Marry Me at Christmas (Fool's Gold)

by Susan Mallery

  “He’s a nice addition to the town,” Bailey added. “He’s friendly and participates. I was wondering if he would just keep to himself, but he doesn’t. He gets involved. That’s nice.” She turned to Madeline. “How’s his hand? I heard what happened and I know Eddie and Gladys feel awful.”

  “It’s nearly healed.”

  “He adopted that dog,” Larissa said. “You’ve gotta love a man who adopts a dog.”

  Conversation shifted to other people who had adopted pets and from there transitioned to who was doing what for the holidays. Madeline talked about the addition of the fainting goat and potbellied pig to the Live Nativity, and how special arrangements were being made in case the goat really was too scared to endure the event.

  They placed their orders, and by the time her salad came, she’d relaxed enough to enjoy the company of her friends. But as she walked back to the store, her tension returned.

  She was in love with Jonny. What on earth was she supposed to do with that information? He wasn’t going to love her back. He couldn’t. He’d told her a thousand times.

  She should have protected her heart more carefully. She should have listened to her mother. Now she was trapped and she didn’t know what to do to make it better. And she was going to have to do something. Or she would be facing something ten times bigger than the Ted debacle. And then where would she be?

  * * *

  Jonny spent the day with his sister. When Ginger left to drive back to San Francisco, he went home and got Raven. The two of them hung around town until it was time for Paper Moon to close. Somewhere around five, it started to snow. A white Christmas, he thought. The kids would be happy. Plus, it would be a beautiful backdrop for Ginger’s wedding.

  He walked by the park and then up toward Madeline’s store. He stopped to buy her fudge and then did a quick detour through Jenel’s Gems, looking at different pieces. Because he wanted to get Madeline something for Christmas. Something personal and meaningful.

  When he left the jewelry store—still without the right present—he made sure Raven’s jacket was snug and protecting her from the cold. The dog waited patiently while he did his check, then gave his hand a quick lick. He rubbed her ears.

  “Let’s go see Madeline,” he told the dog.

  They walked to Paper Moon and went inside. Madeline was finishing up with a bride. The other woman was wiping away tears.

  “It’s perfect,” she said. “I love everything about it. Thank you for being so patient.”

  “I was happy to help. You’re going to be a beautiful bride.”

  Two dresses on the same day, he thought. She would be happy about that. Because, as he’d thought before, they both made magic with their work. Only hers lasted a lifetime. Hers was filled with memories that were treasured.

  She’d been sweet with his sister. Ginger hadn’t stopped talking about how Madeline had handled everything. He appreciated that when the dress he’d ordered had arrived, she hadn’t simply called him an idiot. She’d gone to the trouble of pressing it and putting his sister in it so he could see he was an idiot.

  She was sweet and funny and easy to be with. She got his sense of humor and made him laugh in return. They were good together. They belonged together.

  The last thought surprised him. He turned it over in his mind a few times and realized the truth had been staring at him all along.

  Madeline was the one. He cared about her. No, he loved her.

  Instinctively, he took a step back. No way. He couldn’t. Loving her meant... Okay, he didn’t know what it meant, but it was bad. Because loving someone was dangerous. He could lose her. An argument that usually worked for him, but not now. Not with Madeline. For the first time, the risk was worth the reward. He loved her.

  He waited impatiently for the client to leave. When she did, he walked over to Madeline, prepared to tell her the good news.

  Before he could figure out how to confess his feelings, she spoke first.

  “I can’t do this. I can’t be with you. It’s never going to work and you’re not what I want. I’ve already talked to Dellina and she’ll finish up the details for the wedding. I gave her your phone number. I’m sorry to be so abrupt, but I thought it best to tell you now. I hope...” She turned away, then looked back at him. “Goodbye.”

  He couldn’t believe it. He had to not be hearing her right. None of this made sense. He was still trying to make sense of it all when he realized she was pushing him out the front door of her store and locking it behind him.

  Just like that.

  He didn’t know why. Had she realized he wasn’t a good bet? Had he convinced her being with him was going to be too hard? Or was it simply that life had a sense of humor—he’d finally managed to fall in love with someone, only to have her reject him two days before Christmas.

  SIXTEEN

  TWO HOURS LATER Jonny realized how hard it would be without Madeline. He missed her. His house was empty and cold. Sure the temperature was fine—he didn’t want Raven shivering—but still, it felt cold.

  He wandered from room to room, not sure what to do with himself. He didn’t know what had happened. Had she guessed he wasn’t worth the trouble? Was she afraid? She’d never bought into the hype of him being a star. Did she see the man behind the mask and think there wasn’t enough there? Or was it simply that she didn’t care about him? That their time together had been fun, but nothing more?

  He hadn’t said anything to Ginger. He knew his sister was looking forward to having Madeline as part of her wedding. Somehow he would figure out an explanation—maybe when he understood what had happened.

  Had he lost her because of who he was or because of who he wasn’t?

