Christmas in Snow Valley

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  The baggage claim area was abuzz with people. She scanned the faces, looking for Lance as she made her way to the carousel for her flight. Her stomach twisted with anxiety over the inevitable confrontation with Lance. If only she could avoid seeing him in the first place. Since she’d been squished between Jed and Maxine on the flight, maybe she’d luck out and Lance would show up late, or even better, not show up at all.

  Speaking of her seatmates, Lucy spotted Jed standing in the front of the crowd, still talking on his cell phone. She couldn’t see Maxine, which meant she either got on another flight or hadn’t checked any luggage.

  With no sign of Lance, Lucy eased into the milling people to wait for the luggage conveyer belt to start moving. That’s when she spotted Mr. Blue Eyes.

  He was taller than she’d realized. Probably at least six two. She wouldn’t have to worry about wearing too high of a heel if she went out with him. At five six, she could wear her favorite four inch stilettos and still have to look up into his eyes.

  What was she doing? The odds of her ever getting a date with the handsome stranger were about as good as her mother not telling her what to do. Besides, the guy was probably married or had a girlfriend. Although… her eyes dropped to his left hand, and she could see he didn’t have a wedding ring on. She squinted, and couldn’t see any telltale signs of a ring having ever been there.

  As if he could feel her checking him out, he turned his head slightly and their eyes met. Oh wow. A girl could get lost staring into those pools of blue. Sort of like she was doing right now. She felt herself smile at him. It was kind of like sending a wink on the online dating service she’d signed up for and then quit a few weeks later after some weird guy started stalking her.

  His mouth quirked up for only a second before he looked away as the conveyor belt came to life. That counted as a smile, right? It was better than the scowl he’d given her on the plane. If only she could’ve sat beside him instead of Jed. She would’ve found out if he lived in California or Montana, and whether or not he was single.

  Not that any of that mattered. She didn’t have any luck when it came to men. They were either workaholics or liked to party. Lucy was looking for someone like her daddy. A hard worker who loved God, his family and his country. They didn’t make men like her daddy anymore.

  Sighing, Lucy focused on the carousel, hoping to spot her luggage so she could retrieve it and then rent a car. All before Lance arrived.

  She inched closer, still scanning the surrounding area for any signs of her old boyfriend. Finally, she spotted her bag. She moved forward and grabbed her carry-on and then her larger boarding case. Just as she extended the handle, she saw Lance coming toward the carousel.

  Stifling a moan, she watched him in disbelief. In one hand he held a bouquet of red roses, in his other hand he carried a small wrapped package. Panic engulfed her. What if her mother had somehow talked him into proposing to her at the airport? Worse, he wore his high school letterman jacket.

  She did not want a proposal from a guy wearing his high school letterman jacket.

  It didn’t look like he’d noticed her yet. Maybe she could duck through the crowd and hide out in the women’s bathroom until he left. Slowly, she backed up a few steps, all the while keeping her eyes pinned on Lance. Just before she made it out of his line of sight, Lance saw her. He smiled and made a beeline straight for her.

  Lucy froze, desperately trying to come up with a plan. Why couldn’t she have a boyfriend with her?

  From the corner of her eye, she saw the cute guy with the amazing blue eyes grab his luggage from the moving conveyor.

  In a moment of temporary insanity, Lucy rushed over to the man and threw her arms around his neck. “Please. Just go along with this, okay?”

  Chapter Two

  STARTLED, THE MAN ONLY STARED AT HER. Lucy didn’t have time to appreciate how good he smelled. She was on a mission. The man must have seen the distressed look in her eyes. Although somewhat stiffly, he brought his hands up and settled them around her waist.

  “Lucy? What’re doing?” Lance’s voice was loud and irritated.

  “Um, hi,” Lucy said, ignoring Lance, and trying not to get distracted by the color of the man’s eyes. “I’m Lucy, and I need you to kiss me. Right now.”

  “Are you crazy, lady?” the guy answered.

