Sweet Christmas Kisses (152 page)

Activity helped, and the park in Rice Circle was extremely active today. Michael still couldn’t believe the turnout. With the number of volunteers present, they might even finish the Christmas displays by tomorrow. Groups of people were scattered across the park. His group was working on Santa’s Village, which included Mr. Claus’ house and workshop, as well as automated, fiberglass elves that traveled around the perimeter on small tracks. The Jolly Old Elf himself would sit on a chair outside the house.

On the other side of the park, Noelle was heading the group putting together the stable for the nativity. In the center of Rice Circle, yet another set of volunteers was working with Holly to decorate the huge Christmas tree, while others strung lights around the trees and bushes and placed luminaires along the wooded paths.

Behind him, Michael could hear the good-natured jibing between Seth Graham, Eric Austin, Brian Lawson, and Ethan Thomas, who were working to assemble Santa’s Workshop.

“Look at all that testosterone up there.”

He glanced around to see Julia approaching. She gazed at the four men with appreciation. Michael had no comment.

“Not that the view isn’t marvelous right here, too,” Julia said with a wink in his direction.

“Careful, your husband can clearly see us from his perch on the roof.”

In response, Julia offered a pageant wave to Seth, who saluted back.

“Here, let me help with that,” Julia said, taking the candy cane out of his hands. “If you dig the hole, I’ll plant.”

“Thanks,” he said, even though he had a sneaky suspicion Julia had an ulterior motive for offering. He moved down the line and started digging the next hole.

“You are something a miracle worker, Michael Campbell,” Julia said, shoving the candy cane into the hole he’d just created.

“Picking up the phone doesn’t take much effort,” he said, uncomfortable with the praise. Watching Noelle’s face as she’d taken in the volunteers at the storage facility had been thanks enough. Michael had always bought extravagant gifts for his ex-wife. Felicia had expected grand gestures on a regular basis, but she’d never expressed even a portion of the gratitude Noelle had displayed.

“I expect it was a big deal to Noelle,” Julia said as she secured the candy cane.

Michael’s vague premonition crystalized, and he jammed the shovel into the ground a little harder than necessary. “I was only helping out a friend. I promised Noelle I would be there for her. It’s the least I can do, considering what happened last year.”

“You weren’t the one who left her at the altar.”

“No, but I knew my brother—” He cut off the thought, cursing his near slip up.

Julia stopped tamping dirt and treated him to an intense stare. “You knew what?”

“Nothing. I just should have known. Maybe I could have done something.”

“Like what?” Julia asked, tossing her hair. “Hog tie Doug and drag him to the church?”

“I don’t know.”

If he’d handled things differently, maybe Doug wouldn’t have taken off in the first place. At the very least, Michael could have spared Noelle the humiliation of being jilted on her wedding day.

“Whatever you did or didn’t do, you’re more than making up for it now,” Julia said. “Noelle is lucky to have you as a friend. A girl can never have too many caring, selfless, gorgeous friends.”

“Julia…”

“Caring, selfless, gorgeous friends who will make midnight phone calls to form a Christmas caravan and then spend hours putting up a candy cane fence for her,” she said, ignoring his warning completely. “I mean, who needs flowers and candy after that?”

He tried again, waving the shovel in her face. “Julia…”

She pushed his makeshift shield aside and leaned forward. “I know, I know. You’re guilt-ridden over what your brother did.” Her tone, however, clearly said she didn’t buy the excuse.

Before Michael could protest, Julia picked up the next candy cane off the ground. She straightened and the color suddenly leached from her cheeks.

“Whoa…” she said, swaying a little. “Did not expect that.”

Concern overtook irritation. “Julia? Are you all right?”

“I might need a trashcan.”

“Are you sick?” Michael stepped closer and put an arm around her. Her skin was pasty and cold. “Seth!” he called back to the workshop crew.

He heard a thump and a moment later, Seth shouldered Michael out of the way.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I’m okay,” Julia said. “I skipped lunch, that’s all.”

“You look like you’re about to pass out,” Seth protested.

By now, a crowd had started to gather. Ethan, Brian, and Eric appeared, as well as Addison and Sarah. Noelle was running toward them from the nativity setup.

