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Laughter filled the big kitchen of the old farmhouse on Friday night. Pizza and chips were on the menu, followed by Heather’s best loaded brownies.
“These are good, but can we make Christmas cookies soon?” Hailey mumbled with a bulging mouthful of gooey chocolate.
“Of course. It’s a tradition,” Heather agreed.
Pops spoke up. “Tradition around here always meant Swedish Snowball Cookies. The wife’s favorite.”
“Snowball Cookies?” Hailey cried.
“What’d I say?” Pops fretted, his befuddled gaze flipping between the two other adults.
“Nothing,” John reassured him. “Hailey recently lost her cat named Snowball.”
Pops made a sad face. “Sorry, little lady. That is sad news. We’re always losing our barn cats. Sometimes they come back. Turn up a month or so later. Maybe yours will too.”
“We’ve searched everywhere,” Heather explained. “Checked all the shelters, put up posters in town, but there’s been no sign of her. It’s like she just disappeared.”
Everyone was quiet for a few moments, but the older man wouldn’t let it drop. “Well, the way I see it, you have an ex-military man, sittin’ right here at this table. My Johnny Boy is a darn good fixer. Been on plenty of tough missions. Maybe he can help?”
“Happy to assist, but what do you have in mind?” John asked him.
“We’ve got another busy day here tomorrow, and more after that. Place will be packed. Why not get the word out?”
“What, like hand out flyers? That’s a great idea, Pops.” John’s face lit up. “Let’s have Wendy put it on the website, too.”
Hailey brightened. “Do you think it will work?”
John grabbed a pad and pen and began making a list. “I don’t know, but we can try.”
The girl leaned over his tattooed arm to read his writing. “Operation Snowball? What’s that, like a mission? As if we’re soldiers?”
“Aren’t we?” John asked her. “Pops said it. Let’s treat this like a full-on operation. Search and rescue of one fluffy white feline.” He gave a little chuckle. “If we all pitch in, we have a better shot at finding her.” He looked at Heather. “Can you design more posters? Better yet, some page-sized flyers? Email me the files, and Wendy and I can print them tomorrow morning before we open.”
“Sure thing,” she chimed in, feeling hopeful and a bit overwhelmed by how sweet these two men were, looking after her daughter.
“Now what’d you write?” Hailey asked, obviously enthralled by the concept.
“I added names of people we can ask to help. Brian, because he’ll be all over trying to find a missing pet. Any pet, but especially yours. He can share with the others that come from the university. Most of them are locals. Ned Parker, our field foreman, he’s another. He’s got five daughters, and he lives here in Dickens.”
“I go to school with two of them,” Hailey confirmed. “What about my teacher, Mrs. Ellis?”
John gave her an encouraging smile. “Now you’re catching on. Good soldiering.”
Hailey jumped to her feet, and she threw her arms around John’s thick neck, hugging him till he pretended to choke. “Thank you for Operation Snowball,” she said before kissing his bearded cheek.
Heather watched, stunned as he wound a muscled arm around her girl, and he hugged her back. “You are very welcome, Hailey. I’ll do my best to help you find Snowball.”
Hailey sniffled. “Okay.”
Pops stood with a grumble and a groan, and he cleared his throat. “Well, that’s enough of that for one day. No more frettin’ and worryin’.” He patted Hailey’s auburn-haired head. “How about we go look at old pictures of what Christmases were like in this house long ago?”
“Really? You have pictures?” Hailey livened right up.
“Lots. Even some of this big lug when he was your age.” Pops held out a weathered hand to the attentive child. “Come with me, and we’ll have some laughs at his expense. Let’s start with older ones. When he was missing teeth.”
“Thanks, Pops,” John scoffed. “Way to make a guy feel special. Just for that, you’re feeding Mutton Chops tonight.”
“I’ll feed him,” Hailey hollered from the living room. “He loves me.”
Heather and John laughed at the playful twosome. They were becoming fast friends.
She fiddled with her paper napkin. “That was very sweet of you.”
