A Blazing Little Christmas
Page 23
It had taken him ten years of marriage to come up with that, but it was a notion he’d put to good use since then. Who said you couldn’t teach an old guy new tricks?
“You’re right.” He took his time thinking, waiting for his wife’s good humor to come around, the drink to warm and inspiration to strike. “I think it’s the freshness of the snow that does it.”
He poured some cocoa for him and poured hers into her favorite pewter mug, the one they’d bought on a honeymoon trip up to Montreal. He still smiled to remember that.
“What do you mean?” Helen drew closer, her eyes all for him now.
He handed her the drink and kissed her on the forehead.
“I think snow brings to mind fresh starts and new beginnings. It’s clean and it’s pretty, it makes the world around us quiet, and it forces us to stay home and look inward instead of racing around the countryside looking for happiness under any old rock.”
He settled across the kitchen table from his wife in her blue bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, her hair pinned high on her head after her nightly bath. She smelled good. Looked better.
And, ah yes, her eyes took on that soft glow of approval that told him he’d done something right.
“And people think I’m the matchmaker in this house.” Her voice was full of chiding. “If only they knew what a romantic I’m married to.”
“Me?” He straightened. “Helen Krause, it wasn’t me who called the cab company and tracked down the car on its way here all in the name of matchmaking. One of these days, a guest won’t appreciate that kind of thing, you mark my words.”
“Did you see how happy they were, though?” Unrepentant, she grinned at him over her mug, the slightest hint of whipped cream on the corner of her mouth.
He brushed it off with his thumb and tugged her chair closer.
“No happier than we are.”
“Isn’t it nice to share a little Christmas magic with our guests, Roland?” Her eyes sparkled even in the dim kitchen and he knew she wanted him to admit she’d chosen good targets for her gentle interference. “For the rest of my life I’ll be able to say ‘I married that handsome Eric Breslin.’”
Roland laughed. “I suppose that comes with the territory of you being an ordained minister. But you might want to finish that sentence to include you ‘married Eric Breslin to Jessica Hayden.’”
“Yes, I did,” Helen said with a satisfied smile. “And I’m sure they’re enjoying their honeymoon here at the lodge. Especially now that their families have gone home and left them alone. And don’t forget our success with Cory and Rebecca.”
“Our success?”
“You did help with the battery cables,” she reminded him gently. “Currently they’re happily on their way back to Manhattan. Together. She should have found him ten years ago…” Her voice trailed off for a minute. “These things take time. And then, of course, there’s Heather and Jared…”
“No one could ever accuse you of not having the Christmas spirit, my love.” He stepped around that one diplomatically, or at least he thought he’d done so successfully judging by the way she smiled contentedly enough.
Of course, her smile might have more to do with the effects of the cocoa kicking in. Making his move, he covered her hand with his.
“Now, how about sharing a little Christmas magic with me?”
Her eyes took on a wicked gleam, but she didn’t follow his cue to go upstairs to bed. Instead she raised her mug in a toast.
“First, let’s drink to new beginnings. The Timberline Lodge—and the freshness of new snow—inspired some wonderful new beginnings this year.” She took a sip, dreamy-eyed at all the love sprouting up around the business they’d built together.
“To new beginnings…and happy endings.” Roland grinned and clinked her mug with his. When he finished his drink he rose, offering her his hand.
She smiled back, giving up her drink and letting him pull her into his arms. He’d never get enough of the happiness that came with knowing she was his for a lifetime, for every Christmas ever after.
“Happy endings.” She kissed his cheek and tucked closer to him. “Now how can I say no to that?”