Sweet Christmas Kisses (162 page)

Her mouth twisted in a dark grin. “Then you should both be happy to know Kirk Granger is attractive and nice, and I liked him a lot.”

“Even with the complication of a little girl?”

“Maybe he’s worth the effort. At least his drama isn’t related to my ex-fiancé.”

“No it’s not.”

Everything always came back to Doug and the cowardly choice he’d made in running away. The choice spurred on by Michael’s own words. That pivotal conversation would always come between him and Noelle, even if she never learned about it. He prayed she would never know what he’d done. Because then he feared any relationship, even a tenuous friendship, would be lost.

“I want to suck your blood.”

The fake-accented threat was accompanied by a glowing candle beneath Addison Covington’s chin.

Noelle laughed despite the absurdity of the comment. “Do you think that’s appropriate for a candlelight processional in honor of Jesus’ birth?”

“At least it made you smile. I had to do something.” Addison turned off the battery-operated candle and threw it into a bin. “The candlelight processional is one of the highlights of the season, and you look like your best friend just died.” 

“Don’t say best friend.” Noelle reached for the last box of candles and added them to the bin. Talking about friends led to thoughts of Michael, which led to nothing but frustration.

“Why are you so cranky?” Addison asked. “A woman who just went out with the hot new doctor in town should be happy.”

“I’m happy.” Noelle pasted on a bright, showing-all-her-teeth smile. “See?”

“Or is it the other man in your life who’s giving you fits? I wondered why you were dating Dr. Granger when there were such obvious sparks between you and Michael Campbell.”

Noelle tried to ignore the penetrating stare from the famous actress.

Addison must have seen anyway. “Oh, Noelle, are you two being stubborn?”

Noelle upended the box and dumped the remaining candles in. “We’re being sensible.”

“Honey, sensible will only lead to you being alone and heartbroken. Take it from me. I tried to be sensible and almost lost Ethan in the process. Sensible is for those who are too afraid to take a chance and risk their heart.”

Ah, helpful advice. Noelle had had just about enough of that to last her entire life.

“Or you could make Michael regret his lack of initiative,” Addison said, her chin dipping to indicate something beyond Noelle’s shoulder.

She turned to see Kirk Granger making his way over to them. At his side was a little girl. Ella Ganger might have stepped out from the pages of a fairytale. She had long, golden-blond ringlets and bright, intelligent blue eyes set in a heart-shaped face. Her face proclaimed her paternal heritage in every way. Kirk had obviously chipped off a block of DNA and cloned himself as a little girl.

Addison let out a sigh of appreciation. “He is beautiful.”

“Hey, you’re engaged!”

“I still have functioning eyes, and I was pointing it out, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I noticed.” Kirk was gorgeous, and so was Ella. Together, they were an overwhelming duo.

“Plus, there is nothing like a little competition to make a man take action,” Addison said.

“Are you suggesting I use Kirk to make Michael jealous?” Noelle asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

“I would never say that,” Addison answered, eyes wide with innocence.

She might not say it, but the message was clear.

“Besides, Dr. Granger might be the perfect man for you after all.” Addison grinned. “It would certainly be fun to find out.”

Kirk’s arrival meant Noelle couldn’t work up a good protest. Instead, she smiled in greeting.

“Hi!”

“You’re still speaking to me,” Kirk said, eyes crinkling in an adorably hot way. Noelle determined to take Addison up on her challenge. Surely Kirk could take Noelle’s mind off certain people named Campbell.

“No reason for me to be offended.” Noelle’s gaze slid lower to the little girl. “You must be Ella. I’m glad your daddy found you. He was worried.”

“I don’t know why,” Ella answered in a voice more suited to a professor at an Ivy League university. “I left a note telling that girl I was going to dinner with you.”

Noelle blinked at such a sophisticated tone emanating from a child. “Perhaps because you’re new here and don’t know your way around. You could have gotten lost or hurt.”

“You live in a very small town, and it is impossible to get lost,” Ella said, clearly offended by the idea that she couldn’t find her way around Covington Falls.

Noelle couldn’t think of a good comeback. “Oh…”

“Besides, I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time,” Ella continued in a world-weary tone that sent shivers down Noelle’s spine. “I used to ride the subway to pick up my mom at night. She usually wasn’t in any condition to get home on her own.”

