The Kiss List

by Sonya Weiss

  “It’s the traditional reindeer-antlers headband. We wear them every year.”

  “Your dad hasn’t done that since you left. Guess he didn’t have the heart.”

  “Oh.” She looked sad for a moment, then shook it off. “Well, I’m reinstating it.”

  Max searched the box. “Can’t. Tradition says the fake red noses go with them, and they’re not in the box. You’ll have to skip the nose. Unless…” He took out a set of markers they used for creating their pricing sign. Wagging the package, he arched his brow. Challenging. “It’s marker.”

  “We have rubbing alcohol to take it off before I meet Michael, right?”

  Max nodded. “The swabs in the first aid kit.”

  “Those will work.” She took a marker from the box and used a compact mirror to draw a red nose on herself.

  He was joking and hadn’t expected Haley to go through with it. Annalise never would have done anything to mess up her makeup. Part of him had wanted her to draw the nose on to stall her meeting with Michael. But he had no intention of examining why he wanted to sabotage the date.

  She grinned. “I look silly, I know. But it’s attention grabbing. The kids will love it and will drag their parents over here to talk to the reindeer lady and her grumpy coworker. We’ll sell the inventory we have and get tons of new orders. You’ll see.”

  “Haley, the optimist.”

  “Max, the irritant.” She shooed him from the booth. “I’ll get the signs ready.”

  “I do the hard work; you do the easy part.” Max pretended to ponder, then snapped his fingers. “You must be management.”

  Haley laughed. “If you want me to do the unloading, I will. I’m better with the signs, though, and you know it.”

  Yeah, he did know that. The endless summer they’d worked together—more like griped at each other for six hours a day—at her family’s business, he’d seen her handiwork.

  “Bring the alcohol swabs in when you come back. I want to clean off the marker before we leave.”

  “Can’t. The first aid kit is back at the shop. Don’t worry, Rudy. I’m sure Michael won’t mind playing reindeer games.”

  Chapter Nine

  Back at the shop, Haley scrubbed the tip of her nose with a third alcohol swab. Though she’d succeeded in getting the majority of the marker off, her nose still looked like a ripe red apple.“The first aid kit is back at the shop,” she mimicked Max as she scooped up the empty packets and tossed them into the bathroom wastebasket.

  One final glance in the mirror did nothing to diminish the thoughts of the harm she was going to bring to Max. Well, at least she had two things going for her. One: today’s time at the showcase had been successful. As she’d predicted, they’d sold their inventory, and she had over a dozen new customer order sheets. Two: Michael was late, so at least he hadn’t been on hand to see her scrambling from the truck with her marker nose.

  “Where’s Max?” she asked one of the seasonal employees as she headed to the warehouse. If he knew what was good for him, he’d be in hiding. Making plans to move to another state.

  “Outside,” the guy said, pointing in the general direction of the front door.

  “Thanks.” He was probably hoping to catch Michael and make a joke about her nose. Haley marched to the door and opened it but paused for a second when swirls of snow gusted in. She went to get her gloves and then walked outside, looking around for Max.

  She found him with his back to her. He was rolling snow and building a snowman at the end of the parking lot.

  Carefully easing a path through the accumulation, Haley grabbed a handful of snow and rolled it into a ball. She packed it down as tightly as she could, then lined herself up behind Max and, with all her strength behind it, let the snowball fly.

  It hit him on the back of his exposed neck. His shoulders hunched up like a turtle trying to withdraw back into its shell.

  Score! Haley did a congratulatory fist pump.

  Max turned. “That was a mistake.” He gave her a wide grin.

  Haley darted to one side when he flung a handful of snow at her. “Missed me,” she taunted.

  He scooped up another handful and charged her.

  Haley sprinted up the hill beside the shop, grabbing onto saplings to help leverage herself as she climbed. At the top of the hill, she turned to smirk back at Max, only he wasn’t there.

  “Incoming,” he yelled, practically in her ear.

  Haley didn’t have time to process that before he’d flung himself at her in a tackle worthy of one of his football heroes. They rolled down the hill—him on top, then her at a fast clip—until they skidded to a stop at the bottom.

  Haley lifted her head and spit out snow. “Puh. That’s cold.” She flopped back onto the ground and moved her arms and legs back and forth. “Snow angel.”

  Beside her, Max did the same.

  When they were done, Haley lay on her back, looking up at the gray sky. “Haven’t done that in years.” She propped herself up on one elbow. “I win, though. I got in the last snowball.”

  Max closed his hand around a wad of snow.

  “That’s cheating.” Haley tried to scramble out of reach.

  “And sneaking up behind someone with a snowball isn’t?”

  “No, it’s genius.” Haley dug her fingers into the snow. She leaped onto Max, laughing as she tried to stuff the snowball down the collar of his shirt.

  He grabbed her hand and shook it, flinging all the snow out of her grasp. Scooping up a handful, he threw it at her while Haley ducked, to no avail. The cold, wet mess covered her forehead. “Okay, already. I give.”

  Max eyed her distrustfully. “Nothing up your sleeves?”

  “No. Promise.” She shivered.

  He levered himself up and extended a hand to pull her to her feet. “You shouldn’t be out here in just a sweater.”

