The Christmas Crusade Read online

  “If I told you that, I’d be fibbing, and I always tell the truth.” Levi shrugged. “It’s upbeat, so don’t knock it.”

  “I’m not, but I will never listen to the song again the same way.”

  Levi shrugged then walked across the stage and behind the curtain. Kat followed him down a set of four steps and around a corner to a closed door. When he turned the knob, it fell off in his hand.

  “Perfect,” he grumbled, managing to get the door open and flick on a light.

  “If you can get started finding costumes, I’ll see if I can fix this door knob. I need an angel, three wise men, business suits for both a girl and boy, a construction boss, and an electrician.”

  Kat set down her coffee cup on a nearby table and stared at Levi. “That’s quite a cast of characters. I’ll see what I can find. Are the sets ready to go?”

  Levi pointed to a section of painted plywood sets leaning against the wall. “Brock will help me move them when he and Brenna arrive. She’s orchestrating breakfast this morning.”

  “Awesome.” Kat took another sip of her coffee then turned her attention to the costumes. It didn’t take long for Levi to retrieve a tool box and return. He reattached the doorknob on the outside of the door then moved inside the room to adjust the knob.

  “I think I’ve got it,” he said, putting his tools back in the toolbox and setting it outside the storage room. While Kat dug through the racks of costumes, he slid the three sets he wanted to use toward the door. One of them started to tip. As he lunged to keep it upright, it pushed against the door, knocking it closed.

  The clatter of the doorknob falling off made Levi stare at the door in panic. Quickly leaning the sets against the wall, he tried the doorknob, but it wouldn’t open. He twisted and turned, yanked and tugged yet the door remained firmly closed.

  Annoyed he’d left the toolbox outside the room, it looked like he and Kat were locked in until someone came to their rescue.

  Hesitant to tell her she’d be stuck with him in the room for an indefinite period, he scrubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath.

  “Oh, look, Levi! I found the perfect angel costume. It’s so cute.” She held up a white gossamer costume, complete with sparkly wings and a golden lamé halo.

  “That’s great, Kat.” He forced a smile. “What else do you need to find?”

  “A business suit for a boy. Is it a small boy or one of the bigger boys? I guess I should have asked that earlier.” She looked to him for direction.

  “One of the bigger kids.”

  “This should work.” Kat moved around the end of one rack so she could reach another. She lifted a gray suit and held it up. “Will this fit him?”

  “It should. The boy playing that part is Jep.”

  At the mention of the boy’s name, Kat’s face softened. She possessed a particular tender spot in her heart for Jep and his brother, Jasper. “It will fit him fine.” She gathered the costumes and started for the door. “Can you get the door?”

  Levi took the costumes from her and draped them over a chair. “Actually, I can’t. We’re locked in. The knob fell off and I have no way to open the door.”

  Kat blinked at him twice then reached down and rattled the knob. “Hey! Can anyone hear me out there?” She pounded her hand on the door and waited a minute before pounding some more.

  Levi took her hand in his and pulled her around so she faced him. “With the music blaring and the fact we’re back here behind the stage, I don’t think anyone will hear us. We’re going to have to wait until someone comes looking for the costumes, and that might not be for a while.”

  “I’ll call Brenna. She and Brock should be here soon.” Kat started to reach into her pocket for her phone and realized she’d left it in her purse—in Levi’s office. “Or not…”

  A comforting hand settled on her back and rubbed in tempting circles. Kat didn’t move away. Rather, she shifted closer to Levi.

  She’d spent hours the previous afternoon and evening digesting what her grandfather had shared with her. He was right. She’d wasted three years thinking her career was the most important thing in her world when it had been Levi all along. Long after she should have been asleep, she considered the best way to tell him she wanted another chance to love him, to be a part of his life.

  The perfect opportunity had presented itself and she fully intended to make use of it.

  Abruptly turning around, she looped her hands behind Levi’s neck and worked her fingers into the back of his hair. A tingle of excitement raced through her at the look of shock on his face warring with the desire simmering in his eyes.

