Unexpected Gift

by Bellus, HJ

  He clutches the gift in his hands pausing for long moments. “Poppy, I think this will be better if I give this to you in private.”

  “Time to clean up.” Mom hops up from the couch kicking the tension to the curb.

  The rest of the family follows suit. Jake and Brad build a mound of wrapping paper letting Grace roll around in it. Her giggles bounce around the lodge as Roan tugs me back up to our bedroom. He paces back and forth not speaking a word.

  “You’re scaring me, Roan.” I remain cross-legged on the bed.

  “This might ruin everything, but just know it’s coming from the goodness of my heart.” He kneels before passing the box to me.

  My fingers trembles as I unwrap the package. I find a note in a box.

  “What is this?” I unfold the note.

  “It’s everything I want to give you, Poppy. It’s coming from a place of love. So much damn love, baby.”

  His strong blocky handwriting fills the page. Tears fall down my face when I read my name because I haven’t seen it like this in years. I wipe them away and read the rest of it.

  Poppy,

  Please don’t be mad at me. It’s the one thing I ask. I want to give this to you because I love you. It’s not out of pity and I know you’re going to get pissed and possibly turn away from me, but I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t try.

  I saw the stack of bills in the kitchen. I shouldn’t have looked, but I did. I know you’re only months away from the bank owning the B & B. You work your ass off day in and day out. I see the love you have for this place. You put your entire life on hold to run this place. It was a huge sacrifice you made and I don’t want that to be taken away from you.

  Tomorrow I’m putting on a benefit concert at The Cove. The money raised will go to older businesses in Cringle Cove that are struggling to make it with all the fancier spas and resorts going in. Your B & B is on that list.

  I’ve collected money from donors already that will more than help several struggling businesses. My goal is to raise enough to help all of them.

  I love this place like you do. I want it to become my home. Cringle Cove needs to thrive through all of it.

  If you chose to never talk to me again just know this is out of love and I’ll always love you. It was always you.

  Love,

  Roan

  The letter flutters from my hands to the bed. My head spins in confusion, embarrassment, anger, and appreciation. I don’t know where I start and end. My gut reaction to be pissed and offended is drowned out by the love where the help is coming from. It doesn't make it any easier to digest.

  “Say something, baby.” Roan grips my kneecaps staring at me.

  I don’t see him. I see the man who got everything he has by leaving me behind, shacking up with bombshells, selling records, and becoming a household name. I’m so confused and if I’m honest a bit hurt.

  “I need to be alone, Roan,” I whisper. “Please.”

  “Poppy, don’t shove me out because of this please.”

  “I need to be alone,” I repeat.

  A throat clears from the door. “You heard her, son.”

  We both look up to see my dad with his arms crossed. Roan doesn’t dare argue with him. He leaves without another word. The bed dips beside me. Dad plucks the letter and reads it for himself. I lay my head on his shoulder letting all of the emotions flood from my body.

  My dad holds me not saying a word. He absorbs every single one of my tears until they are gone. My eyes are swollen and head throbs with a headache.

  “May I?” he asks.

  I nod into his chest.

  “You’re reacting to the gesture or gift. You need to think it through before you speak. It’s not easy for you to accept help and I know this because you get it from me. He’s given up his life to make one here with you, Poppy. He’s all in and now you need to figure out if you are.” Dad kisses the top of my head.

  “I know.” I lay back on the bed letting him tug the blankets up. “Can you tell everyone that I’m not feeling well and taking a nap.”

  “Yes, come down when you’re ready, sweetie.”

  Chapter 13

  Roan

  I told you I was a bastard and that I’d ruin everything. Poppy managed to keep her distance the rest of the day. She had a game face on and disguised her pain well. Her family was kind, but there was an underlying layer of tension. I laid with Grace until she fell asleep and then went home. Poppy’s door was shut a clear sign it was over.

  This time I don’t regret being a bastard. It came from the good of my heart. Could there have been a better way to deliver the information, oh I’m sure of that. I don’t have a damn clue what I was thinking when I thought I’d have her read it in front of her family. Clearly my head wasn’t screwed on straight. I wanted everyone to know I was all in. Hell, I would’ve screamed it from the rooftops, plastered that shit on billboards.

  “You okay, man?” Grey slaps my shoulder.

  I don’t answer because he damn well knows I’m not. The Cove is still decked out in Christmas decorations. The tables have been arranged to make room to accommodate for more people. The snowstorm was perfect timing. Everyone is going to be ready to get out of their houses. Donations from some of my country singer friends are still rolling.

  I’m half tempted to leave a check at the B & B, but know that will only go in the garbage. My saving grace is Jake’s on my side and also on all the accounts. He pulled me aside thanking me and told he’d been trying to do the same, but his sister is damn hard headed.

