Serena tried to hear beyond the dog. It sounded like there was a whole army descending on the cabin—wait, no, not an army.
There was singing.
Christmas carolers?
Serena tossed aside her book and joined the excited Gizmo at the door. She glanced out the window to find the sun had set. Her driveway quickly filled with carolers. They were each holding a candle as they sang. And they were singing in English. Serena was impressed.
She rushed to pull on her coat and boots. Then she attached Gizmo’s leash.
She picked up the barking, tail-wagging dog. “Shh...or I’m not taking you outside.”
It took a moment, but he quieted down...just until she got outside with him. When he started again, she shushed him. And ran her hand over his back, hoping to calm him.
The singers were amazing. Their voices were beautiful. But what were they doing out here? It wasn’t like there were houses lining the road. Dwellings were quite scattered in this particular area. Still, she felt blessed that they would come visit her.
They helped to buoy her flagging spirits. If only Jackson were here with her. She’d bet he’d really enjoy this. But she didn’t know where he was. For all she knew, he could be on a flight back to New York.
And then the group parted. It was hard to make out who was walking between them in the dark. Whoever it was, they were approaching the porch. As the person got closer, Serena recognized Jackson. Her heart jumped into her throat. What was he doing here?
She noticed that he was carrying more flowers. The backs of her eyes stung. His image started to blur. She blinked repeatedly. She couldn’t believe he was here.
Gizmo wiggled and barked, anxious to get to Jackson. She wasn’t the only one happy to see him. She put the dog down. Gizmo immediately ran over to Jackson, who bent down to pet the dog.
In the background, the choir continued to sing. And then Serena realized this was what Jackson had meant by the note with the flowers. He was responsible for bringing the carolers to her door.
He approached her. Their gazes met and held. Her heart started to pound.
“I’m sorry,” they both said simultaneously.
Then they both gave an awkward laugh. He held the flowers out to her and she accepted them.
Serena knew she had to say more. She had to make this right. “I overreacted earlier. I was feeling insecure when you didn’t like the idea of me moving to New York and I handled it badly.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. I did. I totally messed up everything when you gave me that most amazing Christmas present. I panicked. And then I complicated matters by giving your video to my agent to have him get a team to clean it up and give it a polish. I wanted to surprise you with it for Christmas. But my agent got it into his head to leak the video, even though I told him not to. Anyway, he’s no longer my agent.”
“He’s not? Because of me?” She didn’t like the thought that she was responsible for someone losing their job.
“No. I let him go because I can’t work with someone I don’t trust.”
“Do you trust me?”
“I do. It’s just that I wasn’t being honest with myself.”
“How so?” She held her breath wondering what he would say.
“I promised June that I would move on—that I’d make a new life for myself. Before she got sick, we’d talked about having kids—a boy and girl. She wanted me to have that chance. She...she thought I’d make a good father. And so she made me promise to marry again. At the time, I would have said anything to make her happy. I didn’t think that I could take a chance on love again—the loss—the pain. I didn’t want to love anyone ever again. And then I met you. Do you know what you’ve taught me?”
Serena shook her head.
“I learned that it’s a very lonely life without someone to share it with. And I don’t want to hide from the truth.”
“What truth would that be?”
He stepped closer to her. He reached out and stroked his fingers over her cheek. “The undeniable truth is that I love you, Serena Mae Winston.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
She at last drew in a full breath. “I love you, too.”
He pulled her close and kissed her. It was the sweetest, most meaning-filled kiss of her life. She didn’t know why it took traveling halfway around the globe to find her soul mate, but she’d do it again. At last, she felt as though she was right where she belonged.
When Jackson pulled back, he looked her right in the eyes. “Do you trust me?”
She knew what he was asking. If his career would come between them. “Do you plan to share with the world details of our private lives?”
“Only the pieces that we agree on sharing.”
“Then yes, I trust you.” She knew in that moment that her father had rolled over in his grave with a very loud groan, but she wouldn’t let that stop her. Her father had died alone. She didn’t want to end up like him. She wanted to learn from her father’s mistakes.
In the background, the carolers had moved on to a slower song in German. Even though she understood only a few words, it was still a beautiful harmony.
Jackson pulled a little box from his pocket. It was wrapped in shiny silver paper with a red bow. It looked like a jewelry box. What exactly had he done?
He held it out to her. “This is for you. It is a proper Christmas present to replace the one that was ruined. I hope you like it.”