  He settled on the sofa in the family room and stared at the tree they’d decorated together. What had gone so very wrong and how did he now fix it? Because being without Madeline wasn’t an option. The only question was how he convinced her to come back when he didn’t know why he’d lost her in the first place.

  * * *

  Right up until eight-fifteen in the evening, Madeline knew she’d made the right decision. Loving Jonny was just crazy talk. There were a thousand reasons they couldn’t make it work. Like how he... Well, there was...

  He traveled, she thought at last. He was gone for weeks at a time. That would be hard. And he was famous. Everyone knew that famous people couldn’t commit.

  “Talk about ridiculous,” she muttered. There had to be a better reason as to why she’d broken things off with him. Because if it wasn’t him, it was her.

  But that didn’t make sense. She wanted to be in a relationship. She wanted to be in love. All her life she’d...

  Messed up, she thought frantically. She’d failed. Made the wrong choice and had to backtrack to find her way again. She’d gone through multiple tries at finding the right career path. She’d had a string of failed relationships. While she’d finally found her dream job, she hadn’t found her dream man.

  Only Jonny was perfect. Okay, not perfect, but right for her. He was everything she’d been looking for and more and she’d...she’d...

  Completely and totally freaked out. She’d panicked. She’d realized she loved him, had assumed he couldn’t possibly love her back and had ended things before he could break her heart. Because what else was going to happen to an ordinary girl from Fool’s Gold?

  She hadn’t given him a chance. Hadn’t been brave enough to share her feelings. Tell him she loved him. Maybe he was going to say, “Thanks but no thanks,” but maybe he wasn’t. And even if he was, didn’t she owe it to herself to hear it rather than just assume? Didn’t being a grown-up mean doing the mature thing?

  Better late than never, she thought, then wondered what she was supposed to do now. She’d dumped him without telling him why. Without admitting her feelings. Not behavior to be proud of. So how did she fix that?

  She stood up and looked around her small place, as if the answer was there. She grabbed her phone, then realized a phone call
or text wouldn’t do. She had to face the man. Tell him the truth and then see what happened.

  She got in her car and drove out to the ranch. Snow fell and she had trouble seeing where she was going, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. She’d already given up too many times. She’d reacted out of fear, and she wasn’t going to let that happen again.

  She turned on the highway and kept her speed low. She fishtailed once, but steered into the skid, like her dad had taught her, and kept going. Her hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel, and despite the heater blasting hot air, she shivered in the cold.

  What should have been a twenty-five-minute trip took over an hour, and when she finally pulled up in front of Jonny’s house, she was shaken and exhausted. Tears burned. Fear grew until she had trouble breathing. What if he didn’t love her? What if he couldn’t forgive her? What if—

  Her car door opened from the outside. She stared up at Jonny.

  “Madeline? What’s going on? I heard a car drive up. It’s practically a blizzard. You shouldn’t be driving. Are you okay?”

  She flung herself at him. As she was wearing a seat belt, that didn’t go well. She had to unfasten it and fling herself a second time. She wrapped her arms around him and hung on.

  “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I’m so sorry. I was wrong. No, I was scared and wrong. I didn’t give you a chance. I never told you the truth. I love you and that terrifies me. What if you don’t love me back? What if you start dating Julia Roberts? Or Jennifer Lawrence? Or some other perfect star? What if—”

  He pressed his fingers to her mouth to quiet her. “Shh,” he murmured. “Let’s get you inside.”

  She pushed his fingers away. “No. You have to understand. I love you. I want to be with you. I was so afraid. I lashed out and ran. Technically I pushed you away, but you know what I mean. I’m sorry.”

  He stared into her eyes for a long time. “I was scared, too,” he admitted. “Scared of losing again. So I hid behind what I did because it was easier than admitting the truth. Even when Ginger tried to tell me, I wouldn’t listen.”

  He smiled at her. “I love you, Madeline. I’ve been hiding from that for a while now, but I’m not going to anymore. I hadn’t figured out how to convince you to give us a chance, but I was working on it.”

  “Really? You’re not going to marry Julia Roberts?”

  “She’s already married and maybe a little old for me.”

  “Oh, right. So Jennifer Lawrence?”

  “I’m going to marry you, if you’ll have me.”

  “What?”

  Was it her or had the snow suddenly started spinning? Okay, it was just her.

  He drew her to the side, then got in her car and turned off the engine. After collecting her keys and her bag, he got out and then put his arm around her.

  “Let’s get into the house,” he said. “You’re shivering and I’m sure Raven is worried.”

  “You proposed.” How could he be worried about something as mundane as cold when he’d just proposed?

  “I did and I’d like an answer. But you’re here and you love me, so the rest of it can wait.”

  They walked into the house. Raven greeted them both and then returned to her plaid bed. Jonny put Madeline’s keys and bag on the entry table, before pulling her close and kissing her.

  “Thank you for coming to see me,” he said. “I was going to talk to you in the morning. I had no idea what I was going to say.”

  “You could have said I was an idiot.”

