Mia Ross - Jingle Bell Romance

“That’s not true,” she whispered intently, squeezing his hand between both of hers. “I know it’s not. God hasn’t forgotten about you, Nick. You just have to open up and let Him back into your life.”

She couldn’t be more wrong, but he didn’t want to debate religion with her while her husband and daughter were arranging figurines of Jesus and the wise men in the manger on a nearby table.

So, out of respect for his sister and her happy family, Nick swallowed his pride and kept his mouth shut.

* * *

Early Monday morning, Nick found himself back at Toyland, drinking the best coffee he’d had in days while Julia laid out the unexpected offer she’d hinted at on the phone last night. He couldn’t believe his ears.

“An exclusive?” he echoed, getting a nod in reply. Sitting by the lobby fireplace in a burgundy velvet wing chair, he was surrounded by more Christmas trappings than he’d ever seen in his life. It was enough to make him wonder if he was losing his grip on reality. “I thought you wanted to keep your new life here a secret.”

“Oh, that couldn’t last.” Flicking her hand in a queenly gesture, she set off a string of silver jingle bells divided by what he assumed were tiny sapphires. Lots of them. “Some reporter or another will track me down eventually. This way, I control the situation.”

“And the message,” he added, to show he understood. “In case you haven’t figured it out already, I’m not used to taking orders. What makes you think I’ll play along?”

Leaning forward, she pinned him with a knowing look. “Yesterday, you told me you miss getting the scoop and writing your own stories. I’m giving you one, right here, right now. Take it or leave it.”

Ordinarily he wasn’t a fan of ultimatums, but he was tempted beyond belief. Nick didn’t doubt for a second that if he didn’t grab this opportunity, another journalist would. Julia’s story had flash and grit, two things people loved to read about. The businessman in him immediately went into promotional gear, considering the impact something like this might have. New Kaleidoscope readers could sample this rich-and-famous storyline, then purchase a limited subscription to read the ending. If things worked out, they’d like what they saw and buy a full subscription. Since he’d be doing the work, there’d be no freelance writer to pay so everything that came in would be pure profit. Unlike most business arrangements he made, there was no downside for him.

Of course, agreeing to her terms meant he’d be stuck in Holiday Harbor longer than he’d planned. But because everything was handled online, he could run the magazine from anywhere. It was something he’d never taken advantage of before, aside from using his condo’s spare room as an office. But for a story like this, it might make sense to change things up, even if it meant staying in the last place he wanted to be. In the overall scheme of things, the impact such a high-profile article would have on his business was worth a little discomfort. Beyond that, he’d be writing again. Researching Julia would be interesting enough. Getting to know the reclusive ambassador’s daughter through personal interviews would be downright fascinating. “One thing.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve had an amazing life, along with your parents. I don’t think one article will do it justice.”

For a split second, he thought he saw a smile quivering at the corner of her mouth. Then it was gone, and she asked, “What do you have in mind?”

“A serialized biography, book-length, but posted online in pieces.” Inspiration struck, and he added, “We’ll call the new section ‘Person of Interest.’ Readers will get hooked and come back every week for the latest segment on the extraordinary Julia Stanton.”

“So this will help your business?”

“Definitely. Yours, too. Once folks know you’re here, your online orders should go through the roof.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. It would be nice to do my books with black ink instead of red.”

The way she said it convinced him she was being totally honest with him—she really hadn’t considered the financial benefit that would come from the articles. Nick couldn’t imagine why else she’d propose an invasion of her self-imposed exile, but maybe by the time they were done, it would make sense to him.

For now, he scoffed, “Like that’s a problem for you.”

That got him a steely glare. “Rule number one—assume nothing. Things in my life aren’t always what they seem to be.”

Picking up on her somber tone, he nodded. “Got it. Does that mean I’m in?”

When she offered him a slender hand to seal their deal, it occurred to him this was the first time he’d allowed a woman to call the shots with him. Why Julia was so different, he couldn’t say, but it added another angle to their—friendship? No, that wasn’t right. He’d just met her, and they’d spent most of their time dancing around the ring, trying to get a read on each other.

He couldn’t say where all that posturing might lead, but he sure was looking forward to finding out.

Chapter Four

“I won’t be opening the store for another hour,” Julia said as she stood. To her surprise, Nick got to his feet in a gentlemanly gesture she hadn’t expected. Apparently, his manners were better than he’d led her to believe. “Would you like a tour of the building?”

“Sure.”

He’d already seen her office, and he politely followed her through the storeroom, piled high with boxes of toys she had to inventory before restocking the shelves. He didn’t pose many questions or take notes, instead letting her ramble on about whatever she thought might be most interesting to him. When he asked how she decided how much of each thing to buy, she laughed.

“Most people drop dead of boredom by this point,” she said approvingly. “You’re very patient.”

“This was your idea, not mine,” he pointed out. “I don’t wanna push.”

“Is that right?” Folding her arms, she gazed at him thoughtfully. “From what I’ve seen, Kaleidoscope doesn’t pull punches with other sources. What makes me so different?”

“You tell me.”

A lazy grin moved across his features, settling in to gleam in his dark eyes. It was a challenging look, as if he’d stumbled across a mystery that fascinated him. Realizing she was that mystery made her flush and take a hesitant step back. With his brooding poet looks and dangerous vibe, Nick McHenry was just the kind of man she was drawn to.

And just the kind of man she needed to avoid.

Reminding herself that their current arrangement was really aimed at making peace between him and his father, she quickly regained her composure and smiled. “Maybe you’ll find some answers upstairs.”

Turning, she led him to a door marked PRIVATE. Just as he had the morning they met, he reached past her to open it. “Ladies first.”

On her way up, she flicked on a light switch and was greeted with a loud, “When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, or in rain?”

The two phrases rhymed perfectly in a high-brow British accent, and Nick stopped dead, cocking his head with a baffled expression. “What was that?”

“Shakespeare.”

“I recognize the line from Hamlet, but who said it?”

“Shakespeare,” she repeated, continuing up the creaky wooden steps. “Come on and I’ll introduce you.”

“O-kay.”

He dragged the word out in a doubtful tone, and she allowed herself a little smile. It was nice to know she could knock him off balance the way he’d done to her. After her disastrous last relationship, being on even footing with Nick made her feel more confident than she had in months.

The large room mirrored the one downstairs with one exception: it was almost completely unfurnished. The only things she had up here were a few pieces of furniture and the built-in bookshelves full of treasures from all around the world. Ignoring Nick’s shocked look, she strolled to a wooden rod that stretched the width of the generous bay window overlooking Main Street.