The Southern Comfort Christmas: A Heartwarming Christmas Romance (Windy CIty Romance Book 6)

by Barbara Lohr

  Cameron studied the cast on his foot. “And all for a ceremony.”

  Blinking, she looked up at the man she wanted in her life forever. Good grief, she was the one dragging him to Chicago in December for this ceremony.

  Bella appeared at the doorway, rubbing her eyes. “Daddy? Harper? I can’t sleep. The TV’s too loud.” That was always her excuse when Bella was restless. No way could she even hear the TV up in her room.

  Casting a concerned look at Harper, Cameron pushed himself up. “Come on, darlin’. I’ll take you back to bed.”

  “No, no. You stay here.” Jumping up, Harper held out a hand. “Come on, Bella. Up we go.”

  “Will Daddy be better soon?” Bella asked as they climbed the steps to the second floor.

  “Of course he will. He’ll be his old self before you know it. At least, by Christmas.” Harper knew Cameron was hoping he’d have his cast off for the ceremony. Otherwise, the trip to Chicago might be difficult. But she couldn’t even go there. Her imagination spun into overdrive, conjuring up stacks of lost luggage that wound up in Tahiti. That’s just the way things were going right now. At least her wedding dress was safe in Chicago, along with the dresses for the wedding party. That hadn’t been too hard to manage, with McKenna and Selena the only bridesmaids, with Bella as flower girl.

  After tucking Bella into her high four-poster bed, Harper kissed her goodnight. “See you in the morning. It’ll be back to school, and you’ll get to show off your new hairdo.”

  The little girl peered up at her. “My throat kind of hurts.”

  “It does? Oh, honey, maybe it’s the dryness in here.” The temperature had dropped to forty-five that day, and the heat had kicked on. The old pipes shuddered in protest.

  “Maybe.” Clearing her throat, Bella settled back, her eyelids already looking heavy. “Good night, Mommy,” she said in a sleepy voice.

  “Mommy?” How Harper looked forward to officially being Bella’s mom. The little girl deserved it after all she’d been through. Cameron had done the best he could as a single father, but every little girl needs a mother. Bella was only two when her mother Tammy died in that crash.

  A tiny smile tilted the corners of Bella’s lips. “I’m practicing.”

  “Oh, that deserves another kiss.” When Harper leaned over to kiss her forehead, Bella smelled like Adam’s wonderful shampoo. But her forehead felt a little warm.

  “Night, Harper.”

  “Good night, sweetheart.”

  Leaving the nightlight on, Harper made her way downstairs. Sometimes all the love in her life made her feel full to bursting. How did she get so lucky? If this was a dream, she didn’t ever want to wake up. She skimmed one hand over the shiny banister. This staircase could have been in a movie of the old South, except that etchings of the Savannah squares hung along the wall.

  When she’d come for her interview that first day, she’d concentrated on these pictures, not the nervous tremors in her stomach. There had been so much to take in that day. The marble foyer. The dark, antique furnishings. The huge vase crammed with droopy, pink tulips that had her holding her breath. She’d been so relieved to learn they were artificial. Her asthma couldn’t have survived that pollen blast. But like many things in this mansion, the flowers were fake.

  Now in the foyer, she glanced around. Why, this house was every bit as grand as the Weatherby Mansion in Chicago. But the more time she spent in Julep’s home, the more Harper wanted to make changes here.

  Cameron looked up when she returned. “Come here.” Arms lifted, he pulled her to him for a comforting kiss.

  This man was so very precious. She framed his sweet face with her hands. “When you kiss me like that... I can’t think.” His lips felt so soft, and she sensed his smile. Felt his excitement swell under her.

  “You are something else,” he whispered, gently tugging the purple scarf from her hair. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

  “You had a little girl like Bella. She’s perfect.”

  “She’s trouble,” he murmured, his kisses heating. “Just like you.”

  With his hands traveling to her waist and then up again, she lost her concentration. Desire rippled through her in deep, hot waves. Cameron’s lips tickled their way from her chin to her breast bone. And he took his time, leaving her waiting. Wanting. When he unzipped her hoodie, she felt the slow slide of the metal teeth, felt the cool air disappear under his warm palms.

