The Mobile Mistletoe Series (Books 1-4) Page 5

  When she brought up Brown’s idea about Celtic Leaf going into the big box stores, Carrick stayed quiet. He didn’t want to ruin a great day.

  Mr. Tim barked and ran around the car as Carrick helped Zoe pull the raft from her trunk.

  “Tight fit. I’m surprised you were able to get the raft in there at all. Are we going to be able to get it back when we’re done?” Carrick asked.

  “Hope so.” Zoe squatted and pulled the inflator from the box and hooked it to the cigarette lighter. The whir of the motor began to inflate the raft.

  “Sorry about the dog. Aine wanted me to take him.”

  “Its fine, I used to have people bring their dogs on the raft trips all the time.”

  He reached in his bag. “Aine bought him a little doggie life vest.” He held up the blue rhinestone studded vest.

  Zoe grinned and rolled her eyes. “You better put it on him.” She looked around. “Where is he?” She jumped up, called the dog’s name, and then turned to Carrick. “Did you see where he went?”

  As he shook his head, she grabbed her life vest and ran toward the river. “Did you see him jump in? The water’s flowing fast this time of year.” She pulled the vest over her shoulders, zipped it up and ran into the water. “There he is!”

  Before he could say anything, she was out in the river. Carrick waded out after her. The rush of the river swirled around his legs. The dog was trapped against timber debris, his head bobbing under as he tried to paddle short legs. In a few strokes, Zoe reached the dog and yanked him free. She held his little head above water as she swam back to the bank of the river.

  Carrick helped them out.

  “I have a blanket in the car,” Zoe said. She hurried over and wrapped the shivering, wet dog in the blanket. She held him to her chest and pointed to Carrick’s hand. “Guess we were a tad late with the life jacket, huh?”

  Carrick didn’t realize he still held it. He dropped it on the ground and came towards her. If she was shivering before, being soaked through added to her shivering ten-fold. “I have a brilliant idea. Let’s not go on the raft, and I’ll build a fire.”

  “Don’t... you want... to go... river rafting?” she said between chattering teeth.

  “No, that was Brown’s idea. I love being outdoors, but it doesn’t need to be floating down the river. Let me make a fire. Come on, it’s the least I can do for your saving Mr. Tim.”

  ****

  In fifteen minutes, Carrick’s fire was roaring. Zoe huddled on a log rubbing her hands together, but the tips of her fingers were still numb. They decided to put Mr. Tim in the car. He’d be safer and out of trouble. He howled in protest.

  Carrick threw another small chuck of wood on the fire. It was still early in the season and there were no burn bans yet against open fires in the forest. He stood over her and dropped down to sit beside her. Without asking, he wrapped his arm around her and cuddled her against him. His chest was solid and he felt like a warm furnace against her frozen body.

  “I stood there acting like a right eejit while you jumped in the river.”

  “Is the dog not used to being around water?”

  “Aine lives in a condo. I doubt Mr. Tim’s ever seen a river, much less knows he shouldn’t jump in. I can’t blame the poor little fella.”

  “Do they have many rivers in Ireland?”

  “Oh, aye. Rivers and loughs... lakes. Ireland is beautiful. Much like here with all the green.”

  “Do you miss your home?” she asked wanting to keep him close for as long as possible.

  “I miss Ireland. My family has money but they’ve never really made what I would call a home. With my father away on business, my mother traveled and left us with nannies. Aine is my family, but I feel I don’t know what to do with her half the time.”

  “She’s a little spoiled maybe, but she’s nice to the people around her. She looks up to you and listens when you tell her things. I can tell she loves you very much.”

  A blush tipped Carrick’s cheeks and ears. “She didn’t listen to me in the bar.”

  “She felt terrible getting drunk and spent the whole morning apologizing.”

  “That was an evening I’d like to forget.”

  Zoe tried to keep the hurt from her voice. “Yes. Forget the whole evening.”

  “Just the part with Aine acting the maggot, mind you. Not kissing you.”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about half of the time.”

