Now she wasn’t sure.
In fact, she wasn’t sure of anything except that she should’ve insisted on him meeting her halfway between Dallas and Celebration. In the future, when they had to see each other for a matter that had to do with their children, she would make sure that they split the difference the same way they would split everything else—expenses, holidays with the kids...
“I see the person I’m meeting,” Becca said to the hostess, taking care to smile and temper her voice so as not to misdirect her frustrations.
When Nick saw her, he stood, offering a half smile.
Damn him for being so good-looking and so cool about the situation. Especially when she was falling apart inside. She swallowed the lump in her throat, determined to not let him see just how hard this was for her.
When she reached the booth, there was an awkward moment where neither of them seemed to know what to do. For a split second, she actually thought he might lean in and kiss her. But that was just wishful thinking.
She ducked her head and slid into the booth. He did the same.
“How are you?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Nick. How are you? How’s your dad?”
Yes, that was the key. Keep it light. Make him believe she really was fine. Maybe if she pretended long enough, she really would be.
“My dad is— He’s great. We’ve had some good talks. Can’t thank you enough for pushing me to get in touch with him.”
Pushing him?
Is that how she’d come across? Pushy? She cringed inwardly, but she was careful to not let it show. Or at least she hoped she didn’t. She certainly hadn’t realized she’d pushed him.
“Nick, I’m sorry if you ever felt like I pushed you. I was never trying to force you into anything. That was never my intention.”
“I guess that didn’t really come out the way I meant it to. You never made me feel pushed. But your encouragement did help me do the right thing in contacting my dad.”
Nick looked down at his hands for a moment. They were resting on the table, big, capable hands that knew just how to touch her. She would miss those hands.
“He and I both agreed that we were idiots for going so long without talking to each other. You were right, Becca. He never did blame me. In fact, all these years he’s blamed himself. He’s been carrying the burden around as long as I have, and we both agreed to set it down and move forward. We both missed so much.”
“That’s great, Nick. I really am happy for you. For both of you. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet your father. When did he leave?”
“He’s still here. He’s taking a walking tour of Celebration. The woman who runs the inn set it up for him.”
“Oh, you should be with him. Instead of here with me. This could’ve waited.”
Nick raked his hand through his hair. It seemed like a nervous gesture, and it reminded Becca that she’d gotten carried away there for a moment. God, he did have that effect on her, didn’t he?
“Actually, no, this couldn’t wait.”
“Oh.”
Becca smoothed her skirt over her knees. If she’d known she was having lunch with him today, she would’ve worn something different. Not that there was anything wrong with her navy merino wool skirt. It was just a little plain. A no-nonsense outfit that had suited her mood this morning when she’d woken up. And, okay, it was one of the few pieces of clothing in her closet that she could still fit into.
No, if she’d known that today was the day she’d officially get dumped, she would’ve worn something a little more inspired. Something that made a man look twice—think twice before letting her go. But who was she trying to fool? This was who she was when no one was looking and she liked that person, even if he didn’t. She sat up a little straighter, squared her shoulders.
There wasn’t a thing in the world wrong with that version of Becca.
“Becca—”
Before he could get to the point, the server walked up to the table. “Hi, I’m Kathy. I’ll be taking care of you today. May I tell you about some of our specials?”
She didn’t wait for them to answer—really, it was a rhetorical question—and began rattling off the list from memory.
They quickly placed their order—a Reuben sandwich for him and a cup of clam chowder for her. She didn’t have much of an appetite right now, but she was afraid that not ordering would’ve given off a hostile vibe. And there she was worrying about what he thought.
Forever the people pleaser.
No. No, she wasn’t. She’d ordered the soup to make herself feel more comfortable. If she didn’t feel like eating it, she wouldn’t.
“So, what was it that was so important that you’re letting it cut into your visit with your dad?”
He nodded and looked at her a little bit too long. Maybe he was weighing his words. Probably. Obviously, this wasn’t easy for either of them.
“Two things, actually. I have something for you. But first, the thing that can’t wait—Becca, I acted like a total jerk yesterday, and I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that. The accident wasn’t your fault.”
The old Becca would’ve told him it was okay. She would’ve immediately tried to set his mind to rest, but he had acted like a jerk, and it wasn’t acceptable.
“I needed you, Nick, and you shut me out. I appreciate your apology, but whether or not we’re together, we’re going to be in each other’s lives. We’re going to have to communicate and get along for the sake of our kids. You can’t just go inward and refuse to talk to me.”
He reached out and covered her hand with his.
“I know. Believe me, I know. I came from a home where my parents’ lack of communication and constant bickering shattered our lives. And I know it’s been an issue with your family, too.”
