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  She lifted an imperious brow. “Or not.”

  “Aw, come on. Brody will enjoy it.”

  “Fine, but you get to calm him down when we take away his goodies and brush his gummy teeth afterward.”

  Ridge sobered. “I’d give anything to do something so mundane as brushing my daughter’s teeth again.”

  Caitlyn swallowed hard. This man had lost everything. Who was she to deprive him of a fun moment with her son? It didn’t matter that Brody wouldn’t remember.

  Ridge would.

  They found a child-sized table and settled Brody onto a miniature chair. Deborah draped a bib over his clothing. Ridge kept one hand against his back while handing Brody colorful candies, surprised to note that the gingerbread houses were actually made from cardboard. Deborah, of whom Ridge informed Caitlyn was a teacher, had obviously kept durability in mind when designing them.

  Brody decorated himself more than the gingerbread house. Caitlyn took out her phone and snapped several pictures. Ridge looked up and smiled. Why, oh why, couldn’t Brody’s father have been more like this thoughtful and caring man? Ridge deserved a wife who was every bit as wonderful as he was. He deserved another chance at happiness.

  Her heart constricted at the thought. Maybe someday he would find the right woman and have a family of his own to love.

  Maybe she would, too, by the time Brody left for college.

  ***

  “Thank goodness for wipes.”

  “Yeah. I used my entire supply,” Caitlyn said with a grimace as they walked back outside. “Let’s hope we don’t find anything else messy or gooey.”

  “Like chocolate chip cookies?” Ridge pointed to two tables showcasing the cookies from the bakeoff. “They’re for sale.”

  Caitlyn groaned. “No more sugar.”

  “Does hot chocolate count?”

  Caitlyn pretended to consider. “Not tonight.”

  “Good.”

  Ridge bought two hot chocolates. They meandered around the town square, sipping their hot drinks, looking at all the craft displays and being mindful of Brody when he reached for their Styrofoam cups. Caitlyn decided to purchase a stuffed animal reindeer for Brody and Ridge broke a ten for a pair of knitted mittens from an older lady selling them at a booth.

  At the edge of the square, Ridge sighed when they came upon the long line that preceded the mistletoe kissing booth. “What is that line for?” Caitlyn asked.

  “The mistletoe kissing booth. Guess who volunteered to run it?”

  Caitlyn’s jaw dropped. “Oh, no. Not . . .”

  “Yep. The one and only country singer Grant Reel.”

  “Eww.”

  Ridge laughed at her horrified expression. “It’s all for a good cause—his. Not only will it bring in more money for the town but it will boost his popularity. Look over there.” Ridge gestured toward the mistletoe kissing booth, whose line consisted mostly of women. They parted for a reporter holding a microphone as she was followed by her cameraman. As they inched closer, a shapely woman plunked a folded bill into a slotted canister and lean forward. In typical Grant Reel fashion, Grant cradled her back and gave her a long, slow kiss. Cheers and catcalls erupted from the crowd at the same time the camera flashed.

  “He’s hamming it up,” Ridge said in disgust.

  “That’s what Grant does best.”

  Then, to their chagrin, he proved it by calling out to the crowd, “Hey, look. It’s my long-lost brother and my ex-wife, Caitlyn Drevier. Come on over here and get your money’s worth. What do you say, honey?”

  A sick feeling entered Ridge’s stomach as Caitlyn blanched. What was his brother up to now? “Don’t do it.” They turned away when the reporter started a predatory march toward them.

  “I don’t believe it. You and I had a thing, babe. We used to spice it up. How about giving me a kiss for old times’ sake?” A shout went through the crowd. Caitlyn held tightly to Ridge’s arm. He clenched his teeth, hoping with every breath that Grant would see he was fighting a losing battle and go back to his entertainment of the hour.

  “Cait-lyn Drev-i-er,” he sing-songed. “You’ve put my son in my brother’s arms. How do you think that makes me feel, honey?”

  Caitlyn stopped and turned terrified eyes onto Ridge. “This is worse than I thought,” she whispered. “He’s using Brody to fan his fame.”

  “He must be drunk. Or high again.”

