A Christmas Call of Duty (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Shay

E ver since I swore off dating men in uniform, I've been successful at managing my level of disappointment when things don't go my way. Like whenever a barista gets my order wrong at the local coffee shop or when Brandon eats another one of my favorite plants. But this? This feels like a sucker punch straight to the gut.

I have to tell you something. Colt's words echo in my head, drowning out the cheers and fireworks around us, and I brace myself for the other shoe to drop. Because why wouldn’t it? After last night, I was sure I’d made a mistake taking a chance on Harrison. But maybe I got it all wrong. Maybe Colt changed his mind.

I want to scream. To run. To rewind time and take back every moment I spent thinking Colt wanted that kiss as bad as I did. But I don't do any of those things. Instead, I stand here, frozen, as my mind cycles through a whirlwind of emotions. Shock. Rejection. Anger. What could he possibly have to tell me that’s more important than kissing a woman who’s practically begging for it?

To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement.

"I've been called back to base for a new assignment. I don't know what it is yet, but I wanted to tell you first. I find out the details the day after tomorrow." Colt's words snap me back to the present, and I blink trying to process it all.

"A new assignment," I repeat, my voice sounding distant even to my own ears. "Meaning… what exactly? Deployment?" I shudder at the thought.

Colt shrugs, his green eyes searching my face. "I mean, it's always a possibility. But I won’t know until I report back."

I can feel my heart pounding in my ears as a hundred thoughts race through my mind. What if he does deploy? Or transfer? Or what if he gets so busy with work that he can’t make time for—no. I won’t say us. Because Colt is not my boyfriend. But knowing he may leave again doesn’t make it any less hard to breathe. I stare deep into his eyes, wishing he had all the right words to fill the parts of me that desperately need his light. "So, what does this mean?" I ask, struggling to keep my voice steady. "For the shelter, I mean. What if it means you can’t volunteer?"

Colt blows out a breath, looking as uncertain as I feel. "That’s a road I’ll have to cross when I get there.” His eyes begin to study mine, and I can sense he doesn’t want anything to change. Does that mean he doesn’t want anything to change with the shelter? Or with us? Ugh. There’s that stupid word again. “Yeah. I guess so,” I say.

After Nugget is back in her kennel and Colt works to break down the booth, I maintain my fake smile all the way back to the auction tables, still surrounded by the cheerful chatter of guests. But I hardly register any of it.

"Dr. Mason!" A familiar voice cuts through my haze. I turn and see Margo Hendricks, the shelter manager, beaming at me from a few tables down. "This event is simply wonderful! You and the rest of the team certainly have outdone yourselves. You're setting a high bar for fundraising efforts moving forward. I hope the other teams are taking note."

"Thank you," I manage, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. "I hope so, too."

As I help her place a bid on one of the gift baskets, I sneak a glance at Colt from across the room. He's laughing with a group of officers from the base who came down to show their support and looking every bit the part of a charming soldier. My heart clenches, and I quickly look away when his eyes meet mine.

"Alright, everyone. Gather around," Mayor Donovan announces, directing traffic while a photographer stands idly by her side. "I want a picture of all the volunteers around the tree before anyone leaves tonight."

As we gather around an elaborate tree in the corner of the room, decorated lavishly with large ornaments of silver and gold, Colt steps into the space behind me, and I can feel the warmth of his body radiating.

"Now, squeeze in tight," she calls out, her enthusiasm grating on my already frazzled nerves. But when Colt leans in closer and places a discreet hand on my waist, I feel like I might come unglued. I try to ignore the flutter happening in my stomach when his cologne fills my senses—a mix of vanilla and cardamom with something deliciously spicy—and for a moment, I allow myself to lean into his touch, savoring his warm breath on my neck.

"Say 'Puppy love'!" the photographer says.

As the flash goes off, I hear a voice from the crowd. "Oh, you two make such an adorable couple! How long have you been together?"

I freeze as I look up to see one of the officer's wives cooing at us. Colt tenses beside me. His hand falls from my waist, and I can feel everyone's eyes turn to us. "Oh, we're not—" I start, my voice shaky with nervous laughter.

I look up at Colt with panic in my eyes, and he clears his throat, giving the woman a curt smile. "A man should only be so lucky,” he says, in a silky tone. “Sorry to disappoint, Diane, but Dr. Mason and I are just friends."

Just… friends. I try the words on for size, but they feel too constricting—like that favorite pair of blue jeans I haven’t been able to button up since high school. The officer's wife's face falls, and she quickly mumbles something inaudible before turning away. I can feel the curious gazes of the others around us, and my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Well, that's a shame," Mayor Donovan chimes in with a wink. "You two certainly look good together. Maybe you should let him take you out sometime."

