Christmas on 4th Street
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“We haven’t told anyone,” Felicia added. “Our fiancés know, of course, and Dellina. She’s assisting us in planning the weddings. We thought with having everyone already at the convention center, it would be convenient.”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “And romantic. It will be a surprise.”
“But we wanted you to know,” Patience added.
“Thanks for telling me. This is a great idea. I can’t wait.” Noelle felt a slight twinge and knew that was about wanting to be in love herself. While she was totally happy for her friends, she wanted a little of that love magic, too.
It would happen, she told herself firmly. She only had to believe. She knew that life was a precious gift. She was going to enjoy all of it, including her friends’ triple wedding.
“We want you to be our attendant,” Felicia told her.
Isabel grinned. “Look at it this way. You only have to buy one hideous dress.” She held up her hands. “And it won’t be hideous, I promise. I’ve already pulled three different dresses that are great.”
“I’m honored,” Noelle said sincerely. “For all of you thinking of me. This is going to be such a surprise for everyone. Let me know if you need any help with anything.”
“You’re extremely busy with your store,” Felicia pointed out. “But your offer of assistance is very supportive. Thank you.” She smiled. “Consuelo also offered to help, but I knew she didn’t mean it. She was backing out of the door as she said it.” The smile broadened. “Maybe I’ll invite her to be a bridesmaid.”
Patience’s eyes widened. “Are they to that point?”
Isabel shook her head. “I’m sure Kent would propose in a heartbeat, but Consuelo needs a little more time to settle into what she calls the hell of being normal.”
Noelle chuckled. “That sounds like her.” She glanced at the time on her cell phone and groaned. “I have to get the store open. Thanks for telling me your secret. I’ll keep it to myself. And thank you for making my first ever Fool’s Gold Christmas even more special.”
Noelle waved as she dashed out and headed for her store.
She was pleased to find she really was genuinely happy for her friends. They were all in love with terrific men. Men she had absolutely no interest in. She told herself that what she would take from the upcoming wedding was that love was in the air and if she was lucky, she would catch a little for herself.
She turned on 4th Street and raced toward her store. She still had to restock the stack of throws she kept by the stuffed animals. They had been a last-minute addition to her inventory and were huge sellers. Apparently, Christmas was when everyone wanted an extra blanket or two to toss on the sofa.
She was reaching for her keys when she saw someone standing outside of her store. A tall, handsome someone with piercing blue eyes and a smile that made her stomach start the Macarena.
“What are you doing here?” she asked Gabriel as she approached. “Did you decide you really need a nativity made out of local gourds?”
Gabriel stared at her. “You have one of those?”
“Of course. I pride myself on stocking the unusual.”
“Or the extremely strange.”
“It’s Christmas,” she pointed out. “Or it will be in six weeks. When else would someone want a gourd-based nativity?”
As she spoke, she opened the front door and flipped on the lights. He followed her inside. She turned on the trains, then started the music. She was unwinding her scarf when she shifted back to find him standing in the middle of the store.
He looked better than he had. More rested, less gray. Although he still seemed tired. The shadows remained in residence beneath his eyes.
“What’s up?” she asked, shrugging out of her coat.
“I want to talk to you about a job.”
She laughed. “Right. If you’re looking for a present for your mom, I can give you some suggestions. We have some really pretty ornaments she might like.”
She disappeared into the back room to put her coat away and tuck her handbag into her desk’s bottom drawer. When she straightened, Gabriel was standing close enough that she could see the various colors of blue that made up his irises. She could inhale the clean scent of him and catch a hint of the heat the man generated.
“I want to come work for you,” he said.
“That’s insane. You’re a doctor. This is retail. I sell Christmas stuff.”
“I know what you do. You need help and I need...”
She waited, confident this had to be a joke. When he didn’t speak, she shook her head. “I’m sure they would be thrilled to have you volunteer your services at the local hospital.”
“I need a break from that. You’re looking for someone to stock shelves and work the cash register. I can do that.”
“You’re injured.”
“Just my left hand. I’m right-handed.”
