He lifted her chin. “Hey, there’s plenty I should have told you up front, too. You were able to accept my massive baggage, and I totally overreacted to a silly love list game. I’m not letting something so trivial step between what we have together. Do you have any champagne in the refrigerator?”
Maybe he wasn’t so angry. “There’s a bottle for New Years, but I can buy another.”
“Good, let’s open it. I want to celebrate our coming together. No matter how it happened, by The Love List, by a stormy night and a broken down taxi, it was Fate. I love you, Maisey Gates.
She wiped away her tears. “I love you, too, Sean Marshall. Now, and always.”
Christmas Eve
“You know, these photos of us are so good, we wouldn’t even need a fancy wedding. Just get married at the courthouse and pass these off as our wedding pictures,” Sean said as they paged through the Elegant Bride Direct blog.
He was right. The photos showed a perfectly believable bride and groom on their wedding day. Totally happy, totally in love. That was because they were in love. It didn’t matter how they came together; it was meant to be. The joy and the love she felt was so strong it was palpable.
“You know I wouldn’t deprive you of the big white wedding.” He pressed a kiss against her cheek and she swore the love she felt for him doubled once more.
“I don’t need a big, fancy wedding. There’s something about an intimate wedding for two in front of a judge, and then jetting off to somewhere secret and romantic that I would cherish forever.”
“So you think you could see yourself married to me?” he asked.
She turned to him. “Are you proposing?” she asked. She wasn’t surprised. He talked about marriage and a family all the time.
“I certainly want to marry you. Do you want to marry me, make me the happiest man on earth? Give me the greatest Christmas gift I could receive, and the best New Year’s ever?”
She captured his face in her hands and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. He was so happy, she could not only see it in his expression, but she could actually feel it coming from him in waves. “I can give you all that and more.”
And she sealed the promise with a kiss.
Christmas Kisses & Wishes
Sharon Kleve
CHAPTER ONE
“Gran, I’ve tried your idea and it just isn’t working.” I gazed out into the snow-topped trees as Scorch, my Pug, bumped my leg with his head to get my attention and a scratch.
“Honey, you haven’t given it a chance.” From Gran’s crisp, firm tone, there wasn’t room for negotiation.
“I love the holidays. I want to spend them with you and not in a town where I don’t know anyone.” Snow was accumulating quickly outside the condo I had rented. The newscaster predicted five inches by morning. Brunswick, Maine was beautiful covered in pristine white snow, but it made it hard to get around.
“You have three more months on your adventure. Spend the holidays somewhere you’ve never been before and then if it’s not right for you, come home.”
“Okay. I’ll give it three more months,” I grumbled and Scorch barked.
“Give Scorch a hug for me.” Gran laughed. “I miss the little guy.”
“I will and he misses you, too.” Scorch sat on my foot, and I scratched behind his ear. “If the weather allows it, I’m flying into Sea-Tac International Airport tomorrow and spending a few days tasting Western Washington’s wines. Then, I might take a drive over to the Eastern side of Washington. There’s a small town called Vine Grove that I’m especially interested in. If the wine is good as I’ve read, I’ll send you a couple cases for Christmas.”
“Sounds wonderful, honey. Now, as much as I love and miss you, I want you to find happiness and I don’t think it’s here in Charleston.”
“I know. I have to find my own place and start over.”
“You will. Maybe Washington is that place.”
“Maybe…”
“Kiss, kiss.” Gran hung up before either of us started to blubber.
My job was flexible—I could work from anywhere—Gran wasn’t. When she made up her mind that I needed a clean break from South Carolina, because of my divorce from William, she came up with a crazy plan for me to pick four different locations in the United States and stay in each one for three months. I agreed because I had nothing better to do. William wouldn’t miss me, he already had a girlfriend. I gave him five years of my life and he gave me Scorch as a parting gift. Looking back, I think I love Scorch more than I ever loved William. Gran thought there might have been some overlap in relationships. I did my best not to think about it.
The weather held long enough for our plane to take off, but as it prepared to land in Seattle, another weather front swirled toward shore. After I picked up the rental car, I found a park and Scorch squeezed in a half hour of playtime before the rain set in.