Mistletoe in Maine (4 page)

Beth shut off the water, thinking she’d heard something. She was quite sure she’d locked the door, but the way the latch went seemed backwards to her, so perhaps she hadn’t set it right. She’d tried the other bathroom first, but the door had either been locked from the inside or set so snugly in its frame she couldn’t budge it open, no matter how hard she tugged. Giving up, she’d opted to try this bathroom here, where the door opened much more easily. Too easily, she thought with a start, as a cool blast of air invaded her warm space. She heard bright whistling and lunged for a towel as a ponytailed man pulled back the curtain with a jerk.

“Ack!” he shouted, falling back in shock as Beth shrieked at the top of her lungs. Seconds later, the other inn guests flooded the hall.

Beyond the open door at Zach’s back, Velma stood clutching a container of Ageless Skin Cream, her jaw dropping.

Zach sat on the bed with Velma, his arm around her shoulder. She still clutched her open jar of face cream in shock.

“You’re getting way too keyed up about this,” he told her. “It was nothing, I swear.”

“Of course, I know you’re right. It’s just that… Zach!” She capped her cold cream, turning toward him. “She was right there with you—in a towel!”

“It was more like a washcloth, really. Pretty tiny, actually,” he teased.

“Enough!” She fell back on the bed with a moan.

He smiled sympathetically and patted her thigh through her bell-bottom jeans. “You’re not jealous?”

She raised her head to look at him. “Who me? Of a woman thirty years younger, half naked in a bathroom with you?”

He scooted down on the bed beside her, taking her hand. “You, Mama Bear, have nothing to worry about.”

“No?” she asked, lines creasing her face.

“Do you know who I fell in love with?” he asked, turning toward her.

“A cougar?” she asked, dark eyes widening.

Zach gave a low chuckle, then brushed his lips to hers. “I fell in love with the woman in here,” he said, laying a hand on her heart. “And that woman,” he said with another kiss, “is the best-looking babe in all of Maine. I’m talking about at any age.”

She sighed and smiled up at him. “You really are the cat’s pajamas, you know that?”

“Meow,” he said, closing in for another kiss.

“Zach?” she asked a moment later. “How do you think things are going with Beth and Paul?”

“She just got here!”

“I know, but still… Do you think there’s a chance?”

“I think there’s a good one,” he said with a wink.

She playfully tugged him toward her. “It’s a shame Pauly put us in separate rooms.”

“Probably because there are kids here.”

“No, it’s because my son’s an old stick-in-the-mud.”

He thumbed her nose. “Be nice now, and get dressed for dinner.”

Carol exited the Rabbit Room all freshened up. Unsure of the protocol in a place like this, she’d worn a short black dress, leather boots, and a suede jacket. Something a little dressed up, but casual just the same. She shut her door firmly, then turned, nearly colliding with Paul. He was dapperly handsome, well turned-out in a sports coat and tie. It was hard to say which way he looked best, like this, the preppie sophisticate, or like he had earlier this evening, dressed down in a flannel shirt and jeans. He quickly shut the door behind him, but not in time to conceal his room’s marvelous moose theme. When she’d checked in, Carol hadn’t realized her room was straight across the hall from his. All at once she felt like she’d shacked up with the Huntsman in some wild wilderness tale. He was so rugged and easily in charge, in a faraway land like this one. She found herself wondering briefly if she should have worn a red hooded cape. Then she realized with a jolt she was already bathed in that color from head to toe from blushing so hard.

He smiled warmly, brown eyes twinkling.

“After you,” he said, motioning for her to move ahead.

“I uh…”
Very…married,
she told herself, counting to three. And an innkeeper merely looking after his guests, besides. His pretty wife was likely in their Moose Room, still getting ready. “I’m just going to check on the kids! We’ll see you downstairs.” Carol made a vow to investigate online dating the moment she and the kids got home. Things really had gotten out of hand if she couldn’t take a simple New England holiday without crushing on the first handsome face she came across. Maybe her coworkers were right and enough time
had
gone by for her to stick her big toe in the dating waters. She didn’t have to get into anything heavy. She might even find a friend to enjoy some casual outings with. But even that seemed scary when she couldn’t be certain what kind of
friend
that person might be. Maybe a lunatic or a psychopath, or some sort of sick predator after her children! Carol drew a breath, deciding Internet dating didn’t sound right for her. Maybe she should wait until the kids were grown and had gone off to college before she started thinking about herself.