She put her hands on her hips. “What’s going on? Are you filming this for a YouTube video? Famous doctor punks innocent store owner? I’m not eating a live bug for you.”
“No live bugs.”
“Not a dead one, either.”
“Why can’t I apply for the job?”
“Because you’re grossly overqualified.” She touched his arm. “What is this about?” she asked again.
He drew in a breath and stared into her eyes. “I need to be doing something with my day. I’m stuck here for over a month and I have nothing to do. I can’t work in a hospital right now.” He opened his mouth, then closed it. “I can’t.”
Noelle hated to admit she didn’t know all that much about the wars her country had been fighting for over a decade. She saw what was on the news and those special reports on the magazine shows, but that was it. Her only firsthand knowledge came from what she’d learned from the men her friends had gotten involved with.
This past year a bodyguard school had opened in town. The principals were all highly trained former military people who had risked their lives to protect those at home. Isabel’s fiancé, Ford, had been a SEAL. Consuelo had served and done secret stuff, Gideon had been in the army, and so on.
She’d heard bits and pieces, knew there were ghosts and nightmares and the kind of damage that couldn’t always be seen. It made sense those helping the injured would suffer in their own way.
“I’m going to make a series of statements,” she said slowly. “I’d like you to respond to them.”
“Now you sound like Felicia.”
“I should be so lucky.” She drew in a breath. “You’re in town because of your hand and maybe what you do for a living. It’s something you need a break from.”
He nodded cautiously.
She hesitated, feeling her way through an emotional minefield. “You don’t see your family very much.”
Another nod.
“So being around them is intense. And parents are inherently complicated. Plus there’s the whole they don’t know Carter and what do they want from you.”
Nod.
“My amazingly charming store has a good emotional vibration and you feel comfortable here. Plus, you’re really excited about the gourd nativity. Did you know they’re made by a guy named Lars, a local farrier, who also trims Heidi’s goat’s hooves.”
His mouth curved up. “Now you’re making stuff up.”
“I’m not.” She paused. “You really want to stock my shelves and ring up my purchases?” Noelle had to press her lips together as she wondered why a perfectly normal question suddenly sounded incredibly dirty.
“It would be the highlight of my holiday season.”
“I can’t pay much more than minimum wage.”
“Not a problem.”
“Even though you don’t need this job, I have to be able to depend on you.”
“I promise not to go snowboarding without clearing it with you first. But the day after Christmas, I’m gone.”
“My busy season ends the day before Christmas, so we don’t seem to have a timing issue.” She hesitated, sure there was something she was missing. Only she couldn’t figure out what it was. The bottom line was she needed help and a responsible, attractive man was offering. She couldn’t think of a single reason to say no.
“Okay then. I guess you’re hired.”
Chapter 4
Noelle opened the store the next morning with an expected burst of anticipation and enthusiasm. Sadly, she knew the cause. In a perfect world, she would be able to fool herself for at least a few days. But she’d never been very good at convincing herself of anything that wasn’t true. She had always had a streak of realism that now reared its ugly head.
She had a thing for Gabriel. The handsome, wounded doctor pushed all her buttons. He was funny, nice, kind and elusive. Or in the feline vernacular—catnip.
She didn’t know why it had to be like that. Why couldn’t she be wildly attracted to some normal, local guy who’d been living here for fifteen generations and wanted to get married and have five kids? She supposed one of the reasons was that she hadn’t met anyone like that.
“Well, if I do, I’m all over him,” she murmured as she went through her pre-opening ritual. She turned up the heat, made sure the trains were running, checked the selection of Christmas music on her iPod and then moved toward the cash register. She had just finished counting ones, fives and tens when someone knocked on the still-locked front door.
Her stomach gave her a name before she even looked up. Sure enough, Gabriel stood there, right on time, still tall and, worse, smiling.
“Hi,” she said, unfastening the lock and letting him in. “You’re here.”
“As promised.”
“That’s nice. Where did you park? I like to save the spaces out front for customers.”
He shrugged out of his coat. There was a light dusting of snow on his hair and he wore a navy sweater that brought out the deeper blue tones of his eyes. He could have stepped out of one of those funny “woman to woman” Christmas cards.
