by Alyssa Dean
Maybe he was a little out of touch with his relatives. There was a good reason for that, though, he thought furiously. He had a lot to do! It certainly wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in them or didn’t care about them. He was just...busy.
Still, he wasn’t busy tonight, was he?
He checked his calendar, then picked up the phone. Maybe he should go to another one of these family things. After all, he was getting the hang of this personal stuff. And he was curious to see what his family hadn’t gotten around to telling him.
“HOW DID THINGS with Harvy go last night?” Amanda asked Brandy. They were stretched at either ends of the couch in Amanda’s living room. “He didn’t try to jump you, did he?”
“No, he didn’t.” Brandy said, sounding puzzled. “He actually behaved like a gentleman. I told him flat-out that I wasn’t sleeping with him and he seemed...relieved.” Brandy massaged the back of her neck like she had a major kink in it.
“Relieved?”
“Uh-huh,” Brandy said. “Then we had a couple of drinks...we talked...and he took me home. He didn’t even try to kiss me!”
“See,” Amanda said. “Maybe you were wrong about him.”
“Maybe.” Brandy didn’t sound convinced. “Or maybe he was trying out a new technique on me.” Still rubbing her neck, she gave Amanda a penetrating look. “How was your date?”
“It wasn’t a date,” Amanda said too quickly. “It was a business function. And it went a lot better than I expected. Josh did find out something personal about Shelby.”
“Her age and occupation?” Brandy teased.
“No. He already knew that.” Amanda told her all about the computer equipment. “It sounds like a great present. And it’s exactly what Shelby needs.”
“I suppose that’s something,” Brandy admitted grudgingly.
“It’s more than something,” Amanda insisted. “This just might work, Brandy. He found out something personal about one person.” She leaned back. “He seemed interested in Shelby, too. He seemed as if he cared about her. Not only that, but this morning he called and said he. wanted to go to a few more family things—so he can find out more personal stuff about people.” She smiled. “However, he also added that he wants me to find out what they’re serving before I say we’ll come.”
“We’ll come?” Brandy stressed, raising an eyebrow. “You mean, you’re going to go out with him again?”
“I have to,” said Amanda. “After all, we are supposed to be a couple.” She caught Brandy’s frown and sighed. “It’s strictly a business arrangement, Brandy.”
“Does Josh know that?”
“Yes, he does,” Amanda said, trying to sound cool and casual. “I made it very clear to him last night.” She felt a pang of regret at that. She would have enjoyed another one of his kisses.
“What about you?” Brandy asked. “Do you still remember it’s strictly a business arrangement?”
“Of course. That’s exactly what it is,” she said, her voice quivering slightly. She snuck a glance in Brandy’s direction. Brandy appeared unconvinced. Her relationship with Josh was strictly business, right? So why did her voice quiver every time she said his name, and why did the memory of his kiss keep replaying over and over again?
7
“LET’S SEE,” Amanda said.
She sat in Josh’s office, a calendar on her lap, along with her lists. “We’ve got Frank and Louise’s party, Aunt Francine’s open house, and your cousin Glenda’s barbecue...” She paused. “Does your cousin really have a barbecue in December?”
Josh shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out. Go on.”
“Okay.” Amanda referred back to her book. “Then your mother is having a few people over, and we’ve been invited to drop by Hemp’s place for drinks. Oh, and we’ve also got Hank Turnbull’s open house. You said you wanted to go to that.”
“I do.” Josh gave her a hopeful look. “I don’t suppose you know what they’re going to be...”
“No, I don’t,” Amanda interrupted. “I have not yet found a polite way of saying ‘I’ll come to your Christmas thing if you tell me what you’re serving and it better not be fish.’”
“Too bad.” Josh lounged back in his office chair. “I don’t suppose you could just ask?”
“Absolutely not,” Amanda said firmly. “It would be considered rude.”
“What? Aren’t there any rude elves in the world?”
