Hold On (Delos Series Book 5)

by Lindsay McKenna

  Beau found himself with another five gifts from the McKinley family. He had gotten each of them one gift. Callie had two, but the second one was special, and he tucked it on the other side of his body where she couldn’t see it. More than once, Callie looked through all the gifts, trying to find one from him. Beau suppressed a smile. Damn, but his woman was a fox on the hunt! Madly in love, he’d never felt happier. Her long red hair was mussed, long tendrils on each side of her face giving her the look of a wild, uninhibited woman. He ached to take her in his arms and kiss her into oblivion.

  Amid the ripping, tearing sounds of wrapping and ribbon flying all over the place, Beau watched and grinned. There was a surprised yelp from Callie, and she jumped up to hug her parents and grandparents for their gift, a new red Ford pickup. When Callie had left at eighteen, she’d sold her truck. Beau hid his smile, observing how much her family loved her. Callie was effusive, open, all heart and love. Beau had seen the same open quality at the orphanage in the way she’d loved all those little tykes just starving for a bit of attention. Callie might not have been their mother, but she’d mothered each and every one of them. Beau knew she missed them and he could, at times, feel her aching for them, worrying about them. She was a natural mother. As he sat there, he imagined Callie pregnant with his child. The thought was like an earthquake through him, tearing down what he thought he wanted out of his life. Since meeting her, everything in his life was changing, different, better.

  When everyone had opened their gifts, the wrapping, ribbons, and boxes lying scattered around the living room, Beau stood up. All eyes moved to him. Graham was in his large leather rocking chair and he lifted his chin, his blue eyes glinting. Beau held out his hand toward Callie.

  She looked up at him, at his hand, and then took it, confusion in her expression. The only thing Beau could hear right now was the snapping and crackling of the fire in the huge fireplace across the room. He gave Callie a tender look, pulling her to her feet.

  “I have one last Christmas gift for you,” he said, leading her out to the center of the room. His throat tightened as he looked at the McKinleys, his heart beating harder for a moment. He continued to hold Callie’s left hand.

  “Callie and I have gone through an awful lot in a very short amount of time. Sometimes, experiences either draw you together faster, or they tear you apart at the same speed.” He swallowed and glanced down at her upturned face. She stood close to him. Beau could feel her heat, feel her concern, because she didn’t know what he had planned for her. Or them.

  He turned, his gaze sweeping her family, his gaze on the parents. “I love your daughter and you need to know that. I suspect some of you already know it.” His mouth pulled upward a little. His gaze moved to Graham, who remained still in his rocker, his gaze soft now, resting on Callie.

  “What Callie and I experienced, and by the skin of our teeth survived, changed both of us. I’m sure she can tell you how it affected her. It changed me, too. It also made me know without any doubt that Callie is the woman I want forever. I want to wake up with her every morning, in our bed, at my side. I want to share her laughter, how she sees her world, and share her incredibly generous heart.” His voice grew strained and he faced Callie, touching her cheek. “I know this is too soon, gal, but I wanted to give you a gift from my heart to yours. And you just let me know when you’re ready, okay?”

  Beau slipped the purple-foil-wrapped gift into her hand and took a step back, watching her expression. Tears glimmered in Callie’s eyes and she sniffed, giving her family a look of apology. Her fingers trembled as she untied the pretty silver bow. Holding on to it, she opened the paper. Inside was a purple velvet box. Beau took the paper and bow from her hands so she could open it.

  Callie gasped as she stared down at the opened box. Inside was a platinum wedding ring, and with it a solitaire engagement ring of purple tanzanite from Africa, the same deep purple color that she loved so much.

  Her hand flew to her throat and she gulped. “Oh … Beau … ,” she whispered brokenly.

  He smiled nervously. “Do you like them, Callie?” Because as God was his witness, he’d never wanted her to like anything more than those rings. His hands grew damp as she swallowed, tears running down her flushed cheeks, grasping the box between her breasts, over her heart.

  “Like them?” she managed in a choked whisper. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

  “Will you marry me, gal? When the time’s right?” he rasped, leaning down, claiming her lips, tasting the salt of her tears on them.

