Mistletoe Cottage

by Debbie Mason

  Liam stood beside Sophie by the fireplace. He pulled a sprig of mistletoe from his pocket and held it over her head. His brother Griffin rolled his eyes. “You’ve kissed her at least twenty times already. Leave the poor girl alone.”

  “Ten. I instigated the rest,” she admitted, and reached up to press her lips to the corner of Liam’s mouth.

  He wrapped his arms around her and looked at their guests. “Shouldn’t everyone be leaving soon?” He’d been asking the question as often as he’d kissed her. “Maybe I should tell them that NORAD just announced Santa has been spotted flying this way.”

  “It’s only five o’clock.”

  “Can you blame a guy for wanting to be alone with his wife?”

  “No, because your wife wants to alone with you. All we have left to do is draw the raffle winner, I’ll throw my bouquet, and then—”

  He smiled down at her. “Make my Christmas wish come true. I love you, Mrs. Gallagher.”

  “I love you, too, Mr. Gallagher.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Now let’s make someone else’s Christmas wish come true.”

  Liam looked around as they walked toward the big plastic ball on the stand by the grand staircase. “Maybe a good thing Mia isn’t around. This is going to be tough on her.”

  Sophie frowned. “Where is—” She broke off when Mia appeared at their sides with Miller, Zach, and Amanda. The four of them were covered in dirt. “Mia, what happened?”

  Their daughter slipped her hand in her father’s. “We were hunting for treasure like Daddy used to when he was a little boy.”

  “You were in the tunnels?” Liam asked, and she nodded. “Sweetheart, next time you want to play down there, you have to tell us. You need to have an adult—”

  “But we did…” She looked beyond them as a cold draft caused Sophie to rub her arms; then Mia giggled and nodded, placing a finger on her lips.

  Liam and Sophie shared a look. They had hoped now that they were married Mia wouldn’t need her imaginary friend. It looked like they were wrong. “Why don’t you guys go and get some cake in the dining room?” Sophie suggested, hoping to distract Mia while they picked the winner. Jasper had just made the announcement, and people were walking their way.

  “Oh no, Mommy. I have to pick the winner. It’s my job.”

  Before Sophie had a chance to gauge if doing so would, in the end, make the situation better or worse, Simon jumped onto the table, batting at the plastic ball. It started spinning on the stand, the tickets flying around inside. Mia pressed a hand to her mouth, giggling behind it.

  Liam whispered in Sophie’s ear, “Is she hysterical or happy?”

  “I’m not sure, but Simon’s going to flip over the ball if we don’t do this now.”

  Liam grabbed Simon, and put out his hand to stop the ball. “All right, everyone. Here’s what you’ve all been waiting for. Mia, give us our winner, sweetheart.”

  “Baby, you, um, can’t look through the tickets. You have to pick just one,” Sophie said as her daughter, a small furrow on her forehead, tossed one ticket after another aside.

  “Got it,” Mia said then winked at her imaginary friend and held up a ticket with a paw print on it.

  Liam took the ticket from her and smiled. “Our winner is…Julia Landon.” There were whistles and cheers for the beautiful brunette. She was obviously well liked in Harmony Harbor. “Come on up and get the key to your new home, Julia.”

  Mia shifted nervously, looking expectantly at the woman when Liam handed her the gold key with a sprig of mistletoe attached to it. “Thank you.” Julia smiled and clutched the key to her chest.

  Mia’s smile dimmed. Then she glanced to Sophie’s right and nodded, the smile reappearing on her face.

  “Don’t doubt me now, child. I know what I’m about,” Colleen murmured, watching as Julia accepted everyone’s congratulations. Though some of her confidence faded when Julia slipped away and disappeared into the crowd. Colleen had picked her for a reason. She knew the young woman well. Her secrets too.

  Simon gave Colleen a testy meow. “After all this, you’re doubting me now? Give the girl a chance. It’s a hard thing she’s dealing with. And don’t think you’re out of my bad book just because I’m talking to you. I haven’t completely forgiven you for eating Mr. Lancaster’s pet mice. You’ll have to earn my trust back after ruining my plan to get rid of Bethany. You’re lucky it all turned out in the end. Though I doubt Mr. Lancaster will be staying with us again. Oh well, he was a bit of an odd duck.”

