A Texas Christmas Reunion Page 23
“We were fast friends once upon a time. And I suppose I am dressed for it, so, yes, I would be thrilled to.” She squeezed Juliette’s hand.
Half stunned by what she and her former fast friend had said to each other, Juliette squeezed back. Perhaps their friendship was not so “former” as she had long believed.
Christmas was a time for wonder! Through everything, she had held fast to that conviction. So far her faith had not been misplaced.
“Mrs. Lindor.” Juliette’s gaze turned from watching Nannie hurrying off to freshen her appearance to Charlie, who stood twisting his fingers in front of him.
He looked nervous and the sight wrenched her heart.
“You look very handsome, Charlie. You will bring our guests to their feet with applause.”
“I’ll do my best, ma’am. I just—well, Mr. Culverson—he told me about coming to live with you.”
“Is it what you want? You know that you will be the big brother of two noisy, leaky babies and they will look to you to teach them things.”
“I want it more than anything!”
“Good.” She touched his shoulder. “So do I. But you can’t call me Mrs. Lindor any longer, of course.”
“What should I call you?”
“Ma, if you like. But you do have a mother, so if you’d rather not—”
“No, she was only ever Mam. I reckon you and, and Pa, care for me more than she ever did, so I’ll call you Ma.”
“Thank you, Charlie—son.” She bent down and kissed his cheek. “Better hurry along to your friends. The singing is going to start.”
She was weeping for joy. Two sons had come to her, straight from heaven. God willing, there would be more.
She watched her newest, all long legs and gangly arms, rush to meet Cora, who stood in the dining room doorway.
Grateful did not begin to describe how she felt—about everything. Trea, Charlie, her hotel and the beginning of new life for Beaumont Spur were all things she could never have imagined only weeks ago.
Merry Christmas was all she had to say about that.
An hour later, the children performed their last song.
It was time for her wedding.
Given the way news spread in Beaumont Spur, no one was surprised at the nuptials about to take place.
In all the upheaval of late, she hadn’t given a thought to who would walk her down the aisle.
She could ask Ephraim. He was standing in a corner with a half-tender look in his eye. In moments he would be her father-in-law, so it would be fitting.
But no. It had to be Warren. He might not understand, but it would be very meaningful to Juliette. In some way, she would feel it was Steven walking beside her, handing her over to her future.
Warren looked at her in confusion for a moment when she asked him, but then his expression brightened. “This mean you’ll finally stay home and take care of your family?”
“Perhaps it does, Father Lindor,” she told him. It was partly true, since she would be living and working in the same place, at least until Trea rebuilt his house.
“I reckon Steven won’t mind.” For an instant, the man he used to be gazed at her, clarity and remembrance in his eyes, then... “Maybe that new man of yours will find the cat.”
“I love you,” she whispered. No matter who he was or was not in any given moment, she did.
“I love you, too, Juliette.”
And then there she was, standing beside the man she had waited her whole life for.
The vows didn’t take long to recite, but they bound her to Trea for a lifetime, and him to her, same as the ring that he put on her finger.
Same as the kiss he placed on her lips—for everyone to see and cheer over.
After a time of accepting congratulations, her new husband whispered in her ear. “Think they can get by on their own for a while?”
“All night, I don’t doubt. Rose made enough food to last until the New Year.”
Not at all discreetly, he snatched up her hand and hustled her out of the dining room.
Once out in the lobby he kissed her then scooped her up, twirling her through the trees. Hundreds of candles swirled past, a vision of sparkle and enchantment.
Trea carried her into their private quarters, kicked the door closed with his boot.
He laid her down gently on the bed and lowered himself beside her.
“I’ll love you all my life, Beautiful...my wife.”
Slowly, with laughter, with tears, with reverence and lust, he took her the way that made them one in the eyes of heaven and man.
Then he did it over again.
“I like them,” he said at last, breathing hard while he stared at the ceiling, sweat gleaming on his chest.
“Like what?”
“Those pretty white underclothes. Put them on. We’ll start all over again.”
“We ought to get back. Folks will wonder what happened to us.”
“No, they won’t.” He reached over the edge of the bed, snatched up her sheer camisole and drew the delicate fabric across her chest, making her shiver. “They’ll know.”
Shifting his weight, he came over her, moved so that the chemise slid between his hard body and her soft one.
“Merry Christmas, Mrs. Culverson.” His breath fell upon her lips, gently drifting like the snow tumbling past the window.
“Merry Christmas, husband.”
She may have heard a baby fussing in another room, Mrs. Cromby soothing it with a lullaby. She might have heard a dog barking and Warren searching for the cat.
