by Rebecca York
Chapter Twenty-four
Belinda had never experienced such a lovely Christmas Day. Not only did they have a blast unwrapping their presents together, Hollie, excited about her new bike, had thanked her mother with so many hugs and kisses that she’d made Belinda glad she’d dipped into their savings and spent the money.
Once the child found the big, beautifully wrapped box from Reed, her eyes had grown huge with childish delight. While he placed it in front of her, she’d clapped her hands and danced on the spot.
“Since you made me such a wonderful present, I hope you like the one I found for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes, it’s all yours, Sunshine.”
“Can I unwrap it?”
“Of course.”
“Mommy?”
“Go ahead, Munchkin.”
Saving the elaborate bow first, Hollie tore off the pink, shiny tinsel paper and suddenly plopped her butt on the floor. Her hands cradled her cheeks while tears gathered and the wails began.
“It’s a dollhouse. Reed bought me a dollhouse.”
Belinda bit her lip, terrified that her daughter would hate this symbol of what little girls were supposed to like.
Throwing herself into his arms, Hollie hugged him hard. “You bought me a dollhouse… to build.”
Reed had looked beseechingly to her for help, but Belinda didn’t know what had gotten a hold of Hollie so she couldn’t save him this time.
“I hoped we could build it together, little Darlin’. Would you like that?”
Planting kisses all over his cheeks, Hollie resolved their worry instantly. “I love this. I love you, Reed.” More kisses. “Can we start now?”
“No Sunshine, it’ll have to wait for another day. Let’s let your mommy unwrap her gift now, okay?” He handed Hollie a small box and motioned for her to pass it to Belinda.
Not sure what to expect, Belinda found her hands shaking when she unwrapped the exquisitely decorated jewellers box. Nesting inside on white velvet sat a delicate silver bracelet; one heart dangled with one word etched into it... beautiful.
Hardly able to breathe, Belinda shyly thanked him with words but her eyes let him know that she’d gotten the message and was touched.
***
While Maeve had a nap in the afternoon, Reed invited her and Hollie to Carlton House where they would meet his relatives and his cousin’s children.
“But, Reed, we can’t just show up. Goodness, your parents aren’t expecting us. It’ll be too much of an inconvenience.”
“More like a shock,” he said, laughter lighting up his features. “They’ll be over the moon to finally meet you. I guess the word got out that I was seeing someone and they’ve been hinting for days about how nice it would be to spend some time together on Christmas Day. I believe my mother even bought Hollie a small gift for a just-in-case. She phoned me this morning to add more pressure.”
His spontaneous hug, plus Hollie’s enthusiastic pleading finally won her over. “Just for a short visit. We still have to get home to prepare our turkey dinner. Auntie Maeve will be expecting us.”
Reed wrapped an arm around both girls to lead them to the closet for coats and boots. “I already told her I was kidnapping you both for a few hours and she was delighted. Now hurry up, or I might have to get my revenge on you two sassy snowballers since there’s more snow coming down now.”
Sure enough, the snow had increased to where it was hard to see the streets. Soft, thick flakes dropped non-stop and were an invitation to play, make a snowman, maybe snow angels. Belinda saw the glee on her child’s face and lifted her away from temptation. Watching Cloud drill her nose through the snowbanks and then roll her furry mass in the white softness had all three of them laughing. Reed grabbed the frenzied pup and put her on the back seat of the car while Belinda coaxed the frown off Hollie’s face. “Tomorrow, munchkin, we’ll play then.”
On the way to his parent’s house, Belinda, sitting in the front of the car with Reed, caught him smiling at her. When she smiled back, he reached for her hand. Impossible to ignore or refuse his gesture, they locked fingers. His were warm and cradled hers gently.
Emotions passed between them, travelling through the link where their bodies touched, making normal breathing difficult. The effect the man had on her startled her silly.
Thoughts of what she’d planned for later froze the joy and replaced it with so much sadness that tears formed. Pulling away, she pretended to search for a tissue to wipe her sniffles, only secretly, she used it to dab at her eyes too.
When they arrived, he went around the car, opened her door and reached in for her. Affection lit his brown eyes to melted chocolate. Her knees weakened, making her stumble and he swept her close, hugging her to his body while he whispered in her ear, “You look so beautiful.”
Stunned silent, she let him help Hollie from her car seat, pick up the happy puppy and escort them all to the front door of the house that she’d always thought looked like a mansion.
Unnaturally shy, sitting on her mom’s lap while Cloud nestled in hers, it only took a lovely book about a lost little puppy from Reed’s mother and a few invitations from the other kids before they swept Hollie and Cloud into their circle. Meanwhile, the adults treated Belinda with a kindness she never expected and it worked to put her at ease.
Soon she found herself in the kitchen with his petite, stylish mom, helping her to restock dessert trays. “You know, you’re the first female Reed has brought to the house since a teenage fling broke up with him. It devastated him, changed him from being a happy, daredevil teen to a more studious, serious person. Don’t get me wrong, he’s always made us proud, working like a dog to get through medical school. But I have to tell you, I’ve missed his teasing, his stupid jokes and him laughing just because.”
