Mistletoe Magic

by Fern Michaels

  Did she? She wasn’t sure. “I don’t know.”

  “Why don’t you take a hot shower? I’ll whip up something to eat and then we can get down to business.”

  She nodded. “Sure, I’ll be just a few minutes.” She warmed her coffee and took it with her. She glanced at the clock on the opposite side of the table. Unless it was wrong . . . no, Liam had said it was after twelve. She ran back into the great room to get her cell phone. She knew the time automatically changed when she entered a different time zone. She found it lying in the chair she’d vacated earlier. She looked at the clear white numbers. It was ten after seven. Seven in the morning.

  “Liam McConnell, you ass!” she shouted before heading back to her room. She was going to give him a piece of her mind as soon as she showered and dressed. Noon, my ass, she thought as she turned on the water and took a scalding-hot shower.

  Ten minutes later, she returned to the kitchen, where Liam had made himself at home. Not that she cared. The smell of frying bacon and toast made her realize just how hungry she was. She’d ordered a bowl of soup for dinner last night, and it hadn’t been enough, but at the time she hadn’t wanted to linger at Eagles Nest any longer than she had to. She’d been too tired to think straight. Now, she was clearheaded and starving.

  “So you can cook, too,” she said as she poured herself a third cup of coffee.

  “I can do many things,” he assured her, keeping his back to her.

  “And I can only imagine what they are,” she tossed back.

  He filled a plate with a dollop of scrambled eggs and two slices of thick bacon and gave it to her.

  “Toast and jam are on the table. And you don’t have to imagine anything if you’d rather not.”

  “Thanks, but imagination is good. Seriously, though, you didn’t have to do this. But then again, you didn’t have to call me and wake me up this early. So maybe you did have to do this. If I remember correctly, The Snow Zone doesn’t open until nine.”

  “And you were going to sleep until what, eight thirty?”

  “You’re here, I’m awake, it doesn’t matter now. So”—she forked up a bit of egg—“how are we going to work this today?”

  “Max wanted you to wear the ski suit that’s in the box you probably still haven’t opened. Said it’s the spiffiest—his words not mine—ski suit on the market. You’ll be representing the manufacturer. Max will give you a new suit each day, and you’ll just walk around. Kind of like the casino girls do out in Vegas.”

  He laughed and held up his hand. “I’m teasing. Seriously, I would ask Candy Lee. Max said she knows what the customers want, so let’s wait until we’re there before we get all bent out of shape.”

  “I’m not ‘all bent out of shape,’ Liam, trust me. I just don’t like being lied to, that’s all.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t require much sleep. I assume the rest of the world doesn’t either. I promise not to wake you again.”

  Hannah nodded and chewed her food. “Apology accepted. What about you? Are you going to be able to work at The Snow Zone or not?”

  “Max wants me to set up in his office. I can connect from there. This isn’t a complicated system, so there shouldn’t be a problem.”

  As ticked as she was that he’d awakened her and seen her at her worst, she felt a tiny bit sad at the thought that they weren’t going to be working together. In the same building. Lovestruck, isn’t that what she’d thought last night before she’d responded to the guys’ reaction to her when she’d asked if it was okay if she kicked butt if she were touched in a way she wasn’t comfortable with? Yes, it was, and she was not going to go there. Not now.

  “Good. I’ll want to take a look at the applications for the past three months to start.”

  “Done. Though they’re electronic. You’ve a computer with you?”

  “Yes.” She went to the bedroom and grabbed her laptop and cord, bringing both to the kitchen table. “I guess this will work as an office,” she said, indicating the kitchen with a bob of her head. She booted up her laptop, then hit a few keys. “Send me the applications to this address.” She turned the computer around so he could read the e-mail address. He touched the iPad screen a few times, then Hannah heard the familiar ring letting her know she had mail. She opened the files and started reading through them. Nothing stood out, nothing unusual, but she knew that finding something unusual was the exception, not the rule. It was the things that didn’t stand out that were often overlooked.

  “I sent you the ones I haven’t looked at, just so we’re not doing double the work,” Liam explained as he continued to read the applicants’ information.

