Merry and Bright Read online

To Jayson’s amazement, Mary stopped walking, pulled her hand free of Jayson’s, and started a conversation with the man. Thankfully, the conversation was a short one. Then, before he could stop her, Mary removed the chocolate cake from the bag and handed it to him, along with the plastic spoon.

  “Merry Christmas,” she told the man, and then rejoined Jayson.

  “You’re only encouraging him,” he muttered once they were out of earshot.

  “Maybe,” she agreed, “but my guess is he’s never had any dessert that will taste nearly as good as that chocolate cake.”

  And likely one that hadn’t cost that much, either. Jayson didn’t begrudge the man the ultra-rich dessert. He was in for a treat.

  The doorman greeted Jayson and looked mildly surprised to find him with a guest. Jayson led Mary into the garage and to his assigned parking spot.

  After opening the car door for her, she stared at all the lights and features in the car. After giving him her home address, he entered it into his navigational system and exited the garage.

  They shared a companionable silence on the ride home. He enjoyed the fact that Mary didn’t feel the need to fill the quiet and that she was content to sit in the heavy flow of commuters and listen to the music playing on the radio. Rarely had he been more aware of a woman at his side.

  Mary was completely unpretentious and unlike any woman he’d ever known. Jayson was willing to admit that driving her home had been an excuse to spend more time with her. Already he was thinking of excuses so he could see her again.

  He parked in front of her house. One look at the three-story Victorian told Jayson that this was more than a house. It was a home. Brightly lit wreaths with big red bows hung from nearly every window. The porch was surrounded by cheerful lights.

  Mary interrupted his thoughts, and he took his eyes off her home.

  “I had the most wonderful evening,” she was saying. “Thank you for everything.”

  “I did, too,” he returned, and it was no exaggeration. Her dimple deepened as she looked at him. He couldn’t take his eyes off it. He found her one dimple simply adorable.

  He should climb out of the car and walk her to the door, he thought, but he couldn’t make himself move. Mary glanced his way and it looked for a moment as if she had something on her mind. All he could do was hope it was the same thing that was on his.

  Leaning forward, he pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss was gentle, more a grazing of their lips. A testing. Her mouth was moist and soft, so incredibly soft. Right away he knew it wasn’t near enough to satisfy him and he wanted more. Needed more. Tucking his hand along the base of her neck, he brought her closer, deepening the exchange. To his delight, she leaned in to him, opening herself to him and sighing with pleasure. On second thought, he might have been the one who breathed out his own need, his own pleasure.

  As sensation filled him, Jayson felt as though a weight had been lifted from him, freeing him from the burdens of his youth. A heady rightness that was physical as well as emotional crept over him. He’d been kissing girls since he was thirteen, but he’d never felt anything even close to what he did with Mary. He slowly released her and sat back, wondering what this might mean.

  Following the kiss, all that either of them was able to do was stare at each other in total amazement at what had just happened. Mary smiled and then he did, too, unsure if she felt anything even close to what he had.

  She must have. How could she not?

  He braced his forehead against hers and resisted the urge to kiss her again, afraid that if he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

  “I should go inside,” she whispered, and then cleared her throat as if she found it difficult to get the words out.

  “I’ll see you Monday.”

  “Okay. It’s my last day in the office.”

  “I know.” To his way of thinking, that was good news. She wouldn’t be working for him, which meant no one from the office need know they were seeing each other. He assumed they would continue dating. He couldn’t imagine not seeing Mary again.

  He walked her to the door and was strongly tempted to kiss her again but restrained himself. With her hand on the door handle, she hesitated. “Thank you again for everything.”

  “I appreciated the advice about online dating,” he said, reminding her of their earlier discussion at the restaurant.

  “Sure. Anytime.”

  “Listen,” he said, stopping her by placing his hand on her forearm. All at once it became important to make sure this was only the beginning and not the end. “Would you like to go out again…sometime? When it’s convenient for us both? I know you’re seeing someone else, so if I’m stepping on anyone’s toes, I apologize.” If she was serious about the other man, then she’d let him know.

  “I’d like that,” she said without hesitation, her face alive with a smile, as though she wanted this as much as he did.

  “And this guy you’re seeing that you met online…?” He left the question hanging, eager to hear her response.

  “Aren’t you involved with someone online as well?” she asked without answering him.

  Merry.

  Jayson wanted to slap his forehead, aghast that she had completely slipped his mind. “Yes, of course. I need to resolve that.”

  She smiled and then kissed his cheek. “I’ve got a relationship to resolve myself.”

  He waited for her to open the door and step inside before he returned to his car and headed back into the city.

  —

  Once back at his condo, Jayson decided to log on to his computer to see if Merry had left him a message.

  He discovered she hadn’t, but Patrick had.

  Jayson, Merry isn’t home from work yet. She won’t be here when you want to talk to her. I thought you should know.

  Dad got a jigsaw puzzle and we’ll put that together Christmas Day. We do that every Christmas. It’s fun, but I’m not good at finding the pieces. Merry helps me. Please don’t be mad at Merry. And don’t tell her I sent you a message, okay?

