Charming the Prince, page 8
Well, did I just stick my foot in it?
Answering her question meant he might veer off into a conversation he wasn’t ready to have yet—but he struggled with exactly how to respond.
She said nothing more, pulling off the road and into the circular drive at Holly Hill Inn. She parked the SUV in front of the house and stared straight ahead. “I was born in Appleton. I’m from Appleton.” Slowly, she rotated her entire body toward him.
Swallowing all the things he wanted to say, Alex sucked in a breath and held it.
“Max, what’s going on here? You show up from nowhere with your European accent and your dual citizenship, and happen to just land yourself in Appleton, Wisconsin, to start out your U.S. hike? Appleton, the place where I was born? And now you’re here in Dickens, chumming up to my daughter and working in my diner? Who are you, Max Alexander, and why are you here?”
Alex clipped back. “Working here was your idea, right?”
She pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes.
“Look, Krissy. It’s crazy, of course. Coincidental. Appleton was just a dot on the map for me. A hike has to start somewhere, right? Appleton seemed as good a place as any.”
She stared. He was quite sure she hadn’t bought that explanation.
“Who are you? Why are you here?”
Alex met her gaze and held it for several seconds. She was understandably confused and perhaps a little angry. Should he just tell her? “Krissy…”
She shifted in her seat. “I see this is going nowhere. Can you walk to your camp site from here?”
Dismissed. She’d absolutely dismissed him. Perhaps for the best.
“Of course.” Alex studied her. She appeared uneasy. Hell, he was uneasy. “Thanks for the ride.”
“No problem.”
She pushed her door open and got out, then leaned down to look inside the small SUV. “I think,” she began, pausing for a moment as if measuring her next words, “that it’s best you don’t be so chummy with my daughter right now, filling her head with ideas of things that aren’t true.”
That hurt his heart. “Krissy… Wait. I never lied to Merry. Let’s talk about this. I can explain.”
“No, Max. Not tonight. Tomorrow.”
He turned to push his door open. By the time he’d exited the vehicle, opened the back door for Prince, and had gathered his parcels, she was already on the porch.
Subject closed.
Kat Hall stepped out the front door and waved. “Hey Max! I made chili dogs and fresh corn-on-the-cob tonight if you’re interested. There’s plenty.”
Max wasn’t sure if he was in the mood for chili dogs—or company. He waved and tipped his head back. “I’ll probably pass tonight,” he told her. “But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled at Krissy. “You and Merry are invited, too.”
Aimee and Merry burst out the front door onto the porch. Merry waved big at him and Prince, grinning. Krissy put her arm around her daughter protectively and ushered her back toward the door.
The women conversed quietly. The wooden screen door slapped closed behind them.
Resigned, he and Prince made the short walk around the pond to his campsite. Why had he mentioned Appleton?
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Krissy couldn’t finish her chili dog or her corn-on-the-cob. It was all delicious, as usual. Kat was a great cook. But her stomach was too jumpy to eat much. Nerves, she supposed. The conversation with Max was troubling, plus she worried she’d been sort of mean to him.
She hadn’t meant to be. The discussion about Appleton had surprised her.
The girls ate quickly and were gone again, off to Aimee’s room upstairs. Krissy and Kat sat across from each other at the kitchen table.
“Let me help clear the dishes,” she said, rising.
Kat stopped her with a hand to her forearm. “No, sit. Let’s just push these dishes aside for a minute. I’ll get the coffee. Relax.” She smiled and Krissy felt at ease. “Or perhaps wine?”
Krissy grinned back. “Coffee is fine with me. Thank you.”
At the Inn, breakfasts were Kat’s specialty, since Holly Hill Inn was a bed and breakfast. But Kat was also known for her casserole dishes, which frequented many a community get-together or family pot-luck dinner. Kat also liked to host impromptu dinners for friends, like she’d done tonight, inviting her and Merry.
