Читать книгу Kiss Me At Christmas: Marry Me at Christmas - Сьюзен Мэллери - Страница 12
ОглавлениеMADELINE WAITED UNTIL Jonny left to go find Isabel. Her business partner was sorting through inventory. They’d been discussing putting a few items online to see if they could start selling across the country. Several tourists had expressed interest in having access to the clothes without having to fly back to town.
“So, that was interesting,” she said as she walked into the storeroom.
Isabel looked up and smiled. “If you’re trying to illustrate that keeping the information about the triplets to myself wasn’t my best idea, point taken.”
Madeline walked to her and touched her arm. “That wasn’t it at all. Mayor Marsha came to see me and asked me to help Jonny plan his sister’s wedding. Dellina’s busy, and as it’s only going to be a small event at his house, it seemed as if I couldn’t mess it up.”
Isabel winced. “Mayor Marsha asked you personally?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then you didn’t have a choice.” Her friend’s smile turned impish. “So, you’re working in close proximity to the gorgeous, muscled Jonny Blaze. Does he know about your mad crush on him?”
“No, and he doesn’t need to.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Is it fun? Are you having trouble breathing?”
“A little,” Madeline admitted. “It’s getting easier. I can go a whole three minutes without hyperventilating. Give me another two weeks and I’ll last for an hour without remembering who he is.”
“Is he nice?”
Madeline thought about their brief meetings and how he obviously loved his sister. “He is, and way more normal than I would have thought. He’s just a regular guy.”
“Seriously?”
Madeline grinned. “Okay, maybe that’s too strong, but he’s not that different. He doesn’t act like a movie star.”
“Any tingles?”
“Plenty and I’m not the least bit concerned. Look at who he is. Tingles come with the territory. They’re about star power, not the man.”
“You’re sure? Because you’re great and he’d be lucky to have you, but I’m not sure he’d be happy with a small-town girl.”
“Me, either.” As if, Madeline thought humorously. “Although if he wanted to tie himself in red ribbon and be waiting under my Christmas tree, I wouldn’t say no.”
“I doubt there are many women who would. ‘Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is Jonny Blaze.’”
Madeline laughed. “You’ve been reading my email.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly noon, which meant she needed to be going.
“Are they here?” Isabel asked, following her gaze.
“I’m guessing my mom already has the oven going,” Madeline said happily.
“Tell everyone hi from me and we’ll see you tomorrow. About seven?”
“Whatever works for you.”
Madeline gave her business partner a hug, then returned to the wedding gown side of the store. Rosalind would work until three, then close things down for the holiday. Madeline was leaving early to go meet her family.
As they did each Thanksgiving, her mother and father, brother and niece returned to Fool’s Gold. Like migrating birds, she thought with a grin as she grabbed her handbag and called out that she was leaving.
Once she was outside, she breathed in the chilly air. It even smelled like a holiday. The streets were more crowded than usual, with people running last-minute errands. There were plenty of tourists, as well, in town for the festivities.
The holiday season bonanza of activities started with the Thanksgiving parade tomorrow afternoon. That was followed by the official tree lighting on Saturday and so on, right up through New Year’s. Madeline enjoyed all of it. She was on the committee for the Live Nativity, which was exactly how it sounded, live animals and all.
For the most part the committee work was easy enough. There were some unusual choices such as Priscilla the elephant and her pony, Reno. The only disagreement had been when someone had suggested a toy poodle stand in for the Baby Jesus. But what was life without controversy?
Not that she had to worry about her committee today. Instead, she would be spending time with her family.
She walked the ten blocks to her small house, then smiled when she saw the rental car in her driveway. Her parents had flown in from their place in Florida while her brother and niece would be arriving from O’Hare. Jasmine was a sophomore at Northwestern, while Robbie, Madeline’s brother, was a pediatrician in Saint Paul.
She ran up the three steps to her porch, then opened the front door and stepped inside.
“I’m home,” she called.
