The Christmas Catch (4 page)

Christine sat up in bed and flipped open her laptop. Yes.
There was a message from John Steadman!
Coffee and cocoa this afternoon?
I know a place that you and Tyler might enjoy.

Christine grinned broadly and quickly typed back
Yes
.

“Yes, yes,
yes
!
”
she hollered, merrily kicking her feet
under the covers. He’d done it. The handsome professor hottie had actually gone
and done it! Asked Christine and Tyler out on a date! Okay, so maybe it wasn’t
a date, technically.
An outing then, yes.
That’s what
it was, an outing.
Just the three of them.
Four,
counting
Mason
. She was sure that he would come along.
Tyler was bound to love that.
“Yes!”

Christine brought her hands to her flaming cheeks as Tyler
pressed his way in the room. “Mommy?” he asked groggily. “What is it? Is it
time to get up?”

“I’m sorry if I woke you, honey. I was just making plans. How
does having cocoa with John sound?”

He looked at her uncertainly. “It sounds all right.”

Christine deposited her computer on the floor. “Come here,
you,” she said, giving her little boy and his teddy a hug. She was still grinning
in spite of herself, as gleeful and nervous as a teenager.

Tyler peered up at her with big, dark eyes. “Are you happy,
Mommy?”

She pulled him up onto the bed and nestled him firmly in her
arms. “Yeah, I suppose I am.”

“I like it when you’re happy,” he said, snuggling up against
her. “You’re not like that much.”

The simple declaration hit her like a sucker punch. “Oh
baby, I’m so sorry,” she said, hearing her voice crack. “Sorry that Mommy’s
been such a crank.”

“It’s not your fault,” his little voice said.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you need friends too.”

She jostled him in her arms.

“I’ve got Auntie Ellen.”

“That’s not enough.”

“No?”

“Billy’s mommy has a friend.”

“Oh?”

“Sometimes he sleeps over.”

Christine swallowed hard. “We don’t need to worry about that.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“But Mommy would. She’s… I’m… not ready.”

“Well, I think John’s nice. Even if he’s not an angel.”

“I bet you like
Mason
too,” she
said, kissing him on the head.

Tyler grinned. “I like Mason best!”

Chapter Six

Christine, Tyler, and John sat in the small café housed in a
country cottage. A real wood fire blazed in the fireplace nearby, its mantel crowned
with Christmas decorations. A sign on the opposite wall read
Kiddy Korner.
Below it children played
with old style blocks, puzzles, and a handcrafted circus train, stocked with
various animals. Tyler set down his hot chocolate and pointed across the room.

“Can I go over there?”

Christine dabbed his upper lip with a napkin. “Sure baby, go
right ahead.” She turned to John. “This place is great.”

He grinned at her, blue eyes crinkling. “I thought you and
Tyler might like it.” At his feet, Mason lazily lifted his head. John patted
him lightly and he went back to sleep.

“You’re pretty good with kids,” Christine told him. “Got any
of your own?”

“Me? Oh no. I mean, not yet. Never married. I’ve got two nieces
and a nephew, though.”

“Are they close by?”

“I wish, but no. They’re with their mom in Baltimore. That’s
where I grew up.”

He shifted awkwardly. “And you and Tyler? Are you all on your
own in Chicago? Any family there?”

“It’s just the two of us,” she said. “My husband, Dan,
Tyler’s dad, passed away a few years ago.”

“I’m sorry, Christine. I had no—”

“It’s all right. It’s good for me to talk about it.”

“Was it an illness?” he asked tentatively.

“Afghanistan.”

John was quiet a moment. When he spoke his voice was tinged
with compassion. “Things must be hard, getting by on your own with a young
son.”

“Ty and I manage,” she said, sounding braver than she felt.
The truth was that she hadn’t been managing well at all lately.

“You seem to do a great job…” His lips creased in a subtle
smile. “…
except
for when you’re driving in
snowstorms.”

“Hey!” she cried in mock offense, but secretly she appreciated
his effort to lighten the moment. Mason awakened, startled by her shout of surprise.
John slipped him biscotti under the table to quell his interest. The dog took
it and gnawed contentedly.

“So tell me,” John said, changing the subject. “What do you
do in Chicago?”

