Hearts Evergreen: A Cloud Mountain Christmas\A Match Made for Christmas (7 page)

Don't stop. Don't stop.

Tony cleared his throat and drew back a little further. “Maybe we'd better get these dishes washed.”

It felt like a rejection. Perhaps it shouldn't, but it did.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I guess we should.”

“Maddie…”

She looked down at her hands. “Let's not talk about it, Tony. It's better we stick to business. Don't you think?”

He didn't reply.

That was answer enough for Maddie.

H
e shouldn't have kissed her. It was too soon. He'd moved too fast.

Okay, so he'd had a crush on her a decade ago. A crush so strong he even remembered she liked hot tea with milk instead of lemon. But it wasn't as if they'd dated. She hadn't known him from Adam. Not really. Not until a few days ago.

And even if she
did
know him from Adam now, what future was there for the two of them? She lived in L.A. He lived in Cloud Mountain. If two more different places existed in America, he didn't know what they were. La-la-land and the backwoods. Why would he think she'd want to live here? And there was no way he wanted to return to a big city.

But if he made the improvements in the lodge, if their ski resort could begin competing with some of the others in Idaho, if…

If…if…if…

Maddie finished drying the dishes, but Tony could tell she no longer wanted to be there. As soon as the last pot was done, she excused herself and beat a hasty retreat.

Why was I so stupid? Why didn't I keep my head?

Because he loved her.

There. It was that simple. He loved her. Maybe it didn't make sense. Maybe it had happened too fast. But that's how he felt. He loved her.

With his palms pressed against the counter, he bowed his head.
Lord, help me out here. I'm confused and I don't know what to do next.

He waited. Waited for God's voice to speak to his heart. Waited for a flash of inspiration. Waited to be overwhelmed by the knowledge of what he should say or do. He waited, but none of those things happened.

He wished life as a Christian were sometimes easier. There were many things spelled out in the Bible, but who to love, who to marry, wasn't one of them. There was no verse that said, “Tony Anderson, Maddie Scott is the girl for you.” Be nice if there were.

He opened his eyes and looked out the window. It was snowing. The forecast had said they could get from six to ten inches before tomorrow morning. It looked like the weatherman got it right this time.

After a quick glance around the kitchen to make sure all was as it should be—lest he get on Cookie's bad side—he headed for the reading room to see how the chess match was going. If Cookie didn't win, they'd
all
be on his bad side for the next couple of days.

He stopped at the entrance to the room, unnoticed by either of the older men. Both Sam and Cookie stared at the chessboard, frowns of concentration furrowing their brows.

Better not disturb them, he decided. He turned on his heel and walked to his office where he awakened his computer from sleep mode. A short while later, he scanned the messages in his e-mail inbox, including a number of queries about the lodge and the surrounding area. Couldn't have too many of those. There was also an e-mail from a cousin and some general business correspondence that needed attention. He might as well tackle them all.

An hour later, Tony hit
send
on his final reply and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head to work out the kinks. He supposed now would be a good time to have his meeting with Maddie. Only he wasn't sure—

The phone rang and he reached for it. “Cloud Mountain Lodge.”

“Tony. It's Frank Martin.”

“Hey, Doc. Calling to check on your patient?” He had his finger poised to send the call through to Maddie's room.

“No. We've got some missing skiers.”

Tony straightened. “Who?” The faces of his guests flashed before his eyes. Had something happened to one of the Sullivans?

“Gary Patterson and his girlfriend, Nancy Barrett. They went cross-country skiing with some other young folk this morning. Those two fell behind and never made it to the rendezvous point.”

Gary hadn't lived in Cloud Mountain much longer than Tony, but he was a good skier. Nancy had lived here most of her life and knew her way around these mountains. Both were smart enough to take shelter from the storm if they had to.

“We're organizing a search,” Frank added.

He stood. “What do you need from me?”

“There's a couple different ways they might have gone. I'm going with Chuck Barrett to Snake Flats. Can you take your Sno-Cat up the logging road to Frazier Ridge?”

“Of course.”

“Meet us at the Dry Creek parking lot. We'll coordinate from there.”

“I'm on my way.”

Tony dropped the handset into its cradle and turned just as Audrey appeared in the doorway.

“Did you hear about Nancy and Gary?” she asked.

“Yes. I'm headed up to Frazier Ridge in the Sno-Cat.”

“I'll put together some blankets and a couple of Thermos bottles of hot coffee.” Audrey looked at her wristwatch. “You have about three hours of daylight left.”

“Is it still snowing?”

“Yes. It's bad out there. I had a dickens of a time getting back to the lodge. Couldn't see much past the hood of the car.”