Her parents stepped out of the kitchen and hurried toward her. “My darling Maddie,” her mother said, her arms open, her smile welcoming. “How are you?”
Her dad grinned. “She looks good, Loretta. She looks good.”
Madeline was captured in their embrace. She hugged them back, letting the love wash over her.
She’d been lucky, she thought to herself. Lucky to be born into such a loving family. While she’d always known that her parents were older than her friends’, she’d been okay with that. Loretta and Joseph had nurtured her, encouraging her to believe in herself and follow her dreams. The only flaw in their plan had been how long it had taken Madeline to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.
It hadn’t helped to have such a successful older brother. By the time she entered first grade, Robbie was already in medical school. But he’d always taken time to pay attention to her, and while they hadn’t grown up together, they’d been close.
Now she smiled at her parents. “How was your flight?”
“Excellent,” her father said. “Your mother fretted the whole way.”
“I didn’t fret,” Loretta said with a laugh. “I thought they were flying too slow. I couldn’t wait to get here.”
Her parents had arrived in Sacramento late the previous evening. With her dad pushing seventy-five, they preferred to wait until morning to make the drive to Fool’s Gold.
“Did you check into the hotel?” Madeline asked. “If you didn’t, you can still change your minds and stay here.”
Her mother touched her cheek. “You’re sweet to offer, but you need your space and so do we.”
Because Madeline’s house was charming, but only had two bedrooms and a single bathroom. She’d chosen it because the living area was large, as was the kitchen. But the spare room was practically closet-size.
“I’d sleep on the futon,” she pointed out.
“We’re fine at the lodge,” her father said, hugging her again. “We always run into old friends there.”
They went into the kitchen. Her mother already had peanut butter cookies in the oven and fresh coffee in the pot.
“Did you check everything?” Madeline asked. “I went over the list a couple of times and I’m pretty sure it’s all here.”
Her mother laughed. “You did an excellent job. I did check and you remembered everything.”
The Krug family had a Thanksgiving tradition. The parade, followed by dinner, followed by an open house that lasted well into the night. Friends and neighbors dropped in to visit. There were cakes and cookies and pies, along with good conversation and plenty of laughter. It was one of her favorite memories from childhood.
When her parents had moved to Florida, the tradition had been dropped. Madeline had gone to visit them for the holiday. But when she’d bought her place a couple of years ago, her parents had wanted to spend Thanksgiving in Fool’s Gold and she’d found herself hosting the annual open house.
“I brought you something,” her mother said, going to her handbag and pulling out a red box. “For Christmas.”
Madeline stared at the box and knew exactly what was inside. They were a family tradition and had been on the Christmas dinner table her entire life.
Her mother’s smile faded. “Was I wrong to bring them? Are you sad? Oh, Joseph, did we make a mistake, booking the cruise over Christmas?”
Madeline took the small box and opened it. She pulled out the cardinal salt and pepper shakers and placed them on the counter. “They’re beautiful. Thank you for bringing them to me. I’ll use them, I promise. As for you making a mistake, you didn’t. You’re going to have a good time.”
“But you’ll be by yourself.” Her mother’s brows drew together. “We worry about you.”
Because for the first time they wouldn’t be spending Christmas together. Robbie and Jasmine would be with Robbie’s in-laws and her parents had booked a holiday cruise with two other couples.
When they’d first told Madeline, she’d felt a little twinge. But then she’d reminded herself that they’d worked hard all their lives and they deserved to enjoy their retirement.
“I’ll be fine,” she told them. “I have lots of friends. You know that. The big question is which invitation to accept for dinner.” Her parents didn’t look that reassured.
She searched for something else to say—something that would reassure them. She brightened. “Besides, I’m going to be so swamped. I’m planning a wedding.”
“Who’s getting married? Why didn’t I know one of your friends had gotten engaged?”
Madeline chuckled. “Mom, you have to brace yourself. I’m not helping a friend. Do you know who Jonny Blaze is?”
“The actor?” her mother asked.
“I enjoy his movies,” her father added. “Amish Revenge is one of my favorites. We have the DVD.”
