Page 23 of A Not So Merry Kiss-mas
“Go ahead and find your man, honey,” Mrs. Fletcher teases, an astute look in her eyes. Reaching out my hand toward her, I take her coat and hang it on top of my peacoat and scarf.
“No, I’ll wait for you so we can find a seat,” I respond as I continue to peruse around the room, hoping to see where he is.
“Go,” she gently pushes me toward the threshold. “I’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?”
When she nods at me, I don’t wait another moment to walk into the room full of firefighters and their families. A pair of arms wrap around me from behind and pulls me against a hard chest, startling me, but then I’m surrounded by the woodsy scent I’ve come to know so well.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Michael whispers in my ear, pressing his lips to the side of my neck, sending tiny shivers down my spine. I lean into his embrace for a moment before turning around and wrapping my arms around his collar.
“Hey, you.” I meet his lips with mine, enjoying the feel of him. “There are a lot more people here than I thought there would be.”
He glances around the room and smiles at everyone talking animatedly, before turning his attention back to me. His blue eyes pin me as if I’m the only person in the room. “The mayor put out a post on social media that we’d be having alittleget-together.”
“Little, huh?” My gaze drops to his mouth, and I watch the corners inch up.
“Don’t worry. There aren’t too many people here to stop me from kissing you again.” His eyes gleam mischievously, and I whoop out loud, but don’t have to wait long for him to make good on his promise.
“Michael,” Mrs. Fletcher yells from across the room, waving us over to the table she’s staked claim to.
“Mrs. F.” Michael waves and grabs my hand, weaving his fingers through mine. As we make our way across the room, he gives it a gentle squeeze, and a soft warmth surges through me.
The one constant I’ve come to learn about the man I am effortlessly falling for is that he takes care of the people he cares about. Every day, I feel more and more lucky to be on his list.
Letting go of my hand, Mike strolls over to Mrs. Fletcher and kisses her on the cheek. “So glad you made it. You know how much the guys on the crew adore you.”
He pulls out a chair for me to sit, then heads away to grab us something to drink.
“I’m so glad you listened to Mrs. Claus’ advice.” My eyes fly open, and I whip my head toward Mrs. Fletcher.
“Are you—”
“Mrs. Claus?” She cackles at me. “No, dear. I don’t know her personally, I just know her.”
My brows furrow and my lips pinch. “I don’t understand.”
“Operation Mistletoe Match.” She beams at me. “It’s Mrs. Claus’s thing. All you have to do is write a letter requesting help for someone, and she sends a note of encouragement to the person.”
“But she knew such personal things, things only my family and close friends would know.” Astonishment drips from every word.
She rests her hand on my forearm and applies gentle pressure. “I felt the same way when I got my letter many, many years ago. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it until you moved in. The two of you reminded me so much of my Samuel and me that I knew I had to try something. It appears that between your friends, me, and Mrs. Claus, we got a little Christmas magic this year.”
Tears prick the back of my eyes, and an overwhelming gratitude fills me. “Thank you.” I place my hand on top of hers and hold tight.
The corners of her eyes crinkle as she beams at me. “You’re most welcome. I hope you and Michael have as many happy years together as my husband and I did.”
“Warm cider for both of you.” Michael puts down steaming cups of amber liquid in front of each of us. Mrs. Fletcher catches my eye and winks at me. His gaze bounces between us. “What did I miss?”
Mrs. Fletcher takes Michael’s hand in hers, her eyes sparkling merrily. “Just a little girl talk.”
He glances at me, and I shrug. When he quirks a brow skeptically, we both pick up our cider and take a sip.
One day, I’ll tell him all about Mrs. Claus and the letter he handed me. But not tonight.
The gathering is winding down, and there are only a few of us left. Mrs. Fletcher went home with Mayor Wilson and his wife so that I could spend a bit more time with Michael alone.
The two of us have been huddled close, talking and just enjoying the newness of us. His crew is amazing, and I had a blast getting to meet each of them and their families, though I probably won’t remember any of their names.
