Mistletoe and Magic (2 page)

Feeling a bit calmer, she headed back out into the showroom to make a sale. She tried not to look his way because his good looks did make her nervous, but try as she might, she just couldn’t seem to stop sneaking a peek. One more glance at him and she was clearing her throat. No doubt about it, he was definitely eye candy. She pretended to be organizing the Christmas ornaments on the shelf so he wouldn’t see her ogling him. She admitted this was one time Dina was right. She was pathetic.

Tanned with broad shoulders, tight fitting jeans and a leather bomber jacket with lambs wool on the collar made for a nice little package. His hair was bleached from the sun, and the color of his eyes were the deepest damn blue she’d ever seen.
No doubt a surfer-dude
went through her mind.

He walked around the showroom, his suitcase still in his hand. “Hey, is it all right if I put this down in the corner while I’m looking around?” he asked.

“Absolutely. I’m sorry. I should have suggested it.”

“That’s okay. I should have asked sooner.” He wandered around haphazardly checking out both rooms and stopped in front of the display of wreaths. “I need to buy a gift and I haven’t the foggiest idea about what to get. Any suggestions?”

That clinched it for her—he was attached to someone. Wreaths were not a gift you purchased for a man. At least she didn’t think so. Her shoulders relaxed at the thought, and she was suddenly feeling much better about just enjoying the scenery and not having to worry about him coming on to her. She made her way over to him. “Okay, where should we start?”

“That’s where you come in,” he winked and her heart soared like a jet at takeoff. She listened as he continued. “My Aunt Becky is letting me stay with her. I’ve never been in your little town before,” he said glancing outside through the picture window. “This is a wonderful little place, the perfect artsy-crafty town,” he gestured with his hand, “just chock full of little shops with all kinds of treasures.”

She stopped listening to him when she realized the tension in her shoulders had returned. Watching his mouth move as he spoke had her freaking out.

He grinned. “Please excuse my ignorance. I should introduce myself.” He extended his hand, “my name is Arden J. Miller, but everyone calls me AJ. And if you haven’t already guessed from the way I’m shivering, I’m from a much warmer climate.” He quivered. “Man, that cold just cuts right through ya, doesn’t it?”

She nodded and forced herself to say something. “If you’re not used to it. But I suspect by the time your visit is over, it won’t matter anyway.”

“Well, my initial intention was only for a visit. But, I may just decide to stay.”

Mallory thought her heart would stop beating upon hearing he might stay because if he did, she was in big trouble. She sucked in her breath and released it. What? Having one thirteen year-old and one eight year-old daughter who constantly tried to kill one another wasn’t bad enough? Like she needed more things to complicate her life? Not a chance. But what made her think he would ask anyway? She chastised herself for the vacillating thoughts. Is this what loneliness had done to her? Made her fantasize? She cleared her throat trying to disrupt the chain of thoughts going through her head when she noticed his hand was still extended. Afraid to feel the heat from his touch, she pretended not to notice, but he apparently didn’t care because he latched onto hers and lingered for longer than it took to say hello.

Her eyes lowered and focused on their hands, his grip tightly wrapped around hers. He noticed and pulled back. “I’m sorry,” he blurted out with a slightly embarrassed expression on his face, “my hands are so cold and the warmth from yours was so inviting…like a thermal heater…and I couldn’t let go,” he stammered. Just as he was about to let her hand go, he turned her left hand over. “Well, the truth is I didn’t see a ring on your finger and was praying you weren’t married.”

She jerked her hand back nervously and cleared her throat. “Let’s start over here,” she pointed out.

Realizing he’d made her uncomfortable, he stepped back and grinned. “I’m terribly sorry. It’s probably a good thing you pulled back. I might have held onto your hand forever.” He took a deep breath. “Honestly…” he grinned, “I can’t believe I’m going to say this…but the most amazing feeling rushed through me the minute I saw you. It was like kismet or something.”

She gave a nervous chuckle.

He clutched his chest with his hand. “Seriously. I know you probably think this is a shameless attempt to flirt, but I’m seriously feeling a deep connection toward you.” He stepped back and stared at her. “I’m not kidding. It was like the minute we touched I felt this draw like a magnetic impulse to be closer.” His face flushed. “Look at this,” he pointed to his cheeks, “I’m even embarrassing myself.”