  Callie sobbed as she drew away and threw her arms around his neck. Beau smiled, burying his face into her hair, holding her tightly against him. He heard movement around him but was focused only on Callie and how she felt against him, the joy he’d seen leap to her green eyes, that expression of pure love on her face for him. Just for him.

  He released her just enough to stare down into her eyes. “Tell me.”

  “Yes, yes, I love you. And I do want to marry you, Beau Gardner. More than anything in the world.”

  For a moment, Beau was so lightheaded with the joy shearing through him, he thought he might pass out. Then he felt the same joy stabilizing him. He had no more reason to doubt or fear her feelings. Just looking at Callie and the deeply loving gaze she shone on him, he knew she was all his.

  “Congratulations, son,” Graham said, walking over to them, clapping Beau on the back. “Welcome into our family. We couldn’t want a better grandson-in-law.” He held out his hand to him.

  Beau released Callie but kept her at his side. He shook Graham’s roughened hand. “Thank you, sir. My only aim in my life is to make Callie happy. She deserves only good things to happen to her from now on.”

  Maisy came up next, hugging Callie. She was crying, too. Then she turned and hugged Beau. “You’re going to make Callie a fine husband, Beau. You’re the best of friends, and that’s such a great foundation to start from.”

  Stacy and Connor came up next. Stacy gave her daughter a happy look, hugging her, kissing her hair and cheek. She was crying, too. Connor shook Beau’s hand, his voice wobbling with emotion, welcoming him into their family. And then Connor held his daughter gently, for a long time, kissing her cheek. When he released her, he said, “You’ve got impeccable taste, Callie. Beau already fits in here with all of us.”

  “Yes,” Stacy sighed, sliding her arm around Connor’s waist. “You make such a beautiful couple. From the very first moment you arrived, Beau, we saw such a positive difference in Callie. Before, she was depressed and lost. But as soon as you showed up, she started rallying. She made the decision to fight the shock and get better.” She reached out, touching Beau’s arm. “You’re her sunlight.”

  Beau nodded, deeply touched by everyone’s emotional welcome and congratulations. “Well, if I’m Callie’s sunlight, she’s my heart’s compass.”

  Callie looked up at him, dazed by his eloquence, and kissed his cheek. “You always say the most beautiful things, Beau,” she whispered, giving him a tender look.

  “Come on,” Graham coaxed the couple. “Sit down on the couch here. Callie, wouldn’t you like to look at that pretty engagement ring of yours a little more closely?”

  Callie stared down at the box she had clutched in her hand. “Very much so, Grandpa.”

  Beau led her to the couch. This time, Beau sat down in the corner of the couch, his arm going around Callie. From now on, they could show their affection for one another with the rest of her family. “Going to try it on, gal?” he teased her.

  Callie nodded, overwhelmed by so many emotions. She carefully pulled the engagement ring from the plush box. “Tell me more about it, Beau. What gemstone is it? It’s truly beautiful.”

  “Well,” he drawled, “that gemstone comes from Africa. It’s called tanzanite, and it’s a very rare stone. In fact, the deposit of this mineral in the magnesium mines where a seam of this gemstone was found has run out, so whoever has the gem now has something no one else
will ever have again.” He picked the ring from her fingers and then eased his arm from around her waist. Gently lifting Callie’s left hand, he said, “Want to try it on for size?”

  “Y-yes,” she said eagerly, “of course I do!”

  The ring slid on, a perfect fit. The gemstone was a square cut. As Beau saw the beauty of the purple flashing through it from the light in the living room, he said, “This reminds me of the night you danced at Bagram, all light, shimmering beauty. I don’t think I took one breath while you danced,” and he smiled down at her, unable to fully believe that she was going to be his wife.

  Her fingers wrapped around his. “This is such an incredible gift, Beau. I love it, and I love you, so very much.”

