An Unexpected Kiss (5 page)

“Why
would you think that?”

He
grinned. “Hmm, I’d say you’re definitely hiding from someone, but from whom?”

He knew.
Somehow he knew she’d snuck away before her parents were introduced to him.

“I guess
it’ll remain a mystery.” She sidestepped around him. “See you around.”

She quickly
moved toward her destination, but Cole was close on her heels. “I met your
parents.”

“That’s
nice.”

“They
said I just missed you.”

“And yet
you found me.” She cast him an annoyed look. “Why are you following me?”

“Why are
you avoiding me?”

Instead
of answering him, she increased her pace. The cold air burned her lungs, her
breath coming fast. Since she exercised regularly, her overexertion must be
related to her recent bout with strep.

The
opening to the craft tent was only a few feet ahead. If not for the group of
old ladies in front of her, she could’ve made it inside and ditched the doctor.

Left
without much of a choice, Lucy quietly waited in line, doing her best to ignore
Cole. It wasn’t easy since he stood so close to her and smelled absolutely
wonderful.

“So,”
Cole said. “Your parents are Lamont and Lila, and you’re Lucy. Any other family
members that start with L?”

“I have
two younger brothers. Logan and Landon.”

“How old
are they?”

Dr.
Taggart wasn’t going to leave her alone. She might as well go along with it.
“Logan is seventeen, and Landon turned fifteen a few months ago.”

“It must
be nice having such a big family.”

He
considered her family big? She turned toward him and lifted a brow. “How many
siblings do you have?”

“None.
Only child.”

The line
inched forward, and Cole and Lucy both stepped forward. Curious about his
family, she couldn’t resist finding out more. “Did you like that? Being an only
child?”

“No.”
Cole’s blue eyes met hers, and she read a vulnerability there she hadn’t
expected. “My mom and dad weren’t exactly cut out for parenting, so it’s probably
good they only had one kid.”

Lucy’s
chest constricted, and she had to stop herself from reaching out and taking
Cole’s hand. “From what I can tell, the son they had is pretty amazing.” She
inwardly cringed. He was going to think she was after him. “I mean, you’re a
great…doctor.” She was not going to mention their kiss ever again.

He
studied her for a few seconds. Slowly, his face relaxed and he smiled. “Thank
you.”

“You’re
welcome.”

“Does
this mean you’re done avoiding me?”

Their
eyes held, and Lucy couldn’t stop herself from returning the smile. “I
suppose.”

The line
moved forward, and Lucy could feel the warmth radiating from the tent. Neither
of them spoke again until they’d made it inside. Cole looked around, and frowned.

“At least
now I know where everyone buys their Christmas decorations. Snow Valley really
goes all out, don’t they?”

“I know.
Isn’t it great.”

He eyed
her skeptically. “If you say so.”

“What’s
not to like?” They made their way to one of the booths that had beautiful
handmade quilts and wall hangings.

“I’m just
not that into Christmas.”

Lucy
stopped and stared at him. “How can you not be into Christmas? It’s the most
wonderful time of the year.”

“Not for
me. It’s my least favorite holiday.”

“Do you
have your stethoscope with you?”

Puzzled,
he shook his head. “No. Why do you need it?”

“I just
wanted to verify you have a heart.”

He
smiled. “That was actually kind of funny.”

“I’m serious. How can you not like Christmas?” It occurred to her that
he may have grown up in poverty.
Maybe that’s why he hated it. “Is it because you never got
anything as a child?” she asked hesitantly.

He
snorted a laugh. “Nope. My parents made sure everyone knew how much money we
had by the elaborate gifts they gave me and to one another each year.”

“Christmas
is about more than getting stuff.” She pointed out a beautiful wall hanging
depicting the nativity. “What about the birth of the Savior?”

“I’m not
a heathen, Lucy.” His eyes softened. “Believe it or not, I’m a believer who actually
goes to church regularly, and not just on Christmas Eve.”

“There
may be hope, then.”

“Hope for
what?”

She
reached out and took his gloved hand in hers, and led him back outside the
tent. “I’m going to save you from becoming the only world’s living heart
donor.”

He
laughed at her joke. “Oh really?”

“Yes,
really. I’m going to show you how incredible Christmas is, and we’ll start by buying
you your very own magical reindeer bell.”

She
waited for him to protest. Instead, he gave her a wink. “Lead the way.”

Using
another entrance, Lucy and Cole were back inside the depot fairly quickly.
Feeling overly warm, Lucy dropped his hand and removed her gloves.

“So how
is a magic reindeer bell going to help me?” Cole asked, as he removed his own
gloves and put them in his pocket.

Lucy
moved toward the little shop that sold the bells. Part of her wanted to take
Cole’s hand again, but she wasn’t that brave.

“Please
tell me you’ve read the book
The Polar Express
.”

