Dawn Temple - Moonlight and Mistletoe

“Come on, you’ve got to share. It’s only fair. What’s the worst thing you did as a kid?”

“Are you saying getting smashed on moonshine was the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

“Not the worst,” she admitted vaguely, her lids lowering to hide her expressive amber eyes. “But it definitely taught me several lessons I’ve never forgotten. Surely you pulled some kind of stunt as a kid that still affects you today?”

Had he ever. His list of past mistakes was long and personal and something he never talked about. Ever.

“I almost got arrested for armed robbery when I was fifteen.” The confession stunned him nearly as much as it did her.

“Almost?” Eyes wide open now, she leaned intently toward him and hugged her arms around herself. “Sounds like you caught a break.”

“Yeah, not that I was very grateful at the time.” But in the end, that near miss had started him thinking about getting out, about finding a way to turn his life around before he ended up just like his old man.

Shayna didn’t respond, but something about the patient, nonjudgmental way she watched him made him want to share the details, to explain, as she had, the way he’d turned a negative experience into a positive life lesson.

“Back then, my family life really sucked, so I’d started hanging out with a neighborhood gang after school rather than going back to whatever crisis had erupted at home.”

His foster parents at the time had an affinity for off-track betting. When their horse failed to show, they liked to take their frustration out on the first kid through the door.

“One day, the leader of our sorry gang decided we should hang out at the local Cash ’N’ Go. Seemed I was the only one who didn’t know they planned to rob the place. At gunpoint.”

“Oh, no.” Her worried cry mingled with the popping fire reminded him they were completely alone. The solitude made it easier to speak the truth.

“Yeah. When I realized what was up, I pretended to trip over a potato chip display. The distraction caught the clerk’s attention and he ran us off. The guys beat the crap out of me every day for a week, but at least I didn’t end up with a criminal record.”

Warily, Kyle lifted his eyes to hers. Where he’d feared revulsion or censure, he found understanding and admiration. It was a humbling combination.

“You did the right thing.”

“I know that now, but back then, when I was nursing cracked ribs, I was sure it was the stupidest move I’d ever made.”

“You were only fifteen. I’d be willing to bet you’ve done a ton of more stupid things since then.”

Amazingly, her teasing soothed his lingering discomfort over exposing the details of his past. How the devil could one woman be so easy to talk to one minute and so damned difficult the next?

“You would definitely win that bet.”

“See, that wasn’t so bad now, was it?” She tapped his knee before relaxing back against the cushion. “A little more practice and I’m sure you’ll conquer your fear of social chitchat.” With a teasing wink, she lightened the mood, but the damage was done. He’d set out to get her to lower her guard, and instead, she’d completely turned the tables on him.

“I think swapping childhood stupidities goes beyond the scope of mere social chitchat.”

“Guess that means we’ve exceeded expectations, huh? And for our reward-a movie. Two straight hours, no talking necessary.”

“What movie?”

“Home Alone.” She smirked, looking as young and innocent as the child star from the movie, who, if memory served, turned out to be a hell-raiser in real life.

“The movie with the little blond kid who kicks butt against a couple of criminals?”

“That’s the one. And no fair rooting for the bad guys.”

“Who, me? I’m all about justice.”

“No, you’re all about rich clients and good PR.” As soon as the words were out, she cringed, obviously wishing she could take them back, but since she’d broached the subject, he figured the ground rules no longer held. It was the opportunity he’d been waiting for and he couldn’t afford to waste it.

“Who says justice and public relations have to be mutually exclusive?”

All her humor and lightheartedness instantly retreated. “Surely you don’t honestly believe Walker’s offer has anything to do with justice? He’s just trying to buy back his credibility.”

“And isn’t that a form of justice? Admitting to past mistakes and taking steps to rectify them?”

“How can it be true justice without punishment-on his part?”

Warming to the topic, Kyle leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. “He’s offering to pay you a million dollars. That kind of a fine sounds like steep punishment to me.”

“It’s not a fine when he insists on getting something in exchange.”

“What he’s asking for won’t cost you anything but a little of your time.”

Her spine went rigid, giving her small frame an impressive air of power that almost overshadowed the shimmer of tears in her expressive amber eyes. “What about my integrity? My self-respect? My daddy’s reputation? If I accept Walker’s guilt money, I’ll lose all of those.”

“Shayna, I know it’s hard, but you can’t look at this situation emotionally.” He softened his tone, wanting to soothe rather than agitate. “It’s a business deal, pure and simple, and it benefits everyone involved.”

“What about you? How do you benefit?”

“This isn’t about me. I’ve simply been hired to execute the paperwork.”

She eyed him shrewdly. “But you have a vested interest in seeing that things work out in Walker’s favor.”

“Yes.”

“More than just a vested interest, I’d say, if you followed me halfway across the country. What’s in this for you?”

Under normal circumstances, Kyle would never discuss his personal stakes, but these weren’t normal circumstances. “Dr. Walker is one of our firm’s most influential clients. Handling this case is my final step to making partner.”

“Aren’t you kind of young to be a partner?”

“I’ll be the youngest by ten years, but I’ve worked my entire life to earn the honor. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and I’m very determined when it comes to achieving my goals.”

“Determined enough to align yourself with manipulative, dishonest people like Dr. Walker?”

He opened his mouth, not sure if he planned to defend Walker or himself, but she cut him off.

“Never mind. I can’t talk about this anymore tonight.” She clutched the bundle of red fabric and stood. “I think I’ll call it a day.”

Ordinarily, at this point in a debate, with his opponent so obviously on the ropes, Kyle would force the issue and seize victory. Tonight, however, with Shayna, he couldn’t stomach the idea of kicking her while she was down.

“But it’s only seven-thirty.”

“I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” The slump in her shoulders and the lines between her brows spoke more of weariness than sleepiness.

“What about the movie?” he asked, suddenly desperate for her to stay and relax. He wanted to see the joy return to her face.

A wistful look flashed across her face. “It is one of my favorites.”

“Then don’t go. No more shoptalk tonight. I promise.”

Her eyebrows twitched, her doubt a tangible force in the room. “Then whatever will we talk about?”

He heard the flicker of humor return to her voice. Not bothering to fight back his grin, he gestured to the sofa. “So, what’s the deal with the ball of red fabric?”

Her look of relief was almost comical. “It’s my costume for the upcoming Noel Festival. I’m Ms. Noel.”