What kind of life had the child known before turning up on Kirk’s doorstep? Obviously, it had not been easy.

“How old are you again?” Addison asked, leaning forward to peer at the child with interest.

“I turned ten in October.”

“Have you ever thought about acting?”

“My mother tried to be an actress, but it didn’t turn out well for her.”

Addison nodded. “It’s a tough business.”

“My mother wasn’t very tough in the end,” Ella said. “That’s why I had to take care of her so much.”

Noelle glanced back to Kirk in time to see his lips compress as something like fury flashed across his eyes.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Noelle said.

“Thank you.”

“Ella is taking part in the show tonight,” Kirk said, clearly eager to change the subject. “I was about to drop her off with Meredith.”

“Oh, how fun,” Noelle said. “Are you part of the Singing Christmas Tree?”

“I’m going to be a holly berry,” Ella answered, showing the first real excitement Noelle had seen from the little girl. “I get to wear a red robe with a green collar that has real lights on it. A girl from the high school is singing “Silent Night.” She has a beautiful voice.”

“Michelle Cerillo,” Addison said. “Speaking of… I need to head over there, too. I promised Meredith I would help get everyone ready. A few of the kids have readings.”

“You’re abandoning me?” Noelle said.

“Duty calls, dear. Besides, you have this strapping man to help. I suggest you use him.”

Kirk laughed. “Just put me to work.”

“I can take Ella with me,” Addison said.

Kirk glanced down at the little girl, who nodded eagerly.

“Have fun, kids!” Addison called as she led Ella away.

A moment later Noelle and Kirk were alone… or as alone as two people could be surrounded by a swarm of people.

Noelle watched them go. “No wonder Ella has you tied in knots. Have you tested her I.Q.?”

“I’m afraid to.” His shoulders shook as he laughed. “I might find out she’s smarter than I am, and I don’t need the added pressure.”

“You’re a good dad, though.”

“I’m not so sure.” Kirk’s blue eyes clouded with worry. “Every time she opens her mouth, out comes another horror she endured with her mother. I’m not sure if she does it to shock me or make me feel guilty for not being there.”

“Perhaps she’s testing you,” Noelle said. “To see if you’ll stick.”

“Oh, I’m sticking. I’d walk through fire for that little girl.”

Noelle’s womanly instincts responded with a little sigh. Shouldn’t be hard to fall for a man like Kirk Granger, intrepid dad extraordinaire. “Than she’s a lucky little girl.”

“I don’t think she feels lucky to have me though,” he said with a twisted grin.

“Hang in there,” Noelle said, touching his arm. “She’ll understand eventually.”

“Thank you.” Kirk placed his hand over hers. “To show my gratitude, I promise to focus on you exclusively for the next couple hours. I abandoned you before our date could even start, and yet, here you are talking to me and giving parental advice.”

“Well, like Addison said, I need a strapping man to help me with these candles. People will start arriving soon, and we need to distribute one to each person. Then we’ll line them up for the processional heading toward Rice Circle.”

“Where the Singing Christmas Tree will be. Ella told me to be there about a thousand times today.”

“Perhaps I can hire
her
to be my assistant.”

He laughed again, and they set to work. Soon all the candles were in bins. With that task done, Noelle dragged Kirk over to Rice Circle where preparations were underway for the show. Meredith and Addison were leading a rehearsal with the kids and adults who would make up the tree. Noelle and Kirk stopped to listen. Little Ella waved from her perch near the top.

“Should she be up so high?” Kirk asked, a worried-papa expression etched across his handsome face.

“Ella will be fine,” Noelle said, patting his back.

Some instinct had Noelle looking across the park. Michael stood by the bottom riser, stapling a red curtain around the base. Except, at the moment, he was staring directly at her. Or rather, he was staring at
Kirk
.

Well,
glaring
at Kirk more accurately.

“Friend of yours?” Kirk asked, tipping his chin in Michael’s direction.

“Sort of,” she muttered.

“For some reason, I don’t think he likes me.”