  “Since we’re stuck here for a while, I guess we’ll have to find some way to entertain ourselves,” she said in a low, seductive voice.

  Levi swallowed hard and took a step back. “You shouldn’t tease me like that, Kat. It’s not nice. Not at all.”

  Every step he took back, she advanced forward, remaining so close to him she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “What makes you think I’m teasing?”

  Levi bumped into the wall and changed direction, placing his hands on Kat’s waist to try to push her back. Somehow, she managed to press closer. He gulped and closed his eyes, convinced he’d fallen asleep and his dreams conjured a fantasy about Kat.

  He popped his eyes open to find her staring at him with a confident, saucy smile. “I’m serious, Kathleen. If you don’t stop this nonsense, I can’t be held responsible for anything that might happen.”

  Agreeable, she nodded her head then pressed a hot, moist kiss to the pulse beating wildly in his neck.

  Levi groaned and jerked away from her.

  “Kat,” he growled, moving to the other side of a rack of costumes in an attempt to keep some distance between the two of them. “I’m trying to do the right thing here, but you’re making it impossible.”

  Swiftly shoving the clothes to one side, she stepped through the rack and gave Levi a look so filled with heat, it made her emerald eyes glow. “Maybe I don’t want you to do the right thing. Maybe I want you to do the entirely wrong thing.” Slowly, she removed his glasses and set them aside. “Don’t think about it, Levi. Feel it.” She placed her hand over his heart. “Feel what’s right here.”

  Levi grasped her shoulders and melded his mouth to hers, demanding a response.

  Her hands slid up his chest and looped behind his neck again as she surrendered to his powerful, intimate kiss. He drew her closer, rubbing his hands along her back before deepening the kiss.

  “Maybe you two don’t need rescued after all.” Brock and Brenna stood at the door, wearing broad smiles. “We’ll just shut this and come back later…”

  “Wait!” Kat and Levi grinned as they reached for the door.

  Brock laughed and Brenna giggled as they turned away, leaving the door open but giving Levi and Kat a moment of privacy.

  Levi wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, leaving just enough distance that he could look into her face. “Did you mean it, Kathleen? Are you really willing to give us another chance?”

  “More than willing, Levi. I’m sorry for ever pushing you away. Although I’m an idiot, can you please forgive me?”

  He kissed both of her rosy cheeks. “Even if you’re an idiot, I forgive you. What about work, your career?”

  “As a wise man pointed out to me, it’s just a career. After the holidays, I’m promoting Molly to the position of my assistant. I’ll train her to take on more of my responsibilities and hire a new receptionist. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be with you.” She smiled and gently brushed her palm against his stubbly jaw. “I love you, Levi. I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.”

  “I love you, too, Kathleen. I have for a long, long time.”

  After another ardent kiss, the two of them jumped into the furious rush to get everything ready before the center’s guests arrived. Brenna oversaw the kitchen while Brock and Levi arranged props for the skit, helped volunteers set t
he tables, and herded the choir to an empty classroom to practice.

  Kat helped the kids performing in the skit with their costumes, making adjustments with safety pins and masking tape.

  Once the sponsorship guests arrived, Kathleen joined her grandfather, Mr. Harchett, Molly, and a few other staff members at their table.

  Impressed with how well the volunteers did in serving breakfast and attending the tables, she stopped Levi to compliment him on the teens and college-aged servers.

  Levi hunkered down between her chair and Lewis’ and grinned at them both. “Brenna’s been training a group of them interested in getting jobs as servers and hosts. The breakfast is a great opportunity for them to practice what they’ve learned.”

  “They’re doing beautifully,” Kat said while her grandfather offered his agreement.

  Later, Kat laughed and clapped as the youth group performed their skit. A tall dark-haired girl pretended to be a corporate woman named Kathy. She kept glancing Kat’s direction, so she nodded her head in encouragement and smiled warmly.