“Not a single one,” said Amanda. “We are all a very polite bunch.”
“Darn,” said Josh, and he looked so cute and disgruntled that Amanda completely lost track of the conversation and had to refer back to her notes.
It was a familiar problem. She had it frequently when she was with Josh, and she had only herself to blame. She’d wanted him to get involved with his family. Well, he was definitely doing that—and he was taking her along with him.
Josh had been pretty accurate when he’d said that he was a fast worker when he made up his mind. Apparently he’d made up his mind to find out personal things about his relatives. And he was now charging at it, full steam ahead.
Since Shelby’s party, they’d been to a family dinner at his aunt Sofia’s, where he’d discovered that Sofia liked Frank Sinatra records, an open house at Judith’s, where they’d spent most of the evening looking at old family photographs and talking about bathrooms, and had even stopped by Marilla’s for drinks. Josh had taken Marilla flowers. “I was really sorry to hear about Fluffy,” he’d said as he’d handed them over. Then he’d spent the rest of the evening trying not to act intimidating.
Amanda was doing everything she could to keep her dealings with Josh as businesslike as possible, but it was difficult. Josh was difficult. He phoned her three or four times a day to check their schedule, to throw in some brainstorm he’d had that might possibly be personal, or sometimes, it seemed, just to talk.
He’d insisted that she accompany him to every social event. “We’re supposed to be a couple,” he’d reminded her. “That means we go to these things together.” Sometimes Amanda thought that might be because he wanted to be with her, although the more realistic part of her knew it was because he wanted them to be seen as a couple, and because he considered it part of her job to go. He also used her as an excuse to leave when he’d had enough. “We have to go now,” he’d say. “Amanda has to be at work early.” Then he’d add, in an undertone, “Elves need lots of sleep.”
“We don’t have to go to every single function, you know,” she told him. “We could miss a few.”
“Christmas isn’t that far away...and we’ve still got a lot of people to go—including my mother.” He drew his eyebrows together. “I don’t suppose you’ve come up with any good ideas for her yet.”
“I’ve come up with a lot of good ideas for her,” Amanda objected. “You just don’t like any of them.”
“I just don’t understand them. How can a watch be personal? Everyone in the world has one. It has to be as bad as giving everybody the same perfume.”
“It isn’t, but...”
“And a pasta maker?” He frowned at her. “I didn’t even know what a pasta maker was until you told me. And even then, I don’t see what’s personal about it. Spaghetti just doesn’t do it for me. If I built a voice-activated one, it might be, but...”
“Forget the pasta maker,” Amanda said quickly. “I’m sure we can come up with something else.” She paused. “There’s no reason for us both to go to these things. You are getting really good at this. I’m sure if you went...”
“No.” Josh folded his arms and looked stubborn. “You’re the Christmas elf around here. If I have to go, you have to go.” He paused, then added, “Besides, those things are more fun when you are there. I almost enjoy them.”
He looked puzzled by that, as if he wasn’t expecting it. Amanda’s body tingled at the words, a tingle that faded when he added, “And it gives me a good excuse to leave when I want.”
“Just make sure you tell me whi
ch excuse you use,” Amanda warned. “The other night you told everyone we had to leave because I wasn’t feeling well. The next morning, when everyone called to see how I was, I had no idea what they were talking about.” She’d been particularly flummoxed when Aunt Judith had called her to see if the rabbit had died. It had taken Amanda a good minute to realize Judith was hinting that she might be pregnant—a suggestion Amanda had vehemently denied. The last thing she needed was for Mimi to make that suggestion to Josh. She wouldn’t be one bit surprised if Josh said she was, just to make his family happy! Then nine months from now, he’d probably demand that she produce an offspring.
She smiled at the image, then almost immediately sobered up. Nine months from now she wouldn’t be seeing Josh or his family. As a matter of fact, in just under two weeks she wouldn’t be seeing them. By Christmas Eve, their work was through.