John looked down at his list and then back to her. His jaw tightened. “I know what it’s like to lose someone. Something, too, in yours and Hailey’s case. You’ve both lost enough. If I can help, I always will. I never want you sad or hurt on my watch.”
Heather reached across the table and took his big hand in her smaller one. His skin was warm, his fingers calloused from hard labor. She stroked his knuckles, and the tension seemed to ease from his face.
Unfathomable grey eyes studied her. “Where did you come from?” he whispered.
She smiled in understanding. “I’ve been right here, waiting in this small town for something. For you. I think.”
John shook his dark head. “Coming home was the best damn thing I ever did.”
Words caught in Heather’s throat. Instead of speaking, she rose from the table and went to stand behind him. Her arms wound around his sturdy neck and smoothed down over his wide shoulders and chest. She pressed her face against his head and breathed in the scent of him. Soap and clean air. Fireplace smoke and pine. Simple and fresh. That was John. A fresh start. A new perspective. Hope?
He released a long breath, relaxing into her embrace. His hands rose to cover hers, and he brought them to his lips for a kiss, one by one. “Heather...I...Can we talk about tomorrow night? I’d like to take you on a real date. Dinner maybe?”
Heather gave a breathless little sigh, thrilled by his invitation. She’d been doing a lot of soul searching since meeting him. John was the only man she’d considered dating. In fact, she could barely get through a day without dreaming about him.
She moved her chair closer to him and sat. “Hailey will be with us until after the tree lighting ceremony. She’s sleeping over at a friend’s house afterwards.” Romantic possibilities swirled through her mind as she contemplated how their night together might progress with her daughter away. “A bunch of girls are building snowmen and caroling with some moms. I was supposed to go. But I’d much rather be with you,” she admitted and gave a little shiver of anticipation.
“A late dinner then?” he murmured. One large arm slid around her waist, and he drew her closer. He nuzzled her face. “We could go to Antonelli’s, out by the lake. I hear it’s nice. God, you smell good. Is that vanilla and...what...spice? Cinnamon, maybe?”
Heather relished John’s warm touch. She longed to crawl into his lap, straddle his thighs, so he could hold her as they kissed. A powerful wave of desire surged through her awakening body. “We could go to Marley’s. It’s an old English pub downtown. They have high-backed booths. It’s cozier. Much more intimate.”
His eyes flared, and he focused on her mouth. “That sounds good. Better than good.”
He smiled—a dazzling, handsome smile—and she nearly moaned when he kissed her neck.
Heather felt emboldened, youthful, and free, after so many long, lonely nights. She craved something real and physical. To feel again. To be desired as a woman. To see where life would take her if she opened her heart to this kind, strong, mountain of a man who literally crashed into her world.
The two in the living room hooted and laughed, and they both groaned, knowing it wasn’t their time. Not yet.
Heather leaned close and pressed a soft kiss to John’s mouth. He snagged her chin and kissed her quickly again. Then once more with just a hint of his tongue.
“Until tomorrow then?” she whispered, her body thrumming with anticipation.
“Woman,” he growled. “You’re gonna be the death of me. I can’t wait to get you alone.”
***
“RIGHT ON CUE, DICKENS has given us a beautiful fresh snowfall for the tree lighting.” Heather gazed out the frosty apartment windows. “Be sure to wear your boots and take your warmest gloves tonight. It’s going to be cold for the ceremony, not to mention the snowman building contest and carolling. And don’t forget your special Santa hat.”
“Got it,” Hailey said.
“Did you pack your toothbrush, slippers, and robe along with your Christmas pajamas?”
“Yup.” The girl dragged her overnight bag over to the couch and unzipped it to add a stuffed animal. Mr. Tinsel followed, close behind, as was his habit now. He jumped right into her bag. The once grimy grey cat was clean, having been through a thorough checkup and bath at the vet’s office.
“It’s only for one night, Mr. Tinsel. Mom will take good care of you until I come home.” She kissed his fuzzy head and extracted him from the suitcase. The cat meowed in protest, doing zigzag rubs along Hailey’s legs.
