Chapter 1
Monday, December 10th
Winter in Minnesota didn’t rate high on my list of
seasons, but I couldn’t imagine spending Christmas anywhere else. The pristine
snow, the crisp, fresh air and the rainbow-colored lights decorating
snow-covered roofs reminded me of a Hallmark movie. I loved shopping at the
Mall of America for gifts and watching the Holidazzle electric light parade in
downtown Minneapolis, but my favorite event always happened on the second
weekend in December. That’s when I met up with my best friends for three days
of good wine, more food than we could ever eat and lots and lots of laughter.
We’d grown up in the same northeast Minneapolis neighborhood—Ellie, Jeanette,
Ginny, Sarah and me—and through the years, were inseparable until our careers
took us in different directions. Now that we’d hit our mid-thirties, it had
become more difficult than ever to schedule a “girls only” weekend, but we’d
made it a priority.
We always spent the weekend at Ellie Stone’s family
cabin in Breezy Point, Minnesota. Frankly, I didn’t know why they called it a
cabin. The multi-level monstrosity had six bedrooms, four baths, a den, two
kitchens and two living rooms. In the lower kitchen, the Stone family cooked
all their meals. The upper kitchen, the one with the beautiful view of Gull
Lake, they used to stock all their booze.
cabin in Breezy Point, Minnesota. Frankly, I didn’t know why they called it a
cabin. The multi-level monstrosity had six bedrooms, four baths, a den, two
kitchens and two living rooms. In the lower kitchen, the Stone family cooked
all their meals. The upper kitchen, the one with the beautiful view of Gull
Lake, they used to stock all their booze.
I decided to drive up to Breezy Point a few days
early this year. Ellie’s family had always considered me “one of the bunch” and
had no problem with my coming up ahead of time. I needed to take a break from
my photography business, something I hadn’t allowed myself to do for a long
time. Lately, though, I’d begun to question the price of success. I had a
thriving business, but the toll it placed on my life was slowly burning me out.
The thought of spending four days alone in that big house with nothing to do
but sip wine in front of a crackling fire would be good for me; it would also
force me to give some serious thought to the dismal state of my love life.
early this year. Ellie’s family had always considered me “one of the bunch” and
had no problem with my coming up ahead of time. I needed to take a break from
my photography business, something I hadn’t allowed myself to do for a long
time. Lately, though, I’d begun to question the price of success. I had a
thriving business, but the toll it placed on my life was slowly burning me out.
The thought of spending four days alone in that big house with nothing to do
but sip wine in front of a crackling fire would be good for me; it would also
force me to give some serious thought to the dismal state of my love life.
I arrived at the house around noon. Driving up the
snow-covered alley, I pulled into the back and parked in the driveway in front
of the tuck-under garage. Thankfully, someone had cleared away the snow and
shoveled the sidewalks. I slid out of the car and drew in a deep breath of
fresh air, taking a much-needed stretch from the two-hour drive from
Minneapolis. Even though the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky, the
temperature hovered around twenty degrees. Anxious to get out of the cold, I
grabbed my bag and the tote containing my four-week-old kitten and bounded up
the cement stairway. The Stone family always hid a spare key under the planter
next to the back door. I let myself in through the screen porch to the lower
level kitchen and living room.
snow-covered alley, I pulled into the back and parked in the driveway in front
of the tuck-under garage. Thankfully, someone had cleared away the snow and
shoveled the sidewalks. I slid out of the car and drew in a deep breath of
fresh air, taking a much-needed stretch from the two-hour drive from
Minneapolis. Even though the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky, the
temperature hovered around twenty degrees. Anxious to get out of the cold, I
grabbed my bag and the tote containing my four-week-old kitten and bounded up
the cement stairway. The Stone family always hid a spare key under the planter
next to the back door. I let myself in through the screen porch to the lower
level kitchen and living room.
The tote with my sleeping kitten fit on the seat of
the rocking chair. The rest of my gear landed on the sofa in front of the
fireplace before I dumped my coat and made my way to the bathroom. I turned on
the water in the tub and stripped down to my undergarments. A nice hot bath
sounded like the perfect way to kick off my vacation.
the rocking chair. The rest of my gear landed on the sofa in front of the
fireplace before I dumped my coat and made my way to the bathroom. I turned on
the water in the tub and stripped down to my undergarments. A nice hot bath
sounded like the perfect way to kick off my vacation.