She didn’t mind any of that. It was the song of her life.
It came to her as the loveliest of carols.
A song of joy to fill her up forever.
Epilogue
Christmas Eve, one year later...
You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Nannie Breene and Dr. James Fulsom
on Christmas Eve
at the Beaumont Spur Hotel.
Vows will be recited at noon
with the school pageant
then a reception to follow.
“No need to be nervous.” Trea watched Juliette hurry toward the lobby ahead of him.
She twined a red satin ribbon in her braid. The motion lifted her elbows, somehow accentuating the sway of her hips.
“I’m not nervous, I’m late.” She cast him a wink. “And it’s all your fault, dragging me to the bedroom in the middle of the morning as if I hadn’t a thing to do.”
“Guilty as charged and unrepentant.”
She stopped, whirled about, kissed him quickly. “Happy anniversary.”
“It’s been a blessed year, honey. I’m a grateful man. Sometimes I need to show you just how grateful.” He tied up the bow at the end of her braid. “I only hope Nannie and Dr. Fulsom are as happy.”
“Well, they will begin that way. The lobby may not have as many trees as it did last year, but the four you brought home are huge and beautiful.”
“Father Lindor seems to like them. He sat for three hours yesterday in his chair just staring up at them.”
Following Juliette into the lobby, Trea saw Cora dashing here and there after the babies. She picked up Lena, who had taken a tumble, then noticed Joe about to close his fat little hand around the cat’s tail. She dashed across the room, caught his fist and plucked out the fur he’d managed to snatch.
The animal hissed, then hopped onto Father Lindor’s lap to join him in a nap.
When Charlie had come to live with them, his cat had come and a dog, too. Ever since, Warren seemed more at peace. Dr. Fulsom had told them that, sadly, he would not get any better, only worse. All they could do was make him as comfortable as possible and be grateful for the time they had been granted with him.
In spite of how unpredictable his mo
ods might be, Juliette tried never to treat him with anything but kindness and humor.
“Has she come down yet?” Juliette asked Cora with a glance at the stairs.
“She’s been in the kitchen for hours already.”
“Shouldn’t she be resting?” Trea thought so.
“I’d better go check on her.”
“I’ll come with you.” He thought Juliette ought to be taking it easy, too. It was too soon to be completely certain that she was expecting, but Dr. Fulsom thought it very likely.
Given that school was not in session due to the Christmas break, out of caution, Trea tended to shadow her. And he would keep at it until the wedding was over and things returned to normal. Normal was busy enough on its own.
Nannie’s wedding was no simple affair, as his and Juliette’s had been. A kinder side to the woman’s personality had emerged, but still, she was who she was.
It was in some part due to her efforts as newspaper owner that the town was prospering. Good news tended to make the front page, rather than bad.
“Laura Lee Creed!” Juliette exclaimed. “Get down off that stool!”
“I would, but it seems that I can’t.” Laura Lee stroked the huge curve of her belly, smiling.
Trea rushed forward, braced her under the arm and helped her down.
“Where’s your husband? Seems to me he ought to be here keeping you out of trouble.”
Laura Lee laughed, her eyes gone a-twinkle. “Aren’t the two of you cut from the same cloth? I convinced him to go visit the sheriff since there’s still a couple of hours until the wedding. When they last met it wasn’t on the best of terms. He wanted to see for himself if what folks are saying is true, that he’s turned over a new leaf.”
“It does seem to be true,” Juliette said. “Sit down, I’m going to make you some tea.”
“Coffee and one of those pastries on the counter.”
“Is it right that a lady in your condition gets whatever she wants to eat?”
“Of course.”
“Yes, it’s a rule, in fact,” Juliette added, placing the coffee and cinnamon muffin on the table. “Laura Lee, did you know that Sheriff Hank testified against his own cousins and Johnny Ruiz at their trial?”
“I did not!” She patted the great bulge of her belly. Could a human being really be in there? “That does say something for him, then. That Underwood clan won’t betray kin for the world.”
Laura Lee frowned, stretched and rubbed her back.
“Are you well?” It made Trea a bit nervous to see her slight grimace.
“Being trapped on a stool will cause a few aches, but nothing to be alarmed about.”
Maybe, but why was Juliette looking at her with that half-secret smile?
The three of them took coffee together.
“I know I’ve said this a dozen times, but I love what you have done here, Juliette. It’s not the same place at all. I’d give you the money all over again.”
“And I would accept it. Truly, this town would not have survived without your gift.”
“Juliette!”
“Sounds like the bride has arrived,” Trea said. “I’ll leave you to your women talk.”
