The Holiday Sweet Spot: An opposites attract, gorgeous, feel-good romantic comedy (Falcons in Love Book 2)

by Sophia Knightly

  Jake’s gaze pitched heavenward. “Now she’s got you under her spell. Those big puppy eyes slay everyone. Not as much as yours though,” he murmured.

  He thought she had persuasive puppy eyes. The revelation pleased and amused her.

  Jake leaned the tree against the closed door again and took Suzette from Pilar, depositing a kiss on the top of her furry little head as he walked away.

  “Where are you going?” Pilar said.

  “I’m taking her to her doggie bed. Otherwise, we won’t get the tree done. Be right back,” he said, disappearing down the hall.

  When he returned, Pilar could hear Suzette barking.

  “Don’t mind her. She’s just insulted that I closed the door to my mom’s bedroom. She’ll settle down soon.”

  “OK, good.” Pilar smiled. “It was so much fun picking out the tree and carrying it back here,” she said, exhilarated by their recent trip to the tree stand. “It’s way nicer to get it from a tree farmer than a local supermarket like we do back home.” She scanned the living room as Jake held the newly purchased balsam fir in his gloved hands. “Where does Emily usually put the tree?”

  “It always goes next to the piano in the living room.”

  “Let me hold onto it while you take off your coat,” she offered.

  “OK, grab it here.” He indicated the middle of the trunk. When she had the tree secured in both hands, he let go and shrugged out of his coat, hanging it beside Pilar’s on the coat rack. “Let’s be careful that nothing gets broken on the way.”

  He took hold of the tree again and propped it against the door. Together, they moved the living room sofa to one side and cleared the pathway of a small antique table. He went back and hauled the tree to a large arched window beside a gleaming baby grand piano.

  “That’s the perfect spot,” Pilar said, clasping her hands with anticipation. She sat on the piano bench and noticed a small electronic panel on the front of it. “Is this one of those pianos that plays music by itself?”

  “Yes, it’s an old Disklavier.” He took his gloves off and stuffed them in his pocket.

  “Do you have disks with Christmas music? Can we play some?”

  “Sure. They’re inside the piano bench where you’re sitting.”

  Pilar got up and watched Jake lift the bench lid and rifle through the disks until he chose one. He inserted it and in no time, instrumental Christmas music filled the room.

  “That’s just what we needed for decorating,” she said happily. “I’ve never seen such a vibrant tree.” Her fingers lightly touched the dense pine needles. “Deep green and so fragrant.” She inhaled deeply of the spicy pine aroma of the freshly cut tree. “Nothing beats this smell.”

  “I can think of other things,” Jake said, a smile tucked inside the corners of his mouth.

  “Like what?”

  “You.” He bent toward her and breathed in the top of her hair. “You smell like fresh flowers. It’s intoxicating,” he murmured. His warm breath tickled her ear and her breathing quickened.

  “Thank you,” she said, breathlessly aware of the electric charge between them. She rose on tiptoe and grazed his neck with the tip of her cold nose as she inhaled, her toes curling at the feel of his warm, manly skin. “You smell pretty good yourself. Scent is very important to us chefs,” she said, her nostrils atingle with the crisp smell of his freshly laundered shirt combined with his clean scent. No man had ever smelled so good.

  Jake’s long fingers smoothed a stray tendril from her flushed face, and her heart lurched at the intimate brush of his fingers against her cheek. A shiver ran through her as she dazedly peered into his vivid blue eyes.

  He was moving fast. Was she letting her guard down too easily because he set her senses on fire? For all she knew, he could be a player.

  “Glad to hear I made the cut.” His gaze rested on her mouth for a loaded minute, awakening a raw, tender spot inside her. She hadn’t felt such an intense pull of desire in a very long time, and it set off all kinds of alarms.

  He had the power to make her fall in love with him. She felt it deep in her heart. But as soon as the holidays were over, he would go back to his nomadic life, and she’d return to Naples with a broken heart. The thought scared her. She couldn’t survive another heartbreak like the last one.

  She reluctantly turned away and felt an instant sting of regret as she gestured toward the bottom of the tree trunk. “Did you say your mom has a tree stand here?”

