Sweet Christmas Kisses (156 page)

Soon, the enormous Christmas tree in the middle of Rice Circle would be lit, along with millions of other lights along the various paths throughout the park.

Noelle stood with her sister near the entrance, drinking in the scene and trying to ward off a full-scale panic.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we’re ready,” she said.

“You’ve done an amazing job,” Holly said. “Everything looks fabulous.”

“It does actually.”

Holly winked and held up a hand for a high-five. “We’re good!”

“Don’t forget Michael,” Noelle said after they’d slapped each other’s backs. “We never would have made it this far without him.”

“I know, I know,” Holly said. “I
may
have been wrong about him. Where is he anyway?”

Noelle’s stomach clenched at the thought of Michael and the distance she’d created. Not only had she squashed any romantic inclinations, she’s also apparently severed their tentative friendship. “I haven’t seen him since the hay arrived.”

“You mean you haven’t talked to him about your outburst earlier today?”

“What is there to say? I think I made my feelings perfectly clear.”

“Only because I goaded you into it.”

Astonishment replaced a nagging depression. “You almost sound disappointed. I thought you’d be jumping for joy.”

“I told you I might have been wrong about him. There’s a slight chance only
one
of the Campbell brothers is a total scum.”

“I hardly know how to react to such praise,” a deep male voice rumbled behind them. “Am I blushing?”

How did Michael keep showing up at the worst possible moment? Noelle could only stare, horror and embarrassment rendering her mute.

Holly took the lead in answering. “You move like a cat,” she said, fixing him with a frown. “We should put a bell on you so we know you’re coming.”

His gaze flicked toward Noelle. “But then I’d miss important information.”

“Michael—” she said, hating the tension between them.

“Holly! Noelle! There are my girls!”

“Mom?” Noelle said, stunned at seeing her mother rushing toward them. “What are you doing here?”

“Who’s with Dad?” Holly asked.

“Your aunt and uncle are with him. Your father insisted I couldn’t miss the tree lighting.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Noelle said, hugging her mother, getting choked up again.

“So am I,” Rose Robinson said. She hugged Holly and then cast her gaze around the park. “Oh girls, it’s beautiful. I’m so proud of you. I can’t believe you did all this by yourselves.”

“Most of it is Noelle’s doing,” Holly admitted. “And Michael’s, of course. He’s really been our savior this week.”

“Has he?” Their mother regarded Michael for a moment, as if she didn’t know what to make of a Campbell in their midst.

“I really haven’t done that much,” Michael said.

“Are you kidding?” Noelle said, unable to let him downplay his role. She might not be comfortable with her newfound attraction, but she couldn’t deny he’d made tonight possible. “Michael has saved my life more than once. Literally.”

“Then my husband and I owe you our thanks,” her mother said. “You have no idea what it means for us to know everything is in such capable hands.”

Michael again tried to deflect the praise. “There is no need to thank me.”

“There most certainly is,” her mother said, her tone brooking no argument.

He must have heard the finality in her voice, because Michael chuckled and held up his hands as if to say
I surrender
. “Then you’re welcome.” He lowered his head. “I see our esteemed mayor and his family coming this way. Must be time for the lighting ceremony.”

Mayor Manning was indeed approaching, although his wife Catherine led the parade. Mrs. Manning moved through the crowd like the bow of a ship parting the waves. The mayor strolled along behind his wife, and bringing up the rear was their daughter and son-in-law.

About ten feet behind the first family came the rest of Covington Falls. Soon, the park was flooded with people.

“Here we go,” Holly said, squeezing Noelle’s hand.

A great spasm of terror overtook her, and she contemplated looking for a nearby bush to relieve her rebelling stomach. “Uh huh…”

“You all right?” Holly asked.

“Oh sure. Just hoping the lights actually come on, or that we don’t accidentally electrocute the entire town.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I do hope you Robinson girls know what you’re doing,” Catherine Manning said as she reached them. “Our Christmas Village may be provincial by most standards, but we do have certain expectations.”

