The Single Dad's Holiday Match

by Tanya Agler

  In the next room, the couple had set up long folding tables with puzzles and board games alongside a billiard table. They’d postponed the meal until after Jonathan’s shift ended at three since he’d started at six in the morning.

  “I’ll work on the puzzle to keep my mind off food. He’d better arrive soon.” Colin stepped toward the adjoining room.

  She made her way upstairs to chat with Tina’s other guests. Aunt Mitzi held on to Owen’s arm and waved as most of the Mimosas held court around her. Fabiana and Betty were in a rather heated discussion about the merits of firefighters and paramedics, but from the looks on their faces, they were just bragging about their loved ones. Brooke stopped and said hello before heading over to the appetizers, snagging the last deviled egg.

  “The beneficence of friends gathering is quite unique, don’t you think?” Hyacinth placed a lattice pie on the table. “I attempted a new combination of flavors while baking two more traditional pies for those who aren’t as adventuresome. This one is a raspberry, lemon and basil treat that tastes divine. You wouldn’t think those flavors would mesh so well, but they do. A little like you and your MCG, Officer Maxwell.”

  Brooke had given up the ghost of that secret a while back. “I’m not sure he’s my Officer Maxwell.”

  Hyacinth’s lilting laugh told her otherwise.

  “I’m more convinced the Matchmaking Mimosas believe that.” Brooke took a bite of the deviled egg.

  “If everything goes well, I think we’ll start calling our group just that. The Matchmaking Mimosas. There’s a ring to it, don’t you think? Besides, there’s something about the two of you that’s refreshing. You’re cool and collected, and he’s...”

  The older woman hesitated, and Brooke filled in the gap for her. “Funny? Charming? Sexy?”

  A sly smile threw Brooke for a loop. “I just wanted to hear what you think about him. That says everything, you know.”

  Hyacinth walked away with a wry grin while Brooke popped the last bite of egg in her mouth and chewed, keeping her wineglass steady. The smell of the turkey and the fixings heightened the anticipation of the feast ahead, and that wasn’t all she was looking forward to. Tonight she’d level with Jonathan. She’d tell him about Colin’s phone call and go to work tomorrow with a clear conscience. Not that there was much to tell, but she’d let him be the judge. If he still wanted to be with her after she came clean about that phone call, she’d start a relationship with him on a clean page, full steam ahead.

  She entered the kitchen, where she offered her services, but Tina shooed her away. Instead, Brooke found herself in the dining room, where a long table was decorated with an elaborate velvet runner, tapered orange and brown candles, and a variety of pumpkins in different sizes. Its elegance was offset by the multicolored notecards taped to the wall. Brooke stepped over and read the different messages of gratitude that today’s guests had written. “Three years of remission from breast cancer.” “Eyesight.” “MAY BABIES!” She picked up a marker and index card and jotted down the words “New Beginnings.” Then she taped it alongside the others.

  Shouts from the living room indicated Jonathan had arrived. For some reason, she felt rooted to the spot. She’d faced hard challenges before—for instance, whenever tuition came due and she was a couple of dollars short, making a jar of peanut butter last a week so she could pay for school and the rent. Not that loving Jonathan was a challenge. It wasn’t. If anything, his humor and love of commitment made it too easy.

  She was making it harder on herself. Anything to keep those defenses up.

  The sound of someone clearing his throat snagged her attention. There he stood in the archway, a handsome sight in his uniform. “How did you convince Aunt Tina to move dinnertime? She always starts at one like clockwork.”

  “Sometimes other people’s sacrifices make a couple of extra hours seem insignificant. I considered running to the center and getting a jump on tomorrow’s paperwork, but Tina had so many fun activities going on. Website updates and scheduling can wait until tomorrow. Someone’s having either a good or bad influence on my work ethic.”

  Barely a second later, he was by her side, reading the cards on the wall. “Let me guess, you’re ‘New Beginnings’?”

