Naughty or Nice?

1. Kendall

CHAPTER 1

Kendall

“We thank you for flying with Blue Sky Airways this holiday season. May you continue to have a safe journey wherever you’re headed next and have yourself a Merry Christmas.”

The plane erupts in cheers and applause as the seatbelt light turns off and the flight attendants unlock the doors.

I’m toward the front of the plane, though I’m in no rush to get off.

I’m in the middle of texting my fiancé, Nathan. We’ll be spending this Christmas in his childhood home. We figured the holidays were the perfect opportunity for us to announce our engagement to his family.

Mine took it well.

A few weeks ago, we sat my mom and older brother down for a special dinner and told them the story of how Nate had proposed. Mom was relieved I was finally getting married at the spinsterish old age of thirty-six (in her eyes), while my brother was excited to welcome Nate into the family.

Now that Christmas is a couple short days away, it’s Nate’s family’s turn.

I’ve only met them once before, last year for Thanksgiving.

There’re his two sisters, Amy and Jennifer, both of whom I got along well with. Some aunts, uncles, and cousins who were gracious and polite. And, of course, Nate’s father, Nicholas, who told me that his son was lucky to find a woman like me.

We just landed.

Crap, I thought you got in at five. I’m stuck at the office.

No worries. I’ll take a taxi from the airport. It’ll be easier.

I look up to find the line of passengers deplaning has shortened. Almost everyone has grabbed their luggage from the overhead bins and made their way off the plane. I share a smile with the flight attendant, Susie, and then rise out of my seat.

“Excited for the big holiday?” she asks.

“You can say that again. I haven’t seen Nate in almost a month.”

“That’s what you get for globe-trotting when you just got engaged.”

I laugh as she helps me lift my carry-on luggage out of the overhead bin. Susie and I have been working together for years as flight attendants for Blue Sky Airways. When I first hired on, Susie took me under her wing—pun intended—and helped me acclimate to the job and lifestyle. She’s a friend, but she’s also like family at this point. An auntie who gives advice and roots for me from the sidelines.

I’m gone more than half of the year, working both domestic and international flights, which has posed an issue in my past relationships.

But despite my constant travel, Nate and I have made things work.

His job as a business exec is grueling, often requiring him to work six, or even seven, days out of the week.

We’ve agreed once we’re married, I’ll stop working and we’ll start trying for a family of our own.

Which is another reason why we’ve decided to spend Christmas in his hometown in Morrow, North Carolina. It’s where we’re considering buying a home to settle down. Nate believes it’s the perfect town to live a peaceful family life.

After visiting last year for Thanksgiving, I was won over.

The idyllic little town looks right out of a greeting card, with enough charm to win anyone over. I can see Nate and I living here the rest of our lives, raising our children, ’til we’re old and gray.

Susie waves me off as I step off the plane and head inside the Charlotte-Douglas Airport to baggage claim.

“Where to, miss?” asks the taxi driver once he’s helped me load my luggage in the trunk.

“Morrow,” I answer with a small smile.

“Visiting family?”

“My fiancé’s family.”

“I see the rock on your finger now,” he chuckles. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you.”

I sit back as we merge with the rest of airport traffic and turn my gaze out the window. The day’s dreary, with gray skies and heavy clouds, yet things couldn’t seem brighter. Nate and his family might be happy to see me, but I’m just as happy to see them…

It’s not Nate who’s waiting on the front step of his house to welcome me. It’s his father, Nicholas, standing tall at six feet, two inches, his broad chest and wide shoulders dressed in a blue-and-green flannel shirt that fits him perfectly.

Nate inherited some of his father’s looks—they have the same straight slope of a nose and twinkling hazel eyes—but the similarities end there.

Nicholas is taller and just generally larger than his son. His jawline is square while Nate’s face is more oval-shaped and punctuated with a cleft that I’ve always loved. Nicholas sports a thick white beard and matching ear-length white hair he tucks behind his ears while Nate prefers to remain clean cut and shaven, his hair up top neat and cropped.

The father and son are opposite in other ways.

Nate prides himself on his corporate suit-and-tie style while Nicholas reminds me of a rugged lumberjack.

