Holiday Kisses

Xander barely heard her. “You don’t think my brother and I are friends?”

“I don’t know one way or the other,” Calliope said. “I’ve just found that siblings who grew up trying to one-up each other don’t always share a mutual respect or affection.”

“Funny. I didn’t notice judgment listed on my menu. Maybe you can show me where I missed it.” He pointed to the lunch selections.

“I’m not judging you. Or your brother,” she said. “I’m simply voicing my opinion on competition in general and its possible repercussions. Isn’t there enough conflict in the world without adding a prize at the end?”

She was baiting him, and evidently, he was more than willing to give it a chomp. “For your information, my brother and I get along great.” Or they had up until a couple of years ago. Maybe if things had been different, the family business wouldn’t be circling the drain. “Having someone to compete against drove us both to the top of our profession.”

“Together? Or are you on that pedestal all by yourself?”

“Wow.” Xander wanted to laugh, and almost did, but only because it was the only way to temper the anger bubbling inside of him. “You really don’t like me, do you?”

“I don’t know you,” Calliope reiterated in a tone he could only describe as haughty. “But I know people well enough to recognize when someone is looking down their nose at something. Or someplace. You were hired to do a job, not fix what isn’t wrong. And there’s nothing wrong with Butterfly Harbor.”

“Funny, I could have sworn I applied as an architect. Did I miss a memo?”

The front doorbell chimed, announcing both a new arrival and the end to round two with Calliope Jones. Xander shifted his focus to the man heading toward him.

“Xander Costas. Gil Hamilton. Great to meet you.” The tall man looked like he’d walked off the set of a surfer movie, from his blond-tipped sandy hair to the tanned skin beneath sharp, intense eyes. If he held any resentment because of Xander’s unexpected early arrival, it didn’t come across.

“Mayor Hamilton.” Xander accepted the hand offered to him. “A pleasure.” He glanced at Calliope as the mayor sat across from him.

“It’s Gil, please. I apologize I don’t have much time, but you seemed anxious to discuss your preliminary plans.”

“Not a problem. I needed to eat, anyway, and I was told there was free pie involved.”

Gil chuckled as he slid into the seat across from him. “Holly’s pies do tend to draw in the customers. Calliope, lovely to see you. Making friends as always, I see.”

That she didn’t answer wasn’t lost on Xander, nor did he think the mayor was being sarcastic. “Calliope was telling me how anxious she is to see the plans we’ve come up with for the sanctuary and education center.” Xander flourished the cardboard tube and popped off the top, struggling to ignore the hint of roses and sunshine drifting off her skin. “Might as well get the business stuff out of the way before we order, right?”

“You can’t go wrong with the mac-and-cheese casserole.” Gil pushed his napkin and flatware out of the way. “Especially if Paige is in the kitchen.” He leaned over and lowered his voice. “She uses cheese crackers as the topping.” He glanced up at Calliope, who had yet to move. “Aren’t you joining us?”

Calliope glanced over her shoulder to the kids, as if looking for an excuse to say no, something that didn’t escape Xander’s notice. “She’s worried she might actually like our ideas.”

“I’m hopeful I will, actually.” Calliope lowered herself into the seat beside Xander and folded her hands on the table. “I try not to hold any preconceived notions about anything. Or anyone.”

Another bit of bait, but this time Xander resisted the urge to nibble. Instead, he brushed aside the implied criticism. “Okay then.” Challenge accepted, Xander pulled out the plans and rolled them out over the Formica tabletop. He smoothed his hands over the inked images. “As you can see, we went with a modern feel. Strong, angular lines and features. We discussed multiple options as far as the number of floors you might want, so we gave a few options, each keeping the original design in mind. I like the idea of a lot of glass and open light, as much natural light as possible, but depending on the location, you’ll have to take maintenance into consideration.”