Dylan was not at home, possibly deployed or on a mission—Krissy wasn’t sure, and she didn’t want to ask. She learned from Ariana and Matt that he worked out of a base in the Carolinas and sometimes in Washington, D.C., so he wasn’t home as much as he, or Kat, would like. But according to Matt, he was working off his years of commitment in the service toward retirement, when he could then spend his days comfortably with his family at Holly Hill.
Kat came back with two cups of steaming coffee. “Sugar and creamer are on the table,” she said. “Anything else you need?”
“No. This is lovely. Perfect.”
And it was. Sighing, Krissy added a spoonful of sugar to her coffee, stirred it in, and glanced about the comfortable home. A lot of hard work, determination, and love was evident within the home’s walls. “You and Dylan have a beautiful home and business here, Kat.” While Krissy had only been in Dickens about nine months, she’d become friends with Kat through Aimee, who was in Merry’s class at school. She wanted to get to know her better and was grateful to spend time with her.
Kat beamed. “It’s an endless project. The early work, of course, was done by my parents. Dylan and I have done upgrades along the way. My mother was the driving force behind the Inn, my dad at the hardware store. You can see her art hanging around the house. She was a beautiful painter.” She paused, perhaps recalling memories, it seemed to Krissy. “She died when I was young. It was a devastating time for both Matt and myself. We lost both parents on the same day.”
Stunned a little, Krissy fixed her gaze on Kat. “I lost my parents early, too. A car accident.”
Kat made eye contact. “Truly?”
Nodding, Krissy said, “Yes. You?”
“It was horrible.”
“I think I’ve been searching for a home ever since,” Krissy confessed, thinking about this being the second time today she’d unloaded on someone. She wasn’t quite sure why she’d opened up like that with Kat. Perhaps it was because they shared a similar past.
Reaching across the table, Kat grasped her hand. “I didn’t know, Krissy. I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t know about you, either.”
“Matt and I were fortunate. Our grandparents came to live here with us until we were grown.”
Krissy fell silent for a moment. “You were lucky you could stay here in your home.”
“Oh, I never take that for granted.” Pausing a moment, Kat studied her. “What happened with you, Krissy? If you don’t mind….”
“It’s okay. I went into foster care for almost eight years. Funny, I was just sharing that with Max this afternoon and hadn’t thought about it in a while. I guess partly it’s because I feel so settled here in Dickens. I’ve been trying to figure out where my home is for a long time. I never truly expected to find it when I moved here, but I think I may have.”
Kat squeezed her fingers. “That is a happy ending. I hope so.”
“We will see. My apartment is small but cozy, and Merry and I are happy there. It came with the lease on the diner, so that’s a plus. But I long for a house in the country where Merry and I can stretch our wings and perhaps have a pet or two. That is, when I can afford it.”
Kat sat back and took a sip of her coffee. “Things at the diner going well?”
“Better than expected. And I think this fall and holiday season will be even better.”
“Are you looking to buy a house or rent?”
Krissy wondered where her questions were leading. “Preferably, buy. But I don’t think I can do that anytime soon.”
“Hm.” Kat took another sip of coffee, her gaze fixed on the table. “Krissy?”
“Yes.”
“Just a thought, but my grandparents’ house is empty now that Matt and Ariana have built a new home on the farm. It’s a cute little New England farmhouse with a couple of acres around it. It’s Matt’s property, actually, but he is thinking of selling. He might consider a rent-to-own or land contract deal to start with. Of course, I haven’t spoken with him about this, but would you be interested in taking a look?”
The thought of that did Krissy’s heart a whole lot of good. That Kat would consider her, want her to be a part of Dickens and their lives… It was a dream come true to be included. But there was no way she could afford it. Not now.
She leaned into the table. “Oh, Kat. It sounds so perfect. But I can’t afford to even think about moving right now.”
“Merry would be close to Aimee. They could ride the bus together to school.”
“That would be great, but….”
