Judith met them at the door of her mansion, late Saturday morning. “What happened?” she asked, aghast.
Chase turned to Mitzy, figuring she should answer, since she had just endured the road trip from hell with her quadruplets.
Mitzy grimaced. “Turns out that being in the car more than thirty minutes or so makes them all spit up.”
Or at least it had that morning, Chase thought.
Judith, who’d been about to reach out to hug them, stepped back, hands up as if to stave them off. “I’m sorry, but you-all reek!”
Mitzy—who had predicted this reaction from her mother—sent Chase a beleaguered glance. Then, like Chase, still holding an infant carrier with a sleeping baby in each hand, retorted with laudable calm, “We’re aware we all smell like sour milk, Mother. Which is why we’d like to get everyone cleaned up, and the interior of my SUV detailed, as soon as possible.”
Judith bypassed the caterers setting up and led them toward the sweeping staircase that dominated the grand entry hall of the ten-thousand-square-foot mansion. “Well, the stylists are waiting. The photographer is here.” She motioned to the four young women gathered on the second-floor balcony. The childcare workers headed down en masse. Looking even more stressed, Judith turned back, fretting, “I wish you hadn’t insisted on doing everything all in one day!”
Mitzy, well accustomed to her mother’s griping, countered just as implacably, “We’re here now. So do you want to argue about it or get going?” The nannies each took one baby boy.
Judith swept into drill-sergeant mode. “The first order of business is to get everyone out of those horrible clothes and get the vomit smell washed off.” She turned to Mitzy. “I’ll send someone out for the bags while you show Chase to the blue suite. And we’ll have your SUV taken to the car wash.”
Chase handed over the vehicle keys. “Thanks, Judith.”
Walter appeared, in a polo shirt and khakis. He looked completely unfazed by all the activity swirling about them. “When you’re done, come out to the pool. We’ll see about getting you some refreshments...”
Glad he’d thought to bring a couple of extra shirts and jeans, Chase changed and washed up. He could hear the stylists, makeup and hair crew jockeying for top dog status as he passed Mitzy’s room.
Thinking it was going to be a men’s only get-together, he was surprised to see Walter and Judith waiting for him at one of the umbrella tables.
“I don’t know how long we’ll have to talk privately,” Mitzy’s mother began, her voice as sunny and unseasonably warm as the December weather outside, “so I’ll get straight to the point.”
She poured them each a cup of peppermint tea. “Gus didn’t just talk privately to you before he died, Chase. He talked to me and Walter, too.”
She waited for Chase to take a sip of the fragrant beverage. “We know what you promised him. What I can’t comprehend is what’s taking so long!” She paused to give him a look of reproof and leaned toward him. “Why haven’t you found a buyer yet for MCS? Or better yet, purchased it yourself, for McCabe Leather Goods?”
As long as they were putting all the cards on the table...
Chase straightened. “Because I also promised Gus that I would give Mitzy time to come to grips with the fact that she’s not equipped to run a company like that.”
“But you’re doing something about it now...” Walter guessed approvingly, one businessman to another.
If only it were that simple. But, with Mitzy’s heart involved, it wasn’t easy. “I’m trying.”
Judith scoffed. “By romancing her? And don’t deny it, Chase. I have my sources. I know you’ve been there practically every day.” She used her fingers to make quotation marks. “Helping out.”
How much to tell without really making Mitzy mad? That was the question. Chase slowly exhaled. “I never stopped caring about her.”
Or, it would appear, she about me...
Judith shook her head, sadness and frustration coming into her eyes. “You should have married her ten years ago. No matter what she said.”
If there was such a thing as a do-over, he would be first in line. “I agree. I was a fool.” We both were. “I’m not anymore. Believe it or not—” he looked at both Judith and Walter “—I have a handle on this.”
It was a delicate process, one that could easily blow up in their faces. But he was going to proceed carefully. Bring her around, one step at a time. Just the way Gus had wanted. “I have a handle on her and the whole situation.”
Judith squinted slightly as if to signal him.
For what, Chase didn’t know.
He soon found out as a shadow loomed over them.
Mitzy approached, a stressed-out look on her face. Her hair was already in curlers and she had makeup suitable for studio photography on—which meant way too much. She was wearing some sort of kimono robe and slippers, and she looked more miserable than he had ever seen her. Had she overheard what they’d been talking about? It was impossible to tell. She padded closer, arms crossed militantly in front of her. “Mother, please don’t put pressure on him.”
Maybe not, Chase thought with relief.
Maybe she just assumed her mother was meddling, as per usual.
Judith tossed her head. “I’m not going to be shy about saying what I feel about all this, Mitzy.”
Had she ever been? Chase wondered.
Mitzy lifted a brow, daring her mother to go on.
