Page 45 of Mistletoe Misses
“You were amazing, Maddox,” Veronica compliments as she hurries by. “Thanks.”
“Not like I had a choice.”
She walks backwards to face me. “You always have a choice.” The mischievous smile returns to her lips to remind me of her advice before she jogs down the path. Will I get to work and find a way forward or sit back and let myself falter once again?
Pivoting to escape both options, I almost crash into Jada and Carmen. I seem to have forgotten all my tactical training the second I stepped foot in this town. Both women stare up at me as if I’d just saved a litter of kittens from a burning building. Take it from me, ladies, I’m not that special.
“Great job, officer,” Carmen teases.
Ignoring her, I toss a thumb over my shoulder and change the subject. “We should go find the kids.”
“They’re right behind you.” Carmen smirks, enjoying my unease a little too much. Especially since she has a lot to do with my mood … whether she means to or not.
Spinning, I gladly take Easton and Sadie’s hands and leave the women to walk together. This trio combination is one I can navigate, allowing me to settle into Teacher Henderson mode.
At the edge overlooking the starting line, I give Sadie and Easton tips on setting their duck in the snow, keeping track of it among the group, and racing down the slope to the finish line. We’ll be close behind if help is needed, but they’ll have the most fun following along with the other kids. Stumbling over friends in the deep snow and laughing when ducks get caught in a pile or tip over in the groves are some of the best memories I have. It’s pure chaos in the best possible way.
When Veronica calls for the ducky contestants to set up, Jada and Carmen step up to stand on either side of me. They’re both quiet—the tension as thick and cold as a block of ice.
“You were amazing back there,” Jada finally says with a touch of my forearm, her night-dark eyes finding mine with a few bats of her lashes.
I couldn’t be further outside my element. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t know you were such a showman.”
A chuckle spurts out of me at the absurd idea of me on stage. “That’s—”
“I did,” Carmen chimes in. “He had lots of practice growing up.”
The hours we spent practicing her lines as teenagers resurface, and a flame ignites in my core. Those rehearsals were my favorite because they quickly turned into hot, drive-me-crazy make out sessions. I think about kissing adult Carmen like that, but this time with no restrictions, and instantly regret it. That pesky little flame flares and spreads throughout my body, making me unzip my coat to let out the steam.
“You okay?” Jada asks. “Can I get you anything?”
“No. I’m fine.” And a liar. “Thanks.”
I catch Carmen’s smug grin in my periphery, but I don’t dare look at her.
“Oh, there’s Easton,” Jada says when her son emerges from the crowd and waves her over.
“It was fun seeing you work earlier,” Carmen says when we’re alone but keeps her eyes forward. “There’s nothing sexier than a hot cop who’s good with children. I think you earned yourself a few more female admirers with that performance.”
“Dad says firefighters are better.”
“He’s biased, and they’ve got nothing on you, my friend.” She waves a hand in front of her face, mirroring the fire smoldering under my skin being this close to her.
“Friend?”
That inquiry has her shifting toward me, and I can’t stop myself from meeting her gaze. “Always,” she confirms, then adds, “until you decide to claim a different title.”
This is when I should say something flirty back as Veronica suggested, but nothing comes forward. The easy confessions that roll off Carmen’s tongue rattle me and shut off my brain. I’m searching for something poignant to say when Jada returns.
“That boy is something else,” she swoons, her proud momma smile fading as she notices the new heat radiating off Carmen and me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it materialized in the frigid air and covered us in a cloud of smoke.
Carmen smooths the loose strands of her hair, like something—maybe me—had tousled it while Jada was away and pulls her knitted hat into place. “Shall we get closer to the action? They’re about to start.”
I hang back to give myself time to recover, but Jada waits to walk with me. So much for that.
“You should see how excited Easton is. This may be the first time he’s felt at home since we moved here.”
