Nick wasn’t just walking his dog, it seemed, because he had started up the drive by the time she got outside.
“Jen?” he called.
“Hi,” she said, and she headed out into the drifting snow.
Nick didn’t say another word, but when he got to her, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers. Jen slipped her hands under his coat and held on to his shirt and she let the world disappear around them in the urgency of that kiss. Goldie pushed her head up between them, forcing them to pull back, breathless.
“Can we talk?” he whispered.
“Okay,” she said.
“I love you,” he said. “And I’ve been scared of making the same mistake I made with my first marriage—marrying up and having my wife look down on me ever after. But I had a good talk with my daughter this morning, and she said that all she’d needed was for me to be proud of her. And that was so easy! I can do that, no problem. And I realized that I’m never going to be the guy who discusses the deeper meaning of art, but I can absolutely be the guy who supports you in your ambitions. I can be the guy who’s proud of you and all you accomplish, Jen...”
“Yeah?” A smile spread over her face.
“I mean, if you could be happy with that,” he said. “Truly happy. If you could be seriously proud and impressed with the guy who can redo your house and keep you warm at night.”
“It is rather impressive,” she breathed. “And I’d be deeply proud.”
“I don’t know if that changes anything for you, though—” He caught her gaze, and she could see the hope there, and the agony.
“I was just talking to Renata,” Jen said, licking her lips. “Drew does need his father in his life. But Renata reminded me that it’s also important for Drew to see his mother happy and following my dreams. On my own two feet.”
“I agree with that,” Nick said, and he brushed a snowflake off her eyelashes. “Are you willing to let me help you make that happen, though? I know you want to do this on your own...”
“How would it work?” she asked.
“I want you and me to drive Drew out to see his dad, and pick him back up again,” he said. “I want to help him have the fullest life he can have. I want to show him how to use a saw and a hammer, and how to work a hands-on job—if you’d let me, that is. I want to support you in raising him, and I want to be the guy who tells him to watch how he talks to his mother every once in a while.” He smiled ruefully. “And I want to be there for both of you. And in return... I want you to come home to me.”
His words hung in the air, and she caught her breath.
“Come home?” she whispered. “You mean, you want me to stay in Mountain Springs.”
“You have dreams here,” he said. “And I want to be the guy who you come home to after you build some art empire.”
She laughed softly. “I do have dreams here—” Was it really possible to have it all? “I wanted to do this on my own. I didn’t want to owe anyone—”
“Hey, I’ll be your biggest fan, but I won’t be able to take a stitch of credit for what you accomplish. It’ll be yours, babe.”
She felt her lips tug into a smile at the endearment. “Babe?”
“Can I call you that?”
She nodded, and she felt some heat on her cheeks.
“I know this is crazy,” he said. “But I’m in love with you. And I’m willing to have as long of an engagement as you need, but I want to marry you.”
Jen’s heart gave a leap and she searched his face. “You’d help me with Drew?” she asked. “You mean that? You’d help him connect with his father? Because if I’m going to chase down my dreams here in Mountain Springs, I need help with giving Drew the balance he needs, too.”
“You’re right. He needs his dad,” Nick said. “I understand how important a father is, and yeah, I’m promising you right now that I’ll help you with that. You wouldn’t be alone in this.” His expression softened and he touched her cheek gently. “What do you say?”
She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. “Yeah.”
“So...” He hesitated. “You’ll stay? You’ll marry me?”
“Yes,” she said.
He let out a sigh of relief and pulled her back into his arms, his lips coming down over hers as the snow swirled around them and Goldie shoved her nose between them.
“Mom?” Drew called from the door, and Jen pulled back and looked over her shoulder. Drew stood in the doorway, his phone in one hand, a confused look on his face.
“We should get inside,” Jen said with a laugh.
“Yeah,” Nick agreed, and he closed his hand around hers.
“Dad wants to talk to you,” Drew said as they approached, and he held the phone out to her.
Jen looked up at Nick and they shared a smile, then she dropped a kiss on Drew’s head. It was time for Drew to see his mother happy, and to see what a supportive, equal, loving relationship looked like.
As Jen took the phone, she overheard Drew ask Nick, “How come you were kissing my mom?” and she knew that the conversations were only beginning. But she felt a calm certainty deep inside her. At long last, love was the answer.
“Hi, Sam,” she said. “Merry Christmas.”
Nick shot her a grin, his gaze tender, and she couldn’t help but return it. Her little ball of silver mistletoe shimmered on the tree, and she let her gaze flow over the room. This was her second chance at following her heart, and she felt certain that there would be many more mistletoe kisses in the years to come.
* * *
NICK SAT DOWN on a chair next to the window while Jen spoke to Drew’s dad on the phone. Drew sat eyeing Nick, his expression one of rather mature focus.
“So, do you love my mom?” Drew asked.
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “She’s pretty amazing.”
“I know that,” Drew said. “But I don’t think my mom is ready for a boyfriend. Besides, we aren’t staying here. You’ll have to do a lot of driving.”
A lot of driving was definitely in Nick’s future, but he couldn’t tell Drew anything before Jen did.