Suddenly, a loud thumping noise echoed from inside a
room across the hallway. My heart slammed into overdrive as a frightening
thought raced through my head.
room across the hallway. My heart slammed into overdrive as a frightening
thought raced through my head.
Is there someone else in this house?
No time to get dressed—I grabbed the fuzzy robe
hanging on the back of the door and wrapped it around myself then peeked
through a narrow crack in the opening. I didn’t see anyone in the living room
but finding the immediate area empty didn’t bolster my courage. I needed to
call 9-1-1 and my phone lay tucked in my purse across the room.
hanging on the back of the door and wrapped it around myself then peeked
through a narrow crack in the opening. I didn’t see anyone in the living room
but finding the immediate area empty didn’t bolster my courage. I needed to
call 9-1-1 and my phone lay tucked in my purse across the room.
Now what do I do? No way can I lock myself in here
and hope the intruder just goes away.
and hope the intruder just goes away.
My brilliant, lightning fast mind said, “Get the
phone. Run. Now.”
phone. Run. Now.”
Slowly, I opened the door and crept out, hoping the
rushing water from the bathtub faucet made enough noise to mask my footsteps. I
scurried over to my purse and snatched the phone then made a beeline back to
the bathroom. Got the door open and almost made it inside when a large hand
gripped my shoulder.
rushing water from the bathtub faucet made enough noise to mask my footsteps. I
scurried over to my purse and snatched the phone then made a beeline back to
the bathroom. Got the door open and almost made it inside when a large hand
gripped my shoulder.
“A-h-h-h-h-h!” The shrill scream shot out of me so
fast I hardly knew I’d opened my mouth. My body shuddered and the phone went
flying as the strong hand pivoted me, bringing me face to face with my
aggressor.
fast I hardly knew I’d opened my mouth. My body shuddered and the phone went
flying as the strong hand pivoted me, bringing me face to face with my
aggressor.
My breath caught in my throat as the fear gripping
me transformed into jaw-clenching anger.
me transformed into jaw-clenching anger.
“Christopher Stone! You scared me half to death!
What are you doing sneaking around the house?”
What are you doing sneaking around the house?”
I hadn’t spoken to him since twelfth grade, but the
gap in time did nothing to cool my foaming-at-the-mouth resentment of the kid
who’d spent the entirety of his youth teasing me.
gap in time did nothing to cool my foaming-at-the-mouth resentment of the kid
who’d spent the entirety of his youth teasing me.
Ellie’s twin brother stood before me wearing nothing
but a pair of skin-tight jeans, barely zipped with the top snap gaping open.
I’d seen him wearing less at the beach, but even his favorite chino shorts had
never looked this good on him. Before I knew it, my gaze quickly traveled from
his slim waist to the width of his broad shoulders and smooth, muscular chest.
Embarrassed by my obvious curiosity, I looked away. This body did not match the
scrawny kid I used to wrangle with growing up. When did all this happen? I
mean, I knew most ball players worked out to gain strength and boost their
power to hit a baseball for a living. I’d watched Chris on television and on
the big screen at the ballpark, but I never imagined him looking this good up
close…
but a pair of skin-tight jeans, barely zipped with the top snap gaping open.
I’d seen him wearing less at the beach, but even his favorite chino shorts had
never looked this good on him. Before I knew it, my gaze quickly traveled from
his slim waist to the width of his broad shoulders and smooth, muscular chest.
Embarrassed by my obvious curiosity, I looked away. This body did not match the
scrawny kid I used to wrangle with growing up. When did all this happen? I
mean, I knew most ball players worked out to gain strength and boost their
power to hit a baseball for a living. I’d watched Chris on television and on
the big screen at the ballpark, but I never imagined him looking this good up
close…
He didn’t seem to care about his half-naked
appearance as he yawned and ran a hand through his tousled dark hair. “I wasn’t
sneaking around,” he said in a smooth, deep voice. “I was sleeping. You woke me
up.”
appearance as he yawned and ran a hand through his tousled dark hair. “I wasn’t
sneaking around,” he said in a smooth, deep voice. “I was sleeping. You woke me
up.”
I glared at him to mask the sudden flutter in my
stomach. “Are you—are you alone?”
stomach. “Are you—are you alone?”
“W-h-a-a-a…of course, I’m alone.”
I stared boldly into his deep blue eyes. “What are
you doing here?”
you doing here?”
