Romancing Rudolph - Chapter 7

(If you’re just joining us, the story began on December 15th–click here to start at the beginning.)

Chapter 7

Why he had invited Mandy back to his place was a mystery. Of a sort. Yeah, there was the attraction thing, but it was a rare event for him not to hang with the Team after practice, especially one that had devastated them as badly as this one had.

But he’d glanced up at Mandy, saw her standing there looking lost and alone ... and the words had been out of his mouth before he knew it.

The Team had taken his desertion rather well, really. Vixen had actually grinned. They had been encouraging him to date again for a long time, certain that he was still hung up on Clarice. Which was a ridiculous notion–if he’d been hung up on Clarice, he wouldn’t have avoided proposing to her for seven years. It would be him sharing her stable and him welcoming a new calf in April instead of Edward. And he’d be jealous of Edward instead of happy for the two of them.

Still, it was true that he hadn’t made much of a dating effort since Clarice left him.

On the other hoof, he wasn’t sure this qualified as a date.

He peered around the kitchen wall. Mandy was standing in front of the fireplace, studying the photos on his mantel. A CD of Elvis Christmas tunes was playing quietly in the background and the only light in the room was from a fire just beginning to catch.

Ok, yeah, it was a date.

A mistake, maybe, but definitely a date.

Diving into the refrigerator, he pulled out a bowl of lichen, some birchbark strips, and a plate of sliced mushrooms. Might as well go all out. He poured the water into two crystal glasses and put them on a tray with the food. Then, he took a deep breath and carried it out to the living room.

“That’s my mom and dad on vacation in Belarus. The picture next to that is my brother, Alexei, and his nine calves.”

Mandy glanced at him. The glow from the fire on her fur gave her a magical air. “None of Alexei’s children have a red nose.”

“Recessive gene,” Rudolph said with a shrug. Like the flying gene. He put the tray down on the oak coffee table, and handed Mandy a glass. “If we mate with a regular brown-nosed reindeer, the chance of having a red-nosed calf is slim. It happens, though. Alexei just got lucky.”

She arched a brow. “You don’t like the red nose?”

“I’ve gotten used to it, and I have a job where it comes in pretty handy.”

Mandy’s gaze returned to the photos. “A lot of females think it’s sexy.”

Rudolph’s breath locked in his chest. Struggling for nonchalance, he picked up his glass. “Mostly very young, impressionable females. They love the story, not the nose.”

She smiled slowly. “Label me young and impressionable, then, I guess.”

A slosh of very expensive water escaped his glass and splattered on his hoof.

Her smile deepened. “Except I actually love the nose.”

Rudolph dropped to the couch, his legs suddenly like jelly. “Uh, thanks.”

Mandy joined him on the couch, sipping at her drink. Her fruity scent washed over him, giving him goose-bumps. “You don’t seem that upset over today’s...um...”

“Disaster?” He grimaced. “I’m not. I’m frustrated, no question, but I’m convinced that come Christmas Eve we’ll get the sleigh in the air. There’s a lot of special magic on that night.”

Mandy frowned. “You can’t count on that being enough.”

“Well, that, plus a whole lot of practice.”

“No,” she put down her glass and stood up. “Rudolph, you have to face facts. Something’s got to change. It’s only going to get worse before it gets better. The number of children is expected to keep growing for at least another 50 years.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

“You’re ignoring the problem. Every year it’s going to get tougher and tougher.”

He smiled up at her. “Yeah, but this year the Team has you, and you understand what we’re up against. With your help over the next couple of weeks, I’m sure we can do it.”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t what?”

“Help.” Mandy blinked, and turned away. “I’ll be spending the next two days drawing up a recommendation, and then I’m off on another job.”

Two days? Rudolph’s heartbeat slowed to dull thud. Two days? For some reason, it never occurred to him that Mandy would leave the Team before Christmas. “I see.”

“I’m working on a new migratory path for a Finnish herd,” she said softly.

“Sounds exciting.”

The hint of sarcasm in his voice was slight, but Mandy caught it. Her face fell. “Exciting or not, they need me.”

Rudolph stood. Damn it, he had a right to be angry. She was leaving them. Leaving him. “We need you.”

She shook her head, her expression growing a little distant. She backed away, toward the door. “No, you have each other. You’ll be fine.”

Rudolph wanted to stop her, wanted to confess that it wasn’t the Team who needed her, but him. But if he wasn’t prepared to marry her, what was the point? He’d just be leading her on.

“Mandy--”

“Bye, Rudolph.”

And then she was gone, leaving Rudolph staring at the untouched dinner and two glasses ... feeling incredibly, unbearably alone.

(To go to Chapter 8, click here)