Dear Santa(21)

    When they broke apart, all they seemed capable of doing was staring at each other, as if they were both shocked by the intensity of the kiss. Lindy could hear the people clapping and a few shouts and cheers directed toward them long before the sleigh came to a stop. For a moment, she didn’t hear the young man urging them to climb off the sleigh.

As he had earlier, Billy went first and then helped her down. As soon as her feet were on the ground, she couldn’t resist looking toward the line. She could only hope Celeste and Brian had witnessed a kiss that was far and away better than any she’d ever experienced. A smile tickled her mouth as she looped her arm around Billy’s elbow.

“Lindy.”

Celeste called her name, and when Lindy turned, she could see that she regretted it. Her once best friend lowered her head as if she was embarrassed.

    “Celeste,” she said, and then nodded to Brian. “The sleigh ride is probably the most romantic thing I’ve done in ages. You’ll enjoy it. Have a fun day.” When neither seemed inclined to continue the conversation, Lindy and Billy left.

They hadn’t gone far when Billy paused and turned to face Lindy.

“You want to tell me what that was about?”

She toyed with playing dumb and recognized that wouldn’t work. Not with Billy. “That was my onetime best friend and my old boyfriend in line.”

“So that’s what prompted you to ask me for the kiss?”

Shame filled her when she realized how wrong it was of her to use Billy.

“How recent was the breakup with this guy?” he asked, his voice stiff and deep.

“Six months. He moved in with my former roommate, who I considered my best friend,” she admitted, and then added, “I apologize…I shouldn’t have used you. It was wrong of me, but I wanted them both to see that I’d moved on.”

“I understand, Lindy, better than you realize. I’ve had my own share of disappointments from people I’ve trusted. It’s a painful lesson. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

She hoped he did understand. “Asking you to kiss me seemed like a good idea at the time, but in retrospect, I…” She paused, unsure if she should continue.

    “In retrospect, what?” he prodded.

“All right,” she said, shrugging a sigh that raised her shoulders two full inches. “Here’s the truth. That kiss was…” She struggled to find the words. “Was the best ever.”

“The best? Ever?”

“Better than the best. It was wonderful. I might have asked you to kiss me for all the wrong reasons, but Billy, wow. That kiss did something to my heart.” She pressed her hand over her chest to reassure him she wasn’t just saying that, but she meant it.

“You mean like heartburn?”

“No,” she answered, laughing, certain he was making a joke. “As I said at dinner, my job has been a challenge lately, and then the breakup.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Mostly it was my pride that took a beating,” she confessed.

“You liked the kiss?” Billy asked.

“Out of all I said, this is what you want to ask me?”

He shrugged. “It didn’t do my ego any harm.”

Lindy smiled. He was right. The past meant nothing now. He’d asked, and she was glad she’d been honest.

“What are you feeling about that kiss?” She couldn’t resist wanting to know.

    He gave a lighthearted shrug. “It wasn’t bad.”

“What?” She demanded, and elbowed him in the ribs.

Billy did a good job of pretending she’d injured him. “Okay, if you must know, the kiss was pretty darn spectacular, although I can do better, given the opportunity.”

Lindy wound her arm around his waist once again. “Then I’ll make sure you get that opportunity.”

“Sounds good to me.” He brushed his lips over her forehead.





CHAPTER NINE





“Where to next?” Lindy asked.

“How about some cocoa and a hot doughnut?” They both could do with a bit of warmth in their stomachs.

“I could do with coffee.”

While Lindy glanced through the window into the hat store, Billy went for coffee. There were easily twenty to thirty people waiting for a chance to get inside the tiny shop to try on their unique caps, hoods, and bonnets.

He joined her and they were fortunate enough to find a space to sit on the lip that circled the town fountain. At her first sip, Lindy blinked back tears. “My goodness, this is strong. It’s a defibrillator in a cup.”

“I thought that’s what my kiss was.”

She smiled as she lowered her gaze to the steaming disposable cup. “Yes, that, too.”

    “Knew it.”

Men and their egos! It felt wonderful to laugh and smile again. If she did happen to run into Brian and Celeste a second time, she wouldn’t care. This afternoon with Billy was exactly what her heart needed.

After they finished their coffee, Billy took her hand and led her to the Santa house.

“You know this really isn’t necessary, don’t you?” she said, feeling more than a little silly.