  In response to her subtle rebuff, his features shuttered, and he cleared his throat. “Yes, I’ll get it down from the attic, along with the ornaments and lights.”

  “Need any help?”

  “Nope. I’ve got this.”

  “OK, I’m going to make something special for us in the meantime.”

  He turned and raised an inquisitive brow. “What are you going to make?”

  “A surprise.”

  One side of his mouth quirked up. “I like surprises. Be right back.”

  When he left, Pilar grabbed a broom from the kitchen utility closet and quickly swept away the pine needles on the foyer floor that had fallen when they carried the tree inside. As soon as she finished cleaning up, she heated water in a saucepan. When it started to boil, she scooped chocolate slivers from the canister she’d put in Emily’s cupboard last night and whisked it into the hot water until the mixture emulsified.

  “It smells like chocolate in here,” Jake remarked as he returned carrying a metal tree stand with one hand and balancing three bins under his other arm.

  “I whipped up some Aztec hot chocolate.” Pilar rushed forward to help him unload the boxes beside the tree. “I found a canister of it in my suitcase when I unpacked last night. Erica must have slipped it in while I wasn’t looking.”

  “That was nice of her,” Jake said. “Aztec hot chocolate sounds intriguing.” He followed Pilar into the kitchen. He took his cell phone out of his back pocket and laid it on the marble topped island before he sat on a barstool.

  “We make it with water not milk, and we use chopped chocolate instead of cocoa powder to fully taste the richness of the cacao bean.” Pilar filled two large mugs with the steaming, creamy concoction and joined him at the counter.

  “With your sweet tooth, I’m surprised you didn’t add marshmallows or whipped cream,” he said, his voice laden with irony.

  Handing him a mug, she said, “No marshmallows or whipped cream are needed. Have a taste. You’ll see why.”

  He clinked his mug with hers and took a sip. “Wow. Not too sweet, but decadently chocolate. It’s so thick, it’s almost like pudding. I love the spicy kick to it. What is that?”

  “A combination of spices that include cinnamon and a chili pepper. It’s Abuelita’s special blend.”

  “Delicious.” He took another sip and set the mug on the counter.

  “It’s even better spiked,” she added with a casual grin. “Want to add a splash of liquor?”

  “Let’s go for it.” He ambled to a bar cabinet and turned to peer at her. “Tequila or Kahlua?”

  “Kahlua, please.”

  He poured a dash of coffee liqueur into each mug. “Let’s take this into the living room. I’m not good at decorating. I’ll string the lights on the tree and hand you the ornaments so you can do the decorating. Deal?”

  “Deal.” She grinned inwardly. He had no idea how much she preferred to hang the ornaments herself. She always started with a vision and delighted in executing it to her heart’s content.

  He set about stringing the lights on the tree. “Which ornaments do you want to start with?”

  “Let’s do these glass ones.” She picked one up and admired it. “The freeform shape is so unique. Are they vintage?”

  “They’re actually from Italy. Mom bought them when Dad was stationed there in the Air Force.”

  “They’re beautiful. How did you like living in Italy?”

  “I didn’t live there. By the time I was born, dad had retired from the
Air Force and was flying commercially. His home base was here in New York.”

  When she finished hanging the glass ornaments, she pointed to another open bin filled with bubble wrap and tissue paper. “Let’s do those next. They must be extra special.”

  “Don’t get too excited.” A self-deprecating grin emerged. “They’re not that great, but Mom seems to think I’m Picasso.” When her brows rose, he said, “Trust me, I’m not.

  Pilar smiled at his sarcasm. Each handmade ornament was carefully ensconced between layers of acid-free tissue paper to preserve them. Clearly, Emily treasured them.

  She pulled out a misshapen drawing of a little boy with missing teeth and stick-out ears. “Is this a self-portrait?”

  He rolled his eyes. “As you can see, I’m no artist.”

  “It’s not bad. At least you’ve grown into your ears,” she added, covering her mouth as a laugh escaped.

  He advanced on her with mock menace. “Respect, young lady. I’ll give you something to laugh about,” he said, tickling her ribs.

