Harlequin Special Edition November 2014 - Box Set 2 of 2: The Maverick's Thanksgiving Baby\A Celebration Christmas\Dr. Daddy's Perfect Christmas (27 page)

His marriage to Brenda had lasted a few months shy of two years before they'd called it quits.

“Well, babe,” the message continued. “I'm going to be in town soon and I wanted to see you. Actually there's a chance you may be seeing a whole lot more of me whether you want to or not. There's a practice in Celebration looking to take on a partner. So give me a call. I want to get together for dinner.”

She left her number, then sighed. It was an uncharacteristic sound for her, a lot more wistful and sentimental than Brenda had ever sounded when they were together.

“Call me, okay?”

She paused.

“I've been thinking about you, Cul. I miss you.”

Chapter Seven

“D
o you have a moment?” Lily asked Cullen.

She was standing there in the kitchen, with her purse on her shoulder and her coat on her arm.

For you, I have all night.

It was true, but Cullen was sure that Lily wouldn't appreciate the context in which he was thinking. “Of course. Is everything all right?”

She set her purse on the counter. Cullen pulled out a chair for her and motioned for her to sit down.

“Thank you,” she said.

He sat down in the seat next to her, angling his chair so that he faced her. “What's on your mind?”

He forced his gaze not to stray to her lips. That full bottom lip. She was saying something, but he couldn't really concentrate.

“So, what do you think?” Lily asked. She paused a moment. He blinked at her.
Busted.

“You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?”

No, he hadn't. Because he'd been too busy thinking about things he'd thought he had already dismissed. Last night, after he called Brenda back and agreed to have dinner with her when she got to town, he'd talked himself into enforcing strict boundaries for himself where Lily was concerned.

When he started feeling odd about making plans with Brenda, he realized those lines needed to be not only drawn but strictly observed.

When was the last time he'd felt odd about doing anything? What was it about this woman that fogged his usually clear head and disconnected the circuits in his brain?

Still, he flashed his most disarming smile at her, the one that usually got him out of hot water with other women. Somehow he knew this wouldn't work with her. She was warm and smart and funny...and she had a heart the size of Texas when it came to those she cared for, and right now she was rolling her eyes at his obvious lack of focus.

“Last night when I had dinner with my girlfriends,” she said, probably repeating herself. He listened this time. “They invited the kids and me to help them out at the holiday market. They're even willing to pay the kids so they can earn a little spending money of their own. You know, this is the weeklong holiday bazaar that they have at the farmers' market every year in December. Have you ever been? It's so much fun.”

He shook his head. “I know what you're talking about, but I've never been. I guess I've always been working when it's been going on. Do the kids want to do it?”

“I haven't said anything to them because I wanted to ask you first,” she said.

He thought he glimpsed something that looked like hesitation in her eyes.

“I appreciate that,” he said. “Since I've never been, do you think they'd enjoy it?”

“Well, the girls have been crazy about all the baking we've been doing,” she said.

“I know,” Cullen said. “Thanks to all that great baking, I've had to loosen my belt buckle a few notches. If it means that you'll be selling the bread rather than having it around the house, by all means, sign them up. It's just too hard to resist.”

Just like you.

He checked the wayward thoughts, especially when he saw the look on Lily's face. “Don't get me wrong, I love everything that you and the girls have made. I just like it a little too much for my own good.”

He patted his stomach to keep his gaze from falling to those lips that were driving him to distraction.

“You do know that the company that my friends own, Celebrations Incorporated, is featured on that television show
Catering to Dallas,
right?”

“Yes.” Again, he'd heard of it, but he'd been too busy to watch it.

“They're going to be filming an episode of the show during the holiday market.”

Her brow was knit and he could tell something wasn't setting right with her. “Is that a problem? Is there a reason we should be concerned about it?”

“I wish I could say no.” She hesitated.

“They're your friends, aren't they? They wouldn't put the kids in a situation that wouldn't be in their best interest, right?”

“They wouldn't,” she said. “I can guarantee you that, but it is a reality television show and programs like that thrive on drama, even if it's manufactured.”

“How much drama could a reality show about a catering company generate? Especially if it's set at a family-friendly holiday market. Sounds about as wholesome as it gets.”

Lily was still frowning.

“Is there something you're not telling me?”

“Last year, I was supposed to be featured on the show,” Lily said.

“Supposed to be?” Cullen asked. “What happened?”

Lily bit that beautiful bottom lip and looked a little pensive. “Remember how I told you I was supposed to get married?”

He nodded.

“I won a contest called Celebration's Bride. My fiancé, Josh, and I won an all-expense-paid wedding and reception that was supposed to be aired on the show.”

“What happened?”

“Josh decided he didn't want to get married after all.”

“I'm sorry.”

She waved away his condolence.

Actually he was sorry for the guy who'd lost out—he was an idiot to let a woman like Lily get away. But then again, Cullen knew all too well that not everyone was built for the traditional married lifestyle. It was too bad that Lily had to be the one to suffer from it. Obviously talking about it upset her.

