Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold)

by Susan Mallery

“Thanks for meeting me here,” he told her.

  “No problem, but I have to get back to the store. I have an appointment this afternoon with a new bride.”

  He nodded, then stepped close. After cupping her face in his good hand, he leaned in and kissed her.

  “I’ll see you later?” he asked.

  “Yes. I’ll be by after work.”

  “Not to help with the dogs,” he said with a grin. “I still have teenagers showing up twice a day.”

  “That ends tomorrow.” At the Day of Giving. The pet adoption was at the same time. “Oh, I have to be at work. Can you get all four dogs to the event yourself or should I—”

  He pressed a finger against her mouth. “I can handle it. You’re not responsible for me.”

  She winced. “Am I taking over?”

  “You’re taking care. There’s a difference, and I like it. But you have a business to run. Let me deal with the dogs.” He kissed her again, his mouth lingering in a way that made her think longingly of tangled sheets and this man telling her he wanted her.

  “Tonight,” he said.

  “I’ll be there.”

  * * *

  Jonny drove all four dogs and their supplies to the pet adoption. Both it and the Day of Giving were at the convention center on the edge of town. Volunteers with the pet adoption had on cheerful red vests over their coats. While the temperature was cold enough, so far it hadn’t snowed. He hoped that meant a big turnout for both events.

  A woman checked him in and confirmed which dogs he’d brought with him. Teen volunteers reached for leashes.

  Raven stood next to him, not leaning, but not moving away. He’d brought her in last and now looked at her.

  She stared back, her dark brown eyes sad and knowing. She got it. She was being passed on to yet another caretaker. Her head lowered as she sighed and turned toward the teen who’d taken her leash.

  Jonny thought about the logistics involved with being on location in a foreign country, of how a dog would tie him down. There were a dozen reasons to walk away.

  “Wait,” he said before the teen went inside. “Not her. I’m adopting Raven.”

  The teen looked from him to the dog. “Are you sure? She’s kind of old. We have puppies inside. They’ll be more active.”

  “I want her.” He took Raven’s leash. “Tell me what paperwork I need to fill out.”

  Jonny completed the forms, gave the organization a hefty donation, then took Raven’s only possession in life—her plaid bed—to his SUV. After putting it in the back, he crouched down by the dog.

  “We’re together now,” he told her, rubbing her ears. “I’m your forever family.” He paused, wondering what else to tell her. “I’m in the movie business, so you’re going to come with me on location. I hope you like it. The studio hires me an assistant when I’m filming. I’ll make sure that whoever it is likes dogs. Oh, and we’re going to Italy in a few weeks.”

  He wasn’t sure how he was going to get Raven there. He didn’t like the idea of putting her in a cargo hold on a commercial flight. But, then, he was Jonny Blaze. He’d never been much for demands, but maybe it was time to ask for a private jet to get him there. Then Raven could ride with him.

  He chuckled as he imagined what Annelise would say when he asked her to arrange it with the studio. Knowing how much she loved animals, he would guess she would be in favor of getting Raven first-class treatment.

  “Come on,” he said as he rose. “Let’s go to the store and get you what you’re going to need.”

  Raven stepped close and, for one brief second, leaned against him. He petted her head before leading her to his SUV and helping her inside.

  FOURTEEN

  MADELINE WALKED INTO the pet store and looked around. Jonny had texted her that he was keeping Raven and doing some shopping. She’d said she could take her lunch and had agreed to meet him there.

  She found him in the dog food aisle, studying labels.

  “Hey,” he said when he saw her. He smiled and gave her a kiss, before handing her a can of dog food. “The lady at the adoption event said this was the closest to what Raven has been eating. That they get all their food donated by one of the big dog food companies. She said if I want to change what she’s eating, that I need to do it slowly. Because, otherwise, her stomach will get upset.”

  “Makes sense.”

  He put a case of the food into a cart. There was already a large bag of dry food, along with several bowls.

