by Aimée Thurlo
“And now?”
“I’m thinking I might like going off on an adventure every once in a while. I can handle it.”
“You’ve met a lot of challenges over at HMI. That builds confidence.”
“It does,” she said.
“HMI has taught me a lot, too. I’m still waiting to hear about that Santa Fe job, but if I don’t get the position, I’m going to take it as a sign that this is where I belong. I have some great options here in Independence and people I love. Between my new salary at HMI and what I make working for the town, I’d have enough to open my own architectural firm. It’s bound to be rough going, so before I commit to that, there’s something I need to know.”
He took a deep breath, thinking of Daniel’s advice. The first time he’d said he loved her, it had come so naturally, right from the heart. Why was it so hard to say now? “Myka, I—”
At that precise minute Bear put his front paws up on the counter and made a grab at the frozen turkey in the sink.
“No!” Myka yelled. “You thief!” Laughing, she pulled the dog down by his collar. “Go outside,” she ordered, opening the back door.
The dog looked over his shoulder with the equivalent of an apology, then slunk outside.
“Sorry, Josh, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I think I know what you were trying to say.”
“You do?” he asked, almost relieved.
“You want to follow your own dream, but you need to know if you’ll have support from the people around you,” she said. “The answer is yes, of course you will. We’re on your side no matter what happens.”
She looked at the clock. “Right now, we better get on the move if we’re going to have Thanksgiving dinner before the game starts.”
He’d intended to tell her how he felt and take his chances, but the moment had passed. Besides, she could have preempted him on purpose, not wanting to ruin the day. She loved him, but maybe it was more like the deep affection one felt for a close friend. “Okay, let’s work on that awesome Thanksgiving experience.”
“One of a kind,” she said.
* * *
THEY GRILLED THE hot dogs outside on Myka’s back patio, ate using the china, then returned to Joshua’s house to watch the football game.
“This wasn’t exactly a traditional Thanksgiving, but I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun,” Myka said, sitting next to Josh on his couch and eating a slice of pecan pie practically smothered in whipped cream.
“Me, neither,” he said.
As the team captains met on the fifty-yard line for the coin toss, Myka walked over to her tote bag, resting on the floor in the corner. She put on her favorite NFL team’s ball cap, then looked up. “Now I’m ready. Get this game underway!”
She was the perfect woman for him. He couldn’t just let her go. Without a second thought, Joshua wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. “I love you, Myka,” he said, then lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply.
As he drew back to take a breath, she nuzzled against him.
“I love you, too, Joshua, just as you are—no demands, no expectations,” she whispered.
He looked into her eyes. Was this her way of being careful with her heart?
“We all make demands—even if they’re unspoken,” he said.
“There are certain commitments that can’t be asked for or rushed. They’re freely given—or not.” She met his gaze and smiled. “It’s a perfect day and we’re together. Let’s be grateful for that.”
The television crowd roared in preparation for the kickoff.
“Okay, I take it back—one demand.” She grinned impishly. “No more sweet talk until halftime.”
* * *
THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS went by quickly. Josh had finished the remaining restoration plans for all the buildings he’d been assigned to evaluate, including both structures on the Brooks estate.
He sat in the reception area outside of Mayor Allen’s office, waiting. It had been two months since he’d first interviewed for the Santa Fe position, but he’d broken through the pack. It was now between him and one other architect.
That possibility had brought him to the mayor’s office today. He needed to know if he still had viable options here in Independence, job opportunities that would allow him to turn down the Santa Fe position, assuming it was offered to him. If he was going to start a relationship with Myka, he wanted to be able to “provide for her,” in the words of his father’s generation.
After a few minutes, Phil invited Joshua into his office, and Joshua laid it on the line. He needed to know what his chances were of finding permanent work here in town—as an architect.
“The town needs you and your skills, Joshua,” he said. “Remember the documentary the local high school students made? They posted it on the internet this past weekend and titled it The Little Town That Could. It went viral, and the largest paper in New Mexico is coming by tonight to cover our rebirth and the lighting of our tree. So are two of the local TV network affiliates. We’re on the map again!” he said proudly. “Robyn’s passing the news along to Myka as we speak.”
“That’s wonderful,” Josh said, although he couldn’t see how that would create jobs for him.
“The buzz has started. I’ve been getting phone calls all morning. With our low tax rate, available properties, trained work force and low cost of living, several companies have approached my office about relocating here. The fact that rail service will be reinstated soon is icing on the cake,” he said.
Joshua smiled. “That’s great news for the town....”
“And for you, too. The bottom line is that more of the buildings here will have to be renovated to fit in with the historical theme of the town. New housing will also be needed to accommodate additional families. I expect most, if not all, of the former IVA buildings will be converted to suit new employers. You could be a part of all that.”
