Christmas Texas Bride (The Brides 0f Bliss Tx. Book 4)

by Katie Lane

  Christie heart overflowed as she drew back to accept that love. “Let’s get married, Cord Evans, so we can have a Big Boot-iful Texas Christmas.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “You look just like a fairy princess, Mama,” Carrie Anne said.

  Christie smiled at her daughter before she looked back in the full-length mirror. The wedding gown Summer had insisted on buying her did look like a princess’s dress. The bodice was strapless and fitted and the skirt was full with numerous petticoats beneath. The only thing that didn’t look like a princess’s were the red cowboy boots she wore. But she loved the handmade boots with hers and Cord’s initials engraved in the leather more than any glass slippers. Cord had given them to her as an early birthday present.

  “I figure a woman named Christmas should own a pair of red boots,” he’d said. “Happy birthday, my love.” The fact that he’d remembered her birthday in all the excitement of the holidays and planning a Christmas Eve wedding had made her cry. Even now, her eyes misted at the thought of the kind, considerate man she was about to wed.

  “Don’t you dare start crying, Christie,” Summer said. “I refuse to walk down the aisle with a bunch of blubbering sisters.” But even as she said the words, she pulled a tissue from the box on the table next to her and blotted her eyes. “Damn pregnancy.”

  “Auntie Summer said damn, Mama. And you said that damn was a cuss word and people shouldn’t say it.” Carrie Anne spun around in a circle, causing the full skirt of her own princess-style dress to bell out. Beneath she wore the purple cowboy boots Danny Ray had given her. Although Christie knew who the boots were really from.

  “You are exactly right, Sweet Pea,” Autumn said as she smoothed out a curl in Christie’s hair. “Summer has no business cussing. Especially in a church.”

  Christie expected Summer to argue the point, but instead she winked at Carrie Anne. “That’s my girl. You keep your Auntie Summer in line.” It seemed that Carrie Anne was the only one who could keep Summer in line. The two had formed quite a bond. Probably because they were two peas in a pod. Of course, Carrie Anne had formed a bond with all the Hadleys and was thrilled when she found out that they were her relatives. And they weren’t her only new relatives.

  Carrie Anne stopped spinning. “Uncle Jasper made me a swear jar for the ranch. And every time somebody cusses they have to put a dollar in the jar for my college education. But I don’t make Danny Ray put in as many dollars as he should ’cause he’d be flat broke if he did.”

  Danny Ray still wasn’t the best daddy in the world, but he had become a better daddy. He’d stopped by the trailer the other night to give Christie all the money he’d made working for Cord the last few weeks. He was planning on leaving once the holidays were over, but he claimed that he would call and come back to see Carrie Anne often. He also wanted Christie to send him videos and pictures of their daughter. “She’s a chip off the old block,” he’d said with a proud smile on his face. Christie now believed that Cord was right. Sometimes you just needed to look for the best in people to find it.

  “Speaking of Uncle Jasper,” Spring said. “I think there’s something going on between him and Granny Bon.”

  Christie knew for a fact that there was something going on between Jasper and Granny Bon. She had caught them passionately kissing in Cord’s kitchen the other morning, and she wouldn’t be too surprised if the Hadley family didn’t have another wedding in the New Year.

  But right now it was her turn.

  Autumn finished fixing her hair and stepped up next to her, smiling at her in the reflection of the mirror. “You look perfect. Are you ready to get married to the man of your dreams?”

  Cord was the man of her dreams. Christie had always dreamed about marrying a man who was a great rodeo cowboy. But she had learned that it was better to marry a rodeo cowboy who was a great man.

  She smiled back at her sister in the mirror. “I’m ready, but first I wanted to thank you for befriending me when I first came to Bliss.” She glanced at Summer. “For giving me a job that I love.” She turned her smile on Spring. “And for giving me and Carrie Anne a place to live. I don’t know what I would’ve done without y’all.”

