A Soldier’s Christmas Wish: Holidays in Heart Falls: Book 2

by Vivian Arend

  Which was the first reason why the box filled with the shiny ring was still tucked away safely beside his bed. The second reason?

  Brooke’s father…

  Mack pushed aside his concerns and focused on the woman cuddling close on his lap, stroking her fingers down his arms at a slow and steady pace that heated him up, nevertheless.

  He nipped at her lower lip and she laughed, running her hands up to tangle her fingers in his hair.

  She caught hold and tugged lightly. “Hey. I need some advice,” she said.

  Brooke wiggled off his lap, but he adjusted her position so that her legs remained draped over his, needing that connection even as he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. “You should definitely buy a new set of lingerie. I like your blue set,” he told her.

  Her mouth fell open for a second before she rolled her eyes. “Not that you get much chance to see me in my underwear,” she teased. “It seems every time we get alone, we’re both in too big of a hurry to get naked to worry about any kind of fashion show.”

  Her off-the-cuff comment caught him off guard, but he filed it away to think on more thoroughly later as he gave her his complete attention. “What’s the real question?”

  “My dad was making noises about wanting an old-fashioned Christmas, and I’m not quite sure what he was talking about.” She stared at the ceiling. “But I don’t want to ask him straight out because what triggered this was discovering the last pair of slippers my grandma knit is gone. So…is he wishing for some of the stuff that used to happen when she was around? I’m not sure what old-fashioned means, but if I can guess, that will make the holiday more meaningful than him giving me some kind of list and me checking things off.”

  Wow. This could be an interesting challenge.

  Mack sat up straighter, his brain already looping through possible ideas. “I don’t know a ton about typical Christmas traditions—I didn’t have a hell of a lot myself growing up, being in a military family and moving all the time, but that sounds like something I would love to help you with.”

  As well as being a chance to make memories of their own. A chance to maybe figure out the perfect time to seal their lives together?

  Possibly a chance to impress Brooke’s father—

  Not that Mack had any plans of asking the man’s permission to marry her, but having Gary’s approval and blessing would be a good thing. Right now it felt as if every time her dad caught a glimpse of Mack, his expression grew uneasy.

  It was eerie, and frankly, it was annoying. Mack was a likable guy, dammit. Still, Gary managed to make him feel as if he were ten years old and caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  Brooke was already in motion. She pulled out a notebook and resettled at his side, opening to a new page and neatly titling the top Old-Fashioned Christmas Plans.

  “I remember some of the things that Gram and Grandpa used to do during the holidays. I’m not sure why we stopped doing them. I guess when it switched to being just Dad and me, it became too much. It didn’t feel necessary to celebrate the same way. But there were these cookies that he absolutely loved. I can’t remember what they’re called, but making a big batch of those would be one thing we could do.” She wrinkled her nose. “If I can find the recipe.”

  Mack rocked an elbow gently into her side. “That would be one task I can definitely help you with considering your talents in the kitchen.”

  She gave him a raised brow. “I’ve heard rumours you’ve burnt a few meals here in the fire hall.”

  “Only when you distract me,” he admitted as he stole a kiss. “Give me the notebook. You reminisce. What else do you remember?”

  She handed over the book, her gaze sliding to faraway and long ago. She started slowly then spoke with more animation as the memories flooded in. Music, meals. All the things that had been a part of her world while growing up with Gary and her grandparents.

  Brooke shook herself alert at one point and met Mack’s gaze, a soft smile on her lips. “You would have liked my grandparents. They helped raise me, and yet it never really felt as if they were trying to fill in for my nonexistent mom. Dad was Dad, Gram and Grandpa were who they were, and we all got along. It was pretty sweet.” Brooke was staring into space again. “It didn’t seem special, but looking back, it really was.”