“I’m a copywriter for a major greeting card company.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“Not as interesting as I’d like.”

“What do you mean?”

“I basically write the words, but it’s always been my dream
to illustrate too. You know, develop my own line—soup to nuts.”

“Why not go for it?”

“It’s not as easy as all that,” she said with a frown.
“Company politics.”

“So? Start your own company.”

“What?”

“What’s stopping you?” John leaned forward with his
challenge.

Christine sat back. “Oh, about a million things. First, I’d
have to raise the capital, find investors. I couldn’t front even a small
operation like that on my own. Then, I’d need to locate a printer, contract
distributors…”

“None of that sounds impossible.”

“Impossible, no. It’s just nothing I’ve ever considered.”

“With the Internet these days, there are bound to be new
opportunities.”

“Sure.”

John took a slow sip of coffee, surveying her over the rim
of his cup. After a beat, he surprised her by raising his cup to hers. “The
future is long,” he said with an enigmatic smile.

“Yes. Yes, it is,” she answered thoughtfully. “Very long
indeed.”

She returned his toast, mulling over his proposition.
I mean
,
it would be
a really big dream. Totally cool,
she thought. Just no way could it happen
now. Maybe someday, when things were more settled…

Their eyes locked for a moment and Christine’s cheeks flamed.
All John had to do was look at her and old embers leapt into brushfires, igniting
sensations all over her body. Christine hadn’t felt those smoldering sensations
in quite a while. In fact, she hadn’t been sure they still existed. But they
did and here they were, raging out of control. So much so that Christine nabbed
some ice from her water glass and dumped it in her coffee. Drinking something
hot at the moment seemed positively contrary when Christine clearly needed to
cool down.

John swallowed hard and followed suit, likewise chilling his
java. “It
is
a little warm in here,” he
said, his face coloring as well. She couldn’t tell if it was from the warmth of
the fire or from the way that she’d looked at him. In any case, his chiseled
face was exceptionally handsome in the subtle glow.

He studied their water glasses,
then
stumbled slightly with the words. “In present day, we seem to be all out of
ice. Should I get us some more?”

 
“That would be
great, thanks.”

When John returned, the conversation turned to something
thankfully less personal, the topics of courses he taught at the business
school. While Christine wasn’t familiar with all the nuances, it was refreshing
to talk to someone so enthusiastic about his work. Before she knew it, two
hours had flown by and they were standing at the door ready to make their
departure. Christine had nearly forgotten how good it felt to talk comfortably
with a man. Maybe there’d been a few peaks and valleys during their dialogue,
but overall they’d gotten on reasonably well. So well, in fact, that she
couldn’t help but feel slightly depressed that the outing was over.

“Come on, Ty,” she told her son as he said good-bye to his
newfound friends. “Let’s get on your hat and gloves. It’s awfully cold
outside.” Mason watched them with ears drooping, not wanting them to go.

“I’m really glad that you could make it,” John said, helping
Christine on with her coat.

“Thanks for asking us,” she said, holding his gaze.

Just then, a middle-aged man barreled through the door
carrying a blast of frigid air with him. Mason excitedly bounded for him,
covering him with doggie kisses.

“Mason, down!” John said. This time Christine was sure he’d
flushed red, from his neck to the tips of his ears. The dog slunk to the floor,
looking embarrassed.

“Don’t be so hard on the pooch,” the man said. “Some days
it’s the only loving I get!” He unwrapped his broad scarf, exposing a handsome
older face and a graying beard. He shot John a merry grin.

“Steadman! How’s it going? Surviving sabbatical?”

John affectionately pumped his hand. “Good to see you,
Carlos.”

Carlos sent a quick glance at Tyler then gave Christine an
appreciative once-over.

“Hello…” he said to Christine, his voice lilting with a
light Spanish accent. “And you must be?”

“Christine White,” she said, extending her hand.

“Carlos Dominguez. It’s a pleasure.” He turned his gaze on
Ty. “And you, young man?”

John smiled. “This is Christine’s son, Tyler.”

Carlos eyed them all, apparently pleased with the situation.

“Well, well… Isn’t this delightful? Where are you two from?”

“We’re here from Chicago,” Christine said.

“It’s a permanent move, I hope?”