Even as the taxi pulls up to the curb outside the Whittler family home, Nicholas throws a thick arm in the air and waves. He approaches the yellow vehicle with the unmistakable intention of grabbing the luggage out of the trunk.

“Thank you,” I say to the taxi driver as I slide out of the backseat. I go around to the back end of the car, struck by a sudden nervous flutter in my belly.

Nicholas grins hello at me, slamming shut the trunk and throwing an arm around my shoulders. The hug is quick but warm and welcoming, enveloping me in the light pine scent of his cologne.

Grabbing hold of a piece of luggage in each hand, he says, “Kendall, we’re happy to have you. Sorry Nate couldn’t pick you up from the airport. He’s been working out of the corporate office in the area since he came to visit. If I’d known, I’d have been there myself.”

“Oh,” I say, my cheeks warm, “that’s okay. I made it. That’s all that matters.”

He chuckles. “No wonder Nate’s smitten. Come inside. It’s freezing out here.”

I shiver as he speaks, realizing I am a little cold.

We walk side by side ’til we reach the front door. Nicholas lets me go first with a nod of his head, the same twinkle in his eyes that I’ve come to expect.

“Hang your coat up and grab some cider in the kitchen. Amy makes the best in town.”

I do as he suggests, toeing out of my boots and hanging up my coat on the rack in the entrance hall. The Whittler home is nice and toasty indoors, with the fireplace already crackling as I pass by the den. Nate’s sister helps me get some cider, and we catch up on things since the last time we saw each other.

Within minutes, I feel at home. I feel like I’m about to spend the holidays with my family.

The most amazing feeling you can have when marrying into one.

Hours go by, the sky outside darkening. Other Whittler family members show up, like Nate’s uncle Roy and his cousin Frank. As the clock ticks toward six p.m., we begin setting the table for dinner.

“Wonder where Nate is,” says Amy, frowning. “He should’ve been here by now.”

I pull my phone out of my jeans pocket to check for any new texts. Not a single new notification has come through.

Nate hasn’t responded for hours, though it shows he saw my last text. He must really be busy with some corporate stuff.

I sigh and remind myself it’s the nature of his career. Just like the nature of mine involves long flights across the globe.

We have the next two weeks in Morrow together. He’s taken time off work for the holidays so we can enjoy them with his family.

I have to be patient.

We’re minutes away from sitting down for dinner when Nate finally walks through the door. I’m the first one to greet him in the hall, throwing my arms around him before he’s even had a chance to take off his winter coat.

“Kendall,” he says, pulling back slightly. His lips contort into a smile that’s almost pained. “Hey, you seem excited.”

“Excited to see you. I’ve been waiting for hours.” I reach up to wipe at the corner of his lip, where there’s a slight red tint. “What’s the matter? Were you eating ketchup or something? You better have room for dinner. Amy and I were in the kitchen?—”

“We, uh, we actually need to talk.”

“Nate, you’re here!” calls Nicholas. He and some of the others have poked their heads out of the den. “Get your butt in here. We’re about to sit down for dinner.”

“Uh… just a second, Dad.”

Nate grabs hold of my hand and then pulls me up the staircase that leads straight to the second floor landing. He veers right, heading for the door that’s his old bedroom. The same room we’re going to be staying in.

I’m not sure what to think as he shuts the door behind us and turns to face me.

The expression on his face can best be described as bewilderment, like he’s confused by his own actions. He scratches at his head and casts his gaze on the floor.

My brows knit together and I stare at him with a sinking feeling in my stomach. What could possibly be going on? Why does he look like the family dog was just run over by a speeding car? Why does it seem like he’s been fired for a bad corporate merger or some other significant career disaster?

Even if that were true, we’d figure it out together…

“Nate,” I say impatiently, “what is it? Why do you look so… confused?”

“It’s just that… I… damn it.” He scrubs a hand over his face, turning away from me to walk toward the window. The view from his bedroom is nice—you can see the rest of town in the distance against the faraway backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He sighs, staring out at the street below and says, “Kendall, I… I meant to tell you sooner.”

“Tell me what sooner? You’re scaring me.”

“This… us…” he pauses for another deep sigh. “It’s not going to work. I can’t marry you.”