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“Fine.” She crossed her arms, struck by the sensation of touching him for less than a second. “But you’re going to have to do better than that.”
He smiled, revealing his straight white teeth. The crowd had begun to circle around them. He could see Chloe and Laurie, their eyes twinkling with delight. Katherine stood to their right. A sweet smile lit up her lips as she met his gaze.
He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a gnarled old mass of leaves and berries, holding it up by the frayed string over her head. “Will this do? I might have borrowed this from a friendly coffee shop owner.”
Gemma looked over her shoulder to see Jeannette standing in the open doorway of her shop. The old woman was laughing, pointing to her mistletoe in Lance’s hand. This was where it had all began - a fateful accident in a little shop. Full circle.
“I suppose that’ll do.” She grabbed him by the collar of his coat and pulled him down to her level. Biting her lower lip, she sighed nervously and laughed. “I love you too, Lance Barkley.”
Their lips met in a flurry of applause as the people of New Hope watched with delight. She breathed in his warm scent, melting into his arms like an ice sculpture in July. He cradled her head in his hands and pulled her closer. For a long moment, it was as if the world had vanished and they were all that remained. Nothing mattered, except for that kiss. They would stay there forever, suspended in time.
Finally, they parted and smiled. White flakes drifted between them, swirling and dancing on the soft breeze. It was then that they looked up at the sky and saw that it had begun to snow.
Chapter Fifteen
Eleven Months Later
Adam drummed his fingers on his thigh and looked out the window of the town car for the hundredth time in the past five minutes. They’d been stalling in a no parking zone, waiting for their missing passenger. Any minute now, and a cop was going to roll by and tell them to move it or get a ticket. But, he couldn’t move. Their timing needed to be perfect.
“Do you think she’s still coming?” Frankie pe
ered at him through the rear view mirror.
Sometime in the last year, he’d finally traded in his orange beanie and learned how to mousse his hair into a slick trendy style. Lance had yet to get used to his friend’s new look. The orange hadn’t gone far, though. He now sported an orange colored silk bow tie, tucked under his clean shaven face. That had been a gift from Lance to him last Christmas.
“She’ll be coming. We just have to wait for the messenger to deliver the goods.” He leaned against the door and watched as the snowflakes began to fall on the streets of New Hope. It was already a chilly winter, but he couldn’t feel the cold. He hadn’t felt cold since last December, since he’d taken Gemma into his arms under that mistletoe. The weather couldn’t touch him.
It’d been a busy season at Barkley & Barkley. Ad sales were up for this holiday season. He’d brought in a whole new team of clientele and managed to hit the highest sales numbers the company had seen in years. Uncle Matthias couldn’t be more proud. Nowadays, he walked around the office with a smile on his wrinkled faced. His secretaries couldn’t be more confused. Lance appreciated the change. He’d finally stepped into the role his father and his uncle always wanted for him. Business couldn’t be better.
Of course, commuting back and forth to New Hope had presented it’s own set of challenges. It was a measly three-hour drive, but seemed to take forever when he needed to see his girl. He couldn’t wait to tell Gemma of his plans to open up a satellite office in New Hope.
Uncle Matthias had agreed right away. It was prime real estate. Nearly halfway between the twin cities and the windy city, they could do business in both. Barkley & Barkley was expanding. There was no telling what the next year might hold.
Lance looked up again at the graying stone building they sat outside. A young man in a suit and tie came rambling down the stairs. He ran up to Lance’s window and knocked three times, looking over his shoulder for any followers.
He rolled down the window. “Did you deliver the goods?”
“Yes, sir.” Brandon grinned and pushed his glasses further up his nose. He’d grown nearly four inches over the summer. Lance hardly recognized him as the same little boy who’d taken his hand so willingly at the home. “She was so surprised. They’re coming out in a minute.”
Lance nodded and his heartbeat picked up. This was it. Go time.
“Thanks, Brandon,” he said, reaching out to shake the boy’s hand.
Brandon took it with a strong hand and grinned. “Good luck. Don’t forget my goodbye party tomorrow. Mom comes to pick me up on Monday.”
He shook his head in agreement and sighed as Brandon skipped away to the Children’s Home van waiting for him just down the block. As happy as he was to see Brandon reunited with his mother, he couldn’t help but feel a little sad.
She was taking him to live with her aging folks in Arkansas. He might never see the kid again. Of course, the tablet with built in video chatting software that Lance had bought him as a surprise would help. They could talk anytime.
“Ready, boy?” He turned to the puny little miniature poodle that he’d adopted last year. Spartacus lay on the seat next to him, his ears perking at the sound of his owner’s voice. “I need you on your best behavior. Everything must be perfect tonight.” The dog ran a tongue over his teeth and sighed his agreement.
Lance began to fiddle with the handle to his door, locking and unlocking it with a flick of his thumb. Anything to keep his mind off the nerves bouncing around in his stomach like fireflies in a jar. He looked up at the office building and suddenly, there she was, Chloe and Laurie on either side of her.
Descending the steps of her office building like the Venus de Milo come to life, Gemma shook her long blonde hair and threw her head back in a laugh Lance couldn’t hear. She wore a wine red dress with black leggings and boots that hugged her calves. In her arms, she hugged a bouquet of a dozen red roses.
“It’s go time,” he announced to his fellow passengers.
Pushing his door open, he jumped out of the town car and stepped to the side. It took another ten seconds for Gemma to spot him and when she did, she squealed and ran toward him.