“Just a vacation,” she told him.
 

“I didn’t think my colleague had that much luck.”

“Weren’t you on your way somewhere?” John asked Carlos,
clearly trying to get rid of him.

“Fine, fine,” Carlos said, shaking his head. “I can see when
I’m not wanted.” He smiled warmly at Christine before taking his leave.
“Christine, hope to have the opportunity again.”

“I’ll bet you do, you old dog,” John said under his breath.
Mason nuzzled his hand, but John waved him away.

“He seemed nice,” Christine said as Carlos made his way to
the coffee bar and ordered.

“We’ve been friends for a long time. Knew him down in New
Orleans, in fact.”

“At Tulane?” Christine queried before she could stop
herself.

John dissected her with piercing blue eyes and her cheeks
caught fire. Now he’d know she’d been stalking him. Not only had she looked up
his e-mail address, she’d practically memorized his bio!

John cocked his head sideways and studied her with
amazement. “That’s right.”

Christine slid on her gloves, anxious to extract herself
from the humiliating moment. “Tyler and I should head back.”

“That’s not a bad thought,” John said, peering out the door
beside them. “It’s starting to flurry out there.”

“Does it ever stop snowing in Vermont?” Christine asked with
a laugh.

“A few months out of the year,” he answered.

Christine finished bundling up Tyler and pulled on her
winter hat.

“You know,” John said. “The snow may be a pain for driving,
but it makes for awfully good sledding.”

“Sledding? Yahoo!” Tyler crowed, springing up and down.

Christine stared at John, her heart hopeful. Oh to be in a
winter wonderland with this handsome man, gliding down snow-covered hills.
Christine brought her hand to her mouth, hoping she’d just thought that, not
said it. By the way John’s eyes crinkled at the corners, she wasn’t sure.

“I was thinking,” he said as a smile spread across his lips,
“that maybe the three of us could go for a ride?”

“He knows where all the best hills are!” Carlos shouted from
across the room.

Christine turned, to spy Carlos seated in the corner,
apparently eavesdropping from behind his splayed newspaper.

John spouted back, feigning irritation. “Could you mind your
own business for one fraction of a second… please?”

Carlos shrugged and rattled his paper, making Christine
giggle out loud. Tyler stared up at her with joy in his eyes. “Can we Mommy?
Puhleeze?
”

John met her gaze and said firmly, “I do know where all the
best hills are.”

“Sledding sounds great,” Christine said with a happy grin.
“Only I don’t think there’s a sled at the house.”

“No worries. I’ll supply one. Where are you staying?”

“Winterhaven. Do you know it?”

“Know it?” John lowered his voice. “Carlos used to date the
woman who lives there.”

“Oh,” Christine whispered back, intrigued. “What happened?”

“She’s a very nice person,” John replied quietly. “Just
didn’t share Carlos’s sense of… adventure.”

Christine’s cell rang, startling her out of the moment.

“I’m sorry,” she told John. She checked and saw the call was
from Ellen. “I think I’d better take this.”

“I hope you’re having half as much fun as I am,” Ellen chirped.
Her voice wavered, almost as if it were windblown. “I’m about to go airborne!”

“What?”
Christine
shrieked, before getting herself under control and turning politely away from
John and the other interested coffee patrons. She found herself facing Carlos,
who pointedly lowered his paper. “Ellen, what on earth is going on?”

“Parasailing, Christine. My gorgeous man Emilio and I are
setting our sights for the sun!”

“Be careful. That sounds dangerous.”

“Dangerous, ha! It’s a blast! This is our second time up!”

“Well, seeing as how you survived the first time, do you
think I could call you back? I’m kind of busy with something.”

“Just as long at that
something
spells his name S… T… E… A…”

Christine pressed End Call and whirled on her heels, finding
herself nearly in John’s arms. She backed away from his broad chest seconds before
crashing into it.

“Everything all right?” he asked, steadying her by the
elbows. Even through her layers of winter clothing, the electricity from his
touch tore up her arms and sent tiny shivers racing down her spine. Christine’s
stomach flip-flopped. She wondered if she was getting sick or was just nervous.
John’s stare dove into her and she felt faint from his perusal. Had to be the
nerves. Yeah, those combined with the coffee.