasha pantomimed locking her lips with a key and tossing the key over her shoulder.

  “You were saying about the tea . . .” Noah nudged. He didn’t give two shakes about tea, but what he did care about was what made Kelsey happy. If that was tea, then he wanted to know all about it.

  “No one wants to hear of my love for tea.” Kelsey waved a hand. “Oh look, here is Samantha with our drinks.”

  She reached over to take the tea glass Samantha offered, and Kelsey’s thigh brushed against Noah’s. He could feel her body heat radiating through the layers of their clothes and seeping into his skin.