Her fingers trembled slightly as she undid the ribbon and the paper. It was indeed a little black box from a jeweler’s. The breath caught in her throat. When she lifted the lid, she found a black velvet box—a box bigger than one that holds a ring.
Jackson held the wrappings so that she could use her hands to open the last box. Inside was a silver heart locket. It was engraved with a beautiful design. It was delicate and attached to a thin box chain.
“It’s beautiful.” Tears of happiness filled her eyes. She glanced up at him. “Thank you.”
“You have my heart for now and always.”
“And you have mine.”
“Arff! Arff!”
Jackson stuffed the wrapping paper and empty boxes in his pockets. Then he bent over and scooped Gizmo up in his arms.
Serena leaned forward and hugged her two favorite guys. “We love you, too, Gizmo.”
“Arff!”
EPILOGUE
One year later...
“I CAN’T BELIEVE you were able to lease the same cabin.”
Jackson carried Serena over the threshold. “I wanted everything to be special for my Christmas bride.”
She turned to look into her husband’s eyes. “You didn’t have to bring me to Austria for it to be special. You do that all by yourself.”
Serena leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She’d never tire of kissing him. Ever.
Jackson was everything she’d never thought she’d have. He was her best friend. He lent her an ear when she needed to vent. He offered a word of reason when she was worked up. And he was the person who filled her life with much laughter and tons of love. And she could only hope she did the same for him.
Their lives had been evolving over the past year. She’d filmed her last contracted movie and was now concentrating on her writing, which meant she could relocate to New York. Jackson had been promoted to the anchor chair of the evening news for the biggest network in the country. He had more control over the content than ever before and he was very happy. They both were deliriously happy.
“Arff! Arff!”
Reluctantly, she pulled back. Jackson gently set her feet on the floor.
Serena knelt down and ran a hand over Gizmo. “You are special, too.”
“Arff!”
Serena couldn
’t help but laugh. “I still think Gizmo understands exactly what we say.”
“I think you’re right.”
She straightened and walked into the great room. “I can’t believe that yesterday we were with your mother next to the Pacific Ocean where we exchanged vows. And today we are in the Alps. I’m so glad you patched things up with her.”
“I’m glad I’m smart enough to listen to my very intelligent wife with her wise advice.”
“Aw...” She approached him and wrapped her arms around his trim waist. “You know exactly what to say.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
“Look.” Jackson gestured toward the window. “The snow I ordered is just starting—”
“It is?” She rushed over to the window. “It is.” She turned back to Jackson. “Something tells me if you have any pull with Mother Nature this will turn into a snowstorm.”
“You bet. It worked well the first time around.”
“You consider a car accident working well?”
He shrugged. “It brought you into my life, didn’t it?”
A smile tugged at Serena’s lips. “It did, but I’d prefer if you didn’t get hurt this time around.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that. Maybe if we hide away in this cabin, you can keep an eye on me.” His eyes had a playful twinkle in them.
“I think you have a good idea.” She stepped farther into the room. “Oh, look, a Christmas tree.” She turned back to Jackson. “Did you do this?”
He nodded. “I know how much you enjoy the holiday.”
“But it isn’t decorated.”
“I thought you’d enjoy doing it.” Then he pulled something from his pocket. “And I have the first ornament.”
He handed it to her. She glanced down at the cake topper from their wedding. It was a winter bride and her dashing groom; the bride was dressed in white with a hood and cape, and holding red roses. The cake topper now had a small brass hook with a red ribbon strung through it.
Serena’s gaze rose to meet her husband’s. “Did you think of everything?”
“I tried.”
She slipped off her coat and rushed over to the tree where the ladder was waiting. She climbed up to find the perfect spot for the ornament. It took her a moment to decide. “There. Isn’t it perfect?”
“Yes.” And then he started to gently shake the ladder.
“Jackson. Stop.” She held on so she didn’t fall. “What are you doing?”
“The last time you were up on that ladder, you fell into my arms. I just want a repeat.”
She frowned at him. “Stop playing around.”
“I won’t drop you. I promise.”
“That’s good, because I have a Christmas present for you. I hope you like it.”
He arched a brow. “I thought we agreed not to get each other anything since we were going to be on our honeymoon.”
“I didn’t go shopping for it. I promise.”
“So you made me a gift?” There was a look of intrigue reflected in his eyes.