“Plenty of room for a dog or two.”
“That’s a plus.”
“And there is a small barn. You could have a goat.”
Krissy laughed. “Merry would love that.”
“I know. I heard her talking about wanting a goat. You don’t have to make any decisions tonight, Krissy. Come by and we will take a look after I talk with Matt. We would be down-the-road neighbors.”
“Oh, Kat. The thought of it is… Well, too lovely for words. But I just don’t see how I can afford it anytime soon.”
Leaning back in her chair, Kat smiled. “You never know. Matt is a motivated seller.”
The girls came thundering down the back stairwell and into the kitchen. “We’re heading out to catch fireflies!” Merry shouted. Both girls had plastic containers in their hands.
And out the door they went.
Kat arched a brow. “See? Wide open spaces to stretch your wings.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it.” She took one last drink of her coffee and stood. “Let’s clear the dishes then I need to gather my child and get home. Mornings start early in the Kringle household.”
“Here too.” Kat rose and took her plate and coffee cup to the sink.
Krissy did the same. “Thanks for having us tonight, Kat. And for the playdate this afternoon.”
“We love having Merry. And you, as well.” She took the dishes from Krissy’s hands. “Now, I’ve got this. Why don’t you take a quick walk around the pond before you leave? Let the girls get some fireflies. You can grab a bit of peace and quiet on the dock. It’s a nice evening.”
“You’re sure? Want to come with me?”
“Naw. I’m positive.” Kat reached in for a quick hug. “You go. Enjoy. Oh, and grab that flashlight by the backdoor, in case you need it.”
Alex separated out his purchases in the tent. He’d needed another spiral notebook for his journal—his old one was getting full of his notes and research—and he’d also bought a few non-perishable food items for himself, and also for Prince. The dog was partial to beef jerky, it seemed. The low-sodium, non-spicy, kind, of course.
As he shuffled things around, creating more busywork than he intended, his thoughts weren’t far from Krissy and the failed conversation attempt he’d stumbled over earlier. First thing tomorrow, he needed to set things right with her. She needed to know exactly why he was in Appleton, who he was, and how they knew each other in the past.
Would it be too much for her to take in all at once?
Perhaps. But he couldn’t see how he could share parts of his story, and not all.
Unless he left out part about him being a prince, and potentially becoming king.
After sharing some jerky with Prince and sipping on a warm cola he’d bought at the store, Max leaned back against an old tree stump and stared into the fire. Across the pond, he could hear Merry and Aimee sprinting about, squealing repeatedly. A few minutes earlier, he thought he saw Krissy heading toward her car, but then lazily made her way down to the lake and the gazebo at the end of the dock.
As dusk settled into near darkness, he lost sight of her and the girls, although he could still hear their excited chatter.
“Ruff, ruff! Grrrr…”
Prince, who had been sleeping by his side, suddenly lifted his head and gave a quick warning bark. His ears lifted slightly into points.
“Grrrrrrr…”
“It’s okay, boy.” Alex stood. “Anyone there?”
He thought he heard feet shuffling but with the fire, couldn’t see too far away from the camp. Then the beam of a flashlight darted left and right on the path.
“Hey. It’s me, Max. Krissy.”
She stepped closer and then he saw her.
“Do you have a minute?” she added.
“Sure.”
To say he was surprised to see her was an understatement. “I know you like your privacy and all but…” She slowed her words as she moved closer into the camp. “Oh, heck, Max. Can we talk a minute?”
Alex stepped closer to her. “Krissy, of course we can talk. I suppose it could have waited until morning, but I don’t like the way we left things this afternoon.”
She nodded. “Same here.”
Glancing about, he pointed. “Do you want to sit? I have a nice stump over there.”
The corners of her mouth drew up into a slight grin. That made his heart a little lighter.
“No thanks. I’ll just stand. I don’t want to be long.”