  Was it a good sign that he hadn’t dropped his hands yet?

  “Maybe a little. But I’m also desperate.”

  “Lucy, who is that man you’re with?”

  Lance was closing in.

  “Please. Just one little kiss. If he sees me kissing another man maybe he’ll finally get the message and leave me alone.”

  The guy’s eyes flickered up, and his gaze narrowed slightly. Then his hands tightened around her waist, and in one smooth motion he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his.

  The kiss was tentative, like a kiss between strangers should be. Not that Lucy had ever done this kind of thing before. Still, it was nice, and warmed her all the way down to her toes.

  Too soon, the guy pulled back and gazed at her with troubled eyes. She was anything but troubled, and desperately wanted to ask for another kiss. He must have read her mind. After a slight hesitation, he lowered his head and kissed her again. This time long, sweet and slow.

  Lucy dropped her hands to his chest and gripped his coat to keep from falling over. She held on and returned the kiss. She heard Lance call out her name and knew he had to be directly behind her. She didn’t care. All she wanted was this kiss to go on forever.

  A loud wolf-whistle and thunderous clapping finally penetrated her brain. Well, that and Lance tapping her on the shoulder.

  She reluctantly ended the incredible kiss. Breathless, she and her…kissing counterpart drew back and held each other’s gaze. Heat surged through her when the guy looked like he wanted to resume their spontaneous interchange.

  “Lucy,” Lance said. “Who is this?”

  I have no idea but boy can he kiss. “Um…” She bit her lip, and looked to Blue Eyes for help.

  “Cole.”

  She liked his name, especially the husky way he said it. “Lance, this is Cole,” she said, noticing how breathy her own voice sounded.

  “Yeah, I got that. Why are you kissing him?”

  “I think that would be obvious.”

  “Your mother said you aren’t dating anyone.”

  “My mother doesn’t know everything.”

  Suddenly, a phone vibrated in Cole’s shirt pocket. He cleared his throat and stepped back, making Lucy’s hands fall to her side. “Excuse me, but I need to get this.”

  Please don’t let it be his girlfriend.

  Cole answered, and immediately his eyes widened. “I just landed, but I’ll get there as soon as I can.” He ended the call, and looked at Lucy. “Hey, I’m sorry but I’ve got an emergency and need to leave right now.”

  What could she say to that? It’s not like she could demand he not leave her.

  “Okay. Drive carefully.”

  Cole smiled, shook his head and grabbed the handle of his boarding case. “I will. Thanks…for…uh, understanding.”

  They were talking like they were complete strangers—which they were—she just didn’t want Lance to know that.

  “Call me later,” Lucy tossed out to Cole’s retreating back.

  Looking back over his shoulder, he lifted a questioning brow. “Sure.”

  Yeah, she knew he didn’t have a way to contact her, but she couldn’t just yell out her cell number. Instead, she waved, knowing she’d never see the guy again. It really stunk. Here she finally met a man who lit her up like Snow Valley’s city Christmas tree, and all she knew was his first name. Well, she also knew what a great kisser he was.

  He disappeared through the crowd, leaving Lucy with Lance.

  “You aren’t upset your boyfriend just left you?”

  “He had an emergency.”

  “And he couldn’t have taken you with him?�
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  Lucy grabbed the handle of her boarding case. She didn’t want to have this conversation. What was that saying her dad used to say? Something about weaving a tangled web when you lied. Her impulsive kiss with a total stranger created one heck of a tangled web. If she kept talking it would only make things worse.

  “I never planned on riding with Cole.” Ha! That was definitely not a lie.

  “So you two aren’t serious then?”

  Shoot. If she answered truthfully it would give him hope. “Does it matter?”

  “Yeah, it matters,” Lance said. “Then I’ll know if I still have a chance.” Lance’s voice cracked, and for a second she thought he might start to cry. In fact, now that she was really looking at him his nose looked a little red.

  “Do I have a chance, Lucy?”

