The Rock Star's Christmas Reunion: contemporary holiday romance (A Charisma series novel, The Connollys Book 1) (14 page)

Bax tossed Alvin a cellophane wrapped Frango, handed the box to Jess or Amanda, he wasn’t sure who was who, and pulled out his wallet. He’d replenished his five hundred dollars walking-around money, and didn’t make a ceremony of pulling out all five bills and handing them to Yakima.

Haldana’s eyes widened as she bit into a Frango. “Nice going, cuz.”

He thrust his wallet back into his jeans. “It’s going to a good cause. Have a great night, and I hope the next house has some eggnog for y’all.”

“Y’all?” Haldana repeated. “You’re from Washington State.”

He winked at her. “I’ve been converted to Southern boy.”

“I believe it,” Jess or Amanda said. “I have the first Dealy Band album and I’ve never heard so many country clichés. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the songwriting credits and found our own Bax Connelly’s name all over them.”

He straightened, refusing to take it as criticism. “That album went triple platinum. I think we gave the core audience exactly what they wanted.”

“It was a great album,” Yakima said loyally.

“You aren’t making any money for the Salvation Army standing here,” Bax said. “Have a great night, everyone.” He stepped back, waved, and shut the door.

As he walked back into the living room, he heard the carolers start a version of “Deck the Halls.” For a second, he wished he was going with them, but he had an ex in a catsuit waiting to go dancing with him. She had to change the boots though. They made her look more dressed for Halloween than Christmas.

But when he made it upstairs, he discovered she’d paired the catsuit and boots with an off-the-shoulder forest green cashmere sweater, making the outfit almost holiday-like, especially for a music industry girl. He decided he’d have to put up with the boots.

But the image of Yakima, in her sturdy jeans and Ugg boots, thick wool sweater and pretty pink cheeks, stuck with him as he drove into Portland. And in his mind, “Silver Bells” played on a loop. He had his earworm for the night.

~

“Do we have any idea how many people are coming to Bax’s party tonight?” Yakima asked, as she placed candy buttons down gingerbread men for the afternoon’s Battlefield Holiday Bazaar. “Do you think people aren’t going to show again?”

“I told him to stop by with his guest list.” Haldana opened the oven and pulled out a tray of thumbprint cookies.

Yakima took a deep breath of the delicious almond butter cookie, studded with a glistening cone of chocolate ganache. “Save me one of those.”

“Will do. How are we keeping the party and the bazaar cookies separate?”

Yakima pointed to the racks along the far wall. “You didn’t notice those? One for each event.”

“Oh, nice. You splurged?”

“Used the dinner party money. If we’re doing more than one event at a time we’ll need them. And I had good news.”

“More bookings?”

Yakima grinned. “A New Year’s Eve buffet from the dinner party, and a cookie delivery for one of the city council members. That’s for Tuesday, so we’ll be baking again on Monday.”

“Wow, you’re actually keeping us busy, then.”

“I know. You can have Sunday off, since I just have to work the bazaar, but then it’s cookie craziness on Monday.” She heard a knock on the door and wiped her hands on her apron. “Think that’s Bax?”

“Probably. Should I make myself scarce?” Haldana pursed her lips into kissing position.

“Very funny. I told him there was no me while Remy was in the house.”

“Good call,” Haldana called as Yakima walked into the foyer. “Play hard to get with the rock star.”

Bax stood behind the glass door, rubbing his hands together. He didn’t seem to know how to dress for the cold anymore. Good thing the climate was usually temperate around here.

She opened the door and gestured him in. “Do you have the final count for your party?”

He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. His lips were cold and she could smell mint M&Ms on his breath. “No hello?”

She rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek back. It was bristly with a day’s growth. “There you go. You look pretty good for a guy who went clubbing.”

“We just danced for a couple of hours.” He shoved his bare hands into his coat pockets.

“So you didn’t drink?”