And of course, Judith did. “Chase might not have been right for you before, since he hadn’t yet made his fortune. Now that he has, he should capitalize on that success. Marry you. Adopt the boys. And move you and the babies back to Dallas for good.”
Mitzy’s demeanor got even icier. She glared at her mother. “Or not.”
Figuring no good could come of continuing this conversation, Chase jumped in, half rising out of his chair. “Did you need some help with something, sweetheart?”
She gave him a long look that could have meant any number of things, then swung away from him and pivoted back to Judith. “Actually, as much as it pains me to say this, I do need you, Mother. The situation upstairs is a mess... My stylist and the photographer can’t agree on anything and I am fast running out of patience.”
“Not to worry, darling. I’ll sort things out.”
The two women headed off, arm in arm.
Chase couldn’t be sure, but he thought Mitzy might be starting to lean on her mother emotionally, just a little. Which would be a good thing. Mother and daughter needed each other more than they knew.
Walter pushed his cup and saucer away. “Sorry about that.” He helped himself to one of the frosted sugar cookies on the plate. “I told Judith not to ambush you, especially not today, but she’s worried that Mitzy might not be handling this first Christmas without her father as well as she wants everyone to think.”
Funny, Chase had just been thinking the same thing.
He turned back to the man who would have been his stepfather-in-law. “Is it true Judith wants to introduce Mitzy to a number of eligible men this evening?”
Walter gave a half shrug. “You know Judith. She’s as aware as everyone else that reconciliations, however well-intentioned, don’t always work out. So of course, she has a backup plan...”
One, Chase realized, his heart sinking, that did not include him.
* * *
Chase thought his days of feeling jealous over anything had passed. Apparently not. It was killing him to see Judith taking Mitzy around. Introducing her to one Mr. Wrong after another. All wealthy. Successful. Single.
All incredibly interested in Mitzy.
And why not? He’d never seen her looking so gorgeous, in a body-clinging red gown, its demure jewel-collared neckline and knee-length hem belying the completely bare back.
Damn, she had beautiful shoulders. Creamy satin skin. In the subtle makeup, her hair upswept, diamonds glittering at her throat and earlobes, she looked as elegant as she had in her debutante days.
She was also, he was pretty damn sure, ticked off at him. For even speaking privately with her mother and stepfather about the two of them?
Not that he’d had any choice but to be polite.
“Chase,” Judith said, suddenly at his side. “It’s time.”
Understanding her coded message, Chase exhaled.
Of course, Judith had asked him to do this.
Again, when Mitzy wasn’t around.
He put his drink aside, trying to get in the spirit. “Where...?” he asked genially.
“The costume is in the powder room, just off the garage. When you’re done, you’ll need to wait for my signal. I’ll text you on your cell. Then wait for the musical cue, and come in through the front door.”
This celebration just got better than ever.
Chase nodded and meandered in the direction he’d been instructed. The one good thing about having been engaged to Mitzy once upon a time was that he was as familiar with this mansion as he was his own parents’ home.
Minutes later, he slipped out the back and walked around the front. The night was getting colder. Holiday lights twinkled. Stars gleamed in the velvety night sky overhead. The faint scent of wood smoke, from the home’s many downstairs fireplaces, filled the air.
Knapsack beside him, he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally, his cell phone dinged. He looked at the screen. The message from Judith said, MAKE YOUR ENTRANCE! And don’t forget to be jolly!
Chase shook his head.
As if he could.
Telling himself it was for Mitzy and the kids, he headed in.
* * *
Mitzy stood at the top of the grand staircase. Her feet were killing her. She hadn’t worn heels in forever. And certainly not five-inch designer instruments of torture.
Her dress, though dazzling, was equally uncomfortable. For one thing, her back was cold from waist to shoulders. Her front felt hot. And now—to make her attention-loving mother happy—she had to make like a supermodel in front of two hundred and fifty–plus guests.
She only hoped her boys behaved...
Down below, the small group of musicians abruptly stopped playing. Judith and Walter moved to the center of the grand entry hall. “Welcome, everyone!” Judith said cheerfully. “And merry Christmas to one and all! I know you-all have been waiting to meet our new grandsons...so without further ado, Mitzy darling, come on down!”
A smile plastered on her face, Mitzy gracefully led the way. Behind her, the four young nannies—all dressed like elves—descended with her infants.
She was nearly at the bottom when the front door opened with a flourish.
A very tall, surprisingly buff, Santa strode in. Apparently, Santa had forgotten his pillow. Or eschewed it altogether.
“Ho, ho, ho!” boomed a very familiar voice.
Oh, no, Mitzy thought, her pique at Chase fading.
Her mother hadn’t...
She had.
“Santa” strode toward her. Dropped his knapsack at her feet. “Who do we have here?” he thundered, hands on his hips, looking down at Mitzy.
