Mistletoe Magic (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 4

four

CHRIS

What the hell was I doing?

I was sitting in my Tahoe, waiting for it to warm up and for Holly and Noelle to get down here so we could head out to the Christmas tree farm and pick a tree.

Me!

I was going to have a tree in my house.

The last one I’d had, I tossed out the window, then set fire to it, still with the glitter-covered ornaments clinging to the branches.

All it took was a cute kid to bat their lashes in my direction and I was off to get another one. I just hoped there was still one left that didn’t look like it was sick and scraggly. It was already Christmas Eve. Everyone else already had their trees up and decorated and only now was I even contemplating getting one.

I flicked over the radio station, fidgeting. When some country Christmas carol came on, I found myself letting it play. Might as well start getting in the spirit now. I had a feeling I was about to have so much Christmas cheer forced down my throat I may choke.

The back door opened, and Holly helped Noelle climb in. She was chatting a mile a minute, but I couldn't keep up. It was like I missed the first part of the conversation, which ruled me out of understanding anything else.

Holly got her buckled in before running around to slide in the front.

“All ready?” I asked.

“Are we really going to get a tree, Chris?” Noelle chirped from the backseat.

“Yep.”

“And mom said we’re going to a Christmas tree farm!”

“We are.”

“Mom! Mom! Did you hear that? Chris said we’re going to the Christmas tree farm!”

How Holly couldn’t have heard it was beyond me. Noelle’s enthusiasm, though, was almost enough to make me forget why I hated the holidays.

“And they have hot chocolate. And ornaments,” I added, feeding Noelle’s excitement.

Carefully, I wound through the almost deserted streets toward Winter Tree Farm. Even though it was Christmas Eve, and the lights were on in shop windows, the streets were empty. Normally, people would be scattered everywhere, stopping for last-minute gifts or picking up something they forgot. But not today.

The snow was still falling, but finally, for the first time in twenty-four hours it was soft, fluffy flakes rather than heavy sheets. If luck was on my side, we’d be able to get our tree and get it home before it really got dicey out here.

I pulled up out the front, and the squeal from behind me almost deafened me. To say Noelle was excited was an understatement. Out the front was a huge tree, and although its branches were weighed down with snow, the colored lights flickered.

I shoved the truck into park and killed the ignition. Just as I went to jump out, Holly leaned across the cab and placed her hand on my knee. A zing spread through my body, electrifying every nerve ending.

“Thank you for doing this. I know, it’s not your thing …” she began, but I had to cut her off.

“You’re welcome. We can’t very well celebrate Christmas without a tree, can we?” I asked, loud enough for Noelle to hear.

The last thing I wanted to do was to share my sad sob story with Holly and ruin the holidays, even though I had the feeling she had one of her own.

“Now, are we ready to go pick a tree?” I asked to be rewarded with cheers and clapping. “Let’s do it then,” I suggested, swinging open my door and jumping out. The moment my feet hit the ground they sank into the soft snow.

Holly trudged around the car and pulled open Noelle’s door.

“Hey, Noelle?”

“Yes?”

“How about a piggyback ride up to the barn?” I offered.

Holly sent me a surprised look, but I didn’t flinch. I didn’t need Noelle to get wet and cold, and this seemed like the best idea.

After a knee to the ribs and her arms almost cutting off my air supply as they wound around my neck, she settled on my back, and together, we trudged up to the barn.

Stepping inside, the smell of pine and cinnamon hit me. Evergreen Lake was not the place to be if you didn’t like Christmas. Ornaments lined the walls, wreaths hung in a line, and stockings were lined up on the shelves. They were low on stock, but that was to be expected this time of year. Most people had been organized for weeks and were probably already at home, drinking hot cider and eating cookies.

“Chris … this is …” Holly started .

I glanced over at her and saw the wonder written all over her face. Her eyes were wide, and she didn’t know where to look first. I slid Noelle from my back, gently setting her back on the ground. When she reached for my hand, I froze.

I looked at Holly for her guidance. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I didn’t have kids. As an only child, I had no nieces or nephews, and I had no idea. When Holly just smiled, I let Noelle slide her hand into mine. Hers felt so tiny wrapped in mine. She trusted me and I hadn't earned it. I didn’t deserve it. But fuck me there was no way in hell I was going to screw it up and let her down.

“Mom! Let’s go find a tree,” Noelle directed.

Holly’s wondrous face came back to us. “All right. Let’s go pick a tree, and then maybe we can find some ornaments,” Holly told Noelle, and I found myself nodding along.

I didn’t know them. I’d met them less than twenty-four hours ago and they were upending my life and transforming me into someone I didn’t recognize.