In other words, no time to waste. WhileAudrey went to the kitchen to prepare the Thermoses, Tony headed for his private quarters to change into attire more suitable to blizzard conditions. By the time he returned, Cookie, Sam and Maddie had joined Audrey in the lobby. Karen was there, too, sitting on a wooden chair, holding Iris on her lap.

“Audrey told us what happened,” Maddie said. “What can we do to help?”

“Pray. Pray hard.”

“Shouldn't someone go with you?” Her eyes were filled with worry.

He shook his head. “No, I'll be okay. I've got a radio in the Cat. I can call for help if I need it.” He felt the urge to hug Maddie. He'd love to fold her in his arms and kiss her once before he left.

“I put the Thermoses and blankets by the back door,” Audrey said. “Don't forget to grab some extra flashlights. Cookie and I will whip up some grub in case any search teams bring the skiers here.”

“Thanks, Audrey. Hopefully we'll all be back before nightfall.”

Tony hadn't been gone more than ten minutes when footsteps on the front porch drew all eyes toward the door. Moments later, the rest of the Sullivans tromped into the lobby.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Karen dashed into the lobby and began hugging her children and grandchildren, one after another. “I was getting worried. Why didn't you get off that mountain when the storm began?”

Her oldest son, Mike, gave her a puzzled look. “It wasn't all that bad until thirty minutes ago.”

Audrey said, “We've got some cross-country skiers lost in the storm. It's made everyone anxious.”

“We hadn't heard. Sorry, Mom.” Mike put his arm around Karen's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “We're all okay. Sorry we worried you.”

Maddie went into the reading room, but she was too restless to sit down. Instead she leaned against her crutches while staring out the window. Not that she could see anything but a flurry of white.

Please, God. Protect everyone who is out there searching. Protect those who are lost.

She drew a shuddery breath.

Please protect Tony. Bring him back to the lodge, safe and sound. Bring him back to…

Tears welled in her eyes.

…to me.

She closed her eyes, recalling the kiss they'd shared. Only in her imagination he didn't pull away so soon. This time his lips lingered on hers.

He remembered I preferred tea to coffee. After all these years…

She looked out at the storm again, the snow whirling and spinning past the window, resembling how she felt on the inside—confused, tossed about by a strong wind, saddened over what might have been. Tony's life was here. Hers was in California.

“Don't worry about him, Maddie.”

She looked to her right where Audrey now stood.

“Tony knows this country from his boyhood and he's trekked all over it since he moved here last spring. He's no flatlander. He'll keep his wits about him.”

Pride wanted Maddie to deny she was worried. Honesty wouldn't allow it. She turned her gaze out the window again. “I haven't seen snow like this in a long, long time.” She shook her head. “I suppose you'd call me a flatlander.”

“Mmm. Maybe. Maybe not. I've got a feeling you'd fit in around here rather nicely.” She patted Maddie on the shoulder. “I'd best get back to the kitchen and give Cookie a hand.”

What if Audrey was right? What if Maddie
would
fit in around there rather nicely? Was it crazy to want to?

Was it crazy to want Tony?

Tony had almost reached the top end of the logging road on Frazier Ridge when word came over the radio that the two missing skiers had been found and were okay. They were cold and hungry but uninjured. Tony said a quick prayer of thanksgiving as he turned the Sno-Cat around and headed for home.

Alone in the cab, staring at the snowy white world beyond the headlights and listening to the steady rumble of the engine, Tony allowed his thoughts to return to Maddie. This emergency had postponed their second meeting about the manuscript, but he couldn't count on anything else happening to give him more time to win her affections. Oh, he might delay a little if he pretended to consider other offers, but that would be a lie. He already knew he wanted David to have it.

Father, I can't think of anything else to do. I want her to come to know me better, to learn to care for me the way I care for her. She could be gone in a few days and then I might never see her again. So if she's the woman You have in store for me, You're going to have to do something.

Maybe Your plan is to snow her in.

He smiled at the thought. It wasn't a far-fetched idea. After all, God had been known to stop the sun in its tracks, to dry up the rains and to part the sea. Why notsend a blizzard to throw two people together if that's what He wanted?

But the real question remained—was this what God wanted? Had He brought Maddie here for this purpose?

“Make it clear to both of us, Father.”

Tony thought of himself as a levelheaded sort. He wasn't one to give in to sudden whims. He was more methodical in his approach to both life and business. Buying this lodge had been something he'd done with careful planning and forethought. He'd saved and researched and never rushed the decision.

But there was nothing levelheaded or methodical about his feelings for Maddie. The moment he saw her standing in the lobby of the lodge, he'd felt his life was about to change.

