Last Flight from Flagstaff (Choices: Story Two)

by Beth Carpenter

  ***

  Blake pulled his truck into Donna’s driveway, headlights illuminating the single car garage behind the house. “Is that a Christmas tree leaning against your garage?”

  “Yes. I thought I’d set it up this week before Rachel gets here. I can’t wait to see her.” Donna frowned. “I’m a little concerned about her.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. Whenever I’ve talked with her over the last few months she seems kind of, I don’t know, evasive. She’ll answer my questions about school or whatever, but she doesn’t volunteer any information.” Donna unlocked the back door and they stepped into the kitchen. Henry came to greet them.

  Blake bent over to pat the dog. “She seemed fine when I met her in August.”

  “Yes, she was happy then. She was telling me about a new boyfriend but she hasn’t mentioned him in a while. Maybe that’s the trouble. Would you like some Christmas cookies? I baked this morning.”

  “Christmas cookies?” Blake looked at her suspiciously. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?”

  “One of whom?”

  “One of those Christmas people.”

  Donna started a pot of decaffeinated coffee. “You mean those annoying people who bake cookies and decorate everything in sight and wear ugly Christmas sweaters and go around singing carols for the whole month of December?”

  “Yes, those people.”

  “I’m afraid so. My name is Donna and I’m a Christmas person.”

  He nodded solemnly. “I thought so. I saw the signs.”

  Donna laughed and opened the tin of Christmas cookies. “Is this going to be a problem for you?”

  Blake reached into the tin. “Actually, I’m a closet Christmas person myself. I don’t actually bake cookies or wear Christmas sweaters but I’m always available for taste testing and I have been known to cut a tree.”

  Donna got a dreamy look on her face. “The living room in your house is two stories tall at the peak. You could fit an enormous Christmas tree in there.”

  Blake laughed. “I’ll tell you what. How about if I get a giant tree and we invite everyone over for a tree-trimming party? We could welcome Rachel and announce our engagement at the same time.”

  Donna clapped her hands like an excited child. “Perfect. You are a genius.” She kissed Blake. “Umm, cookie breath.”

  Donna poured the coffee and set the cups on a tray along with the cookies. “Let’s go into the living room.”

  Donna bent over to set the tray on the coffee table while Blake settled into a big armchair. Before she could stand back up, she felt Blake’s arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. Giggling, she put her arms around his neck and hung her legs over the arm of the chair.

  She kissed him, and then held out her hand to admire her ring.

  “This ring is so beautiful. Blake, the whole night was perfect. The woods, the sleigh, the dinner, the proposal. I’ve never had anyone go to so much trouble for me before.”

  “I love you, Donna. I want you to be happy.”

  She put her arms back around his neck and snuggled her head against his shoulder. “I love you too,” she whispered as she nuzzled his neck.

  Blake shifted, turning her so that he could pull her closer. He gave her a deep, searching kiss and then began to run little kisses over her face and down her throat.

  “Mmm, that’s nice,” Donna murmured.

  Blake spoke softly, his voice husky. “I could spend the night. We are engaged now.”

  Donna breathed in his warm, masculine smell. She could feel the heat from his body, his lips brushing against her neck, his strong arms holding her close. The temptation was strong, and she had been sleeping alone for such a long time. She imagined the feel of his body beside her in bed, his warm touches…

  She sighed, forcing her heart to listen to her head. “I think it will be better if we wait until we are married. Set a good example for the younger generation and all that,” she said lightly.

  Blake sighed too. “All right. So how soon can this wedding take place?”

  Donna laughed. “I don’t know. When do you want to get married?”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “I think it will take a little longer than that to plan a wedding. How about next May after Rachel gets out of class?”

  “May? But that is more than five months from now.”

  “It will go by quickly. We have so much to do.”

  “All right, I’ve waited half my life for you; I guess I can wait a few more months. But I’m getting tired of cold showers.” He kissed her once more, lightly, before letting her up. “In that case, I suppose I’d better drink my coffee and behave myself.”

  Later, after another enthusiastic goodnight kiss, Donna stood at the kitchen window, watching Blake drive away. Then she turned and admired her ring. She was engaged and this time she knew it was right. I love you. I want you to be happy. She hugged Blake’s words to herself.

  She dumped out her backpack, and picked up her cell phone to put on the charger. One new voicemail from Rachel. Good. Maybe she got that billing problem solved.

  “Hi Mom. I’m really busy studying for finals right now and I don’t have time to go into it, but I’m not signing up for any classes. I need to take the next semester off. I’ll explain everything when I see you next week.” There was a short pause. “Seriously, it is too complicated to go into over the phone and I am studying really hard so please don’t call before then. I promise we will talk about it when I see you. Love ya, bye.”

 

  About the Author

  Beth Carpenter loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her at bethcarpenter2012@gmail.com. If you would like to be notified whenever Beth publishes a new story, please email her with the words “new books” in the subject line. Your email will never be shared or used for any other purpose than to alert you that a new book is coming out.