  Mack’s gaze lingered on her as he considered his own growing-up years. “As kids, we don’t realize what makes a memory. I remember going out to eat on Christmas Day. Depending where Mom was stationed, there was always a restaurant open, usually Chinese, and that was the simplest way to celebrate when Dad was in charge.” Brooke’s eyes widened and Mack laughed at her expression of near horror. “Don’t look at me like that. Chinese food for Christmas was awesome because it was…a tradition. And while Dad cooked basic meals just fine, something other than meat and potatoes was a treat.”

  Brooke eased away, but she was nodding slowly. “Exactly. Our traditions… The old-fashioned Christmas Dad’s looking for isn’t about turn-of-the-century meals or candles on the tree.”

  He shuddered. It was impossible not to as an image of a firetrap rushed to mind.

  Laughter escaped her.

  Brat. He offered Brooke a glare. “You did that on purpose.”

  A gentle wink confirmed it before she went on. “We should focus on what we did have—the traditions we’ve skipped over the past few years. Those are our old-fashioned ways to celebrate.” She frowned, concentrating. “I wonder if we have some pictures I could go through, because I swear we had decorations to put on the roof, but I can’t picture them very well.”

  “Decorations, food—including the mysterious nameless cookies of unknown ingredients. And music, but you don’t remember the exact song. This sounds simple,” Mack teased.

  Brooke tapped her fingers against his lips. “You were there last year for Christmas, and you know we kept it simple. This is your chance to help me up my game. Are you willing to take on the challenge?”

  “It’s exactly the kind of mission I want to take on,” Mack assured her. “We’ll have to work around my shifts here and yours at the garage, but if you can dig up a photo album or two, we can start making specific plans.”

  Which meant he’d be able to make specific plans—ones concerning forever. Because somewhere in the middle of making wonderful memories there was going to be a moment that would be just right, and he would be ready.

  Before Christmas was over, he was determined to complete his mission: create the perfect memory of Brooke Silver accepting him as hers.

  2

  Brooke shrugged out of her winter parka, the warmth of the Buns and Roses coffee shop wrapping around her like a warm hug.

  She’d barely placed her tote bag on the small tabletop when two strong arms trapped her and squeezed her tight.

  “You’ve been a stranger,” Tansy Fields complained when she finally let Brooke out of her grasp. The usually smiling brunette shook a finger in Brooke’s face as if ready to put her name on Santa’s naughty list. “But you’re here now, so I forgive you. As long as you tell me you’re going to make it to our next girls’ night out.”

  Brooke settled in her chair, smiling at her friend. “Yes, I’ll be there.”

  “Good, because we’re losing most of our gal pals to some big shindig for the Stone and Coleman clans. Right now, as far as I know, it’s just going to be you, me, Rose, and Hanna for the night.”

  Someone hit the bell for service up at the front counter and Tansy moved quickly to answer the summons.

  Brooke let her go, knowing that as soon as there was a chance, Tansy would sneak out for another visit.

  In the meantime, she had only a few minutes to get set up before Mack had promised to join her. Since neither of them had a long break, she might as well make their time together as efficient as possible.

  She’d been digging for the last couple of nights, shocked to discover how little they had left from the days when she and her dad had lived with his parents. But then aga
in, it had been fifteen years since her grandparents had moved into a seniors lodge and she and her dad had shifted locations to the apartment over the mechanical shop.

  There hadn’t been a lot of storage room, but the lack of knickknacks and mementos probably had more to do with the fact that fourteen-year-old Brooke had been in charge of packing up those items to keep or give to charity. Her father had been focused on keeping their livelihood going while settling his parents as best he could. Gram had just had a stroke, and Grandpa was completely focused on being there for her while they adjusted to their new surroundings.

  Teenage Brooke had no idea what should be saved to help in memory-making and was now regretting her abysmal choices.

  She had just opened the best photo album of the lot when Mack blasted into the coffee shop, cold air and wind sweeping in with him before he got the door shut.

  He grinned across the room. “Jack Frost at your service.”