“Nope.”

“Have you
at least seen the movie?”

“Sorry,
but no.”

They
skirted around a family with little kids. “Are you riding on the six-thirty
train?”

“Right
now I’m not riding on any train. I agreed to come with Uncle Will and Bev to
see if we could score a ticket for me, but I got sidetracked and didn’t make it
to the ticket booth.”

Lucy knew
she was the reason he’d failed to get a ticket. She glanced at her watch. Lance
shouldn’t be at the ticket booth yet. Impulsively, she took Cole’s hand and
changed their course. “C’mon, let’s see if we can buy you a ticket.”

“What
about my magic bell?”

“We’ll
get that later. This is more important right now.”

Cole
grinned. “Whatever you say.”

Without
their gloves as a barrier, Lucy was acutely aware of her palm against Cole’s. Feeling
a little self-conscious, she let go of his hand, and immediately missed his
warmth. They walked the rest of the way, and got in the shortest line they
could find.

“I take
it you really like this book,” Cole said.

“I do. I
can’t believe you’ve never read it.”

Cole
lifted one shoulder up. “Like I said, Christmas at my house was more about
attending elite parties, and going to exotic vacation hot spots.”

Hearing
the bitterness behind Cole’s words made Lucy sad. For some reason she really
wanted to change his perspective.

“May I
help you?” the woman in the ticket booth asked.

“Yes.”
Lucy moved up to the window with Cole close beside her. “Are there any more
tickets available for the six-thirty train?”

The woman
tapped on her computer for a few seconds. “The only thing available for that
train is in the deluxe North Pole car.”

Lucy knew
those tickets were pricey. Even if Cole purchased one, she wouldn’t be able to
sit with him. She wanted to be there with him, especially when one of the elves
assigned to each car read the book aloud while passengers sipped on hot cocoa.

“We’ll
take two tickets,” Cole said, pulling out his wallet.

“Cole, I
can’t let you do that,” Lucy protested. “Those tickets are expensive.”

“If this
is my first time riding the Polar Express then I want good seats, and I want you
with me.” He handed the cashier a credit card, but kept his blue eyes on Lucy. “You
are going to try and show me what I’ve been missing, right?”

She
couldn’t argue with that. “Yes.”

“Good.”
Cole turned toward the teller and completed the transaction.

“Here are
your tickets. First class passengers board first, so make sure you’re here on
time.” The woman handed Cole a shiny red envelope with an embossed imprint of
the train on the front. “You two have fun.”

“Thank
you,” Cole said.

They
stepped out of line, and Lucy glanced up at him. “Wow, I’ve never traveled
first class before.”

“I’ve
never been on a train before.”

She
smiled. “Thank you for the ticket. My family is going to be very envious.”

“Will
your parents be upset you won’t be sitting with them?”

Immediately,
Lucy’s good mood deflated. Lance Christensen would be the one upset.
Correction, he was upset, and he stood directly behind Cole.

Cole
watched
the smile disappear from Lucy’s face. However, she was no longer looking at
him, but at someone behind him. Turning, he saw her…wanna be boyfriend.

“Hey, Lance,”
Cole said, holding out his hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

Reluctantly,
Lance gave him a quick handshake. “You’ll have to forgive me for not feeling
the same way.”

“Nothing to
forgive, man.”

He shot
Cole an irritated glance and then focused back in on Lucy.

“Were you
just gonna leave me here waiting for you all night?”

Lucy was
supposed to meet him? Cole looked to Lucy for answers too.

“Lance,
my mother only told me I was supposed to meet you here on our way over.”

“What’re
talking about? Your mother called me and said you asked her to give me a
message to wait for you by the ticket booth at six.”

“I
obviously need to have a talk with my mother,” Lucy said sardonically. She blew
out a big breath. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding.”

Lance
grunted and shook his head. “You know, Luce, if you didn’t want to be with me
tonight then you shouldn’t have had your mom call me.”

“I never
asked her to call you. I thought you understood that when I sarcastically said
I needed to have a talk with my mother.”

Lance
squinted, as if truly trying to grasp what Lucy just said. “Your mother must
not like your new boyfriend very much, then.”

Cole
stiffened. “She didn’t know I was going to be here with Lucy.”

Why on
earth was he pretending like he was Lucy’s boyfriend? He should’ve stayed home
like he’d wanted to do in the first place.

He’d
reluctantly tagged along with his uncle and Beverly to the Christmas event. The
chances of running into Lucy with such a large turnout had been pretty low. He
couldn’t believe it when they walked into the depot and there she was right in
front of him.

Earlier, Cole
had told his uncle the whole story at the airport, and Uncle Will had laughed
so hard Cole thought he might go into cardiac arrest. As soon as his uncle
spotted Lucy and her family, he insisted they go over and say hello. The next
thing Cole knew Lucy had vanished. And, instead of just letting her go, he went
after her.