With a tilt of her head, she released a chuckle, “You know, I’ve been out of the game for a few years, but seriously, that’s probably the best pick up line I’ve ever heard.”

“Ma’am, I swear,” he held his hand up, “that wasn’t a line. I meant every word of it.”

His face creased into an off kilter smile causing a swirly feeling in her stomach. It had been a long time since anyone had made her heart race like this. She pushed the thought aside. Since when did she become so needy that hearing a compliment from the opposite sex sent her into a tailspin? It was obvious he was a playboy. And judging from his demeanor and wide smile, she figured wherever he came from, the women were plentiful and his for the taking.

“So what exactly are you looking for?” she changed the subject.

“Well, something Christmasy.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Really?” she snickered.

“I was trying to make you laugh. Okay, I can see you don’t appreciate my humor so I’ll quit while I’m ahead. But honestly…what I said before…I meant every word of it. And I will keep coming back in here until you get used to me and you’ll say yes to a date with me. We can start small,” he offered. “You know…like a cup of coffee? So what do you say?”

CHAPTER THREE

When Mallory heard the bells tingle again, her anxiety heightened figuring Don Juan had returned, but when she heard Dina’s voice, relief washed over her and she released a breath.

“Miriam and I are here, Mal,” Dina said, rushing up to her like an excited schoolgirl ready to hear about the new kid in class. “So how was it?”

“Listen you two,” Mallory shook her finger at them, “Stop with this voodoo crap.”

Miriam arched her brow. “This my dear, is not crap. Those Tarot cards are on the money, Mal,” Miriam gloated. “You didn’t believe me then, but I’ll bet you do now.”

“Oh stop! For crying out loud, I believe no such thing.”

“But he is here to stay, isn’t he?” Dina said, as she jumped up and down, her hands clutched together in prayer mode.

Mallory huffed. “Maybe. So what?” She shook her head. “Lots of people come and go through Chester. It’s a wonderful place to live, so why wouldn’t he want to stay.”

Miriam fanned her fingers over her forehead and rubbed them back and forth. Her eyes shut tightly as though in deep thought. “Tell me, Mal, does his name begin with an ‘A’? I’m seeing two letters.”

“What? You’re a psychic now too?”

“Does his name begin with an
A
?” she repeated.

“Yes!”

Miriam dropped her hands, opened her eyes and turned to Dina, her head bobbing up and down. Dina was jumping up and down with her hands still in prayer mode clapping them in short succinct pats and grinning the broadest grin.

“He’s definitely the one, Dina,” Miriam said.

Mallory groaned and glanced toward the door when she heard the chimes play again. Throwing her arms up in despair she walked away, grateful for the reprieve. She stopped short when she saw him standing there again smiling at her.

“Hi, Mallory,” he waved. “I’m back. I’ve decided to buy two more of those candles. If I know my aunt, she’s going to want a pair. And I have no doubt her friend will want one too. So if you’d put those two in a gift box with a big bow, I’ll give this one to my aunt and the other to her friend.”

Surprised that he’d called her by name, she tried to recap their meeting. Had she told him her name? It was highly unlikely. This whole thing was way too surreal. Was there really something to Miriam’s predictions, readings, whatever she was calling them?

“Aren’t you curious about how I knew your name was Mallory?” She pretended not to care. Of course she did, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. “I asked Josie two doors down from here.” With a toss of his head, he grinned. “Yeah, she’s quite a talker.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” she said with disgust and headed back toward the storage room for two more candles without saying another word. She should have realized it was Josie who was known for being the
town gossip
. She had no doubt the old busy body had given him an ear full. Born and raised in Chester, Josie made it her lot in life to know everyone’s business. And what she didn’t know, she made up to make the story more interesting.

After pulling the two boxes off the shelf, Mallory walked back out to the showroom. He was following her with his eyes. “Are you always this serious?” he asked.

“I suppose. Now what color paper did you want on this package?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Why don’t you choose it for me?”