  Summer and Spring got up and joined her and Autumn at the mirror. “We’re glad you came looking for us,” Spring said.

  “Amen.” Summer slung an arm around her sisters and tugged them close.

  As Christie looked at their reflections, she had to agree. She was glad she’d come looking for her family. And she had found them. She had found a bigger, more loving family than she’d ever thought possible. She couldn’t help wondering if her mama hadn’t worked a little heavenly magic to make sure her daughter and granddaughter would be well loved and taken care of. And Mama wasn’t the only one who had helped her find bliss.

  “Holt could’ve kept his family a secret from me,” she said. “He didn’t have to tell me about his other children, but for some reason he did. Maybe he named you after the other seasons on purpose. Maybe he hoped that one day all his children would be together and live happily ever after.”

  Summer started to say something, but Spring cut her off. “You could be right, Christie. But it doesn’t matter how we came together. Just that we did.”

  They smiled at each other as someone knocked on the door.

  “Come on in,” Summer called.

  Dirk peeked his head in. He had volunteered to walk Christie down the aisle, and she expected him to say it was time. Instead, he said something else entirely. “We seem to have lost the groom.”

  All of Christie’s happiness drained right out of her. “Cord is gone?” Before he could answer, Carrie Anne piped up.

  “He’s not gone. He’s standing right outside.”

  Christie hurried to the window where her daughter was standing and looked out. Sure enough, there was a silhouette of a tall cowboy standing in the meadow in front of the chapel.

  “I’ll go get him,” Dirk said, but Christie shook her head.

  “I will.”

  “But the groom isn’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding,” Spring said. “It’s bad luck.”

  Bad luck would be if Cord had changed his mind, and if that were the case, Christie wanted to be the first to know. She headed for the door. Once outside, she wished she had brought a coat. It was freezing, and she shivered as she picked up the hem of her dress and walked down the path toward Cord. Right before she reached him, he turned.

  “Christie? What are you doing out here?”

  “I was going to ask you the same question.” She stopped in front of him. “Have you gotten cold feet? Because I’m going to tell you right now, Cord Evans, if you leave me at the altar, there will be no place you can hide from my wrath.”

  His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he tipped back his head and laughed. “You’ll hunt me down, will you?”

  “You better believe it.”

  His gaze ran over her. “Damn, you are beautiful. A man would have to be plumb crazy to leave a woman like you at the altar. And I’m not crazy.”

  Relief flooded her, and she released her breath. “Then what are you doing out here?”

  “I just needed a moment alone to thank the good Lord for giving me a second chance.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and she took his hands in hers. “Mind if I say a prayer of thanks with you? The Lord gave me a second chance too.”

  “Your hands are like ice. Come here.” He turned her and pulled her back into his arms so they were both facing the little white chapel. It had no Christmas lights, but it didn’t need any. The multi-colored stained-glass windows glowed like a cluster of lights, and directly above the white spire a bright star twinkled in the night sky.

  “The Christmas star,” Cord whispered close to her ear.

  They stood there looking at the star and counting their blessings for a few moments before the chapel doors opened and Carrie Anne came racing out, her blond ringlets and red ribbons flying. She hal
ted in front of Cord and Christie.

  “Hey, what’s goin’ on? You’re still gonna marry us, ain’t you, Daddy?”

  Cord released Christie and scooped Carrie Anne into his arms. “Yes, ma’am. I sure am, Half Pint.” He slipped an arm around Christie’s shoulders and smiled. “Now let’s go get our second chance.”

  As they headed into the little white chapel, Carrie Anne glanced over at Christie and grinned. “I told you that catching that bouquet would work, Mama.”

  It was a glorious Christmas Day. One of the most glorious days Maybelline Marble had ever witnessed. And it had nothing to do with the bright, shining sun outside the window. It had to do with the bright, shining faces inside the house.

