Mistletoe Hero

by Tanya Michaels

  “Go ahead and ask your question while I’m ready for it,” he said. “Otherwise, you might spring it on me later at some unsuspecting moment.”

  Another layer to the déjà vu she’d experienced earlier; she was about to invite him on a date, as she had that Wednesday two weeks ago. But since he’d just been seducing her mouth with his, she thought her odds had improved substantially. “Be my date for the festival?”

  “Your date?” He tried to take a step back but stumbled at the realization that he was already against the counter and had nowhere to go. “I…”

  You’re kidding me! She’d struck out again?

  He brushed her long hair away from her face, his smile sad. “I’ve hurt your feelings.”

  “Tell me why you won’t go with me. I mean, I’ll be working part of the time, but only in shifts. The rest of the day I have to walk around, stuffing my face with really great food, letting a big strong guy try to win me teddy bears, that kind of thing.”

  “Look, I don’t deny the attraction between us,” he said. “I can barely be in the same room with you and keep my hands off you. I’m weak enough that, for whatever time I have left in Mistletoe, I do want to see you. But not…publicly.”

  Her jaw dropped. “So I’m all right to take to bed in the privacy of your own home as long as you don’t have to be seen with me?”

  “It’s not like that! I’m not ashamed of you, I’m thinking of you. Tanner told me that you guys have known Shane McIntyre for years, but that friendship’s rocky now. Because of me. And I didn’t hear only about you nominating me yesterday. Beau Albright told me who was there, that you were teetering on the brink of scandal and harsh feelings. You’ve never been on the outside, and trust me, you don’t want to be.”

  “It won’t be like that,” she said earnestly. “Just the opposite. I can help you! People like you—or they would if you gave them a chance.”

  “I’m not looking to make new friends here. I’m getting up at five in the morning to drive to Kennesaw tomorrow,” he told her. “I have an interview. And I’ve faxed résumés to a small community college in South Carolina and a construction company in Florida.”

  His words battered her optimism, deflated the hope that he shared her feelings and might find the courage to build on them. She was gutsy, but she couldn’t be brave enough for both of them.

  “Good luck on the interview,” she said woodenly. She sidestepped him, needing some physical outlet. Behind the counter was a rag and some glass cleaner. This seemed like as good a time as any to scrub the hell out of the front windows.

  He hovered behind her, not saying anything, his mere presence ratcheting up the tension inside her until she wanted to scream, Go away. Or hold me. She couldn’t decide which she yearned for more.

  “I could use a friend,” he finally said. She knew the admission cost him. “I’m not used to business interviews, and I’m…”

  “Nervous?” she supplied, melting a little at this show of vulnerability.

  “Can I call you when I get back? If you can spare a few hours in the evening, maybe we can have a late dinner together and I can tell you about it.”

  She shook her head. “You mean a dinner behind closed doors. Or, at best, an extremely platonic dinner in public that couldn’t be construed as a date.”

  He glared, not pleased with the way she’d rejected his olive branch.

  “I’m sorry, Gabe. You may have noticed I don’t do half measures well.” It wasn’t that she was purposely trying to give him an ultimatum, only that she had to be true to herself and protect her heart as best she could this late in the game. Relationship sacrifices were worth it when the participants were in a relationship. He was only willing to skate by on the shadowed edges. “I’m an all-or-nothing gal.”

  “That you are.” He looked away, taking several deep breaths, then reached for the door. “Goodbye, Arianne.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  When Zachariah Waide came into the store after his dinner hour, Arianne didn’t even try to pretend that she was all right.

  “Dad, can I leave early tonight? Please?”

  His brow creased with worry as he looked at her. “Is this about that young man?”

  Even though her father had been working last night at the store instead of attending the town meeting, she was sure he’d heard all about it.

  “Yeah.” She swallowed, determined not to let tears well up again. “It is.”