  So while he was out on a date, Merry was working overtime. He felt a pang of guilt, not that he should. The guilt had to do with the fact that she had completely slipped his mind.

  He grinned as he leaned back in his chair and stared at the computer screen. Like Cooper had said, only Jayson could become involved with two women with the same name. But Jayson was determined not to complicate his life. He had a decision to make and had a strong feeling about which way he leaned.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Merry

  Merry woke Saturday morning with the most delicious feelings. Her evening with Jayson had been above and beyond anything she could have expected.

  His kisses lingered in her mind, warming her.

  She had no idea she could feel so much in a simple kiss. Thinking about it made her want to wrap her arms around herself and hold on to the memory. Their time together had been wonderful in every way. She loved the walk to the restaurant, sharing the bag of roasted chestnuts, listening to the wandering Victorian singers, glancing in the display windows and looking over the Christmas decorations. Merry couldn’t remember a time she’d enjoyed more, and it had nothing to do with the fancy dinner. It was him, all him.

  While they were parked outside the house, she was tempted to tell him she was the Merry he’d met online. But then he’d kissed her and that was the end of that.

  She really needed to get up and help her mother, but before she could convince herself to leave the luxury of her bed…

  “Merry?” Her brother called from the other side of her bedroom door.

  No time to dwell on Jayson any longer. “Yes, Patrick?”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Sure.” She sat up in bed and drew the covers up tighter around her torso to avoid the chill.

  Her brother cracked open the door and peeked inside. His eyes avoided hers, which was a sure sign he’d done something he thought would displease her.

  “Patrick?”

>   “It’s Saturday.”

  “I know.” He kept his gaze down on the floor.

  “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  Adamantly shaking his head, Patrick looked away, but not before she saw his eyes widen, as if he feared she’d been able to read his mind.

  “Then why won’t you look at me?”

  He shuffled his feet. “Because if I look at you then you’ll know.”

  “Know what?”

  His shoulders lifted with a huge sigh. “Okay, I’ll tell you. Last night when you went out with the mean boss…”

  “He isn’t mean…I just didn’t know him.”

  Not to be dissuaded, her brother continued. “Anyway, while you were out I logged on to Mix & Mingle and left a message for Jay.”

  This should be interesting. “Did you tell him I was on a date with another man?” she asked.

  His eyes shot open and became as round as golf balls. “No, I wouldn’t do that. It would hurt his feelings.”

  That was her brother, hyper-aware of doing anything unkind.

  “I told him you weren’t home from work yet and not to be upset with you,” he said, and then quickly added, “but I didn’t say why he should be upset. It was okay to say that, right?”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Oh, and I told him about Dad buying the jigsaw puzzle to work on Christmas Day and that I need help finding the pieces and that you help me put them in place so I don’t feel bad. I might not have said all that exactly, but that was what I was thinking.” He chanced a look her way, keeping his head lowered. “You’re not mad, are you?”

  “Of course not. Who could be mad at you?”

  “Sophie is. She wanted me to kiss her at the Christmas dance and I didn’t want to because people were looking and she got mad.”

  “Is she still upset with you?”

  He shook his head and then grinned. “I kissed her later in the dark.”

  Mentioning his kiss with Sophie reminded Merry of kissing Jayson, and she expelled a sigh.

  “Hey, would you like to bake cookies this morning?” she asked, knowing baking was one of Patrick’s favorite activities.

  His face lit up with a huge smile. “Can we make the ones where you put your thumb in the cookie?”

  “Sure, thumbprint cookies it is.”

  —

  Saturday passed in a blur. After baking cookies with her brother, they delivered baked goods to the neighbors who had been helpful with Patrick and her mother. It was a small thing to do and showed their gratitude.

  Later, Merry did the grocery shopping at a strip mall for the week. As she pushed the shopping cart toward the family car, she passed the window of a dress shop. Uncertain what caught her attention, she glanced at the outfit in the display. The dress was made of red silk, hitting about mid-thigh, with full length sleeves and a touch of lace at the fingertips. It was simple, chic, and spelled the holidays.

  Mesmerized, Merry nearly stumbled before she could stop herself. For one crazed moment, she saw herself in that dress, walking toward Jayson when she revealed her identity. Merry would casually stroll toward him, the silk dress moving seductively against her body.

  Jayson would be eagerly waiting to meet her. It would happen at the company Christmas party scheduled for Monday evening. There’d be music and champagne and magic in the air. Their eyes would meet and Jayson would be unable to look away from her. As she approached, his gaze would flare with appreciation, and he would be blinded by surprise that he had known her all along but hadn’t realized the online woman was the very one he’d held and kissed. Then, unable to resist, he would hurry to meet her halfway. Naturally, he’d gently take her in his arms, and like the scene from one of her favorite romantic movies, You’ve Got Mail, he’d whisper in her ear, “I’d hoped it was you.”

  Well, she could dream, couldn’t she?

  It was silly, unrealistic, and about as far-fetched as Santa scooting down the chimney to deliver gifts. Nevertheless, the fantasy lingered in her mind.