  “Probably not how I would have started.”

  She smiled up at him, then wrapped her arms around him. “I love you and I’m not letting go.”

  “Me, either. I love you, Madeline.”

  “Even though I’m ordinary?”

  “Because you’re extraordinary.”

  Words designed to make a girl weak at the knees. Who was she to try to be different?

  She kissed him. “Yes, Jonny Blaze, I’ll marry you.” She grinned. “You know, there’s a really beautiful dress just sitting in my office. Maybe I should try it on.”

  “Not your style.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Yes. But whatever you choose, you’ll be beautiful and I’ll be the luckiest man in the world.”

  He put his arm around her and led her into the family room. They settled on the sofa, near the tree, and hung on to each other. She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Let’s not tell anyone until after Ginger’s wedding,” she said. “About us. The day should be about her and Oliver. I don’t want to distract from that.”

  Instead of answering, Jonny kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her and lowered her back on the sofa. As his body moved over hers, she knew that the sparks she felt were so much more. They were bolts of lightning...just like she’d been promised.

  EPILOGUE

  JONNY SMILED AT his sister. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Thanks. I’m nervous. I didn’t think I would be, but I am.”

  They stood in the alcove of the converted barn. All the guests were in place and music played. Oliver stood with his brother and Mayor Marsha, who would be marrying the couple. The woman had many skills, he thought.

  “You’re sure about this guy?” he asked.

  Ginger relaxed. “I am. He’s the one. I love him.” She hugged Jonny. “Thank you for my beautiful wedding. It’s perfect.”

  He glanced at the twinkle lights and the flowers, the way the chairs were set up, the long center aisle, covered in rose petals. At the other end of the barn, the tables were ready. Candles glowed and the dishes were in place.

  He knew that Madeline had already confirmed everything. That Ana Raquel and her husband were prepared with the food and the bar stations were stocked. Outside, ice sculptures gleamed in the clear night. Floodlights marked the path to the house.

  “I’m glad you’re happy,” he told his sister. “I had a good time planning your wedding.”

  She laughed softly. “You did an excellent job. It’s much less over the top than I expected. No fireworks.”

  He thought about the show scheduled to start at nine. “You might want to wait on that one.”

  Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  “It’ll only last about five minutes.”

  Ginger hugged him. “Honestly, I don’t know if I should laugh or slug you.”

  “I vote for laughing.” He touched her chin, raising her head so their eyes met. “I love you, Ginger. I want you to be happy.”

  “I am, and I love you, too.” She pressed her lips together. “This is a change. I didn’t think I would ever hear you say those words again.” Her expression brightened. “Oh, wow. Is it because of Madeline? I thought I felt a connection between the two of you.”

  “Good guess.”

  Ginger hugged him again. “I’m so happy for you. She’s great. I like her a lot.”

  The music shifted to the wedding march and the guests all rose.

  “That’s our cue,” Jonny told her. “You ready?”

  “I am.”

  She tucked her arm in his and they started down the aisle. He nodded at the people he knew, then found the one person who mattered most.

  Madeline stood next to the seat she was saving for him. Tears filled her eyes, but he knew they were the happy ones. The good ones. He’d seen similar tears when he’d given her the engagement ring he’d picked out. The ring that was tucked in her nightstand drawer for the evening.

  Later, when the happy couple was back from their honeymoon, the four of them would have dinner and he and Madeline would announcement their engagement.

  They were already making wedding plans. Nothing too big, Madeline had told him. Or over the top. As he kissed Ginger’s cheek and watched as Oliver drew her close, he wondered if he really could fly in the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Just for a couple of songs.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from CHRISTMAS ON 4TH STREET by Susan Mallery

>   If you loved Marry Me at Christmas, you will love these holiday tales of love, joy and

  happily-ever-after under the mistletoe.

  A Fool’s Gold Christmas

  Christmas on 4th Street

  The Christmas Wedding Ring

  Don’t miss these great titles in Susan Mallery’s charming Fool’s Gold series:

  Hold Me

  Kiss Me

  Thrill Me

  Love. Laughter. Happily-Ever-After.

  Available wherever ebooks are sold.

  “[A] classic blend of lighthearted humor, intense emotional conflict, and a setting so real and appealing readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”

  —Library Journal on Until We Touch

  Until We Touch

  Before We Kiss

  When We Met

  Three Little Words

  Two of a Kind

  Just One Kiss

  Halfway There (novella)

  All Summer Long

  Summer Nights

  Summer Days

  Almost Summer (novella)

  Only Us (novella)

  Only His

  Only Yours

  Only Mine

  Sister of the Bride (novella)

  Finding Perfect

  Almost Perfect

  Chasing Perfect

  Be sure to also catch the Blackberry Island series by New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery, available now!

  Barefoot Season

  Three Sisters

  Evening Stars

  All available now in ebook format.

  Looking for more? With more than one hundred ebooks available, you can also enjoy dozens of other memorable titles by Susan Mallery!

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