  “Maybe I need to talk less.” Carrick took her chin and tipped it higher with his thumb. His gaze dipped to her lips and then back to her eyes as he slid a finger along the line of her collarbone. The shivers she felt were not from the cold.

  He kissed her.

  Zoe’s brain worked as she tried to keep the business plan in mind. Business, not pleasure, but the heat of his kiss took her breath away. Zoe whimpered as her traitorous lips parted against her will. She gave over to the power of feeling him pressed against her. Carrick was an obsession she knew she couldn’t shake.

  When he broke away, she needed more. She curved one hand behind his neck and drew him close.

  “Zoe,” he whispered her name against her lips. He kissed a trail over her cheek and down the side of her neck where she felt her pulse beat wildly. Finally, he pulled back. “I think I need to stop. Don’t get me wrong, I ache to make love to you, but not here. I guess I am a tad spoiled too. I don’t want you in pine needles and dirt, I want you in a bed with a down duvet and fluffy white sheets.”

  “That sounds like my bed.”

  “So it does. I know. I slept in it the other night. Very comfortable. Would have been much better with you in it.”

  “Carrick. I really like you.” Zoe ran her hand up through the mass of her wet, curly hair and sighed.

  He gave her that adorable crooked grin. “You do? That’s good, ‘cause I...”

  She cut him off and placed a finger to his lips. “Let me finish. No, I mean I really like you. My best friend told me last night she’s getting married this summer. She’s only known Jack for a month! I never would have believed that someone could fall in love that fast.”

  “Now you do?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what I believe. I’m supposed to be out here on business. Working on business.”

  Carrick dropped his gaze from hers. “I don’t want to talk about business.”

  A long pause stretched between them. “You’re not going to sign on with Creative Solutions, are you?”

  Carrick looked grim. “I just... can’t. I’ve spent my entire career trying to prove myself to my father. Now that he’s ill, I’m the CEO and need to make what I feel is the right decision for the company. Brown’s direction is not right. I’m sorry. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position.”

  She tried to sound light. “My boss will forget about it in a few days. So you’re going back to Ireland?”

  He nodded.

  So. That was that. Too bad she already passed on the damn headband. Maybe she could get it back for round two.

  Chapter 6

  Stupid Murphy’s Law.

  Anything that can possibly go wrong, does.

  Zoe tried to steady her trembling hands as she put her potted plant in the small cardboard box.

  At the meeting that morning, Carrick informed Brown he was taking a different direction with Celtic Leaf. After the meeting, Carrick had a plane to catch back to Ireland and said goodbye. He gave her an awkward peck on the cheek. Not less than five minutes later, Brown called her into his office, fired her and told her to clear out her desk.

  Those five minutes sucked.

  Kim, a friend from the office peeked her head around the corner. “Hey, need help?”

  Zoe kept emptying drawers. “Nope, but thanks.”

  Kim hooked a hand on her hip. “I hope I don’t get in trouble for this, but good riddance to that Kelly guy. After you were so nice to him... showing him Seattle. I caught up with him in the parking garage and gave him a pi
ece of my mind. You’re a great person and I told him you were fired all because he changed his mind. I figured it didn’t matter, we’d never see him again.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” a deep voice said behind Kim.

  Kim spun. “Mr. Kelly. I...uhh...thought you had a plane to catch.”

  “I thought I did too.” His gaze never left Zoe’s.

  “Why aren’t you heading for the plane?” Zoe asked. He took a step towards her but she held up her hand. “Don’t. Please. I...can’t. Not right now.” She wasn’t going to cry. Not in an office full of people. Not in front of him. “Just go.”

  “Give me a reason to stay,” Carrick said softly.

  Brown came up behind them. “What’s going on? Kelly? What are you doing here? Did you change your mind?”

  Carrick turned on him. “Téigh trasna ort féin.”

  “What did he say?” Kim whispered to Zoe.

  “It’s Gaelic... and we probably don’t want to know,” she answered and watched anger tighten Carrick’s handsome face.