“I walked.”
She stared at him. “Down the mountain? It’s, like, five miles or more. Are you insane? It’s freezing cold and snowing. You can’t walk that far in this weather. Oh, my God, I’ve hired a crazy person.”
He dropped his coat onto the counter and put his hands on her shoulders. “Breathe.”
“I’m not going to faint.”
“No, you’re going to pop a blood vessel. Breathe.”
She was less interested in breathing than the feel of his large hands holding her. If only he would pull her closer or maybe cop a feel, she thought wistfully.
“I’m staying in town,” he said. “My parents rented a little apartment for the holidays. It’s not much more than a studio. They decided to stay at Gideon’s when they saw how much room he had, so I took the rental instead.” He dropped his arms to his sides and shrugged. “It’s plenty big enough for me and they get more time with Carter.”
She decided not to comment on the sudden lack of hands on her arm and instead focused on the conversation. “It was getting too intense?” she asked.
He grimaced. “My mother carted photo albums with her. Last night we relived our childhood, year by year.”
“There had to be happy times.”
“There were. When we were younger, we moved around a lot. Once my dad became a drill sergeant, we settled.”
Which didn’t exactly say when the happy times were. “Camp Pendleton?”
He smiled. “Don’t let my dad hear you say that. That’s in San Diego and it’s the marines. We’re army. We were at Fort Knox, Kentucky.”
Somewhere she had never been. “I’m sure it was lovely.”
“That’s one way to describe it.” The smile faded. “My dad and I were never close. He was a tough guy and I wasn’t a tough kid.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I got through it then and I’ll get through it now. It’s only for a few weeks, right?”
She nodded, thinking how much she wanted to tell him to be grateful he had family at all. She’d never known her dad—he’d run off before she’d been born. But that had been okay because she’d been raised by her grandmother and her mother. The two women had been warm and loving and she’d had a blessed and happy childhood.
Even after she’d moved to Los Angeles for law school, they’d stayed close. The two women had driven out to spend every summer with her. They’d been there to celebrate with her when she’d landed her first real job at a prestigious law firm in Century City and had screamed and celebrated with her when she’d passed the bar.
Only they’d been killed during a twenty-five-car pileup on I-10 while driving back to Florida. Noelle missed them every day of her life and would give anything to have them back.
But she’d also learned that telling people that only made them feel guilty. That Gabriel would have to figure out for himself the need to appreciate what he had, while he had it.
“All right,” she said. “Let’s get you settled. I’ll show you where to put your stuff. I need you to fill out a W-4 for my accountant and then I’ll give you a tour of the store.”
Fifteen minutes later, it was official. Gabriel Boylan was an employee of The Christmas Attic.
She walked him through the basic layout. “I keep baskets up front,” she said, showing him the stack of lightweight oval baskets. “Most of what we carry is small. Encourage the baskets. Otherwise, when a customer gets her hands full, she tends to head for the register.”
“Makes sense.”
“You can see we have sections. Ornaments and home decorating over there, the nativities on that wall.”
“Including gourds?”
“You think I’m kidding. You need to go check it out.”
“I will.”
“The bears are over there, with all the kid stuff close by. We have some books, but mostly send people looking for Christmas books over to Morgan’s.”
“Don’t you want to have Christmas books here?” he asked.
“No. Not with a perfectly good bookstore less than a block away. I’m not stepping on any toes. What if every other store started carrying ornaments and teddy bears?”
“Or this,” Gabriel said, picking up a Santa pin from a display.
She leaned close and moved the hidden switch on the back. Santa’s nose lit up.
Gabriel stared at the bright nose and slowly shook his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Something along the lines of, ‘Why Mrs. Smith, your mother, aunt, granddaughter will love that pin, I’m sure.’”
He nodded and turned off the switch, then returned the pin to the display. “Point taken.”
She was pleased with his response and even more excited to see there wasn’t any blood on the bandage.
“Then there’s the bear section.”
He followed her around the corner and came to a stop. “I saw this before, but it seems bigger.”
“I’ve put out a few more. Bears sell.”