“In a manner of speaking.” Happiness and excitement bubbled up in her chest. “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”
His eyes opened wide. “Daddy?”
The breath caught in her throat. This hadn’t been planned, but she knew he wanted children. She just didn’t know if he wanted them now.
Please be excited. Please. Oh, please.
Why wasn’t he saying anything? Was he in shock?
“Jackson?” She snapped her fingers. “Jackson, speak.”
“I... I’m going to be a dad?”
A hesitant smile lifted her lips as she nodded. “Does that make you happy?”
At last, his lips lifted at the corners. “Oh, yes. That makes me very happy. Come here, Mrs. Bennett.”
She started to climb down the last couple of rungs on the ladder, but her feet never touched the floor as her husband swept her into his arms. His lips pressed to hers. He left no doubt in her mind just how happy he was about this news.
And then he pulled back ever so slightly. “What do you say we trim the tree later?”
“Why, Mr. Bennett, what do you have on your very naughty mind?” She laughed.
“As I recall, you like my naughty mind.”
“Mmm-hmm...” She smiled up at him.
And with that he carried her to the master suite to begin their happily-ever-after.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Jennifer Faye:
MARRIED FOR HIS SECRET HEIR
THE MILLIONAIRE’S ROYAL RESCUE
HER FESTIVE BABY BOMBSHELL
THE GREEK’S NINE-MONTH SURPRISE
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from NEWBORN UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE by Sophie Pembroke.
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Newborn Under the Christmas Tree
by Sophie Pembroke
CHAPTER ONE
LIAM JENKINS SQUINTED against the low winter sun as he looked up at Thornwood Castle in the distance and tried to imagine it as home.
He failed.
The dark grey of the stone walls, the rise and fall of the crenellations, the brooding shadow it set over the English countryside...none of them were exactly friendly. When he’d dared to dream about the idea of home over the years, he’d pictured himself somewhere warm and bright and welcoming. Somewhere near the beach and rolling surf of his country of birth, Australia. A house he’d designed and built himself, one that was purely his, with no bad memories attached.
Instead, he had a centuries-old British castle full of other people’s history and furniture and baggage.
And it was starting to rain.
With a deep sigh, Liam leant back against his hire car and ignored the icy droplets dripping past his collar. Instead he wondered, not for the first time, what on earth his great-aunt Rose had been thinking. He hadn’t seen her at all in the fifteen years before her death, and before their disastrous meeting in London he’d only ever visited Thornwood once. Two encounters in twenty-five years didn’t make them family, not really. As far as he was concerned, she was just another in a long line of relatives who didn’t have the time or the space in their lives or homes for him.
Even that first time he’d visited he
r, he’d known instantly that Thornwood Castle would never be where he belonged. Thornwood, with its buttresses and echoing stone walls, lined with rusting suits of armour, was a world away from the small home he’d lived in with his mother on the Gold Coast. Possibly a few hundred years away too. As a ten-year-old orphan, still grieving for the mother he’d thought was invincible until she wasn’t, the prospect of staying at Thornwood had been terrifying. And that was before he’d even met Great-Aunt Rose in all her intimidating glory.
Thinking of it now, he shivered, remembering the chill of her presence. The way she’d loomed over him, steel-grey hair fixed in place, her dark blue eyes too like his for it to be a coincidence. He had the family eyes—no one had ever truly doubted whose son he was. Even if they didn’t want to acknowledge the fact in public.
Liam shook off the memories and slipped back behind the steering wheel of his hire car.
Thornwood was his—a bequest he’d never expected, or wanted. The very idea of it filled him with a heavy apprehension. Thornwood Castle came with more than just history—it came with a legacy. An acceptance into a society that had cast him out before he was even born. People said that the class wars were over, that nobody cared about legitimacy or status of birth any more. Maybe that was true in some places, but Liam knew that those prejudices were still alive and well in Thornwood.
Or they had been when Rose was alive. Now she was gone...
Could Thornwood be a home? All he remembered of it was cold, unwelcoming halls and the obvious disapproval of his great-aunt’s butler as he’d met him at the door.
But then there was the letter. The spidery, wavering handwriting on thick creamy paper that had come with the lawyer who’d explained the bequest. The letter from Rose, written just days before she’d died, asking him to make Thornwood Castle his home, at last. To finally take on the family legacy.
You may find it rather different than you recall...
Snowbound with an Heiress Page 16