He shook his head. “Never, not these days.” He grinned suddenly. “And I didn’t want any bags of exhaustion under my pretty blue eyes tonight.”

“Right.” She shook her head at him. “We’re just finishing up cookies for the bazaar at the Community Center. I’m going to run our table while Haldana preps your apps and then we’ll bring everything over before the party.”

“Sounds good. I’m going to do a Costco run and pick up beverages and cups and everything. I left Remy at home. Don’t want to see how Costco would react to her.”

“Might cause a riot,” she agreed.

“All she has to do to stay anonymous is leave off the false eyelashes, wear a hat with her hair hidden, and dress down.”

“But she won’t do it,” Yakima guessed.

“She likes attention,” he agreed. “How about you? Do you like a little attention?” His fingers grazed her cheek.

She stepped away. “Not right now, I don’t. What’s the final count for your party?”

“Twenty-three RSVPs, plus the out-of-towners, about ten of them.”

“I’ll assume forty, then,” she said. “Some people just don’t RSVP, and some will bring friends. Four apps, four cookies per person, right? That’s what we decided?”

“You got it. Should I stop by the bazaar later?”

“Sure.” She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Remy can solo with the high school choir when it performs.”

“Mmmm.” He shook his head. “They’d be scarred for life. Anything else?”

“Sure, you can buy my centerpiece if no one else does.”

“What is it?”

“The most adorable gingerbread house you’ve ever seen. I made two of them, one for each day we have a table. They have icicle frosting lights and everything.”

“What time does the bazaar end?”

“Five. Then I scoot back here and on to your house. We’ve been doing bazaars every weekend, so we have it down to a science. Haldana and I will have everything ready to go at five-thirty.”

“I’ll stop by at four-thirty,” he offered. “We can put the house on the dining room table. If no one buys it.”

“It’s not cheap,” she warned. “But it’s edible. I just finished it yesterday so it’s even fresh.”

His lips curved. “How about you, sweetheart? You fresh?” He leaned forward and sniffed her hair.

“Eau de cookies,” she joked.

“I do smell chocolate,” he said. “Come at me with some freshly baked pumpkin pie in your hair and I’ll be putty in your hands.”

She tilted her head. “Good to know, but wrong holiday.”

“Think I’ll still be here next year for Thanksgiving?” he asked.

She wanted to make a joke, but something in his voice told her he might really want an answer. “If you want to be,” she said. “But eventually the Dealys will want to record again.”

“I’m writing songs now. But even though I might travel, I could always come back. This could be home base, if it works out.”

She took a deep breath. “Then I guess you’d better make good with your brothers.”

“What about you?”

“All you have to do is get rid of Remy.”

His eyes shifted and his voice dropped to a low, sexy purr. “And then you’re mine?”

Her body responded instantly, but she fought the hormones. “And then you can take me on a date,” she countered. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

A smile flickered on the corners of his mouth. “I’ll have to write you a song. I bet I can get you to give it up for a song.”

Her mouth made an O of outrage. “I’m not some high school ho!”

He leaned closer, his breath brushing her ear. “I write much better songs than I did in high school. Real panty wetters.” He winked at her then was out the door before she could think to respond.

Some guys would get slapped for saying something like that, but he said it with such a sexy, confident air, that she did feel a stirring in the female zone. Not to mention, he would know the reaction his songs had on his fans. Sighing, she pulled open the door to the kitchen and went back in. Too much to do before the bazaar began. She’d better set a timer so she knew when she had to be out the door.

~

Bax centered the gingerbread house he’d purchased from Yakima on a red table runner on his dining room table.

“That’s pretty,” Valkyrie Erickson said. On break from med school and the same age as Thora and Ingrit, her father, Beau, was Haldana’s cousin. “I’m guessing you didn’t make it, unless you’ve really changed.”

“Not that much,” he grinned. “Though I have more free time than I used to.”