Heather joined them on the couch to wait for John. Mr. Tinsel seized the opportunity to jump up onto her lap, hoping she’d be more sympathetic to his constant need for attention. “Oh no you don’t,” she warned as she attempted to fend off the persistent cat. “I’ve already cleaned your fur off these leggings. Twice.” She grinned when Mr. Tinsel wouldn’t be denied his pets.
“Oh, Mom, wow,” Hailey exclaimed when she finally gave her mother the once-over. “You look beautiful. I love your green sweater. Sooo pretty. And you’re wearing makeup.”
“Thanks, sweetie. It’s been a long time since I dressed up. It feels good.”
“I bet John will think you look pretty, too. He says nice things about you all the time.”
Heather arched one brow. “Oh really, and how do you know that?”
Hailey shrugged. “Pops told me. He said John is...What was the word he used? Smidgen with you?”
“Smitten?”
“That’s it.”
Warmth flooded Heather’s cheeks at the thought of John talking about her with his father. Truth was, she was “smidgen” with him, too.
The old Victorian twist bell rang downstairs, and she smiled. “There’s the man now.”
Heather forced herself to take deep breaths, to calm her nerves as she descended the staircase to the outer doorway. Excitement zipped through her as she watched John get his first glimpse of her through the window. Tight black leggings, tall boots, and the new green sweater. She’d shopped special for tonight.
“You look absolutely amazing,” he said in that deep husky voice that made her entire body tingle. His arms were filled with a bag and flowers.
“Thank you.” She beamed up at him. “What’s all this?”
“Just a few things for my two favorite ladies.”
Heather led the way up the staircase. Her lips tipped into a cheeky grin when he cleared his throat a couple of times and said, “Really nice...um...outfit. What are you trying to do to me?” Then cleared his throat again.
“Oh, do you like it?” she said, feigning innocence.
“John, John, look at Mr. Tinsel,” Hailey cried when he entered the living room. “Doesn’t he look better?”
John grinned. “He does, like a real spoiled housecat. This is for you.” He handed off a small wrapped box.
“What is it?”
“Open it. A little pre-holiday gift. There’s one for your mom, too.” He handed Heather a similar pretty box.
Together the ladies opened them and oohed and aahed in unison.
“It’s a glass ornament,” Heather said, feeling sentimental. “Stacked books, and it says, ‘Writer’s Life.’ How adorable. And appropriate.” She met his stare and admitted, “I’ve been inspired to write more.”
“Mine is a star that says, ‘Make a Wish,’” Hailey chimed in.
“They’re from Trim-A-Tree down the street,” John explained. “The proprietor looks like Mrs. Claus, and she seemed to know just what I needed. I figured these would help with your decoration dilemma.”
Both ladies hung their ornaments on the big Christmas tree, and Hailey paused to close her eyes, presumably to make a wish.
“What did you wish for?” John asked.
“I can’t tell you. It won’t come true if I do.”
He made a zipped-lip gesture and she giggled.
“Are we ready to go?” Heather asked. “Leave your stuff, Hailey. We’ll get it before you go off with your friends after the tree lighting.”
“Got it.”
“Wait,” she cried when they were halfway out the door. “You forgot your Santa hat.”
A few minutes later, they were strolling on the busy Common with all the other cheerful attendees. A mix of both locals and visitors came to the popular Dickens event. Holiday music played as people laughed and talked. The cold air was filled with the scents of festival food, like fried dough and popcorn.
“Oh, that smells good. I’m ravenous,” Heather admitted with a hand to her belly.
John met her gaze and grinned, and her stomach did a little anxious flip flop. He was stunningly good-looking tonight. His dark hair and beard, well trimmed. Jeans and a three-quarter-length grey woollen coat along with his signature black scarf. His hungry stare locked with hers, and she could feel the rugged desire rolling off him.
Together they found a spot near a lamppost to wait for the big event. Hailey joined a friend nearby while John and Heather stood on their own.
