The Cosmic Law of French Toast by Meowser Hotchner

Day Twelve: Mistletoe

A/N: Dear Mariah, you suck but I do still love you.

And yeah, back to the Winter challenge.


Melinda stared up at the sprig of mistletoe, her eyes wide.

"I think it's supposed to be a surprise," Andrea chuckled. "So don't spoil it for everyone at this party. Besides, someone's going to come up to you eventually, someone who's not me, and then you'll be in trouble."

"Eek," Melinda said, jumping about a foot away. "Thing is, Jim's not even coming."

"He isn't?" Andrea wondered.

"He had to work," Melinda sighed. "It's insane. We do so well, spend so much time together...I get rid of ghosts and it just all works out smoothly and then we have weeks like this one, where we're like two ships passing in the night."

She pouted, watching the swinging dancers around them; all couples.

"I've barely seen him," she sighed.

"You've still got the perfect marriage and most of us don't even have a boyfriend," Andrea said. "Hell, some women in your position would be glad to have a week like that."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working," Melinda said.

"I'm going to stop trying then," Andrea said, fishing the olive out of her martini and popping it into her mouth. "Because I see a very good looking guy across the dance floor."

Melinda just sighed, and leaned against the wall, wondering why she'd even bothered going here when Jim had cancelled on her.

"Dance with me," someone shouted, and she turned to see one of the business owners along main street in Grandview standing there. After all, it was a town commerce holiday party.

"Sure," she said, knowing that Andrew knew perfectly well that she was married and happily so, and would never attempt anything.

He swung her out onto the floor; it was a fifties song, and everyone was bouncing to the beat.

She felt his eyes on her breasts and reconsidered the hope that he wouldn't try anything. He was looking at them like they were edible.

She felt a flush rise to her cheeks. Maybe with Jim they were. But Andrew wasn't Jim.

Definitely not Jim.

He spun her in a circle, and she giggled in spite of herself. This was fun! Though she loved grooving with Jim, she had to admit that their dancing repertoire was rather limited, and Andrew seemed to be quite a skilled dancer, even pulling her in for a dip.

"You're the prettiest woman here," he told her, and she felt the firm press of his hands against her back.

"Thanks," she told him over the music, accidentally on purpose flashing her wedding ring in his face.

He just smiled wider, pulled her closer. "Melinda, I've seen the way you look at me," he suddenly whispered.

She felt the sudden, urgent press of his erection against her stomach, and tried to pull away.

"Married, Andrew," she said, annoyance in her voice, smelling the alcohol for the first time.

"It's almost Christmas," he whispered, holding her tighter. "It's the season for affairs. You aren't happy with him. I can tell. I was at your wedding, Melinda. You kept looking out the window and walking away from Jim."

Yeah, cause his dead brother was there and I love Jim so I wanted to be sure I got in a good conversation with Dan.

"Not even answering that, Andrew," she said. "Now let me go before I scream."

"You won't," he said. "It'll ruin the party."

"You want to risk what I will and will not do?" She said.

He let her go with a huff. "Bitch," he said.

"Yeah, but not yours, thank God," she hissed back. "I'm reporting you."

"For what?" He snapped. "I didn't do anything. There's nothing I can be charged with."

With that, he slunk off across the dance floor.

She pitied his next victim, already formulating the email to go to all members of the chamber of commerce in Grandview. Just because it was a party...just because he was a little bit drunk...that didn't make it better. That made it worse.

Angry and generally disappointed in mankind now, she slipped off to the bathroom for a moment to refresh her makeup, looking at herself in the mirror.

Why was she even still here?

Grabbing her purse tight, she left the bathroom, trying to weave through the floor and finding that the dancing had grown wilder...or drunker.

It was a good time to leave, she reflected.

Andrea was tugging her new man after her and Melinda grinned, shaking her head. Andrea had the best luck. She could always find the one man at the party who wasn't utter scum.

She was passing through the doorway when an arm grabbed her, pulled her flush against them and kissed her.

"Fuck, Andrew," she said, the moment she was able to pull away.

"You were under the mistletoe," he slurred. "I had an excuse."

She reared back and punched him, and the hit propelled the already impaired man straight to the ground.

She shook her hand out, staring down at him.

"Having trouble here?"

It was Tom, a deputy over at the Grandview Police Station.

"He got a little too eager," she said.

"A night in jail should straighten him out," Tom said. "Want to press charges?"

"I'll let you know," she said. "Thank you."

"Hey, it's assholes like him that spoil the party for the rest of us," he said, hauling the man to his feet. "Come on, Andrew."

"Fuck you," the man slurred as he was carted off.

Melinda watched them go, feeling even more tired now. She was so sick of this. Being treated like property. Being grabbed at and subjected to all kinds of crap because...what...she had a pretty face. Genetics.

She moved out of the doorway, just arms encircled her waist from behind, and she froze.

"Did you not just see what happened to Andrew Feltway when he tried the same thing?" She snapped, and then looked up at her captor.

Oh.

Lips landed on hers and she returned the embrace, desperately twisting in Jim's arms.

"What happened to Andrew?" He whispered, pulling away a little, pressing a feather soft kiss to her temple.

"He got punched in the face," she told him.

"What did he do?" He asked, his arms traveling up her back in a soothing motion.

"Kissed me under the mistletoe," she admitted.

He was still in his paramedic's uniform.

His gaze remained steady, even. "I'm glad I stopped by, then," he said. "Where's he now?"

"Tom said he'd spend the night in jail," Melinda told him, leaning on his shoulder.

"That's not all he'll get," Jim murmured, and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I just stopped in to say hi. I told Bobby I'd be back out in five, so..." He pressed another kiss to her head, then tilted her chin up and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you," he said. "Want a ride home? We can use the siren."


A/N: And I do love you but not enough to extend this tonight.

I'll put it up on ao3 soon though, with two bonus endings. You can guess them.