  The wedding and all the problems faded. Nothing was as important as this man and what he’d brought to her life.

  In the morning, Bella had a full-blown fever, and Harper could hardly talk. With Julep’s house to decorate that week, she just couldn’t be sick. No way could she go over to her house in Tybee and risk giving the expectant mother her germs. After taking Bella to her pediatrician and getting advice and a prescription, she took her home to Connie and continued on to her own appointment with Dr. Cohen. “I just cannot be sick this week,” she croaked to Dr. Cohen. “Too much to do.”

  “I’m seeing a lot of this lately.” After giving her a thorough exam, the pretty blonde handed her a slip. “That should knock it out. Save your voice. Hot soup. Rest. All of that.”

  “Thanks.” Harper tucked the script in her tote. “As if things weren’t bad enough, Cameron broke his ankle last week, and he’s hobbling around on crutches.”

  “Crutches?” The doctor wrinkled her nose. “Get him one of those knee walker things. You might be able to pick one up or order it at the pharmacy.”

  So while Harper waited for the two prescriptions, she found and bought the scooter. A handy little contraption, it might save Cameron’s arms, not that he seemed to have any trouble with them. She smiled, remembering last night. When she reached home, Bella was asleep with Pipsqueak cuddled in her arms. Crawling onto the four-poster bed, Harper joined them. Her head felt like a pumpkin. When they both woke up two hours later, they took their medicine, sipped some soup and fell back to sleep.

  By the time Rick dropped Cameron off in the late afternoon, the two of them were all slept out and back downstairs. When Cameron came through the door, the first thing he saw was the knee walker. “Something for Bella?”

  “Nope. You. Saves your arms.”

  Looking skeptical, he nudged it aside with his crutch.

  “You kneel on it with your injured leg,” Harper said. “Steer with the handle bars. It’s like a scooter.” His puzzled frown didn’t look promising.

  Connie had left lentil soup in the refrigerator, and Harper heated it in the microwave. But she didn’t feel like eating and neither did Bella. This was one time when Harper wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. Besides, she herself felt like a limp rag.

  “Let me clean up the kitchen,” Cameron said when they finished. “Maybe you should watch a little TV and then early bed for both of you.”

  “You read my mind.” Harper pushed back from the table.

  The following day she felt better after a good night’s sleep but not completely recovered. Bella stayed home with her that Tuesday, and together they watched all the Avengers movies they could fit in. Bella was such a Ninja princess. But while they watched the super heroes exchange blows, Harper was scribbling on her yellow pad.

  “Whatcha doing?” Bella asked, leaning over the list during a down time in the action.

  “Just making a list.” She had to get on this tonight. Three weeks, that’s all they had. But first, she had to get her energy back. Digging in her purse, she took out the antibiotic and chugged one down. Even though she felt a little better, she knew enough to take all the medication and made sure Bella did the same.

  Although Cameron should probably have been at home too, he’d gone in to work. The man was so stubborn. He refused to slow down. Didn’t want his men to think he was a “sissy.” That’s how he put it. The knee walker still sat in the kitchen, just where Harper had left it. Cameron had started using it as a coat rack.

  For lunch, Connie made one of Harper�
��s favorite, chicken noodle soup with lots of celery. Sitting around the kitchen table, Harper sipped and doodled. There was so much to do.

  “You better eat your soup, young lady.” Bella’s teasing cut through Harper’s busy thoughts. She was mimicking Harper, with the words her nanny had always used.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Tearing her attention from her notepad, Harper picked up her spoon.

  By that time, Connie had finished her own lunch and was clearing off the counters.

  But the soup had made her sleepy. When Connie cleaned up, Harper popped a Kung Fu Panda movie into the DVD player. The animated film hadn’t been playing long when Bella crawled into Harper’s lap. Stretching out on the pit, Harper cuddled up with Bella. They both needed it.

  When she woke up, Cameron was kissing her forehead. Smiling she stretched, feeling refreshed but groggy. The TV was off.

  “Wake up, sleepy heads.” He moved on to Bella.