  *

  Beau lay in bed with Callie after they had loved one another. It was Christmas night, and they’d had a final dinner with the family midafternoon and then come home to their cabin. She lay naked in his arms, their hearts still beating hard as he nuzzled his face into that cloud of her silky red strands. He breathed in her womanly scent and growled, holding her tightly against him.

  “I’m so weak,” Callie laughed softly, smiling and closing her eyes, her head on his damp shoulder.

  “Makes two of us,” Beau agreed, never happier.

  The bedroom was warm because the door was open and the fire was roaring in the living room. Beau had opened the curtains, and from where he lay on the bed, he could see the snowflakes twirling outside the partly frosted window.

  A new blizzard was blowing in tonight and that meant that everyone would get up early to feed the livestock and horses. But it was going to be a quiet day of rest for the most part.

  “I love my rings,” Callie whispered against his neck.

  “I’m glad you do,” he said, easing back and placing a pillow by his shoulder so she could lie on it. “That ring has purple fire in its depths. Reminds me of the fire in you, Callie.”

  “Tell me how you got the rings, Beau.”

  “Oh,” he sighed, “it’s quite the story. I told Matt that I wanted to get a purple engagement ring for you. Of course, we were stuck at Bagram, out in the middle of nowhere. He knew a Turkish jeweler that his family uses in Kuşadasi, Turkey. We sat down at the computer and he Skyped with him. The jeweler is a very old gentleman, silver haired and very kind. I explained that I wanted a purple gemstone for you. He asked me about you.” Beau leaned down, kissing her nose. “I thought it was very nice of him to ask. So I told him all about you, about that wild purple and silver belly-dancing outfit you danced in. I could see his eyes light up, and he said he had just the stone for you. He came back with it and showed it to us. Matt suggested I go with a platinum ring. I agreed. So the jeweler made the set for you. Matt has his resources and the rings were sent to me by courier to Bagram.”

  “When was this?”

  “Right before we got ambushed,” Beau admitted unhappily. “I had plans that when we got back from that village that evening, I was going to take you to that special restaurant you liked so much. I was going to propose to you after dinner, but it didn’t happen.”

  Callie slowly sat up, pushing some of her hair off her shoulder. The glow from the fireplace danced shadows and light up and down the hall, some of it reflecting into their bedroom. Looking deeply into Beau’s amused, shadowed eyes, she said, “You were probably wondering if you’d ever give them to me, weren’t you?”

  Beau reached out, moving his hand down her arm, feeling the velvet strength of it. “I wasn’t even sure we’d survive the attack, gal. The rings were the last thing on my mind. When we finally got out of that hot mess, I brought the rings with me when I came to see you. I wasn’t sure I’d even show them to you. I wasn’t sure where we were at with one another.” He searched her face, now quietly reflective. Her lips were slightly swollen from the kisses he’d given her, lower lip almost pouty, making her look even more fetching to him.

  “What a story,” Callie said, shaking her head, amazed. “Well, you sure surprised me this morning. I never expected you to ask me to marry you, or to have that gorgeous set of rings. I’m just stunned by the beauty of the tanzanite.” She held the ring up, watching the firelight catch shards of the fire within the purple gemstone. “I want to share with you about my plans, Beau.”

  He became serious. Callie had spent her young life in the service of the Hope Charity. Beau knew she had quit, but he wasn’t sure which direction she wanted to go.

  “Tell me,” he coaxed, holding her gaze.

  “You already know I quit Hope Charity. My mother and grandma sat down with me a few days ago, to discuss my life plans. Mom said that I’d served the world since I was eighteen. She asked me if now that I’d met you, maybe it was time to start looking differently at my dreams and goals.”

  “You’re lucky to have such a tight-knit family, Callie, that can help you with big life changes that come everyone’s way.”

  Somber, she nodded, seeing the concern in Beau’s gaze. “I am and I know it. I told them that I was in the midst of a huge change within myself because of the ambush. But right now, I wanted to stay at the ranch and work. I need this kind of work because it’s helping me to heal, Beau.”

  “I know it is. I see it daily in you, Callie.”