Heather pointed to the missing cat sign they’d posted the week before. “Hailey is happy tonight. I’m relieved. I know she was expecting a call all day, someone saying they’d already found Snowball.”
“We handed out all the flyers but nothing yet. Wendy is printing more. It’s only been one day though. We won’t give up.”
“I know. And Hailey knows that, too. You’ve given her real hope again.”
His gaze fell to the snowy ground when he asked, “Was she okay with you bailing because of me?”
Heather shook her head. “It’s not because of you. I want to go to dinner. To be honest, she seems fine with it. I think going alone makes her feel more grown up. We’ve done everything together for the past five years.”
“I was concerned about it,” he admitted. “I don’t want her to feel left out.”
“We had a heart-to-heart. She’s afraid I won’t want to do things with her, but I assured her that’s not the case.”
“That’ll never happen. Not on my watch. I would never get in the way of your relationship with you daughter.” He gave a humorless laugh. “God knows I have experience with strained parental relationships.”
“Your dad. I’ve heard. Nothing is off limits in this town’s gossip mill.”
“Yeah...well. Bet you haven’t heard that things are surprisingly good between us now. Maybe me and the old man have both mellowed with age. Or perhaps we’ve just grown closer, pushing through this crisis together. It was rough after my mother died. He walled himself up. I left. Two stubborn-ass men being stupid.”
She touched his arm in understanding.
“Cold?” he murmured against her head when he pulled her back to lean against his chest. Strong arms encircled her.
She twisted slightly to look up at him. “Never around you,” she whispered, adding a sexy little grin. “I’m glad to be here with you. And that our night is just getting started.”
“Heather Murphy? Is that you?”
“Oh no, not again,” she moaned.
“I hardly recognize you. You look so...happy.”
“Hello, Courtney.” Heather stepped away from John to face the most irritating woman in Dickens.
“My, my if you two don’t look all toasty warm and...cozy. And in public, too.” The woman gave John a thorough dressing down with her eyes. Then she plastered on a bogus smile. “I see you’ve moved on from your tragedy, Heather. Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Heather instantly wanted to wring the prying woman’s neck. “John Gridley, this is Courtney Cole, a friend of my late husband’s parents.”
Courtney gave a little chuckle as phony as her smile, the sound grating on Heather’s last nerve.
Heather stifled a groan. “Courtney told me about Dickens.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk...so sad. Of course, I felt it my solemn duty to help a poor grieving widow and her distraught child. I’ll never forget how you cried and cried. Broke my heart. Thank goodness David was such a devoted husband. Ensuring your safety with—from what I heard—was a very generous life insurance policy. I can’t imagine what would have happened to you otherwise.” The woman’s toxic stare landed on John again. “All sorts of trouble can befall an unprotected woman.”
John remained silent, taking it all in. Though he looked as if he’d swallowed a handful of nails. With a flaming gasoline chaser.
“Everyone loves Dickens. I knew it was perfect for you when you said you wanted to live somewhere that truly embraced the holiday season. David’s parents were understandably upset when you wanted to move away. However, I assured them I’d be right here in case you need me. I’ll be sure to tell them I ran into you and your...um...friend.”
“You do that,” Heather replied coolly. She released a ragged sigh of relief when the woman said, “ta-ta” and strolled off to spread her joy elsewhere. When she turned back to John there was no trace of emotion on his face. No curiosity. Definitely none of the happiness from before.
“It’s a long story. My husband’s family is completely overbearing,” she told him. She captured his hand and held it, wishing the closeness they’d been sharing would return. Dammit, Courtney.
John’s jaw worked as if he was chewing those nails. “It’s none of my business.”
“Yes, it is,” she disagreed. “I—”
The lights around them blinked on and off, signalling the start of the ceremony and the end to any chance of conversation.
Hailey rushed up, crashing into both their arms. “It’s time.” She wormed her way between the two of them and happily looped arms.
John’s eyes connected with Heather’s over the girl’s Santa hat.
Heather whispered. “Can we talk about it later?”
He merely nodded his dark head before focusing on the show.