  “What do you know about a raw diet?” he asked.

  “For dogs?”

  “Yeah. I’ve heard it’s really healthy. I wonder if I have to make it myself.”

  “Won’t that be difficult when you’re traveling?”

  “I could hire a chef.”

  “For your dog?”

  He frowned. “Too much?”

  “Kind of.”

  He was adorable, she thought. Just as insane with Raven as he was with his sister. This wasn’t a man who couldn’t care, she thought wistfully. He showed his feelings, when he had them. Given the choice between showing and saying, she had to admit she would come down on the side of action. Rather than try to read anything into how he was with her, she turned her attention to the dog food.

  “Why don’t you keep Raven on her regular food for the next few weeks? She’s going to have enough stress in her life, getting used to being in a new home and learning to trust that she’s not going to be moved again. That will give you time to research the best diet for her.”

  “Good idea.” He patted Raven. “Okay, we have food. She has a bed, but she’s going to need a couple of others. For the family room and the media room. Maybe a new collar and leash. What do you think about a jacket? It’s cold. And toys. We need lots of toys.”

  They walked through the store. Jonny picked out a couple of collars for Raven, along with a few leashes. He got a book on basic dog training.

  “I want her to learn to go off-leash,” he said. “There’s a lot of land at the ranch. She could go running as much as she wanted.”

  Madeline watched him try several dog jackets on the lab. Raven stood patiently as Jonny checked out styles and colors. He settled on a warm plaid cape-jacket made out of a quilted fabric covered in a waterproof coating. He was unbelievably sweet, she thought. Gentle and patient when Raven was hesitant.

  They got a couple of soft beds, including one with an orthopedic insert for aging bones. Next up was the toy aisle.

  Raven was unimpressed with the toys that squeaked and she didn’t show much interest in the balls, but when Jonny offered her a rope tied like a bone, her brown eyes brightened. She leaned forward and took it tentatively. As she held it in her mouth, her tail began to wag.

  Jonny grinned and threw two more into the cart, along with a few balls and a couple of toys he could toss. They got rawhide bones, treats and then headed for the checkout counter. Along the way, they passed a display of doggie Christmas attire. He picked up a pair of antlers and fit them over Raven’s head.

  She looked at him, then sighed, as if saying, Really? Is that necessary? But left them in place.

  Madeline felt her heart melt a little more with every passing minute. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a business card.

  “Cameron McKenzie is a really good vet in town. You have an appointment for this afternoon.”

  Jonny took the card. “It’s Saturday. Aren’t they already booked?”

  “Probably. I called and begged. I figured you’d want to get Raven checked out right away. Cameron is a friend. I’ve known his wife, Rina, forever.”

  “Thank you.”

  They moved forward in line. Jonny put the items on the counter while Madeline held on to Raven’s leash. The dog continued to hold her rope bone and wear her antlers. When everything was paid for, they walked out to his SUV.

  Jonny hugged her. “Thanks for helping me pick out everything and for the appointment. I want to make sure Raven’s okay. I was going to call on Monday
.”

  “You’ll like Cameron. He’s a good guy.”

  “You’re coming over tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He kissed her. “I’m getting a tree.”

  “You have a Christmas tree.”

  “I have a fake tree a decorator put up. I’m getting a real tree. Want to help me decorate it?”

  She nodded because her throat was too tight for her to speak. She patted Raven, then got in her car. After taking a breath, she told herself that throat lumps weren’t the same as lightning and that she was perfectly safe on the Jonny Blaze front.

  The only problem was that she was pretty sure she was lying.

  * * *

  “I can do it,” Madeline protested, knowing it was already too late. Jonny had taken the train set from her trunk before she could stop him. “You do remember you have an injured hand, right?”

  “I’m fine,” he promised as he carried the box into the house.

  It was dark already and chilly. Still no snow in the forecast, which meant she had no excuse not to get to work on time in the morning. Too bad, because being snowed in again sounded really, really nice.

