One Christmas Night (Capitol Chronicles Book 6)
Page 11
"Why don't we throw all these people out and spend the night alone?" he whispered in her ear.
"I'll take the living room, you do the great-room and the library," she agreed.
Together they laughed and joined the singing crowd in the music room. Mark was seated at the piano playing as he led the crowd singing It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. They joined in playing the perfect host and hostess for a few minutes before making sure everything was all right in the other rooms.
As Elizabeth passed the foyer on her way to the kitchen, the front door was opened again.
"Merry Christmas, Lizzie."
"Theresa!" Elizabeth rushed across the room to hug her friend. "I'm so glad to see you." Theresa gave her coat to the hired maid and hugged Elizabeth again. Her dress was Christmas red with a brilliant white sash around her thin waist. Long earrings danced from her ear lobes to her shoulders. She'd swept her hair all to one side and anchored it with a glittering comb.
"I hear you and James finally patched things up."
Elizabeth smiled. "I hear we have you to thank for part of it." Elizabeth raised her hand displaying the shining rock James placed there a couple of hours ago.
Theresa whistled. "James really wants people to know you're his. How many is that? Six-seven-eight?"
"Seven," Elizabeth said, giving her the number of carats in the crowning stone.
"It's beautiful, Lizzie. Congratulations." Elizabeth hugged her again.
"Thank you too, Theresa. James told me what you did to help him clear himself and keep Claire's name out of the mess she created. I owe you a lot."
"Cut it out," Theresa stopped her. "I did nothing you wouldn't have done. Now where is the bridegroom?"
James came through from the kitchen as if on cue. "Theresa," he called. "Did Elizabeth tell you our good news?"
"She didn't have to. The reflection off that stone," he pointed to Elizabeth's hand. "was bright enough to lead me here. Now I know how the wise men found baby Jesus."
James laughed and took both women by the arm. "Now that everyone is here, let's go make the announcement.
James gathered everyone in the great-room. Before the huge Christmas tree, he and Elizabeth took up positions like Christmas ornaments. The lights twinkled behind them, their friends stood in front. Mark and James's parent's stood to their right. The smile on Elizabeth's face was wide and happy. She couldn't ask for anything more to make her Christmas perfect. Then James gave it to her.
"My friends," he held a fluted champagne glass in his left hand. The noise in the room reduced to a low murmur. "My friends, I'd like you all to know." The room was absolutely quiet now. "As most of you know, Elizabeth and I have been engaged before."
Elizabeth smiled and the room laughed.
"However," he continued. "We both know a good thing when we find it. Yesterday we decided to..." he paused. "To try it again."
From the side of the room Mark yelled "yeah" and the room broke into applause. People rushed them, offering congratulations, asking if they'd set a date, kissing her and pumping James's hand.
The tempo of the party increased after James's announcement. Merry making went on into the early morning. Finally, they said goodnight to the last guest and collapsed on the sofa in the living room. Elizabeth slipped her feet free of her shoes and curled them under her. Party debris surrounded them on all sides, yet Elizabeth didn't notice it. She took James's arm and snuggled up to him, her head on his shoulder.
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
"Now who could that be?" James wondered.
"Probably somebody who left something," Elizabeth offered.
He bent toward her and dropped a kiss on her mouth before standing up. "I'll see who it is."
James grinned at the door. It was a delivery man. The envelope he passed him had the familiar Invitation to Love logo on it. He didn't have to ask Elizabeth how she got a man to come out this late on Christmas Eve -- correction it was now Christmas day. He tipped him handsomely and closed the door. Tearing open the letter, he found a buff colored card inside. The message Marry the woman at the door was printed in Elizabeth's precise handwriting. He smiled, turned and opened the door. There she stood.
"This time there is no address mix-up," she said. "I'm the woman at the door."
James grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his arms. The door shut behind them.
"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth."
"Merry Christmas, James."
He kissed her and Elizabeth knew from this Christmas to her last, as long as she shared them with James, her memories would always be happy.
THE END
About the Author
1Shirley Hailstock, a bestselling, award-winning novelist, began her writing life as a lover of reading. She likes nothing better than to find a quiet corner where she can get lost in a book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. As an author, she can not only visit those places, but she can be the heroine of her own stories. The author of more than thirty-five novels and novellas, including her electronic editions, Shirley has received numerous awards, including the Borders Bestselling Romance Award and Romantic Times Magazine’s Career Achievement Award. Shirley’s books have appeared on Blackboard, Essence Magazine, Amazon.com and Library Journal Best Seller Lists. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
Dear Reader
Christmas is such a special time of year. I look forward to it and the warm memories that return as I travel home to see family and friends. Writing One Christmas Night enabled me to relive the traditions and the memories and revisit my childhood when the struggle of going to be that night before Santa was due was suspended for one day. Waking early and rushing to the twinkling tree to find my gifts among the elaborate array of toys and clothes, cooking festive meals, and reading A Christmas Carol or 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, singing carols, and decorating the tree can still bring a smile to my face, even in the heat of summer.