  “If I hadn’t been brief and to the point, your aunt’s wall would look like my final term paper.”

  He smiled and reached for her hand as his uncle brought in a ceramic platter of turkey and other people poured into the dining room behind him.

  “Finally, we eat!” His uncle set the turkey on the table, and the pitter-patter of feet brought even more people into the room.

  Jonathan squeezed her hand, and she knew the day was just beginning.

  * * *

  JONATHAN PATTED HIS full stomach and stood next to Vanessa, smoothing her fine blond hair. She pointed to a section of the jigsaw puzzle and beamed with pride. “I did this part all by myself.”

  “And a fine job you did.” He plucked a piece from the side of the table and inserted it where it belonged. “And I did that part.”

  His gaze met Brooke’s, and she motioned toward the other room. He found her sorting through a pile of coats and plucking out her burgundy one. “I have to go home and walk Daisy, whose kidneys are probably ready to explode.”

  “By any chance, would that walk tonight take you past my house on Timber Mill Way?” Jonathan went over and helped her with her coat. “I bought a box of dog treats, and I don’t have a dog. It’d be a real shame for the box to go to waste.”

  She laughed and zipped up the front. “That could be arranged.”

  “You see, there’s someone special who believes in new beginnings...” He leaned over and was about to kiss her when his phone rang, and he sighed. “Hold that thought.”

  “You were the one speaking.”

  “Exactly.” He reached for his phone. “Maxwell.”

  Harriet identified herself, and he stiffened, bracing for whatever was about to come. “I know you just finished your shift, but you’ve been the one covering what’s been going on at The Whitley Community Center. A passerby called and reported suspicious activity. Officer Edwards responded. There are broken windows, and she’s securing the crime scene.”

  Jonathan glanced Brooke’s way and found her laughing with Colin, who was eating yet another plate of pie, his third. “Has Edwards entered the premises?”

  By this time, Izzy and Vanessa had left their perch at the puzzle table. Izzy’s face said she knew what was coming next. Harriet kept talking, and he murmured answers and ended the call.

  “You have to go back to work, don’t you?” Izzy’s shoulders slumped, and her bottom lip jutted out.

  Vanessa wound her arm around Izzy’s waist. “It’s okay. Daddy keeps people safe. It’s his heart’s work.”

  Brooke stepped behind the two of them and placed a protective arm around both. She rubbed their shoulders and then released them. “They can come home with me if they want. What do you say, girls, to a Christmas movie and popcorn?” She glanced toward her son. “After we take Daisy for a walk.”

  Jonathan hesitated, wanting to capture the image of her in this moment, her eyes protecting his girls as if they were her own. Which, if he let her into his life, they would be. Brooke would never settle for anything less than giving her all, either to him or his daughters. Ruining her Thanksgiving with his news wasn’t how he wanted to end her day.

  “Actually, the girls are going to stay here with their aunt and uncle...”

  “If it’s because of me, Dad, you don’t have to worry.” Izzy tugged on his hand. “Brooke’s nice.”

  Izzy’s offered endorsement of Brooke wasn’t lost on him.

  “They can even spend the night, this time, since the center opens later tomorrow.”

  He didn’t want to tell her about the break-in with their kids and the others watching, even though
it would be on the lips of everyone in town by tomorrow morning, but he had no choice. He pulled her away and grasped her hands. “Brooke, there’s been a burglary at the center. I have to go.”

  She reached inside her coat pocket and pulled out her keys, jingling them for a millisecond. “I’m coming with you.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  THE TEN-MINUTE DRIVE from Tina’s house to the center tested Brooke’s last nerve. She gripped the edge of the cloth seat of Jonathan’s squad car and worried. How long had the culprit or culprits pillaged before someone noticed and alerted the police? She wished whoever was behind the fake IDs had never heard of Hollydale’s community center.

