Page 48 of A Cozy Christmas Blizzard
“He’d better be,” Wynn said firmly, “because I’m going. He’ll survive. In case you hadn’t already figured this out, he’s a little... immature.”
“Really?” she asked, feigning surprise. Then she laughed out loud.
Wynn smiled, too. “I’m going to miss you, Katherine,” he said with a sigh. “I wish I could see you every day this week, but between work and Max...”
“I’ll miss you, too.”
Wynn checked his watch and K.O. realized that was her signal to go. Wynn had appointments.
They both stood.
“Before I forget,” he said casually. “A friend of mine told me his company’s looking for a publicist. It’s a small publisher, Apple Blossom Books, right in the downtown area, not far from here.”
“They are?” K.O.’s heart raced with excitement. A small publishing company would be ideal. “Really?”
“I mentioned your name, and Larry asked if you’d be willing to send in a résumé.” Wynn picked up a business card from his desk and handed it to her. “You can email it directly to him.”
“Oh, Wynn, thank you.” In her excitement, she hugged him.
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed to keep her in his arms and kiss her. She responded with equal fervor, and it made her wonder how she could possibly go another three days until she saw him again.
They smiled at each other. Wynn threaded his fingers through her hair and brought his mouth to hers for another, deeper kiss.
A polite knock at the door was followed by the sound of it opening.
Abruptly Wynn released her, taking a step back. “Yes, Lois,” he said, still looking at K.O.
“Your one-thirty appointment has arrived.”
“I’ll be ready in just a minute,” he said. As soon as the door was shut, he leaned close, touching his forehead to hers. “I’d better get back to work.”
“Me, too.” But it was with real reluctance that they drew apart.
As K.O. left, glancing at the surly teen being ushered into his office, she felt that Friday couldn’t come soon enough.
Fourteen
On Thursday afternoon, LaVonne invited K.O. for afternoon tea, complete with a plate of sliced fruitcake. “I’m feeling much better,” her neighbor said as she poured tea into mugs decorated with cats in Santa costumes. “I’ve been allowed to visit Tom, and he’s doing so well. In a couple of days, he’ll be back home where he belongs.” She frowned as if remembering Wynn’s father. “No thanks to that dreadful man who had Tom taken away from me.”
K.O. sat on the sofa and held her mug in one hand and a slice of fruitcake in the other. “I’m so pleased to hear Tom will be home soon.” Her conscience had been bothering her, and for the sake of their friendship, K.O. felt the need to confess what she’d done.
“The best part is I haven’t seen that maniac all week,” LaVonne was saying.
K.O. gave her neighbor a tentative smile and lowered her gaze. She hadn’t seen Max, either. Or Wynn, except for thatbrief visit to his office, although they’d emailed each other a couple of times. He’d kept her updated on his father and the so-called memory loss, from which Max had apparently made a sudden recovery. In fact, he now remembered a little too much, according to Wynn. But the wounds on his arm appeared to be healing nicely and Max seemed to enjoy the extra attention Wynn paid him. Wynn, meanwhile, was looking forward to the reprieve offered by their visit to Zelda’s.
“I owe you an apology,” K.O. said to LaVonne.
“Nonsense. You had no way of knowing how Tom would react to Mr. Jeffries.”
“True, but...” She swallowed hard. “You should know...” She started again. “I didn’t really have a psychic experience.”
LaVonne set down her mug and stared at K.O. “You didn’t actually see a man for me in the soup? You mean to say therewasn’tany message in the cracker crumbs?”
“No,” K.O. admitted.
“Oh.”
“It might seem like I was making fun of you and your psychic abilities, but I wasn’t, LaVonne, I truly wasn’t. I thought that if you believed a man was coming into your life, you’d be looking for one, and if you were expecting to meet a man, then you just might, and I hoped that man would be Wynn’s father, but clearly it wasn’t... isn’t.” This was said without pausing for breath.
