“I know.” His fingers laced through hers. They were swaying to the music. It was as if order was restored to the universe, he mused. “To bring Connie her dream wedding.”
“That wasn’t the only reason I came back,” Whitney admitted. “Liam, I have something to tell you.”
He looked at her for a long moment. “Funny, because I have something to tell you.”
“Me first,” she insisted. She’d been bursting with this news since she had arrived in Forever early this morning.
Liam inclined his head, humoring her. “Okay, ladies first.”
It took effort not to have the words just come tumbling out over one another like so many scattered marbles. “I convinced Wilson that you needed the band—this band. After all, every performer has people who play backup for them, why not the people who know you like the back of their own hands? And—”
“There’s more?” he asked in surprise.
“There’s more.” She beamed, excited for him. “Wilson’s agreed that you should do your first music video right here in Forever. In essence, it’ll put Forever on the map—so that Connie’s hotel can see some decent business,” she concluded. “Your turn. What did you want to tell me?”
“What I’ve got to say isn’t going to hold a candle to what you just said,” he warned her.
Whitney didn’t want him to feel that way. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t trying to compete, to come out on top. What she had done, she had done strictly for him. She wanted him to be happy.
“Let me be the judge of that,” she coaxed, waiting to hear what he had to say.
“I was going to come out to LA next month,” he said quietly.
He had succeeded in surprising her. “You decided to accept Wilson’s terms for the contract?”
She would have bet money that he wouldn’t change his stance on the matter. Had she been that wrong about him? Had the promise of fame seduced him, making him turn his back on loyalty?
“No,” he answered emphatically. “I was going to come out to look for you.” A rueful smile curved his lips. “Turns out that nobody likes me without you. They all think I’ve gotten surly and moody.”
“You?” Whitney asked incredulously, then shook her head. “Never happen.”
“Yeah, actually it did,” he contradicted. “They were right. I’m not any good without you.” He took a deep breath. “In case I’m not making myself clear, I love you. And even I don’t like myself without you. No pressure, I just want to be around you.”
“And that’s all?” she asked, looking at him. “Just be ‘around me’?”
He laughed shortly to himself. “Well, ideally, I’d want to marry you, but—”
“Yes!”
Liam blinked. He was too young to be losing his hearing. “Wait, what?”
“Yes,” Whitney repeated, glowing.
Liam abruptly stopped dancing even though the band hadn’t finished the number. “Yes?” he asked, wanting to be perfectly clear on this.
She nodded for good measure. “Yes.”
He still wasn’t sure they were talking about the same thing. He watched her closely as he asked, “You’ll marry me?”
Her smile widened to the point that under different conditions, it might have been referred to as blinding. “Yes!”
“Hey, Liam, you’re up, man!” Sam called to him, beckoning him over to the band.
“Hold on a second,” he called back, his attention entirely focused on the woman who had just made him the happiest man on earth. Holding her hand, he wove his way over to the others.
“What are you doing?” Whitney asked, laughing as she trailed after him.
“You’re going to sing the next number with me,” he told her, tossing the words over his shoulder.
“I can’t sing,” she protested, tugging slightly to get her hand back. He held it fast.
“Yes, you can. I’ve heard you,” Liam said. The next moment, he turned toward the wedding guests and addressed them. “She’s going to need a little coaxing, folks. Whitney’s shy, so give it up for the future Mrs. Liam Murphy.”
A wave of resounding applause met the announcement. When it died down, the band began to play. Two bars into it, Whitney recognized the song. The song was all about giving your heart to the one you love.
She had no choice but to sing with Liam. Their voices blended beautifully. Just as their lives would, she couldn’t help thinking.
And when the number was over, Liam surprised her again by kissing her in front of everyone.
She had no choice but to kiss him back.
It was the first time in her life that she enjoyed not having a choice.
* * * * *
Don’t miss Marie’s 250th romance,
CARRYING HIS SECRET,
available February 2015
from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!
Keep reading for an excerpt from CHRISTMAS WITH THE RANCHER by Mary Leo
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Chapter One
Travis Granger stood on the snowy roof of Dream Weaver Inn, holding a string of colored lights in his right hand and a conundrum in his mind. The string of lights were easily dealt with using the hooks he’d installed on the chimney several years ago to accommodate the festive trimming, but the issue of Bella Biondi visiting Briggs after essentially a fifteen-year absence was something this ole cowboy couldn’t seem to wrangle his head around.
Despite the fact that he’d briefly seen her a couple of times in the first five years after she’d left with her mom, and never in the last ten, the memory of her had lingered like a habit he couldn’t break. None of the women he’d dated—and he’d dated quite a few—tugged on his heart like Bella did. Her dad, Nick Biondi, owner of the inn and close family friend, had kept him up to date with Bella’s accomplishments, and the occasional photograph had provided a visual record of how she’d changed from a twelve-year-old tomboy who could ride and rope better than most cowboys, into a twenty-eight-year-old real-estate mogul...a concept that tripped up his memory of her like two bulls living in the same pen.
