Tanya Michaels: Mistletoe Mommy

Geoff laughed. “Spending the day with dogs and kitty cats does sound right up your alley, but we can’t. Brenna told me that only adults are allowed to go into the houses where she’s working.”

Morgan scowled, but seemed unwilling to let the matter go. “Daddy’s an adult. He could help.”

Eliza exhaled impatiently. “Then what do we do, dummy?”

“That’s not how we talk to one another,” Adam reprimanded sternly.

Geoff’s expression was thoughtful. “I don’t know, I think the squirt’s on to something. What if we could hang out at the festival with Josh and Natalie? Then Dad and Brenna could meet us there later, like, for dinner and stuff. They might miss some of it, but the fireworks are the coolest part, anyway. We like Josh and Natalie, right?”

“Right!” Morgan chirped.

Even Eliza was forced to admit, “They’re pretty cool. For grown-ups.”

“I don’t know.” Adam hesitated. Josh and Natalie had already been very gracious with their time, and he didn’t want to take advantage of their generosity. Besides, it had never been his intention to spend the holiday away from his children.

Still, time with Brenna was running out fast. They had only a few days left together, and he couldn’t deny wanting to steal as many moments and memories as possible before his vacation was done.

WHEN BRENNA’S cell phone rang that night, she knew instinctively that it would be Adam. Though she hadn’t realized it until now, she’d been waiting for him to call.

“Hi,” he said. “Got a minute to talk?”

“I can spare a minute.” For you. “I might even have some good news. Quinn said she’d help me on the Fourth. It will still be awfully tight, but if I push-”

“As it turns out, I have a little good news myself. How would you feel about an extra pair of hands? I don’t know the area well enough to be zigzagging around town on my own, and people here don’t know me at all, but could I help if I rode with you?”

Yes, actually. There were always several small tasks to do at each stop, and two could work faster than one. Her heart sped up. The idea of hours alone with Adam seemed like a precious gift. She wasn’t in danger of falling into the habit of leaning on him. He wouldn’t be around long enough for that to happen.

“What about the kids?” she asked.

“Well, Geoff tossed out the idea that maybe they could hang with your brother. If you don’t think he’s sick of them?”

“Oh, he’s crazy about them. But I know he’s working some of the midway games, and Natalie’s busy with the parade that morning. I tell you what-let me talk to them and determine everyone’s schedule.”

“Meanwhile, I’ll talk to Lydia,” he brainstormed. “But if we can work it out, you’ll let me come with you? I really want to help.”

“And I really appreciate it,” she said softly, but she was torn between being overjoyed by his offer and wishing he hadn’t called.

If she kept falling for Adam Varner, who was going to help her recover when he left town and broke her heart?

AS IT TURNED OUT, finding a babysitter for the festival was easy. Maggie called Brenna’s cell phone early Wednesday morning to ask if she wanted to bring her new friend to Sunday dinner.

“I don’t know,” Brenna said. “I’ll definitely pass along the invitation, but it will be up to the Varners. Sunday is their last evening here, and I’m not sure what they have planned.”

“I suppose that’s understandable.” Maggie sounded disappointed. “We were just hoping to meet him. And those kids! Seems like a lifetime ago that you and Josh were young.”

An idea took shape in Brenna’s mind. After all, who was better with children than Maggie Pierce? “Hey, are you guys going to the festival this year?”

“Of course! You know Fred never misses the turtle race. He won’t admit it, but I’m pretty sure he bets on those silly races every year.”

Most men did, even if they felt foolish owning up to it-it was a Mistletoe tradition.

“This may be a lot to ask, but how would you feel about some extra company for the festival?”

IT WAS BARELY FIVE in the morning when Brenna got out of bed on Independence Day. She’d spoken with Quinn and Adam multiple times in preparation. Since she couldn’t in good conscience inflict this early hour on either of them, she’d decided to do the first visits by herself and then meet up with them at the Diner for a quick breakfast while she divvied up everyone’s duties for the day.

She caught herself humming as she cleaned a fish tank. Though she liked her job, she wasn’t usually this peppy first thing in the morning. She shied away from admitting to herself just how much she was looking forward to seeing him.

Quinn, however, was unashamed of her own eager curiosity to meet him. She called Brenna to let her know she was en route to the Diner. “I can’t wait to see this guy! I hate that I was out of town the night of your date-you know, the one you refuse to share any of the details about. I would have been happy to give you wardrobe advice.”

Brenna grinned into the receiver, glad her friend couldn’t see her telltale smirk. “Oh, I did all right on my own.”

“If I get there first, do you want me to order for you?” Quinn offered.

“Yes, please. I have to walk the Webers’ Weimaraner, but then I’m on my way.” She’d just given Quinn her breakfast request and disconnected when the phone chirped again. “Hello?”

“Morning.” Adam’s voice rumbled through the phone.

She felt her entire body responding, her face smiling, her posture subtly relaxing. “Hey, there. Maggie make it over to the lodge?”

“Oh, yes.” The two words held a wealth of humor. “She’s quite…I think she hugged me three times. And she managed to carry on concurrent conversations with Geoff about the car show today, Eliza about some new brand of lip gloss and Morgan about her favorite cartoon. How does Maggie even know about that? ”

“Neighborhood kids, I imagine. It started when a girl across the street would come over for the time between when she got home from school and when her mother got home from her part-time job. She’d hang out in Maggie’s kitchen. Word about the pie got out, and now there’s at least one kid dropping by every day of the week. Maggie’s good with them.”

“I’ll say! I got tired just listening to her chat with my three.”

Brenna laughed. “Not too tired, I hope. I plan to work you hard today.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“Adam! You’re awful.”

“What? I didn’t say anything. Don’t project your wicked thoughts onto me. ”

She was grinning from ear to ear when they got off the phone. The sun was shining, the kids were in great hands, her good friend promised to have caffeine ready and waiting, and Brenna would get to spend hours alone with Adam, culminating in brilliant fireworks.

It was going to be a great day.

BY MIDMORNING Brenna and Adam had fallen into an easy, natural rhythm. While they were driving, they chatted and laughed a lot. She learned that the Rolling Stones were his favorite band and that he did a truly terrible Mick Jagger impression. She’d written a list of their assignments, analyzing location and meds schedules to put them in the order that made the most sense. After each visit was concluded and she’d double-checked that the house was secure, they’d return to the car where he’d immediately read off the next stop.

In the car, she’d outline what she needed him to do. Usually he handled stuff like bringing in people’s mail and watering plants while she took care of the pets. At one house, he tossed a tennis ball in the backyard for an indefatigable Jack Russell terrier while Brenna filled food bowls and undertook the always fun mission of giving a cat a pill. While Adam’s presence only shaved off a few minutes at most visits, those minutes added up over the course of the day. As soon as they reached their destination, chitchat stopped as they focused on their respective tasks.