His hand was still on hers, and it was wreaking all kinds of havoc with her emotions. Since she was the one who had brought up the fact that they needed to communicate if they were going to have a healthy co-parenting relationship, she knew what she had to say.
She drew her hand away, trying not to imagine that he looked a little bothered by it.
“Nick, I have to be honest with you. I have feelings for you. I have since that night that we sat right here and... I guess I fell in love with you that night, but—”
“Becca—”
“No, Nick, let me finish.”
His eyes held so much tenderness that she had to look away because her own eyes were starting to fill with tears.
She wasn’t going to cry.
She wasn’t.
She couldn’t.
Oh, God. She was.
“Look, you can’t do this—” she said, but her voice broke, and she couldn’t get the rest of the words out.
All she had to say was that he couldn’t keep doing this—he couldn’t keep touching her like this, and, for that matter, he really shouldn’t look at her that way, either—but how could you set boundaries and parameters on the way someone looked at another person?
She hadn’t really noticed, but maybe that was just his face. His gorgeous, perfect face. Maybe that was how he looked at everyone, and she’d simply misunderstood and read way too much into it.
Touching, on the other hand—now, that was a clear boundary.
She took a deep breath, gathering herself to lay down the no-touching law, when Nick suddenly stood up.
Where was he—
He was kneeling in front of her. And the tears were still rolling down her cheeks.
She just needed to get a hold of herself.
What the heck was he doing?
Oh, God. What was that? A Christmas ornament? Why was he kneeling in front of her with a Christmas ornament?
“Becca, I got you that ruby necklace you tried on in the jewe
lry store.”
Okay, but you’re holding a Christmas ornament?
Oh, wait, maybe he took the necklace back.
“I wanted to give it to you for Christmas. But somehow it just didn’t feel right.”
“You really don’t have to tell me this, Nick. It’s an expensive piece of jewelry. That saleswoman put us in an awkward position.”
“Actually, I found something else I wanted to give you instead.”
He held up the Christmas ornament.
Becca’s heart sank. Not because of the gift—it was pretty. She couldn’t see it very well because of how he was holding it, but it looked as if it had a scene of a town—maybe a Currier and Ives Christmas scene. It was probably lovely, but did he really have to give it to her this way? Everyone in the restaurant was looking at them.
Becca swiped at her tears.
“I know I’ve probably done more things wrong than I’ve done right,” Nick said. “I mean, we haven’t even finished decorating the tree.”
“It’s okay, really,” Becca said.
“I’ve never been very good at relationships. But one thing that I have done right is to realize that I love you.”
Becca blinked, and her heart lurched. Had she heard him right? Surely not.
“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Becca. Will you give me a chance? Will you please give us a chance?” He turned the ornament around. Our First Christmas was spelled out in ornate gold lettering.
Becca’s mouth dropped open as realization settled over her.
Then she saw that there was something else—something small and shiny tied to the ornament with a red ribbon.
“Nothing in the world would make me happier than if you’d be my wife. You and the babies and I, we could be a family.”
He looked as if he was holding his breath as he untied the ribbon that held the ring.
As the cymbal monkey started up in her chest, she hadn’t realized that she’d been holding her breath, too.
“Yes!” she said breathlessly. “Yes, Nick, there’s nothing that I’d rather do than be your wife.”
As he slipped the traditional round diamond on her finger, it winked and glittered in the afternoon light streaming in through the large, leaded glass windows, and everyone at the tables around them broke into applause.
Epilogue
On Christmas Eve, Becca’s father walked her down the aisle of the Celebration Chapel. On her journey, she took a moment to look at everyone who had gathered for the happiest day of her life.
When her gaze landed on Nick, who was standing amid the red and white poinsettias that decorated the altar, smiling at her with so much love in his eyes, she knew without a doubt that she was the luckiest woman in the world.
And when the minister asked, “Who gives this woman in marriage?” her father said a resolute, “Her mother and I do.”
The words made Becca’s breath hitch.
Then her father lifted the blusher on her veil and planted a kiss on her cheek before placing her hand in Nick’s.
Her sister, Rosanna, was her maid of honor. She looked stunning in her close-fitting red velvet dress. She gently took Becca’s bouquet of red roses, while Kate, who was her bridesmaid, straightened the train of Becca’s dress so that it lay perfectly, showing off the traditional line of the silk-and-lace ball-gown-style dress.
Since they’d planned the wedding in short order, Becca had allowed Rosanna and Kate to choose their own dresses. The only mandates Becca gave were the dresses had to complement each other, and they had to be in the same color family as the ruby necklace that Nick had given her. Becca was wearing it as her something new.
