A squeal came from the entry area, and Trista called out urgently, “Steven, come here. Quick.”
Steven raced toward the door.
“Who is it?” Lexi asked as she started down the ladder. No one answered, but when she reached the bottom and turned around, she saw for herself.
Kyle Miller. Looking impossibly handsome, his presence filling the room though he hadn’t even entered it yet, but stood on the edge of the carpet. He smiled. “You guys didn’t come to my party, so I brought the party to you.”
“Look, Mom,” Steven yelled. “He brought us ice cream. We’re going to have ice cream with Kyle Miller.”
“How’d you know where we live?” asked Trista.
“I’ve got connections.” He smiled. “Besides, it wasn’t hard to discover. I live right next door.”
The kids’ eyes grew larger.
“We live next door to Kyle Miller,” Steven said in hushed, awed tones.
Lexi resisted rolling her eyes at the hero worship. Like the guy needed a bigger head. “Need more titles for your snowman capers?”
Kyle smiled at Steven and handed him a bag. “If it’s okay with your mother, why don’t you go scoop up the ice cream for us?”
The kids looked at her. She was trapped. She smiled what must be a sickly smile. “Sure.” Yeah. Scoop it up. Great. She’d known she couldn’t keep her kids from learning he lived next door for long--but she wasn’t ready to deal with this tonight.
As the kids raced off toward the kitchen, Kyle took a step into the room. “Listen, we got off to a bad start the other day, and I’d like to fix that, if I could. I’m very sorry that I ruined your snowman. This house has been empty for so long and the neighbors are always decorating my yard with lights and snowmen.” He smiled again. “They think it’s funny to Christmas my yard. I didn’t realize it was your snowman, or that anyone would care what I did with it. But I’m very sorry.” Then he just stood there, all handsome and solemn, waiting for her to speak.
Well, she’d be a total jerk if she didn’t accept an apology that nice. She stepped forward, too. “I forgive you.” She scowled in mock ferocity. “But don’t think that’s going to keep me from coming up with future titles for your books.”
To her surprise, he laughed. “So what’s the title of the day?”
“Let’s see.” She put her fingers to her forehead, stretching out the moment. “To Kill A Snowman.”
“I like it.”
She relaxed. And that was probably a foolish thing to do with a handsome man like this. Especially one who had that “interested” gleam in his eye, whose smile warmed her, and who seemed to fit in too easily with her family. She needed to keep up her guard.
She didn’t need a man in her life. Remember?
Everything was fine just the way it was.
No changes.
Remember?
And then her kids raced back into the room, their faces bright with delight at having their favorite author here.
* * *
Kyle watched the expression on Lexi’s face and wondered what made her look so pale.
She must have realized he still held his coat, because she finally offered to take it from him, and hung it in a closet.
“Your house looks great.”
“Well, it should.” Finally, she smiled. He’d guessed right--without the scowl, she was very pretty. “I have a decorating show and people expect it of me.”
“A show?” he parroted, sounding like an idiot. That must have been what the film crew had been doing yesterday.
The little girl spoke up proudly. “On Channel Four. Alexis Anderson.” She sounded like she knew he’d recognized her mother’s name.
He did recognize her mother’s name. That’s why she’d looked so familiar. “You’re Alexis Anderson? The up-and-coming Martha Stewart of the new millennium?”
“Guilty.” Lexi smiled. “Only without the prison term.”
“You look taller on television.” He whistled. “No wonder your house looks gorgeous.”
“Thanks.” She motioned toward the kitchen and the two kids who stood there, waiting for him. “Besides, I love Christmas.”
“Well, of course you love Christmas. You’re paid to love Christmas.”
Instead of being offended, she simply smiled. “I already loved Christmas. I just also happen to get paid for it now.”
“My family should have called you to host the family party, not me. I’m no good at this kind of thing.”
She led the way into the kitchen, and the kids fell back with him, and started asking questions. The questions all kids asked him: What’s going to happen in the next Jared Strong book? Will Melinda ever get Jared to notice her? Will anyone ever outsmart Jared?