Secret Wish

by Victoria Pinder

  Caro's mind raced. Peter's face went white and Jennifer smiled at him. Jennifer clearly hoped for another opportunity with the man who had just lost the love of his life. Caro crossed her arms. Belle, Peter's bride, had been the best.

  Peter's voice went gravely. "Jennifer..."

  Jennifer took both his hands like they were ripped apart lovers. "Peter, I want your happiness above all else, and this is your nephew. I did this because I have always loved you."

  Belle might still be alive. Caro still had hope and Peter Morgan probably did too. Her boss had been kinder and calmer with his bride than with Jennifer.

  Caro whispered to Luke, "It's one Christmas miracle."

  "What?" Luke kept his voice low as he spoke into her ear.

  Jennifer’s actions this time were aligned with the greater good, though Luke had no idea what she meant.

  She shook her head. "I never expected Jennifer to be part of your family miracle."

  "I don't care who brought Brandon home to Liz. She's amazing." Luke rubbed her arms. "I never believed in miracles at all until you came into my life. Now I’ve had two."

  With Luke she didn't have to hold back anything. She turned and whispered in his ear so no one in the crowd heard her. "I'm not a miracle, Luke. I waited here for you."

  Luke shrugged and stared at his sister Liz. Then he turned and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad. You brought your brother into our home and he helped within a day. Now I want to be alone with you and only you, Caro. We can't solve all the Morgan drama in one day."

  Belle’s return would make everything perfect, but she needed alone time with Luke. Caro swayed on her feet and closed her eyes as Luke held her. "I’m game for anywhere, though your brother, my boss, deserves happiness too. I have a personal favor to ask you."

  "Name it."

  "Will you come to meet my mother tomorrow?"

  His hand traced the small of her back as he comforted her. "I would love to spend the entire day with just you and no one else."

  Her body heated as the tension left her. Her mind went numb. "Me too, Luke, but my mom wants to meet you."

  As Caro opened her eyes, she saw Peter, Jennifer, and Isabella all spoke in a huddle with Elizabeth who held her baby tight.

  "My sister has her Christmas miracle. I get to spend the day with you. This is almost perfect, Caro. You make me believe that Christmas can help everyone." He stepped away and took both of her hands in his. "Let's talk to Vicki and sort out your dress, and then we'll talk more."

  Perfect meant a lot of things. Clearly he had a different plan for them than discussing the lives of others. To her, Luke Morgan was perfect, but he probably didn't mean she was. She'd be lucky in love if they somehow found a way to be together forever.

  Her voice cracked, "Luke..."

  He shook his head. "I'm here with you."

  He hugged her hands, guided her forward, and again the smell of oak trees overwhelmed her, making her feel safe. Then he turned and placed his hand on her back to push her forward. Caro's eyes widened as she stared at the blonde, blue-eyed Victoria.

  Luke then said, "Vicki, this is Caro."

  Vicki smiled at her. "Luke told me you designed Jennifer's dress."

  Caro's face felt hot at the fact that she had worried because of high school. Perhaps Jennifer's alone time away from the Morgan family had helped her grow a heart. She gulped and hoped she had enough air to breathe.

  "Absolutely. I have the designs and extra material in my warehouse to prove it."

  Victoria handed her a champagne glass as the waiter brought them forward. Caro's entire body shook, but she took the offered glass.

  Then Victoria said, "Relax, and call me Vicki. I believe you." They both stared at Jennifer and then returned to the conversation. "I have known Jennifer and you since high school, and you were the one always sketching in a notebook. I'm curious to see what your designs are now."

  Her heart grew lighter. If Vicki remembered those details then there was no one in her way except herself. Caro pushed her hair behind her ears.

  "True. I didn't think you remembered me from high school. I was behind you a couple grades."

  Vicki's face cracked like Caro had said something that made her seem foolish. Her heartbeat grew faster as Vicki said, "Yeah, but your brother dated one of my friends. Did you make the one you're wearing as well?"