  Tansy shook her head in amusement from where she was working the espresso machine. “You turn my hot drinks into slushies, and I will find a way to get revenge.”

  “How about two large lattes and whatever the baking special is instead?”

  “That would be cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing. Deal.” Tansy turned her attention back to the order in front of her.

  Mack dropped into the chair next to Brooke, leaning over to offer a quick kiss. “Hey.”

  The scent of him lingered—winter sharpness and the faintest layer of wood ash, because it seemed firefighters never completely got rid of the smoke that was part and parcel of their livelihood.

  Brooke smiled warmly, laying her fingers on top of where he’d rested his hand on her thigh. “How long have you got?”

  “Until noon or until my phone goes off with a summons for an emergency. How about you?”

  “Noon as well. You want to see what I found?”

  Mack adjusted his chair, sliding in so he could reach around her and nestle her close. It was an easy move, familiar and right, and the tension inside Brooke eased off enough that the next breath she took was deep and calming.

  He was so comfortable to be around. And right now, that comfort helped ease the knot of worry she’d discovered tangled inside. It wasn’t as if her dad would be super disappointed if things didn’t work out. Her dad was accepting and pretty laid-back, so her unease wasn’t about him.

  Brooke took another deep breath and let it out slowly, leaning into Mack’s side. “I don’t know why I’m fixated on this. I mean, I know I always drill down on the details for anything I do, but it feels as if this is extra important. It doesn’t make sense.”

  Mack tightened the arm wrapped around her, chuckling softly. The motion of his body rocked her. “You don’t have to understand it to deal with it. Come on. Show me what you found, and we’ll see if we can make some definite plans. If you can have a checklist to start working on, that will to help you relax a little.”

  Which was true, and far too revealing. “I should be worried that you know all my idiosyncrasies and flaws,” she muttered as she flipped to the start of the photo album.

  Lips pressed to her cheek before he murmured softly in her ear, privately, just for her. “I like knowing all your secrets.”

  “I bet you do.”

  His hum of pleasure rumbled past her like a caress. “If you don’t want me making public that I know where your ticklish spots are, you’d better share details so we can get this mission planned.”

  That made her laugh. Brooke twisted in her seat, offering an amused smile. “And the soldier pops out of hiding. I like it when he shows up.”

  “It’s not as if he’s on active duty anymore,” Mack teased, and then he stole the photo album from under her hands. “The captain is currently taking charge since the civilian seems incapable of following orders.”

  Brooke laughed, then flipped through the pages, pointing to pictures and explaining who and what they were looking at as the memories flowed.

  It wasn’t the best of photo albums. Gram had obviously never heard of the scrapbooking craze, and Brooke hadn’t been interested back in the day. It’s entirely possible it had been Grandpa or her dad who had shoved these pictures into the magnetic album with disregard for chronological order.

  “There’s the house I grew up in. It’s over on Elm Street, although they’ve done a bunch of renovations and added a second story.”

  Mack leaned in closer, then dragged a finger over the gaudy display of lights covering nearly inch of the roof. “Someone had fun with lights and ladders. Lots and lots of fun…”

  Tansy arrived with their drink order in time to hear his comment and she all but hooted with laughter. “Legend is, the Silver family started the tradition of Candy Cane Lane here in Heart Falls. Everybody around them figured they were going to be blinded by lights anyway, so they may as well join in and put up Christmas decorations as well.”

  Tansy placed the drinks on the table along with cinnamon buns the size of Brooke’s outstretched hand, then answered another summons.

  Mack’s amusement seemed to fade as he turned to Brooke. “But I was at your place last year, and you had no decorations up. Maybe one string of lights around the window in the shop.”

  She had to shrug. “It wasn’t high on the priority list, I guess. I’m not sure. Maybe Grandpa was the one who instigated the house decorating, not Dad.”

