My Kind of Christmas

grocery store parking lot, he heard a sound that stopped him in midstride. It was that telltale click of a dead battery. Click, click, click. And then a woman got out of her car and lifted the hood. She was a tall woman around fifty years old who looked good in jeans. She had short auburn hair and wore a leather jacket. She stared at the engine. Patrick had seen this before—she thought her problem might jump out at her.
    He walked over, holding his two bags of groceries. “Battery,” he said simply.
    “I know,” she returned, irritably. “Why now? I’m headed to my brother’s and I’m almost there. I wanted to grab a few things—gifts for his family—and now the car won’t start.”
    “Is he close by?”
    She shook her head. “Another half hour or so up the mountain. But I can call him....”
    “Here’s what we can do,” Patrick said. “I can give you a jump and you can either carry on, let your brother help you. Or, I can follow you to the auto supply and put in a new battery for you. I have a toolbox in the Jeep.” He gave a shrug. “If you need a new battery, which I’m pretty sure you will, you’re going to have to come all the way back here to buy it, anyway.”
    “I have Triple-A…”
    “It’ll take them longer to get here than it will take us to buy and install a new battery. Let’s just do it.”
    She smiled very attractively. “I could pay you for your help,” she said.
    “I’m already paid pretty well. And I have a little time to kill. Let me bring around the Jeep, get your engine going and we’ll get this done in no time.”
    She laughed and shook her head. “Just when you start to lose faith in human nature… You’re very kind to help with this. Thank you.”
    “It’s no trouble. I wouldn’t leave you stranded. I’ll be right back.”
    He stowed his groceries in the Jeep and swung around to park directly in front of her. He hooked up the jumper cables and, in no time flat, he had her car running.
    “The auto supply is right up the street. Just follow me. This should be simple enough.”
    Less than a five-minute drive later, they were in the store together and he was helping her pick out a new battery. Although this didn’t take long, they did have a chance to talk a little. She was visiting family for a few days; he was sitting out some leave near his brothers. He was a Navy pilot, she was a teacher. She said she hadn’t been able to convince her husband to come along and was going to make sure he heard about this. He said putting in a battery was simple, if she wanted to learn.
    “I’d rather just make a phone call,” she said.
    “Well, if you’re going back in the mountains, your cell won’t work. I think you’re probably lucky your battery went dead here in Fortuna rather than out on a mountain road somewhere, although as long as your engine was running, you were safe.”
    “But now I’m safer,” she said. “I bet I can risk going to a florist before I get on my way.”
    “A florist, a deli, a dress shop, whatever you feel like.” He tightened down the screw and said, “Start her up.”
    She got in the car, turned the ignition and the car roared to life. She left it running, but got out and faced him. “Are you sure I can’t pay you for your trouble?”
    He smiled and shook his head. “I’m overpaid already, seriously. I’m just glad I could help.”
    “You’re a very impressive young man. I just wish I could wrap you up and give you to my daughter for Christmas.”
    He laughed and said, “I’m afraid I’m taken.”
    “Unsurprising.” She put out her hand. “I’m Donna,” she said.
    “Patrick,” he returned, shaking her hand. “Drive safely.”
    “I think I might look around Fortuna. I have plenty of time. It wouldn’t hurt to grab a few things for my brother’s children, since I’m surprising him.”
    “Enjoy,” Paddy said, heading for his Jeep.
    Patrick looked at his watch. That little adventure had only cost him forty minutes that he could certainly spare. Then it was home to set up his roast. Easily done. Then he peeled potatoes and got them underwater. He was cheating on the peas and carrots—frozen. But frozen was good. Angie, who loved everything, wasn’t much of a cook. She was easy to impress. In fact, he couldn’t think of a single thing he did that didn’t wind her watch and he laughed to himself.
    She was so good for his ego, an ego that had suffered the past year. He’d been feeling unsure of himself. A