  As Jonathan’s car rolled to a stop in front of the building, her gaze flew to where the security lights reflected off the broken panes of her office window. Her throat constricted at the vandal’s brazenness. Thanks to this criminal activity, residents might hesitate before venturing to the center and participating. Or parents might no longer entrust her with their children. Not to mention taking into account the extent of the damage or stolen items.

  Jonathan had assured her that the fake IDs represented a crime involving an element of detachment, while this one reeked of malicious intent. Was it possible this had nothing to do with Jonathan’s investigation?

  Brooke frowned as Jonathan turned off the ignition. “Stay here until I give you the all-clear.”

  She waited until he was out of sight before the tears fell. She prided herself on her ability to stay stoic, yet she didn’t try to stop crying. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out tissues and wiped her face. The tissue came away with black smears, the remnants of her so-called waterproof mascara. She pulled herself together as tonight would be one heartache after another. Keeping occupied was the only way she’d get through this. She grabbed her phone and started a to-do list. First up was notifying the staff, then drafting a mass email to parents about the cancellation of tomorrow’s afternoon activities. Was it too late to text Joe for a recommendation of the best window repair company in the area?

  In the morning, she’d begin an inventory to establish the cost of any damage or stolen items. Electronics, office equipment and petty cash were easy pickings. And she’d contact the insurance company about a claim and reporting details.

  Sleep tonight might be a luxury.

  Especially given how she’d have to contact Frederick Whitley. She didn’t want to consider his reaction yet.

  Next week she’d interview more security firms. Meanwhile, she had to find out the extent of the criminal activity and regroup. Thank goodness they hadn’t replaced the desktop computers yet.

  Her gaze went to Jonathan, now in view, talking to another officer, their faces resolute. Jonathan nodded and then headed her way. He opened her car door. “Officer Edwards has secured the premises. We’d like you to come in and assess the scene.”

  She exited the car, and the chill stung her cheeks, the stiff breeze picking up, a portent of a cold gray day around the bend. She shivered, unsure whether the weather or the situation was the cause, and looped her burgundy scarf around her neck one extra time. A full moon rose over the mountaintops, stark yet beautiful. She wished she could enjoy it and bask in the glow of the remaining hours of Thanksgiving, but any chance of that ended when Jonathan confided this bombshell.

  She accepted his hand and straightened her spine. Thieves or no thieves, she wasn’t about to let anyone stand in the way of this center giving back to the community. This type of crime had happened at one previous center during her tenure, that one in downtown Phoenix, and the other community center had thrived as everyone had come together.

  She steeled herself for what she’d find. At the other center, thieves had spray-painted on the walls, destroyed whiteboards and stolen equipment for apparently nothing more than the thrill. The center had been closed for almost a week.

  “You’re in for a shock.”

  Slowly but surely, her spirits rose. She’d rally everyone around and open The Whitley Community Center for the holiday season as soon as was allowed. There was nothing holding her back from making Hollydale proud of Mr. Whitley for hiring her. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  The main doors slid open, and she braced herself. She blinked hard, then closed her eyes and reopened them. No chairs were upturned, nothing untoward painted on the walls. She rushed over to Betty’s desk. Everything appeared untouched.

  “Is it safe for me to check my office and the storage room?”

  He nodded and went with her to her office first. She opened the door and found some overturned chairs near the window. Being careful of the shards of glass littering the floor, she examined the area.

  “It seems obvious that the intruder must have come in through your window.” Jonathan’s strong voice sounded from behind, but rather than taking comfort in his arms, she hugged herself and let out a shaky breath.

  She tried not to let her emotions come to the surface. Maybe she would when she pulled the duvet over her head later, but for now, she could do this.

  She checked her desk. Everything from her laptop to her favorite coffee mug was where she’d left it. She opened the drawers. Nothing, including her electronic devices and an envelope of petty cash, seemed disturbed.

  “So far, there’s nothing to report as far as stolen items.” Her voice came out with a wobble she hadn’t heard since her mother had tried to reconnect with her.