  “Stop, please,” she squealed, wriggling as giggles erupted. “I’m terribly ticklish.”

  “OK, but you’ll have to pay the price. One kiss for no more tickling.”

  She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and laughed at his disgruntled face. Returning to the bin, she lifted a small airplane made of popsicle sticks. “This is so cute.” She turned it over and read, “I love you, Daddy.” She looked up. “Aw, that’s so sweet. How old were you when you made this?”

  “Six.”

  “Did you ever want to be a pilot like your dad?”

  “No, I have my pilot’s license, and I fly for fun, but I never wanted it as a career. Dad flew internationally and was gone a lot when I was little.”

  “Did he teach you to fly?”

  “He did. I learned to fly solo when I was 16. He trained me on a Cessna 152.” He smiled. “It’s a cool airplane.’”

  “That must have been such a bonding experience.”

  “I treasured it.” His face glowed with nostalgia. “I would have liked more time with him growing up, but it wasn’t possible given his job.”

  She nodded. “My parents worked long hours in their restaurant when I was little. I always wanted more time with them too. That’s why I’m so close to my Abuelita. She had all the time in the world for me and my siblings.”

  The notes of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” sounded from the piano, and Jake stiffened. He clenched his jaw as if in pain. She watched the corded muscles in his throat work.

  “What’s wrong?” Pilar touched his arm, and when he opened his eyes, she saw they were damp with unshed tears.

  He shook his head and blew out a harsh breath. “Sorry, this song brings back sad memories.”

  She took his hand in hers and squeezed gently. “What sad memories? You don’t have to tell me if you’d rather not.” She paused, giving him time to think about it. “But I’ll listen if you want.” His pained eyes met hers, and she sensed he wanted to talk about it.

  “Last year, I walked in on Mom and Dad dancing to this song in the living room after Mom had decorated the tree.” He swallowed hard. “It was more of an embrace with Mom propping up Dad. His health and stamina were declining rapidly, but he was making a superhuman effort to dance with her.” He closed his eyes briefly. “I’ll never be able to hear that song and not remember the heartbreaking picture they made. It was torturous to see my once powerful father stooped over and holding onto to my petite mom for support.”

  Pilar felt his pain deep in her heart. She had to do something to lift his mood. She held out her arms. “I’m sure your father wouldn’t want you to feel blue every time you hear that song. Will you dance with me? Let’s replace the sad memory with a happy one. That way if your dad is watching, he’ll be happy too.”

  Jake lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it tenderly. “Beautiful Pilar, you’re my Christmas angel. I would love to dance with you.”

  He took her in his arms and pressed her close to his large body. She closed her eyes and nestled her head in the crook of his warm neck. Pleasantly adrift in their newfound intimacy, she snuggled close with a soft sigh as they swayed to the music.

  “Oh my, what a beautiful tree,” Emily’s voice trilled moments later, startling them. “Thank you so, so much for decorating it!”

  They turned to find her at the entrance of the living room, beaming at them with her hands clutched to her chest. “Don’t mind me. Please keep dancing,” she urged with an encouraging wave of her hand.

  But the spell was broken. Jake released Pilar’s hand, and she took a step away from him.

  “Don’t stop on my account.” Emily’s forehead crinkled with chagrin. “Oh dear, I shouldn’t have interrupted you. I’m going back outside. Suzette needs a walk.”

  “You shouldn’t go out at this late hour, Mom,” Jake said. “Stay put. I’ll take Suzette out for you.”

  “No need to baby me,” Emily said firmly. “I usually walk her at this hour.”

  “I insist,” Jake said, not backing down. “Enjoy chatting with Pilar. I’ll be back soon.”

  Jake left with Suzette happily trotting beside him on a leash. Pilar smiled at the picture they made of his tall, manly form beside the tiny, ladylike puppy. She turned to Emily and caught her watching her.

  “I made my Abuelita’s hot chocolate. Would you like some?” Pilar said.

  “No, thank you, dear,” Emily said with a rueful smile. “If I drink chocolate at this hour, I’ll never fall asleep. I’ll take a raincheck though. I’d love to have it another time.” She hastened away. “Please excuse me. I need to run to the restroom.”