She was just outside Ashley’s room when another door opened down the hall, and Paul walked by. “Don’t you look lovely,” he said to the beautiful blonde who—wait a minute—was staying in another room? Carol hoped they hadn’t caught her glancing their way as they exchanged amiable chatter and headed down the stairs together. If the blonde was a guest rather than Paul’s wife, they still seemed awfully familiar with each other. Perhaps she was a regular here, and maybe Paul wasn’t married at all. But what did that matter to Carol? She had more immediate things to think about, like corralling her kids and getting them to dinner on time.

Daniel ran a thumb down Amy’s damp cheek, then threaded his fingers through her short, raven hair. Her nearly black eyes welled with tears as she and Daniel stood in the pantry where they’d gone to collect dinner supplies.

“How can you say that, Danny?” she said, her voice cracking. “Can’t you see there’s no point?”

Daniel took her in his arms, cradling her up against him. “Hey, hey… That’s not true. Listen up, Amy I already told you I have a plan. Grandma’s in on it too.”

“Velma?” she asked with a sniff. She wore smart black slacks with a matching man’s tie, draping down a crisp, white, button-down shirt.

He centered his gaze on hers. “You’ve got to know she doesn’t want Dad leaving here any more than we do.”

“Does this have to do with the old flame?”

“It might.”

“I thought the airport was a coincidence.”

“It was. And so much better than Grandma’s plan A.”

“What was plan A?”

“Introducing Dad to Zach’s little sister.”

“Ew! How old is Zach’s little sister?”

“Not
that
young. In her thirties, I think.” He jostled her in his arms. “The great part is, this way’s so much better. It’s like fate was helping us along.”

“I suppose.”

“Why do you sound so doubtful?”

“Are you sure you should go meddling in your dad’s love life, Danny? He’s bound not to like it if he finds out.”

“Who says he has to? Besides, getting a girlfriend will be good for the old man.”

“Good, how?”

“It will distract him, you know. Make him feel young again, not like some old guy putting himself out to pasture.”

“I thought he was buying a condo in Montreal?”

“You’re missing my point.”

“Which is?”

“Once my dad has a life again, he won’t go chasing greener pastures in Canada. He’ll be happy staying right here!”

“But whether he’s here or there, it’s all the same. You’ll be gone eight months out of the year.”

He held her tighter, pressing his forehead to hers. “Seven months, three weeks, and two days, exactly.”

She sighed in his arms. “You counted?”

He looked at her deeply, lost in her beautiful dark eyes. “Of course, I counted. Listen up, Amy Littleton. This thing is going to work out for us, okay? One way or another, it’s working out.”

“This isn’t just about me—or your dad—is it?” she asked astutely.

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t want your dad selling the inn because it doesn’t just belong to him and you; it was your mom’s place too.”

“Yeah, and she loved it. Wanted to see me grow up and get married here.”

“Married?”

“Not any time soon,” he stammered. “I mean, some day.”

She gave him a soft smile. “Yeah, some day.”

“I love you,” he whispered, leaning forward.

“I love you too.”

Chapter Four

When Carol and her kids entered the dining room, she was struck at once by their setting’s beauty. Intimate tables adorned the room; each afforded a view through the magnificent bay window. Towering pines and rolling mountaintops surrounded frozen Moosehead Lake, ringed by a fairy-tale-like string of winter lanterns skimming its perimeter. An empty skating rink by a big, brown barn only added to the scene’s magical appeal.

Daniel seated them at a table set for three in the corner while the pretty blonde dined solo nearby. Carol was certain now she must be a guest. She wouldn’t be seated in here otherwise. Will’s cell buzzed, and he took it from his pocket.

Carol narrowed her eyes at her son. “Not
here.
”

He grumpily tucked the cell away, causing Carol to flinch inside. He was perpetually on that phone, but she thought she’d taught him better than to use it at the table.

“Your server, Amy, will be with you in a moment,” Daniel said, handing them each a menu.