“Hello, Trea.” Nannie paused to kiss his cheek before she hustled into the kitchen, her wedding gown draped over her arm.
He figured his time could be put to best use by helping Cora pick up the babies, who, still new at walking, tended to topple over.
Coming into the lobby, he scooped up his baby girl, lifted her up and jostled her just to see her giggle.
The front door opened. Trea’s father came in. As always his big voice crashed about the room.
“There’s my girl!” Again, as always, Lena did not hear the deep rumble as a growl. She reached her small arms toward her grandfather. “This here might be the only female who ever took to me, ’sides maybe your wife, but could be she only tolerates me. Happy anniversary, son.”
Having his father clap him on the shoulder still seemed strange.
“How are things at the Gentlemen’s Club, Pa?” Trea’s father had refused to give up his saloon, but for the betterment of the town his grandchildren would grow up in, he had made changes.
“Too refined for my taste, but Felix likes it well enough. Gets to play those hoity-toity classical tunes he’s partial to. Hell, ‘gentlemen’ might come dressed in their fancy suits and act all dignified, but they drink and gamble same as anyone else.”
“The wedding isn’t for another hour. You’re early.”
His father handed Lena back to him. “Figured I’d try and win over that boy of yours. That him hiding behind Miss Cora’s skirt?”
“Go slow with him, Pa. He’s shy.”
“Reckon I know that by now.” Lena fussed to be returned to her gruff grandfather. “I’m going to say this just one time, so listen up, son. I’m proud of you for taking another man’s children and loving them like they were your own, and I include Charlie in that. You know that I had the devil of a time feeling like that about the one who was mine, but I do now. I’m proud as spit of you.”
“I’m proud as spit of you, too, Pa.” Maybe the goodwill was brought on by Christmas, and the good feelings brought on by a wedding, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true. “And I love you.”
That was all they had to say on the subject, all they might ever say again, but it was enough.
His father tried to win Joe over until the guests began to arrive. Joe did warm to him enough to smile, but not enough to come out from behind Cora’s skirt.
When all was in place for the wedding, Trea scooped up his busy one-year-olds, one in each arm.
A small orchestra was set up on the landing of the stairs. The beautiful strains of Pachelbel’s Canon in D filled the lobby.
Trea was happy to see that the melody made Warren look up from where he sat, smile and seem aware. Charlie stood beside him, his strong young hand bracing the frail old shoulder.
Nannie stood close to her groom, glowing as a bride ought to, as he remembered his own bride glowing only one year ago today.
Juliette stood a few feet to the side of Nannie, serving as her witness.
Wedding magic mingled with Christmas magic while the couple recited their vows.
“Do you take this woman...” The preacher recited the sacred words.
Trea’s heart swelled, tripped over itself when Juliette turned to wink at him.
“Do you take this—?”
All of a sudden Laura Lee gasped and looked at Jesse, shock making her eyes go round and wide.
“Sorry,” she said to the bride. “Go on ahead. I’m—”
She groaned, held tight to her husband’s arm.
“She’s...” Jesse Creed gaped at the puddle that appeared on the floor beneath his wife’s skirt. “Having a baby—now?”
“I take you, James Fulsom,” Nannie said in a breathless rush. “Kiss me quick and get to work!”
The bride and groom hustled the soon-to-be parents away.
It was a lucky thing the doctor’s office was only across the street.
“From the looks of things,” Juliette said, lifting Joe from Trea’s arms, “the new Fulsoms will be back in time for their reception.”
“As I recall, we missed most of ours.”
“I’m sure it was every bit as wonderful as this one.”
“This is some Christmas!” Trea placed his hand over Juliette’s belly. The guests were in such a joyous uproar over what had just happened that no one noticed.
“Fireworks, do you think, for us?”
She went up on her toes, kissed him. “Get out the sparklers, Trea.”
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story you won’t want to miss these other great full-length reads by Carol Arens:
The Cowboy’s Cin
derella
The Rancher’s Inconvenient Bride
A Ranch to Call Home
And check out her The Walker Twins duet, starting with Wed to the Montana Cowboy.
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Healer for the Highlander by Terri Brisbin.
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A Healer for the Highlander
by Terri Brisbin
Prologue
The Lands of Clan Cameron, Loch Arkaig, Scotland
—the year of Our Lord 1358
Anna Mackenzie watched as Malcolm walked to the edge of the falls and began the long and dangerous climb down the slippery rocks. She tried to stop herself, but she ran to the edge when his head disappeared and she kept him in sight until he reached the bottom. He turned and waved to her before moving off into the forest towards the village and keep near the loch.