“It’s nothing,” Julia said. “Just a little nausea. Please, everyone go back to what you were doing. I’m pretty serious about that trashcan, though. Or I guess the grass might do.”

“You are sick,” Seth gathered her closer.

“It’s nothing that won’t pass in a few months. If I’m lucky.”

A bright smile flashed across Sarah’s face. “Julia…”

With a despairing sigh, Julia gazed at Seth. “I really didn’t want you to find out this way,” Julia said. “Puking on Santa’s front lawn is so unromantic. There should be a candlelit dinner. Or I’d take you to that little baby boutique next to Marry Me, and after we cooed over everything in the window, I’d tell you we should start shopping there now.”

Seth stilled. “Julia… you’re….”

A glowing smile lit up her face. “Get ready… Dad.”

Seth whooped with joy and picked her up, twirling around. Everyone started clapping and cheering. As soon as he set her down, Julia was swept up in hugs, while the guys slapped Seth on the back.

When Seth finally claimed his wife again, he began steering her out of the park. “I’m taking you home to bed.”

“I only need to eat something.”

Noelle stepped forward. “I think you’ve done more than enough for today,” she said. “Go home. Let your husband spoil you rotten.”

“But I…”

“I insist. You’re off the clock.”

Julia didn’t get a chance to say no again before Seth dragged her away. The crowd slowly started to dissipate, drifting back to their stations.

Everyone except Noelle, who couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the retreating figures of Seth and Julia.

“You okay?” Michael asked.

She didn’t answer right away, and the expression in her eyes tore at his gut. At last, Noelle shook her head and offered up a melancholy smile. “Don’t mind me. This is a good day. We’re ahead of schedule with the setup, thanks to you, and my friend is pregnant.”

“If things had worked out with my brother, you might be the one making a big announcement,” he said, disturbed to realize the thought of Noelle having Doug’s baby set his teeth on edge.

Surprise replaced desolation. “How did you know?”

“Good guess. And I think about that, too.”

“With your ex-wife?

He nodded. “I always wanted kids. I thought Felicia did, as well, but then I found out she was still taking birth control when we were supposedly trying to have a baby.”

The discovery had been the beginning of the end of their marriage. Six months later, Felicia walked out. One month after that, Michael came home to Covington Falls.

“I have told you I never liked Felicia, right?”

“A few times,” he acknowledged in a wry tone. “Back then, I was furious. Now I’m thankful God had more wisdom in that situation than I did.”

Michael had once dreamed of having a little girl with Felicia. What a fool he’d been, thinking his wife’s beautiful face reflected her soul. He glanced back at Noelle, and suddenly a picture appeared in his mind. An image of a little girl with his dark hair and Noelle’s changeable eyes.

Swallowing a jolt of panic, he blinked, erasing the dangerous fantasy.

“I have to get back to the fence,” he said, turning before he did or said anything stupid.

He walked away as fast as his feet could carry him.

****

As the sun began to slip below the horizon, Noelle left Rice Circle and headed to the hospital. She curbed her guilt over not saying goodbye to Michael, but she didn’t trust her current state of flux when it came to him.

Besides, she needed to see her father and reassure herself that he was getting better. Yesterday he’d been sleeping, and she’d had to be content with kissing his cheek amongst all the wires and tubes.

When she looked into his room a few minutes later, she found him awake and alert for the first time.

“Daddy?”

Nicholas Robinson’s eyes lit up. “Noelle!”

Her mother, who’d barely left his side, rose to greet her.

“Hi, baby,” she said. “I’ve been hearing tales all day about a Christmas caravan through town. The nurses have been coming by to give us updates.”

Noelle glanced at her father. “I hope you don’t mind that Holly and I took over without discussing it with you.”

“I was a little under the weather,” he said, offering a smile despite his obvious weariness.

An onslaught of emotions crashed in on her as the reality of nearly losing her father hit again. “Oh, Daddy…”

Her mother brushed the hair back from Noelle’s face. “I’ll give you two a few minutes alone.”

“You scared us,” Noelle said as soon as her mother had gone.