Belinda found herself hungry to learn more. “Some guys are very sensitive during those years. I remember my brother had a similar experience, only he ended up winning the girl back and they’re married today.”
“I’m glad that didn’t happen for Reed. I doubt he’d be a doctor now and the last time I saw her, she had four kids and big hips to show for them.”
Laughing together, Belinda felt her heart melt when his mother, Stacy, had wrapped her arms around her and given her a squeeze. “I like you, Lindy. You and Hollie are welcome in my home anytime.”
Following the lady into the family room, a heaping tray loaded with goodies, Belinda’s stomach felt like a pile of smoldering cinders were stored there, waiting to combust. Panic cracked her calm and she began to tremble from pure wretchedness. Today she had to give all this up. Let Reed go.
How the hell was she going to survive?
Chapter Twenty-five
Soon, dinner was over, the dishes done and both a very tired Hollie and an equally exhausted Maeve were in bed. The time had come—zero hour. Belinda couldn’t put it off any longer.
Returning to the family room where Reed lounged, cuddling a sleepy puppy, she dithered. Glasses of wine poured and ready for them to enjoy told her he expected time alone with her. He’d turned on the showy electric fireplace, had tidied the room and, other than the Christmas lights twinkling everywhere, the dim shadows lent a romantic element she wished she could shut off but didn’t have the heart to. Left with no more excuses, she approached and sat down where he patted the couch next to him.
If only she could use her pounding headache as a legitimate reason to put this torture off for another day. But by delaying the inevitable, the stress would most likely have her in a psych ward. This situation needed to get taken care of – now.
“I thought you’d never quit fussing and join me. You need to relax, baby. You’re wound up tighter than what’s good for you.” He slid the sleepy pup on the other side of him and reached toward her. “Here, let me rub your shoulders—”
“No!” Belinda slid further away from his hands. “Don’t touch me. If you do, I’ll make a fool out of myself and you’ll never be able
to walk away without having me clinging and begging.”
Her words made him smile; the honesty she didn’t even think to hide must have gotten to him. “What’s wrong, baby? Whatever you have to tell me we’ll deal with. Then we can move on.”
“That’s just it. There’s no ‘we’. No ‘we’re moving on’. There’s only you walking out. And me making do.”
“Never going to happen. You know I’m crazy about you. And Hollie.”
“Good, because she’s your child too, so there.” A deep breath stopped her from passing out and sliding to the shaggy rug at his feet.
“I know. Isn’t it wonderful? I love—”
“You know? You know? Why didn’t I know you knew? How could you keep it from me? Why didn’t you tell me—”
“Wait – shouldn’t that be my line?”
She glared her mommy signal that he better not mess around, and he answered quickly.
“At first, I thought it couldn’t be. You know, because of her birthday being on Christmas. Then earlier today, when I wondered where her other birthday presents were, she told me she’d been born a really tiny baby in an incubatery, her word, and that you couldn’t bring her home until Valentine’s Day. So you celebrated her birthday then. In her little old-lady, Maeve-like way, she thought it marvelous because she could have separate special days. I thought it was marvelous too. Both her birthday being special and her being mine—ours.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Reed’s hands cupped her face so he could look into her concealed tawny eyes. When she refused him access, his heartbeats accelerated and he felt bile rising, making his stomach clench, tight, hard—sickeningly.
Earlier, when he’d learned her secret about Hollie, he’d felt a deluge of relief. So this was what had been making her act strange the last few weeks. Why she’d held him at a distance. Understanding had swept over him and he’d breathed easy for the first time since he’d met her. Once she understood just how delighted he was, there’d be no more obstacles to their becoming a couple.
He slid his hands under her gorgeous silky, auburn mass and caressed her scalp, wanting to help her relax. Even without a doctor’s degree, he’d have known she had a headache. Periodically, for the last few hours, he’d watched her kneading her temple. Massaging gently, he tried to coax away her pain.
He might not be a born lover, had little experience in the ways of females, but even he accepted that there was still something eating away at her. All day, watching her chew her lip and fidget with her hands, it had taken a lot out of him not to drag her in a corner and tell her he knew about Hollie, put her out of her misery. Explain how incredibly happy he’d been realizing the little angel he loved was his own flesh and blood.
Now he had to accept that she’d held something else back. What if this mystery turned out to be the clincher? The one he’d need to walk away from. Did he really want to know?
“Lindy, don’t tell me anything that makes you feel so scared. Nothing matters. I don’t care what you’ve done; it won’t change the way I feel.”
“It’s not what I’ve done.”
“Then for sure it doesn’t matter.”
“It’s what you’ve done.”
God no! Memories of another conversation intruded and panic, like a spear in his chest, drove deep. As a teen, he hadn’t understood the jealousy in a young girl’s character. The degree of intolerance, or for that matter, the degree of mean-spiritedness either. Being a friendly sort of a chap hadn’t gone over well with his girlfriend and him smiling at other girls wasn’t to be tolerated.