For so long, I’d associated Christmas with hurt and anger. I’d spent the holidays locked away at home, watching action movies, eating toasted sandwiches, and waiting for the season to pass and the town to return to normal. All it took was a beautiful woman and her gorgeous daughter crashing into my life and I wasn’t just giving up my bed, but I was leaving my pain behind me and starting to live again.

It felt good.

Even if it only lasted a few days, I was going to enjoy it. Or die trying anyway.

I wanted to see Christmas through the eyes of a child. Through the eyes of someone who hadn’t been burned by life and left scarred. Someone who still believed in Santa and saw the wonder of the world around them.

Two hours later, we’d looked at every single tree left at Winter Farms. Twice. Holly and I had landed on a six-foot Colorado Bruce Spruce, but Noelle kept trying to talk us into the four-foot, kinda patchy Balsam Fir.

“Sweetie, this one’s missing some branches here,” Holly tried to reason with her, but Noelle wasn’t having it.

“This is the one I want, Mom!”

I felt the need to put an end to the argument. “I think we go with the Balsam Fir,” I declared only for Holly to look at me like I was a traitor. “Yes, it looks a little bit sad, but with some lights and baubles, I think it will look great! Besides, someone has to take it.”

“Yeah!” Noelle cheered.

While I organized the tree and got it loaded, Noelle and Holly headed inside to pick out some ornaments.

With the tree secured, I went in to pay only to find Holly pushing a cart filled with Christmas crap. I might be coming around to a tree, but judging from the overflowing cart, my apartment was about to be turned into Santa’s workshop. I gulped. I wasn’t sure I was ready for all this, but Noelle deserved a Christmas to remember so I’d suck it up and play along.

“I just got a few things,” Holly told me meekly as I fell in step beside her.

“I can see that,” I replied.

“It’s too much, isn’t it?”

I didn’t answer her.

“I knew it. It’s too much. I’m taking over. Give me a second and I’ll put it back,” Holly started, babbling as she reached for the wreath on the top of her cart.

I mightn’t be ready to put on Santa’s red suit, but seeing the sparkle in her eye, I wasn’t going to ruin it for her. Noelle might have been the child, filled with wonder, but it was something she obviously inherited from her mother. And I wasn’t going to deprive either of them.

“It’s perfect. Get it all.”

“Are you sure?” Holly asked nervously, her fingers still toying with the edge of the wreath she’d picked up. It was beautiful. Even I could admit that. With its snow-dusted pine cones and bright red bows, it was classy yet Christmasy—something I hadn’t thought was possible.

“Absolutely. If you’ve got everything, why don’t I meet you up front and we can get out of here?” I suggested, knowing there was something I wanted.

“S-sure,” Holly replied, eyeing me warily.

I waited until Holly was headed toward the registers before I turned and ducked down the aisle. I mightn’t be up on all the current holiday trends, but there was one I’d never forgotten. Finding what I needed, I found them by the cashier as I tried to hide my shopping.

I got there just as the server was handing Holly a receipt.

“Wait! Did you pay?” I asked, shocked.

“Ah, yeah. I mean, you’re doing this for us. Of course, I was going to pay.” Holly shrugged, and the server turned away, leaving me to face Holly alone.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I grumbled.

“And you didn’t have to let us crash at your place,” Holly countered.

Woman was stubborn, I’d give her that.

“Can I at least carry the bags?” I replied, trying not to sound annoyed.

“Sure,” Holly conceded before calling for Noelle, who was over by the nativity display.

I shoved my hand in my pocket and yanked out the keys. “Here you go. Why don’t you two head on out and I’ll bring these,” I offered, pointing to the bags .

“Is everything okay, Chris?”

“Yeah? Why?”

“I dunno. You’re acting … kinda strange,” Holly called me out.

“Everything’s fine. Meet you in the truck in a minute.”

The look she sent in my direction told me she didn’t believe me, but she was letting it slide. For now anyway. Noelle skipped over and took Holly’s hand, and together, they walked out into the cold.

“Cute family Chris,” the cashier mumbled.

Ignoring his comment, I handed him my shopping. “Just add this?” I asked before hastily adding a pathetic please.

“Sure. Want a bag?”

“Yep.”

Quickly, I paid for my purchase, collected all the bags, and headed out to the truck. After loading everything, I checked the straps holding the tree on the roof were tight and jumped in. Holly had started the car, and the heat was blasting and the stereo blaring. But it was their off-key, out-of-time singing that had me grinning like a carnival clown. I don’t remember the last time I’d smiled so big. I don’t think I ever had.

“Right, everyone in?” I called out as the song and the singing came to an end.