  With a sigh, he hugged her to him. “Go home, call some of your girlfriends, listen to some maudlin music or whatever it is you kids do to cope these days. It will be all right. Look at your brothers—if both those yahoos could find lasting true love, you will, too.”

  She knew that her father adored her brothers and was only trying to make her laugh. He did get a watery little giggle out of her that made her feel one percent better. Now she just had to figure out what to do about the other ninety-nine.

  Deciding that her dad had been on the right track, she climbed into her car, locked the doors and picked up her cell phone. She wanted to get in touch with Quinn before she started home since her friend lived in the opposite direction.

  Quinn answered immediately. “Hello?”

  “Thank goodness you’re there! It’s Ari.” She sniffled. “I could use a sympathetic ear. You free tonight?”

  “Umm. For you, I can be,” Quinn said loyally. “I mean, Patrick and I were going to a movie, but—”

  “Don’t you dare cancel! I’ll think of something.”

  “Hang on. Brenna’s on the other line. She agreed to wait while I clicked over in case it was a telemarketer or something.” Quinn left without getting a response but was back just as fast. “She’s about to call you, okay?”

  “Thanks, Quinn.”

  Brenna must have dialed the second she disconnected her phone call with Quinn. “Hey, Arianne, everything all right?”

  “No. Are you sure you don’t have plans tonight? I’m not trying to sabotage my friends’ love lives.”

  “Adam’s surgeries got behind today, and he’ll be working late. I’m all yours. You want to meet at the diner?”

  “Too public,” Arianne heard herself say. It was an ironic answer since it sounded a lot like what Gabe had said to her. But after facing down people last night at town hall, she wanted to minimize the chance of who she might run into this evening.

  “Okay. You want to come over and talk at my house? I have ice cream.”

  Her mind flashed to Gabe’s fully stocked freezer, and she bit her lip. “I’m on my way. But I think I’m off ice cream for a while.”

  “IS IT WEIRD TO THINK I might be falling in love?” Arianne was tucked up onto a love seat, Brenna’s cat purring comfortingly in her lap. “I mean, I’ve known him my entire life—sort of—and then within two weeks, bam! Does that even make sense?”

  Brenna set her bowl down on the coffee table with a shrug. “I’m not sure there’s a one-size-fits-all timetable, but it didn’t take me a full month to know I was in love with Adam.”

  For Arianne’s brother David, it had been love at first sight. He claimed that he’d known the day he met Rachel that he wanted to marry her, but he’d waited to share that information with her so she wouldn’t think he was crazy. Tanner had been a different story altogether. It had taken him years—not to mention losing Lilah and later having to win her back—to figure out they should be together for the rest of their lives.

  “I can’t actually be in love.” Arianne glowered. “I’m not really that self-destructive, am I? I’ve dated some nice guys, some cute guys, but there wasn’t that…connection. And now I fall for the worst possible man?” There’d never been anyone truly special she’d wanted to go to the Winter Wonderland dance with. Now there was, but he was hoping to be gone from town by then.

  Brenna tilted her head, regarding her curiously. “After everything you said in town hall about his good qualities, why would you call him the worst possible man?”

  “B
ecause he wants nothing to do with Mistletoe or the people of Mistletoe,” Arianne said glumly.

  “Oh. That might make his being Mistletoe’s Man of the Year a bit awkward.”

  “You think?” Arianne sighed. “I know, I know, I should have thought the nomination through better.” She’d been trying to help, to show the town a different side of him, to show Gabe he could belong here.

  “Look at this as a hiccup,” Brenna consoled her. “There was a time when I thought Adam and I didn’t stand a chance.”

  “But that was because of geography and working out the complications with his children. There was no question that he wanted to be with you.”

  “You don’t think Gabe wants to be with you?”

  “Only under the cover of darkest night,” she said sarcastically. “He doesn’t want people to think we’re dating because he’s afraid it might hurt my reputation or something. And I don’t think he wants me to get too attached because he’s leaving.” The latter might actually be a valid point, except she was pretty sure the damage had already been done.