Never again had he let someone have that much control—until now. Why would he let another get close enough to hurt him, to devastate him? His self-protective nature tried to get him to stand, leave, walk away from the pain. Only this time, he couldn’t. She was the mother of his child. He loved them both—so much.
“Whatever it is that I’ve done, I’m sorry.”
“You don’t understand. You need to know. I have to....” She covered her face, tears seeping through her fingers. “Please don’t be angry.”
“For God’s sake, tell me. Let me make it better. I’ll apologise, promise to never do it again, whatever it was that I did…. Are you giggling?”
“I am. I think I’m hysterical. But what you said about never doing it again was completely the wrong thing for you to say.”
Flabbergasted, he held out his hands, palms up and smiled just a little. “Belinda Page. If you don’t put me out of my misery right now, I’ll be forced to kiss you until you do. I mean it.”
Smiling, her tear-drenched face lifted and she leaned forward until her forehead met his. “You’ve gone and done it again.”
“I have?”
“Oh, yes, you did it really good this time.”
“I did? Can you just give me a little hint of what it was that I’m supposed to have done?”
“It’ll be twins this time.”
“Twins!” The shock took some time to catch up with his brain, but when it hit, he didn’t miss a beat. “Two more like our Hollie?”
She’d stiffened, seemingly afraid to see his face, watch the blow—be disappointed at his reaction. He sensed her waiting, not breathing…
“Oh, baby, how can one man get so damned lucky?”
The End
Afterword:
Thank you so much for reading Unforgettable Christmas Dreams.
I loved writing Christmas Runaway, and I hope you enjoyed reading it too.
In fact, if you enjoyed all these stories, I would ask you for a favor. Where you purchased this book on Amazon, please take a few minutes and leave an honest review. Authors enjoy hearing that readers like their stories, and hopefully, others will read your words and choose to buy the book because of your sentiments.
My website at http://mimibarbour.com now has all my books listed with links to the various publishers to make it easy for you to return to where you bought the book and to find my other work.
While you’re there, I’d really appreciate it if you would sign up for my newsletter so I can keep in touch. http://bit.ly/MimiBNewsletter. I only send out newsletters approximately twice a month. It’s usually full of giveaways, contests and freebies along with my personal news. (You have my word that your address will never be shared.)
Hugs, Mimi
Other Books from Mimi Barbour
Most of Mimi’s books can be found FREE on Kindle Unlimited!!
The Vicarage Bench Series
— Spirit Travel at its Best! —
She’s Me (Book 1)
He’s Her (Book 2)
We’re One (Book 3)
Vicarage Bench Anthology (Book 4 - Books 1-3)
Together Again (Book 5)
Together for Christmas (Book 6)
Together Always (Book 7)
***
Angels with Attitude Series
— Angels Playing Cupid! —
The Angels with Attitudes Anthology (Books 1-3)
My Cheeky Angel (Book 1)
His Devious Angel (Book 2)
Loveable Christmas Angel (Book 3)
A Wonderful Life (Book 4)
***
Elvis Series
— Make an Elvis Song a Book! —
She’s Not You (Book 1)
Love Me Tender (Book 2)
***
Vegas Series
— Action–Packed Thrillers! —
Vegas Series – Complete Boxed Set
Partners (Book 1)
Roll the Dice (Book 2)
Vegas Shuffle (Book 3)
High Stakes Gamble (Book 4)
Spin the Wheel (Book 5)
Let it Ride (Book 6)
***
Undercover FBI Series
— Popular & Compelling! —
Special Agent Francesca (Book 1)
Special Agent Finnegan (Book 2)
Special Agent Maximilian (Book 3)
Special Agent Kandice (Book 4)
S
pecial Agent Booker (Book 5)
Special Agent Charli (Book 6)
Special Agent Rylee (Book 7)
***
Holiday Heartwarmers Series
— Truly a Christmas favorite! —
Holiday Heartwarmers Trilogy
Please Keep Me (Book 1)
Snow Pup (Book 2)
Find Me a Home (Book 3)
Frosty the Snowman (Book 4)
Love of my Life (Book 5)
A Perfect Storm (Book 6)
***
Mob Tracker Series
— She’s unstoppable! —
Sweet Retaliation (Book #1)
Sweet Justice (Book #2)
Sweet Resolution (Book #3
Sweet Endings - (Book #4)
Sweet Faith (Book #5)
Sweet Leni (Book #6)
***
Other Titles
I’m No Angel
Hotshot Cowboy
Big Girls Don’t Cry
Christmas Runaway
The Surrogate’s Secret
Mimi’s Mix (Box Set)
‘Tis the Season (Box Set)
Hearts, Flowers & Romance (Box Set)
Red Hot Divas (Box Set)
A Touch of Passion (Multi-author Box Set)
Love, Christmas (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Romances (Multi-author Box Set)
Kiss Me, Thrill Me (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Heroes (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet Heat (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Christmas (Multi-author Box Set)
A Christmas She’ll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Snowflakes and Christmas Kisses (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Valentine (Multi-author Box Set)
A Valentine She’ll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Suspense (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Danger (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Trouble (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Weddings (Multi-author Box Set)