  Mack nodded thoughtfully, leaning in to examine the house one more time before pointing to her notebook and demanding she write down a list of items. “Let’s see if we can find what happened to the old decorations, but if we can’t, I’ll get creative.”

  “If you do find the old decorations, you have to update them because your electric bill would be fifty million dollars.” The comment came from a new person joining them at the table. Rose Fields, Tansy’s sister and the owner of the knickknack flower shop adjoining the coffee shop.

  She smiled at Brooke before tilting her head at Mack, her long, dark brown hair sliding over her shoulders as she gave him a pointed look. “In case you want to be prepared, I should mention I’m having a sale right now on LED lights.”

  He grinned. “Brooke, add that to the to-do list. Decoration shopping at Rose’s.”

  The guys at the next table called Mack’s name, and he slid to his feet with an apology, joining the discussion about bonfire permits.

  Rose took advantage of the opportunity to lean forward conspiratorially. “So, how goes it with you and Captain Hottie?”

  Brooke shrugged. “Good. We’re making some Christmas plans.”

  A look of growing excitement spread over her friend’s face. “Are they big plans? Are they shiny plans?”

  “I suppose. My dad made some comment about an old-fashioned Christmas, so we’re trying to figure out what we did back when my Grandpa and Gram were still alive.”

  Rose all but wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You’re killing my holiday hopes, lady.”

  A chuckle escaped before Brooke could stop it. “Because setting up an old-fashioned holiday isn’t going to involve enough shopping at your store?”

  Her friend pulled back slightly, all lightheartedness vanishing from her expression as she turned far more thoughtful. “You’re serious. You’re knee-deep in planning something that involves…your dad.”

  “Did I miss some memo saying there’s supposed to be more on the agenda?”

  “Oh my God. You’re so clueless sometimes. For a smart person, that is.” Rose glanced over to make sure Mack was still busy with the guys before she lowered her voice far enough that Brooke could barely make out the words. “You guys have been dating for a long time.”

  Okay, it was clear exactly where this was going and what dirt Rose was digging for.

  While Brooke was willing to wait for the future to arrive—the one that included her and Mack in a full-time, full-on relationship—she wasn’t willing to discuss her reasons for waiting ad nauseam with her friends.

  Which meant bluffing.
Bluffing was fine—better than fine, because pretending to be clueless was also amusing, and if she couldn’t have Mack 24/7, then she’d take the entertainment factor of playing dumb.

  “Nope. I’m still lost,” she offered cheerfully.

  Mack returned to the table as Rose shot to her feet to answer the bell from the far side of the shop.

  Rose wiggled her fingers as she left, tossing one final comment over her shoulder. “At some point I’ll toss you a map.”

  It was nearly impossible to keep a straight face. Brooke bit her bottom lip and offered her boyfriend what had to be a twisted smile, amusement bubbling inside.

  Utterly aware of the time ticking past, but curious what had put that expression on Brooke’s face, Mack settled into his seat then eyed her closer. She didn’t seem to be upset, though, just fidgety. “What was Rose talking about maps for?”

  Brooke shimmied her shoulders in a movement reminiscent of someone with snow melting down their back. “She might need another coffee or two. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Busy season for her. She’s probably tired,” he pointed out. He reached for the photo album and pushed the notebook back in front of Brooke. “Let’s get back to work. We’re going to track down decorations and adjust them if necessary. Did you find any recipes?”

  “Oh, I did.” She eagerly flipped to a different section of the book and showed him a half dozen recipe cards that had been stuck alongside totally unrelated pictures.

  One quick glance was enough to show there was still a problem. “Any idea what language those are written in?”

  “Should be Swedish.”

  Mack grinned. “And do you read Swedish?”

  She shook her head but obviously had this part figured out. “There were a bunch of people who did at the seniors lodge where Gram and Grandpa lived. I figured I’d head there sometime and see if I can get a translation. I’m not sure which one of these is for the cookies, but it might be nice to have all the rest as well.”