  “He’s trying to protect you. That’s sweet.” At Arianne’s scowl, Brenna quickly added, “Misguided and outdated, but sweet. Maybe he just doesn’t know how tough you are.”

  Arianne absently scratched the cat under her chin. “I don’t feel very tough.”

  Brenna laughed. “You must not remember the advice you gave me when I was lovelorn. Quinn made some comment about loving and letting go and you were offended that women might be expected to just graciously let go. I believe you suggested that I should ‘track his butt down.’”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Arianne scoffed, “and proof that people probably shouldn’t take advice from me. I mean, sure it sounds bold and proactive, but I can’t just club Gabe over the head and…Wait, can I club him over the head?”

  Brenna smiled. “You might revisit talking to him first.”

  Why not? Considering the depth of her feelings for him, wasn’t it worth another stab at conversation? It wasn’t as if she had anything to lose. She could give them both a few days to think, then call him after the festival. Maybe she’d be pleasantly surprised by the results.

  And as for knocking him upside the head? Well, it never hurt to have a Plan B.

  “LOOKS GOOD, MAN.” Nick Zeth smiled in approval. The festival was due to open its figurative doors in forty minutes, and the pirate plank was ready to go. Dele Momsen had even purchased some spongy foam swords for the youngsters to brandish…and an eye patch for Gabe that he’d put in his back pocket and was trying to forget about.

  “I appreciate your help with it this week,” Gabe told the other man.

  Nick and Shane McIntyre had played high school baseball together and been friends in all the years since. So considering Shane’s animosity toward Gabe, Nick’s easygoing assistance and jovial attitude had come as a pleasant surprise. Maybe Gabe had been too quick to make assumptions about people.

  “Don’t mention it. I had fun,” Nick said. Then he adopted a mock glare. “Even if I was helping ‘the competition.’ I hear you’re the one to beat for Mistletoe Man of the Year.”

  “More like the long shot, but if by some chance I did win, you’re welcome to take my spot on the parade float.”

  Nick laughed. “Hey, I don’t need your pity. If you win, I’ll start mounting my campaign for next year early. If you don’t need any more help, I’m off to stake a place in line.”

  Gabe looked around. None of the attractions were open yet. “Which line is that?”

  Nick jerked his thumb toward the library. The streets had been closed to vehicular traffic for the day, and around the corner from where they stood, in front of the building, were myriad stalls and games. “Kissing booth, dude. Somehow they talked Candy Beemis into donating half an hour of her precious time, but later in the day it will be Holly Devereaux, oo la la, and Arianne.”

  “Arianne Waide?” How had he not known about this? The woman he wanted to kiss every time he saw her had neglected to mention that she’d be selling her kisses to anyone who walked by. Jealousy flared inside him, and he was glad Nick left before glimpsing his dark expression.

  It’s for a good cause, he told himself. When that failed to lower his blood pressure, he reminded himself that it was none of his business whom Arianne bestowed her kisses on. Hadn’t he walked out of her life three nights ago? She certainly hadn’t made any attempt to contact him since, which was telling.

  I miss her. He squelched the thought. Breaking off contact was for the best. If he felt her absence after only three days, what would it be like if he kept seeing her and then moved away? The Kennesaw job, which he knew he wouldn’t be getting, had actually been his strongest lead in Georgia.

  “I like you, Mr. Sloan,” the interviewer had told him. “But the truth is, I’ve seen three other applicants who already have experience on all the machines we use. We also function as a pretty tight crew. You work alone on most of your jobs?”

  Alone. Yep, that about sums me up. In the end Gabe had thanked the man for his time and got back in his truck, not sure if he was relieved, disappointed or both. He’d never thought he would be glad to see the Welcome to Mistletoe sign.

  Then again, he’d never been driving back toward Arianne.

  “Mr. Sloan?”

  Gabe turned to find the mayor offering a handshake.