“Again,
I’m sorry, Lance. Mom and I are going to have a long chat about her interfering
in my social life.”

Lance ran
a hand through his hair. “Lucy, with my dad not feeling well I really didn’t
have time to ride on the train today, but I know how much you love it.” He
shrugged. “When your mom called and said they had a ticket reserved for me, and
to meet up with you here, I figured you’d dumped your new boyfriend.”

“No.”
Lucy eyed Cole with trepidation. “I didn’t dump my new boyfriend.”

Although
he knew he should just leave well enough alone, Cole reached out and took
Lucy’s hand, threading their fingers together.

Lance’s
eyes dropped to their intertwined hands, and then back up. “Hey, forget I even
asked you to the Christmas Ball, Luce. I already know what the answer will be.”

Cole
watched Lucy’s expression as Lance turned and walked away. He could tell she
felt bad for the guy. Heck, so did he. It was harsh what had just happened.

“I’m a
horrible person,” Lucy said.

“No
you’re not.”

She
sniffed. “Yes I am.” She sniffed again, and Cole was sure she was about to
start crying.

“You
didn’t try to lead him on.”

“No—my
mother did.”

Cole choked
on a laugh. She glared at him and pulled her hand free. He immediately sobered
up. “We should probably head toward the loading area.”

She blinked
a few times. “Okay.”

“Do we
need to let your parents know you’ll be with me?”

She shook
her head. “I’m never talking to my mother again.”

“I’m no
expert, but that might put a damper on your Christmas spirit.”

That won
him a tiny smile. “Shut up.”

For some
reason he wanted to hold her hand again. He wouldn’t mind kissing her again,
either. “Do we still have time to stop and buy me a magic reindeer bell?”

Overhead,
a happy sounding voice announced the six-thirty Polar Express would start
boarding first-class passengers in fifteen minutes.

“Probably
not,” Cole answered for her.

They
started walking with the crowd. A man with a big mustache, and wearing an
old-fashioned bellhop looking outfit, held a lantern and started calling out to
everyone to get their tickets ready. No one could ride the Polar Express
without a ticket.

The guy
was obviously an actor, and Lucy’s countenance brightened considerably. “I’m so
excited. This is going to be magical.”

Cole’s
chest tightened with an emotion he’d never felt with Nikki. It was joy. Being
with Lucy made him happy.

“It is
going to be magical. Thank you, Lucy, for sharing this with me.”

She
smiled, and it was the most natural thing in the world for Cole to take her
hand in his.

*

Lucy
followed the porter to the North Pole box car. Cole was right behind her.
Christmas music played, and the aroma of hot cocoa and fresh baked cookies
scented the air. The deluxe car was much warmer than riding in coach. As she
slid into a private booth, she already knew she wouldn’t need her coat. She
probably wouldn’t need her hat but her hair would be a fly-away mess if she
took the beanie off now.

She
started to shrug out of her coat, and Cole assisted her before removing his own
coat and sliding into the seat across from her. He wore a navy blue, crew-neck
sweater that deepened the color of his azure eyes. His dark hair looked
adorably mussed after he’d taken off his beanie. He smiled, and she felt her
heartbeat quicken.

“That was
nice of you to give away your ticket.”

“Well, since
mine had been upgraded, I certainly wouldn’t be using it.”

“Most
people wouldn’t care enough to bother finding out if someone could use the
ticket.”

Under his
admiring gaze, Lucy felt her cheeks flush. Feeling slightly flustered, she
focused on her mission. Just call her little Cindy Lou Who because she was
about to change Mr. Grinch’s mind about Christmas.

“Was
there ever a time you liked Christmas?”

He
studied her for a few seconds. “Yeah, sure. What kid wouldn’t like waking up to
finding most of the merchandise from Toys R Us in their living room?”

Lucy
couldn’t relate. While her father made a good living, her parents had never
spoiled Lucy or her brothers. She usually got one nice gift from Santa, and the
rest from her parents which were usually items she could use every day.

“When did
it change?”

He
shrugged. “I don’t know. It got to the point where I wouldn’t wake up early
anymore. I’d roll out of bed around noon and go down to see what I didn’t want
to keep.” His face darkened. “My dad was usually drunk by then, and my mother
planning what she’d wear to whatever party they’d attend that night.”

“Did you
go with them to the parties?”

“No.” He
snorted a laugh. “My parents partied like it was New Year’s Eve every night,
and kids weren’t invited. Eventually, I went to my own parties. Even though I
grew up with money, I really didn’t like hanging out with rich snobs. I came to
the conclusion Christmas was nothing more than a glorified marketing scheme. If
it really was all about Jesus then I wouldn’t have a problem, but from what
I’ve seen it’s nothing but a greedy holiday where people feel entitled to get
more stuff.”