Noelle swallowed, wondering if a fight or a dual would break out right there in front of the choir. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Addison who was watching the oncoming train with apparent glee. The actress smiled as if to say,
what did I tell you?
Noelle glowered at her.

“Noelle, I’ve been looking for you,” Michael said.

Really? She hadn’t been that hard to find. A brief search would have uncovered her whereabouts.

“Kirk and I have been sorting out candles for the processional,” she said.

There went her holier-than-thou attitude about using one guy to make the other jealous. She knew the deliberate use of Kirk’s name was like waving a red cape at a bull.

Michael’s narrowed gaze shifted to the man by her side. “I don’t think we’ve met. Michael Campbell,” he said, holding out a hand. “I’ve been helping Noelle organize the Christmas festival.”

“Dr. Granger,” Kirk said, accepting the gesture with no outward sign of trepidation.

What commenced was as close as modern men came to pistils at dawn. The two men shook, but a silent battle of squash-the-other-guy’s-hand-to-smithereens ensued. Noelle watched in amazement as veins popped out along their arms. They squeezed until their fingers turned blue, and white lines appeared where their lips had been.

“Seriously, that’s enough,” Noelle said, wedging herself between them.

Kirk took the cue and stepped back. However, Michael remained in attack mode.

“Michael,” Noelle said, bringing him to attention. “You said you needed me?”

He turned his head. “Yeah… with the curtain. It takes more than one set of hands.”

“Will my hands do?” an ironic, feminine voice cut in.

Holly always did have perfect timing.

Noelle’s sister joined the little tableau, ending any chance of spilled blood at the base of the Singing Christmas Tree. On one hand, Noelle was relieved. On the other, it might have been interesting to test Michael’s level of irritation. Was he merely being protective of his
old friend
? Was he playing caveman by trying to establish his dominance against another guy? Or was he truly jealous of Kirk?

All interesting questions Holly had put a stop to answering.

“I can help Michael finish up here,” Holly said. “You two carry on with what you were doing.”

“But I…” Michael sputtered.

“You nothing. Come on, Mr. Campbell.” She waved in Noelle’s direction. “I’ve got this. Go have fun with Dr. Granger.”

Her sister-slash-guardian herded Michael away, and Noelle breathed a sigh of relief. Or disappointment. Noelle refused to identify the deflated sensation in her chest. He could have fought to stay with her. Refused to let her go off with Kirk.

“Campbell,” Kirk said as soon as her sister and Michael were out of earshot. “Is he related to your ex-fiancé?”

“His brother.”

“Does he want to be more than your friend?”

Noelle’s heart jerked in her chest. “What? No, of course not.”

“You sure? Because I still don’t have all the circulation back in my hand.”

“Oh no!” Noelle took the injured appendage and examined it. “Are you hurt?”

“I’ll be fine. My ego could use an icepack,” Kirk said. “The guy has quite a grip. I’d have squeezed harder, but I make my living with these hands. I need them fully functional.”

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what got into him.”

“I have an idea,” Kirk said.

Noelle curled his hand into a fist and kissed each knuckle. “I hope you’ll let me make it up to you.”

He smiled down at her. “I think you already are,” he said, lowering his head.

“Noelle! There you are! I’ve been looking for you.”

Noelle jerked away from Kirk, biting back a groan as Julia walked across the park toward them. Talk about another woman with the worst timing. Ever.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Julia said as she drew closer. She did a double-take as she looked over at Kirk. “Dr. Granger!”

“Julia,” he said. “Nice to see you again.”

“You’ve met?” Noelle asked.

“Dr. Granger has become a regular at church,” Julia said. “Pew four, on the aisle.”

“I need all the help I can get from the Almighty when it comes to dealing with my daughter,” he said with a laugh.

“Ella is precious,” Julia said. “She’ll be fine with a little love and reassurance from a doting papa.”

“Julia?” Noelle said, attempting to cut to the chase. “Did you need me for something?”

Because she really wanted to get back to finding out if Kirk’s kiss would affect her like Michael’s.

Julia shook her head. “Sorry. Lost my train of thought for a moment,” she said. “I’ve heard of pregnancy brain, but I never believed it.”

“That’s okay. What did you need?” Hopefully, whatever was wrong could be fixed easily so she could get back to her experiment.