The wedding dress was her something old. It was her mother’s. A seamstress had worked her magic to alter the dress to accommodate Becca’s growing baby bump, and even if Becca had had years to plan and have a dress custom made, it would’ve been exactly like the shimmering lace-and-silk ball gown her mother had worn when she’d married Becca’s father.
Isabel had a lot of quirks, but she also had impeccable, timeless taste.
Kate had lent her a pair of diamond earrings that were the perfect understated complement to the more ornate ruby necklace. And her something blue? It was her garter, hidden beneath the yards and yards of material that made up her voluminous skirt.
Nick’s father was his best man. He’d been able to get additional time off from work, and he stood next to Nick looking handsome in a traditional black tux. Liam served as a groomsman.
Becca heard a sniffle in the front row and turned to see her mother brushing away a tear. Isabel had been remarkably cooperative over the past two weeks as they’d planned the wedding in warp speed. Her mother mouthed a silent I love you. Becca blew her a kiss, and with that, she turned to her husband-to-be.
As Nick reached out and took her hands, she looked into his dark brown eyes and saw her future: they would love each other for better or worse, richer or poorer; in good times and in bad.
They’d already been through so much and had found love on the other side. She couldn’t wait to start their life together.
Her heart beat an anxious staccato, but it was a far cry from the frantic cymbal monkey who seemed to have gotten lost shortly after Nick had proposed. The eager excitement made her breath catch, and it was the best feeling Becca could imagine.
Nick was the love of her life. She had a feeling he would always give her butterflies. That’s how much she loved this man.
Together, they would be a family.
A family.
The only place she wanted to be was in the arms of the handsome man standing in front of her.
She’d loved him from the moment she’d first set eyes on him. In fact, in some form or another, she’d been searching for him her entire life. Now she’d finally found him.
She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that there was no place in the world that she would rather be than right here, proclaiming her love for him in front of God and the entire world. And when a single tear rolled out of the corner of Nick’s eye as he said his vows, she knew that they both had found their happily-ever-after.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A VERY CRIMSON CHRISTMAS by Michelle Major.
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A Very Crimson Christmas
Michelle Major
Chapter One
Natalie Holt blinked open one eye and slapped her hand against the alarm clock blaring out heavy metal music. Heavy metal wasn’t typically popular in the mountains, but she’d managed to tune in to a college station situated a few towns over from where she lived in Crimson, Colorado.
Not her preference, but she slept through every other genre from classical to country to talk radio. Even the annoying default alarm buzz couldn’t jolt her awake these days. Probably a result of averaging about four hours of sleep each night.
Last night had been closer to three hours since she’d stayed up to finish the month-end medical billing for the senior living center where she worked. She’d been lucky to pick up the extra position—her off
icial third job. She needed the money but couldn’t afford to take any more time away from her nine-year-old son, Austin. A decent night’s sleep was one of the few expendable items on her schedule.
Austin was the best thing in her life, and Natalie would manage through bleary-eyed sleep deprivation or walk on hot coals if it meant keeping him safe. Even if she collapsed from utter exhaustion in the process.
But she wasn’t dead yet, so she dragged herself out of bed and threw on a sweatshirt and pair of black yoga pants that hadn’t seen the inside of a yoga studio for years. It was Saturday morning, which she hoped meant Austin was still asleep. When she found the door to his room open she expected to find him at the computer or in front of the TV. Instead, the farmhouse where they’d been living for the past several months was quiet.
She headed down the stairs toward the hallway that led to the master bedroom, but something caught her eye out the front window. Shading her eyes against the bright morning light, she stepped onto the porch, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the frigid temperatures. It was the start of December, so the cold air and dusting of snow on the flagstone porch were to be expected, but still a shock. Not smart to brave the cold precoffee.
An enormous black SUV sat in the driveway, and a shiver of unease slithered up her spine. Who would be paying such an early morning visit to Ruth Keller, the elderly woman who owned the property? And where was her son at this hour of the day?
She turned and went back into the house. The farmhouse had been remodeled with two distinct sections, the bedrooms on one side and the main living area with the kitchen, dining room, office and family room on the other. Her heart raced, then slowed as she found Austin curled on Ruth’s bed with her, reading aloud from one of his beloved Magic Tree House series of books.
“Hey, Mom, I’m keeping Miss Ruth company.” He smiled, showing off the gap between his two front teeth. Orthodontia was definitely a part of their future, but Natalie would put off that financial worry for another day.
His Texas Christmas Bride (Celebrations, Inc 9) Page 17
