Page 21 of Mistletoe Love Match
Alec shifted in his chair. “Got it,” he announced. He held up the tweezers and a decent-sized sliver of wood. “Mr. Krangle, you’re splinter-free and cleared for Christmas merriment.”
“I didn’t feel anything. It’s a Christmas miracle,” the man exclaimed with a hearty chuckle as Alec finished up, administering the ointment and bandage.
“The real miracle is that we are all exactly where we’re supposed to be tonight,” Mrs. Krangle corrected, meeting Calliope’s gaze before turning her attention to Alec.
“Very true, my dear,” Mr. Krangle replied. “The marvelous thing about this time of year is that the gift you didn’t think you wanted is exactly what you need.”
Could some sort of cosmic Christmas energy have orchestrated this odd turn of events? Was she meant to be alone with Alec on Christmas Eve? She glanced at the man and caught him watching her. And there it was again—those flitting butterflies in her belly. She felt a blush coming on, when a ho-ho-ho rang out. But Mr. Krangle wasn’t the one doing the Santa laugh this time. She pinpointed the source of the sound and peered at a Christmas-inspired cuckoo clock on the wall with a jolly old Saint Nick’s head popping out of a chimney as the clock chimed eight times.
“And now, we must bid you good night. Children from all over the world are expecting us,” Mr. Krangle announced and helped his wife to her feet.
“But the road’s closed,” Alec remarked, pulling off the exam gloves as he glanced out the window. “And it appears to be snowing even harder than when we arrived.”
The Krangles shared a knowing look.
“We don’t need roads, do we, dear?” Nick Krangle said with a twitch of a grin.
“No, my rosy-cheeked love, we don’t,” Noreen answered and pressed a kiss to her husband’s very rosy cheek.
Calliope and Alec trailed behind the Krangles as they made their way to the door.
“Thank you so much for allowing us to stay in Mistletoe Cottage. We’re happy to pay for the night,” Alec offered.
Mrs. Krangle waved him off. “We wouldn’t think of accepting payment. You’ve tended to my husband’s hand. We’re in your debt.”
But Mr. Krangle tapped his bearded chin like he had something up his sleeve. “There is one thing they can do,” he remarked with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Name it,” Alec answered, then took Calliope’s hand in his.
Why had he done that?
A ripple of warmth passed through her as she twined her fingers with his. He brushed his thumb across her palm, and she inhaled a tight breath.
Did he even realize he’d reached for her?
Mr. Krangle glanced at their joined hands, then shared another knowing look with Mrs. Krangle. “Promise us that you’ll look deep into your hearts before making your Yule log wish. Don’t be afraid to dream big. It’s Christmas Eve. Anything is possible.”
ChapterFive
Alec Lamb
The cottage door closed, and for a beat, neither he nor Calliope spoke.
He glanced around as if he’d just woken up from a dream. “Did I just perform a minor procedure on Santa Claus?”
“Yes, and it was a smashing success,” she answered. “Well done, you.”
He couldn’t hold back a grin as a soothing warmth emanated from his hand. He stroked his thumb across smooth skin, then looked down and had to do a double-take. He had Calliope’s hand in his. And he didn’t want to let go.
“I’m not sure how this happened,” he stammered, holding up their joined appendages like a boxing ref signaling the winner. That boneheaded, gobbledygook of a statement had barely passed his lips, and instantly, he wanted to jam a half dozen of Mrs. Krangle’s giant sugar cookies into his mouth to shut himself up.
What a moronic thing to say.
Calliope didn’t appear fazed by his word salad of an explanation. She exhaled a shaky breath. Her boots clicked against the hardwood floor as she stepped back and broke their connection. Fumbling with her hands like she wasn’t sure what to do with them, which appeared to be the theme of the last few minutes, she gestured toward the door. “Let’s pull ourselves together. That couldn’t have been the real Santa and Mrs. Claus because, well, there’s no such thing as Santa, right? One guy and a bunch of reindeer could never make it to every kid’s house in one night. It’s like, science and shit,” she blathered.
They both sounded like they were a few snowballs short of a snowman.
“It’s a story meant to entertain children,” he answered with a tad too much gusto, trying to ignore how much he missed her touch.