  “What are you doing home so early?” Yawning, Harper looked at the time on her phone.

  Taking a place next to her, he propped his right leg on the coffee table. “Hate to admit it but I’m exhausted.”

  “I’m not surprised.” She glanced around. His crutches were leaning in the doorway. “Where is that knee thing I brought home? Under your jacket?”

  Looking sheepish, he dropped his eyes. “Look, I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but that thing makes me feel foolish, honey. Besides, I can’t take that onto a work site. Too many levels.”

  “Cameron.” How exasperating. And he thought she was stubborn.

  “Come on, Harper. What would the guys say?”

  “That you were doing everything to speed your recovery?” But she couldn’t mess with this now. “Okay, whatever. We have too many other things to worry about.” Reaching over she snared her yellow pad.

  Chapter 11

  Looking at Harper’s notes and doodles, Cameron felt exhaustion flatten him. That yellow pad made him feel worse than the pain in his ankle.

  “We have things to do.” She tapped her pen on the pad. Then her eyes softened. “Please?”

  When Cameron grabbed her hand, her fingers felt so delicate. “Can this wait until after dinner?” He hated to see her looking so down.

  Her lips pursed as if she were swallowing bad medicine. “Sure. Is Connie gone?”

  “I think so.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, but not necessarily for food.”

  She tipped her head to one side. “Nothing I can do about that right now, mister.” Her eyes slid to Bella.

  Easing out a frustrated breath, he stood and pulled her up with him. Standing wasn’t easy but he wanted her body against his for just a second. He breathed in her apple shampoo and nuzzled the warm curve of her neck. “Lord, you smell good.”

  Pulling back, she chuckled. “Like I said, not now.” She gave him a playful kiss on the nose.

  Turning from the TV, Bella rolled her eyes. “Are you at it again?” But her smile told them she was kidding, and they dissolved into laughter.

  Leaving the dreaded list behind, he hobbled out to the kitchen, Harper with him. While she heated up something that sure smelled good, Bella set the table. The silverware looked huge in her hands. Harper was teaching her where to place the spoon and how to turn the knife blade in. “That’s so you don’t goof up at prom,” Harper told Bella.

  Bella wrinkled her nose. “What’s prom?”

  “It’s a dance and you’re way too young.” Panicked, he raised a brow at Harper. His little girl going to a dance with a boy? The thought terrified him.

  With a frustrated sniff, Harper looked from him to Bella. “Trust me, the last thing you want is to go out for dinner on prom night and not know which fork to use. Every girl needs to know some basic stuff.” Bella gave a solemn nod.

  This conversation never would have happened in his home. Growing up, he’d been lucky if his brothers Fred and Henry even used a fork, much less the right one. Bella attacked her chore with new appreciation, and Cameron smiled to see her concentration. She always wanted to please Harper.

  Catching his eye, Harper winked. He made a quiet kissing motion with his lips. In his mind, he was doing a lot more than that. Her lilac colored tracksuit clung to her body in all the right places. Sometimes his love for her almost felt painful. The primal need to share it made his breath tight, along with every other part of his body. Picking up a spoon, he began to drum it on the table until Bella shot him a glance. “Daddy.”

  Laughing, Harper poured oyster crackers into a bowl. “Dinner’s ready.”

  But while he was finishing his second bowl of the best soup he’d ever tasted, Harper cleared her throat. “I’ve been thinking...”

  Those words always spelled trouble. He put his spoon down. “Yes?”

  “Why don’t we have the wedding here?”

  “What?” It felt like someone had socked him in the chest. Harper began ticking off reasons on her fingers. He tried to follow her, but inside he was appalled. “What will your parents think?”

  Harper pushed her soup bowl away. “I’m sure they’ll go along with it. Who wouldn’t prefer Savannah over Chicago in the winter?”

  “You mean, we’ll have a wedding right here.” Bella glanced around as if she expected guests to pour through that back door any minute.

  “What about your family?” Harper’s chin jutted out and Cameron chuckled. She’d got that move from Bella.

  “This is our wedding, Cameron. McKenna didn’t call for a vote when they decided to be married in Santa Fe.”