“He’s getting married?” Her mother shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s not him, it’s his sister.”
Madeline explained about Mayor Marsha and the request, along with the subsequent conversations. “You can’t tell anyone,” she added. “It’s a private thing.”
“Of course,” her mother said. “You’re very sweet to help him out.” Her mouth curved into a teasing smile. “Is he just as handsome in person?”
“You know it.”
Her father cleared his throat. “Loretta, do I have to worry about you?”
His wife laughed. “Hardly. Jonny Blaze is young enough to be my son.”
“That doesn’t matter. You’re a beautiful woman and he’d be lucky to have you. What I want to know is how hard I have to fight to keep you.”
Their teasing warmed Madeline from the inside out. Her parents were loving, in love and just plain good people.
She worried about them because of their ages. She wasn’t ready to lose either of them. But they were both healthy and Robbie assured her they should live well into their nineties. While she would like them around forever, she would take what she could get.
A car pulled into the driveway. Her mother clapped and her father headed to the front door.
“Right on time,” Madeline said, just as excited to see the rest of her family.
The next few minutes passed in a blur of greetings and hugs as Robbie and Jasmine were welcomed into the house. Flights were discussed and the cardinal salt and pepper shakers were cooed over.
By the time all that was done, Madeline found herself in the kitchen with her niece. Jasmine pulled up a bar stool and scooped batter onto waiting cookie sheets.
“I don’t know, Maddie,” the twenty-one-year-old admitted. “Dad doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the pressure.”
“Your dad wants you to be happy.”
“He wants me to be a pediatrician.”
“Probably, but he’ll settle for you being happy.”
Because while Jasmine had said she was interested in medicine, her decision to focus on radiology was different than her initial plan to follow in her father’s footsteps. Jasmine’s mother had died of breast cancer.
Her death had changed them all. Jasmine especially. She’d decided to focus her sadness in a productive way. Something Robbie would have already guessed.
“He loves you,” Madeline pointed out. “He’ll be fine.”
Jasmine, a blue-eyed blonde like the rest of the Krug women, wrinkled her nose. “Maybe you could talk to him.”
“Maybe you could talk to him yourself.”
“Why do I have to act like an adult?”
“It builds character and you might want to have the skill later, so it’s good to practice.”
Jasmine laughed. “If you insist.”
“I do.”
Robbie walked into the kitchen. He was nearly six feet, with light brown hair that was going gray at the temples. He smiled when he spotted them talking.
“How are my two favorite girls?”
“Good,” Madeline said. “I think it’s going to snow.”
“I hope so. It’s so fun here when it snows.”
Madeline grinned at her brother. “I would think you’d get enough snow at home.”
Robbie snagged one of the cooling cookies and took a bite. “It’s different here.”
“Magical,” his daughter said.
“I don’t think I’d go that far, but close.” He turned to Madeline. “You okay with the holiday plans? You can come with Jasmine and me if you want.”
Madeline appreciated the concern for what would be her first Christmas without her family. “I’ll be fine. I’ve already talked to Mom. I have friends and plenty to keep me busy. Don’t worry.”
“Grandma Pat said it was okay,” Jasmine added. “Just so you know.”
Grandma Pat was Robbie’s mother-in-law and Jasmine’s maternal grandmother. “Tell her thank you, but I’m staying in Fool’s Gold.” She had work and a wedding to plan. There was also the slight chance she might be caught under some mistletoe with a very handsome Jonny Blaze.
* * *
AROUND NOON ON Thanksgiving, Jonny drove into town for the parade. He was curious to see the festivities, not to mention cheer on his car. He wasn’t sure Mayor Marsha was a 1956 El Dorado kind of gal, but who was he to judge?
He was surprised by the number of people already lining the streets. It took him a while to find parking and then he had to walk nearly a mile back to the parade route. He passed lots of families. Parents with kids in strollers and even parents with teenagers. He would have expected the older kids to head off to be with their friends, but from what he could see, they were pretty willing to stay with the old folks. A few people smiled and called out a greeting. He had a feeling that was about the day and not him, which he liked.