  Still, the lure of that dress was strong. Before she could give in to the temptation to go in and try it on, she pushed the shopping cart into the parking lot and unloaded the groceries and headed home.

  —

  Saturday evening Merry logged on at eight-thirty, their normal time. Sure enough, Jay was waiting for her.

  Hey, she wrote.

  Hey! Missed talking to you last night. Don’t tell me that boss you’re always complaining about made you stay late again.

  Didn’t realize I complained that much about my boss.

  All the time, but you haven’t so much lately.

  Yes, well, I’ve had a change of heart about him.

  Oh?

  He’s not half bad. I’ve come to like him quite a bit, actually.

  I’ve always pictured him as old and cranky. He’s not?

  Nope. Young, your age, and good-looking, too.

  There was a pause before Jay responded.

  Are you trying to make me jealous?

  Not really. I think we all need to have a more generous attitude toward others, especially this time of year.

  Ah, Christmas. What is it with women and Christmas?

  She read the message twice, unsure of his tone. It almost seemed that he was dismissing her Christmas spirit. Merry chose not to look at it that way.

  I do love Christmas.

  Speaking of which, I’m anxious for us to meet.

  Oh?

  It’s time.

  Yes, I suppose it is.

  Past time. I don’t want to be put off again.

  I understand.

  Good.

  Tell me when and where and I’ll be there.

  His answer showed up almost immediately. The company where I work is in the downtown area, which I assume is relatively close for you. We have a Christmas party scheduled Monday evening. You should come.

  He listed the address and told her the time.

  I’ll be there.

  I’ll look forward to meeting you at last.

  Me, too.

  They chatted for a bit longer until Patrick told her he needed the computer. He wanted to email Sophie. She explained to Jayson that the family had only the one computer. Merry would like nothing better than to get her brother his own; with only one laptop in the house, they were all forced to share. Merry so often controlled it in the evenings now that she felt obligated to get off when asked.

  —

  Sunday morning, the family was up early for church. Because this was the last Sunday before Christmas, the choir was going to perform the cantata. Patrick was excited, and his enthusiasm rubbed off on Merry.

  She’d spent a restless night, planning how best to reveal herself to Jayson the following evening at the company Christmas party. She wanted it to be a welcome surprise and not one that would upset or embarrass him. As she pondered what was best, regrets crowded her mind. Not revealing herself to Jayson had gone on far longer than she’d ever intended. Everything hinged now on Jayson’s reaction to her true identity.

  She pictured him holding out his arms, smiling at her. Then he’d tell her that he’d guessed it was her from the very beginning.

  That was the best scenario and the one least likely.

  Her mind reviewed another. In this one, his eyes were cold, his mouth pinched, all the while glaring at her and accusing her of playing him for a fool.

  Always the optimist, Merry went for option number one. Not that she was completely convinced once he learned the truth he would be pleased. Delighted, even. Well, a girl could hope.

  Following church, Merry had lunch with her family when the house phone rang.

  Her mother answered. “Yes, hold on a minute, she’s here,” she said and handed the cordless receiver to Merry.

  “Who is it?” she mouthed.

  Robin shrugged but had a gleam in her eye. “He didn’t say.”

  He? Now Merry was all the more curious. “Hello,” she said tentatively.


  “Hey.”

  Her heart leaped into her throat. It was Jayson. “Hi,” she whispered, feeling giddy inside, a bit like she did in junior high when Mason Dunlap, a boy she’d liked, had phoned her.

  “I hope you don’t mind. I asked HR for your phone number earlier in case I needed any more help over the weekend. And I wanted you to know I’ve arranged to meet Merry.”

  “Merry?”

  “Yes, the online woman I mentioned.”

  “Oh.” Her heart started a drumroll beat, as if playing out taps before a firing squad.

  “You were right to suggest we each resolve our other relationships,” he said. “I gave her a time and place to meet.”

  “Didn’t you mention at dinner that she’d left you hanging once? Rather rude of her, if you don’t mind my saying so. Do you think she’ll show this time?” she asked, her heart in her throat. She could almost feel her pulse hammering away on the side of her neck.

  “I can’t say.”

  “I bet she will.” Merry did her best to hide her nervousness.

  “It’s her decision. If she doesn’t, then I guess I’ll know that it wasn’t ever meant to be.”

  “From what you said Friday evening, you enjoyed your online chats and getting to know her.”

  “True,” he agreed, albeit reluctantly, and then abruptly changed the subject. “I was calling to see how things are going with you.”

  In other words, he was asking if she’d followed through. “I…I haven’t had a chance yet…you know. It’s only been a couple days and…” She didn’t know what more to say.

  What she needed to do was tell Jayson, right then and there, that Mary was Merry, but it seemed wrong to blurt it out over the phone.

  “I understand.”

  She was convinced she heard disappointment in his voice.

  “Have you had a good weekend so far?”

  “I have. You?”

  He sighed softly. “I enjoyed getting to know you, Mary, and wish you the very best.”

  Lowering her voice, she whispered, “I enjoyed our time together, too.”

  Merry started to fill him in on her weekend activities when the phone beeped with an incoming call. “I should probably get that,” she said, reluctant to let him go.