  Colleen looked at Mia and held up five fingers. The child nodded, nibbling on her bottom lip. Liam picked her up, and he and Sophie did their best to cheer Mia up.

  Colleen smiled. “Now that’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it, Simon?” But she’d lost the cat’s attention. He was looking at something behind her. Colleen turned to see Paige and Hazel and growled low in her throat. Oh, but she’d love to give those two a fright.

  “Faulty wiring, my eye. I know it was one of you who set fire to the carriage house,” she said. They wouldn’t have known Mia, Sophie, and Dana were there. Somehow Colleen would find a way to get the proof she needed, and when she did…

  Julia reappeared wearing her red hat and coat, distracting Colleen from her thoughts.

  “There’s been a mistake,” the young woman said as she approached Mia and her parents.

  Colleen smiled. “You’re a fine girl, Julia. You are indeed. Paying for a sin that was not of your making. You’ll get your reward, of that you can be certain. I promise you that.”

  Liam frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “There’s a note attached to the key.” Julia held it up. “It’s from Santa to Mia. Mistletoe Cottage was meant to be hers.”

  “Julia—” Liam and Sophie started to protest at almost the same time.

  “I’m one of Santa’s helpers, remember? I’ve sworn an oath to do his bidding. If this is what Santa wants, who are we to say otherwise?”

  Liam brought up the rules of the raffle, one being that the winner can’t sell the house. “No, but there’s nothing in the rules that says a winner can’t gift it to whomever she chooses.” She handed Mia the key. “Merry Christmas.”

  Mia wriggled out of her father’s arms and went to Julia. She crooked her finger. When Julia bent down, Mia kissed her cheek and then whispered in her ear. They both turned to look up at the landing.

  “Well, I’ll be,” Colleen murmured.

  Julia muffled a sob with her hand, and Mia once again whispered in her ear. The woman nodded, touched a finger to her lips, and then to Mia’s cheek. Julia stood, wished everyone a Merry Christmas then hurried from the great room.

  Colleen listened to everyone’s theories with a knowing smile. The majority believed that Julia was attempting to make up for the trouble Hazel Winters had caused the Gallaghers. But one day, the truth would come out. It always does. And when it was revealed…

  Kitty and Rosa came to stand beside Colleen, interrupting her thoughts.

  “She’s here, isn’t she?” Rosa said to Kitty.

  “I believe so. She never did trust me to take care of the manor and the family on my own. I can see her standing at the pearly gates, telling them to kiss her behind. That she wasn’t ready yet and had things left to do.”

  Colleen chuckled despite herself. However, she felt a twinge of guilt knowing there was some truth to what her daughter-in-law said. She had doubted Kitty’s ability to look after things without her. But she had to give credit where it was due. It had been Kitty’s idea to raffle off the cottage and look how well that had turned out. Given her ghostly circumstances, Colleen would need all the help she could get. Especially with Paige and Hazel upping their game. Too bad no one could hear her.

  Rosa crossed herself and brought her crucifix to her lips. “Sí. I do too.” Rosa moved her head in something of a figure eight as though searching for Colleen’s whereabouts. “If you are here, my Ava and Griffin, they should be next.”

  “I promised Ida
that we’d match Brie with one of my grandsons. I thought maybe she and Griffin—” Kitty began.

  “No, it must be Ava and Griffin.” Rosa did that odd thing with her head again. “You do this, and I will forgive you, sí?”

  It was true. Colleen needed Rosa’s forgiveness to wipe another sin from her eternal soul. So she supposed it worked to her advantage that she’d already chosen Ava and Griffin. Though she had a feeling they wouldn’t be as easy as Sophie and Liam. Ava’s secrets were dark and deep. It would be painful for all involved when they came to light.

  She looked up to see Liam, Sophie, and Mia at the top of the grand staircase. The single women of Harmony Harbor were gathered below them. Including a reluctant Ava, who’d been dragged to the front of the semicircle by Dana.