“Yep,” they replied in unison, both popping the ‘p’.

I didn’t know their story, and it wasn’t my place to ask, but one thing was clear. Noelle had a mother who adored her and tried to make sure she never knew what it was like to miss out. And it wasn’t the bags full of stuff either. It was the singing, the laughing, and even the arguing that made them a family. I’d never had that. Mine had been ripped apart before I even got the chance, and now it was too late. I was too old. Too jaded. Too stuck in my ways to even think about dating again, let alone looking for Mrs. Right .

I pulled out on the street and took the long way. We crept past the ice-skating rink and Noelle squealed with delight. She begged and begged to go there but Holly dodged her requests.

“Maybe when the storm clears,” she suggested before reminding her daughter, who seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish that they had a tree to decorate.

“Fine.” Noelle huffed.

When we drove past the carnival, Holly’s eyes were glued to the window. She mightn’t be getting the Christmas she envisioned but seeing the way even the idea of the festival put a sparkle in her eye, had me praying the weather held long enough so I could take her.

I pulled up out the front of the shop and eyed the mound of snow blocking the stairs. We’d only been gone a few hours and already the snow had banked up.

“Why don’t you head on up and I’ll bring this in?” I suggested as we sat idling in the truck, staying in the warmth.

“I can carry things,” Holly protested, almost sounding put out.

“I’m sure you can. But those stairs are bound to be slippery and I’d rather you both make it up safely. Last thing we need is a broken bone on Christmas Eve,” I suggested, and Noelle giggled.

“Yeah, Mom,” she sassed, and I couldn’t hold back the grin.

I had the feeling Noelle and I could have a lot of fun and probably get into a lot of trouble together.

“Fine,” Holly grumbled, jumping out of the truck and coming around to help Noelle.

I waited until they were headed up the stairs before I collected the bags. I had no idea what they’d bought but they weighed a ton. With my fingers turning white under the strain, I balanced them before waddling toward the stairs and carefully making my way up .

On the landing, I stomped my boots, trying to shake off the wet snow before stepping inside. It was like walking into a freezer. It was so cold in there. I dropped the bags by the door and headed straight for the heater.

Noelle’s teeth were chattering, and Holly rubbed her hands up and down Noelle’s arms, trying to warm her up.

“Why don’t you jump in the shower?” I suggested, trying to be helpful.

“But I wanna decorate the tree!” Noelle protested.

“We’ll wait for you. Come on, let’s go have a shower and put on our PJs. Then we can put up the tree, and I’ll make hot chocolate,” Holly countered, trying to placate her attitude-filled daughter.

Noelle stomped toward the bedroom and Holly turned back to me. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied automatically.

“I mean it, Chris. Thank you. We’ve quite literally crashed into you and upended your life. And I might not know your story, but I know you don’t like Christmas …”

“I don’t hate it,” I lied, but Holly just shook her head. She didn’t believe a word I was saying. Not that I could blame her.

“I never said you hated it,” Holly corrected with a smile that would make men weak at the knees. How this woman didn’t have a ring on her finger I’d never understand. “But you’re not exactly all jolly and festive. And for a town like Evergreen Lake, where there’s a Christmas tree on every corner and lights strung from lamp posts, you’re decidedly Grinchy.”

I went to argue, but she lifted her hand and silenced me.

“But you’re letting my daughter put a tree up. You’re making this a Christmas she’ll remember, and I can’t thank you enough,” Holly finished before walking toward me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, hugging me.

I was going to hell .

She thought I was sweet and sincere and kind, but with her pillowy tits pressed against me and the scent of her perfume, something spicy, my dick was thickening in my jeans as all the things I wanted to do to her rolled through my head.

I was an asshole.

Thankfully, she was only here for a few days and then she’d be gone. Back out of my life like a memory, one I’d never forget. I just had to remember that every time she smiled at me or spoke to me or God forbid, touched me, Holly was leaving. She wasn’t mine to keep. If I forgot that, even for a second, I’d open myself up to having my heart broken and I wasn’t interested in replaying that.

When I broke away, I looked at Holly.

She was the most beautiful thing, the most beautiful person I’d seen in a long time. There was just something about her. Something sweet. And damn did I have a sweet tooth.

“I’ll go get the tree,” I grumbled, needing to put some distance between us before I said or worse, did something stupid.

“Okay. I might jump in the shower when Noelle’s finished if that’s okay?”

“Absolutely. Wouldn’t want you to catch a cold,” I replied, trying to keep things friendly.

As quick as I could, I bounced down the stairs, using the icy cold wind to cool my rising temperature at the thoughts of Holly, naked and wet in my bathroom.

Like I said. I was going to hell.