  Hannah finished her toast, rinsed her plate, and placed it in the dishwasher. “You want more coffee? I can make another pot,” she said, just to be nice. He had made her breakfast.

  “No, I’m good.”

  Hannah quickly cleaned up the breakfast dishes, then headed back to her room, where she’d left the box. Knowing what was inside kind of ruined the excitement for her. She and her father rarely exchanged gifts at Christmas, so the only time she really had had presents as a child was on her birthday, and since that was on Christmas Eve, they were always wrapped in Christmas wrap. She didn’t know why, but as a child, it had always made her sad to have her gifts wrapped that way. It was as though her birthday was just too close to the holidays to bother with anything extra. Maybe this was behind her reason for not bothering with the holidays? Her father had tried to be both a mother and a father to her, but there were some things a child needed. Specially wrapped birthday gifts were one of those things. If she ever had children, she would make such a big deal over their birthdays that they would remember them forever as being the best days of their lives.

  Crap! She was going off track again. It had to be this altitude. She was going to down about ten gallons of water. Isn’t that what Pierce had told her to do? Without another thought, she removed the bows and carefully unwrapped the pretty paper.

  She removed a shiny red jacket with matching ski pants from the box. “Nice.” A matching hat, gloves, and scarf followed. A pair of red UGGs. “Nice again,” she said out loud. How did Max know that red was her favorite color, or was it just a coincidence? No matter, she liked what she saw. She read the size, and it was also correct. Grace must’ve taken a good guess. Women were talented at that sort of thing. There were no tags to remove, and she wasn’t sure what she should put on first, then she saw the handwritten list.

  The red-hot chilis and the matching top. The red wool ski socks, the ski pants, the red-and-gray shirt, then the jacket. The handwriting looked to be that of a young girl. She’d bet this came from Candy Lee, the young college student who was managing the ski shop while Stephanie was away on an indeterminate maternity leave.

  She needed to look the part, so she went into the bathroom, braided her long hair in a French braid, then proceeded to apply her makeup as though she truly were a fashion model. She had good skin, so she added a bit of tinted moisturizer. She needed to look like an outdoorsy type. She was, but in a beachy way. She applied bronzer, then a dusting of rose-tinted blush across her cheeks. Using black liquid eyeliner, she lined both eyes, flicking the edge up to give her a bit of a cat’s-eye look. Two coats of mascara and a swipe of Dr Pepper–flavored lip balm. She checked her reflection in the mirror. Not bad for thirty-three, she thought. The beginnings of crow’s-feet were starting to form around her eyes. She’d have to be much more diligent with the sunscreen. She was a Floridian, and Floridians used sunscreen as if it were hand lotion. She certainly did, and so had her father, which was probably one of the reasons he had aged so well. She grabbed her purse and her ski jacket. She felt a swirl of excitement as she headed back to the kitchen. Hannah couldn’t wait to see Liam’s reaction when he saw her.

  She found him still seated at the kitchen table. When he realized she was standing there, he looked away from his iPad.

  He simply stared at her. There were no words needed. Hannah coul
d tell he thought she was hot. Very hot.

  She gave him a sexy grin, then twirled around. “So, think I’ll pass as a model?”

  “I’d hire you in a heartbeat,” he said, then stood. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Chapter 11

  They rode to The Snow Zone together in the yellow Hummer. “I take it this thing isn’t going to leave us stranded,” she quipped as they wound over the winding road that led to the main area of Maximum Glide and The Snow Zone.

  “There wasn’t anything wrong with it last night. Patrick said it didn’t move because I left the emergency brake on.”

  Hannah laughed. “That’s a good thing, then.”

  “Well, I felt pretty stupid.”

  “You’re not stupid, just in an unfamiliar car. I always mess something up when I’m in a rental. Give me my little red Thunderbird any day.”

  “You look like you’d own a red car,” Liam said.

