The Christmas Dare Read online

  “Why would he feel that way?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Your family is rich. Your mother is the mayor-elect of Dallas. You went to Vassar.”

  “And Noah played in the NBA.”

  “He never felt worthy of that either. I think it’s part of the reason why he didn’t fight harder to rehabilitate after his knee injury. Plus, his ex-wife made him feel like crap because he didn’t want any part of the glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle she craved. You know he was offered a job as a sports commentator for ESPN.”

  “I did not.”

  “That’s the reason Melissa left him. She told him he was river riffraff and he had blown his one chance at making something out of himself.”

  Fury pushed up Kelsey’s spine at the woman who’d treated Noah so shabbily. “He didn’t tell me that. He made it sound like he and Melissa had just drifted apart.”

  “Well, he’s not going to admit that, is he? Noah’s a good guy, but he has simple taste. Home, family, and his community mean the world to him. Don’t expect him to suddenly become the kind of man who enjoys political galas and jetting off to Paris at a moment’s notice.”

  “None of that matters to me.”

  “They matter to your mother and from what I can tell, you still answer to her.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business,” Kelsey said as gently as she could. She didn’t want to offend Noah’s sister, but she wasn’t going to let herself be pushed around either. “But I’m no longer at my mother’s beck and call.”

  Flynn folded her arms, studied Kelsey a long moment. “I really like you, and Noah lights up like a Christmas tree whenever he’s around you, so I’m trusting you on this. Don’t hurt him.”

  “I won’t,” Kelsey promised.

  “All right, then. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get back out there and kick some holiday trivia ass.”

  Chapter 21

  “Who’s up first?” Jesse asked upon their return.

  “I’ll start, and we’ll just go around the table.” Flynn sat down next to her husband again.

  “Everything okay?” Noah leaned over to whisper in her ear.

  “It is.”

  Noah reached under the table to take her hand. “My sister is a Christmas trivia wizard. Flynn is hard to beat.”

  “Good thing. Someone has to pull my weight for the team.”

  “Don’t worry,” Sean said. “We’ve all got you covered.”

  “Here we go.” Noah pulled Kelsey close and they directed their attention to the computer screen where the questions would pop up.

  What is Mrs. Claus’s first name?

  Underneath the question scrolled a list of possible answers.

  Martha

  Josephine

  Meredith

  Jennifer

  “Martha,” Flynn said and hit the button for A. Their computer screen lit up green. She’d answered before anyone else in the winery. She crowed to the players at the next table, “Suck it, losers.”

  “I should warn you. Flynn is very competitive,” Noah said.

  “How in the world did she know such an obscure thing?” Kelsey asked.

  “Darlin’,” Jesse drawled. “Twilightites know everything there is to know about Christmas.”

  “Pay attention.” Flynn elbowed her husband in the ribs. “You’re going to miss the next question.”

  In the 1964 classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what is the name of Rudolph’s faithful elf companion?

  “I got little kids,” Jesse said. “I’d have to turn in my father-of-the-year award if I didn’t know it was Hermey.” He punched the appropriate button on the controller and the green light lit up again. “Your turn.” Jesse tossed the controller to Tasha, who was sitting to his left.

  “Oh boy, don’t get mad if I blow this.” Tasha shook out her hands.

  The question flashed on the screen.

  In what modern-day country was Saint Nicholas born?

  “Oh, oh, I know this.” Tasha bounced up and down in her seat and when the possible answers popped up on the screen, she pounced on Turkey.

  Another green light. Three right answers in a row. Their team was smoking the rest of the players in the bar.

  “How did you know that?” Kelsey asked her friend.

  Tasha beamed. “I lived in Turkey for a year when I was in college, remember?”

  “You”—Flynn pointed at Tasha—“are my new favorite person.”

  Kelsey pulled a palm down her face, dreading her turn. She was going to blow it and competitive Flynn would blame her for the loss.

  Sean took his turn. What was Frosty the Snowman’s nose made out of? “Button.”