  I tune my guitar knowing the bar will be filling any minute now. Grey has the bar stocked for a busy ass night. Makes me feel good knowing that I can help my own brother out. My last thought before taking the stage is I wonder if Poppy will ever play the guitar I bought her for Christmas. It was the one gift I was over the moon about giving. I’d planned us sitting side by side playing all Christmas day.

  Poppy

  It’s now or never. This time I go by myself not needing any encouragement from Ivy. I did my own hair and dressed myself. What I’m about to do is going to change my life forever. I can only hope it’s a decision that I never regret down the road in the future. I know my stubbornness is a weakness of mine and it may be my demise in the end.

  The Cove is packed by the time I make it. I’m forced to park five blocks away. When I near the door I’m a bit worried I won’t make it in. Grey happens to spot me as he sets some drinks down at a table near the door. The front entrance is propped open because of the patrons spilling out.

  Brad and Jake sit right inside collecting money. I don’t make eye contact knowing if I do it will weaken my determination. Grey manages to get me in ahead of the long line. Roan’s voice fills the bar as he sings cover after cover of old country hits. I find a place in the corner of the bar clutching the letter in my palm. The guitar strapped to my back feels like a ton weight the longer I wait.

  When Roan takes a break I watch him bring a water bottle to his lips tilting his head back taking a long drink. He mesmerizes me.

  “Cringle Cove, how the hell are ya?”

  Everyone screams and cheers their appreciation.

  “I’m blown away by the turn out here tonight. It tells me one thing, that we are all here for the love of this town. Makes me damn proud to be a part of it.”

  As he continues to entertain the crowd I move. My legs wobble with each step and my heart hammers in my chest. I don’t stop weaving through people and finally making my way to the side of the stage. I twist the guitar he gave me so it settles on my front and twist his letter in my hand.

  He doesn’t notice me until I’m at his side. Nothing but shock covers his face. I hand him the note and watch as he opens it. It takes him long moments before he sees my answer written at the bottom.

  Thank you, Roan. I’ll only accept on one condition and that is you in our bed every night.

  Love,

  Poppy

  PS- And you do all the dishe
s

  He rereads it a few times before glancing up at me. There’re tears in his eyes. Happy ones.

  “Is this for real?” he whispers.

  I nod.

  “I’m going to kiss the shit out of you, Poppy Hughes.”

  This time the microphone picks up his voice and the bar erupts. He makes good on his promise sealing his mouth to mine and kisses the air right out of me. When he pulls back to take a breath I do the same right back to him until I’m fully satisfied.

  I grab the microphone before the urge to race of the stage with Roan overpowers me.

  “Hey, do you all mind if I sing a song for you all. I owe this guy one.” I hitch my thumb over to Roan.

  I take the cheers as a welcome invite and begin strumming my new guitar. I put everything I have in my soul into the words of Bless the Broken Road. At some point during the song, Roan lifted his guitar off himself and wrapped his arms around me from the back resting his chin on my shoulder. I choke near the end but manage to make it through.

  Once I strum the last chord a warm piece of metal is slipped on my ring finger. It feels familiar and I recognize it when I glance down. The promise ring he gave me years ago. The same one I threw at him the day he told me he was leaving.

  Chapter 14

  “I’m exhausted,” I announce leaning back on Roan.

  The bar is finally thinning out. It’s well past one am and last call has been announced.

  “Me too.” Roan kisses the top of my head.

  “It was damn amazing. I’m so tired but don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. It’s like I’m on a high.”

  “You two need to sing at local fairs and festivals,” Ivy announces.

  I knew there was no way she’d stay away.

  “Maybe. But for now we have lots of time to make up for.”

  “Does anyone know where Poppy Hughes is?” A voice booms out over the bar.

  We all turn to see where it’s coming from. I freeze still when I see him. Ivy gasps next to me while everyone else remains confused. She was the only one that ever saw him. He’s dressed in a suit looking smug as hell. Once he spots me, he saunters right up to me without a care or worry in sight.

  “Poppy.” He holds out a hand to brush my hair away from my face.

  He’s not fast enough and doesn’t see Roan until he shoves his arm out of the way.

  “Who in the hell are you?” Roan growls.

  “Poppy, you haven’t told your new boyfriend about me?” He shrugs. “Guess it’s probably not good to share your habit of bedding up with a passerby with your next victim.”

  I square my shoulders and ball my fists. “What are you doing here?”

  Roan tries to step in front of me, but I don’t let him. I stand by his side squeezing his hand in mine.

  “Saw you on the cover of a national magazine with Roan McDaniels and thought it might be time to come check on my daughter.”