“I understand.” He stepped closer. “You know, Krissy, I’ve been working for you for a few weeks now, and you’ve been great not to pry even when I’ve been sort of vague and mysterious about myself.”
“That’s why I called you the Mystery Man forever,” she said.
“I want to unravel some of that for you, if you can be patient with me.”
“Some?”
He grasped her hands, cradling them within his. Her eyes flashed wide as he did so, and she studied him, her gaze questioning. But she didn’t pull away. He hoped that was a good sign.
“Can I just jump in?”
She didn’t say anything for a couple of heartbeats, just kept looking into his eyes. “No. First, I want to apologize. I was rude earlier. And I’m sorry about that, Max.”
Her words took him aback. “I really think I’m the one who needs to apologize to you.”
She shook her head. “Max, tell me about Appleton. Why there?”
That wasn’t where he wanted to start. He’d played this conversation over in his head for the past hour. But perhaps that’s where she needed to start.
Well, time to dig in and come clean. “My grandparents lived in a small town near there. Culverville.”
“Really? I remember it.”
“Yes. My mother’s parents, which is why I have the dual citizenship. I would stay with them sometimes during the summer when they were living. Anyway, we lost them about twenty years ago and….”
“I’m so sorry, Max.” Krissy surprised him by letting go of his hands and stepping closer. Watching his eyes, she touched his cheekbone and brushed something away. Her fingertips were soft and inviting. Involuntarily, his lids closed.
“They must have meant a lot to you,” she whispered.
“They were everything.” It was then he realized his eyes were misty. Darn it. He’d not cried in years. Not knowing what to do with his hands now, he swiped at his eyes and then rested them around her waist. Hers landed on his shoulders and she hugged him tight.
“I can tell, Max.”
He sniffled and went on, grateful for her sympathy but a little annoyed with himself for letting the memory of his grandparents get to him. He’d been trained not to show emotion. And now this? He was not going to let his emotions keep him from telling her the truth. He pulled out of their embrace but captured her hand in his.
“So, their home is still there, in Culverville. I spent a few weeks there earlier in the summer, then started out on my hike. Appleton is not far away.”
Again, she searched his eyes. “Max, why didn’t you just tell me that?”
“Because that’s just the tip of a gigantic iceberg of things I need to tell you and I wasn’t ready to go there this afternoon.”
“Are you now?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure. It’s late. You need to get home. We’re both tired.”
She stepped back, letting go of him. “That’s certainly an accurate statement. I am tired of this.”
His arms fell to his sides. The space between them suddenly felt massive. “Krissy….”
“You are certainly living up to your name. Mystery Man Max. I have a feeling you are going to play that role to the bitter end.”
He took a step. “About that. My name isn’t really Max. I’ve not been honest with you. It’s Al—”
“What?” She backed away. “Wait. Why?”
“I…”
“Max. Um… Crap. What do I call you then? Who the heck are you, anyway?”
A couple of girlie screams, laughter, and some unending giggles went up across the pond. Merry and Aimee. Krissy and Alex both jerked to look at them as Kat called the girls up to the back porch.
“I need to go,” Krissy said, still looking toward the Inn. Turning back, she paused for a moment, as if measuring her next words. “Look. I’m not sure whether to tell you to show up for work tomorrow, or not. I don’t know if I trust you anymore, Max. I mean…whoever the heck you are.”
“Krissy….”
“Chef Kringle,” she bit out
“Right.”
She hesitated another second or two. “If you want to work, then work. I’ll either see you, or I won’t. I can’t think any more tonight. I just have one request.”
“What’s that?”
“When you leave? Because I’m sure you are going to… Figure out a way to do it without breaking my daughter’s heart. She sure is attached to that big dog of yours. And to you.”
“If I left, would it break your heart, Krissy?”
Stunned, she didn’t know how to respond. Her heart jack-knifed in her chest and suddenly, her palms were so sweaty she almost dropped the flashlight. “We are not talking about me,” she quipped.