“My dad made my mom cry a lot,” Drew continued. “Are you planning on doing that?”
“What?” Nick shook his head. “No, of course not. I plan on making your mom happy.”
“Hmm.” Drew didn’t look convinced. “I guess we’ll see about that.”
Drew was drawing the lines here, trying to protect his mother the only way he knew.
“Tell you what,” Nick said, leaning forward. “Just suspend your judgment and get to know me a bit, okay? I’m not asking you to leap in and trust me immediately. But if you give me a chance, I think you’ll approve.”
Drew shrugged. “Like I said, we’ll see.”
Nick couldn’t help but laugh. He was a good kid—and Nick didn’t blame him for being cautious. Nick glanced outside, and he saw a cab pull to a stop outside his house and a familiar figure step out. His heart skipped a beat.
“Amelia?” he said aloud, standing up. “That’s my daughter. Drew, I’ll be right back, okay?”
Drew gave him a bland look and Nick headed for the front door.
“Amelia!” he called, pulling open the front door and his daughter turned and shaded her eyes against the falling snow. Nick grabbed his coat, glanced over his shoulder to see Jen look at him in surprise.
“My daughter’s back,” he said. “I’ll just go get her.”
“Of course!” Jen said, then turning back to the phone said, “Sam, I’ve got to go. We have some family things to take care of over here.”
Family things. Nick liked the sound of that. He pulled the door shut behind him and headed down the drive. Amelia’s bag was on the ground beside her. She picked it up and crossed the street to meet him.
“What happened?” Nick asked. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Amelia said. “I changed my mind, is all. I told Ben that I needed to spend Christmas with my dad, and that I could meet his family at New Year’s. If we’re going to get more serious, it’s better to start out on a balanced footing, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, I totally agree...” Nick smiled. “I’m glad.” He gave her a hug. “This is good timing, actually. I’ve got some news.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked.
“Here, give me your bag,” Nick said, and he shouldered her pack as they made their way up the drive. “I’m getting married again.”
“Are you serious?” Amelia stared at him.
“The engagement might be lengthy, but yeah,” he replied. “You were right about Jen. She’s really special, and I came to terms with a few things. Long story short, she agreed to marry me.”
“I’m really happy for you, Dad!” Amelia beamed up at him. “She’s a good choice.”
“Now, here’s the thing,” he said. “Her son, Drew, doesn’t know yet, so...”
“Ah.” Amelia chuckled. “He might not be crazy about this idea.”
“I’ll win him over,” Nick said. He wasn’t too worried about that. Drew wanted his mother to be happy, and Nick was determined to make sure that she was. And he’d make sure that Drew was taken care of. He needed his dad, but a solid stepdad could be a good addition, too.
They got to the door, and Nick looked down at his daughter. Snow spun through the air, and the Christmas tree glowed from the broad windows.
“I’m glad you came back,” he said. “Christmas is just better with you here.”
Then Nick opened the front door and he felt a rush of gratefulness for the woman he was going to marry, for his daughter here for the holidays and for Drew, who would be his to protect, too. He’d never had a son before, and a stepson felt right. They’d be a family, and for the first time in a very long time, Nick could feel his heart settling into a deeply happy rhythm.
This Christmas, they were making a home.
EPILOGUE
THE WEDDING WAS set on a warm Saturday at the end of June, the weekend before Jen and Nick were set to drive Drew back to Denver to spend the summer with his dad.
Jen and Nick stood in the waiting room of the Mountain Springs courthouse with their bridal party in tow, waiting for their turn to get legally married. Outside, the sun was shining, and indoors the air-conditioning was pumping into the little room packed full of the people Jen and Nick loved most. The rest of their friends and family would be at the reception later on that afternoon, and Jen would dance the afternoon away in her new husband’s arms.
Jen had opted for a cream tea-length wedding dress paired with pale blue kitten heels for her something-blue. Lisa and Amelia were both her bridesmaids, and the two of them had hit it off immediately. Amelia was thrilled to not only meet Lisa, but to also be able to call her family. She and Lisa had settled into some long conversations about literature and art, and Jen was happy to see the two of them bonding.
Bram had been bribed with a chocolate chip cookie to keep him quiet and in one place, and he sat on the ground, very seriously licking the chocolate from his palm.
Bert was standing in as Nick’s best man, and Drew was going to walk Jen down the aisle, but how much aisle there would be was still unknown. Jen had never seen her son look quite so grown-up as he did in a suit, and when Drew felt her gaze on him, he blushed and dug his shoe into the carpet.
“Mom...” he said.
“You look great, Drew,” Jen said, and when she glanced up at Nick, she found her fiancé watching her with a smile tugging at his lips.
“You look pretty amazing, too,” Nick said, taking her hand in his. “You ready to do this?”
Jen grinned up at him. “Definitely.”
Bram reached out and grabbed a handful of Jen’s dress in his chocolatey hand, and both Lisa and Amelia let out a scream.
“Bram!” Lisa cried, and she scooped him up, looking down at Jen’s dress in apology. “Oh, Jen, I’m so sorry...”