Yet the mayor had still not made him a firm offer. “I’ll keep it in mind before I consider any out-of-town positions,” Josh said, a little disappointed.
“Call me before you actually accept any jobs outside of Independence. Maybe I can come up with something on my own. Right now, I’ve got to get going. Old Bobby Miller’s bringing in a fifteen-foot blue spruce for the tree lighting.”
“He still has the tree farm?”
“Yes. Personally, I don’t know how he makes ends meet, but I was told his business is growing, too, pardon the pun. A lot of the merchants in town and over in Painted Canyon have ordered trees.” Mayor Allen stood. “I’ll see you again this evening, right? And bring Myka.”
“I will,” Joshua said and shook his hand.
Joshua walked outside, and squaring his shoulders, looked down the street toward HMI. What he wanted most was right here. It was time to step up.
* * *
MYKA STARED AT ROBYN. “Really? Viral?”
“The first day they put it up, it got a huge number of hits, and by the end of the week, it had skyrocketed. Let me show you,” she said, moving the computer mouse.
Hearing a knock on the door, Myka glanced past Robyn and saw Mayor Allen standing there.
“Myka, I need a few minutes of your time,” he said.
“I’ll get back to my desk and show you that video later,” Robyn said, standing. “I’m trying to set up web seminars on wool processing. I listed some possibilities on the website to gauge the level of interest and got a terrific response.”
As Robyn left, Myka waved at Mayor Allen. “Please, sit down. Can I offer you some coffee or maybe tea?”
“Coffee,” he said with a nod. “I’m here because I need to do a little brainstorming with you. It’s about Joshua Nez.”
“I’m listening,” she said, going to the pot in the corner and pouring two cups.
* *
*
JOSHUA STOPPED BY the Medeiros Market and found Daniel carrying three cases of canned soda from the storeroom.
“You need a hand?” he asked.
“Yeah, as a matter of fact,” Daniel said. “Wanna grab the top case?”
After they’d restocked the shelves, Daniel looked up at Josh. “Come on, bro, you’ve earned a cream soda. It’s on the house.” He led the way to the break area in the back.
Moments later, Daniel handed Joshua a can from the small fridge and joined him at the table. “So how are things going?”
Joshua told Daniel the latest about the job in Santa Fe, then added, “I’ve decided to pull my application. I don’t want to walk away and risk losing Myka.”
“If that’s the only reason you’re going to pass on that big job, don’t,” Grandma said, coming into the room with a platter of cookies covered in powdered sugar. She held out the plate, and each man took a cookie instantly. “Stay because you love her, not because you’re afraid to lose her. That might seem like the right answer now, but ten or twenty years down the pike, you may feel differently.”
“I’ve thought long and hard about this, Grandma. The truth is that nothing means as much to me as Myka,” Joshua said. “I’ve made my decision and that’s why I’m off to Painted Canyon, but I needed to ask you two something first. Who’s going to set out the luminarias tonight?” Josh had always loved this particular Southwestern tradition. Paper sacks were weighed down by sand and turned into Christmas lanterns with a votive candle. Each year, they were placed in a circle around the tree for the town’s tree-lighting ceremony.
“That’s Walt Driscoll’s job,” Daniel said and pointed to an elderly man placing bundles of paper sacks into his shopping cart. “There he is now.”
“I’ve got to run. Catch you later,” Joshua said.
* * *
IT WAS PAST SUNDOWN on the first weekend in December. Tonight their town would officially welcome the Christmas season. Joshua finished getting dressed and glanced at his image in the mirror. He was wearing his lucky bolo tie—the one his dad had given him before he’d left for college. On the slide, crafted out of inlaid turquoise, was a bear, the best of allies when facing uncertain times.
He took a deep breath. No matter how things turned out, the course of his life would change forever.
He took the white box from the dresser and placed it in his pocket. It was cold out tonight, in the high thirties, so he wore his black leather jacket. No chill ever penetrated that, and tonight he wanted no distractions.
He was on his way to the door when he heard a loud knock, the sound of several voices, then one above the others telling everyone to shush.
Back in his teens, he would have suspected a group of ticked off parents at the door, but those days were long gone. Maybe carolers? Nah, not tonight, they’d be at the town square.
He opened the door and found a small crowd. Along with Myka, Mayor Allen, Will, Robyn, Betty and Daniel were faces he quickly recognized as town council members.
“What’s going on? Is the party at my house tonight?” he joked.
Myka smiled, shook her head, but didn’t answer.
“We’ve come to the unanimous decision that the town of Independence needs you,” the mayor said. “Please hear us out.”
“Well, then, come inside,” he said, inviting them into his living room. “I don’t have enough chairs, but I can brew some coffee. Anyone?” he asked, looking at the faces around him.