His fondest recollection was her solid love for everything Christmas. When they were kids, Christmas and the days that led up to it had been elevated to more than just a religious holiday and a visit from the man in a red suit. It meant sleigh rides, ice-skating rinks, caroling in the park, buying or making gifts for just about everyone they knew and magical moments that captured both their imaginations like nothing else. Her family’s inn had been the focal point for the entire town during the month of December. Every event seemed to begin and end at Dream Weaver Inn. There had even been a time when Bella had Travis convinced that Santa himself began his long night of deliveries with a stop at the inn for a cup of hot chocolate and a plate of her dad’s chunky-fudgy cookies, the absolute best cookies ever.
He didn’t know much about her business life out there in Chicago. He’d heard she lived in some fancy condo on north Michigan Avenue, worked 24/7 and rarely took a vacation, probably due to the expense of that high-priced condo. Knowing sweet little Bella, he was dang sure she had to be missing Christmas in Briggs, Idaho. Or why else would she
be coming home just days before the main event? He knew her mom had passed away within the last year, and he figured she must be returning to spend the holidays with her dad to soak up some family comfort.
Dream Weaver Inn had hit on some hard times in the past few years with occupancy going down to barely enough to keep the lights on. Travis and his family were trying to change all that, and so far the inn had been coming around with most of the rooms reserved for December and well into January. He was hoping that trend would continue after the holidays, especially now that Bella might be taking an interest. He wanted to try to keep her around for a while and get to know her again.
As soon as he’d heard about her return he dropped everything else going on in his life to complete the Christmas decorations for her homecoming. He wanted the inn to look exactly as it had before she’d left. It had to be perfect for her arrival that evening, and both he and Nick had worked extra hard to accomplish that goal. If she’d given her dad a few days warning instead of twenty-four hours he probably could have gotten all the repairs to the inn done in time. But as it was, the repairs had to be overlooked in favor of more important things—decorations. He’d even enlisted his dad, his brother Colt, plus his wife, Helen, and their four children, to help in the mad dash to make the inn glow like it had when Bella lived there.
“She’s on her way in,” Nick hollered up from somewhere below.
Travis couldn’t see him as he straddled the roof next to the chimney securing the string of lights around it. Earlier that morning he’d set up the life-size Santa sitting in his sleigh and holding the reins to his reindeer, and once he secured the chimney lights the roof would look exactly as it had when Bella lived there. All he needed were a few more hours and everything would be perfect.
“How close?” Travis called down, as he scratched his chin. He always grew a short beard this time of year, but he never seemed to get used to it. The dang thing itched whenever his nerves got the best of him, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than to shave the thing clean off.
“Said she can see the inn.”
Evidently, he didn’t have a few more hours.
Travis called back to Nick. “But she’s not supposed to arrive until late tonight.”
Nick now stood in the front yard out far enough for Travis to see him. He shielded his eyes with his hand as he looked up at Travis. Even though there was a thick layer of clouds hanging over Briggs, the sky, combined with the newly fallen snow, made everything glisten a pearly shade of white. “My girl never was one for clocks. I’m thinking that’s her headed our way.” He turned slightly and pointed out to the road heading into Briggs.
“Darn it all,” Travis cursed. “She always liked to show up early. Be the first one to arrive at a party or an event. I should’ve remembered that.”
His gaze shot across the roof and settled on the road, what he could see of it, and sure enough, a single blue, heavy-duty truck sped its way doing at least seventy-five, with no regard to road conditions or speed limits.
He figured it had to be Bella—she always liked to ride a fast horse. The girl he’d known had been addicted to speed, the acceleration type, not the drug.
A thick blanket of snow had recently covered the valley for as far as Travis could see, turning everything into a white wonderland, exactly the way Travis liked it. The Teton mountain range that spanned the eastern part of the town was shrouded with low-hanging clouds giving the impression they were hills rather than some of the highest peaks in the country. And the normally bustling business section was barely coming to life as a few shopkeepers shoveled the snow off their front sidewalks before their stores opened for business.
“Inn looks good,” his brother Colt shouted as he looked up to the roof from the six-foot high N-O-E-L letters on the massive front lawn. He’d secured them to the ground making sure they wouldn’t come tumbling down in the middle of the night, using stakes that Travis had crafted especially for the task. The inn sat at least seventy-five feet back from the street, so any decorations in the front yard had to be larger than life in order for anyone to see them. “Come on down here, little brother, and greet the girl you’ve been waitin’ on for most of your adult life.”
Travis hurried to finish up, then he plugged the end of the string into the rest of the lights that surrounded Santa’s sleigh. They instantly lit up, assuring him the roof was complete. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get down before she arrived without killing himself, a task that might take some time considering more snow had fallen since he’d first crawled up there. He’d worn a safety harness, and had secured a rope to the ring he’d attached to the roof several years ago, but he sure as heck didn’t want to make use of his precaution, especially now when Bella was only minutes away.