  Perhaps she had a chance after all. She twirled so Vicki could see the green fabric sway. "Yes. I studied fashion design and majored in business. I've been trying to get my designs into more than local shows, but I don't have the connections."

  "I do." Vicki nodded her head. "This is also gorgeous and very different from Jennifer's. Look, I want you to bring your sketchbook to my wedding store the day after Christmas, if that's possible. I know it's last minute, but I have a deadline too. Can you meet me at 10 AM?"

  Everything around her froze in time. She had an opportunity. Her lips parted as adrenaline rushed through her. "Yes, absolutely."

  Vicki sipped her champagne, motioned for her husband Colt and then said, "Good. I intend to take the fashion world by storm next year, and I need the best designers on my team."

  There was no mistake. This was the opportunity she had dreamed of. Her voice sounded higher in her ears. "I hope you enjoy my work then."

  Vicki pointed behind Caro where Colt and Luke spoke. "My brother is watching you with that look in his eyes."

  Caro turned toward her. "What look?"

  "The one that says he's with the love of his life."

  Her lips parted. "What?"

  Vicki pushed her forward and waved for Colt again. Caro blinked, as Vicki said, "Never mind me. Go and spend your evening with Luke."

  Luke had been the one to set this up. He was her hero. Perhaps this Christmas she had her very own angel, and if so, she could help with one more miracle for the Morgans and find Belle.

  Chapter 11

  Luke glanced into the brown eyes of the woman that had starred in his fantasies for years. With her he believed in miracles. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as the moonlight shone down on the two of them. The rest of the house party faded as they stood near the Intracoastal and listened to the sound of the waves.

  "Being with you is my present."

  Her eyes shone as she turned from the water view and stared into his eyes. She licked her lips. "Luke?"

  His own mouth wanted to crush her against him, but he settled on holding her elbow. Somehow this was good too.

  He held himself together as he groaned her name, "Yes, Caro."

  Her eyelids fluttered. "The day you kissed me in college..."

  The day he left when he finally had enough courage to at least kiss her once before he never saw her again. She had been leaving the library on her way to take one more final. His ticket to Los Angeles was already printed for the morning. He remembered how her hair was in a ponytail, as she wore a plain white shirt and blue jeans, and how she had tasted better than vanilla.

  He pressed his lips together. "I should have done that long before I left."

  "Yes, you should have." She nodded, but he didn't feel judged. "You also should have at least tried to contact me."

  He traced her arm toward her face and then cupped her cheek with his hands. Her big, beautiful brown eyes were a beacon of light that drew him closer.

  "That sounded too painful at the time. I knew you didn't feel the same for me. I thought it best to try to forget you."

  "Did that work?" She sucked in her bottom lip.

  "No."

  She opened her mouth without saying anything at first. "The moment you kissed me, my world shifted. It was obvious that while I was dating Jose, I spent those years falling in love with you. I said all the wrong things and then missed you so much that I ached."

  His heartbeat grew in his chest. Every day she came to the frat house, and they found something to do, from playing video games to talking over coffee to just studying in the same room. She always made his da
y shine and then every night she ripped his heart out when she went out with Jose. He had no idea she felt anything at all for him other than friendship.

  He choked on his words and his voice became deeper. "I didn't know that."

  She placed her hand on his as he took his hand off her cheek. She kept him close. "Did you love me then?"

  "For years." Caro had to understand. He swallowed. "Yes. I thought it was one way and that you didn't want me. As an adult, I missed you more than my own mother. Part of me thought I wasn't truly lovable."

  "You?" Her eyes widened as she placed her hand on his chest, near his heart. "I didn't know. Not loving you is impossible, Luke. You are the guy who makes the day shine brighter."

  He placed his hands on top of hers. "You shot me down so many times. I gave up."

  Then it seemed her eyes misted as her voice cracked. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were joking most of the time. Then in that moment you kissed me, I saw everything different. I wanted to be with you, like I always should have."