  “Come on over here and show me that you still love me, darlin’.” They both turned to see Grant stuff a wad of bills into the canister. The reporter’s cameraman couldn’t seem to decide where to point his camera. “There. You see? I paid your ticket.”

  Ridge started to walk away but froze when Caitlyn reached for his hand. “I have an idea. Follow me.”

  Chapter Eight

  Ridge shook his head even as he followed Caitlyn down the path the crowd had formed for them. “This is a really bad idea, whatever it is.”

  “Just wait and see.”

  She led him and Brody to the kissing booth and looked her ex-husband straight in the eye. “I believe you paid for a kiss, Mr. Reel?”

  “I sure did, honey.”

  Turning to the crowd, Caitlyn said in a loud voice, “Let me get this straight. You all want me to kiss Mr. Reel?”

  The crowd exploded, no doubt drawing the attention of every person in the entire town square. “All right.” With a final nod, Caitlyn leaned ever so slightly toward Grant. Then, at the last second, she seemed to change her mind and wrapped her arms around Ridge, baby and all, planting a big one on his lips.

  Caught off guard, he quickly recovered. Although the cold breeze had stiffened his lips, Ridge molded his mouth to hers. She responded in a way that could have melted the Arctic. Thankfully, Brody reached out and patted both of their cheeks while babbling in his cute little baby talk.

  When they pulled apart, Caitlyn faced Grant again. Arching her brow, she said, “Thank you for paying for our kiss. That was very nice.” With a smirk, she grabbed Ridge by the arm once again and led him out of the frenzy.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  “I second that.”

  Still dazed from Caitlyn’s kiss, Ridge realized at that moment that she was no pushover. His heart pounded, both with satisfaction at the stunned look on Grant’s face and with dread, fearing the consequences of her very public deed.

  Not that Caitlyn wasn’t used to dealing with the public. But this could get ugly.

  Apparently, she realized it, too. She slapped her hand against her forehead and almost swooned. Still holding the baby, only Ridge’s quick reflexes kept her from falling. “What have I done?”

  ***

  The next morning at breakfast, Jacinda shoved an iPad into Caitlyn’s face while she sipped her green smoothie. “Your clever kiss from last night made headlines.”

  Caitlyn almost spit out the juiced veggies. Grant’s stupid stunt had gone viral? What had he been thinking bringing attention to herself and Brody in that way? What repercussions would she suffer from being thrust in the media’s claws again? What would her parents think? And what about Ridge? He was an innocent victim in that shameful display. “You might want to ask Grant for the juicy details,” she said coolly, not liking the look of disappointment on Jacinda’s face but knowing she wasn’t the person responsible for putting it there.

  “Oh, believe me. I will. That son of mine has put me through so many stressful moments through the years. I rejoiced when he found his niche, or so it seemed. At first, he was a sensation. But lately it seems like he’s trying too hard, you know? Like he has to incorporate more special effects in his concerts and be more brash and so on.” In a rare display of nerves, Jacinda twisted her wedding ring on her finger. “I wonder if he’s in trouble again.”

  Caitlyn hadn’t noticed anything awry. She’d figured Grant was just being Grant. “What makes you say that?”

  “I’m his mother.” She shrugged as if that settled the matter. Then her face saddened. �
�Actually, he hardly ever comes home anymore unless it’s for something important.”

  Impressed, Caitlyn took another sip of her smoothie. She hoped her mother’s intuition would be as fine-tuned as Jacinda’s when Brody grew up.

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, the corners of Jacinda’s mouth lifted. “And that kiss between you and Ridge was caught on video. Oh my, Caitlyn. I didn’t realize you were in love with my oldest son.”

  This time, the smoothie came out on its own. Jacinda jumped back but it was too late. Her suit jacket was spattered with green specks. “I’m so sorry.” Caitlyn stood and rushed over to the kitchen sink to wet a paper towel. She ran back over to wipe ineffectually at the fabric.

  Jacinda stilled Caitlyn’s hands with her own. “It’s all right, dear. I can see that I startled you. Don’t worry about the jacket. I’ll change into something else and have this sent out for dry cleaning.”

  “I’ll happily pay the bill.”

  “Don’t be silly.”