  No time like the present, Colleen thought, and wove her way to the bottom of the stairs. Mia waved at Colleen, and all the women waved up at Mia. “Can I throw the bouquet, Mommy?” She smiled when Sophie complied and threw the bouquet at Colleen, who batted it directly at Ava. If it wasn’t for Dana, the woman would have let it drop at her feet.

  And so it begins, Colleen thought as she walked to the chair by the fire and took a seat. Simon leaped onto her lap, and Jasper came to stand by the fire, clasping his hands behind his back. “It’s good to have you home, Madame. I take it you have plans for all of us here in Harmony Harbor.”

  Colleen chuckled. “Right you are, dear boy. Right you are.”

  Have you checked out

  Debbie’s Christmas, Colorado series?

  It begins with

  The Trouble with Christmas…

  Please turn the page for an excerpt.

  Chapter One

  If Madison had a gun, she’d shoot out the sound system pumping “Jingle Bells” through her office speakers. Instead, she bit off Rudolph’s chocolate head and pointed a finger at the brightly colored, foil-wrapped Santa on her desk. “You’re next, big guy.”

  It was only November 29, and she was already sick to death of the nauseating carols hijacking the radio stations, the migraine-inducing Christmas lights that used up enough energy to power a small country, and don’t get her started on the crowds—people running around buying presents they couldn’t afford, racking up credit card debt that would make them want to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge come January.

  Her attitude was probably the reason why her assistant decided today was a double-chocolate day. She’d worked with Madison at the resort developer Hartwell Enterprises for the last five years and knew the over-the-top holiday hoopla made Madison… cranky. She didn’t know why, no one did, and Madison planned to keep it that way. To keep the past exactly where it belonged, in the past.

  No Boo hoo, woe is me for Madison Lane. She was a “dust yourself off, pick yourself up by the bootstraps” kind of gal. And that was exactly what she’d done ten years ago. At eighteen, she’d kicked off the dirt of the small Southern town she’d grown up in and never looked back. Moved to the big city where no one knew your name, cared where you came from, or who your parents were.

  She loved her life in New York. She had the best boss, the best job, and two of the most amazing best friends. Yep, her world was… almost perfect. And as soon as she figured out a way to get rid of her boss’s nephew, Harrison Hartwell the Third, with his fake tan and fake British accent, it would be perfect. Six months ago, playing the family card, Harrison had slithered past her defenses. But now she saw him for what he was: a slick freeloader who wanted her job.

  Her job was safe. The guy was an idiot. He’d tried to steamroll a resort development deal with the small town of Christmas, Colorado, past her—an investment that would have bankrupted Joe, her boss. But four days ago, as VP of finance, she’d presented a twenty-page argument against the deal. Her report, along with Joe’s respect for her opinion, had paid off, and the negotiations ended.

  Take that, Harrison, she thought, biting off Rudolph’s leg.

  The alarm on her watch beeped, ending her five-minute endorphin-releasing therapy. Wrapping up the half-eaten chocolate reindeer, she tucked him in the drawer along with Santa and got back to work on the budget she was presenting this afternoon. Thanks to the elimination of the deal with Christmas, Hartwell’s financial future looked a whole lot brighter. She’d been practically giddy when she deleted the town from the budget. And it had nothing to do with her dislike of small towns or the holiday it was named after. She never let emotions interfere with business.

  She frowned when a high priority e-mail from her best friend, Vivian Westfield, a reporter for the online Daily News, popped up on her screen requesting an immediate Skype conference call with their mutual best friend, Skylar Davis, a trust-fund baby who was in Belize, presumably saving the world again.

  Madison had met Skye and Vivi on their first day of college, and they’d been inseparable ever since. With her father dead ten years now, not that he’d been much of a father, her friends were the closest thing to family Madison had.

  She logged in and waited for the connection, trying not to worry about the reason for the call. They knew how she felt about taking personal time at work. Then again, that had never stopped them in the past. As far as they were concerned, especially Skye, Madison was always at work.

  And that, Madison decided, was probably the reason for the ASAP call—her Thanksgiving no-show. Vivi had ratted her out. But Madison had a good reason for skipping the holiday. She’d been working on her report to end the negotiations with Christmas. Now that she thought about it, Vivi hadn’t sounded overly upset when she’d bailed on her.

