AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stepped in between Henri and mom, who at this point were just feeding each other with their excited energy. “Henri is here to do work mom. Not run casting for a small-town Santa Claus parade.”
“No, this is perfect, it will help my story.” Henri emphasized the word help and I knew that I’d lost. I was going to be taping antlers to the alpaca’s heads before the day was over.
“Perfect.” Mom clapped her hands together. “When you two are ready, come up to the main house – coffee is on and I’ve just pulled a loaf of banana bread out of the oven.”
Mom and Lucky left to go back to the main house.
“How does your mom do it? She’s got the energy of a twenty-year-old.” Henri pulled aside the curtain and watched as mom disappeared over the hill. “Actually, I don’t even think I had that energy at twenty.”
I put on my coat and hat. “It looks like I’m going to be spending my day turning Dave into Rudolph.”
Henri strode toward me, grabbed my face with both her hands, stood on her toes and kissed me. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Jack. Now, come on. The fate of the parade is in our hands.” I could tell that she was enjoying the ridiculousness of the situation. “I sure as hell could use a coffee.”
“Now, that I can get on board with.” I turned down the damper on the woodstove and the two of us headed to the main house.
If Mom hadn’t interrupted us, I’m not sure that I could’ve resisted Henri for one second longer. Her arrival had also interrupted me before I could tell Henri about the lodge. Would she still be interested in me if she knew the risk I had taken? I realized that it was a stupid concern. Henri was interested in me when she thought I was a farm hand living in my parents’ back yard.
My heart seemed to swell as I realized that Henri liked me for me. Not for what I could give her, or for where I lived, or what I did for a living. She liked me. And, I liked her.
What were we doing? I wasn’t an old man, but I wasn’t a young one either – and I knew that what was brewing between us was something special – and maybe, just maybe, we needed to see where it could go.
L.A. was a short plane ride away. As I followed Henri to the main house, I imagined picking her up from the airport, us sending flirty text messages back and forth, maybe even some sexy photos. It would be fun, but I knew that long distance didn’t work. Or could it?
I wanted Henri. If that meant long distance, maybe we had to try.
THIRTEEN
HENRI
Twangy country musicplayed on the stereo as Muriel and I drove into town.
“Who is this mystery man that can play Santa?” she asked.
I explained how I’d met Shawn and that he’d be perfect for the job. I didn’t tell Muriel that he was kind of a grouch and despised the fact that he looked like the man in red. That was a small detail I’d worry about when we found him.
“I should find you a coat that fits you a little better,” Muriel turned to look at me while she was driving twenty miles faster than the speed limit.
Smoothing the front of Jack’s coat, I smiled. “It might be big, but it sure is warm.”
A knowing smile crept across Muriel’s face. “You know Henri, Jack hasn’t been this happy in years.”
“What do you mean?” I was learning that Muriel was an open book. You didn’t have to guess what was on her mind, you just had to wait because she was going to tell you.
“Don’t be modest, young lady.” The truck fishtailed as we turned from the sideroad onto the main highway. “I haven’t seen him smile like that in years.”
“I…” I didn’t know what to say. So, I decided to go with the truth. “I don’t think I’ve smiled like this…ever.”
Muriel nodded.
“But.” I continued. “We both know that I’m leaving as soon as the road opens.”
Her laugh was unexpected. “Don’t you two be stupid. I’ve been around long enough to know that everything happens for a reason.”
I was feeling the same way, but never would have said it out loud – especially to the mother of the man who I was…was falling in love with? Was that even possible? “Maybe so, Muriel. But the timing just doesn’t seem right for us. My life is in L.A. and Jack’s is here.”
Muriel turned the country music down until it was barely audible. “His last girlfriend was a writer too. Did he tell you that?”
I stiffened.