  “No, it’s not,” Kelsey said, remembering when she and Chelsea had built a snowman on the front lawn. They’d used a carrot for his nose and Chelsea had said, “Just like Frosty.” That was before Filomena saw the snowman and knocked it down because it looked tacky. “Can you change your answer?”

  “No, no,” Flynn said. “Button is right.” She proceeded to sing the “Frosty the Snowman” song. Corncob pipe. Button nose.

  But Sean had already changed it and the screen lit up red.

  Kelsey plastered a hand over her mouth, shame lighting her up from inside out. “I am so sorry.”

  “It’s okay, it’s okay.” Flynn bobbed her head and clapped her hands like they were contestants on Family Feud. “We’re still in the lead.”

  Kelsey’s palms were sweating. She hated letting the team down. Why had she said anything? She didn’t know a thing about Christmas.

  Noah patted her forearm. “You did fine.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Your turn, little brother.” Flynn nodded at Noah.

  Noah’s question flashed on the screen. Where is Christmas Island located? “Slam dunk!” Noah gloated and hit the button that corresponded with the answer Indian Ocean.

  “No fair,” a man at the adjacent table complained. “You bought your own Christmas Island. You were bound to know that.”

  “Luck of the draw,” Noah said and settled the controller in Kelsey’s palm.

  “My hand’s skinned up,” she said. “Let Flynn take my turn.”

  “No can do,” Flynn said. “We’ll be disqualified. You have to answer.”

  Ugh. She was not in a Christmas-loving mood.

  “What’s the worst that could happen?” Tasha said. “You suck like an Electrolux. We lose. That team”—she jerked her thumb at the next table—“does a really big happy dance because Flynn was so gloaty, and we move right on to a drinking game.”

  “No, no more drinking games after last night,” Kelsey said.

  “Go, go.” Flynn snapped her fingers. “Your question is on the screen.”

  Paralyzed, Kelsey stared at the question.

  Mistletoe is poisonous.

  There were two choices. True or False. A fifty-fifty chance.

  Kelsey backed into it through logic. Mistletoe was a parasite. So wasn’t the stuff at least poisonous to the host plant that it fed off? Kelsey selected True.

  The screen lit green.

  She blinked. It took a second for it to register that she’d answered correctly.

  Flynn whooped and reached across the table to hug the stuffing out of her. “We win! We win! Go, Kelsey! Way to get your Christmas on!”

  Kelsey flushed, grateful that she hadn’t blown it. She glanced over at Noah, who was grinning like she held the key to his world.

  The server brought over their winning prize—another bottle of cranberry wine. There was much toasting and merriment, and Kelsey realized that despite her performance anxiety over Christmas trivia, she was having a blast.

  Noah leaned over and whispered in her ear, “It’s good to see you looking so happy.”

  “It’s good to be happy.” Kelsey laughed, grateful for the joy swelling inside her. She didn’t know how long this wonderful feeling would last and she was determined to enjoy every second of it.


  “You ready to get out of here?” he asked as their friends prepped for another round of trivia. “Or do you want to play again?”

  “Let’s quit while I’m ahead.” She grabbed her coat from the back of her chair.

  “You were a good sport.” He helped her on with the coat.

  “I had fun.”

  “I’m glad.” His smile dusted her with happiness.

  They told the others good-bye and headed out the door. She pulled on mittens to protect her sore hands that were touchy after manning the controller. Healing, but not yet healed. Closing wounds took time.

  But she felt better than she’d felt in years.

  The joy was fresh and exciting. She wanted to wrap her arms around it and squeeze, but she was terrified if she embraced the joy too hard it would pop like soap bubbles.

  They meandered back through town. At ten p.m. on a weeknight, things had wound down. The stores and restaurants were closed. Fruit of the Vine remained the lone lively spot on the square at this hour.

  The outdoor music had been switched off and the silence brought a calmness that settled her soul. The air was cool but not too nippy.

  Noah settled his arm over her shoulder, tugged her close. They walked side by side, shoes crunching leaves that the wind had blown over the sidewalk.