  Vivi popped up on the left side of the screen, sitting on her couch and looking disgustingly gorgeous for a 9:00 a.m. call in a black tank top, her long, chocolate-brown hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned closer, narrowing her eyes at Madison. “You okay?” she asked in her raspy voice that left men panting at her feet.

  Madison frowned, wondering why she asked, then realized it was probably because of all the hours she’d been putting in at work. “Great, better than great, actually. Just going over the budget one last time, and next year’s bonus looks like a sure…” She trailed off when her best friend winced.

  “What’s with the face?” Madison asked, pushing her black-framed glasses to the top of her head. She didn’t need glasses. She’d started wearing them when she realized men thought with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and ridiculously curvy body that she was a bimbo. She wasn’t. She was smart. “And speaking of faces,” she said, taking a closer look, “there’s something about yours. You look different. Kind of glowy and… Wow, you look happy.”

  Vivi blushed. Weird. Vivi never blushed.

  And then, obviously as a means of distracting Madison, she said, “You look different, too. What’s with the lipstick? You never wear lipstick.”

  She didn’t. Her lips were full enough without drawing attention to them. She hadn’t worn lipstick since junior high, when the senior boys told her all the disgusting things they’d like her to do with her mouth. She’d known it was because they thought she was like her mother, but knowing that hadn’t made it any easier.

  She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. Chocolate. Taking a tissue from the box on the corner of her desk, she wiped her mouth.

  “Better. Brown’s not your color.”

  Okay, Vivi’d distracted her long enough, but before Madison could question her about the wincing thing, and the blushing, Skye appeared in the upper right of her screen. Her butterscotch-blonde, curly hair more wild than usual, she looked like Malibu Barbie sitting cross-legged in a “Save the Planet” T-shirt on a bed surrounded by mosquito netting.

  “Are you okay?” Skye asked, her eyes filled with concern.

  “Y’all are making me nervous. What…” Madison’s mouth fell open as a half-naked man with incredible arms, broad shoulders, and a sculpted chest walked behind Vivi’s green couch. Vivi tipped her head back and followed him out of view, devouring him with her eyes.

  “
Move your screen! Follow that man,” Skye demanded.

  “Sweet baby Jesus. Who. Is. That?” Madison tugged on the black turtleneck beneath her boxy blazer.

  Eyes sparkling, face flushed, Vivi… giggled. Madison gaped at her. Vivi “Kick-Ass” Westfield did not giggle. The body sauntered back into view, holding a container of milk in one hand while his other hand caressed Vivi’s shoulder. A champagne-colored Stetson lowered to the side of her face as the large hand left her shoulder and reached for the screen. Their best friend disappeared from view. They heard a man’s deep, sexy laugh and Vivi’s breathy moan.

  “Hey, not fair,” Skye complained.

  Nope, it wasn’t. Whenever Madison mourned her almost nonexistent love life, she comforted herself with the knowledge that her workaholic friend Vivi didn’t have one, either. They lived vicariously through Skye. But even Skye would be considered a nun by today’s standards.

  Vivi reappeared on the screen, hiking up the strap of her tank top and smoothing her hair.

  “Spill,” Madison said. “How… where… when?” The why she knew—the man’s body was to die for.

  Skye cleared her throat. Vivi’s moony smile faded. “Right. Okay. Maddie,” Vivi began, but that’s as far as she got.

  “Sweetie,” Skye leaned forward, “we have something to tell you. Just remember, this too shall pass.”

  Vivi sighed, crossing her arms.

  “Bad things happen to good people,” spouted Skye, who flitted through life like a butterfly wearing rose-colored glasses. “It always looks darker before the sun comes out. When a door shuts, a—”

  “Enough already, we don’t have all day,” Vivi interrupted her. “Maddie—”

  “Wait.” Skye held up a hand. “Take a minute and breathe, Maddie, slow and deep. Find your happy place.”

  “I’m in my happy place. Tell me already.” Madison’s left eye began to twitch.

  Vivi held up the front page of the New York Times, pointing out the headline: The Grinch Who Killed Christmas.