  Jacinda was gone in an instant. Caitlyn grabbed another paper towel and wiped up the splotches on the countertop and floor. My, but she had good aim and a long reach. After discarding the paper towel, she sank down onto the stool. At first, she’d been grateful that Brody had slept later than usual. But she really could have used him as a buffer a few minutes ago.

  Just when she’d finally gotten her bearings, Sierra entered the room. A sassy smile graced her lips. “Is it true that you kissed my brother last night in front of the entire town?”

  “Uh,” Caitlyn stammered.

  “And now it’s being broadcast on every celebrity news program and social media platform?”

  Caitlyn groaned. She’d worked so hard over the past few years to let her fame die down and live a normal life. Now she would be inundated with ridiculous offers to make cameo appearances at various celebrity functions or in television commercials thanks to Grant, the guy who could never get enough attention. She whipped out her phone to check out a popular celebrity news website and read:

  Is country music’s favorite singer, Grant Reel, still in love with his ex-wife? Our sources confirmed that he called former model, Caitlyn Drevier, out to a kissing booth he was manning at a Winter Festival in his hometown of Danzy, Wyoming last night. However, if Grant is hoping to get back together with his ex-wife and son, he has a mountain to climb. Ms. Drevier refused to give in to his demands and instead kissed her former brother-in-law, Ridge Reel, which begs the question: with all the drama in Grant Reel’s life of late, will this star stay on the road to fame or is he heading down the road to shame?

  Plopping her head into one hand, Caitlyn dared a peek through her fingers. “Does Ridge know about this?”

  Sierra’s grin was in no way reassuring. “If not, then he will soon.”

  Could this day get any worse? Oh, wait. It was only seven o’clock in the morning.

  Chapter Nine

  “This story went viral?” Ridge shouted. He glared at his brother from across his kitchen table. “What were you thinking, calling out to Caitlyn like that?”

  “Is that all you can say for yourself?” Grant spat. “You’re so concerned about Caitlyn. Are you in love with her?”

  Ridge reared back as if he’d been slapped. “What are you, insane? We barely know each other.”

  “However, you’ve spent the past twenty-four hours together and kissed each other in front of the entire town of Danzy.”

  They’d kissed each other beforehand, too, but Grant didn’t need to know that. “An exaggeration if I’ve ever heard one. I had no idea she was going to do it, okay? Anyway, it’s your fault for putting her on the spot. And using your son as a pawn was low, even for you.”

  Grant scraped his chair against the hardwood floor as he stood abruptly. “Are you calling me a lowlife?” Ridge wisely said nothing. Grant snorted. “Thanks, brother.” He stalked out of the kitchen.

  Ridge followed him to the guest room. What he saw made him feel like he’d been punched in the stomach. “Where are you going?”

  Grant was packing his suitcase. Funny, Ridge didn’t see a second pair of boots from the ones he was wearing. “Don’t know, don’t care.” Ridge hated when Grant said that. “All I know is I’m not staying with you.”

  “Well, you can’t stay with Mom and Dad, either. Give Caitlyn her space.”

  Grant whirled angrily, catching Ridge off guard. “All you care about is Caitlyn and the runt. Why don’t you marry her if you think you can do a better job than me?”

  Ridge knew better than to rise to Grant’s bait. Despite the furor in Grant’s tone, he walked further into the room and sat down on the bed. He worked to keep his voice even. “Why don’t you take some time to think about this, Grant? You’re always rushing into things.”

  “Nah.” Grant shook his head. “Now that the story has leaked through the tabloids, I gotta split. Otherwise, reporters from all over the country will be pounding on your door day and night.”

  Suddenly, it dawned on Ridge that this was the very reason Grant had called out to Caitlyn at the kissing booth last night. And even though Caitlyn turned the table on him, his scheme had still drawn the media attention he craved so much onto himself once again.

  Or was there something more to this? How well did Ridge really know his brother anymore? They’d been good friends in their adolescent years. But they grew apart when Grant discovered girls and guitars. This wasn’t the way Ridge envisioned their relationship developing.

  “Grant, be straight with me. What’s really going on?”