He shrugged. “What I always do when I need to get
away from the crowds—I crash. What are you doing here?”
away from the crowds—I crash. What are you doing here?”
“This weekend is our annual Christmas get-together,”
I said matter-of-factly and raised one brow to let him know he’d better crash
somewhere else.
I said matter-of-factly and raised one brow to let him know he’d better crash
somewhere else.
He frowned. “Aren’t you a little early? It’s only
Monday.”
Monday.”
“No, I volunteered to do the housecleaning and put
up the decorations so the place would look great when the girls arrive,” I said
lying through my teeth. He didn’t need to know my real plans.
up the decorations so the place would look great when the girls arrive,” I said
lying through my teeth. He didn’t need to know my real plans.
“Okay, great.” He sounded amused as he leaned over
and picked up my phone. “I thought for a minute there you were trying to get
rid of me.”
and picked up my phone. “I thought for a minute there you were trying to get
rid of me.”
My patience wore thin. “Look, Chris, you’re going to
be in the way. Don’t you have to get back to the cities to get ready for a hot
date with your girlfriend or something?” Whoever she is this week…
be in the way. Don’t you have to get back to the cities to get ready for a hot
date with your girlfriend or something?” Whoever she is this week…
He didn’t rise to the bait, but I noticed a muscle
twitch in his cheek, as though the whole “date” situation didn’t set well with
him. It didn’t surprise me considering the high-profile women he
chased—Hollywood starlets, models and pop singers—Queen Bee Central. He changed
girlfriends with the same frequency most men took their shirts to the laundry.
Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but just the same…
twitch in his cheek, as though the whole “date” situation didn’t set well with
him. It didn’t surprise me considering the high-profile women he
chased—Hollywood starlets, models and pop singers—Queen Bee Central. He changed
girlfriends with the same frequency most men took their shirts to the laundry.
Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but just the same…
“Tell you what, I’ll stay in my room while you
vacuum and do whatever it is you need to do.” His eyes flashed when I shook my
head. “What’s your problem?”
vacuum and do whatever it is you need to do.” His eyes flashed when I shook my
head. “What’s your problem?”
“It’s not what, it’s who.” I took my phone from his
hand. “I’m not in the mood to spend the next four days dodging a guy who likes
to play practical jokes on me. You know, like throwing water balloons,
unscrewing the top off the salt and pepper shakers, flipping my glass of soda
upside down on the table, hiding a whoopee cushion under a blanket on my
chair,” and his crowning achievement, “putting a live snake down my shirt?”
hand. “I’m not in the mood to spend the next four days dodging a guy who likes
to play practical jokes on me. You know, like throwing water balloons,
unscrewing the top off the salt and pepper shakers, flipping my glass of soda
upside down on the table, hiding a whoopee cushion under a blanket on my
chair,” and his crowning achievement, “putting a live snake down my shirt?”
He burst out laughing. “Are you still mad about
that? I did those things when we were kids.”
that? I did those things when we were kids.”
The fact that he still thought them funny still made
me mad and I didn’t trust him one bit. “Yes,” I said in my snippiest voice,
“and I’m soooo not in the mood for any of your antics this week.”
me mad and I didn’t trust him one bit. “Yes,” I said in my snippiest voice,
“and I’m soooo not in the mood for any of your antics this week.”
“I’ll be good.” He held up both hands. “I won’t
cause an ounce of trouble. I promise.” His gaze suddenly dropped to the front
of my body and his eyes widened. “Uh, but I can’t say the same for you.”
cause an ounce of trouble. I promise.” His gaze suddenly dropped to the front
of my body and his eyes widened. “Uh, but I can’t say the same for you.”
I looked down and found my robe gaping open, my pink
with black polka dot Victoria’s Secret undies in full view. “A-h-h-h-h-h!” My
scream this time had more to do with frustration than fright. I jerked my robe
shut and stormed into the bathroom, determined not to give my childhood nemesis
the satisfaction of seeing my face turn crimson like he had so often in the
past.
with black polka dot Victoria’s Secret undies in full view. “A-h-h-h-h-h!” My
scream this time had more to do with frustration than fright. I jerked my robe
shut and stormed into the bathroom, determined not to give my childhood nemesis
the satisfaction of seeing my face turn crimson like he had so often in the
past.
His triumphant laughter propelled me all the way.
Love, Christmas
Christmas 2016!!
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