  “You son of a bitch,” I sneer. “You don’t have a daughter. Remember you sent a hefty check to cover her up.”

  “Well, I’m worried about her now and I’m back.”

  Grey holds Jake back as he begins threatening to kill the bastard.

  “Your wife okay with this?” I ask.

  He turns a bit pale and I know I have him cornered. He’s richer than sin from what I understand.

  “Your greed is showing you might want to tuck that back in,” I spit at him feeling on fire.

  “You may think you’re all tough here, Poppy, but I have a right to my daughter.”

  His final statement snaps all of Roan’s self-constraint. He lurches forward grabbing the sperm donor by the collar of his shirt and shaking him like a rag doll. His cocks his arm back landing a hard punch to his face.

  “You don’t have a daughter and you will leave this town and never come back.” Crash. Another hard punch. “You want to fight me on this then I’ll go to the media and expose every ounce of dirt you have buried in your life and trust me when I say the nation will listen to me.”

  Roan throws punch after punch until Grey and Jake pull him away. We manage to get Roan out the back of the bar.

  “I’m going to do damage control,” Grey announces and takes off and Jake follows him.

  Once the back door slams, Roan grabs my face and drops his forehead to mine. “I’ll kill him if I have to.”

  “I know,” I whisper.

  “He’ll never see her.”

  “Thank you, Roan.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “I can’t believe he came back because he saw me with you.”

  “Well, it was a pathetic attempt.”

  “That sums him up. I can’t believe…”

  “Don’t finish that sentence. He gave us Grace and for that I’ll be thankful.”

  I nod my head. “Yes, and you’ll always be her dad.”

  “We go this.”

  “We got this,” I repeat back.

  Roan grabs my hand bringing the promise ring to his lips kissing it. “We have all of our days I promise you that.

  Epilogue

  “Jake your son is naked again,” I holler from the kitchen with my hands coated in pie crust and eye my son, Greyson. “Don’t you dare.”

  His evil cute as hell smile that looks just like his daddy’s appears and down go his boxers. They both shoot out of the kitchen like little rockets. Those two are nothing but trouble. Aaron and Greyson are three months apart and partners in crime. They might as well be twins with all the trouble they get up to.

  It’s Christmas time once again in Cringle Cove. The B & B is thriving. We are booked every week of the year with the exception of Christmas week.

  “Jake, you had one job.” Ivy’s voice streams into the kitchen. “And you couldn’t even watch your son.”

  “They’re just sword fighting,” he replies.

  “Oh my hell,” I groan not even wanting to know what’s going on.

  Ivy storms into the kitchen plunking down shopping bags on the counter. She’s graduated to the honors of shopping for groceries. She’s still not allowed to cook and I’m thinking that badge of honor will never come.

  “Wine. I need wine right now,” she declares.

  I shake my head at my best friend and sister in law loving every moment of the chaos.

  “Get your clothes on we are going up to Beckett Stables,” Jake announces gaining squeals from the little boys. I glance out the window to see Roan and Grace saddling up their horses. They love to ride year round. It didn’t take long for Roan to buy her a real pony and it went from there.

  Washing my hands at the sink I take a moment to study the man who owns my heart. He never went back out on the road. He runs the inn with me singing at local county fairs, festivals, and bars when his heart needs it. I never join him on the stage. No, I save those special moments for only us.

  I once was a silly girl thinking Roan McDaniels coming back into my life was my unexpected gift. I was so very wrong. My unexpected gift came nine months later to the exact date of Christmas Eve.

  And it never stopped, it’s a gift that keeps on giving each day I wake up next to the man I love with my whole being. When I see him riding horses with Grace out in the pasture from the porch of the B & B. It happens when I watch him teach our son Greyson how to strap on his cowboy boots and strum a guitar.

  And I’m most definitely reminded of it when my protruding belly rolls with little footprints from the growing twins inside of me. Roan has made good on his promise of doing the dishes every night and holding me.

  In the end, I found out my stubborn pride was the one thing that kept me strong enough for Roan to come back into my life. Christmas will always and forever be my favorite time of year.

  If you enjoyed this Cringle Cove Christmas Chronicle Novel check the others! They do not have to be read in order. Enjoy your time in Cringle Cove!

  Christmas on the Rocks by Michelle Dare

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  What the Elf? by Kate Benson

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  Winter Games by Victoria Renteria

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  Wrapped in Love by Kristen Luciani

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  Mistletoe Not Required by A.D. Justice

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  Acknowledgments

  Acknowledgments-

  Thank you so much for reading Poppy and Roan’s story. Christmas is always a special time of the year. Cherish your friends and family. This book is for you, the reader, who always supports my work.

  Much Love,

  HJB