Like he didn’t know.
Without warning, he put his hand around her waist, bent her backward from the waist. She clung to his shoulders. “Could it be,” Santa continued asking heartily, “the potential Mrs. Claus?”
Laughter erupted as Saint Nick stole a short, sweet, thoroughly mesmerizing kiss. Whoops and hollers followed. Mitzy could imagine the expression on her mother’s face.
Hers felt like it was going bright pink.
“Santa,” she warned, looking deep into his merry gray-blue eyes.
Chase cocked a hand to his ear. “What was that?” he said, even louder, to the amusement of all those around her. “Oh!” He slapped a hand across his heart. “Why certainly I’ll kiss you again!” He tugged off his beard, still holding her bent over backward from the waist. Her weight resting on one of his rock-hard thighs, he lowered his mouth to hers. And this time, without the pesky beard between them, it was, Mitzy realized, going to be a real kiss. The kind that had her world spinning...
She had time to prevent it, of course. She could have turned her head to the side or evaded the smooch any number of ways. But she didn’t because she also knew that ignoring the growing feelings between them was not what she wanted at all.
For too long she had denied caring about him. Wanting him. Coveting a life with him.
So when he lowered his lips to hers, she opened her mouth to his and returned his kiss, deeply, passionately. It didn’t matter that he was publicly stamping her as his. Yearning swept through her, overwhelming her heart and her mind. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer. Her soft curves fit against the hard warmth of his chest. She loved the sexy male scent of him. The womanly way he made her feel.
She loved that he wasn’t afraid to show how he felt, either. Once again, she found herself needing and wanting Chase the way she had never wanted and needed anyone else.
Had they been alone, they definitely would have made love again. Even if she was still a tiny bit ticked off at him.
But they weren’t.
So...
She let the kiss come to an end.
He slowly brought her upright, his adoring gaze lingering on her face before returning ever so slowly to her eyes.
Her heart did a little flip in her chest.
She didn’t know why she felt so happy she was close to bursting into tears, but she did.
His smile turned tender, his glance direct.
He put the beard back on and turned to Mitzy’s four sons, who were cuddled contentedly in their nannies’ arms. “Ho, ho, ho,” he said in a baby-friendly tone. “Hello, Joe. Zach. Alex. Gabe.” He greeted each with a smile and a very tender kiss—the kind he usually bestowed on them when he said good-night or goodbye. “Have you boys been good this year? I think you have. I think you’ve been very, very good.”
Judith came up beside Mitzy, her smile frozen in place. “I’m going to kill that man of yours.” Mitzy’s mother pushed the words through gritted teeth.
Which, Mitzy thought, almost made the impromptu kisses worth it.
If she weren’t so quietly ticked off at him, that was.
* * *
The next two hours were busy ones, with the nannies taking the babies around so Judith and Walter could show them off. Mitzy and Chase—who had changed back into his own evening attire—took over the task of greeting all of the guests. When it was time for the boys’ next feeding and changing, the nannies swept them off upstairs to the mansion’s east wing.
Mitzy followed. Wanting to be there if she was needed.
She wasn’t.
So she went back into the hall, where Chase was waiting, hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers. He had the same look on his face he’d had before they had launched into the explosive, emotional argument that had ended their engagement. The kind of look that said he knew she wasn’t going to like whatever it was that he had done, when he told her about it, but felt 100 percent justified in his actions just the same. And worse, expected her to accept his disloyalty and bullheadedness just the same.
Only this time, her mother and Walter were somehow involved in whatever was going on, too.
“They set up the buffet,” he said casually.
Mitzy wasn’t sure she could do much more pretending. Especially when she felt this betrayed. “I’m sure it’s very lavish,” she returned with studied politeness. “Why don’t you go fix yourself a plate?”
His gaze narrowed. “Why don’t we both go help ourselves to some dinner?”
There was no doubt about it. He was feeling guilty and uncomfortable about something.
Mitzy jerked in a bolstering breath. “I wanted to get some air first.”
He nodded as if accepting the time to clear the air between them had come. “I’ll go with you.”
Knowing the gardens would be chilly, she ducked into her room to get a white cashmere evening wrap. They traversed the backstairs, walked through the kitchen. Chase grabbed two glasses of champagne and followed her past the sea of caterers out the back door. They moved away from the house, from the sounds of music and laughter.
“You’re pissed off at me,” Chase said as they reached the gazebo, the one place that would afford them some privacy.
Mitzy’s heart pounded at the notion that their relationship could be ruined. Again. She tilted her head at him, determined to learn the truth. Even if it smashed her heart to smithereens. “What was it you said, out by the pool?” she quoted with devastating softness. “‘I have a handle on her. And the whole situation...’”