How dare the woman call their celebration provincial? “If we could only give one person a good buzz,” Noelle murmured under her breath.

A low huff sounded by her ear. “With our luck, Mrs. Manning would not only survive, but gain some kind of evil super power and take over the world.”

Michael’s words caressed her neck, and Noelle tried to control a shudder. “Are you speaking to me again?”

Michael lifted his shoulders. “I never stopped.”

Typical Campbell male mentality. Don’t talk about feelings or problems, and they’ll just disappear. Except the problems didn’t disappear. They resulted in a ruined wedding and abject humiliation.

“Could have fooled me,” she said in exasperation. “I’m sorry about what I said. Holly kept badgering me, and I lost my temper. I didn’t mean it.”

“Didn’t you? If you’re worried about hurting my feelings, don’t be. I’m a big boy.”

“Michael—”

“The ceremony is starting.”

Clenching her fists in frustration, Noelle let the matter go for now. They all moved to a temporary platform in front of the Christmas tree.

The ceremony included the children’s choir from Seth’s church. Meredith Vining-Lawson directed the little tykes as they performed several carols. Once the choir finished, Mayor Manning stepped to the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight,” he said. “Our town’s Father Christmas, Nicholas Robinson, suffered a serious illness recently, but with your generosity and countless hours of volunteer work, our Christmas Village has risen again.”

A rousing cheer went up.

“A special thanks goes to the Robinson family, in particular Noelle and Holly, without whom none of us would be here. Now, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Light ‘er up!”

Holding her breath, Noelle flipped the switch. A million twinkling bulbs flickered to life, illuminating first the Christmas tree and then all the trees along the path, transforming the park into a fairyland of color and imagination.

A collective
oh
echoed around Rice Circle, and then everyone started clapping. Noelle could feel the grin stretching her lips.

She’d actually done it. No maiming, no blowing anything up, no electrocutions.

“Congratulations, Noelle. You pulled everything together,” Michael said.

Who was she kidding? She hadn’t accomplished anything on her own. There wouldn’t be a Christmas Village without Michael.

Without thinking, she flung her arms around his neck. “I never would have made it without you.”

“That’s not true.”

“Of course it is,” Noelle said, pulling back. “And I really am sorry about earlier.”

His mouth quirked, but the gesture didn’t reach his blue eyes. “It’s already forgotten.”

“So we’re good?” she asked, even though she knew good might not be possible anymore. Too much had gone on between them.

“Sure.”

“Michael!”

His parents. Noelle suppressed a groan. Would no one let them have a conversation? Michael stepped away as Mr. and Mrs. Campbell made their way through the throng.

“Honey, everything looks fabulous,” Janine Campbell said, hugging her son. “Now I know why we’ve hardly seen you this week.”

“I can’t believe it all came together so quickly,” Peter Campbell added. “And you, young lady,” he said, addressing Noelle. “Your father must be proud.”

“I hope so,” Noelle said, shifting awkwardly on her feet. Janine and Peter might have been her in-laws if things had turned out different.

“There is no doubt,” Mrs. Campbell said. “We visited Nicholas in the hospital, and he couldn’t stop bragging about you.”

Michael’s parents had visited her father? Would wonders never cease? If nothing else, perhaps Dad’s illness would help repair the relationship between the long-time neighbors.

What could she say? “Of course I don’t mind. In fact, Michael you should take the rest of the night off. You deserve it.”

“Are you sure? There’s still a lot to do.”

“We’ve got a whole month. You’ll put in plenty of hours.”

“All right. See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

Noelle watched as he walked away and disappeared into the crowd. Sometime in the last week she’d come to rely on his strength. Sure, both Adult Noelle and Junior High Noelle squealed with joy at the sight of his washboard abs, but the deeper part of her recognized that he could mean so much more.

And that frightened her to death.

“Wait… who are you? Oh. I remember now. You’re the owner of Good Sport and my boss.”

Michael carried a box of jerseys to the display at the front of the store. “Funny. When do you go on the road with that act, June?”

“Sorry, but I never see you anymore,” she said, with an exaggerated sigh.