I hope you enjoyed James and Elizabeth's story and that this Christmas and all your Christmases will be filled with good thoughts and good memories.
Thank you for reading One Christmas Night! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other readers find this book:
1. This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think might like it so she can discover me, too.
2. Help others find this book by writing a review.
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Christmas is such a special time of year. I look forward to it and the warm memories that return as I travel home to see family and friends. Writing One Christmas Night enabled me to relive the traditions and the memories and revisit my childhood when the struggle of going to be that night before Santa was due was suspended for one day. Waking early and rushing to the twinkling tree to find my gifts among the elaborate array of toys and clothes, cooking festive meals, and reading A Christmas Carol or 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, singing carols, and decorating the tree can still bring a smile to my face, even in the heat of summer.
I hope you enjoyed James and Elizabeth's story and that this Christmas and all your Christmases will be filled with good thoughts and good memories.
I receive many letters from the women and men who read my books. Thank you for you generous comments and words of encouragement. I love reading your letters as much as I enjoy writing the books.
If you'd like to hear more about One Christmas Night, other books I've written, or upcoming releases, you can reach me at shirley.hailstock@comcast.net. I also have a newsletter that you can subscribe to by sending an e-mail to ShirleyHailstock-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Below you ca
n find a link to other electronic books I’ve written. I hope you’ll try them.
Other Books by Shirley Hailstock Available at Smashwords:
Holding Up the World
Mirror Image
A Miracle for Christmas
White Diamonds
The Magic Shoppe
Kwanzaa Angel
Joy Road
Under the Sheets
Something To Remember
The Christmas List
More Than Gold
Legacy
Opposites Attract
Wrong Turn
One Christmas Night
I Do!
Christmas in Washington
His 1-800 Wife
Dangerous Secrets - Boxed Set
Under the Sheets/White Diamonds - Boxed Set
Excerpt from The Christmas List
Alice Underwood
Christmas List 20. . .
1. Lose 10 pounds
2. Christmas dress with white fur
3. Diamond hair comb in the window of McClure’s Jewelry Store
4. Go to a fancy dress ball and dance with a handsome stranger.
5. Get my tennis academy running and profitable.
6.
Allie’s hand shook when she looked down at the year old paper. Her mouth went dry as she stared at the list she’d begun two years ago. Uncalled for emotions sailed into her like a fast moving train. Her free hand went to her heart, trying to control the sudden beating that she could feel all the way to her head.
The note’s title was clear, but the year had been obliterated by water damage. She didn’t need to see it. She knew exactly when she’d written it. It was during her before period. Before the accident. Before her world collided with a drunk driver. Before life as she knew it and the promising future her friends and family knew was hers, was snatched away in a blinding few seconds that crushed her life, limbs, and career into a space too small for a woman her size.
Balling the single sheet into golf-ball size, Allie tossed it toward the trash can – missing it by inches. She didn’t need to read it. She knew what it said. She also knew the list was moot. Allie wouldn’t get any of her Christmas wishes – not then or now.
“Allie, are you ready?” her sister called from the hall. Allie started taking a deep breath and snapping her attention to the present. From the sound of Melanie’s voice, Allie could tell she was half-way up the stairs.
“Just throwing out some trash,” Allie called. She glanced toward the trash can as if she could see her past.
Melanie pushed the door open and walked in without waiting for Allie to offer her entrance. She was immaculately dressed in black pants, a creamy soft cable-knit sweater and red knee-length boots. Not at all like Allie who wore a simple green dress with long sleeves. It was cinched at the waist by a silver belt whose loop was three dress sizes tighter than it had been a year ago. Allie wore support stockings and shoes with a one-inch heel. There was snow outside, but it had been cleared away leaving adequate paths that could keep her feet dry. Despite spending her entire life in Lighthouse, Maine, Allie did not like boots.
“What are you doing?” Melanie asked, looking around.
“Cleaning out some papers I don’t need anymore.” She wanted to say some old memories, but that would spark more conversation than she wanted to go into with her perceptive sister.
“Ready?”
Allie pushed her arms into her coat. “I am now.” She smiled even though she didn’t feel like it.
“It’s cold out, but it hasn’t snowed yet.”
New snow was predicted. Allie saw her sister glance at her shoes. The censure that she should have on the boots Melanie had bought her was there. She ignored it and started for the door.
“I’ll take this down for you,” Melanie said, lifting the nearly full trash can.
Allie gritted her teeth. After two years, she was capable of taking her own trash down the stairs, but Melanie thought she was helping. And Allie’s limp was almost gone. If she didn’t overdo or try to walk too fast, no one could tell she even had a limp.
Melanie took the trash basket to the kitchen and left it next to a larger one. The balled up list still lay on the floor of Allie’s bedroom. Neither of them noticed.
If you’d like to read the rest of this book, the link is below:
The Christmas List