  Levi leaned down from his position behind her chair and whispered in Kat’s ear. “They see you, Kathleen. They watch you, admire you, and emulate you. More importantly, they know you see them. Truly see them.”

  She squeezed his hand where it rested on her shoulder and blinked away her tears, touched beyond words to have the admiration of the teens she’d come to love.

  The skit earned a standing ovation from the occupants of the room, but no one clapped as enthusiastically as the group at the Harchett table.

  As silence settled over the room again, the choir took the stage and sang several Christmas songs. Kat grinned at one little girl in the front row, missing a front tooth. She belted out every song with enthusiasm.

  “That one is destined to be a singer,” Lewis said, leaning close to Kat.

  “For sure, Gramps.”

  After the program ended, Levi stood at the door, shaking hands and thanking every sponsor for coming that morning. The generosity they shared enabled the Center of Hope to offer hope to others not just through the holidays, but also the coming year. Kat listened as Mr. Harchett and her grandfather shook hands with Levi.

  “You’ve done an admirable job, Levi. It seems like your crusade to save the center paid off,” Lewis Kingsley said.

  “Yes, sir,” Levi said. “Thank you, sir.”

  Lewis grinned and pumped Levi’s hand before turning it loose and slipping on his coat. “I don’t think I’m mistaken in saying it looks like your other crusade is about to pay off, too.” With that, the old gent winked and sauntered out the door, whistling a rousing rendition of Jingle Bells.

  Levi’s pursuit of Kat had been a crusade, of sorts. One he hoped would result in a future of happiness for both him and the beautiful girl he wanted as his bride.

  When all the sponsors had departed and volunteers worked to clear the tables and clean the room, Levi led Kat to his office.

  “I really do need to run a few errands, Levi. I promise to be back in time to help serve the Christmas Eve dinner. It’s at four, isn’t it?” Kat picked up her purse while he gathered the bags she’d carried in earlier.

  “Yep. I don’t expect you to come, but I’d love for you to be here. Will it leave your grandfather alone this evening if you come to help?”

  “As a matter of fact, he volunteered to come, too. We’ll both be here.”

  “That’s great.” Levi kissed her cheek and pushed open the door then walked with her to her car. He set the bags in the back seat then held her in his arms again. He kissed her eyelids, nose, and chin before lingering on her mouth with a series of tantalizing kisses that left her legs wobbly and her pulse skittering rapidly.

  “I should go,” she whispered, leaning into him, absorbing his strength, warmth and love.

  “I know. I need to get back inside. After we wrap things up here this evening, would you be interested in the two of us having a late dinner together?”

  Content, Kat smiled. “That sounds perfect. I love you, Levi.”

  “I love you, too, Kathleen.” Levi escorted her around to the driver’s side, opened her door and waited for her to climb behind the wheel. “I’ll see you this afternoon. You might want to wear jeans and a shirt you don’t care about too much. It can get kind of messy in the kitchen.”

  “Got it. I’ll let Gramps know, too.” Kat blew him a kiss then shut the door.

  Levi stood in the street, watching her drive away until a car honked at him. He ran onto the sidewalk and shook his head, uncertain what sort of Christmas miracle had transpired. Whatever it was, he was incredibly grateful for the gift.

  Chapter Nine

  “Now this is what I call a happy Christmas Eve,” Lewis said. His jovial smile made Kat grin as they scooped stuffing and green beans onto cafeteria trays of people passing through the food line.

  Levi said they had enough food to feed four hundred people, but Kat was sure ten times that many had walked past her in the last hour and a half.

  “It’s different than what we’re used to,” Kat observed. She’d spent many a Christmas Eve at her grandfather’s spotless home in a ritzy neighborhood playing board games and watching old holiday specials before attending church services.

  Kat enjoyed every minute of feeding the masses that showed up to partake of the meal provided by Center for Hope. Children stuffed themselves on the turkey dinner and ran around, excitedly chattering about Santa coming to visit later.