  Jonny had made good on his promise to get a real tree. Somehow he’d dragged the professionally decorated one into a corner of the dining room and had set up the new one in the family room. Lights were strung—quite the feat, considering he was working injured. There were boxes of ornaments stacked on the floor, along with a tree skirt still in the plastic wrapper.

  “You’ve been busy,” she said.

  “We have. After we left the pet store, Raven and I bought the ornaments and lights, then went to the vet, then back to the Day of Giving with a final stop at the Christmas tree lot on our way out of town.”

  At the mention of the dog, Madeline turned to look for Raven. She was curled up on her new bed, looking sleepy and content, her rope bone tucked under one paw.

  Madeline shrugged out of her coat and draped it across a chair, then stepped out of her boots. “What did Cameron say about Raven?”

  “That she’s a healthy eight-year-old lab. She’s a little underweight. He would guess she hasn’t been eating much either because she’s depressed or because she’s getting pushed from her food by other dogs. He also wants her to get plenty of exercise. That’s the best way to keep her healthy.”

  As he spoke, he bent down and petted the dog. Raven’s tail thumped on her bed.

  “Then you have a plan,” Madeline said, thinking the man and the dog looked really good together.

  “I do. Want to help me decorate the tree?”

  “You know it.”

  They discussed the color scheme they wanted. Jonny being Jonny had overbought and there were enough shiny, glittery decorations for three trees. They quickly settled on traditional red, green and gold decorations. She unpacked the boxes and he placed the ornaments on the tree.

  About a half hour into their endeavors, she went into the kitchen to put a casserole into the oven, then changed into jeans and a sweatshirt that she’d brought with her. Jonny pulled champagne out of the refrigerator and, despite his injury, popped the cork.

  “To celebrate my new committed relationship,” he said, pouring them each a glass.

  She knew exactly what he meant—that he’d adopted Raven. But for a second, she allowed herself to think he meant more. That he meant them.

  She didn’t know exactly when he’d transitioned from Jonny Blaze, Action Star, to the guy she was falling for. She’d started seeing him as a person almost right away. But the caring part—that had been coming on gradually.

  She liked how much he loved his sister and how easily he fit into the town. She enjoyed hanging out with him. They never ran out of things to say to each other. They shared similar values and laughed at the same jokes. Being with him was...nice.

  “I went back to the Day of Giving,” he said when they’d each taken a sip. “There are a lot of charities in the area.”

  “Some come in from Sacramento and even San Francisco,” she told him. “We get plenty of tourists this time of year and the organizations are hoping to attract attention. Did you find any that were interesting?”

  He nodded. “I’m going to do some research, but I figure now that I’m living here, I should get involved.”

  “You could bring a lot of attention to any one of them.”

  He leaned against the counter. “Not my favorite part, but you’re right.” One corner of his mouth turned up. “I guess it’s time to use my powers for good.”

  “As opposed to the evil you’ve been doing so far?” she asked, her voice teasing.

  “Exactly.” He nodded toward the family room. “Come on. Tell me about that train set you’re allowing me to borrow. I want to hear the family history.”

  “Then I’ll tell you. It belonged to my great-grandfather on my mother’s side.”

  “I knew it would be something like that.”

  * * *

  Jonny hadn’t known what to expect for the painting party. Madeline had promised him lots of help and that the toys would all be painted in time to be given to the toy drive. He’d set up tables and chairs in the open area of the barn where they would hold Ginger’s reception, then had put out the paints he’d bought, along with brushes.

  Right on time, cars started pulling up in his driveway. Eddie and Gladys were the first to arrive. Both old ladies hugged him close. Eddie was near tears again as she asked about his hand.

  “I’m doing great,” he assured her. “Good as new.”

  She didn’t look convinced and he hated to see her spunkiness brought low by a freak accident. Not knowing how else to restore her spirit, he decided to take one for the team and turned his back.