  Spring and Waylon’s rambling house was filled to bursting with Hadleys and Arringtons who had arrived in the late afternoon to celebrate the Lord’s birth with their family.

  Cute toddlers who carried the name of their great-great aunt and great-great grandmother sat on the floor beneath the huge glittering Christmas tree amid a pile of wrapping paper and toys. As in the way of children, Lucy, Lucinda, Luella, and Luana seemed more interested in the bright bows and crinkly paper than the expensive toys. Which had Cole, Emery, Dirk, and Gracie laughing as the couples watched their children with love and pride in their eyes.

  And speaking of love and pride, Raff and Zane were as loving and proud as two daddies could be. They sat on opposite couches with one arm tucked around their sleeping sons and the other tucked around their beautiful wives. Carly glanced over at Savannah and the two friends exchanged a look of contentment before they went back to admiring their babies and husbands.

  In the New Year, there were going to be more babies. Not only were the Hadley triplets pregnant, but Becky Arrington-Granger had announced only moments before that she and Mason were expecting. That brought the total up to four, and Maybelline wondered if there wouldn’t be more. She glanced over at Cord and Christie who were cuddled up in a big chair by the fire whispering sweet nothings to each other. It would certainly be nice if Carrie Anne got a little brother or sister.

  Carrie Anne was standing in the middle of her three aunts, regaling them with the story of how she had gotten to ride Maple that morning with Cord and how she was “gonna play football and ride wild broncos in the rodeo.” Spring and Autumn looked concerned. Summer just looked proud.

  “Those two are peas in a pod.” Bonnie walked up with a present in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. She held out the cup of tea. “Peppermint, no sugar.”

  “Thank you, Bonnie.” Maybelline took the cup before she glanced around. “Where’s Jasper?” Jasper had been following Bonnie around like an adoring puppy, which fit perfectly with Maybelline’s plans.

  Bonnie took the chair next to her. “He fell asleep on the porch swing so I left him to nap.”

  “I hope after you got in a few kisses.”

  Bonnie blushed. “Maybe a few. But don’t get any ideas about another wedding in that little white chapel. Jasper and I enjoy each other’s company, but I’m not in any hurry to tie the knot. Although dating has made me realize that I need a place of my own. I was thinking about renting that room over your garage once Autumn and Maverick move into the new house they bought. That’s if you wouldn’t mind living with a stubborn old woman who’s set in her ways.”

  Maybelline smiled. “You coming to live with me would be the best New Year’s present I could ask for.”

  “Then it’s a deal.” Bonnie held out the beautifully wrapped present. “And here’s your Christmas present.”

  Maybelline took the gift. “You’re spoiling me, Bonnie. You already knitted me that beautiful red scarf.”

  “This isn’t exactly from me.”

  Curious, Maybelline set down her teacup and carefully unwrapped the book. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the cover. “The final Tender Heart novel.”

  Bonnie nodded with a poignant smile. “The publishers sent me advance copies. I plan to give one to all my grandkids, nieces, and nephews, but I thought you should get the first being that you were my mama’s closest friend.”

  It was an honor, and Maybelline couldn’t help running her fingers over Lucy’s name on the cover. “She would be so proud.”

  “Yes. It certainly is a great ending to her series and the perfect happily-ever-after for her fans.”

  Maybelline glanced up in surprise. “Oh, I wasn’t talking about the book. Lucy didn’t write her books for her fans. She wrote them to get over the loss of her child.” She smiled. “You. She would be proud of the woman you’ve become and the wonderful family you raised. Her books were about her heritage.” She looked around the room, her aged eyes taking in the beloved people who filled it. “This is about her legacy. While books fade from people’s minds, this love will live on long after she’s gone. Lucy knew this. Which is exactly why she ended the book the way she did.”

  Maybelline didn’t need to open the novel to recite the last lines. The last words Lucy had ever written were engraved in her heart.

  “This is not the end of Tender Heart. It’s only the beginning.”