  “The opportunity for payback was too strong. The alcohol swabs being here and you letting me think they were in the truck? That was particularly Max-i-fied.”

  He put his hands together and bowed. “What can I say? I’m brilliant like that. In all fairness, you didn’t ask me where the first aid kit was. Are you coming in?”

  “I’m going to wait a few seconds longer. Michael should be here any second.”

  “And you want Michael to think your red nose is from the weather.”

  “Exactly. And after I’ve had a few minutes to dazzle him with the wonder of me, he won’t notice the nose.”

  “All right.” Max headed toward the door. “I’m going to make coffee. Want some?”

  “No, because Michael always liked to go for coffee and pie. He might want to do that. Are you working late tonight?”

  “Have to. I’ve got some stuff I didn’t get done yesterday that I need to finish.”

  As soon as Max left, Haley went to the snow angel he’d made, and at the head, she formed two horns. There. That’s more realistic.

  She paced the parking lot. Any second now, Michael would drive up. Probably in a Jeep. That’s what he used to drive. She wondered if he still stayed in the garage apartment behind his parents’ house that he’d lived in after high school.

  Fifteen minutes later, freezing, Haley went back inside. She could wait for him in the warmth just as well as she could outside. Heading into the office, she decided she’d file the paperwork her father had always had the habit of putting away at the last minute. Half an hour later, she straightened her father’s desk. Then she went into the employee break room and made a note of paper supplies she needed to get.

  An hour later, she had to face the fact that Michael wasn’t coming. Being stood up sucked, but being stood up where Max could witness it sucked way more.

  She should just go home. If she crept out quietly enough, Max would never know. Haley hurried from the back of the shop.

&
nbsp; Max was already standing in her way, like a dark specter blocking out the light filtering in through the front door’s glass. He turned as if he’d heard her quiet approach. His gaze skimmed her from head to toe.

  She held her arms out. “I’m not packing any snowballs.” Lowering her gaze, she shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. “Michael didn’t show.”

  “He just pulled up.” Max pushed the door open and stepped outside.

  Michael climbed from his Jeep and stretched. He hadn’t changed much over the years. Same cropped hair. Same petulant droop to his lower lip. Same sullen expression.

  Haley had a moment of insta-dislike. Had he always looked like a spoiled boy?

  “No one ever taught you if you’re going to be late, you call rather than keep a lady waiting?” Max asked.

  Michael lowered his arms. “I got hung up with the guys at work.” He had a what’s-the-big-deal tone to his voice. One Haley had been too familiar with back when they were dating.

  Memories flooded in, and Haley frowned. When she’d dated Michael, she’d been the one who’d done all the compromising. He’d always put himself first. Everything had to be Michael’s way or he’d sulk. How did I forget that?

  Michael thumbed toward his Jeep. “You want to grab something to eat or what?”

  Max looked at Haley, waiting for her response.

  “No, I think I’m going to go home.”

  Michael shrugged. “Your loss. See ya.” He climbed back into the Jeep, revved the engine, and, with tires screeching, drove away.

  Max stared after the retreating vehicle, then looked at her. “No wonder you’re still single if that’s the best you could do.”

  “We didn’t date that long. He was a high school friend’s brother. She introduced us.”

  “Some friend,” Max said.

  “Yeah, well, I guess I’ve forgotten some things. I can cross another one off the list.” She sighed. “I’m feeling the dread here. Maybe it’s not going to happen for me.”

  “You don’t know that,” he said gently. He moved a strand of hair from her forehead. “Michael didn’t deserve you.”

  They were still for a second, gazing into each other’s eyes.

  Max cleared his throat. “Let’s move on. Who’s next on the list?”

  Haley attributed the flutter in her heart to the exertion of playing in the snow and brushed it off. She thought about Max’s question for a second. “James Grand.”

  Max nodded. “I know the name. My grandmother mentioned him. He’s the manager at the bingo hall. Okay, I’ll track him down.”

  “Let me know when something’s set up. It’s hard to believe we’re already at number five on the list. I’m getting down to the wire.” Trying to hide her dismay at the thought, Haley strode toward her car. She wanted to call it a day and get home before the weather got worse. They still had two more days of the showcase to get through, which meant rising before the birds were up.

  “I’m thinking the problem is with your list and not you.”

  “Wait.” She stopped. “You thought the problem was me and now you don’t?”

  “Yes.”

  Haley waited for him to continue. He didn’t. She waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t even want to know what would come out of your mouth if I asked you to elaborate on that.”

  His phone rang, and he answered it while Haley went back inside to get the purse she’d forgotten.

  Max was pacing the parking lot next to her car when she returned.

  “I need your help,” he said.

  “Sorry. I don’t perform exorcisms.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “So am I.” Haley tossed her purse into the passenger seat.

  “Wynne called. She signed up to bring the decorations and four dozen homemade cookies for Lonnie’s play-date group’s Thanksgiving party, and she forgot about it. She’s at work and won’t be off in time. The party is tonight.”

  Though she’d looked forward to getting home and relaxing, Haley was willing to do pretty much anything for Lonnie. “You want me to help you bake cookies?”