  He let his hands fall to his sides. "That was years ago."

  She stayed close to him. So close he could wrap her in his arms. His body ached to touch her, but he stayed still as she said, "It affects our now and future. I want a future."

  Finally, he reached out and held her close to his chest. Wedding guests inside the house made noise, but he refused to look back or care. Everything that mattered to him was now in his arms. A huge smile formed on his face as they stared out into the Intracoastal.

  "I'm still shocked this is possible."

  Her hands pressed against his. "Shocked in a good or bad way?"

  "Good." The smell of peaches invaded his nostrils. No other woman mattered to him. Caro made him feel alive. Their bodies still touched, and he felt taller. "I want you too."

  Her sigh filled the night sky. "So how do we begin again?"

  Thoughts jumbled in his brain as his heart began to race. He needed to accept that Caro was in his life again, but he couldn't do more. The image of her in a white dress sent a chill through him as he took his arms off her shoulders. Then he rubbed his temples.

  "Caro, I'm not proposing today. The past few years, medical school, my family... I've changed."

  Laughter filled the air, and his heartbeat returned to its normal speed. He took a deep breath as she whispered, "Luke, I'm not asking you too. I'm not ready for marriage. I want to know what changes happened, and if the guy I once loved is still here. I might be dreaming of someone else entirely now."

  Inhale. Exhale. Soon his thoughts cleared, and he could do more. He swallowed. "Then what are you asking?"

  She gingerly placed her hand on his arm and soothed his skin with a light massage. "Let's start over. I want us to date without the pressure of our jobs, our families’ opinions and heartache, and to get to know each other."

  Her mother. His brother’s fiancée. She must be feeling pressured. He was an idiot. He shouldn't have panicked. Nothing had to be done right now.

  "Does that mean you want to cancel Christmas?"

  "No." She shook her head fiercely. "I want my mom to understand and approve of you, but I don't want you to think we're getting ahead of ourselves. My mother does not decide who I date or fall in love with, but she is a part of my life. After my mother, we'll plan the Venetian Pool, like you promised."

  "Deal."

  Family was important to her. He remembered her many complaints about how her mother kept her close in Miami and that even at university she wondered if her mother spied on her. Yet in the same conversation, Caro spoke about how her mother was the best cook in the world.

  He didn't want to push, but he'd do whatever made Caro happy. "My mom and family will be forever grateful to you and your brother. I'll take any hint you have on how to win over your mother."

  She spoke fast as she pressed her hands on his. "Flowers. She likes roses and hydrangeas, but mostly she wants to know that I'll not be dragged into the Morgan family drama that your father created and put in the headlines. She doesn't want to turn on the television and see my name as the gossip story of the night."

  "Could we get her to turn off the television then?"

  "No."

  "I can't promise the news stories won't pick up on something trivial and blow it out of proportion, but I can promise to try to protect you."

  "For me, that's enough."

  Flowers were easy. Christmas might be a challenge, but the internet would have a solution. If not, he had the Morgan name and connections, and he'd find a florist. He’d get it taken care of tonight.

  The information embedded into his brain as his brow curled. "What caused her to be so defensive?"

  Caro spoke fast again as she leaned on his chest. "She worked for Mitch Morgan before your mother disappeared and lasted in the household until the day she retired and your father died. My brother believes Mitch Morgan had something to do with my father’s disappearance. Then last year, I took her job just as your brother took over the family business."

  "I don’t miss him. We’re talking about the same man who caused my mother countless tears and made me believe I didn't have anyone but a trust fund."

  He had met Mitch a few times in his life, but he had never been told he was his father, not until after his death. He had believed Mitch was his banker, and every time someone spoke about him, no one made Luke feel anything for the man who had hurt the women in his life.

  "I'm so thankful you forgave me for lying to you."

  "What did you lie about?"

  "My job. I spoke about my dreams and avoided speaking about what pays my bills."

