Connor started for the door, then came back to give her an awkward hug that felt more meaningful than any of the impulsive hugs he’d bestowed as a boy. “I’m glad we talked,” he told her.
She touched his cheek and tried to blink back tears. “So am I.”
In fact, it was the best possible Christmas gift she could have received.
* * *
Mick knew something had changed after Megan spent much of the afternoon locked away in the kitchen with Connor. She looked lighter tonight, as if her mind were at ease. At church she sang out with the full-bodied soprano that had always cheered him. There was so much joy in her voice.
He bent down and whispered in her ear. “Things went okay with Connor?”
“Better than okay,” she admitted, then silenced him with a look as the familiar service filled the church with music and the kind of hope that always seemed more powerful at this time of year.
When they walked outside, there was a bitter chill in the air, but the stars were bright in the midnight sky.
“We’ll see you first thing in the morning,” Abby promised as the family hugged on the church steps and prepared to go their separate ways.
“I can’t wait to see what Santa brought me,” Davy said, bouncing up and down excitedly. “Do you know, Grandpa Mick? Do you think he got my letter?”
“I know he did,” Mick assured him, then winked at Henry. “Yours, too. But you need to get to bed so Santa can sneak in and leave all those presents.”
Though Caitlyn and Carrie had claimed their disdain for the whole Santa myth, they still had enough doubt to have them grabbing their mother’s hands.
“Mom, let’s hurry,” Carrie pleaded. “We have to sleep really fast.”
Abby laughed. “That’s our cue,” she said. “Gram, would you like to ride home with us? I think Dad’s hoping for some alone time with Mom.”
Mick grinned at her. “Way to blow my plans,” he grumbled as Megan gave him a curious look.
“Shouldn’t we be going straight home, too?” Megan asked. “It’s late.”
“Not for a couple of free-spirited people like us,” he insisted. “I thought we could go for a little drive.”
“A drive? At this hour?”
He took her hand in his. “Trust me.”
She met his gaze. “Always.”
They hugged everyone good-night, then walked toward Mick’s car.
“Mick O’Brien, what do you have up your sleeve?” Megan asked as he settled her in the passenger seat.
“Just a little quiet time, so we can make our plans,” he said.
Megan fell silent as he drove to a secluded spot on a cliff just beyond The Inn at Eagle Point. “Remember the first time we came up here?” he asked as he parked the car. He reached into the backseat for a bottle of champagne.
“It was the night you told me you were going to build Chesapeake Shores,” she said. “I remember thinking you were crazy, that no one sets out to build an entire town from the ground up. I should have known you could do it.” Her gaze narrowed. “You don’t have some other big announcement, do you?”
“Not an announcement,” he said. “I’ve seen how you’ve been lighting up at being surrounded by family this holiday season. I’m wondering if any of that goodwill might spill over to me.”
“If I’ve been in a good mood lately, it’s mostly because of you,” she told him. “You’ve given me back my family, Mick. I have a full, rich life again. Even if I never succeed in getting that gallery up and running, I’ll be okay.”
“You can have it all, if you’d just—”
She smiled and touched a finger to his lips. “I’m turning that one over to God. If it’s the right thing, I’ll find a way to make it happen.”
He took heart from that. “Okay, then, but as good as things are, they could be even better.” He poured champagne for the two of them. “Normally I don’t condone drinking and driving, but I’m thinking one toast just up the street from our home wouldn’t be inappropriate. Here’s to us, Meggie, and the future we can build together.”
She sipped from her glass. “As excellent as this champagne is, something tells me you didn’t bring me up here just so we could share a private toast.”
He chuckled. “You know me too well.”
“Something you’d do well to remember,” she replied.
“Well, as you may recall, one week from tonight we have a wedding scheduled,” he said casually, then held her gaze. “Are you planning to show up?”
She regarded him with a startled expression. “Mick, I’ve been telling you for weeks now that we need to wait. That hasn’t changed, at least not entirely.”
“What does that mean?”
“I had a really good talk with Connor this afternoon,” she began, looking as if she might burst with excitement. “Oh, Mick. It’s wonderful! He’s given us his blessing.”
“Well, hallelujah!” Mick said. “Not that I needed it, but I know you felt it was important. If he’s not standing in our way, then what’s the problem? Let’s get this show on the road!”
Megan laughed. “You are such a guy,” she said. “Nothing’s planned. That’s the problem.”
“Everything’s planned,” he corrected. “All I need is the go-ahead from you.”
Megan regarded him with a stunned expression. “I don’t understand. I thought you knew that one of the biggest problems we have is the way you take over and just ignore the rest of us to get your own way. Now you’ve obviously gone and done it again. If and when we get married, Mick, I want a say in the kind of wedding we have.”
“Believe me, I’ve gotten that message loud and clear,” he assured her.