  “Red’s my favorite color. Isn’t it odd that these ski clothes just so happen to be red? Don’t you find that the least little bit strange?” She needed to know if someone had checked up on her. Maybe Max had contacted Camden, or maybe Grace had. For some silly reason, it mattered to her that whoever put this outfit together knew it would be perfect for her. Had it come from anyone else other than Max, she would have thought the coincidence a bit on the creepy side.

  “Wait until you see the skiers on the slopes,” Liam said as they pulled into The Snow Zone’s parking lot. There was only a smattering of trucks and SUVs so early. The slopes didn’t open until nine, so Hannah had a good half hour for Candy Lee to train her on what to do and what not to do. They’d agreed last night that when the shop was empty, Hannah would use the time to continue reading over the applications. Liam had sent her forty-seven, and she’d gone through three of them already. At this rate, she’d be reading them every spare minute she had. She wanted to find out who was stealing from Max and why. She did not like thieves and enjoyed catching them when she had the opportunity.

  Liam parked the Hummer next to a black one. “Patrick’s here.” Liam pointed to the Hummer. “Max says he’s the king of Hummers.”

  “Good to know,” Hannah replied.

  “Yep, it is.”

  “As you said, let’s get this show on the road. We’ve got a thief to catch.”

  “Hannah, wait a minute,” Liam said. “I know we’re here as professionals, and there isn’t time to . . . play around, but if we have an extra hour or so, would you ski with me? I haven’t skied in years, and I can’t imagine enjoying it with anyone else but you.”

  She hated cold weather. Hadn’t she made that clear? She was not cold now. The ski clothes kept her extremely warm. She did not know how to ski, but right now, she was willing to learn. “You know what, Liam McConnell? I detest cold weather and snow, but I’m so warm right now, I am going to have to take you up on your offer. Just to see if this ski stuff really does keep me warm all day.” She was grinning from ear to ear when she spoke, so she was sure Liam knew that she was fine with skiing. “But you need to know: I have no clue how to ski.”

  “Listen, I was taught by the best. I’ll show you a couple of moves. If you don’t catch on, we’ll have a hot toddy. Sound reasonable enough to you?”

  She wanted to tell him it was the best offer she’d had in years but didn’t want to come off as hard up and desperate. She was just picky, that’s all.

  “It sounds like a plan. Now, let’s go introduce ourselves to Candy Lee.”

  They were greeted at the main entrance by Patrick. They still had half an hour before the shop opened to the public. “That suit looks great on you,” Patrick said as soon as he saw her.

  “I like it. And red is my favorite color,” Hannah said. She was so excited, she just couldn’t keep it out of her voice. She probably sounded like a teenager, but she was happier than she’d been in a very, very long time. And it had something to do with Liam, of that she was sure. Not lust. Well, yes, lust, just not full-fledged, knock-you-down, drag-you-to-bed lust. She didn’t know him that well, and she had never been a bed hopper.

  Inside the shop, they were greeted by the pleasant scent of pine mixed with cinnamon and chocolate. Christmas music was playing in the background. A giant spruce was centered in the middle of the store. Hannah walked over to the tree and touched a delicate glass ornament in the shape of a mitten. And it was red, too. She laughed. “This tree is beautiful.”

  “I decorated it myself. I do it every year. Or at least every year since I’ve worked here. You must be Hannah, the fashion model. That suit fits you like a glove. You’ll have the guys crawling over you like spit on snow.”

  “Candy! For crying out loud, do you always have to be so gross?” Patrick asked.

  Hannah and Liam laughed.

  “It’s okay, Candy. In my business, I’ve heard much worse,” Hannah informed her.

  “And you’ll hear more today, trust me. The ski bums cuss like sailors and the snow bunnies eat it up. Disgusting, don’t you think?”

  Again, Hannah laughed. “I promise I won’t be offended and yes, it is disgusting. Now, why don’t you tell me a bit about this ski suit I have on, just in case one of the bums or bunnies asks.”