  “Go ahead,” he told them. “Pat my butt. You know you want to.”

  He thought they might hesitate, but he was wrong. Both old ladies immediately patted his butt. One of them lingered just a little too long and he was forced to step away.

  As he turned back to them, they were shaking their heads.

  “We should have gotten our cameras out,” Gladys said.

  “And filmed it.” Eddie’s expression turned sly. “Can we do that again, Jonny?”

  “Not a chance. It was a one-time thing.”

  “Then we’ll have to sneak up on you,” Eddie said.

  Jonny held in a grin. Order had been restored to the universe.

  By ten-thirty, a dozen or so volunteers were hard at work. He watched his plain carved toys come to life with color. The cars and trucks were more interesting, the animals more real.

  Madeline showed up with drinks and snacks, including three gallons of tea. Someone brought a docking station in the shape of a porcupine and hooked up their smartphone. Christmas carols filled the space, competing with conversation and laughter. He told Madeline what had happened with Eddie and Gladys. She laughed.

  “I wish I’d been here to see it,” she admitted. “They have style and you’re a very good sport.”

  Faster than he would have thought possible, his toys were painted and laid out to dry.

  “You doing okay?” Madeline asked as she came up to him and offered him a glass of tea. “Any regret over letting your work go?”

  “None,” he admitted. “The toys weren’t doing any good sitting on a shelf. Better for them to be played with. Plus, this inspires me to keep carving when I’m on set.” He bent down and scratched Raven. “I can’t spend all day petting you.”

  “Raven wants to know why not,” Madeline teased.

  She wore jeans and a red holiday sweatshirt with a big wreath on the front. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wasn’t wearing makeup. She looked good. Happy. Pretty. Sexy.

  He was lucky to have found her. Something else he had to thank Ginger for. Because if his sister hadn’t been getting married, he wouldn’t have had the chance to get to know Madeline.

  He didn’t know where things were going between them. He wanted...

  H
e pushed the thought away. No way he was going to jinx what they had by talking about it.

  “Have you heard from Ginger?” he asked.

  “Uh-huh. She’s going to be here day after tomorrow. I can’t wait to show her the dresses that have come in. I think she’s going to be thrilled with a couple of them. She’ll be a beautiful bride. I’m very excited.”

  Jonny glanced away. “I am, too.”

  “What?” she demanded. “What aren’t you telling me? What have you ordered?”

  He shifted. “Nothing.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “It’s something. What? You didn’t actually arrange to fly in the Vienna Boys’ Choir, did you?”

  “No. They wouldn’t come.” He shrugged, not wanting to tell her about the special order that would arrive Thursday afternoon. “I upped the flower order. Just by a little.”

  “I’m not even surprised. Just don’t do anything else, okay? We’re down to the wire. We have the food and flowers done. The venue.” She motioned to the barn. “It will be decorated later this week, so no late-night parties for you. I want the twinkle lights to stay firmly in place.”

  “Are you actually worried about me messing with the twinkle lights?”

  “Not really.” She glanced around. “I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s going to look when it’s done.”

  “Me, too. The guys doing the ice sculptures will be here tomorrow. The weather is going to cooperate and stay cold enough.”

  “You really are doing ice sculptures?”

  “Do you have doubts?”

  “I remember the giant wedding cake, so no. Okay, I have to go write up the toy inventory. You can stay here and supervise. Oh, and don’t get too close to Eddie and Gladys. Now that they’ve actually touched the promised land, they’re going to be looking to do more.”

  “No good deed?” he asked.

  “Not when it comes to them. They will haunt you.”

  “With you helping by pointing out where I am at any given moment.”

  “Pretty much,” she said with a laugh.

  * * *

  Madeline hung up the last of the dresses. She’d had two appointments that afternoon, along with a few walk-ins. The latter had been more about dreaming than buying, but she didn’t mind that. Many a later purchase had begun with a fun afternoon of playing dress-up.