  “You fired her?” Carrick growled. “My decision to not sign on was in no shape or form a reflection on Zoe’s work. I didn’t like your ideas, or your direction for my company.”

  Brown’s face grew red as he shook a finger at her. “She undermined me, putting her own ideas ahead of the company’s.”

  Carrick turned back, sincerity replacing anger on his face. He pulled in a deep breath. “Zoe, the ideas you have on small, boutique, specialty stores? That is the direction I want to take. I want your vision and ideas for my company.”

  Zoe felt her eyes widen. “My ideas?”

  “I’m opening a branch in Seattle and I will need a director of marketing. The job’s yours if you’ll take it. I want to work internally, with my own people. With you.”

  Zoe blinked, not sure she’d heard him correctly.

  “I have one other request. I get to be part of the job package. You’re right, all of this is crazy... and fast...did I mention crazy?” He strode to her and captured her hands in his. “I want to mix business and pleasure. I think we can do it. I love your ideas and I... well, let’s give the other half of that sentence a few more days.”

  His hands slid through her hair as he held her head still and kissed her.

  The girls around her in the office swooned.

  Slowly Carrick ended the kiss. “You’ll come and work with me then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have a passport, lass?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. As my new director of marketing you will need to see the factory.”

  “In Ireland?”

  “Yes... in Ireland. The plane’s at five.” He took a card out of his pocket, scribbled something, and handed it to Kim. “Send Miss Grant’s office belongings to this address. It’s the new Seattle office of Celtic Leaf.” He smiled at Kim. “Thanks for telling me off in the parking garage, it helped me make my mind up to come back. You are right. Zoe is a grand worker, who deserves better. Oh, and Kim? If you’d like to come work for Zoe at Celtic Leaf, the number is on the card.”

  Kim stared, open mouthed, “Okay, Mr. Kelly.”

  “You rented Seattle office space? When did you do that?” Zoe asked him.

  “I have a Smart phone too and a great commercial realtor.” Scooping his arm protectively around Zoe’s shoulder he turned to Brown. “Too bad. Today you lost a great employee. She does deserve better, and I’m going to make sure she gets that.”

  Zoe and Carrick walked past office cubicles and headed for the elevator.

  As the plane banked over Ireland, the sun rose over the horizon and cast an orange glow over the lush green hills. Sheep, cows and castles dotted the countryside.

  “It’s beautiful,” Zoe said.

  “Yes, beautiful.”

  When she turned, she saw he was looking at her, not the scenery out the window. Her heart flipped.

  Aine sat across the aisle. She giggled and clapped her hands together. “I’m so happy Carrick found a girlfriend I like!”

  “Found. Settled. Good-to-go.” He waved a dismissive hand at Aine. “Don’t mind her. She’s my baby sister—she says silly things.” Carrick whispered, “As far as where you’ll be staying? If it’s all right with you, I have a feather duvet and fluffy white sheets, too.” He grinned and kissed her ear.

  When the plane landed, Carrick took her hand and led her through the terminal.

  “I have some bad news.” He tried to frown. “Now that you’re in Ireland, you’re the one with the accent no one will understand. Welcome to my home.”

  Zoe was so happy, she was floating. She had always done everything by the book and now she was doing something totally out of character.

  There was only one thing that could make her act this way. She was in love.

  Carrick’s green eyes sparkled as he tried to wrap his arms around her. Side-stepping, she pulled her phone from her purse, dialed the overseas code and number, and then waited. Zoe grabbed Carrick by his coat lapels for a quick kiss before she heard, “Hello?” on the other end of the line.

  “Kara? It’s Zoe. You were right about the headband. It does have secret powers, and in a hundred years you’ll never guess where I am.”

  Love Comes for

  the 4th of July

  Story 3

  Chapter 1

  Jess Caldwell couldn’t stop smiling. One of her best friends, Kara, was getting married next week and she was so happy she thought she’d burst. She pulled the mobile mistletoe headband into place and did a grand curtsy in front of the full-length mirror. Kara and Zoe found their men while wearing the headband, and she had to play along about being happy with the promise she’d made her girlfriends.