“I think I scared myself.”

Noelle perched on the side of the bed and took his hand. “Don’t ever do it again. We’re not ready to lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere for a long time.”

She kissed each finger. “I’ll hold you to that promise, and don’t worry about the store either. Holly and I have it covered. We’re handling everything.”

“You mean
you
are handling everything,” he said. “Holly has the brood to take care of.” Nicholas Robinson had never been one to mince words.

“I’ll be fine,” she insisted.

“Holly must have talked you into changing your plans.”

“It’s no big deal. No one wants to train a new employee right before Christmas anyway,” she said, stealing Holly’s argument.

“Your decision to leave wasn’t about a job.” He squeezed her hand. “Listen, you don’t have to take over. We can find help—”

“No. My move can wait.”

Her father’s eyes filled. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I hope you’re still proud come January,” Noelle said, wishing she could rid herself of the impending sense of doom. “What if I mess up? There are so many disasters waiting to happen.”

“Nothing will go wrong.” His hand tightened again. “You’ve let what happened with your idiot fiancé steal your confidence. You’re more capable than you know.”

Noelle was struck by the truth in what he’d said. She had let her experience with Doug color her self-worth. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“Besides, Christmas is in your blood. Is your name not Noelle Joy Robinson?”

“Giving all your children holiday-themed names doesn’t mean they’re going to be naturals at planning Christmas for an entire town,” she said wryly. “My blood curdles at the thought of all the baked goods alone.”

“There’s always the store or Devon’s restaurant.”

Noelle gasped in mock horror. “Don’t ever let Mom hear you say that.”

Speaking of… “Hear you say what?” Rose Robinson said as she walked in.

“Nothing,” Noelle and her father said in unison.

Noelle’s mother eyed them with speculation as they shared an amused glance. Then she shrugged. “All right.”

Such an easy dismissal should have set off alarm bells.

“What’s this I hear about Michael Campbell taking over St. Nick’s Closet?” her mother asked.

Rose Robinson might have had a better reaction to store-bought cookies, judging by her expression.

“What?” her father said, throwing Noelle a searching look.

Obviously, the gossip train in Covington Falls still remained the most effective means of communication in the modern world.

“Michael is not taking over the store,” Noelle said. “He’s helping me with the Christmas Village.”

“Holly told me he called everyone in town to help set up the displays,” her mother said in a tone which said she either didn’t buy the story or wondered if Michael must have some ulterior motive.

“Yes, he did,” Noelle said. “Is that a crime?”

“Don’t be flippant with me, young lady,” her mother snapped. “Your sister is worried about you.”

Clearly Holly’s truce didn’t extend behind the scenes. “Why is she so worried? I’ve known Michael all my life.”

“He’s Doug’s brother.”

“I know,” Noelle said. She was more than aware of Michael’s connection to Doug.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea, honey?” her father asked, with concern. “Won’t working so closely with Michael bring up all sorts of bad memories?”

“Everything in Covington Falls brings up bad memories. Listen, Michael volunteered to help when he realized I’d be taking on the task alone, what with Holly’s family life. I’d be crazy not to take him up on it, even if it is uncomfortable.”

And growing more uncomfortable by the moment, for entirely different reasons.

Her parents continued to look doubtful.

“Michael is not his brother,” Noelle said. “I think in some weird way he’s trying to make up for what Doug did. Please don’t worry. I’m going to be fine. It might help put the whole awful episode behind me once and for all.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” her father said.

“I am. Besides, Michael is still getting over his divorce. His ex-wife really put him through the ringer. We’re both pretty much walking wounded.”

Noelle had to endure several long moments of scrutiny from her mother, who was no doubt trying to unravel the hidden meaning behind every word.

Then she too relented. “I’ll have to thank Michael the next time I see him. Maybe we’ll have him and his parents over for dinner once your father is stronger.”

Another ceasefire agreement and more. Noelle couldn’t help but wonder if this Christmas was about more than her own healing. Perhaps the coming celebration of Christ’s birth would bring about a different kind of miracle… the thawing of relations between neighbors who’d been avoiding each other since a fateful wedding day.