I force a laugh, trying to dispel the tension. "That’s kind of you to say, but I think we'll stick to saving puppies for now."

As the crowd disperses, I take one last look at Colt, who's watching me with an unreadable expression. Despite my best efforts, I still can't deny the gravitational pull I feel towards him. Especially after seeing how gracefully he works under pressure. But with an uncertain future looming over us and his relation to Zane, I remind myself that maybe it's better to leave last night in the past where it belongs.

I throw myself into clean-up early while Tyler announces the winners of the silent auction. My movements are mechanical as I clear empty champagne flutes from the surrounding tables. Any festive energy I had at the beginning of the night is gone, replaced by a feeling of emptiness. After I clear all the glasses, I find myself scrubbing away at a stubborn stain on one of the white linen tablecloths.

"Got a sec?" Colt's voice startles me, and I nearly drop the rag I'm holding. When I turn, I'm caught like a deer in headlights.

"You must be Shay! Oh, Colt has told us so much about you." The woman standing beside Colt blindsides me with an unexpected hug. "I'm Linda, Colt's mother. And this is his father, James."

"Oh! I, em—It's nice to meet you. Both of you," I stammer, reaching out to shake Mr. Ralston's hand. I knew from earlier that they were Colt's parents, but I had no idea he told them about me. It makes me wonder how much he's told them. "Thank you for coming out tonight. Your support means so much to the shelter."

Mr. Ralston smiles a million-dollar smile, and immediately, I feel at ease around him. The same way I did last night at the diner with Colt. It’s easy to see where Colt gets his charm from. "Thank you, " he says. "It's about time someone got Colt out of his shell." He slaps Colt on the back and takes Mrs. Ralston by the hand. "We'll get out of your hair now, but we just wanted to come say hello. I promised the wife one more slow dance before the night is over."

Mrs. Ralston blushes and lets out a coy laugh. "Well, it's about time. You two enjoy the rest of your evening. Oh, and Shay, dear—you take good care of my boy now.”

I watch him lead her onto the dance floor and my heart swells the same way it did when I was a little girl.

"Sorry," Colt says, holding his hands up defensively. "My mom really wanted to meet you."

I fold my arms across my chest and smirk, but he just smiles and shrugs. He's lucky he looks as handsome as he does in his dress uniform.

"Need any help?"

"No," I say, breaking his gaze. "I've got it."

He hesitates, and I feel his eyes follow me as I work. "Shay, about earlier… About the kissing booth. I—"

"It's fine," I cut him off, my voice suddenly tired. "Listen, you don't owe me any explanations, Colt."

He opens his mouth to speak but before he has the chance, Mayor Donovan's voice booms over the microphone.

"Attention, everyone! Could all shelter volunteer members please join me on stage? It's time to tally our results for the evening."

Colt looks at me with pleading eyes. I shoot him an apologetic look as I make my way to the opposite side of the stage. As we join the other volunteers, my heart races with a mix of excitement and dread coursing through my veins.

"First, let me say how proud I am of all your hard work. This event has been a roaring success!" she beams.

A round of applause breaks out, and I find myself clapping along, a smile tugging at my lips when Tyler’s eyes meet mine. For a moment, I allow myself to forget about Colt. I forget about last night and our perfect date, followed by the perfect kiss. Because as much as I want to live in that memory… tonight, we were able to put aside our differences and do something meaningful for our community.

"And now, the moment we've all been waiting for," the mayor continues, pausing for dramatic effect. "I'm thrilled to announce that, with all of tonight's charitable donations to help save Snowberry Creek's animal shelter, we've raised a total of... $27,500!"

Another burst of applause erupts, and I feel a swell of pride wash over me when I realize what we've achieved. It's more than I dared to hope for our first event. But as quickly as it comes, my pride is tempered by a gnawing disappointment. $27,500 is an impressive amount, but it's nowhere near the $350,000 we need to save the shelter. The reality of our situation crashes back down on me, and I struggle to maintain my smile as congratulations pour in from all sides.

I scan the room, and my eyes inadvertently land back on Colt's. He's looking right at me, and a pang of guilt hits me like a Mack truck. He worked so hard on this project and saved my tail more than once. I feel like we should be celebrating together, not standing across the room from one another like a couple of strangers. I offer one last weary smile before he waves, then exits the stage to walk his parents out to their car. So much for Christmas miracles.