MISTLETOE KISSES

  NANA MALONE

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Also from Nana Malone

  Nana Malone Reading List

  About Nana Malone

  1

  NOMI

  My office had exploded in Christmas cheer. Indeed, Everywhere I turned there was tinsel and mistletoe and Christmas lights.

  It wasn't like I hated the holidays. But when you grew up where I did and your entire town was known for their Christmas celebrations, you got tired of some of the pomp and circumstance. Never of the eggnog though.

  I really did love eggnog.

  But I never really enjoyed Christmas. My mother was always working. And my father was never really in a celebratory mood. So even though we had the tree, the trimmings and all those things, I knew my mother had a whole other family she would be with most of the holiday. So I never really enjoyed it.

  Not to mention, the holidays in California just didn't feel like the holidays. Palm trees were not exactly festive. I didn't care how many times and ways you decorated them. And without the precursor of fall, Christmas just felt, hollow.

  Nevertheless, my office always did it up for the holidays. It was as if no one could possibly fathom that there might be someone who didn't love the holiday season. Once Halloween was over, the office exploded in Christmas cheer.

  The meeting alert went off on my laptop. I scooped it up, unplugged it and grabbed the mug my assistant had gotten me. The mug read “Save a horse, ride a reindeer.” The reindeer happened to look an awful lot like Ryan Gosling wearing reindeer ears.

  I wasn't mad at it, but still.

  Ella had given it to me two years ago. And last year when I hadn't used it because I'd shoved it in a drawer somewhere, she'd looked sad. Not that she said anything, but she really wanted me to use it.

  This year, I hope she kept it simple and got me a gift card or something. I liked gift cards. They were practical and useful.

  You really are a Scrooge.

  I was not a Scrooge. I liked to give presents. I liked getting each person the perfect thing that they needed. Or didn't even know that they needed until they had it. I just could have done without all the …well, Christmas.

  My managing editor, Brianna Foster, called to me down the hall. “Hurry up Nomi. We need an update.”

  “I'm on my way.”

  Brianna liked everyone to feel like they were family. So instead of pitch meetings being held in the conference room, we all piled into her office. We sat on the comfy couches and kicked off our shoes. During the holiday season, she served hot toddies. Even though it wasn't cold outside. Not that I would turn down a hot toddy, but still. I dutifully extended my mug at the door and Ella grinned when she saw it. She poured me my portion and I took a seat near Brianna.

  All I wanted to do was get our next issue out, and then I would be on vacation. Two solid weeks of bliss. I was headed to the Bahamas. Solo no less. I planned to be like Stella and get my groove back.

  Are you hoping there’ll be a Taye Diggs in the islands?

  Let’s just say I wasn’t opposed to meeting someone. But mostly, I just wanted a break. I’d been going hard for the last several years and if everything went well this time around, I would have my promotion, take my vacation, and come back and hit it hard.

  Oh yeah, that doesn’t sound lonely at all.

  Most of the update meeting went fine. Kyle gave us the advertising numbers for the issue; we already had the frontpage story. Everything was going well until the subject came around to Nolan Polk.

  Ella fidgeted in her seat in her ugly Christmas sweater that had a Santa that lit up the phrase ho ho ho and blinked. Santa was also riding a sleigh. And Rudolph's nose was also blinking bright red. “I'm so sorry to tell you this. We can't find Nolan Polk. So far, the only word we've had from his agent, is that he's not interested.”

  What the hell? Nolan Polk was the center peace of our whole cover story. "What do you mean he said no?" I asked and stared at Ella.

  Ella shook her head. "I'm sorry Nomi. I've tried everything. His agent, Ronyelle, his Facebook page. Hell, I even hired someone, and they can't find him. The guy is a ghost. The only thing I've been able to dig up is that he lives in some place called Faith, VA."

  My heart stuttered. Oh hell.

  Brianna, sat forward. "Didn't you grow up in Faith, Nomi?”

  I swallowed hard and locked my jaw. Just thinking about my hometown was enough to make me ill. "Yeah, but I haven't been back in a long time."

  Brianna sat back. "What do you suggest we do? This twentieth anniversary special edition is supposed to be epic. You turned us on to this guy and he’s perfect for the theme of beauty around the world. We have to find him."

  The whole table looked at me for guidance. Four years ago, Nolan Polk had burst onto the photography scene and become a media darling with an anti-bullying campaign he’d done with Rolling Stone Magazine. They’d done a photo call, looking for up and coming photographers. After that he’d been extremely prolific. Everyone had wanted him. And then two years ago, he mysteriously stopped producing, only donating the occasional photograph for charity. It made him a hot commodity.

  Unfortunately, he was also notoriously reclusive. Sassy Magazine had been angling to get him to do a spread since he popped onto the scene. A photo from him would be the perfect addition to our twentieth anniversary lineup. Though, that was only if we could get him. And that meant finding him first.