“No, let’s get right down to business. If you’ll take the position of town architect, we’ll give you the salary and benefits equal to that of our highest paid town employee,” he said, looking back at Will, who rolled his eyes.
Joshua bit back a smile and nodded, considering it.
“I know that’s still not much—sorry, Will—so we’re ready to lease you the Brooks Mansion for a dollar a year for the next five years. You can set up your own business office there, too, if you’d like. At the end of the lease, you’ll be free to buy the place from the town at market value or continue leasing. We’ll also structure your work contract with us so you can be free to accept private architectural or consulting jobs, too, as long as they don’t interfere with your projects for us.”
“That’s an incredibly generous offer,” Joshua said, looking around and seeing everyone nodding their heads, except Will, of course, whose face was completely unreadable.
Only one problem remained. Staying, to him, meant a future with Myka. He needed to show her what was in his heart and see how she felt about a serious commitment. If she pulled back, he’d have his answer and wouldn’t stick around.
Seeing Joshua hesitate, Mayor Allen quickly added, “We know there are a few loose ends in the package, so feel free to give us your answer later. We just wanted to put this on the table so you knew where you stood with our community.”
Joshua saw the mayor glance at Daniel, who nodded. That one look spoke volumes. Somehow, word was out that he intended to talk to Myka tonight. Maybe Mr. Driscoll had given Grandma the details. Keeping a secret in Independence was impossible.
“Come on, people, stick to the schedule. We need to get back for the lighting of the tree,” Robyn said. “There’s a network TV crew and reporters coming in from Albuquerque to film this event!”
Myka remained behind with Joshua as the others hurried to their vehicles. “Is it just me, Joshua, or are people acting really peculiar tonight?” Myka asked. “I’m not talking about the offer. I think that’s terrific.”
“It is, but we’ll talk about that later,” he said. “Let’s get over to the town square.”
“Why the hurry? The tree ceremony doesn’t start for another forty minutes. The luminarias will have to be lit first.”
“That’s exactly why we have to get there early. Come on, you can ride with me,” he said, urging her outside.
“Oh, you want to help light the luminarias?”
“Yeah, I was hoping you would, too. Walt Driscoll’s back is giving him some trouble, so I offered to help him put the candles out.”
“Sure. It’ll help us get into the Christmas spirit.”
* * *
THEY ARRIVED AT the town square less than ten minutes later. To Myka’s surprise, almost everyone was already there, but the crowd was standing back. “Why isn’t anyone helping Mr. Driscoll? What’s the matter with everyone?” Myka paused. “Wait a minute. Why is everyone looking at us?”
“Maybe they’re trying to figure out what my answer to the mayor will be,” he said, thinking fast.
“Yeah, that must be it. Come on. I’ll help you light the luminarias. I’ve always liked that part.”
“I know,” he said with a smile. “I remember how you’d get our entire neighborhood to line the streets with them every Christmas Eve.”
“We still light the town square on the twenty-fourth. These luminarias are just to remind everyone that our traditions are a blend of old and new.”
As they approached the small paper sacks, Myka saw the TV crew up ahead. “Our town’s in the spotlight,” she said. “We’ve come such a long way!”
As the mayor announced the beginning of the festivities, Joshua moved off and returned a moment later, a box of votive candles in his hand. “Come on. We’ll start in front of the tree and work our way around.”
Moments later, Myka took the candle Joshua gave her and went to the sack closest to her. As she reached in, she saw a white box atop the layer of sand within.
“Oh, someone’s left—” She saw Joshua smile.
“Look inside the box,” Joshua suggested.
It was too large to hold a ring. Excited and curious, she did as he’d asked. Nestled in a bed of cotton was a gold heart-shaped locket.
“Open it, then you’ll see what’s in my heart,” Joshua whispe
red, coming closer.
Scarcely breathing, she opened the locket with trembling fingers. Inside was the drawing of a ring—a carved band with an inscription that read Everlasting.
“Those will be made for us, matching wedding bands...if you say yes.” Joshua went down on one knee. “Will you be my bride?”
Tears filled her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered past the lump at her throat. “Yes, yes, yes!”
As Joshua helped her fasten the locket around her neck, their friends began lighting the luminarias. The tree lights came on minutes later, and pinpoints of light danced in the darkness. The townspeople began to sing “Silent Night.”
Joshua pulled her gently into his arms. “We belong to each other now,” he whispered. “Merry Christmas, Myka.”
She rested her head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. “Merry Christmas, Joshua.”
* * * * *
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Heartwarming title.
You’ve got to have heart…. Harlequin Heartwarming celebrates wholesome, heartfelt relationships imbued with the traditional values so important to you: home, family, community and love.
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ISBN-13: 9781460322055
HOMESPUN CHRISTMAS
Copyright © 2013 by Aimée and David Thurlo
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