The temperature was brisk—probably the midthirties. Cold but not unbearable. The sky was clear, but he would swear he could smell the promise of snow. On the corner, Brew-haha had set up a kiosk with mugs of cocoa and coffee. Next to that was a food cart that sold all kinds of Thanksgiving-shaped cookies. Turkeys and pumpkins and Pilgrim hats. He got a coffee and a couple of cookies, then strolled around in the crowd.
There was plenty of conversation. He heard snippets of different discussions on everything from the favorite part of the parade to what side dishes a certain mother-in-law expected her new daughter-in-law to make. When the faint notes of music drifted toward them, the crowd went quiet, then began to cheer.
He turned with everyone else, eager to catch his first glimpse of this small-town parade.
“Oh. My. God. You’re Jonny Blaze. I can’t believe it. What are you doing here? Do you live here? Is it really you? Can I have an autograph and take a picture?”
It took a second for the frantic words to register. Jonny turned and saw a woman in her thirties staring at him. She was holding a toddler and there was a slightly older girl hanging on to her free hand. He knew he’d never seen her before and guessed she was a tourist in town for the long weekend.
The woman stared at him, then nodded. “It’s you. I can’t believe it. Mike, hurry. It’s Jonny Blaze. You need to take our picture. This is amazing. Can we kiss, because wow, would I like to kiss you.”
This happened all the time. He knew exactly what to do, how to establish boundaries. He’d been doing it for years. Only in the past few weeks, he’d forgotten what it was like to have the public intruding into his life. So he wasn’t prepared and in the seconds it took him to figure out what he was supposed to say—beyond “Hell, no, we can’t kiss”—the woman was moving in for her picture.
“You’re going to feel really foolish in a minute.”
The voice came from behind him, then a woman who had to be in her seventies pushed in front of him.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she continued cheerfully. “That he’s that movie star Jonny something, right? Happens all the time.” The old lady slapped him on his upper arm. “This is my no-good grandson. He can’t hold a job to save his soul. My daughter is pulling her hair out, let me tell you. Now he’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he’s learned how to clean out gutters. You have some work he could do? He’s honest and he’s cheap.”
The woman holding the baby took a giant step back. “You’re not Jonny Blaze? And you were going to kiss me? I don’t think so. Yuck.” She rolled her eyes. “Why would I want to kiss a stranger?”
My point exactly, Jonny thought as the woman and her family hurried away.
He turned to the old lady. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I saw them moving in for the kill and figured you could use some help.”
“I’m usually better than that.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. Everyone gets to have an off day. I’m Gladys, by the way.”
“Jonny Blaze.”
She grinned. “Like I don’t know that. Nice to meet you officially. You’re very handsome.”
He laughed. “Okay, don’t get scary.”
She winked. “I know things. You’d be amazed.”
“I probably would be. And then you’d dump me and break my heart.”
“Very possibly.” She eyed him speculatively. “I do have a great-niece who’s single. Actually, Nancee’s in a relationship with a no-good jerk, but does she listen?”
“They never do.”
She motioned to someone he couldn’t see. “I’m leaving you with protection, seeing as you’re woefully unprepared to take care of yourself.”
He turned and saw Madeline walking toward them. Gladys quickly explained what had happened.
Madeline turned to him. “Are you okay?”
She was genuinely concerned. He could read it in her blue eyes. Talk about strange—people didn’t look out for him, they took from him. He was expected to be the one to provide. If he needed help, he hired security.
She was dressed in a bright red coat that matched her lip gloss. A matching scarf was wrapped around her neck and she had on mittens. Nothing overtly sexy, yet he found the outfit appealing. And very Fool’s Gold.
“I’m fine,” he told her. “Just an overly zealous tourist. Gladys shut her down.”
“Gladys is good at doing that. But brace yourself. She’s going to want payback.”
“She already mentioned us sleeping together,” he said, telling himself she really had been joking.