Mallory pulled the holiday paper decorated with wreaths and large red ribbons out the length of the large box, made a crease and slid the paper cutter across the seam. Removing the candlesticks from their individual boxes, she placed them inside the box and added tissue paper to hold them in place and another piece over top, then covered the box with the lid. She could feel his ardent stare that was making her nervous and shaky. Fumbling for the roll of ribbon, her fast movements made the roll and the premade bow slip off the counter and fall to the floor. Before stooping down to pick them up, she noticed the playful expression on his face.

“Do I make you nervous?”

“Of course not,” she denied. “I’m clumsy.”

“I’m dying for a cup of coffee. Will you do me the honor of joining me?” He stood with an expectant stare “What do you say?”

“Thanks, but no thanks. It’s our busiest time. I can’t leave my sister here alone to handle the customers.” She rolled her eyes. “She’s liable to give the store away.”

“Yeah, but there’s no one in here.”

“For now, that is,” she offered.

“Well, I think I’ve already decided. I’m not going anywhere. Like I told you before, I really think we have a connection and I’d be a fool not to pursue the possibility.” He threw up his hands. “I’ll always wonder if I don’t attempt to find out.”

“You’re a persistent guy. I’ll give you that. But seriously, at what point do you give up?”

“When you tell me you feel nothing.” He cocked his head to the side. “You must be feeling something.”

“I can tell you right now if that’s what it takes,” she said trying to discourage him.

“Seriously, AJ, what makes you think I want to find out?”

“Because you’ve got to be a little curious.”

She chuckled. “No…not really. I have two demanding daughters who require my full attention. I’m sure you’re a very nice man, but I’m not looking for any connections. Once you start meeting the single women in town, you’ll have so many others to choose from, you’ll have a hard time trying to decide which one you want to date. They’re on display every Wednesday night at The Redman Bar up on route twenty-four.”

AJ paid for the gifts and picked the shopping bag up by its handles. “I’m not interested in meeting other women, least of all in a bar. I’m interested in you.” He gave a slight shrug, “All right, I guess I’ll have to keep coming back. I’ll see you soon,” he said throwing her a kiss as he exited the store.

Stunned, Mallory stood and watched. When she eased her way around the counter and back into the showroom, she noticed Miriam and Dina watching her every move. Disgusted, she shook her head and walked into the second showroom secretly admitting AJ gave her a warm glow inside.

CHAPTER FOUR

AJ pulled into the parking lot at Deep Well Apple Orchards to find a Christmas tree for his aunt. Exiting the car, the sound of Christmas carols echoed from the overhead speakers and the smell of apple wood burning in the field filled the air. It brought back happy memories of his childhood. An image of his dad cutting down the damaged apple trees from a nearby orchard warmed his heart and had him missing his family. He remembered being the official log stacker in the family. Hell, his prissy sisters weren’t going to get their hands dirty, and by the time he was done, he’d have big blisters all over his. But it was that unforgettable smell of apple wood that made it all worth it. He inhaled deeply enjoying the flashback in time and lingered a little longer before checking out the Christmas trees.

It seemed odd that he hadn’t thought about how much he’d missed those years in a long time. Despite his sisters being afraid to dirty their hands, he fondly remembered baking cookies with them every year in his mother’s huge kitchen. The wind kicked up and whipped around him, the sting of cold burning his cheeks and causing him to pull his collar up over his nose. He blew his hot breath inside his collar to warm his face.

AJ jerked back instinctively when two young boys almost charged right into him while chasing after one another. He smiled remembering his sisters chasing after him. And then, a deep sadness pulled him from his jovial mood and reminded him of the day they’d parted ways. His mother had made him executor of her estate and had left him enough money to live his life out in luxury. His sisters contested the assignment and the fact that he’d been given more than them. They filed a lawsuit claiming he coerced his mother into changing her will. Despite the trust attorney’s assurance that the will had not been changed they still contested it. In court, the judge dismissed the case and told them to stop whining.

AJ took in a frigid breath of air and blew it out, the smoke from his hot breath spiraling upward like a smoldering fire. Opulence and greed did bad things to people who had so much. All six of them had already been living in the lap of luxury—he wasn’t. It was right after the dismissal that he’d left for Barbados where he’d started a business on the beach giving surfing lessons and selling boards. It had been almost ten years since. He never thought they’d hold on to that bitter anger so long.