  Jonathan came over and grasped her shoulders. “I’ll do everything I can to find out who did this. The sheriff has assembled a good team.”

  She nodded and lifted her chin, the mere comfort of him a rock in this maelstrom of emotion. That was part of Jonathan. He could be a boulder when she needed strength and a soaring eagle when she needed his lighthearted humor. She’d done that for herself well in the past, and now it was time to let someone else in. She met his gaze, and the electricity between them sizzled despite everything going on at the center.

  “Have you visited the men’s locker room?”

  “That’s why I wanted you with me.”

  “Haven’t you checked the locker yet?” Incredulity laced her voice.

  He let go of her shoulders. “Officer Edwards and I did a cursory search to make sure no one still occupied the premises. Then I came to get you.”

  She knew what he was thinking. That even though they hadn’t known each other long, somehow, from the minute they’d connected, they understood they would never be quite the same. Without a word, they hurried out of her office to see if his gamble had panned out. For that was what it had been. A gamble to draw out the suspect. They crossed the lobby and went directly to the men’s locker room.

  He opened the locker, and she stared, already sure of what he would find.

  “Empty.”

  He used his walkie-talkie and communicated the news to Officer Edwards, who replied she’d meet them after she finished taking casts of the footprints in the dirt. Within minutes she’d joined them.

  “Officer Edwards and I need to confer for a minute. I’ll meet you in the lobby and then check out the supply and storage closets.”

  She nodded. “I’ll be at Betty’s desk.”

  Once there, she exhaled the nervous tension. Jonathan joined her, and they went downstairs to the supply closet. She unlocked the room, and they found the blue tote in place. He lifted the lid and shrugged. “The laminator is still here. The alarm must have frightened him off.”

  “He must have wanted the licenses more.”

  She noticed his face turn pale under the bright fluorescent light.

  “Were you serious earlier when you said you’d considered working at the center today?”

  His husky voice matched the intensity in his eyes. He pulled her close.

  “If you’d have been here, you could have been hurt.”

  He caressed her cheek, and she leaned into him. “I
want to kiss you, but this isn’t the time or place. After I’m done at the station, though, I’m stopping at your house.”

  She nodded. Being in his arms made her feel secure and cared for. She believed she was worth a real commitment and not just empty promises with no substance behind them. Even so, the first time she spoke of her feelings for him wouldn’t be in the storage room, but somewhere special.

  His eyes showed a moment of conflict before his lips met hers, and his apparent relief at her safety melted into her, proving the depth of his emotions matched hers. He broke contact, and his gaze smoldered with a new intensity. “Brooke...”

  His walkie-talkie crackled. There was an underlying urgency to Officer Edwards’s plea to meet her in the lobby. He and Brooke hurried from the room.

  They quickly discovered that her boss had arrived.

  “Mr. Whitley?” Surprise registered in her words, and he glanced her way, his long drawn face foreboding in its disapproval.

  “During my family’s Thanksgiving dinner in Asheville, I received word from Horace Mackelroy about a burglary. He’s a friend. I raced over here to find broken windows and squad cars. What is going on, Ms. Novak?”

  “Mr. Whitley, I only just found out what happened.” She recounted the details so far, and finished by stating that nothing of value had been taken.

  “Ms. Novak, I’d like to see you outside.”

  She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The automatic doors parted, and she followed in his tracks. Security lights activated, brightness filled the entryway. She absorbed the brunt of the stiff wind without moving a muscle. He stopped, and she kept a reasonable distance from him, bracing herself.

  “Were you going to wait until tomorrow, or even later, to inform me of this?”

  She bristled at the implication that she was being deliberate about her secrecy. She loved her job and valued this opportunity, but she wouldn’t let him question her professionalism. “I only found out about this at the Thanksgiving gathering I was attending. I accompanied Officer Maxwell here so I could find out the extent of the damage. In particular, I was concerned about the computer lab and other belongings that could be easily stolen and sold.”