The prospect made her suddenly feel cold. She flipped over a page in her notebook, and turned her attention back to business. “All right. We both go. Now let’s discuss your Christmas party. I’ve arranged for a string quartet and a piano player...”
“A piano player!” Josh said in a mock horrified tone. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me we’re going to have... singing?”
“THERE’S THE INTERNET trade show, the Vistech open house, and the corporate gifts for the Dawson building supply company,” Brandy reported later that afternoon to Amanda as they quickly gobbled down a late lunch of take-out pizza. “I have only one question. How do we clone ourselves?” Brandy said, grinning with satisfaction.
“That’s a good question,” Amanda agreed. There were boxes of corporate gifts and stacks of papers strewn all around her apartment. “Or I guess a better question is, how do we clone this apartment?” She rested back against the chair. “This is ridiculous. A few weeks ago we couldn’t get any business. Now we almost have too much.”
“That’s thanks to you, Amanda,” Brandy said, wiping the grease off her fingers with a napkin before she picked up her To-Do list. “Every person we contacted on that list Josh gave you has hired us to do something.” She paused. “You know, Amanda, I’m starting to think I was wrong about this character. He’s brought us all this business. He’s paying his bills on time. And he does seem to be getting involved with his family.”
“That’s true,” Amanda agreed. “He’s going to everything there is to go to. And has come up with some wonderful presents for people. The computer equipment he got for Shelby is exactly what she needs. Of course, he’s insisted on giving her some kind of computer cookbook program, too.” He’d also come up with fishing equipment for his uncle Reg after he’d remembered that Reg had taken him fishing a couple of times when he was a boy.
“He’s suggested some pretty bizarre things, too. He wanted to give his aunt Sofia a can of spray paint because he didn’t like the colors in her house.” Amanda shuddered. “I didn’t like the color, either. You should have seen it. Everything in it was cherry-red, including the toilet paper...although I think that’s a gift from Aunt Judith.” She paused, looking at all the work spread out in front of her. “I suppose the only down side of all this is that you’re getting stuck with most of the work. I’m just...too busy.”
“You sure are,” Brandy agreed. “You’re out with this guy almost every night.”
“They’re just business functions,” Amanda reminded her.
“They’re Larkland family functions,” Brandy corrected. She furrowed her forehead. “And I must say they sure hold a lot of them. How can all the same people go to that many parties?”
“They aren’t the same people,” Amanda explained. “Shelby told me all about it. Everyone invites their friends over and includes their family. But no one goes to everything—although Josh is certainly giving it a good try.” Amanda thought about his eyes and the feeling of his hand on her shoulder, and decided to change the subject. “How are things going with you and Harvy Denton? You seem to have been spending a lot of time with him.”
“Well, yes,” Brandy said with a smile. “He’s really quite interesting when you get to know him.” She screwed up her face. “Although I must say, I’m starting to really wonder about him.”
“Why?”
“Well...it’s just that all we seem to do is go out for dinner.”
Amanda didn’t see the significance of that. She’d been out for dinner with Josh—at his suggestion. “We both have to eat. And I’m not going to go to another one of those things on an empty stomach.” They’d also gotten into the habit of stopping for coffee after they left a family party. At first that was just so they could compare notes about gift ideas—and also because Josh seldom liked what he’d been served. However the conversation usually digressed to discuss other things. Josh told her all about his work, and his plans for the future. Sometimes Amanda didn’t understand what he was talking about, but she liked watching the sparkle in his eye when he explained it. He might be clued out about life, but when it came to his job, he was definitely clued in. “That sounds pleasant,” she said to Brandy.
“It is pleasant,” Brandy said. “But don’t you think it’s a little...peculiar?”
“Eating dinner isn’t peculiar.”
“It is if it’s all you do.”
“What do you mean?” Amanda asked, still not getting it.
“I mean that Harvy hasn’t made a pass at me. All we do is...talk.”
She looked so perplexed, Amanda had to smile. “I thought you didn’t want him to make a pass at you.”