  When Emily left, Pilar carried the mugs to the kitchen sink. A beep sounded from Jake’s phone and the screen lit up with a text message. Pilar glanced over and saw it was from Jessica. Her throat tightened and her whole body tensed when she read the message:

  Hey, handsome. Last night was fun. Let’s do it again soon…

  Chapter 6

  Alone at her kitchen counter, Emily sipped her coffee and absentmindedly worked on the New York Times crossword puzzle. She couldn’t concentrate because a bigger puzzle was swirling in her mind, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on why she felt uneasy this morning.

  Suzette barked and nudged her snout against Emily’s ankle, vying for her attention.

  “OK, sweet girl, you can come up now.” She lifted Suzette on her lap and scratched behind her furry ears. Suzette purred deep in her throat and burrowed closer.

  Emily peered into her sweet little face. “Do you have any clue what happened last night?”

  Suzette slanted Emily a mystified look.

  Emily sighed. “I didn’t think so. Neither do I. Everything was going great between Jake and Pilar, then I had to show up and ruin things. Jake left to take you for a walk, and for some reason, Pilar clammed up,” she told Suzette, who was busy eyeing the half-eaten toast on Emily’s plate. “We didn’t even have a chance to chat.” She paused and eyed Suzette’s alert face. “Why, you ask? Because Pilar begged off with a headache and went to bed.”

  Suzette emitted a low, disgruntled groan.

  “That’s exactly how I feel. And there’s no asking Jake. When it comes to his love life, his lips are sealed. Both of them left early this morning, and now I’m wondering if they’re avoiding each other.”

  Emily tore off a piece of toast and fed it to Suzette as she pondered last night’s events. Her heart melted at the memory of Jake and Pilar dancing in front of the beautifully decorated tree. Nothing could have made her happier than to see Jake growing attached to Pilar. Witnessing the look on his face and the tender way he’d held her had made Emily’s throat thicken with emotion. She remembered dancing to that same song with John last year.

  Her eyes stung as John’s smile appeared in her mind. In his last days, he’d grown weak and frail, but he’d always done his best to smile for her. His final hushed words had bee
n, “I’ll love you forever, my darling. Nothing will change that. After I’m gone, I’ll love you from heaven. Don’t waste time mourning me. Live life with joy, not grief. For both of us. Until we meet again.”

  Lost in her melancholy thoughts, Emily jolted when her iPhone rang. She glanced at the screen. Why was Choco Bear calling this early?

  “Hi, there,” she said, answering right away. “Everything OK?”

  “Uh, no.” He paused. “I can’t say that it is. I hate to let you down, Emily, but I’m in bad shape. I can’t come in today.”

  “Why?” In all the years they had worked together, he’d rarely missed a day of work. “What happened?”

  “I threw out my damn back,” he grumbled.

  “Oh, no. Do you have any meds?”

  “Not yet. I called my doctor, and he’s prescribing a muscle relaxant and a painkiller. I don’t plan on taking either, but I’ll keep them as a back-up in case things get worse.”

  “Have you been icing it? Or putting heat compresses? Are you resting?” she fussed.

  “Yes, but I had to crawl to the couch like a slug. It wasn’t pretty,” he said gruffly.

  “Oh, goodness, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll pick up the meds for you and bring them over.”

  “Thanks, but no need to come here. The pharmacy will deliver them.”

  “OK, well, please let me know if you need anything.” She fully intended to go over and see what she could do to help, but she didn’t say so because he’d tell her not to. She knew his male pride too well. The warrior in him thought he was invincible.

  Emily quickly got ready and made a list of everything Choco Bear might need so she could take it to him as soon as possible. She called Pilar and told her she wouldn’t be in until later this afternoon and asked her to let everyone know that Choco Bear wouldn’t be in either.

  An hour later, Emily stood in front of Choco Bear’s front door. He lived in a small apartment connected to his art studio in the Lower East Side. Juggling several bags in her arms, she turned sideways and pressed the doorbell with her elbow. She waited a few minutes to give him time to reach the door, but when he didn’t appear, she rang the doorbell again.