“Then why would you move forward without saying a word to me?”
“You’ve been distracted,” he said. “And I have a pretty good notion of what you want.”
She looked skeptical. “Oh, really? What kind of flowers do I want in my bouquet?”
“Lilies of the valley just like the ones you planted along the walkway outside. You love that scent so much, it’s in the perfume you wear.”
She blinked at that. “Okay, that’s a lucky guess. What about my dress?”
“Abby spoke to your tailor in New York. She took her a picture you’d admired and the dress is hanging in a closet at her house right now.”
“Bridesmaids?”
“Carrie and Caitlyn claimed those spots. Abby has their red velvet dresses, as well.”
“What about the cake? I’m very particular about the kind of cake I’d like.”
Mick chuckled. “Which you’d apparently made plain to Jess and Gail at the inn weeks and weeks ago. It’ll be exactly as you wanted it, right down to the raspberry cream filling.”
He could see that she was rapidly running out of objections, but he waited. “Anything more?”
“I never picked out invitations,” she said eventually, obviously seizing at straws.
“Because you said we didn’t need them if we were only inviting family,” Mick said, barely containing a smile. “And to save you the trouble of hunting for more excuses, I’ve hired the band you liked from last summer’s concert series on the green, the reception dinner will have your favorite prime rib as the main course. The only thing I’m not telling you now is where we’re going on our honeymoon. That’s a surprise.”
She studied him with shining eyes. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
“I’ve tried. Don’t you get it by now? I will do anything within my power to make you happy. If you want a guarantee, I’ll give you one, in writing if you’d prefer it that way.”
A full-fledged smile broke across her face. “Then I suppose I’ve run out of excuses,” she told him. She reached up and touched his cheek. “I do love you, Mick,
more than ever. I have no idea why I was being so stubborn.”
He laughed at that. “I do. It runs in the family.”
* * *
Christmas morning dawned with an inch of snow on the ground. It wasn’t much, but it added to the excitement as kids ran in and out of the house and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” played over and over again.
Megan sat next to Mick as wrapping paper and ribbons were tossed in the air amid excited squeals. When Davy opened the package with a baseball mitt, he let out a whoop and ran to his father. “Daddy, see, I told you Santa wouldn’t forget. He just left it here instead of at our house.”
Kevin grinned at him. “So I see. What about you, Henry? Did Santa leave something special here for you?”
Henry looked up at him with wide eyes. “It’s the sports video game I wanted. It has baseball and bowling and everything. Can we play?”
“Of course you can,” Connor said, looking as eager as the kids. “I’ll set it up in the den. Dad, you coming?”
“On my way,” Mick said, then turned and stole another kiss from Megan. “Just to tide me over till later.”
As soon as he’d left the room with all the children and the men, Abby, Bree and Jess surrounded Megan. “Well? Did you say yes last night? I know Dad took champagne up to the cliff and planned to ask you again to marry him. Are we having a wedding New Year’s Eve?” Abby demanded.
Megan touched her daughter’s cheek, then tucked a wayward curl behind Jess’s ear. Before Bree could complain of being neglected, she patted her expanding belly. “Next year we’ll have another little one here for Christmas.”
A smile spread across Bree’s face. “I can hardly wait.”
“Mom! You’re stalling,” Abby protested.
Megan looked at her three precious girls. Right this second she couldn’t let herself think of all she’d missed over the years they’d been apart. What mattered was now and all that lay ahead for them as a family.
“Since, according to your father, you all seem to have everything under control,” she told them, “then there doesn’t seem to be a single reason for me not to go along with the plan.” She grinned. “We’re having a wedding.”
Whoops of happiness greeted the announcement and an instant later, she was enfolded in a group hug that filled her with a joy unlike anything she’d experienced in far too many years. She was within days of having everything she’d ever wanted. Her children were back in her life. Her grandchildren would grow up around her, filling the house with laughter. And the man she’d loved from the moment she’d known the meaning of the word would be by her side forever. It seemed it really was the season of miracles.
Epilogue
The Inn at Eagle Point had been decorated for the holidays with twinkling lights in all of the surrounding trees and shrubs. Inside, the staircase railings were trimmed with fragrant boughs of evergreens and more lights. An eight-foot-tall tree f illed the foyer with the scent of pine and the golden glow of white lights, sparkling gold ornaments and flowing gold ribbons. Chunky white candles and slender tapers burned on every tabletop. It was an elegant, fairy-tale setting for a wedding.
Carrie and Caitlyn could barely contain their excitement as they waited to walk down the aisle. They’d been practicing for days.
Megan stood just outside the door of the room that had been chosen for the ceremony, her heart in her throat.
“Stop fidgeting,” Abby instructed. “You’ll muss your dress.”