  The other man nodded toward the partial ship deck. “Have we given this thing a test run into the pit yet?”

  “Yes, sir. Nick Zeth and a couple of his firefighter buddies were knocking each other in, and everything held up just fine. But I plan to stay close today and keep an eye on it. Safety first, right?”

  “That’s the spirit! And thanks again for putting this together. It’s never easy to ask constituents for money, especially in these economic times, so if we’re going to take donations from them, I’m glad we found a way to make it fun. Speaking for the citizens of Mistletoe, we appreciate your help.”

  Gabe almost strangled on a disbelieving laugh. Fourteen years ago, he’d expected to be run out of town on a rail—with his father leading the charge—and now the mayor was thanking him for his efforts on behalf of the town?

  “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you later,” the mayor said. “I suspect I’ll be taking the plunge multiple times today. Probably with my wife holding the other end of the sword.”

  Festival-goers were beginning to descend on town square; the noise level was increasing exponentially. People calling greetings to each other, volunteers testing out the sound systems in the bingo tent and at the gazebo, kids crying and laughing. And somewhere close by, a man letting out a wolf whistle.

  He thought he recognized Nick’s voice hollering appreciatively, “Helloooo, saucy wench.”

  A woman’s laugh. Arianne.

  “That’s Captain Saucy, Pirate Queen, you scurvy knave.” She sounded lighthearted and sexy.

  It was frankly a bit depressing to learn that while he’d been standing here thinking about how much he missed her after such a short time, second-guessing how he’d left things the other night, her mood hadn’t been dampened one bit. Then again, Arianne had always been irrepressible. It was one of the things he loved about her. In a manner of speaking.

  He rested one hand at the pocket of his jeans and strolled casually forward. Did he look convincingly like someone just scoping out the lay of the land, or was it obvious he was a poor sap pining for the sight of a beautiful woman and onetime lover?

  As he rounded the corner of the library, he nearly collided with Arianne, which meant she’d been coming to see him. He smiled, feeling happier than he had all week.

  “Hey, sorry about that,” he said. “I just—What are you wearing?”

  “My swashbuckling pirate garb.” She cocked her hip, beaming at him. “You like?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Too bad Gabe had only a false veneer of a ship and not the real thing. He wanted nothing more than to toss Arianne over his shoulder
and take her to his bunk to have his wicked way with her.

  Gold hoop earrings peeked out through her long blond hair, which was loose and flowing beneath a jaunty brown tricorn. Although the dark corset-style leather vest she wore stopped short of being inappropriately risqué, it did enhance her cleavage enough that he couldn’t stop remembering how she looked beneath her clothes. She had on a ruffled, off-the-shoulder long-sleeved cranberry shirt that hung down just low enough to cover her butt. Her dark brown leggings fit like a second skin, and he found himself fascinated by the thigh-high boots that somehow made her petite legs look a mile long.

  At her hip hung a plastic cutlass, but he could have told her she didn’t need a weapon. One look at her and men would line up to surrender.

  “Holly said she’d dress up for the booth, too,” Arianne told him, “but apparently our definitions of costume aren’t quite the same. She’s wearing a sundress with a bandanna around her neck, a black-and-white hat with the skull and crossbones on it and a parrot broach on her shoulder. Think I went overboard?”

  “Isn’t that the theme of the day?” He managed a tight smile, still trying to get his desire under control enough to speak intelligently.

  “Usually I pull out all the stops for Halloween, but I may not be dressing up this year, so today’s my one big hurrah.”

  “You look…wow.”

  “Thank you.” She ducked her head, and he realized that she seemed more timid today than he’d first realized. Was that why she’d been speaking so quickly—not babbling exactly, but not calm, either? She swallowed. “I was on my way to find you.”

  “Yeah?” He must be the luckiest man in a hundred-block radius to have a woman like this seek him out.

  “I wanted to know about your interview.” She shifted her weight, meeting his gaze, composed again. Had he imagined her flash of nerves? “How’d it go?”