Bride Under the Mistletoe: The Magic of a Family Christmas

Tired from the day out, Harry fell asleep on the sofa and Wendy carried him up to bed.

When she returned downstairs, she tuned the television to one of her favorite shows, but without the distraction of Harry, her mind drifted back to that kiss with Cullen.

She pressed her fingers to her lips. It was hard to believe that a man like Cullen would find her attractive, let alone that he’d kiss her. But she did eventually make some sense of it. In their discussion over tea, they’d realized how different they were. They both knew nothing would come of this attraction, so maybe he felt safe in kissing her? He probably considered it a one-time thing. A chance to give in to the attraction, albeit a little, just for a taste.

The very notion made her dreamy and she sighed heavily. Was it so wrong to want a little romance in her life? Just a little. Just something to make her believe that someday she would find somebody else.

Realizing the television show wasn’t going to hold her attention, she walked back down the hall to the library, found a book and went to bed.

Because she read most of the night, she woke late and the morning routine she’d envisioned with Harry went to hell. The twenty minutes they had before Harry had to be at school were pure chaos. She’d called the principal on Friday morning, after she’d gotten word that she would get Harry on Saturday morning, and had had them reactivate his records. He was actually returning to the very class he’d left. That part of things worked out so well that she couldn’t let him be late for his first day back. She quickly dressed Harry and herself and headed out the door to drive him to school.

She took him to the office where one of the administrative assistants walked him to the room he already knew. Happy that she’d gotten him to school on time, she breathed a sigh of relief, then realized getting him to school on time had made her late. She thanked the principal and raced out of the building to her car.

Even driving as fast as was allowed on the quiet streets of Barrington, she was twenty minutes late for work.

At her desk she shucked her coat and scarf, waving silent hellos to coworkers who said good morning as they passed her door, and walked to the open door of Cullen’s office.

Dressed in a dark suit with white shirt and pale-blue tie, he looked as good—as yummy—as he always did.

“Sorry I’m late.”

He glanced up from the computer. Their eyes met. Everything female in her burst with life and energy just from the look in his beautiful dark eyes. It was all she could do not to sigh with longing.

Instead, she cleared her throat. “Harry and I had trouble getting accustomed to our morning routine.” There was no way she’d tell him that she’d overslept because she hadn’t been able to sleep the night before because she’d been thinking about how he’d kissed her. He might be attracted to her, but he’d made his choice. And she’d made hers. Attracted or not, they weren’t a good match.

“Ah. First day of school.”

“I was lucky enough to get him back into the class he was in before his mom died.”

“That’s great.” He glanced down at his desk then up at her again. “Did you tell him I had to leave? That’s why I didn’t say goodbye?”

She nodded. “He wants me to invite you to dinner.”

He laughed. “Tell him thanks.” He paused then added, “But just between you and me, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Staring into his dark eyes, she wanted to sigh with disappointment, but they’d actually come to this conclusion at the breakfast table Sunday morning. They were attracted, but different. Too different really to have a relationship. No matter how good the kiss at her door.

“Okay.” She took a careful step into the room. “Is there anything you need me to do this morning?”

“I’m fine for now.” He caught her gaze again. “But I’d like you to walk with me into the plant when I make my morning rounds.”

“To introduce you?”

He nodded.

She smiled. “Okay. Just let me know when you’re ready.”

She left his office extremely proud of both of them. They were adults who knew better than to give in to silly chemistry. There were too many differences between them. They came from two different worlds. Wanted two different kinds of lives. So they were being smart. Savvy.

It was nearly lunchtime before Cullen had her guide him through the plant. He’d already met with the supervisors, so his trek around the manufacturing floor was to give the regular employees a chance to get comfortable with him.

They stepped through the door separating the office from the cooking area and were immediately immersed in the scent of chocolate. The men by the kettles grunted greetings, but otherwise kept to their work. The men watching the assembly line where chocolate poured over creamy centers, smiled and said, “Hello.”

But the female candy packers visibly stared as Wendy introduced him to the group in general.

“These are the first-shift packers.”

Cullen smiled and nodded. “Ladies.”

“Good morning, Mr. Barrington.”

“And back here we have shipping and receiving.”

A titter of giggles followed them as they walked away. Wendy pressed her lips together to keep from laughing herself. Cullen had just made himself the object of everybody’s fantasies and today’s lunchtime topic of conversation.

After visiting the remaining departments, they returned to their work space.

Cullen paused by her desk. “They all seem like very nice people.”

He said it as if that surprised him and Wendy gaped at him. “Of course they’re nice!”

He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. “Yes. Of course.”

With that, he went into his office and closed the door. Wendy stared at it for a few seconds, thinking his comment was odd, but shook her head to clear it of any thought of Cullen. It was better not to get too involved, especially not to try to figure him out. Plus, it was time for her to go to lunch.

In the small lunchroom, she pulled her brown bag from the refrigerator and made her way to the table where her two friends sat.

“He’s cute!” Emma Watson said before Wendy even sat down. Ten years older than Wendy, Emma was a short brunette, married with two kids.

“Yes, he is.”

“And you’re single,” Patty Franks reminded her. A fortyish blonde, recently divorced, Patty continually tried to get Wendy to hit the bar scene with her.

Wendy laughed. “He is a rich man with an exciting life in Miami. What the heck would he want with a little Pennsylvania bumpkin like me?”

Emma and Patty exchanged a look. Emma sighed. “Uh, Miss Pennsylvania Bumpkin, it seems to me you were married to a doctor. I’m guessing you have to know you’re the kind of woman a rich guy wants on his arm.”

Wendy gaped at her. “You think I want to be on some guy’s arm?”

Patty pressed her hand to her chest. “I would kill to be able to attract a guy like that. You should be dressing a little better,” she said, pointing at Wendy’s simple red sweater. “Wearing perfume. Tempting him.”

Wendy’s mouth fell open. “Are you nuts?”

“I saw him looking at you,” Emma said slyly. “He likes you.”

Wendy felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. Maybe she and Cullen weren’t as good at hiding their attraction as they believed. A little honesty was the only thing that would nip this in the bud. “Even if we were attracted, think it through. We aren’t suited.”

“I’m almost tempted to ask you to pretend you are.” Patti leaned close to Wendy and whispered, “We could use a spy. There’s a rumor going around that he’s actually here to close the plant.”