“I already got the third degree from my mother when I didn’t show up to our family dinner,” Michael said. He scrubbed a hand across his face, mostly to hide a yawn.

June didn’t miss a beat. “You’re exhausted. When was the last time you got a decent night’s sleep?” 

“I’m fine.”

“I hope Noelle Robinson realizes you put in extra hours here after the Christmas Village closes.”

“Do not tell her that,” he said, aiming a frown at his manager.

“Stubborn,” she muttered, glaring right back. “How long do you think you can go on like this? You’re wasting away.”

Noelle hadn’t thought he was wasting away in the shed. Truthfully, the long hours weren’t the only thing interrupting his sleep. Who knew agreeing to play Santa in a Christmas parade could turn into a special form of torture? Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered
her
eyes on him. Her arms encircling him again and again to strap the pillow to his chest. Every pass had brought her close enough to torment him.

If Holly hadn’t shown up, he would have made a fool of himself. Noelle had made her feelings clear. She would never allow herself to get involved with Doug’s brother.

Michael couldn’t see getting involved with her, either. Too much blood in the water.

Ignoring his interfering manager, he started hanging up the jerseys. Anything with a team logo always sold well during the holidays.

As he pulled out the last one, his phone went off, piercing the quiet of the store with a familiar tune.

From across the room, June lifted her head and sniffed like a hound tracking a scent. “Is that ‘The First Noel’?”

“Yeah… so?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You gave her a ringtone.”

Warmth spread through him. “So I’d know it was her,” he said, wondering if June could sense the tightening of his skin. Was he blushing? Sure felt like it.

All because of a Christmas carol.

“Knock it off, June.” He slid his finger across the screen to answer as he made his way to the back. No way did he want his manager overhearing.

“Shouldn’t you be sound asleep by now?” he asked without bothering to say hello.

“Michael…” Her voice sounded high-pitched… and
scared
.

Alarm shot through him, and the hairs on his arms stood at attention. “Noelle? What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer right away, and then he heard a little moan of distress. “Michael… you have to come get me.”

He was already running for the door, ignoring the shocked expression on June’s face as he hurried to his car.

“Where are you?” he yelled into the phone. “Are you hurt? Is it your dad again?”

“I’m on the roof.”

He stopped, keys in hand. “The what?”

“I was trying to put up the Christmas lights for when Dad comes home, and then the ladder fell, and now I can’t move. Please get me down. I really don’t want to die up here.” The words came at him in a rush, her fear evident.

“Are you in a safe spot?” he asked, on the move again. His tires squealed as he backed out of the parking space. He prayed there weren’t any cops out tonight.

“I’m on the
roof!
How is there a safe spot?”

Michael bit back a chuckle. If she could rail at him, she must not be having a total meltdown. “Try to relax and sit tight. I’m on my way.”

“Hurry.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Okay...”

Another distressed whimper echoed through the line, and any amusement disappeared. He needed to keep her calm. “Talk to me.”

“What do we talk about?” she asked with an edge of sarcasm he found reassuring. “The weather? It’s freezing. Maybe we can talk about Doug? Or your ex-wife? That ought to distract us.”

Michael didn’t have to answer because he’d turned onto her street. He pulled into the driveway and jumped out. A strand of lights had been strung up along the top of the porch. Another snaked up the side. He followed the second line to the roof, and sure enough, there she was, clinging to side of the chimney. A chill raced down his spine. What had Noelle been thinking to climb up there on her own? If she were to fall…

“I’m here,” he said, trying to keep his own voice measured. “I see you.”

Her head whipped around toward him. “Hurry.”

The ladder had fallen to the ground. Michael set it back up and climbed as fast as he could. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Eyes as big as an owl’s regarded him. “Please don’t make fun of me. You know I’ve always hated heights.”

Michael hadn’t known, and he regarded her in astonishment. “Then why’d you climb onto the roof?”

“Someone had to do the lights.”

“And that someone had to be you?”

“Who else?”

Who else, indeed? He sighed and held out his hand. “Can you make your way over to me? I’ll help you down.”