  Grant paused from packing his suitcase. “What’s going on is that my brother is after my ex-wife and son. And now that the media has gotten wind of this warped scenario, they’re gonna have a heyday with it.” Grant leaned forward and met him eye to eye, one of his brows lifting in challenge. “Let me make one thing clear, bro. Leave Caitlyn and Brody alone. They’re mine.”

  ***

  “Caitlyn, dear, would you mind taking Charles’s breakfast tray in to him? He arose early this morning to take care of an urgent matter and hasn’t yet emerged from his office.”

  “Sure.”

  Now that Jacinda had changed into a flowery blouse with a matching skirt, she seemed to be in a better mood. She placed a napkin and set of utensils on the tray for Caitlyn to carry into a small room located on one side of the hallway. With a tentative knock on the door, Caitlyn pushed it open.

  Charles must not have heard her because he kept speaking into his phone. Undecided as to what she should do, Caitlyn waited until being asked to enter. Unfortunately, it was a long wait.

  “Yes, I agree,” he said to the person on the other end of the conversation. “She should absolutely give up her rights to the child if she wants to pursue that goal.”

  Caitlyn almost dropped the heavy tray. With quick movements, she was able to catch the two slices of toast Jacinda included with his meal before they slid onto the carpet.

  “I know it’s a bit early to ask, but it’s something you’ll need to consider.” Another pause, then, “Well, I’m not the only one who thinks so. Ask Jacinda. And your wife as well.”

  Caitlyn’s mother? Sherri Drevier would agree in a heartbeat. She’d never understood why her daughter had willingly given up a modeling career to raise a child. Then another thought occurred. If Charles was speaking about Caitlyn’s mother, he must be speaking to her father. Daddy had nearly always given in to Mother’s whims. And that was the reason Caitlyn felt the need to sever her ties with both of them. She couldn’t enjoy a healthy relationship with one without sacrificing her relationship with the other.

  “All right. Keep me in the loop. Talk to you later.” Charles ended the call and swiveled in his chair. He nearly jumped when he saw Caitlyn standing there. “Oh. Pardon me. You took me by surprise. Just set that tray down on the end of my desk there,” he said a tad irritably.

  “Yes, sir. Good morning, by the way.”

  “Is it? I hear you had quite an ev
entful evening with both of my sons.” As Charles regarded her warily, Caitlyn backed away. Did he distrust her? Did he think she was toying with his sons’ affections?

  “I hope you know I have no designs on either of your sons. I apologize for any misunderstandings that may have occurred last night at the festival.”

  Charles blew out an impatient breath. “That’s all well and good, but I am the mayor of this town, and now I’ve been made the laughingstock. I’ve already fielded one news reporter’s questions regarding Ridge and Grant’s ‘strained relationship’.”

  “I’m sorry, sir,” she repeated. “I’ll try to lie low for a while.”

  “Thank you. That would be much appreciated. We still have today and tomorrow of this festival to get through. I’m sure it will blow over as soon as the next big story breaks out. At least that’s what we’ve learned with having a celebrity in our family.”

  “True.” Again, Caitlyn wanted to lay the blame on the “celebrity” but sensed that this was not the right time. “Well, I’ll leave you to your breakfast. Enjoy.”

  Charles grabbed his fork and dug right in. Caitlyn knew that she’d been dismissed, which was just as well because she thought she heard Brody whimpering from the guest bedroom.

  ***

  “Hey, little man.” Caitlyn lifted Brody from the crib to discover his diaper had leaked. Was it her imagination or did his skin feel warm against her neck? She quickly bathed him in the adjoining bathroom and put a new outfit on him before carrying him downstairs to fix him a bottle. He cried throughout the entire procedure, which wasn’t normal for him. Maybe he was just out of sorts because he wasn’t in his own home.

  To her chagrin, Caitlyn found Grant playing a game of chess with Scott at the kitchen table and Grant was actually winning. Grant’s lazy smile when she entered turned into a grimace at the baby’s loud crying. Determined to ignore him, she marched toward the kitchen sink.

  Trying to balance Brody while grabbing a bottle she’d washed out the night before, she shifted him to the opposite hip he’d been resting on. Caitlyn jumped when she felt Grant’s warm breath just above her ear.