  He sounded so hopeful, but Lucy had to set him straight. “Lance, you’ll always be my friend, but nothing more.”

  His eyes narrowed, and the muscle in his jaw ticked. Suddenly, he leaned over and pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss surprised her, and it took her a few seconds before she pushed him away.

  “What did you do that for?”

  “To show you that you still have feelings for me.” He grinned. “It worked, right?”

  No! Nothing could compare to the incredible kiss she’d just shared with a man named Cole.

  “No, Lance. The only feelings I have right now is anger.”

  She grabbed both of her bags and started marching toward the car rental desk. Lance was right on her heels.

  “Lucy, where are you going?”

  “To rent a car.”

  “It’s snowing outside. You don’t like to drive in the snow.”

  “Then I’ll catch a bus.”

  “You really want to be on a bus in a Montana snow storm?”

  No. She really, really didn’t want to be on a bus. Period. She halted and whirled around to face him. “Then I’ll wait the storm out.”

  “I’m sorry, Lucy.” His voiced cracked again, and he winced when he coughed. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

  “You’re right about that, buddy.”

  “No, I mean I really shouldn’t have kissed you. I might have strep throat.” He coughed again. “At least that’s what my nephew had last week. Doc Taggart gave me a prescription for antibiotics, but I didn’t get it filled yet. I figured I’d wait until Monday to see if my culture comes back positive.”

  Lucy stared at him, curbing the impulse to slap him upside the head. She did not want to be sick for her Christmas vacation. “So you haven’t started the medication yet?”

  He shrugged. “Nah, you know how I feel about doctors and medicine. I’d rather let nature heal me.”

  Closing her eyes, Lucy silently counted to ten very slowly. Telling Lance she wasn’t going to date him was futile. He would never get it. The only way he’d leave her alone is if she got married, or found him another girlfriend.

  “C’mon, Lucy. Don’t be mad. You’re healthy, so I doubt you’ll get sick.”

  Letting out a defeated breath, she opened her eyes. “Is it really snowing? My weather app said it wouldn’t snow until after midnight.”

  “It’s not here where the storm is. Snow Valley is getting pummeled right now. Heck, even with four-wheel drive I barely made it out of town.”

  “All right. I won’t rent a car.”

  He grinned and handed her the roses. “I almost forgot. These are for you.”

  Lucy accepted the flowers. “Thank you.” She watched as he pulled the little package out of his coat pocket, and didn’t try to prevent him from giving it to her. What would be the point?

  “This is for you too.” Lance held out the gift.

  “I’ll put it under the tree.”

  Lance shook his head. “No, you need to open it now. In case you want to get a nice dress or something.”

  If this was his idea of proposal, she wouldn’t have a hard time saying no.

  Without really having a choice, she slowly unwrapped the gift. The box wasn’t the typical velvet jeweler’s box, which gave her a small measure of relief. Opening the lid, she spied a scroll of paper, tied with a tiny bow.

  Taking out the scroll, she slipped off the ribbon and unrolled the paper. It was a ticket to the Christmas ball. Seven years earlier, that dance had been her and Lance’s first date.

  “Will you go with me to the dance, Lucy? It’ll be like old times.”

  “We’re not in high school anymore.” Her eyes honed in on his coat.

  He laughed. “I know that.” He glanced down at his jacket. “I couldn’t find my other coat and just threw this thing on.”

  “I don’t know, Lance. I’ll have to think about it.” Maybe if she took long enough she could find someone else for Lance to take to the Christmas ball.

  “C’mon, Luce. Say yes.”

  “If I remember right, girls usually have time to answer, right?” The last time he’d asked her to the dance, she’d taken a week to answer him. Then it had been something lame like giving him a bag of Swedish fish with a note saying “Out of all the fish in the sea, I’m glad you picked me.”

  Lance’s eyes lit up, like he remembered her answer, and he had liked it. Or, maybe he just liked Swedish fish. She could get him a few bags and say something like, “There’s plenty of fish in the sea, and you don’t want to end up with me.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait for your answer.” He winked and then started coughing.