Three large sets of shelves rose to the faux rafters. Each shelf was crowded with different stuffed animals, mostly bears. Brown bears and white bears, bears that were fuzzy and plaid. Some played music and some you just wanted to squeeze.
“I have a layout in the stockroom,” she said, leading the way. “That will help you when you have to put things out. And now I’ll teach you the mysteries of the cash register.”
Gabriel learned the system quickly. Noelle had chosen a credit card service that didn’t give as many reports, but was a whole lot easier to deal with on a daily basis. Right at ten, she unlocked the front door and let in a couple of waiting customers.
The next few hours passed quickly. There was a steady stream of business. Just before noon, a pretty woman came into the store. She had short brown hair and looked to be in her late fifties. Noelle was about to greet her when she saw Gabriel staring at the woman. Something in his expression told her this wasn’t just any customer.
Noelle walked over. “Hi. Welcome to The Christmas Attic.”
Gabriel glanced between them. “Noelle, this is my mother, Karen Boylan. Mom, this is Noelle Perkins. She owns the store.”
“It’s lovely,” Karen said, unbuttoning her coat. Underneath she wore a bright purple sweatshirt with a shell logo and the words Blackberry Island. In smaller print, the sweatshirt proclaimed Stay for the Wine.
“Great color,” Noelle said. “Where is Blackberry Island?”
“Washington State. Just north and west of Seattle. Norm and I went there a couple of years ago. We did the whole west coast, heading north through the summer. Then we drove home. It was a very nice trip.”
“It sounds like it.”
Karen turned to her son. “Your dad and I sent you a few postcards.”
Gabriel nodded. “Right. They were great.” He looked at Noelle. “I should run those errands now. Before it gets too busy. I’ll be back.”
He was gone before she could ask what on earth he was talking about. Seconds later he was in his jacket and heading out the front door.
She opened her mouth, then closed it when she saw Karen’s face had settled into lines of deep sadness.
“That was my fault,” his mother said. “He’s running away from me. I don’t want you to think badly of him.”
“I won’t,” Noelle said, then glanced around the store. It was quiet, at least for the moment. “Why don’t I fix us both some tea?”
She led Karen into the back room and filled two mugs with water. After putting them in the microwave, she turned to Gabriel’s mother and offered a slight smile.
“How are you settling in for your stay?”
Karen blinked several times and drew a breath. “Fine. It’s beautiful here. What a sweet little town. Norm and I have traveled a lot and we’ve never been anywhere like this. I’m excited about all the festivals.”
“Me, too,” Noelle told her. “I moved here in the spring, so this will be my first Christmas. I hear it’s crazy busy. There’s a parade on Thanksgiving and the day of giving. I plan to throw myself in the center of all of it.”
“That’s a good attitude.”
“Thanks.” Noelle noticed the other woman’s earrings. “Are those garnets?”
“Yes.” Karen touched the earrings. “They’re part of a set that’s been handed down in Norm’s family. There were only boys in his generation so I was fortunate enough to inherit them. There are several other pieces—a necklace, bracelet and ring. I love them.” She twisted her hands together. “Have you known my son long?”
“Not at all. I met him shortly after he arrived.” She thought of the umbrella incident and grinned. “He’s a good guy, though.”
“I think so. His father... Growing up, the boys weren’t as close to Norm as I would have liked. There were a lot of rules. I suppose I should have stepped in more. Been a buffer. Norm tended to run the house the way he ran his recruits.”
The conversation was that awkward combination of vague and intimate, Noelle thought, grateful when the microwave beeped and she could busy herself making tea.
“He’s mellowed,” Karen continued. “But I’m afraid it might be too little, too late. I was hoping this trip would help us reconnect as a family. Gabriel said he wasn’t coming but then he hurt his hand and changed his mind. I took that as a sign.”
She paused. “Sorry. I’m going on and on.”
“It’s fine,” Noelle told her, handing over a mug of tea. “Have you talked to Felicia? She’s great and may know more about where your sons are coming from.”
Karen’s expression relaxed. “I know. She’s wonderful. So intelligent, but still very warm. Being with Gideon can’t be easy—not after all he’s been through. And then dealing with Carter. Not many women would be so accepting of having a thirteen-year-old boy suddenly show up, but she’s embracing it.”
