Cole's Christmas Wish

“Nope. Not a one.” Grinning, Cole held up a to-go box. “Thought we’d eat outside today, is all. Cupcake enjoys winter picnics and I like to do things that make her happy.”

“Isn’t that...nice.” Rachel loved the outdoors, but really—a picnic in the dead of winter?

“She thinks so.” His expression became contemplative. “If the thought isn’t appealing to you, I’m sure Cupcake will understand. She doesn’t have a lot of free time today, though, so we’ll probably have to put this meeting off to some other—”

“No!” Ouch. Way too loud. Lowering the volume, Rachel said, “I love winter picnics, Cole!” She looked around, didn’t see anyone resembling a toy poodle. Or for that matter, an actual toy poodle. “I assume she’s meeting us there...wherever there is?”

“Good assumption. I’ve always appreciated your above average observational skills.”

“Are you being sarcastic?”

Instead of replying, he winked and curved his free arm through hers. “We should get a move on,” he said. “Before you freeze standing there. The walk will help warm you up.”

“I’m warm enough, but sure...let’s go,” Rachel said brightly. “We wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”

“Nope,” Cole agreed as they took off at a brisk pace. “That would be rude.”

“And she wouldn’t like having to wait, would she?” Ugh. She hadn’t meant to sound snide. “Based on what you said last night, that is, about her being determined once she makes up her mind.”

“Why, Rachel Merriday, are you calling my girlfriend impatient?” Cole’s body shook with silent laughter.

“Yes, actually,” she said, his amusement pushing her irritation to new heights. “I am.”

He let out a heavy-sounding sigh. “I’ll admit that her tendency skews toward the impatient side, but I find the trait rather endearing. Helps keep me on my toes.”

“You’ve always preached patience,” Rachel pointed out, disliking the mysterious Cupcake more by the second. “To me, anyway.”

“Yup, I have. You two are quite a bit alike in the impatience...determined department.” Cole guided her around a small group of folks gathered in front of the hardware store. “In a manner of speaking, our friendship has gone a long way in preparing me for this relationship.”

Rachel stopped and narrowed her eyes. “Are you implying that I’m a complicated woman, Cole Foster? Because if you are—”

One long, weighty look halted her words. Goose bumps popped up on her skin and a tremble passed over her as he, inch by inch, appraised the full length of her body.

“Wh-what are you doing?” she stammered.

“Ascertaining you’re still a female,” he said. “And you are. So yes, Rachel, you’re a complicated woman. As is my sister, my mother and every other woman I’ve ever known.”

Unable to regain her bearing, Rachel started walking again, though she had no clue where they were headed. Over her shoulder, she said, “I guess that means you owe me.”

He caught up to her, his long stride erasing the distance she’d created in no time flat. “Owe you for what?”

“Why, preparing you for this relationship, of course.” With a flip of her hair, she marched forward, refusing to look at him again so soon after her body had darn near melted.

Once again, he entwined his arm with hers. He slowed their pace down to that of a leisurely stroll. In a voice dripping with laughter, he said, “Oh, you have, and you’re right, I absolutely owe you. What’s your price?”

“We can start with ‘Cupcake’s’ first name,” Rachel said as they approached the local elementary school. Hmm. If they were having lunch here, did that mean Cole’s girlfriend was a teacher? “It’s becoming tiresome referring to her as a baked confection...or the generic ‘her’ or ‘she.’ So what gives, Cole? What’s her name?”

“Driving you crazy that you don’t know, isn’t it? There,” Cole said, nodding toward and then leading them in the direction of the school playground. “I’ll brush the snow off one of the benches and we can get settled.”

“Cole!” Rachel said, exasperated, and okay, a little crazy. “What. Is. Her. Name?”

“Uh-huh, driving you crazy. I bet,” he said slowly, “you’re coming up with all these excuses why I haven’t told you yet. One of them is probably that my family doesn’t approve.”

“Do they?”

“They like her just fine, Rachel.” He shrugged, causing a lock of black hair to fall on his forehead. Her fingers itched with the want to stroke it back into place. “But I can’t tell you her name.”

“You...can’t tell me your girlfriend’s name?” Rachel yanked her arm out of Cole’s and settled her hands on her hips. “Why in the world wouldn’t you be able to give me such basic information about the woman you’re seeing?”

“Why do you do that?” he asked instead of answering. “Repeat my statement in question form, as if ascertaining you heard me correctly? You know me well enough, or you should, to know I don’t say something unless I mean it.”

“Because what you’re saying is absurd.”

“Only because you don’t have the proper information.” Cole handed her the box of food. “Give me a minute here, and I’ll explain everything. Over lunch.”

It was a Thursday, but the playground was empty. Too cold and snowy for outdoor recess, apparently. Rachel shielded her eyes and turned in a circle, looking for the woman they were supposed to be meeting. No sign of Cupcake. Shouldn’t she be here by now?

“She isn’t here,” Rachel said, giving heed to the instinct she’d had ever since Cole’s phone call that morning. “She isn’t coming. She was never coming. Isn’t that right, Cole?”

Cole faced her, his expression serious. “No, she isn’t. I used meeting her as an excuse to give us some privacy, without Andrew’s presence.”

“I see.” Rachel counted to ten, slowly. “Why?”

“Because I need your help.”

“My help? What type of help?”

“See? You’re doing it again, making a question out of my statement.”

She tapped her foot once. Twice. And waited.

“It’s like this, Rachel.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. “My mind is set on proposing to this woman I love, on Christmas day. But I’m experiencing some...let’s call them difficulties, in getting her to see our relationship the way I do. I need your help in romancing her, priming her, so to speak, so she’ll say yes.”

“Proposing? As in...marriage?” Rachel whispered, not caring in the least that she’d rephrased his statement as a question. “As in, this Christmas?”

“That’s my goal. And that’s why I can’t, or won’t, tell you her name. I want someone who doesn’t have any preconceived notions about...Cupcake.” He paused, as if weighing his words. The corners of his mouth curved into a tiny grin. “Yep, that’s what I need. Someone who can be objective in their advice, based on what I see in this woman, in what I tell them.”

Rachel swallowed, backed out of his hold. “And you’re afraid that if I know her name, I’ll...what? Somehow learn something about her that will hinder my ability to...help you woo her? By the simple virtue of having her name?”

“Exactly! Why, you might accidentally bump into her at the Beanery, or at Foster’s. If you don’t know her name, you won’t know it’s her, see what I’m getting at? Or you might hear some folks chatting, and if her name came up, you’d be all over that.” His smile widened in smug satisfaction, as if he were extraordinarily pleased with his explanation. “This way, you have to rely on the information I give you, so your viewpoint will be the same as mine.”

“I see.”

“I knew you would.” Cole grabbed Rachel’s hand and squeezed tight. “This woman is special. Every detail needs to be right. Just right. She deserves so much more than she knows, and I want to be the one to give her everything. And more.”

Wow. Just...wow.

“I guess I don’t understand,” Rachel somehow managed to say. “If you love her, and she loves you, why do you need any help? Especially mine?”