He wished he’d have listened to his dad an hour ago when he’d urged him to come on down before the snow got too thick.
But did he listen?
Not this cowboy.
He knew he had to take his time, but adrenaline shot through his veins as the truck quickly approached. Travis could no more slow down his actions than a young boy could stop himself from opening a gift on Christmas morning. Colt was right. Ever since Bella had moved away he’d been anxiously waiting for her permanent return. She was part of Briggs, Idaho, just like he was, and despite her long absence, he knew deep in her heart she could never settle anywhere else. Nothing could get him to admit any of this, at least not to his two older brothers who would have razzed him without mercy.
“She has her own life in Chicago and I have mine right here. I’m excited to see an old friend, is all,” he said, knowing darn well his brother knew the truth.
Travis took in a deep breath of the crisp air before he slid his butt down the front side of the roof, his tool belt skidding across the snowy gray shingles as he headed for his ladder at the far end. His hands were about frozen despite his wool gloves and if it wasn’t for his new black, genuine beaver cattleman’s hat he surely would have frozen into another roof ornament standing next to Santa.
“Whatever you say, little brother, but that old friend just pulled up to the front curb. You better get your hustle on or you’re going to miss the smile on her pretty little face when she sees the inn all decked out like it used to be.”
“I’m moving as fast as I can, considering all the snow that’s up here,” Travis yelled just as his foot slid out from under him and the only thing that kept him from falling right on his backside was his tight hold on that thick rope.
The sound of small feet running across the wooden porch floor below echoed up to Travis. “Maybe we should’ve brought that old trampoline, Uncle Travis,” Joey, Colt’s youngest boy, called up. He’d jumped off the homestead barn roof onto a trampoline on his fourth birthday. Fortunately, Travis had caught him in midair as he’d taken a leap of faith and the two of them had glided down together.
The trampoline might have been a good idea considering Travis couldn’t seem to keep his footing on the slick roof.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the kind to admit his shortcomings.
“No need,” Travis yelled back. “I’ve got it all under control.” Then he slid another few inches, causing his heart to jump against his chest. His rubber-soled boots took hold on a dry spot on the roof and he let out the breath he’d been holding.
“You best be careful, son,” Dodge, his white-haired father, called up to him. “Or you’ll be sittin’ out Christmas in traction if you fall off that there roof. ’Sides, that girl’s been citified. No tellin’ how she’s gonna react to you, much less her old homestead. Now you get yourself down here in one piece, ya hear?”
“I will,” Travis hollered, as he oh-so-carefully tried to maneuver closer to his ladder at the edge of the roof. And darn it all, he was determined to make it down one rung at a time before she walked into the front door of the three-story inn.
* * *
DREAM WEAVER INN had loomed out in front of Bella for the last mile, giving her ample time to adjust to seeing it again. Despite the tightness she felt in her chest, the lump in her throat, and the tears she rapidly blinked away, she reminded herself the sight of the inn merely represented another business deal.
Nothing more.
At least that was the mantra she repeated in her head.
The inn sat like an anchor at the edge of town with its pitched roof, redbrick chimney, and three stories of Victorian elegance, the absolute perfect inn for TransGlobal Corporation to add to their string of historic inns across the country. She had brokered several inns for TransGlobal during the last year, and it only made sense that her father’s inn would be one of them. And if her father hadn’t insisted that she show up in person with the paperwork, she could’ve had the deal sewn up a month ago. Right now she would have been lying on a Florida beach spending some of her commission on fine hotels, expensive wine and gourmet meals, and celebrating her promotion instead of stuck in her old hometown for the next twenty-four hours.
A town she couldn’t seem to shake out of her memory.
A town that was holding her back from accepting the promotion at the company she worked for in Chicago.
And most of all, a town where the boy she’d crushed on when she was a kid still held a piece of her heart.
Before she’d left Chicago, she and her shrink had discussed how she would get through seeing the inn, her dad and old friends by concentrating on the task at hand: getting her dad’s signature on the bottom line. She’d started seeing a psychologist soon after her mom had died, to help her through the tough times. And recently she’d seen her a few more times to learn some coping skills to deal with seeing her hometown, a place that she still carried a torch for.
Not that she had any intention of acting on those burning feelings.
She knew exactly what she wanted: the corner office at Ewing Inc., which was all but hers. She only needed to complete this million-dollar sale and the CEO position would be hers. Bella was the best man for the job. The board of directors knew it. Her contemporaries knew it. And the retiring CEO knew it. All she had to do now was convince that pesky country heart of hers, a task she’d somewhat accomplished...at least eighty percent of the way. The other twenty percent dripped nostalgia and never wanted to leave Idaho.
Christmas Cowboy Duet Page 18