“I didn’t,” Brandy assured her. “But I’m starting to think that I wouldn’t mind getting involved with him.” A dreamy look crept across her face. “He doesn’t seem to be the creep I thought he was at all. He’s polite and kind...and he treats me better than any man I’ve ever met. I’m just not sure he’s interested.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“I’m not. It’s a little weird. Last week he was jumping me in his office. Since then, he’s taken me out three times, and he hasn’t done anything more than take my arm when we’re crossing the street.” She paused. “Actually, I take his arm when we cross the street I thought he was just going out with me to soften me up for another encounter, but so far he hasn’t made any moves in that direction.” She sighed. “What about you? Has Josh put any moves on you?”
“I don’t think Josh has moves,” Amanda said. She thought about that long-ago kiss and changed her mind. “Okay, he might have a few. But I’m sure he wouldn’t use them on me.” He certainly hadn’t made any move to do so. He treated her with the same casual affection he used toward Mable. Oh, he did seem to drop an arm around her shoulders, or take her hand, but he only did that when they were with other people. “He treats me the same way he treats his secretary,” she told Brandy.
Brandy snorted. “I’ve seen his secretary, Amanda. I doubt he’s dating her.”
“He’s not dating me, either,” Amanda reminded her.
“You go out with him practically every night.”
“They aren’t dates,” Amanda insisted. They did feel a lot like dates...except for the way they ended. Which was exactly how she wanted them to end. “We’re just...pretending to be involved.”
“Have you ever considered really getting involved with him?”
“Absolutely not,” Amanda said firmly. She might be having a few lustful thoughts about Josh, but she had no intention of doing anything about it. “I’m just trying to finish up our Christmas shopping list.” Of course, when that was done, she wouldn’t be seeing him anymore. It was far too depressing a thought.
“‘Our Christmas shopping list’?” Brandy said, raising an eyebrow..
“I mean, Josh’s Christmas shopping list,” Amanda said. “As soon as that’s finished, I won’t be so busy. Then I’ll have a lot more time.” She glanced around her apartment again and gave herself a pep talk. “Which is a good thing considering how much work we have here.”
“Right,” said Brandy. “Well, in the meantime maybe we should call
up the temp agency and see if we can get someone to give us a hand.”
“That’s a great idea,” Amanda agreed. “Us Christmas elves need a lot of helpers, you know.”
IF AMANDA WAS HARBORING any ideas about getting involved with Josh, she changed her mind after Hank Turnbull’s open house.
It was the first affair she attended with Josh that didn’t involve family, and Amanda was unusually nervous about it. She changed her clothes three times, finally settling for a dark green skirt, a matching blazer, and a ruffled white blouse. “Is this all right?” she asked Josh when he came to pick her up.
“It’s fine,” he assured her. “Very elflike.”
“That’s less than reassuring,” Amanda complained as he helped her on with her coat. “You know, you really should pay more attention to what people wear at these things—just so you can tell your date.”
Josh shrugged that off. “I don’t usually take ‘dates’ to these things. And I’m sure it doesn’t matter what you wear. These aren’t my relatives, remember? They’re just business acquaintances.” He grinned happily. “We don’t even have to find out personal things about them. We can just relax.”
“Maybe you can,” Amanda muttered. “But I imagine they’ll be curious about me.”
She was right. Hank Turnbull and his wife were charming people, and the rest of his business acquaintances were pleasant. However, it was obvious from their questions that they were indeed curious about her, and about her relationship with Josh. After answering a number of questions, Amanda managed to escape into a corner. She was sipping on a drink and enjoying a few moments of peace and quiet when a statuesque brunette named Susan Smyth wandered over to talk to her. “I’ve been really curious about you,” Susan confided. “I wanted to meet the woman who finally captured Josh Larkland’s attention.” Her lips moved into a friendly, teasing smile. “What did you have to do? Hit him over the head with a sledgehammer?”
