Page 6 of Christmas Kisses (Majestic Falls: Christmas Spice #2)

Micha

Though we’d planned on dinner the day of the reopening, it hadn’t happened. In fact, it had been four nights since then.

The shop had been packed the first day, and the host of people to meet, all expressing condolences, had taken a huge toll on Jessica.

She’d been dead on her feet, so we’d postponed our evening.

We hadn’t been able to see each other the next couple of nights, either, since I’d had to make a quick trip to California to meet with the movie studio.

I’d seen Jessica on the morning before I’d left.

And this morning after I’d gotten back. Now that we’d kissed, I needed my morning fix, and I’d missed it when I’d been on the west coast. I’d itched to get back to her.

Somehow, without either of us trying, she’d gotten under my skin.

And I hoped I was under hers. There was something special about Jessica.

Something that resonated in my center, like a perfect melody.

Now, days after we’d initially made the plans, Jessica and I would finally have dinner.

Once this piano lesson was done.

“You’re doing fine. Just keep going,” I encouraged, when my student, Marcy Baker, hit a wrong note.

She really was doing well, and I hoped her mom, who was sitting over on the couch while I taught, wouldn’t be too hard on her.

She tended to be one of those parents who expected perfection—something you weren’t going to get without a lot of practice and a lot of mistakes along the way.

I glanced quickly at my watch. Five more minutes until the lesson was over and until Jessica arrived.

As if I’d conjured her, her car pulled into my driveway.

I could easily see her through the large windows lining my living room wall on that side. As she got out of the car, our gazes connected, and I waved her inside, hoping she’d understand she didn’t need to knock and could just enter the house.

Another thing Mrs. Baker was a stickler about…

time. She’d insist I make up the two seconds it would have taken for me to answer the door.

The woman was an honest-to-God headache.

I sometimes questioned why I still taught when some of the parents were such a pain in the ass.

The kids. That was the reason. I was committed to bringing up the next generation of musicians.

Too many schools had discontinued their arts and music programs. It left many gifted students without an avenue to pursue their talents.

I gave Jessica a chin lift and grinned when she came inside.

She leaned against the living room door jamb and watched the lesson.

Her arms were wrapped around a container she’d brought with her.

A small smile curled her lips, and my heart raced, wanting to hold her in my arms again.

I forced my attention back to my student as she finished the piece she’d been working on.

“Good job, Marcy. You’re really improving. Mozart would be proud. For next week, keep working on this piece up to where we’re at and add in the next page, okay?”

“Okay, Mr. Parsons! Thanks!” The girl hopped off the piano bench and practically skipped over to her mom.

Mrs. Baker smiled down at her, which was a relief to me.

I’d seen her barely veiled disapproval way too many times after a lesson.

I’d hate it if the poor kid’s enthusiasm and talent were squashed by parental pressure.

As soon as the pair headed out the door, I gave my full attention to Jessica. Taking the container from her hands, I set it on the baby grand’s closed lid then pulled her into my arms.

“Hi.”

She leaned into me, her palms on my chest. “Hi.”

“I’m glad you found the place okay. Does that box need to go into the fridge?”

“Nope.”

“Good.”

My lips brushed over hers, my thoughts still marveling over this development between us.

Before she’d arrived in Majestic Falls, my whole life had been music and work.

I was the proverbial music geek. Women, more specifically a relationship with one, just hadn’t been on my radar.

Now, it was as if I’d saved all my kisses for Jessica, and it made every touch all the more special.

Sure, I’d had an encounter here or there in the past, but she seemed to erase everything.

That sentiment was probably sappy of me, but I didn’t care. Hell, I wrote sappy love themes for movies, so it totally fit me.

Our lips parted, and I slipped my tongue along hers, tasting the chocolate she’d apparently nipped on the way over here. Her hands slid up my shoulders and around my neck. I pulled her closer as our kisses grew hungry.

As if on cue, her stomach growl.

My forehead tipped to hers. “Dinner?”

She made a dreamy little sound that could have been pleasure or assent or a bit of both. I cupped the side of her face and drew my thumb along her soft cheek. After a moment, her brown eyes fluttered open.

“I brought dessert,” she said.

“Did you sample it on the way over?” I teased.