As he drew closer to town, lights from the lodge shone through the curtain of snow like a golden beacon, welcoming him back. It made him feel good, seeing those lights and knowing everything they represented. The lodge was home to him, but it was also hope for the community. As the lodge prospered, so would other businesses in town. More skiers in the winter and more vacationers in the summer meant more dollars flowing into Cloud Mountain, dollars that would find their way into the schools and the fire department and the police department.

With everything in him, he wanted the lodge to succeed. He was willing to work hard and long to make it happen. And he'd been willing to do it alone. He'd been on his own all his adult life. He was used to the single life and, while he'd hoped he would one day meet the woman who was meant to be his wife, he hadn't been impatient or unhappy. He'd believed love would happen in God's good and perfect time.

Was this that time? Was Maddie the woman he'd waited for?

He hoped so…because this sure felt like love.

M
addie didn't sleep well. Her dreams were troubled, and when she awakened, she felt as if she'd run a marathon during the night. Her muscles ached. Her ankle throbbed.

She rolled onto her side and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. It wasn't yet six o'clock. She rolled to her other side and closed her eyes, willing herself to go back to sleep. Instead, Tony's image drifted into her mind.

After his return last night, while everyone in the lodge rejoiced over the safe return of the lost skiers, Maddie had caught him watching her, a frown pinching his forehead. Had she done something to displease him? If so, she couldn't think what.

With a sigh of exasperation, she flopped onto her back and stared upward. “Close the deal and go home. If you leave now, you'll be all right. You don't need a man in your life. You don't need to fall in love again. You just need to pay off your debts so you can stop worrying about them.”

But if that's true, why does my heart hurt when I think of not seeing him again?

In the darkness of her room, she pictured Tony. She remembered him on the first day she arrived, recalled that vague sense that she should know him. She remembered how he'd carefully coached her on the bunny hill, his words of encouragement as they rode the ski lift, his concern for her when she fell. She envisioned him chopping wood and that fluttery feeling watching him had stirred in her heart. She remembered the sound of his voice lifted in worship. She recalled his infectious laughter.

Maddie grabbed a pillow and pressed it over her face as the memory of Tony's lips upon hers invaded her senses. Oh, that kiss. That wonderfully torturous sweet kiss. If only it could have gone on longer. If only he'd kissed her again and again and again.

She released a pent-up groan and tossed aside the pillow, then sat up in bed. After switching on the lamp, she reached for her robe. A few minutes later, she made her way out of her room, down the hall and through the dining room. Hopefully a cup of tea would soothe her thoughts. Of course, first she had to find where Cookie kept things in the kitchen.

The teakettle was easy. It was on the stove. She managed to take it to the sink and fill it with water while still supporting herself with her crutches. As she turned, kettle in hand, the kitchen door swung open.

Tony—clad in Levi's and a blue plaid shirt—stood in the doorway, his hair mussed from sleep, surprise widening his eyes. “Maddie?”

“I'm sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No. I'm usually the first one up. Starting the coffee brewing is my job.”

She raised the kettle in her hand. “I wanted some tea.”

“Here.” He strode toward her. “Let me help you with that.” He took the teakettle, set it on a burner and turned the knob on the stove. Looking back at her, he motioned with his head toward a stool. “Sit down and relax. It won't take long for the water to heat.”

Maddie was glad to oblige. It allowed her the pleasure of watching him as he moved about the kitchen.

“Mind a little music?” he asked as he reached for a boom box and pressed the play button without waiting for an answer.

“It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” a male voice sang through the speakers.

Tony joined in on the next line, tossing a grin in Maddie's direction, a silent invitation to sing along.

Her heart stuttered in response. She couldn't have sung a note to save her soul.

“Where will you spend Christmas, Maddie? Will you join your mom and sister in Florida?”

“Not this year.”

She hadn't spent Christmas with her family in ages. When she was married, it was because Craig always had somewhere else he wanted to be. After the divorce, it was too painful to be with her sister and brother-in-law. The two were blissfully happy, as much in love today as when they'd wed fifteen years ago, and seeing them made her feel a bit sorry for herself.

She pointed at her ankle. “Good thing I didn't plan to go. I'd hate to be flying across the country with this.”

Tony leaned a hip against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have encouraged you to go on the ski lift. We could have kept using the rope tow.”

“It isn't your fault.”

“It feels like it.” He was silent for a short while before saying, “Why don't you stay at the lodge for Christmas?”

“Here?” Her heart skipped again.

“Why not? Doc says you shouldn't drive for a while. I'll bet David would agree that you should stay put.”

Now her heart was racing. “I didn't bring enough clothes.”

“That wouldn't be too hard to fix. Nobody should spend Christmas alone. Besides, you shouldn't miss the feast Cookie will prepare.”

Did he ask because he wanted her to stay? Or did he feel sorry for her because she was far from family at Christmas?