  I twirled my pen and tried to steer the direction of the conversation. "I think we should put a private investigator on it. We don't have much time. If his agent can’t persuade him, then we either need to find another photographer or get someone down there. I might know someone who could look into it for us."

  Ella shifted in her chair. "I mean, I’ve tried everything. I even had our people in New York go down to his agent's apartment to try to negotiate. No luck. Maybe his representation is out of town."

  Or maybe Nolan Polk didn't want to be found.

  It wasn't in my nature to back down from a challenge. Okay, not exactly true. I'd once run away from home and hadn't looked back on what I'd left behind, ever. But I was a whole new person now. The kind of person who got things done. "I'll get someone to Faith."

  Brianna shook her head. "I think for something this important, you need to go yourself. I mean you are from there after all."

  Wait, what? No, way, no how. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

  Brianna pursed her lips as she always did when she was about to school someone. "You're from there. You know the locals. How hard will it be to ferret out one guy? You can do that in your sleep."

  My skin went cold. I could do this.

  No. No you can't. You can't go home to Faith. "Well, I mean it's the holidays and everything so I'm thinking there is a good chance even if I can track down where he lives, he won't be there." Not to mention that Faith was one of those towns that exploded during the Christmas holiday. See earlier about how I lacked Christmas cheer.

  "Nomi, this is what we need right now. Can you commit to getting the job done?" Brianna asked.

  Amber Divine leaned forward, her perfectly curled red hair bounced. "I can go if Nomi doesn't want to. I'm more than happy to be a team player." The way she said my name set my teeth on edge. I only let Brianna and Ella call me Nomi in the office. But I wasn’t going to have that battle now. Amber was trying to get under my skin.

  The two of us had been in the running for a Senior Editor position for months. If I let Amber go back to Faith and my competition got the Nolan Polk picture, the promotion I wanted so badly would go to her.

  My boss tapped her pen against her lips. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. Having more boots on the ground will help."

  Ella leaned forward. "I can have you guys on the first plane out in the morning to Richmond and scheduled to even come back before the holiday. From Richmond, you’ll just need to grab the train to Faith, Nomi, but you know that. I know how you feel about Christmas, you'll be in and out."

  "I really think it would be better to hire someone. Like a professional. Amber doesn't know the area and we'd be looking for a needle in a haystack." I squeaked. I hated the idea of Amber doing what I couldn't.

  Or won’t.

  Couldn’t. I decided. After everything, there was no way I could go back home.

  Brianna frowned. "Why do I get the impression you don't want to do this Nomi?"

  Because I don't. "Of course I do. I’m just worried we won't find him there during the holiday."

  "Then let's hope you find a lead quick, because you're both heading to Faith."

  I slumped in my chair. If I was going home, then I needed some reinforcements. And I’d have to make some arrangements. Ella was good at her job, but she didn't know Faith. Tourists started pouring into the town right after Thanksgiving and didn't let up till the New Year. It made hotels and car rentals to tool around town a nightmare.

  As soon as the meeting was over, I trudged to my office and made
a phone call I never thought I'd be making. At the same time, I started an online search for a rental car and hotel. The Resplendence Inn seemed to have rooms, so I sent the link to Ella to book. But so far I’d struck out on a car rental. And Faith wasn’t exactly bustling with ride share companies. If push came to shove I could taxi it, but everyone knew everyone’s business in Faith. There would be no hiding if I did that.

  And then, I called the one person who could calm me down. Also, she happened to be the only person who knew why I hated Faith. After three rings, a harried Jilly Porter answered the phone. "This is Jilly."

  I exhaled slowly. There was something comforting about my best friend's voice. "Hey girl, it's Nomi."

  "Nomi! Honey, it's been two months since we talked! Why is that?”

  She was right. It had been two months. I kept meaning to call her every weekend. But then I got embroiled in work and then it was too late to call. “I'm sorry. That's my bad. I text you every other day though.”

  “That's not the same and you know it.” Leave it to Jilly to call me on my shit.

  “Listen, we'll keep this short and save a big update for when I come home.”

  There was a breath of silence on the line. then, an ear-piercing squeal. “You’re coming home? When?”

  “Tomorrow. Any chance you can grab your girl from the train station?”

  “You just tell me what time and I will have a ride for you. Probably Linc.” She cursed then. “Damn it, I wish I could chat, but I'm getting stuff ready for a shipment. Here, talk to Linc."

  My brain stuttered as she handed the phone off; “Long time no speak, stranger?”

  The voice I remembered wasn't the one on the line now. When had his voice gotten so deep? From the time I moved to Faith, Jilly and I had been inseparable. Which meant that everywhere we went, Linc hadn't been far behind. He and Jilly ran in the same circles at school, but I could never say I knew him that well. Even though he’d also been best friends with my ex.

  He’d never said much. But I’d always found him unsettling. Like I was always hyper aware of his presence. And Linc was more watchful than anything. He'd never needed to be the center of attention. And he'd helped get us out of more than a few scrapes thanks to my big mouth and Jilly's impulsive nature.