“If only it would stop there.” Madeline glanced around. “You’re a sitting duck out like this. Come on.” She pointed down the street. “You can hang out with my family. We’re small in number, but mighty in spirit.”
He wanted to say he could take care of himself—that he wasn’t some dweeb who needed protecting. Only he liked her looking out for him. It was strange, but kind of nice. Like the town, he thought as he walked with her.
Madeline stopped in front of an older couple. Jonny remembered what she’d said about being a late-in-life surprise for her parents.
“Mom, Dad, this is Jonny Blaze. Jonny, my parents, Joseph and Loretta Krug.”
If the older Krugs were surprised, they didn’t let on. They both greeted him, then shook his hand.
“No relationship to the French Krugs,” her father said with a wink.
It took Jonny a second to make the connection. “The champagne guy,” he said.
“That’s the one.”
“I wouldn’t mind being related to a champagne baron,” a tall, younger man said.
Jonny took in the similarities between Joseph and the man standing next to him, then held out his hand. “You must be Madeline’s brother.”
“Robbie. Nice to meet you. And this is my daughter, Jasmine.”
“Hi,” the young woman said with a smile. “Wow, you really are Jonny Blaze.”
“It’s just a rumor,” he told her.
The music got louder and everyone turned toward the street. He could see a banner carried by members of the high school drill team. Behind them was his car with Mayor Marsha sitting on the open back, her feet firmly planted on the rear seat.
“She’s beautiful,” Madeline teased. “Does it hurt to see her in public like that?”
“No. Better for her to be admired by all.”
Robbie moved next to them. “We’re talking about the car, right? Not that I don’t love Mayor Marsha, but words like that would make me really uncomfortable.”
Madeline linked arms with her brother. “Don’t worry. Jonny is already spoken for. Gladys has made her play for him.”
Robbie slapped him on the back. “You’re a braver man than me.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Behind the car with the mayor was the marching band. Jonny wondered if the good mayor had thought to invest in earplugs, because the music was loud. Then he remembered this wasn’t her first rodeo. She was California’s longest-serving mayor and he would guess there was very little she wasn’t prepared for.
After the marching band came the floats. Some were expected—like the decorated fire truck. Others surprised him. There was a giant plastic polar bear, all decked out for the holidays. Of course, that was nothing when compared with an actual live elephant, dressed like Santa.
Loretta, Madeline’s mother, moved next to him. “Before you ask,” she murmured, “they keep it on with Velcro. Several women in town banded together to make the costume. The tricky part is getting it on her. Not that she doesn’t cooperate. She does. But she’s a big girl.”
He nodded, wondering how on earth an elephant came to be dressed as Santa in a parade. Of course, she was trailed by a pony and a goat, both in elf costumes, so hey.
Loretta leaned close. “What are your plans for dinner? Would you like to join us? Before you answer, I’ll tell you that it’s just family for the meal. Maddie and I have been cooking since yesterday and everything is delicious, if I do say so myself. After dinner, there’s an open house. Our friends and neighbors stop by to welcome in the holiday season.”
He thought about the big, empty house waiting for him back at his ranch. He’d come to Fool’s Gold looking for privacy and solitude. After having found both, he had to admit that the nights could get a little long and lonely.
“I’d like that,” he told her. “Thank you.”
She patted his arm. “Good. Friends are always welcome at our table.”
She moved back to stand next to her husband. Jonny glanced from her to the man at her side and wondered how his life would have been different if he hadn’t lost his mother when Ginger was born and his father over a decade ago. Family was important. He knew that Ginger kept him grounded. When he wasn’t sure what decision to make about a project, he picked the one he knew would make her proud. Without someone to love, a person didn’t have an anchor.
Madeline smiled at him. “Everything okay?”
“Your mom invited me to dinner. Hope it’s okay I said yes.”
Her smile was immediate and welcoming. “Brace yourself. It’s loud.”
“Small in number but mighty in spirit?”
She laughed. “Exactly.”