  Lucy turned away and held her breath. She really didn’t want to get sick. On second thought, if she did come down with strep throat it would be a good excuse to say no.

  Lance took her two bags and led her out to his SUV. It was then Lucy remembered she actually had forgotten to pack her coat. Score one for her mother.

  Chapter Three

  COLE TAGGART FELL ONTO THE BED, exhausted from the day’s events. And what a day it had been. First, the fight with his ex-fiancée, Nikki, about the engagement ring he’d never given her, but she thought she should get since she’d said yes to his proposal. It didn’t matter to her that she’d been cheating on him with the other doctor in his medical practice. She really believed she was owed the ring. Cole had laughed and walked away, leaving her to have her temper tantrum in private.

  The fourteen thousand dollar one carat diamond had been an investment he’d made before starting medical school. Nikki hadn’t decided on a setting yet, and had been trying to negotiate getting a bigger diamond. Negotiations came to a screeching halt when Cole found her and his partner entangled in a passionate embrace late one night at the clinic. They’d tried to say it wasn’t a big deal, but since neither of them had any clothes on, Cole had won that argument too.

  At least closing up his condo had been uneventful, and the moving truck was now on its way to Snow Valley, Montana. Cole would miss the Northern California weather, especially since he’d chosen to move during the winter, but he’d done his residency at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and was accustomed to cold weather and snow.

  Before catching his plane, he’d stopped by to tell his parents goodbye. It wasn’t even noon and his dad had already had too much to drink. At least his dad was a happy drunk. It compensated for the cold, hard woman his mother was. Like always, she let Cole know how angry she was with him since he’d announced he was buying his uncle’s medical practice and moving to Montana.

  Actually, his mother had been mad at him since he’d opted to specialize in family practice medicine rather than go into plastic surgery. It wasn’t good enough for her social circle. She was also angry he’d broken off the engagement with Nikki. Just like his mother, Nikki came from old money. And money meant everything to his mother.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Cole didn’t have the energy to get up and answer it. “Come in.”

  His Uncle Will stuck his head in the door. “Hey, I just wanted to thank you for your assistance today. The emergency crew and hospital workers were really impressed with you.”


  “Thanks. I’m glad I could be of help.” The twenty car pileup hadn’t taken any lives, but it had left plenty of people injured. Even though it took Cole a little over two hours to get to the hospital, he’d still been needed. He, his uncle and the rest of the health care providers had worked tirelessly assessing and treating the accident victims. They’d finally finished nearly five hours after Cole arrived.

  “I know you’re worn out, but I’ll bet you’re also hungry.”

  Cole was starving, but he didn’t think he had the strength to do anything about it. How could his uncle be so perky? The man was more than twice Cole’s age of thirty-one, and yet he didn’t look at all tired.

  “I could eat.”

  “My neighbor, Beverly, just brought by a pot of homemade beef stew and hot rolls fresh out of the oven.” Uncle Will wiggled his eyebrows. “She’s got a thing for me and is always feeding me.”

  Chuckling, Cole sat up. Uncle Will had a girlfriend. She must be nice since his uncle was so cheerful. “You’re a lucky man.”

  “That I am. I was married to the sweetest woman in the world for thirty-eight wonderful years, and now I’m dating the best cook in the state of Montana.” He winked at his nephew. “She ain’t a bad kisser either.”

  Why did his uncle have to bring up kissing? Cole’s body heated at the thought of the pretty girl he’d kissed in the airport. He hoped his face wasn’t as flushed as he felt.

  “TMI, Uncle Will.”

  “I’m too old to know what that means. You’ll have to translate.”

  “It means too much information.”

  His uncle barked out a laugh. “You’re just jealous.”

  He waggled his brows again. “You need a woman of your own. Bev and I can set you up with a few pretty gals that will keep you warm this winter.”

  “No thanks.” Cole stood up and stretched. “I’m done with women.”