“That
might be true, but it also brings out the good in people. They seem to be a
little kinder, and more charitable. There’s nothing more fun than finding the
perfect gift for someone you care about, and that gift doesn’t have to be
expensive. It doesn’t even have to be something you buy.”

“The
majority of the world doesn’t feel that way, Lucy.” He looked away for a
second. “I just get sick of the entire month of December turning into one big
shopping spree. I see more patients during that month with so much stress manifested
by ulcers, chest pain, high blood pressure, and depression.”

“Wow. I
see have my work cut out for me.”

He
brought his gaze back to hers, and smiled. “Tell me some of your favorite
things about Christmas.”

She
breathed in deeply. “For one, the smell of fresh baked cookies and hot cocoa.”
She leaned forward. “I love Christmas lights, especially after a snowstorm. I
love finding the perfect Christmas tree and decorating it while listening to
Christmas music. I love handwritten cards that come in the mail. I even love
the cheesy family letters that highlight the best things that have happened
over the past year. I love Hallmark Christmas shows, and making sugar cookies. And
I love playing secret Santa to someone in need.”

Cole’s
eyes had widened, so Lucy stopped reciting her long list. “Those are just a few
things.”

“You mean
there’s more?”

“I don’t
want to overwhelm you.”

He sat
back, and shook his head. “Do you want to know what’s sad? My parents would get
Christmas cards in the mail, and never read a single one after they opened it.
Once they determined there wasn’t anything of monetary value, they’d toss them
in the trash.”

A wave of
tenderness for her mother washed over Lucy. Her mom read every card and then
taped them on the door frame into the kitchen. By the end of December, the
entire frame was covered with cards, letters and photos.

They
didn’t have time to talk anymore because an energetic man dressed like an elf
bounced in and greeted everyone occupying the North Pole car. The elf came to
their table and asked for their names.

“I’m
Lucy, and this is Cole,” she said, noting how uncomfortable Cole seemed with a
man dressed in green and white striped tights.

The elf
winked at Lucy, and put his hands on his hips. “Girl, I’ll bet you’re hoping
Santa puts coal in your stocking this year.”

The
couple behind them started to laugh. Lucy smiled, enjoying the embarrassed look
on Cole’s face much more than the pun.

“I guess
I’ll just have to see if I’m on Santa’s naughty or nice list.”

The elf
leaned toward Lucy and whispered loud enough for others to hear, “I know which
one I’d want to be on.”

At this
point, Cole’s face was as red as Rudolph’s nose. Thankfully, the elf flitted to
another table.

Lucy
pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. “I think he liked you.”

“Very
funny.”

Two
female elves came in, each pushing a food cart. One was loaded with warm
cookies, and the other had carafes of hot cocoa which was served in a keepsake
Polar Express mug. Lucy decided she liked traveling first class.

Soon
after everyone had been served, the conductor came through asking to see
everyone’s ticket. Cole pulled the tickets out, and Lucy noticed they were gold
foil, and much fancier than the ticket she’d given away.

The rest
of the trip was magical. At least for her. She hoped Cole was having a good
time. He seemed to be, and listened intently as one of the elves read
The
Polar Express
book while they traveled to the North Pole.

When the
story finished, Cole leaned toward her and whispered, “I’ll bet you can still
hear the bell, right?”

Lucy
smiled, and nodded her head. “I hope I never lose that ability.”

He
watched her contemplatively, and she wished she could read his thoughts. Finally,
he said, “I’ve never met anyone like you before. Through your eyes, Christmas
is magical.”

His words
warmed her, as if she’d had another cup of hot chocolate. “That makes me
happy.”

“I’m very
glad I met you, Lucy Phillips.” His gaze drifted down to her mouth, and she
knew he was thinking about the way they’d met. Lucy had vowed not to think
about the kisses they’d shared, but she couldn’t help it.

Their
eyes met again, and Cole reached across the little table and took a hold of her
hand. His touch made her feel like she had a passel of sugarplum fairies
dancing in her stomach. The rest of the trip passed by too quickly.

They
arrived in the North Pole and picked up Santa. On the return trip back, he and
Mrs. Claus greeted everyone and then handed out little red gift bags. Lucy
could hardly wait to look inside. She knew from past experience the occupants
in the coach cars would only receive a candy cane.

She and
Cole waited until the Clauses left their car before opening their gift bag.
Among the little mementoes was a silver bell. Cole lifted his out and jingled
it. “What do you know. I actually can hear it.”

Lucy’s
heart melted, and she stifled a sigh. Dr. Taggart was pretty sweet, not to
mention cute. Suddenly, being on the naughty list didn’t seem like a bad thing.
Not if it meant she got Cole for Christmas.