Megan ran her hand over the slender, cream-colored satin sheath that had been custom made for her, thanks to Abby. The simple scoop neckline was awash with beads and tiny pearls that sparkled and shimmered in the candlelight.
“What if he changed his mind?” she asked, unable to dismiss her fear that the evening could yet be ruined.
“He’ll be here, Mom,” Abby said for the tenth time.
“I know he said he’d do it,” Megan agreed, her worried gaze searching the hallway.
Then she saw them, Kevin and Connor walking toward her, ready to escort her down the aisle.
“You’re late,” she scolded mildly, then kissed their cheeks. “But I am so glad you’re here.”
“You try getting someplace on time with a baby,” Connor grumbled. “He kept crying and calling for Ga-ma. My son can’t say Mama or Da-Da, but he knows what to call you. You’ve stolen that kid’s heart.”
Megan regarded him with a misty-eyed look. “And he’s healed ours.” She searched her son’s face. “Hasn’t he?”
Connor smiled slowly. It was the carefree expression she’d remembered, but hadn’t seen for far too long. “We’re okay, Mom.”
“Then let’s get this show on the road,” Kevin grumbled. “This tux is killing me.”
“But you look oh-so-handsome,” Connor teased. “If I weren’t your very straight brother, I’d give you a second look myself.”
“Oh, bite me,” Kevin retorted.
Megan laughed at the familiar sound of their bickering. It had been like this as far back as she could remember. It was nice that some things would never change.
She urged the twins to begin the walk down the aisle, then linked arms with her sons as the music rose. This was it, the moment she’d feared might never come.
Just as they stepped through the doorway, she winked at Connor. “You’re next,” she whispered. “I intend to see to it.”
That may have been why Connor stumbled on his first step down the aisle. But then his gaze landed on Heather, seated in the back row with his son. Megan saw how his eyes lit up, and knew she’d been right to coax her into coming here tonight.
Then she turned her attention to Mick, waiting impatiently at the front of the room, and everything else faded as she walked toward her future.
* * * * *
Keep reading for a special sneak peek at
LILAC LANE,
the newest book in the CHESAPEAKE SHORES series
by #1 New York Times bestselling author
Sherryl Woods,
available soon from MIRA Books.
“Woods’s amazing grasp of human nature and the emotions that lie deep within us make this story universal.”
—RT Book Reviews on Driftwood Cottage
Join the O’Brien family in Chesapeake Shores, where stories of friendship, family and love are only just around the corner—you may never want to leave:
The Inn at Eagle Point
Flowers on Main
Harbor Lights
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
Driftwood Cottage
Moonlight Cove
Beach Lane
An O’Brien Family Christmas
The Summer Garden
A Seaside Christmas
The Christmas Bouquet
Dogwood Hill
Willow Brook Road
Looking for more great reads from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods? Make sure to also visit the small town of Serenity, South Carolina, in the Sweet Magnolias series:
Stealing Home
A Slice of Heaven
Feels Like Family
Welcome to Serenity
Sweet Tea at Sunrise
Honeysuckle Summer
Midnight Promises
Catching Fireflies
Where Azaleas Bloom
Swan Point
“Emotionally satisfying novels about family, friendship and home.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Or catch up on the unforgettable and beloved Perfect Destinies saga, where love always finds the Carlton family in the most unexpected places:
Isn’t It Rich?
Priceless
Treasured
“Woods employs her signature elements—the Southern small-town atmosphere, the supportive network of friends and family, and the heartwarming romance—to great effect.”
—Booklist
And don’t miss the irresistibly charming Trinity Harbor trilogy:
About That Man
Ask Anyone
Along Came Trouble
“Sherryl Woods gives her characters depth, intensity, and the right amount of humor.”
—RT Book Reviews
Order your copies today!
* * *
Did you know that Harlequin My Rewards members earn FREE books and more?
Join
www.HarlequinMyRewards.com
today to start earning your FREE books!
* * *
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
Lilac Lane
by Sherryl Woods
Prologue
The death of Peter McDonough would have been a blow at any time, but coming as it had on the very day Kiera Malone had finally accepted his proposal of marriage left her reeling. After her first husband, Sean Malone, had abandoned her with three young children, she had vowed never to let another man into her life, much less into her heart. She’d clung to her independence with a fierce protectiveness. She’d made a practice of scaring men away with her tart tongue and bitter demeanor, even knowing as she did so that she was dooming herself to loneliness. Better that than dooming herself and her children to another loss, another mistake.
After the death of his wife, Peter, bless his sweet soul, had waited patiently on the sidelines for Kiera, running his pub in Dublin, supporting her daughter, Moira, in her efforts to make a career of the photography that Kiera herself had thought of as nothing more than a hobby, and making the occasional overture to Kiera.
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas Page 19