  Although the sponsorship breakfast took place in the gymnasium, Levi thought it would be better to serve dinner in the cafeteria. The gym had been set up for the evening church service and Mike would perform his Santa duties there right after the pastor finished.

  If someone had told Kat six months ago she’d be standing between her grandfather and the man she loved dishing up food at a community center on Christmas Eve—and having a great time while doing it—she would have called that person crazy.

  But not now.

  She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, even if she was excited to see the end of the food line draw near.

  When the last person stopped in front of her, she scraped the final scoop of stuffing onto a tray and sighed in relief. She carried the pan back to the dishwashing area where three women worked to keep up with the mountain of dirty dishes.

  “Do you ladies need some help?” Kat asked as she set down the stuffing pan and glanced around.

  “We’ve got this, hon,” an older woman said with a kind smile. “You go on back out there with Levi.” The woman winked at her and inclined her head toward the front of the kitchen.

  Unaware word had spread so quickly about her accepting Levi’s affections, the fact it had didn’t leave her surprised. It seemed those who worked at and frequented the center could spread news faster than one of the network news channels.

  Kat returned out front and helped carry empty pans and pots to the dish washers. When she finished, she and her grandfather carried dirty trays and silverware back to the kitchen while other volunteers wiped down tables and benches.

  Once the cafeteria was clean, they all removed their aprons and hurried to the gymnasium where a crowd gathered. The room truly appeared lovely. The tables that had been set up in the morning had disappeared while rows of chairs filled the space.

  With the lights turned down low, the towering fir tree greeted all who entered the room with a warm, brilliant glow. A multitude of colorful packages nestled around the tree. Kat had tucked a few beneath the branches that afternoon when she and her grandfather arrived to help serve dinner.

  Energized, nervous, and incredibly happy, she took her grandfather’s hand and led him to a seat on the end of a row.

  “What’s got you so excited, honey?” her grandfather asked as he patted her knee.

  “This,” Kat waved her hand toward the podium in the center of the stage flanked by two huge poinsettia plants. “It’s been a perfect Christmas Eve.”

  Lewis chuck
led. “And a certain handsome young man who can’t keep his eyes off you wouldn’t be the reason for such a perfect day, would he?”

  Kat grinned. “Perhaps.”

  “Did you take a wise old man’s advice, sweetheart?”

  “I did, Gramps.” Kat turned to her grandfather with love and hope burning bright in her eyes. “It was amazing. Levi said he loved me, that he’s loved me since we met. He asked me to have a late dinner with him tonight. I hope you don’t mind that I won’t be at home with you.”

  “I don’t mind at all, honey. You and Levi have a good time. Are you going to come to my house later or pop by in the morning?”

  “If it isn’t too late, and you don’t mind, I’d still like to spend the night at your house, like I always do.” Kat leaned against her grandfather’s arm and he draped it over her shoulders.

  “You come no matter how late it might be. I won’t mind a bit.” Lewis grew wistful as he studied her. “This might be the last year you spend with me.”

  “Oh, no, Gramps. No matter what the future might bring, I promise to spend every Christmas Eve with you.”

  Lewis kissed her forehead. “I won’t hold you to that promise, Kat. Levi might have other ideas for your future. However, I do want to make it known that if the two of you decide you want to live somewhere besides an apartment you are always welcome to share my big ol’ empty house. I can almost hear the pitter-patter of little feet racing down the hall.”

  “Gramps! We’ve barely admitted our feelings for each other and now you’re talking about great-grandkids living with you? I think you need to kick it out of high gear.”

  Lewis chuckled again. “I know when a young man is making plans for his future. You mark my words, honey. It won’t be long before you’re wearing that boy’s ring on your finger and you’ve got one through his nose.”

  Kat giggled. “I won’t be putting a ring through his nose, but I sure wouldn’t mind wearing his on my finger.” She held out her left hand and studied her ring finger, turning it this way and that.

  Lewis gave her a tight squeeze as a light clicked on above the podium and the minister took his place.