The Mistletoe Kiss

As Mrs. Heaton’s maids, Gretchen and Maida, began to serve the meal, Millicent tried to put her and Matt’s differences out of her mind and concentrate on the wonderful dishes being passed around.

“How was the ball game?” their landlady asked, guiding the conversation to a safe subject. Mrs. Heaton seemed to have a way of quieting any disturbance between her boarders almost before it began.

“It was great,” Matt said. “Our Giants won by one point in the last play of the game.”

“They did a bang-up job!” Stephen added.

“Oh, Millicent, I forgot to tell you—Elizabeth telephoned and asked me to remind you about having Sunday night supper with them tomorrow,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten.” Millicent smiled at her landlady. “I’m looking forward to it. She said they want to talk to me about something but didn’t say what.”

“Maybe they want you to take more photos of one of the apartments in the tenements,” Julia suggested.

“They might. It’s been a while since I took any for them.” She’d been blessed when Elizabeth and John, one of the couples who used to live at Heaton House before they married, asked her to take photographs for some articles they were doing. It’d brought her some much-needed business and continued to do so now. But it still wasn’t enough that she felt she could open her shop yet.

Matt handed her a basket of rolls and smiled at her, as if asking, Are we okay now? She sighed, raised an eyebrow and smiled back, trying to let him know that if he didn’t bring up the topic of the meeting again, neither would she.

But as she took the basket from him and their fingers brushed, what she wished for most was to quiet her suddenly racing pulse. Why did this man have the ability to do that to her? He was very nice looking—with his almost black hair, sky-blue eyes and smile that showed even, white teeth. But he also could make her more frustrated than anyone else. She’d felt that way ever since the first night she’d moved in, when he’d made clear he disapproved of any woman wanting to open her own business.

He’d brought Robert Baxter to mind, the man she’d almost become engaged to. That was, until she’d seen his true side and realized all he wanted was someone to take care of his needs. From that time on, she’d decided she’d be better off making a living for herself than giving her heart to a man with no interest in her ideas and opinions. A man who thought his word was law. She was so glad she’d seen through Robert and never accepted his proposal.

Matt’s attitude and that reminder seemed to have set the tone for their relationship from the first—in spite of any fleeting attraction she felt for him. And over time, when the topics they disagreed on weren’t brought up, they managed to get along for the sake of Mrs. Heaton and the other boarders.

Millicent hoped that would continue—but perhaps it was better to be reminded of her resolve to not fall in love, in order to keep on guard when Matt did something to make her heart flutter.

As dinner came to an end, Millicent found she wasn’t in the mood to spend time in the parlor with everyone. She didn’t want to take the chance of another argument. “I think I’m going on up tonight. I’m kind of tired. ’Night, all,” she said as she headed out the door. But Matt stopped her with a hand on her arm before she got to the staircase.

“May I speak with you a moment, Millicent?”

“What about? I don’t—”

“Don’t worry. It’s not about the meeting.”

“Oh? What is it, then?”

“John went to the game with us this afternoon and asked me to come to Sunday night supper at their place, too. Said he might need my help on something.”

“I wonder what they want to talk to us about.”

“I don’t know, but I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow. I thought I’d offer to escort you over. Seems silly not to go together and there’s no need in having Joe or Stephen escort you when we’re both invited.”

Her heart gave a little flip. She didn’t think they’d ever gone anywhere, just the two of them. But someone would have to escort her anyway—it was one of Mrs. Heaton’s hard-and-fast rules. The female boarders must go in a group or have an escort if they went out at night.

At first Millicent thought her rule a bit old-fashioned—it was nearing the turn of the century after all. But then she’d found out Mrs. Heaton’s daughter had gone missing and that was the reason she’d started the boardinghouse to begin with—so young women would have a safe homelike place to live. Thankfully, Mrs. Heaton and her daughter had been reunited, but the edict remained in place. She must have an escort.

“Oh, I... Yes, you’re right. Thank you for your offer.”

“You’re welcome. John said six-thirty, so I’ll meet you in the parlor at six, if that time works for you?”

“That will be fine. Good night.”

“’Night, Millicent.”

Millicent turned and hurried upstairs. What could John and Elizabeth possibly want to talk to the two of them about?

* * *

The next evening Millicent came downstairs and entered the parlor to find most of the boarders gathered waiting to be called to supper. Apparently, Matt hadn’t come up from the men’s quarters yet, and she felt quite proud of herself for being ready before him.

She’d chosen a brown skirt with pleated ruffles on each side, a green-and-brown bodice trimmed in green ribbon and a short green jacket to complete the outfit.

“Millicent, you’re all dressed up. Are you going out?” Emily asked.

“Yes, I am. Remember, I’m going to the Talbots’ tonight.”

“Oh, that’s right. We’ll miss your company,” Stephen said. “Do you need an escort?”

“No she doesn’t,” Matt answered from behind her, something in his tone sending her heart pounding. “I’m escorting Millicent tonight, as I’ve been invited to dinner, too.”

He looked quite striking in a brown suit, cream shirt and brown-and-cream tie. Matt worked as a foreman on a high-rise building that once finished would be the tallest in the city. Normally he hurried home in his work clothes to change into nicer pants and a clean shirt. That attire always seemed to emphasize the broadness of his shoulders—but in his Sunday suit, they seemed wider still, and Millicent fought down the fluttery feeling his presence quite often brought her.

“You ready to go, Millie?”

She’d let him know the first time he ever shortened her name that she wanted to be called Millicent only. But it hadn’t stopped him. In fact, she was certain he did it just to get a reaction out of her.

“I’ve been ready and waiting for several minutes.”

He grinned, as if he knew she was irritated with him, but he didn’t apologize, only crooked his arm and said, “Then let’s get going. We don’t want to be late, do we?”

She fought to keep from showing her vexation. That was exactly what he wanted her to do, and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction—not here in front of the new boarders. She took his arm and gave him a smile. “Of course not. Let’s be on our way.”

But as soon as they were out of sight from any of the boardinghouse windows, she disengaged her hand and looked straight ahead as they made their way to the trolley stop.

“Did I say something to upset you, Millie?”

“Why, no, Matty, whatever would make you think that?”

He threw back his head and laughed, causing her to expel a breath of frustration. But his laughter was contagious and Millicent giggled in spite of herself—frustrating her to no end. They had the oddest relationship ever. One minute he had her laughing with him, the next he said something that tempted her to wallop him over the head with her parasol—or anything else within range. They reached their stop a few minutes early and she hoped they could make it through the evening without him irritating her to that point.

Their trolley arrived and Matt motioned Millicent on first, then followed her up the aisle, taking a seat beside her once she’d slid over by the window. She pretended to be looking at the scenery outside while trying to relax before they arrived at the Talbots’. It did no good to let Matt get under her skin—doing so only served to frustrate her further.

It was a beautiful September evening. Not too cool yet, with only a light breeze, making her glad she had a jacket on. If she didn’t already know she and Matt were totally wrong for each other, she’d be thrilled with the opportunity to spend this time with him without the others around.

“How is the quest to open your business going?” Matt asked.

His question surprised her. Matt rarely showed any interest in her profession, and she wasn’t going to pass up the chance to talk about it. She loved being a photographer.

“Actually, quite well. After taking wedding photographs of Luke and Kathleen, John and Elizabeth, and Ben and Rebecca, word is getting around, and I have several weddings booked this month. I’m thankful my business is growing. I’m hoping to find the right place for a studio before long.”