Valkyrie made a face. “And I have none. But I’m done with school in June, then on to residency.”

“Where are you going to go? Do you know?”

“I’m hoping to work around Los Angeles somewhere. My family has been moving south for work and I’m the only one who’s been living in San Francisco.”

“I still have my house in L.A. If you work anywhere near it you can live there, but with the traffic, you’ll have to be pretty close to make it worthwhile with the hours you’ll be pulling.”

Valkyrie ran a finger along the licorice chimney. “I’ll be doing my interviews soon, but I haven’t heard what hospitals are interested enough in me to offer yet. We’ll see how it all lines up.”

“Cool. I’m happy you were able to come north for the party.”

“I’m just glad to get a few of us out of California. You won’t believe how busy Crowe and Thor are, along with Dad.”

“I know Crowe has his new girlfriend keeping him busy. But no Viking either?” Bax said, mentioning the oldest of Valkyrie’s brothers.

“No. He’s in Arizona doing field research for his Ph.D. program.”

“He never seems to be around.”

“I know.” Valkyrie smiled as Remy came into the room and wrapped her arms around Bax. “This your girlfriend?”

“Ex,” Bax said, disentangling himself. “But we’re still friends, as you can see.”

“With benefits?” Valkyrie said with a smirk as Remy preened.

“No,” Bax said flatly.

“Hey, man.” Will Dealy came into the dining room.

Bax hadn’t realized the country music star had arrived. He hadn’t RSVP’d. An unrepentant country boy, he wore flannel, boots, and a cowboy hat, but his jeans were designer, giving a hint as to the state of Will’s bank account these days.

Valkyrie’s professional demeanor sagged a bit as she took in the sight of six foot five inches of country-boy-done-good. Even Remy blinked.

Bax unwound Remy from him and did the handshake shoulder bump combo with Will, then introduced his cousin and his ex.

“How y’all doing?” Will asked. “Merry Christmas.”

Valkyrie opened her mouth but no words came out. Yakima entered the room through the opposite door, holding a heavy silver tray with fancy red glass cups. Thankfully, she didn’t seem effected by the sight of Will Dealy, and she set the tray down without any damage to either the glasses or the new off-white carpet the interior designer had inexplicably installed in the room, while leaving the hardwoods elsewhere.

“Whew!” Will exclaimed. “That’s quite an armful. You must have waitressed once-upon-a-time.”

Yakima nodded. “During college. My muscles are relearning the balancing arts now that I’m catering.”

“I can’t wait to try this.” Will winked. “Though I’m normally a beer man.”

Bax’s eyes narrowed as he witnessed the exchange. Why was Will flirting with Yakima? Where was an “Off Limit” sign when you needed one?

Will picked up one of the glasses and drank half the contents. “Woohee, that’s delicious. Cranberry, right?”

Bax wanted to tell him to cut out the beer-battered bullshit, but Will always talked like something out of an old Cowboy Western, while simultaneously looking like a cowboy from an old cigarette ad. Old school, that was Will Dealy. “How is your sister and the baby?” he asked.

“Good. Spending Christmas in Atlanta.”

Bax moved in for the kill. “And how’s your little one?”

Remy’s forehead wrinkled at edges, where the botox wasn’t keeping it paralyzed. He knew that Will having a child would cause his ex to lose all interest. Yakima, on the other hand, had leaned in, as had Valkyrie.

Just then his father stepped in, followed by his brothers, and Beau. The four men filled the room, but Will stayed focused on Bax.

“My little slugger is with his mama and his grandparents for the holidays. We share custody, but since he’s still breastfeeding I don’t mess with the schedule right now,” Will said.

“Just a baby then,” Valkyrie said. “What’s his name?”

Remy’s attention had moved to Dare and Niall. She seemed to dismiss Bax’s youngest brother quickly enough, but her gaze lingered on Dare, who had been dressed by their father for the evening. He wore the infamous green bow tie, just like their father.