  “Please.”

  “Okay, you get the ingredients from the store and meet me back at my house.”

  “Thank you, Haley.”

  “I’m doing it for Lonnie.”

  “I noticed how well you worked with her decorating the cupcakes. Giving her more time to respond, considering that things can be a challenge for her.”

  “She’s a wonderful little girl and a joy to be around. Unlike her uncle.” Haley couldn’t resist the parting shot.

  Max clutched his chest and staggered backward, crumpling to the ground, pretending to be mortally wounded.

  “Idiot,” Haley said. But she drove away smiling.

  …

  By the time Max reached Tilton’s, the grocery store parking lot was packed. Probably from shoppers who wanted to stock up in case the roads weren’t safe to drive on later. He grabbed a shopping cart, then realized he didn’t know everything that went into making cookies.

  Chocolate chips. He could start there. He picked up a bag of morsels, read the list on the back, and debated. Haley might need more ingredients than what was listed if she tweaked recipes the way his mother always did.

  He pulled out his phone and texted her: Cookie ingredients?

  No response.

  Max picked up the items listed on the back of the morsel bag, then texted again.

  No response.

  Now he was getting concerned. Like he did for any citizen of Cherry Creek when bad weather hit. He finished shopping, paid, and loaded everything in the trunk of his car, and still no answering text.

  The roads were beginning to get slick as he drove to her house. He hoped he wouldn’t find her car in a ditch somewhere. He didn’t like the idea of anyone getting hurt. Especially Haley.

  When he pulled into the driveway, relief coursed through him. Haley’s car was there. Hoisting the bags, he made his way up to the porch and knocked.

  Haley opened the door sans makeup, her hair wrapped turban-style in a towel. She reached to take one of the bags. “Sorry. I was in the shower and didn’t get the texts.”

  Haley all soaped up… Max didn’t want that visual in his head. It was Haley.

  Dressed as she was, in distressed jeans and hooded sweatshirt, she shouldn’t look so good, but she did. Haley had a natural girl-next-door beauty that a man could appreciate even if he didn’t necessarily appreciate the woman herself. Maybe he was lying to himself about not appreciating her, but maybe it was just because he’d worried when he hadn’t received a response. He followed her into the kitchen and set the bag on the table.

  “I’m going to go do something with my hair. Preheat the oven, please.”

  Max preheated the oven and then began unpacking the bags. After ten minutes, when Haley still hadn’t returned, he decided he’d get started. The sooner they finished, the sooner they could part company, which was safer for his heart. He hated that he liked spending time with her, and he never would have guessed that would ever happen—yet here he was. Happy to be here.

  He read the directions and added the ingredients to the bowl, then mixed everything together.

  Haley walked into the kitchen, her hair done in a French braid. She came up beside him, peering down into the bowl. “Did you follow instructions?”

  “To the letter. Except I had to guesstimate what a dash of salt is.”

  “But I remember my father telling me you don’t cook,” Haley said. “You don’t know what a dash of anything is.”

  “Relax.” Max dropped the mixture on the cookie sheet in dollops of twelve and slid the pan into the oven. He used the microwave to set the timer. “I manage the coffee shop without a hitch, and I’ve handled my job at Bowman’s without a problem. Both have called me to guesstimate m
easurements on occasion.”

  “Uh-huh.” Haley moved around him to roll the top of the flour bag down and stick a clothespin on it. She shrugged when he raised an eyebrow. “I can’t find the clips Mom always used. Dad might have put them away somewhere.”

  He leaned back against the counter. “I’m going to call James tonight when I get home and invite him to meet you at the indoor putt-putt place. That okay?”

  “Yeah. Set it for the afternoon if that works for him. I can meet him during my lunch break from the showcase. You’ll have to man the booth for an hour or so.”

  “Not a problem.” He’d do whatever he had to if it landed one of Haley’s list men. That’s what she wanted. He did too. Of course he did, he told himself. He wanted her to find what she felt she needed in life. He closed that thought down and kicked it aside. The focus was the partnership. Not Haley, he thought.

  Haley rubbed her forehead. “I can hardly believe it’s almost Thanksgiving. Suzie wants her fiancé and his family to join us this year. There’s so much left to do for the wedding and for the holiday. I haven’t even bought the turkey yet.”

  “Tilton’s didn’t have a lot of them left.”

  “I forgot that things are a little more limited in a small town. Where I lived in California, there are so many shopping options.”

  “Are you sorry you came back?”

  “No. I don’t like the circumstances that led me home, but I’m glad to be here. I just wish I hadn’t left the way that I did. Running away from grief.”

  Haley trading barbs with him, he could easily deal with. But the thought of her crying and leaving town because she was in pain made his heart clench. “You have to let the heartache hurt as you deal with it, and then once you let it go, you can embrace the good stuff.”

  “I know, but everything was overwhelming. So many memories and pain. There were times I wanted to come back and have a conversation with Dad about everything, but I didn’t, and now we don’t really talk about it.”

  “Love doesn’t run, Haley. It helps you fight for what you believe in and for what you want. When you love someone, you fight for what’s right. Talk to your dad. Get everything out in the open.”