The Mistletoe Affair

Crossing the room to her chair, her mother sat down. “No, sweetie. He's the dearest friend I have. His wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer four years ago. Later, when your father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Thomas understood the pain and trauma I faced each day. I leaned on him as a friend, and we shared a lot of pain. Both our loved ones died within two months of each other.'

Katherine rubbed her forehead. “I must have met him at the funeral, but I can't remember, everything's a blur. I'm glad you could lean on someone like him, Mom.'

“He came the night before the funeral to pay his respects. He's a dear friend, Katherine, nothing more. Don't play matchmaker, and I won't either. Go back to bed and get some sleep.'

Making her way back to the comfortable bed that beckoned, she didn't recall seeing Thomas's name on the guest list for the tree-trimming party. She'd pencil him in tomorrow.

The thought that her mother had lied about her relationship with Thomas Hughes seemed ridiculous. Dad had been dead ten months, and Mom didn't seem the type to fall in love that fast. Besides, what reason would she have to lie?

* * * *

“We've been at this shopping mall forever. Do we have to rest again? Santa's gonna leave, and I'll miss him.” Matt dropped his chin to his chest and sighed.

“He stays late on Saturday. I promise you we'll see him today.” Smiling wearily, Katherine placed her packages on the bench and collapsed next to Matt. “We're almost finished. We need to buy an angel for the top of the tree from the store right over there.” She pointed to the specialty shop behind them, holding out the final carrots for his sacrifice. “We'll have pizza at the food court. Afterwards, we'll go see Santa.

They'd made a lot of progress in two hours in spite of trips to the bathroom, trips to stow packages in the car and frequent rest breaks on the benches. She'd bought angel hair, beautiful ropes of gold and crystal beads, miniature candle lights with cranberry and gold lamp bases. In addition, she found delicate, white doves and Christmas ornaments of antique white, gold and luscious cranberry spun silk. Everything new, like her mom wanted, rather than the family tradition.

“We've rested enough,” Matt said as he pulled on her hand.

Katherine laughed. “Slave driver.'

They stood and he released her hand. He looked up at her and rolled his eyes. “Come on.'

She gathered her packages, and they hurried to the specialty shop. After five minutes of walking up and down aisles hunting for the right angel, Matt gasped and pointed to the top of a display tree way in the back of the store. “Isn't she beautiful?” He pulled Katherine's arm, and they moved in unison.

Poised above the tree, hovering in mid-air, a white apparition of light appeared. Her blond hair circled with a garland of white beads; her silk wings outstretched and ribbed with the same pattern of beads that rimmed the neckline of her full-flowing gown. Handmade, delicate, lace and netting overlay her gown and formed the sleeves of her dress. In her right hand she held a gold staff, topped with a gold star, and from it sprang thin gold filaments that held tiny stars at each end.

“Can I make a wish?” Matt asked with his voice full of excitement.

“That's on evening stars,” she reminded him.

He pointed. “She's got bunches of stars.'

“Okay, but don't tell me, or it won't come true.” From the sad expression on his face, she imagined she knew Matt's wish. He probably missed his father and wanted him back in his life.

He turned to her and took her hand. “You make one.'

Looking up at the angelic face topping the tree, she wished that Matt would have the father he wanted so badly, one who would love him and spend time with him, totally disregarding that he'd also be a husband to her.

Katherine swallowed hard and stared at the perfect being depicted by the porcelain figure. She felt in her heart that somehow this Christmas would be special. “Yes, Matt, she's perfect.” Katherine retrieved the box containing the angel from the shelf. “And she's ours.'

* * * *

Jared couldn't keep his eyes off Katherine as she made her way toward Santa's North Pole Station. A strand of black hair fell casually across her cheek, bringing his attention to her flashing, jade eyes and her parted lips tinted with a pink lipstick called.-? Well, if the shade she wore wasn't called ‘tantalizing’ it should be, because it tantalized him to no end, wondering what it might be like to kiss her.

A smile tugged at his lips watching her head his way. Skillfully dodging a toddler, Katherine held large bags in both hands and carried on a conversation with Matt, who wore an infectious grin. A tall overweight man turned a corner too sharply and plowed into her, almost knocking her backwards. Jared's hands fisted when the jerk placed his beefy arms around Katherine. After a brief nod and a smile at the buffoon, she continued through the minefield, jabbering to Matt like nothing happened.

She wore casual black slacks, flats and a blue crewneck sweater peaked from the collar of her blazer. The snug outfit reminded him of her perfectly proportioned figure.

A new line of expectant children, laughing, crying, screaming and wetting, drew his attention from Katherine and Matt. He glanced up after some time and saw Matt make his way to the head of the line. He came forward and sat on Jared's lap. Katherine smiled and waved from the sidelines.

“Ho-ho-ho. Have you been a good boy this year?'

Matt nodded, his eyes flickering with excitement.

Jared smiled. “And what do you want Santa to bring you, little boy?'

He grabbed a handful of Jared's white beard none too gently, causing Jared to lean forward. “I knew you wouldn't remember. I told Mom you wouldn't remember me ‘cause I'm at Grandma's for Christmas. Mom thinks I'm special, so there's no way you could forget me, but she's wrong.” His brows furrowed. “Do you need me to go over what I want again?'

Prying Matt's fingers from his beard, Jared tried to diffuse his blunder and remove the hurt he saw in Matt's eyes. “Matt, I haven't forgotten you.'

His mouth rounded. “You remembered my name.'

“Of course I do. I have elves around the world that help me keep up with where kids live so we don't goof up any of the orders. I thought you might have forgotten something when you told me the first time. Do you want to add to your list?'

Matt shook his head and put his arm around Jared's shoulder. Pressing his chubby legs further up the padded Santa belly, Matt leaned close and whispered in his ear. “Can you do something for grownups, or you only help us kids?'

Jared furrowed his glued-on white bushy eyebrows. “I specialize in kids, because they're the ones who ask for help each year, but I can help grownups, too. They never ask. Do you want me to help some grownup?” He gazed at Katherine, who smiled at them from the sidelines again. A vivid picture of her on his lap flashed into his mind.

Placing his finger over his own lips, Matt said, “Shhh. It's a secret. Mom would never ask for your help, but she needs it.'

“Okay, it's a secret,” Jared whispered back, excited to hear how he could help Katherine. “What can I do for your Mom?'

“Bring her a baby.'

Chapter Four

Jared's mouth dropped open. Matt can't mean what I think he means. There are baby dogs, cats, horses and baby dolls-an endless list of what a kid could mean. And they all frolicked playfully in his