“What do you think of Carter?” Noelle asked.
“I can’t get enough of him. I wish I’d had the chance to meet his mother. Norm is in heaven with Carter. And he’s bonding with Webster, which surprises me. My husband is not a pet person.”
Karen sipped her tea. “So my son is working here?”
“I know, strange, right? It’s just while he’s in town. I think he wants to be distracted.”
“And avoid us,” Karen said, before holding up her hand. “You don’t have to disagree with me. We both know he moved into town to have a little less family time. I accept my part in what happened. Now I have to change it.”
Noelle found herself liking Gabriel’s mother. She’d obviously made some difficult choices and was now accepting the consequences.
“You know,” Karen said slowly, “Gabriel isn’t seeing anyone. At least as far as I know. He’s never married.” She paused. “Oh, dear. I’m turning into a meddling mother. That can’t be good.”
Noelle laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. And while I appreciate the sales job, I’m not sure Gabriel is my type.”
“You worry he has commitment issues? He’s reached that age where I’m starting to wonder why he’s not married.”
Noelle hadn’t thought of that. “I’m more worried that he’s leaving. I want something more traditional. A husband who plans to stick around.”
Karen nodded. “I understand. Speaking as a woman who’s been married for thirty-five years, when it works, there’s nothing better.”
“And when it doesn’t?”
Karen chuckled. “It helps to have girlfriends who are willing to listen. Are you free for Thanksgiving?”
The change of subject startled Noelle. “What? Yes.” Each of her friends had invited her over, but she’d declined. They were all newly in love and forming family traditions. She wasn’t comfortable being a part of that.
“Please join us for Thanksgiving dinner,” Karen told her. “Felicia is cooking and I’m going to help. It’s just the six of us. Very casual. You seem to understand Gabriel, and I think he would like a friend around.”
Noelle wasn’t sure if she could be considered a friend, but she liked the assumption. With Felicia’s future in-laws and Gabriel in the house, not to mention Carter, Felicia and Gideon weren’t expecting a romantic evening. In truth, Noelle wouldn’t mind being with other people and hanging out with Gabriel would be interesting.
“Thank you,” she said. “That would be nice.”
She made a mental note to call Felicia and let her know about the invitation.
* * *
Gabriel returned about three minutes after his mother left. Noelle put her hands on her hips. “You were lurking.”
“Maybe,” he said, sounding unrepentant.
“She’s your mother and she loves you. Talk to her.”
“We talk.”
“All evidence to the contrary?”
He ignored that and put his coat away. When he returned to the main part of the store, she wanted to say more, but several customers chose that moment to step in from the cold.
A little after noon Ana Raquel Hopkins breezed in with a basket of sandwiches. Ana Raquel, a young and talented chef, had run a food trailer all summer. She’d fed locals and tourists alike out by the park. The changing weather and an unfortunate accident—a car backed into her trailer—had ended her seasonal business prematurely. Now she worked up at the Café with her fiancé and did a sandwich delivery to the local businesses in town.
“So, you’re new,” the petite blonde said as she walked over to Gabriel.
Noelle held in her humor as she watched him deal with the larger-than-life personality that was Ana Raquel.
“Yes,” he said slowly.
“But you look familiar.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, right. You’re that old guy’s brother. The one on the radio. Gideon.”
“We’re twins,” Gabriel said drily.
“I’m one, too.” Ana Raquel apparently missed the point of his tone as she studied his face. “Not identical, right? Because you don’t look alike. Fayrene and I are identical. Less now than when we were little.”
“Because you’re so big now?”
She grinned. “You’re upset because I said you were old. I’m sure your wife thinks you’re totally hot.”
“I’m not married.”
“Huh. Not ever?”
Gabriel drew a deep breath. “No.”
“Wow. You’re brave. Because seriously, you’re reaching the age when people start to ask questions if you’ve never been married. Like is there something wrong with you.” She paused expectantly.
Noelle stayed by the counter, where she could keep an eye on customers while watching the show.
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Gabriel said, his teeth clenched.