  “There’s a small charity in town. I’d like to devote some time locally because I love to help others who have so much less than I do.” She caressed his jaw. “But my life is changing before my very eyes. I’m marrying you. I want children. A family. And I know what it takes to be a full-time parent.” She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, in deep thought. Finally, she whispered, “You and I come first. Our dreams we dream together come first. I’ve always had a good head for numbers. Grandma Maisy said she’d teach me how to do the accounting for the ranch. I could have a job, be a help to the ranch in general, and still be home to raise our children, Beau. What do you think?” She searched his eyes.

  “I think it’s a great plan, Callie.” He picked up her fingers, tangling his between hers. “You’ll probably always do some kind of service work, and that’s fine with me. I like that you’re making us and our family-to-be as first. And learning accounting would be helpful. I’m not that great at that kind of thing.” He gave her a grin. “I’d much rather work with Graham and learn the ins and outs of becoming foreman of this ranch someday down the road apiece.”

  “I like how everything is falling into place,” Callie agreed quietly, holding his warm gaze. “We’ll both work at our new jobs, learn them, and someday, maybe a decade from now, be good enough to take over the reins of running this ranch. Then Grandma and Grandpa can retire and live with us.”

  “Sounds like a workable plan,” Beau agreed. He took a deep breath and released it. “I’ve only got a few more weeks with you, Callie,” he offered quietly, looking at her stricken expression. His fingers moved gently down her arm and he slipped her hand into his, holding it. “I’ve got five months to go on my enlistment. Our team is leaving Bagram in March of next year. There will be very few missions between now and then because of the snow in the passes. Everything will be very quiet at Bagram. I’ll probably go out of my skull with boredom.” He grinned boyishly.

  “What happens after March, Beau?”

  “My team returns stateside. We always have a lot of training to do, but first I’ll get a week to come home to you here, at the ranch.”

  “A week,” she sighed. “I’ll miss you so much until then … ”

  Beau could already feel her moving into worry over his being overseas. “Look, Matt will be with me through March. That’s when his enlistment is up and he leaves the Army and goes home to work for his parents’ charity, Delos. I’ll have three months here stateside, and then the Army will cut me loose.”

  “That would be June?”

  “June 1, to be exact.”

  “That would be a wonderful time to get married, wouldn’t it?” she suggested coyly.

  “Yes, I’d like that. And that’s far enough away that
it would give my folks time to drive up here to be part of our wedding. They wouldn’t miss that for the world.” His grin widened.

  She absorbed his joy as he spoke about his family. “I was thinking that after we get married, we might spend part of our honeymoon with your folks so I can spend some quality time with them and see where you grew up. I’d love to meet all your family. They had you, so I know they’re special people.” She laid her hand on his chest, her palm over his heart. “Anyone as special as you has to have a very, very wonderful set of parents, Beau.”

  He placed his hand over hers. “They’re great people, Callie. Salt of the earth. Kind. Hardworking. I know they’d cherish a visit from us. As a matter of fact, my pa and a number of men on Black Mountain built a second cabin on my parents’ property years ago. They built it hoping at least one of the three boys might come home with his bride and they could stay in it.”

  “Oh, that sounds wonderful. Could we do that? Stay there?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

  “And maybe,” Callie said, thinking out loud, “next Christmas, we could travel down there and spend the holiday with your folks. I know they miss you, too.”

  “Sure, we could trade off years having Christmas up here and then down there. I know my folks would appreciate that.”

  “When you come home, Beau, you’ll start to work as wrangler with Grandpa guiding you.”

  “Well”—he gave her a wicked look—“I need to learn to ride a horse first, and then be a wrangler and learn the ways of cattle ranching. I told him I might fall off a time or two before I got the hang of riding, but I’ll do it.”

  “That sounds absolutely perfect,” Callie sighed. “Grandpa wants to retire someday, and my dad has no interest in running the ranch.”

  “Yeah, I kinda figured that.”

  “But you have the earth in your soul, Beau. You’re so much like Grandpa.”

  “We get along right well with one another,” he agreed quietly. “He’s a real hero and a mentor to me. I enjoy being around him.”