  ~ The Beginning ~

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  “Excuse me, ma’am.”

  Emery Wakefield looked up from the book she was reading—more like rereading for the hundredth time—and was disappointed that the man speaking wasn’t a handsome cowboy with a sexy smile. He was just the businessman sitting next to her on the plane.

  He was nice-looking, but not nearly as nice-looking as Rory Earhart. Although few men could compare to her favorite fictional hero—the key word being fictional.

  Emery had a wee bit of a problem keeping fiction separate from reality. As an editor and avid reader, she loved to get lost in the fantasy worlds of her characters, which sometimes caused her to lose sight of her own life. Her two older brothers teased her about having her head in the clouds. And her close friends Carly and Savannah were always reminding her to live in the real world. In the real world, there were no perfect heroes. Just regular guys like this businessman who had ignored her the entire trip to play video games on his phone. But if she ever wanted to be in a relationship again, she needed to lower her standards and make an effort.

  She smiled. “Yes?”

  He nodded at the aisle. “The plane’s landed.”

  She finally noticed that people were out of their seats and collecting their luggage from the overhead compartments. “Oh! I didn’t even realize.” She pulled her laptop bag from beneath the seat in front of her and placed the tattered paperback in the side pocket.

  “So you like those naughty romance novels?” When she glanced over, the businessman winked.

  Emery felt her spine stiffen, but she quickly reminded herself that few men understood romance—books or otherwise. Romance to them was all about the sex. It wasn’t about the first prolonged glance. The first heated touch. The first breathless kiss.

  She blinked. Reality, Emery, reality.

  “Yes,” she said. “I like those ‘naughty’ romances. What genre do you read?”

  “I don’t do a lot of reading. I usually just wait for the movie.”

  Okay, she was willing to lower her standards, but not that much.

  Since the conversation was pretty much dead, she busied herself by straightening the pages of the manuscript she’d been reading earlier. While most of the other editors at Randall Publishing did their reading and editing electronically, Emery preferred to have a hard copy. There was something about holding the pages in her hands that made the reading experience so much better. Although it hadn’t made this particular manuscript any better.

  After talking to the writer’s agent and reading the first few chapters, she’d had high hopes for t
his book. The author had a fresh voice and a great ear for dialogue. Unfortunately, the entire plot had crumbled midway through, and there was little hope of salvaging it. Which meant that this wasn’t the book that was going to give Emery job security and make her boss overlook the other books that had flopped. But hopefully, she had the key to the one novel that would. She looked at the zippered pocket where she’d carefully tucked the envelope she had received a month ago.

  She was a firm believer in fate, and there was no other explanation for her having received the envelope. When she’d first opened it, she felt like Harry Potter getting his invitation to Hogwarts. And even if her boss was convinced it was a hoax, there was no way Emery could ignore it. That would be like ignoring destiny.

  The Tender Heart novels were her favorite books of all time. The ten-book series about mail-order brides in the old West had gotten her through her horrific puberty years. The pimples and braces wouldn’t have been so bad if she’d been a genius like her brothers and could’ve fit in with the geeks. But she wasn’t a genius. She was horrible at math, couldn’t have cared less about science, and hadn’t gotten through one Star Wars movie without falling asleep. In school she’d been labeled the homely, weird girl who walked around with her nose in a book.

  It was in those books that she’d found refuge from school bullies and the fact that she didn’t fit in with the rest of her family of geniuses. And she was still struggling to fit in. She had yet to find her place in New York City and was only months away from losing her job.

  Unless what was in the envelope turned out to be authentic.

  “So what brings you to Austin?” The businessman pulled his briefcase out from under the seat.

  She got to her feet. “I’m meeting my two best friends for spring break.” It wasn’t a lie. She had roped her two unsuspecting friends into joining her on this trip. They thought they were checking out the setting of their favorite series. They knew nothing about the letter Emery had received . . . or the chapter.