  It was a special moment. A precious moment. Kelsey breathed it in, riding the high of the trivia contest win and the sheer joy of traveling the quiet, empty streets with Noah.

  Kelsey glanced over her shoulder.

  “Thinking about the night your mother’s goons tried to kidnap you?”

  She nodded.

  He pulled her closer to him. “I’ve got you, Firefly.”

  It took almost an hour to walk back to the Rockabye. They didn’t speak. Just enjoyed each other’s company. They paused on the bridge to admire the decorated arch and the glow of the marina beyond. Then hand in hand, they traversed the cobblestone path to the boatel.

  When they reached the paddle wheel boat, Raylene was coming down the steps, headed home, as they went in. She was shaking her head.

  “What’s up?” Noah asked.

  “Your brother.” Raylene chuckled.

  “What did he do?”

  “See for yourself.” Raylene waved a hand. “I’m outta here. I’ll be in late tomorrow. Night, Kelsey.”

  “Good night.” Kelsey smiled at the elderly woman.

  “Wait,” Noah said, “and I’ll walk you across the bridge to your car.”

  “No need.” Raylene nodded toward the walkway where an older man stood with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “My white knight is here.”

  “Hey, Earl.” Noah nodded at the man.

  “Hey, Noah.” The man sized up Kelsey. “Hey, Noah’s girl.”

  “Hey, Earl,” she said, feeling like one of them.

  It was a dizzy, blissful feeling and she wished she could capture it in a jar when she was back at home. Back to her real life.

  What if this could be your real life, whispered a voice in the back of her head. Calm, quiet. Filled with love and laughter and community.

  Kelsey held her breath. It was a heady thought. One that was too exciting to seriously entertain. Her life was way too complicated to unknot it so easily.

  Earl and Raylene went off into the darkness.

  Noah led Kelsey inside the B&B.

  Raylene had left the light on in the lobby and as soon as Noah closed the door behind them, he started laughing.

  “What is it?” Kelsey asked.

  “Look up.” Noah pointed.

  Kelsey tilted back her head. Every square inch of the ceiling was covered with mistletoe, and dangling from each sprig was a white tag that read “Kiss Here.”

  “Joel?” she asked.

  “Who else? I knew he was up to something.”

  “Your twin is a cutup.” She chuckled.

  Noah’s eyes glistened. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

  “What?”

  “We’re going to have to kiss all the way across the room.”

  After twenty-seven kisses—yes, Kelsey counted each one—they made it across the room, and Noah walked her to her door. He kissed her one last time bringing the tally up to twenty-eight.

  Kelsey placed a palm against his chest, fingered the collar of his shirt. “You sure you won’t change your mind and come in?”

  “There’s Tasha,” he said.

  “She’s still at Fruit of the Vine with Sean.”

  “We’re going for the slow burn, remember?” His eyes smiled at her.

  “They’re our rules, we can always change them.”

  “I want it to be right, Kelsey.”

  “It feels right to me.”

  “Don’t tempt me, woman. I’m hanging by a thread.”

  “Good.” She went up on tiptoes and planted her lips against the underside of his jaw. Nibbled.

  “Sweet baby Jesus, you gotta stop that.”

  “When?” she said. “If not tonight?”

  “Give it time.”

  “I’m only here for eleven more days and we’re wasting them.”

  “Not wasting, indulging.”

  “You’re driving me crazy, MacGregor.”

  “Ditto.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Are we going out again tomorrow night?”

  “Maybe. Who knows? We might stay in.”

  “What are we doing?”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “You’re a tease, you know that?”

  “Yep, and you love that about me.”

  It was true. She did.

  He sent her off to bed with one more sizzling kiss and Kelsey fell into a deep sleep filled with hot sexy dreams about her tall, handsome man.

  On Wednesday after Noah finished work, they drove around town looking at Christmas lights and ended up at a lover’s lane spot. They necked like teenagers until Sheriff Hondo Crouch drove by and knocked on their car window.