  Although, I couldn't explain it, I always got the impression that he didn't like me. Maybe because he always looked so angry when I was around.

  "Uh, Linc, hi. It's Nomi. Naomi Adams from Faith?"

  There was a beat of silence. Then another beat. When he spoke again, his voice was low and raspy. "You honestly think I'd forgotten you? Without you, Jilly probably would have ended up as a rock star groupie or worse."

  He had no idea how close he was with his teasing guess. Jilly and I had once snuck out to go to a Foo Fighters concert and Jilly had been hell bent on getting backstage by any means necessary, including flashing the bouncers her boobs if she had to. I had barely managed to talk her out of it.

  "Listen, I'm sorry to impose, but Jilly volunteered you to pick me up at the train station tomorrow night. I know it's an inconvenience, but I can’t seem to get a single rental car in the area."

  "Yeah, the holiday rush is in full swing." His voice was warm and mellow, like melting chocolate. "Not to worry. It's cool. Just text Jilly the details and I'll be there."

  Good ol' Linc. "Thank you. It's much appreciated. I'll owe you one."

  "I'll hold you to it." There was a beat of silence, then he said, “Last time I saw you, you said you were never coming back to Faith."

  Yeah, I had said that. And I'd meant it. "Apparently, never say never. I need to come back for work."

  "You work for a magazine now, right?"

  I had no idea why, but just talking to him made me a little nervous, my skin started heating. It must be the voice. It made it easy for me to forget I was talking to Jilly's brother.

  "Yeah. They’re sending me back to find Nolan Polk. He's supposed to live in Faith."

  There was a long beat of silence. "What do you need him for?"

  "Well, it's our twentieth anniversary edition and we're looking for some of his photos for a spread."

  "I don't get it. Wouldn't you normally call his agent or something? I assume a guy like that has an agent?"

  "Yeah, tried that. No luck. She isn't responding to our requests. So anyway, it appears I'm headed home to try and find him."

  Linc's voice was soft, quiet. "Well, if anyone can find him, it's probably you. You always had a way of coming out on top."

  I swallowed hard as my brain conjured up an image of myself on top of Linc, back arched in bliss. What the hell was wrong with me? Just because his voice was all grown and sexy didn’t mean he’d grown with it. If he didn’t like me then. He sure wasn’t going to love me now.

  “I owe you one Linc. I’ve got a lot riding on this.”

  His voice dropped an octave. “Oh, I plan on collecting Nomi.”

  2

  LINC

  Naomi Adams was coming home. When I hung up, I leaned my head back against the wall and shut my eyes tight. Caught somewhere between elation and dread, my brain tried to make sense of what she'd said. I'd had a thing for Nomi since she'd moved to Faith, but she'd never noticed me. She'd always treated me like a brother. Then she went out with my idiot best friend, and I’d lost my shot. Back then even though I never told her how I felt, it still felt like betrayal that she chose him. I may or may not have had a chip on my shoulder about it.

  "You should look happier. Why don't you look happier?" Jilly asked.

  I peeled an eye open to glare at my twin sister. She matched me in coloring, from her inky black hair to her jade green eyes. Her features were softened, more feminine versions of mine, down to the slight dimple in her chin. The only dissimilarity was the foot difference in height. She liked to tease that I'd stolen all her height genes. "That was low, Jilly. You should have given me some warning."

  "Now why would I want to do that? Besides, are you going to pretend that you don't want to see Nomi?"

  "I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I handed her back her phone. At times like this, I regretted the two of us being so close. It was impossible to hide anything from her.

  "Bull. Eight years is a long time to hold a torch for someone, little brother."

  “You’re only older by a minute, Jilly.”

  She slid me a sideways glance. "What? You thought you were slick back then? Come on, for the most part you were pretty shy, but the moment Nomi was around, you had to peek out of your little shell and hang around. Not to mention you were pea green with envy once she started dating numb nuts.”

  I pinned a narrow-eyed gaze on my sister. Lucky for me, I'd outgrown that shy awkwardness and I'd filled out. No one would call me awkward and skinny now. But eight years was a long time. The last time I'd seen Nomi, she'd been running for the first train out of town after Brad cheated on her with Lila Banks, and chose the Banks money and connections, over her.

  "Did you tell her?"

  Jilly’s brow furrowed. "What? No! I was hoping you would get up the balls and do it yourself. But I guess you never did."

  The night she’d run away, Nomi had turned up at our house looking for Jilly to give her a ride. But my sister hadn't been there. Nomi had walked the two miles over from the country club in the rain after Brad had dumped her and she’d been soaked through.

  When she asked me to swing by her house so she could grab her stuff and then take her to the train station, I hadn't tried to talk her out of it. Maybe because it hadn't hit me till we were on the platform that she was actually leaving. My stomach still knotted whenever I remembered what I'd said to her then. "You always deserved better than him."

  And then like a fool, I’d kissed her.

  I was pretty sure I’d fumbled my way through it. I’d made out with girls, but none I really cared about. And Nomi had been everything I wanted.