The Mistletoe Kiss. Janet Lee Barton

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      “Yes, sir,” several men murmured.

      “I don’t like it, though,” Henry said. “I know all too well how easy it is to lose one’s footing up here.”

      He was one of the men who’d had a near accident earlier in the week. “I know you do, Henry. I’ll try to keep them away from the edge. I don’t think it will be too much of a problem.” With Millicent’s fear of heights, he wasn’t very worried. But he wasn’t about to tell his men about that fear—they were already skittish about having women on the job as it was.

      The rest of the afternoon, they mumbled and grumbled about the upcoming week, but he knew they were just getting their frustration out. Better they do so now rather than later.

      Matt wished he could relieve his stress as easily, but it was his friends who were going to be disrupting their work, and he didn’t know who he could complain to, except the Lord. But He already knew how torn Matt was with wanting to help them and not wanting them in his workplace.

      When the work whistle blew letting them know it was time to quit for the day, Matt waved goodbye to his crew and after checking the jobs they’d all done to see where they’d begin the next morning, he took off, too.

      The men’s grousing had set them back a bit on getting the day’s work done and by the time Matt arrived home, it was almost dinnertime. He hurried downstairs to wash up and made it back up just in time to hear Mrs. Heaton announce that dinner was ready.

      He was burning with curiosity to hear Millicent’s decision. Would she decide against taking the offer or would she face her fear?

      At the dinner table, he pulled out her chair and heard her whisper to him, “Elizabeth and John want to meet us at the soda shop around eight so we can talk about a schedule of some kind. Will that work for you?”

      “You’ve decided to take the offer, then?”

      “I have. I telephoned Elizabeth this afternoon.”

      Matt nodded. “Eight will be fine with me, then. I’ll meet you in the foyer around seven forty.”

      “I’ll be ready.”

      Matt wondered if she really were ready for this assignment. But he knew she wouldn’t want any advice from him. She was aware he knew heights frightened her and that he’d been assigned to keep her safe. Her decision was out of his hands and all he could do now was pray that he could keep her out of harm’s way.

      * * *

      After dinner, Millicent hurried upstairs to neaten her hair and get a lightweight jacket for the walk to the soda shop where she and Matt would meet Elizabeth and John. As the clock in the foyer chimed the time, she rushed downstairs to find Matt standing in the entry to the big parlor talking to the other boarders while he waited for her. Something about his profile, the way that lock of his hair fell across his brow, made her pulse skitter through her veins.

      “Are you ready, Matt?”

      He turned with a smile. “I am. Just waiting on you.”

      “Let’s go, then.”

      Once they were on the sidewalk outside, she said, “I hope we won’t disrupt your workday too much.”

      He shrugged. “You all won’t be there every day. We’ll catch up if you do.”

      “That’s true. I’m not sure what the scheduling will be or how you and the Talbots want to go about it all. I suppose it’s a good thing they want this meeting.”

      “I’m sure we can figure it all out.”

      Millicent enjoyed the walk with a star-laden sky overhead and lights appearing in the windows of the homes they passed. They turned the corner and walked down to the next, to get to the soda shop the Heaton House group often frequented in warm weather. They didn’t visit it much when the days and nights became much cooler. Somehow ice cream didn’t sound quite as good when it was cold.

      Their timing was good. John and Elizabeth were approaching from the other direction and they all reached the shop at the same time.

      Their friends’ excitement was evident on their faces and Millicent prayed once more that the Lord would give her courage to do the job she’d agreed to do. She didn’t want to disappoint them and she badly wanted to conquer the fear that threatened to paralyze her. And if she were honest with herself, she wanted to show Matt that she could.

      They all entered the shop and Matt looked down at her. “Do you want a sundae or a shake? Or maybe a cone?”

      “A chocolate cone, I think.” Millicent began to dig in her reticule for some change.

      Matt stilled her digging hand with his. “This is my treat.”

      “No, it’s mine,” John said. “After all, you two are agreeing to this because you’re our friends. Come on, Matt. Elizabeth, I know what you want. Why don’t you and Millicent grab that table there by the window before more customers arrive?”

      “All right, dear.”

      Seeing the look Elizabeth gave her husband, Millicent felt a small stab of envy. She wanted the kind of relationship they had, but she didn’t think it was in her reach. She’d come to believe that all men were against women being independent and owning their own business.

      She sighed and followed Elizabeth across the room and took a seat at the small round table overlooking the street. They watched as the young man behind the counter made their cones and handed them to the men, one at a time.

      “John is so happy you’ve agreed to help us, Millicent,” Elizabeth said. “He’s thrilled about these articles and so am I. We do love bringing attention to the needs in the tenements and won’t stop doing that, but we’re glad for the chance to do something different.”

      “I understand.” And she did. She’d been along with them to take photos several times. “Reporting about the conditions so many live in must get depressing at times and this will be a nice change for the two of you. I’m excited about it, too.”

      “I’m glad to hear you are,” John said as he and Matt approached with a cone in each hand.

      Matt handed Millicent hers and took a seat beside her while John sat down next to his wife. Millicent took a lick and closed her eyes. She loved chocolate ice cream.

      “Well, I thought we should talk about a schedule of some kind, so we all can plan. Matt has said late morning or early afternoon might be best, as the weather will be getting pretty cool going into fall. He’s used to working up high in changing climates, but we are not. So I think the decision should be left to you women to make.”

      Millicent and Elizabeth exchanged glances. Both of them were morning people.

      “We’d like mornings,” Elizabeth said.

      “Sounds good. How about nine?” Matt asked. “That will give us time to get some work done and know what needs to be taken care of for the rest of the day. Hopefully, I can keep the men working instead of ogling you two lovely ladies.”

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