  "Honestly, Caro, I was just happy you weren't married." The words to express himself left him, so he traced Caro's face again with his fingers. "I don't care that you worked for Peter."

  She trembled as she stayed in his arms. "Yes, but it's not past tense. I still work for him."

  "I hope Victoria is smart enough to see the talent in you, Caro." Slowly he wrapped his hand around her waist. Her lips were kissable, and the moonlight made her skin shine. He drew closer, slowly. "I didn't know my father. I don't like being compared to him."

  Her eyes began to flutter. "My mother knew him."

  The last thing either of them needed right now was more drama. Tomorrow, he'd find a way to make peace with her mother. Right now he needed to taste her peach-filled kisses.

  "She knows more than I do, then. Caro... let's not spend the rest of the evening worrying about others."

  "That sounds like a plan." Her eyes remained closed. "What do you have in mind then, Luke?"

  With a slight tug, she pressed her body fully into his so their mouths were close. "It's Christmas Eve, and I'm with my dream girl."

  Her eyes opened. He froze.

  She sighed as she stared into his eyes. "Ohh, and...?"

  His hand around her waist traced her the swell of her back as he swayed her on her feet into a dance. "Yes, she looks amazing and she takes care of everyone around her while she designs outfits fit for royalty. Perhaps you know her?"

  “I definitely do.” Her mouth curled into a smile. "Do you like this dress? It’s not made for a princess but for a woman to feel beautiful."

  The dress was not his target. "I like everything about you."

  Her eyes fluttered closed again, and he pressed forward. The moment his lips touched hers, the rest of the world went blank and all that mattered was her. Caro was the perfect woman.

  For once, he could believe in miracles.

  Chapter 12

  "Caro, Merry Christmas."

  The cracked female voice that had once kept her safe now jarred her awake. Caro crushed her eyes closed and wished she could block out the sound and any light that might come next. A second later, her bedroom light shone in the darkness, and she felt the glow under her eyelids. She pressed her lips together and hoped if she stayed still, then her mother would get the hint.

  Instead her mother said, "Caro, the presents are waiting for you."
<
br />   Her nose wrinkled. This wasn't about presents or Christmas morning. She wasn't ten years old anymore, but the thought that Luke would be here soon cheered her spirits. She relaxed her face and squinted her eyes. Her mother's brown hair and eyes stared at her.

  Caro's shoulders released the tension as she sat and opened her arms to hug her. "Merry Christmas, Mama."

  Her mother scooted onto the bed and hugged her harder than usual. As she let her go, her eyes narrowed. "Where is your boyfriend? Is this house not good enough for a Morgan?"

  She thought Luke had spent the night? Caro tried to understand how her mother felt. She knew she was hosting Christmas at her house. However, she wasn't stupid, and her mother might give her some slack.

  She lifted her chin. "He's at his home, with his family."

  "I don't know this Luke, but I am afraid he’ll use you for your body."

  Eventually she'd spend the night with Luke, but it wasn't going to be right now. First she promised herself that she’d fall in love.

  Caro rubbed her eyes. "Are we going to do this so early?"

  Her mother said nothing, but she gave her that stare she used to give Caro as a child when she brought home a bad grade from school.

  Caro pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. "Momma."

  She stood up like she was in a telenovela and walked to the window as she smoothed her sleeves. "He's a Morgan, and they take what they want."

  Caro threw her blankets off and stood from the bed. "Mother, Luke isn't like his father. He didn't even know him, and he's sweet and kind and wonderful."

  "Men like that don't exist, child."

  "Daddy did."

  A knock echoed in the halls. Rafe or Luke must be here.

  Her mother turned from the window and walked toward her, like she might scold her child. "Your Luke had every privilege of being a Morgan. His father knew of him and kept him close. It was enough to ruin him."

  Caro's hands went to her hips as she shook her head. She wasn't a child. "You promised to be open and you defended Peter and the others all the time, when you worked for him."