 Carol accepted hers just as Paul entered the room. Suddenly, her world went all woozy, as if she’d had too much wine. He approached them as she sat there dumbstruck, wishing to goodness he wouldn’t smile. For when he did, it sent all sorts of wild butterflies fluttering inside her, just like some crushed-out high school kid.

“Miss?” Daniel asked, apparently having offered her some drink choices.

“Might I suggest the Crestwood chardonnay?” Paul offered helpfully. “Or, if you prefer red, the Millhouse merlot?”

Carol focused on her menu but couldn’t make out a bit of it. “I… um…”

Paul’s face warmed in a smile as he gently took the menu from her hands, then righted it. Carol was mortified. She’d been reading it upside down. Her kids exchanged startled glances as she stared red-faced at Paul. In his effort to correct her menu, he’d revealed something else. He didn’t wear a wedding band. Carol swallowed hard, thinking maybe she shouldn’t have any wine at all. She was apparently drunk enough on the mountain air. “The merlot sounds great, thanks.”

Daniel disappeared to get the wine as Paul’s dark eyes twinkled. “Excellent choice.”

Carol smiled tightly, hoping she wouldn’t need to make too many other choices tonight. She wasn’t sure she could handle it. Especially with Paul standing this near. She needed him to back away—just slightly—so she could decide on the chicken or the veal.

“Mom? All you all right?” Will asked her.

She realized she’d been furiously fanning her face with her menu and stopped.

“If you’re too warm, I can move you to table farther from the fire?”

“Oh no,” she said, setting her menu aside, “this is perfect! Just great.”

Paul studied them all pleasantly. “Do you have plans for tomorrow? Can I help you arrange something?”

“I thought we’d go skiing,” Carol said.

“Great thought. We packed in twenty more inches of powder today.”

“Twenty?” Will asked.

“For real?” Ashley chimed in.

Paul nodded. “Big Moose Mountain is right up the way. I know an instructor who can give you a lift in the morning…?”

Carol beamed. “That would be terrific. Wouldn’t it, kids?”

“Yeah, cool,” Will said.

“Really super,” Ashley added with a smile.

“Perfect, then. Skiing for the Bakers is on the agenda.”

A pretty teenage girl arrived with a notepad, and Paul graciously stepped aside. “I’ll leave Amy to take your orders,” he said. “Enjoy.”

Paul straightened his tie, hoping to goodness he’d sounded as professional as he’d intended. While he wasn’t supposed to take a personal interest in his guests, he’d found it impossible not to notice Carol’s sweet demeanor, or the delightful way with which she’d studied her menu upside-down. He’d had the impression she’d been nervous, but hadn’t a clue why. Perhaps the atmosphere seemed a bit stuffier than she was used to, although that hadn’t been Paul’s intention. He liked to keep things upscale yet casual for his clientele, because that was how they apparently liked it. Dinner was always the most formal occasion of the day, but drinks afterward were decidedly down-home. He’d have to be sure to include her and her kids in his customary invitation to gather by the living room fire for hot cocoa or other libations. Maybe he could enlist Daniel’s help in making the kids feel more comfortable too.

He crossed to the small two-top where Beth was seated, caught off guard once again by her beauty. Then again, she’d once turned that beauty against him and run off with his best friend… Paul collected himself, understanding that was years ago and that times and people change. Heck, Beth and he were little more than Amy’s and Daniel’s ages when they’d split up and gone their separate ways. He couldn’t be so harsh as to hold her accountable now for something that happened so long ago. They’d both crossed a lot of bridges since then, some of them terribly sad ones, it seemed.

“I’m happy to arrange for you to sit with some of the other guests,” he said. “I’m sure my mom and Zach will be down soon.”

She shot him a brave smile. “I’ve never been afraid to go it alone.”

“There’s something to be said for independence,” Paul agreed.

“Something, indeed.” She took a sip of her wine. “Although there’s something to be said for partnerships too.”

“Two heads can be better than one.”

“Sometimes, so are two hearts.”

Paul’s pulse picked up a notch.
Surely I didn’t hear her right.

“Paul,” she said softly. She extended a hand, laying it on his forearm. “I’m really sorry about Nancy. I only recently heard.”

“Thanks, Beth. I appreciate that.”

“How are you holding up? Doing okay?”