'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books by Mimi Barbour

Note to self—find out who blabbed and fire that person. His orders to staff had been strict. Tell no one about my plans to return today. No one included—no it actually pertained to his girlfriend. That alone was a sad state of affairs.
    Their breakup scene was ugly. Ramona’s bitter recriminations were disgusting and included language that caused Kale to cringe. Hell, he figured he’d heard it all during his university years, and then working with some pretty hard-assed businessmen, but her invectives, spit at him with venom, had them all beat. Go figure, a face of an angel hid the mind of a slut.
    Why she’d been so upset, he’d never know. All he’d wanted was a few days off to rejuvenate his energy and work on his hobby. Be alone and soak in some well-earned peace and quiet. Without these times, his life as owner and manager of the Jordan chain would sap all his strength, and he’d get nothing accomplished.
    After she’d stormed from his office, continuous setbacks had occurred that demanded his exclusive attention. By the time he’d settled them, he had no choice but to retire to his penthouse home and try to steal away in the morning.
    Except now, here he sat sequestered in a broken, unlit elevator with a girl who looked like the perfect representative for Miss Hawaii. Without doubt, another gorgeous misfit ! He knew that the beer he’d promised himself would have to wait even longer.
    A strange hum began and the earlier ceiling lighting resumed working and began to throw an eerie radiance around the space. At least it gave enough illumination for them to be able to see what they were doing.
    Kale quickly removed himself from her arms, but not before a strong whiff of the perfume from her flowers invaded. This time the lilies must have rubbed against his face. His first sneeze heralded the beginning of a profound allergic reaction. The next sneeze verified that it had hit him with a vengeance.
    “Bless you.”
    Why did she have to sound as if she cared? He hadn’t even wanted to acknowledge her. Gruffly he replied. “Tank ew.”
    “Allergies?” She spoke, while at the same time nodding all-knowingly. He wished he could say no. That a bug had flown up his nose, or that he had a terrible cold. Allergies in a man had always seemed sort of well… girlie, and he hated the weakness. Instead, he leaned his head against the wall and accepted the tissues she held out.
    “Yeth.”
    “It must be my flowers.” She sighed but surprisingly took them off, and lovingly placed them in a plastic bag she’d found inside the huge purse she carried. She moved it to the opposite side of the floor area and asked, “Better?”
    Kale appreciated her gesture, so he nodded.
    “I have allergies myself, so I know what you’re going through. At home there’s a yellow flowering plant called Broom, a Scottish import that blossoms into gorgeous flowers to decorate our island highway. And every spring I suffer for months until the flowers die off.”
    “Where’s home?” Now why did he encourage her? He hadn’t meant to ask, it just came out automatically.
    “Victoria, Canada. On Vancouver Island. At one time I thought it the most beautiful place in the world, but then I arrived here.”
    He sneezed once again… and again.
    “Bless you.”
    This time he only nodded in acknowledgment, not caring if she thought him rude. And not realizing that she might take that as a hint to continue yapping. Good Lord!
    “My mother was an island girl, born here in Honolulu. She passed away last week, and I’m bringing her ashes back to her homeland. Apart from the strain of my mother’s passing, I also worried about the flight. You see I’ve never travelled before. To tell the truth, I’ve never been out of British Columbia.”
    “Does any woman tell the truth?” Where had those words come from? He might think them, but he’d never say so. It was as if someone else directed his tongue. Before he could stop it, another belligerent