  “As the next in line to wear the prized mobile mistletoe, I feel it is my duty to wear it with honor and pride,” Jess stated. “But do I have to wear the stupid thing at the wedding?”

  “Hey, don’t make fun of the headband. I think there is something to be said about it. I wore it and found Carrick, and Jess wore it first and now is marrying Jack. Jack’s the greatest guy in the world. Well, he’s the best guy in the world after Carrick.” Zoe smiled.

  “This thing has taken on a legendary status. Nevertheless, I hate to break it to you. It’s just some red velvet, a chunk of metal wire and plastic mistletoe. It has no magical powers,” Jess said.

  Kara crossed her wedding dress-clad chest. “If you say so. But we’re standing proof.”

  “Listen ladies.” Jess put a hand on her hip. “There is no man in my near or far future, so I think you had best pass the headband on to Jane.”

  Both Kara and Zoe said almost the same words simultaneously, “No! It doesn’t work like that.”

  Zoe shook her head. “No, you agreed to wear it next until a man kisses you. If you don’t, it might mess up the magicalness-ju-ju for Jane.”

  Jane laughed, flopped down in a dressing room chair and hooked a leg over the armrest. She rubbed at the newly obtained and healing rose tattoo on her forearm. “No way. I haven’t decided if I’m taking the thing after you as it is. But I figure if you say there are no men in your future, I’ll have time to decide. It’s all you, babe. And you’re not stealing my magicalness-ju-ju chance at it. It’s bad enough you got me in a dress for the wedding.”

  “You don’t like your bridesmaid dress?” Kara’s face drooped as she frowned. “I tried really hard not to get something gaudy or stay-puff marshmallow looking. I think the dresses are more sundresses than bridesmaid’s dresses.”

  Jane popped up out of the chair and wound an arm around Kara. “Hey, that’s not what I meant. You know me. I’m just not used to wearing girly stuff. I love the dress... as dresses go.”

  “Look at us.” Jess gazed at herself and the other three girl’s reflections in the mirrors. “We all look beautiful. But not as beautiful as you, Kara.”

  “I’m getting married!” Kara squealed in delight as she straightened the satin fitted gown.
The dress fit her friend perfectly. It was simple and elegant for the outdoor wedding Kara planned.

  “We’ve been together since we were kids.” Jess felt tears sting her eyes. “We’ve grown up through schools, boyfriends, and college and we’re still best friends. How will our lives change now that Kara has a soon-to-be husband and Zoe a serious boyfriend? Will we still get together for girl’s night out?”

  “Of course we will,” Zoe said.

  Jess didn’t want to face the possible truth. Life evolved. Friends fell in love. She would have to wait and see if she and her girlfriend’s relationships changed. She didn’t mind being single. She ran her own business, The Petal Peddler, a local flower shop and loved her work. But spending her day around women was not the perfect avenue to find Mr. Right. The men who came in ordered anniversary arrangements or flowers for the women they already had in their lives.

  She knew Kara’s older brother, Darrin, was back in town for the wedding and that wasn’t going to be easy. He’d probably have a gorgeous girlfriend on his arm. Jess secretly carried a mega crush on him for years, but there was no way that was ever going to happen. The last time she saw him, she’d been in high school and he wouldn’t give her the time of day. He’d always thought Kara’s friends were big pains in his rear. Since she had no boobs, his nickname for her was ‘concave’.

  Jess made a silent pact with herself. If Kara and Zoe thought this silly mobile mistletoe had something to it, then maybe after the wedding she would put herself out there again and try to date more. Get dressed up and go to... what... the library? She wasn’t a pick-guys-up-at-a-bar kind of woman. Oh well. She slid the headband back over her blond hair. For now, she would wear the headband to make her friends happy.

  She’d worry about love some other day.

  Jess looked at the large wall clock over the front desk counter. “We need to get out of these dresses, so I can take you to the shop. You still need to make the final decisions for the flowers; we only have two days.”