Amelia bent down to see if she could wipe away the chocolate just as the judge’s door opened and a middle-aged man looked down at his tablet and said, “Nick Bryant and Jennifer Taylor?”
“It’s fine,” Jen said. “Really! I’m serious. I don’t care a bit.”
“Are you sure?” Lisa asked.
“I might be able to get it out if we had a few minutes—” Amelia started.
“I’m positive,” Jen replied. “It’s just chocolate, and I honestly don’t have any other plans for this dress beyond today.” She looked up at Nick. “Let’s get married.”
The reception would be later on that afternoon at the lodge, and everyone would be there, including the women of the Second Chance Dining Club. Melanie would come with her husband, of course. Aunt Gayle and Matt would be there, too. Uncle Stu was bringing a date, as well, and Jen was thrilled that he was making use of his plus-one. Belle and Angelina were both coming happily single.
Jen was delighted about Renata’s date—Seb was coming, and Renata had finally told everyone that he was her boyfriend. Renata’s kids were just fine with that arrangement, since Seb had won them over by being his honest, fun-loving self. And while it was still a secret, Jen happened to know that Seb was carrying around an engagement ring, still working up his courage to ask Renata to marry him. Jen had a feeling it might take a while for Renata to say yes, but Seb seemed determined to win her trust.
When they all went into the judge’s chambers, Drew didn’t really have anywhere to walk Jen, so she gave him a hug and told him she loved him. The judge asked Jen and Nick to repeat their vows, Jen didn’t feel any qualms. She was marrying the right man—there was no doubt. And after Nick pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss, he reached over and shook Drew’s hand.
“Man to man,” Nick said quietly. “I’m going to be good to your mom. And I want you to let me know if you think I’m out of line, okay? Between the two of us, we’re going to make sure your mom is the happiest woman on the planet. Deal?”
“Yeah, okay,” Drew said, and he grinned up at Nick. “Welcome to the family.”
When had Drew gotten so grown-up?
Then Nick caught her hand again and looked down into her eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too.” Jen tipped her head against his strong shoulder. “I’m looking forward to dancing with you this afternoon.”
“Cookie?” Bram said, holding up the mushed remnants of his chocolate chip reward, and just at that moment, a court photographer snapped a photo. That picture turned into Jen’s favorite photo of the day—a toddler handprint on her dress, her tall, handsome son grinning over at her and Nick’s gaze locked on her face with a look of love. Amelia and Lisa made it into the shot, too, their heads together as they laughed over some private joke, and Bram was in the forefront, offering a mashed-up cookie and his little toddler heart. It was perfect!
There would be plenty more messes and mistakes, handprints and apologies—that was part of a family. But there would also be a whole lot of love to cover over the imperfections.
The Taylor-Bryant family was just getting started.
* * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Hero for the Holidays by Syndi Powell.
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A Hero for the Holidays
by Syndi Powell
CHAPTER ONE
MONDAY MORNINGS MIGHT be dreaded by most of the world, but in Christopher Fox’s experience, nothing good happened on Tuesdays before noon.
This morning had been no exception. He op
ened one eye to peer at the alarm clock and then opened the other to stare at the blank screen. Hadn’t the alarm gone off? Checking his phone, he saw that it was almost seven thirty, and he had to wake up the kids, then get them dressed and fed before taking them to school. Groaning, he jumped from the bed and ran down the hall to knock on their bedroom doors and rouse his children. “Get up! We’re late.”
His six-year-old daughter, Daisy, groaned and dived under the covers as he ran into her bedroom to wake her. “But I don’t want to go to school,” she whined. She’d gotten pretty good at whining lately. “Can’t we start Thanksgiving break today instead of tomorrow?”
“You’re going to school. Now get dressed. And no cape.”
Last year, Daisy had dressed up for Halloween as a superhero. Since then, she had worn the cape most days for at least a portion of the day. It was something that he and the family counselor had started to address with her in their therapy sessions. While he could understand her desire to live in a fantasy world where superheroes could save dying mothers, the reality was much different. People did die and nothing would ever change that. He gave his daughter his stern face. “I mean it, Daisy. Leave the cape at home, where it belongs.”
She grumbled as she got out of bed and stood staring into her closet. Half convinced she would obey him, he poked his head into Elijah’s room. The boy was still lying on his bed, covers up to his hairline. “Come on, buddy. Time to get up.”
A groan from the pile of blankets and a stirring that meant his son would obey. Eventually. On his own timetable. He was only nine, but acted more like a surly teenager the closer he was getting to double digits.
Taking a deep breath, Christopher returned to his own bedroom and dressed in his typical work uniform: white oxford shirt, dark pants and one of the many ties he’d received over the years. He didn’t even look as he pulled out one now and put it around his neck, then stood in front of the mirrored closet door to knot it. He barely glanced at his face, not caring what he looked like. Who was he trying to impress? The hundred or so senior citizens who lived in the assisted-living home he managed? Certainly none of the doctors or nurses who visited regularly. No, his heart had been buried along with his wife almost two years ago, so there was no one to dazzle with his appearance.
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