  Well, she had him there. Cheeks pink, Harper grabbed the damn pad of paper from the counter. “First, we have to call my parents and your mother.”

  “My mother.” His mind just couldn’t get past that. What would her response be? “You’re not doing this because of her, I hope.” His relationship with his mother had come a long way. Still, he wasn’t giving in to her now. There would be no end to concessions if that were the case.

  “She’ll come then, won’t she?” Harper’s features tightened. How he hated to see her disappointed, especially by his own family. How could he help her understand? He’d spent time with the Kirkpatricks...and they sure weren’t the Blodgetts.

  “I really don’t know, sweetheart. My mother’s a mystery.” They’d been estranged for such a long time, but his father’s funeral had helped close some of that rift. His mother and sister came to Bella’s birthday party. But this?

  He was still enlightening her about his family. They liked Harper, especially his sister Lily. Thought Harper was a lot better for him than his first wife Tammy. But Esther Blodgett, his stern mother, could really dig her heels in when she wanted to, and sometimes he suspected it was a power play.

  “I hope they’ll come, darlin’.” But he wanted them there mainly so Harper wouldn’t be disappointed. Glancing over the pad, and then at the calendar on the wall, he said, “I guess we should get started.”

  Frowning, Harper studied the list. “Should we run this past my parents first?”

  Knowing Harper’s family as he did, Cameron hesitated. “Maybe McKenna.”

  Harper’s redheaded sister had been a huge ally. If anyone could tell them how Mike and Reenie were going to feel about the change, McKenna would be the one who knew.

  Damn, this was feeling more like a military campaign than a wedding.

  “Oh, Cameron, you’re always so right.” Leaping from her chair, Harper flung her arms around him and landed a sizzling kiss. One that he wanted to follow up with something a little more personal.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, wanting to test the waters. Bella would be in bed soon.

  “Much better.” And she wiggled her brows. Game on. “Later?”

  “Okay, you two. I’m gonna tell Connie.” Bella tapped her spoon on the table, but she was smiling. Reluctantly they pulled apart. Cameron mouthed later while Harper straightened her purple headband. With a wicked smile that he adored, she dug her p
hone from her handbag. She had McKenna on speed dial.

  “I think it would be fun to have a wedding here,” Bella said, eyes round as pie plates.

  Harper didn’t have her phone on speaker, but McKenna’s screech could be heard clear across the room when she heard their suggestion. Cameron’s own reservations faded. After all, he wanted Harper to be happy. Eyes sparkling, she pressed the speaker button, and McKenna’s voice came through loud and clear. “Just tell Mom I’ll take care of everything...letting the florist know, and so on. Word is the caterer has overbooked, so he’ll be thrilled to cross the Kirkpatricks off his list.”

  “Looks like we’re going to pull this off,” Harper said after she’d ended the call. Then she zeroed in on him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, sweetheart. I’m just getting used to the idea.”

  “Good, let’s call my parents. I don’t want Mom to hear about the wedding from McKenna.”

  Just as her sister had predicted, Harper’s mother didn’t need much persuading. “Are you sure you feel all right about this?” Reenie asked.

  “More than all right.” Sure sounded like Harper meant that with her whole heart. After the call ended, Harper turned to him. Cameron knew this was coming. “Now, your mother?”

  But he didn’t want witnesses for this call. Happiness filled the air. No way was he going to spoil that. “Maybe we should put Bella to bed first. Is she going to school tomorrow?”

  “Yep. I’m bored,” Bella announced. Cameron exchanged a glance with Harper, who shrugged.

  “I think the medication has kicked in for both of us.” Harper stood. “You stay right here, mister, while I take Bella up to bed.” He wasn’t going to argue. Those steps were killers. “Come on, Bella. Up we go. Bedtime.” Harper reached out a hand.

  “Can I have a story?” Bella wheedled.

  “Fine with me as long as you read me the book.” Although Bella was learning to read, she mostly paraphrased the stories.

  Cameron heard them chatter as they went upstairs, Harper sounding so excited by this latest turn of events. Only, they still had hurdles in front of them. He eyed the phone. If she would just let him handle the call to his mother, everything might be fine.