“Nope. Your grandma made me test the new chocolate-covered blueberries she’s trying out. Twist my arm, right?”

I chuckled. “Been there. You have no idea how many new candies I’ve sampled.”

“Oh, the inhumanity…” she quipped. We laughed together then we stepped apart. “After all the sweets I’ve had the past few days, I’m actually hoping for some vegetables.”

“You’re in luck. I thought we could have a picnic by the lake. Chicken salad and veggies…and chips if you want them.”

She glanced outside where fat snowflakes swirled past the windows. “A…picnic?”

I chuckled, having a surprise for her. “Yes. Trust me?”

“Sure…? Do I need to stop at Doris’ and put on more layers?”

“Nope.”

“Okay then,” she agreed. “Sounds good. What can I do to help?”

“Bring your dessert. Everything’s ready. I just need to grab it.”

Less than ten minutes later, we were bundled into my truck while I followed Lake Main Street toward the Hollister turnoff. Christmas music from the local station played quietly across the speakers while Jessica watched the scenery.

“You know…I saw a moose the day I arrived. Just standing there, staring at me.”

“That was probably Clarence. There’s a decent population of a couple hundred moose in Adirondack Park, but Clarence is the one that seems to hang around Majestic Falls.”

“You’ve named him?”

I laughed. “Actually, my friend Caleb’s wife named Clarence. The name stuck, and everyone seems to have picked up on it.”

“Huh…okay.”

“Speaking of Caleb, that’s him,” I said. I pointed out the man in jeans, work boots and a red flannel shirt walking toward one of several glassed-in gazebos near the lake’s shore. “Have you ever seen dining igloos or domes in the city? These are the same concept.”

As we pulled up to our destination, a woman stepped outside of one of the dining pods and walked over to Caleb. He put his arm around her waist, and they both waved. “And that’s his wife, Melody. The pods were her idea.”

“She’s the one who named Clarence?”

“The same.”

Parking, I circled the truck to open the door for Jessica then grabbed our stuff from the backseat.

“Need any help with that?” Caleb asked.

“Got it. Thanks though. Jessica, this is Caleb and Melody,” I introduced them though I’d already told her who they were. “Guys, this is Jessica.”

“Hi,” Melody exclaimed, holding her hand out to my girl. “We were at your shop the other day, but it was so busy that I didn’t get to meet you. I think everyone was thrilled the place opened for the holiday. It’s so nice to meet you now.”

“It’s great to meet you, too.”

Melody grinned then glanced over at me. “Everything’s all good to go. Just flick the switch to turn off the heat and lights when you leave. We’ll take care of everything in the morning.”

“Have fun,” Caleb called as he steered her away and toward the path to their house.

I opened the door to the “pod” and ushered Jessica inside to the warm interior. She looked around, taking it all in.

“This is cool.”

“But warm,” I joked.

Though the walls and rounded ceiling were glass, giving a snow globe effect, the back had privacy film that kept anyone from the main house or other pods from seeing inside. It was also angled so the pods were out of sight from each other, too.

Quiet holiday music played overhead, and the wind whistled against the walls, but we were cozy.

A plush, curved couch, covered with throws and pillows, stood at the back of the space with a small table in front of it.

I set down our dinner, and Jessica took a seat on the couch.

Soon, we were both settled with plates on our laps and soft drinks within reach on the little table.

Watching the waves roll lazily into the slushy shoreline, we ate in comfortable silence. Occasionally, one of us commented on the snow and how different the weather here was from Colorado and California right now.

“How was your trip?” she asked when I mentioned LA. “Anything interesting happen?”

I shook my head. “Suits and contracts. I do most of the creative stuff over video chat from here. How about at the candy store? Anything interesting there?”

She sighed heavily and frowned, looking more consternated than unhappy. “We’re still pretty busy. I kind of love it.”

“Why do you make that sound like it’s a bad thing?”

“I have a job.”

“You know, everyone loves seeing you at the shop, and I know my grandma views you as her granddaughter already. Kind of an extension of Doris. But trust me. No one expects you to be at the shop every day.”

“I know. And they definitely don’t need me there. Not much anyway. God knows, I’m okay with customer service, but I’m a disaster at any of the candy making—”

“It’s an acquired skill, just like learning the piano. Sure, some people are better at it than others, but anyone can do it.”