The teakettle began to whistle and Tony pushed off the counter and walked to the stove. “Think about it, Maddie,” he said as he poured water into a cup.

She was quite certain she would think of little else.

“You've had a silly grin on your face ever since I got here this morning.” Audrey set a stack of mail on Tony's desk. “What are you so happy about?”

“Nothing in particular.” His smile widened. He couldn't help it. He'd been a grinning fool ever since he talked to Maddie that morning. The idea of her staying at the lodge over the holidays had popped into his head suddenly and before he knew it, he'd said it aloud. He figured that had to be a good thing. Maybe even a God thing.

“I know you better than that, Tony. Fess up.”

“I asked Maddie to stay for Christmas. At the lodge with all of us.”

Audrey cocked an eyebrow. “And she's going to?”

“She didn't say yes, but she didn't say no, either.”

“I had a feeling about you and that young woman.”

“Me, too.”

Audrey turned toward the office door. “While you're in such a good mood, you might want to think about ordering wallpaper for some of the rooms in the east wing. We got another reservation today and I'd hate to have to turn anybody down because enough rooms aren't ready.”

Tony leaned back in his chair.
Thanks, Lord.
Too many reservations was a problem he looked forward to.

He swiveled around and pulled a binder off the bookshelf. Inside the hard blue covers were his plans and projections for the lodge, figures and ideas that went back several years. He opened it on his desk and flipped through the pages.

Two hundred thousand dollars.

New roof. Remodeled kitchen. Update the heating and air-conditioning system. What else could he do with that amount of money? And how much higher might Fairchild be willing to go?

Tony turned another page in the binder.

Even with all the remodeling and restoring, could the lodge provide the sort of life Maddie deserved? She was a city girl. Cloud Mountain, even with a nice lodge, would still be Cloud Mountain. Would she be happy here?

His smile was replaced with a frown.

God, have I gotten ahead of You?

He rose from the chair and walked out of his office. The lodge was quiet again. Most of the Sullivan clan were skiing or snowboarding, eager to test the fresh powder from the previous night's storm. Those who weren't on the mountain had gone into town to browse in the different tourist shops that lined Main Street.

Where was Maddie? Had she gone to town as well?

As if in answer, he heard laughter—Maddie's laughter—coming from the kitchen. He followed the irresistible sound and what he found was equally irresistible. Maddie, a smudge of flour on her cheek and another on the tip of her nose, rolling out cookie dough, her right knee resting on the seat of a chair. Cookie stood nearby, stirring something bright green in a mixing bowl.

“Ah, Tony,” the chef said. “Have you come to help us?”

“Depends. What are you making?”

“Christmas cookies, of course.” He held up the bowl. “Here's the frosting for the trees.”

Tony crossed the kitchen and stopped on the other side of the table where Maddie was now pressing various shaped cutters into the dough. “You look like you're having a good time.”

“I am.” She plucked up a piece of dough and popped it into her mouth, then closed her eyes. “Mmm. I haven't eaten cookie dough in years.”

When she looked at him again, the sparkle of joy in her brown eyes took his breath away. He remembered all too well the sadness that filled them on the day she arrived.

“Here,” she said, holding a spoonful of cookie dough toward him. “Indulge.”

Nothing on earth could have stopped him from doing her bidding, and he didn't even
like
cookie dough.

“Good, huh?”

He swallowed the sugary gob of flour, eggs and vanilla. “Mmm. Good.” Hopefully, lightning wouldn't strike him dead for telling a lie. But please don't offer me another bite.

“When I was a little girl, my mom and sister and I would spend one Saturday in December baking and frosting sugar cookies. My hands would be stained red and blue and green from the food coloring. Oh, and the little candies we sprinkled on top. I loved eating those, too. When I got older, I looked forward to the day I could revive the tradition with my own children.”

And just like that, her smile was gone.

Why didn't you and Craig have kids?

Tears welled in her eyes as she answered the question he hadn't asked aloud. “Craig always said he wasn't ready to be a dad.” She shrugged. “But I guess that's changed now.”

He reached out and touched her cheek with his fingertips. “You deserve better, Maddie.” I'd give you better.

The hint of a smile returned to her lips as she blinked away the tears. “Thanks. I didn't mean to go all weepy on you.” She waved the spoon in the air. “Must be too much sugar.”

“Yeah. Must be.”

She watched him in silence and Tony found himself wishing he could read her thoughts. He didn't want to frighten her off. He wanted her to feel safe with him. How could he prove that he wouldn't hurt her the way Craig had?

“Tony,” Cookie said, “if you aren't going to help, leave. You're interfering with my workforce.”

Maddie laughed as she handed Tony the rolling pin. “Best do as he says. You roll. I'll cut.”

He was happy to oblige.