  Again, Noah left her at her bedroom door with a passionate kiss. Kelsey went to bed revved up and frustrated.

  On Thursday, Noah was busy getting ready for the Christmas Casino event. Kelsey offered to help, but he insisted she should be relaxing and enjoying herself, so she and Tasha went on the Tour of Homes.

  On Friday, Kelsey slept in, dreaming of Noah, and waiting for it to be late enough to start getting ready for the party. At ten a.m. a knock sounded on her door. Tasha had already left to go for a run with Sean.

  Kelsey drew on a plush Rockabye bathrobe, ran a hand through her hair, and went to peek through the peephole. A fit young woman she didn’t know stood in the hallway holding a collapsible massage table.

  “I didn’t order a massage.”

  “I’m Po Morgan from Hot Legs Spa. Are you Kelsey James?”

  Kelsey opened up the door. “I am?”

  “Mr. MacGregor arranged for you to have a hot stone massage in your room. Is now not a good time?”

  That Noah. Kelsey couldn’t help grinning. He was spoiling her. “Now’s a great time. Come on in.”

  Ninety minutes later, feeling limp as a noodle, Kelsey sighed happily and pressed a generous tip into Po’s hand.

  “Mr. MacGregor included the tip in your bill.” Po tried to give the money back.

  “Keep it. Have a merry Christmas.”

  Po grinned. “Merry Christmas to you . . .” She paused a moment. “You do carry a lot of tension in your temples. So much, that it’s beyond massage. But acupuncture might help.”

  “Thank you for the advice. I’ll look into it.” She closed the door after the masseuse and considered taking a hot bath in the jetted spa tub. She started toward the bathroom, when a second knock sounded on the door.

  It was another employee from Hot Legs Spa. A manicurist named Shirley. “Noah sent me,” she said, and Kelsey waved her inside.

  Shirley was sixty if she was a day, and dressed in outrageous col
ors—purple, orange, chartreuse—and she was a nonstop talker, but Kelsey didn’t mind. She liked hearing about Shirley’s dating exploits after she found herself newly single when her husband left her for a—in Shirley’s words—“a ‘twinky’ half his age.”

  Kelsey picked a sedate pink for her mani-pedi, but Shirley shook her head. “No, no. For your age and coloring you need something daring.”

  Daring. Dare. There was that word again.

  “I recommend Fire Engine for the background color, but how about I paint a cute little design on for you as well.”

  “I normally prefer something more polished.”

  “Aww, c’mon. You’re young. You only live once. How about we do something Christmas themed?” Shirley snapped her gum and the smell of watermelon wafted around her. “Red background, and the designs in white. A snowflake on one finger, a gingerbread person on another, a star, a Santa suit on another. Whadya think?”

  “Go for it,” Kelsey said.

  “That’s the spirit.” Shirley laughed and got to work.

  When it was done, the artistic mani-pedi was better than many Kelsey had gotten at her high-end salon in Dallas. Shirley wished Kelsey happy holidays and left smiling with an extra big tip.

  Kelsey sat admiring her manicure, feet propped on the couch, when the third knock sounded on the door.

  Grinning, Kelsey raced to open it.

  This time it was a delivery boy carrying a white box labeled “Twilight Bakery,” a pink tin of passion tea, and a candy cane–colored Christmas amaryllis.

  She grabbed her purse, gave the delivery guy a tip, and kicked the door closed behind him with her heel.

  There was a card with the flower. She opened it up.

  The spirit of Christmas is all around you, Firefly.

  She set the flower on the counter along with the tea tin. Stepped back to admire the arrangement. She couldn’t deny it. Being pampered like this was pretty darn sweet. As her mother’s assistant she was usually the one sending other people flowers—campaign donors, people Filomena was sucking up to, folks she was trying to charm.

  It was nice being on the receiving end.

  Her eye twitched.

  Why?

  She felt happy. Not stressed at all. Was it because she was unaccustomed to having attention focused on her?