  “Okay, listen up. This particular jacket you’re wearing is one of the latest styles. Made for a woman, girl, whatever, the cut is slim. Some girls really want to show off their figures when they’re skiing or snowboarding. The jacket is lightweight; the insulation is synthetic. It has a great warmth-to-weight ratio, meaning it’ll keep you nice and toasty without all the bulk. You’ll appreciate this when you have to pee, too. Easy to get into and out of. The pants, I meant. They have thigh vents that help to release excess heat.” Candy Lee stopped and smiled at Patrick.

  He rolled his eyes. “Knock it off, Candy.”

  “That’s what it says on the label, trust me. I have it memorized. Basically, all you need to do is shake your booty a bit, smile, and leave all the details to me.”

  Hannah let out a deep sigh. “It’s been awhile since I’ve flirted, but I’ll do my best. Now, is there someplace I can set up my laptop so I can do a little brain work when I’m not shaking my booty?” Hannah asked.

  “In the office; I cleaned the desk for you. It was covered with empty donut boxes and People magazines. I can’t imagine what Stephanie would say if she saw how messy her office was.” Patrick narrowed his gaze at Candy Lee.

  “I’ve been too busy to clean up. By the way, some man keeps calling here for Stephanie. He’s rude, too. I told him she was away on maternity leave, but he keeps calling anyway.”

  Patrick, Liam, and Hannah instantly became alert.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this?” Patrick asked.

  “Men call here for Stephanie all the time, Patrick, you should know that by now. Just because she married you doesn’t mean other men don’t find her attractive. I’m still trying to figure out what she saw in you.”

  “Enough, Candy, and I mean it. This isn’t the time or the place. You know we’ve had some serious theft going on here. If Max hadn’t vouched for your character and honesty, Hannah and Liam would probably be running a background check on you right now.”

  Candy’s mouth dropped open like a treasure chest. “Do you think I have something to do with all this theft, Patrick? Because if you do, I am quitting right this very second. You really are an asshole, you know that!”

  “Candy, wait!” Patrick called out, but she was already heading for the back of the store.

  “I shouldn’t have said that. Candy Lee is one of the best employees we have. Excuse me while I go to apologize.”

  “Don’t bother, I heard you,” Candy Lee called out from the back of the store. “I’m telling Max, too, just so you know,” she said as she made her way back to the front of the store.

  “Seriously, Candy Lee, tell me about this man you said was calling Stephanie.”

  “Yes, you should. It might be something, or not,” Hannah said
as kindly as possible. The young girl’s feelings had been hurt. She felt bad for her and would try to make it up to her later. Patrick was a bit of an asshole, but she knew he was good at his job. His relationship with Candy Lee was rough, but one could tell that they really did like each other. At least that was Hannah’s current assessment of the situation.

  Liam whipped out his ever-present iPad. “Can you remember how long ago this particular man began calling?”

  Candy Lee took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. It was a calming technique Hannah recognized.

  “About a month ago. I remember because he called like three times in one day. He was rude, but then I got rude back, and he started acting all ass-kissy with me. I tried to explain to him that I didn’t know when Stephanie was coming back to work. She’d just had a son, I told him. She wants to spend as much time with her baby and the girls as possible. He hung up on me that time.”

  “I’ll get the phone records, though I doubt it will do any good,” Hannah said. “Unless you can be as specific as possible with dates and times.”

  “He usually calls in the morning, that much I know. Right after we open. I think he’s probably some perv who saw Stephanie in the shop and is getting his kicks by calling all the time.”

  “Okay, it’s time to open up. Candy Lee, you make sure to show Hannah the ropes. If anyone, and I mean anyone, lays a finger on her while she’s prancing around, she has Max’s and my permission to knock the shit out of him.” Patrick grinned at Candy Lee, and she grinned back.

  “Can I add a punch, too?” she asked eagerly.

  “If you have to. What I need from you more than anything is to monitor the phone. If this guy calls, I want you to write down the exact time he called, and look at the caller ID. Shit, why didn’t I think of that?” Patrick asked.

  “I already did. It comes up as a private number,” Candy informed them.

  “Then I’ll need you to record the exact time. Try to remember exactly what he says. Get a feel for him; ask him a question. Come on to him if you have to, or say something to piss the guy off. His tongue might loosen a bit,” Patrick indicated.