Page 6 of A Miracle for the Reserved Flyboy

Cajun groaned, shaking his head in exasperation. “Your date isn’t withher, genius!”

“Wait, what?”

Chapter 3

KRISTA

Krista pulledup to the small-town gas station, her car sputtering slightly as she put it in park. She barely had her window rolled down before Mr. Munoz greeted her warmly, a smile lighting up his weathered face. "Hi, Miss Krista!" he called out, giving her a wave.

“Hi there, Mr. Munoz!" she replied, leaning out the window with a friendly grin. "How are you? Are you and the missus getting ready for the holidays? I hope to see you both at the town square celebration this year—I think I missed you last year at Beary’s surprise engagement. I didn’t see you two singing or dancing!” She reached into her cupholder and fished out a bright blue candy cane. “You like the blueberry ones, right?” She dangled it teasingly, knowing he had a soft spot for them.

He took a step closer, eyeing her with mock suspicion. “You’re just trying to butter me up for one of your shenanigans, aren’t you?” His eyes twinkled, but he added, “By the way… you wouldn’t happen to know a guy named Terry, would you?”

“Is it working?” she grinned, before tilting her head thoughtfully. “And, no, can’t say I know any Terrys. Why do you ask?”

Mr. Munoz gave a slight shrug, still eyeing her as he tapped his fingers on the pump. “Someone named Terry was here asking about you earlier. Now, do you want regular or unleaded?”

Krista laughed softly, recognizing his attempt to change the subject. She pointed toward the pump. “Regular, please… and what can I say, I’m looking for someone to play Drosselmeyer for?—”

“Next station!” he interrupted, crossing his arms and shifting his weight. But in the same breath, he reached over and plucked the blueberry candy cane from her hand, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “I’m not dressing up, Krista.”

“Oh, come on, Mr. Munoz!” She gave him her best pleading look, widening her eyes dramatically.

“Nope.” He shook his head firmly. “Not happening.”

“Please?” Her voice held a hint of a whine as she clasped her hands together like a prayer.

Mr. Munoz sighed, his resolve beginning to waver, but he wasn’t about to give in so easily. “All right, all right. But if I agree to dress up, then I want to know what you’ll be wearing. You didn’t think I’d just agree without knowing what I’m getting myself into, did you?” He cocked an eyebrow at her, grinning as if he’d just cornered her.

Krista hesitated, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I’m… the Mouse Queen.”

He raised his eyebrows. “The Mouse Queen, huh? Not the Sugar Plum Fairy? Not Clara?”

“Nope.” She shook her head, her voice softening. “I don’t need the limelight. I’m happy being in the background, watching everything unfold, and just… basking in the joy around me.”

Mr. Munoz squinted at her, skepticism flickering across his face. “You’re telling me you don’t want a bit of that happiness for yourself? Why let everyone else shine while you’re always setting the stage? Is that why you’re always playing matchmaker around here, setting people up and arranging blind dates? You’re never part of it… Are you scared or something?”

Krista’s heart gave a little flutter at his words, and she cleared her throat, glancing at her watch to cover her unease. “Oh, look at the time!” she exclaimed, laughing nervously. “I’ve got a costume fitting to get to, so we’ll see you at rehearsal tomorrow at four, Mr. Munoz – and you are the perfect Drosselmeyer!”

“I never agreed,” he chuckled, watching her flustered retreat.

“See you tomorrow, Mr. Munoz!” she called, pulling away with a hasty wave. She drove off with a grin, her cheeks still flushed, her fuel light flashing in protest. “Next station, here I come,” she whispered under her breath, praying that her car held out until she got there.

A few hours later,Krista was standing in front of the diner, concerned. She was looking all around, trying to figure out if she had a stalker or if she was about to be served legal papers. Three people asked her if she knew someone named Terry, Barry, and Larry – which meant that there was someone actively walking around town trying to locate her – or another woman named Krista, which she doubted because this was a very small town, and she didn’t know another Krista near here. And if that wasn’t unsettling enough, she had three hangups last night.

The moment she picked up her phone from the private number, she could hear breathing, and then someone hung up. For a prank caller, it was pretty lame. Usually, stuff like thatwas done by children around Halloween, complete with heavy panting, someone moaning or groaning, or even more creatively, they would do the whole ‘Seven Days’whisper fromThe Ring… which was enough to creep her out until she heard the giggling.

“I’m sure this is the same thing,” she whispered absently to herself as she stood there patiently waiting for the newest visitor to town to show up… and sighed.

That guy, Cajun’s friend, was certainly living up to his call sign. The newly-arrived Casanova was so breathtakingly handsome and suave that she was goo the moment his dark eyes met hers. That smile could ignite a forest fire, and those hands… she shivered in awareness and closed her eyes as a blush heated her cheeks.

Okay, maybe she dreamed about those hands last night and his husky voice whispering sweet nothings to her in the dark – which was utterly ridiculous, she balked silently.

“You hussy,” she uttered under her breath, shocked at her own thoughts. It was so wrong in so many ways to be thinking about kissing someone when you just met them, much less she had arranged for him to meet the sweetest person this evening for dinner. A professional matchmaker would not dare to act upon her thoughts or feelings with someone she was helping set up in their own romance, and it finally clicked in her head, causing her to slap her forehead a moment later. “Phooey! He’s Terry.”

“Actually, it’s Gary,” a voice came from behind her, causing her to whirl around in a flustered panic before she sighed dreamily – and cleared her throat, pulling herself back together.

“You shouldn’t be sneaking up on people,” she chided automatically.

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