“Josh and I wanted different things,” she said. “I want marriage and a family of my own. He didn't. But you don't need to hear my sob story. That's not why I brought it up. The producers of
Catering to Dallas
managed to be lurking when Josh backed out of the wedding. They got it on film and wanted to air the footage. The only reason they didn't was my friend Sydney. She managed to get them to pull the segment. I just want to make sure that the kids aren't exposed to any surprises like that. They've been through enough in the past few months.

“I truly believe my friends would have the kids' best interest at heart, but they had no control over what happened to me. I don't want to take a chance of an overly ambitious producer pulling something that might make the kids uncomfortable.”

He really couldn't have found a better person to care for the children. Lily
truly
cared.

His heart twisted as he thought of the humiliation she'd suffered, even if the breakup hadn't been broadcast on national television. This guy shouldn't have put her through it.

“I'm sorry that happened to you,” he said. “No one should be treated like that.”

She nodded. “It's very kind of you to say that.”

His mind flashed back to what he'd said to her when he brought the gas to her the other day. How he hadn't regretted kissing her and that he wanted to do it again. If he wanted to be as kind as Lily was giving him credit for, he would never mention kissing her again. In fact, he wouldn't even think about it. She'd said it herself: she wanted a husband and a family. He had no intention of getting married again. Why lead her on a path that was contrary to everything she wanted?

“I know you only want what's best for the kids. So I'll trust your judgment on what to do about the holiday market and including them in the filming of
Catering to Dallas.
”

He wished he could trust his own judgment when it came to her.

* * *

Adorned for the annual holiday market, the building that usually housed the farmers' market looked like a winter wonderland.

Vendors, as far as the eye could see, were selling everything from gifts to decorations to food and wine. From handmade candy canes and marshmallows to hot chocolate and mulled cider to holiday hors d'oeuvres and catered gourmet meals, to decorating services to all-out party planning.

Colorful lights were strung from corner to corner; glittering snowflakes hung from fishing line attached to the ceiling. In one corner of the large room stood the tallest tree that Lily had ever seen in her life. Underneath it, packages of all shapes and sizes were wrapped in colorful paper and decorated so attractively someone would have to be a complete Scrooge not to be tempted to pick up each one and shake it. In another corner was a big thronelike chair, painted gold and surrounded by a white picket fence swagged with fresh pine garland festooned with pinecones, silver bells and glittering red ornaments. At the entrance to the area, there was a sign that read North Pole This Way. Right next to the sign, a red carpet led to the chair.

Santa's chair.

Born and raised in Celebration, Texas, Lily had seen the big man sit there many Christmases. As soon as the holiday market opened for business, there would be a line out the door for kids to have a chance to see Santa Claus and tell him what they wanted for Christmas this year.

Even though she was thirty years old and it had been a long time since she'd sat on Santa's lap, Lily still got excited at the festive spectacle that was the holiday market.

This year was even more special since she was sharing it with Cullen and the children. They sort of felt like...a family.

The thought warmed Lily from the inside out.

As Lily, Cullen and the kids—even George—walked into the room the night before the market officially opened—for a special VIP vendor and sponsor party—it was even more exciting to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the place. To Lily, attending this party tonight was like being allowed on the set of the remake of a favorite movie.

“What was the number of the booth again?” Cullen asked, glancing around.

He had been wonderful when Lily broached the subject of the kids participating in the market. But in her heart she'd known that he would be good about it. He would do anything for those kids and he trusted her to do right by them.

Even though she'd been burned before by circumstances, she had decided to trust her friends. What was the chance of lightning striking twice?

It was a good lesson that she could apply to herself, too. She had been burned once in love. She wasn't going to let that keep her from finding the true love that she was sure was out there for her.

She stole a glance at Cullen. He flashed her a sexy grin, and her pulse quickened. He'd gotten off work early—well, early for him; it was nearly seven o'clock now—to come to the party with her and the kids. The commonsense, rational side of her figured he might be here so he could have a look at the setup and assess whether he felt comfortable letting the kids spend the week here.

But the hopeless romantic in her just couldn't give up hope that he was here for another reason: because he wanted to be. Because he wanted to spend time with the kids...and her. That maybe, just maybe, this would be the night that he made good on that promise to kiss her again.

But not in front of the kids, of course. She knew that he understood that, and she admired him for it. He had the makings of such a good father, and he could be one to these kids if he'd just give himself a little credit.

He'd helped them take their minds off their own tragedy and look outside themselves. The girls had told him about Stollenfest and how in Dresden they sold the Christmas bread to raise money for those less fortunate. The kids had decided they wanted to do that with the money they raised at the holiday market. He'd promised them he would match every dollar they raised. He even helped them pick out a charity: Grace Children's Home.

Lily's heart nearly burst when, as they were baking that morning, Megan shared the agreement that Cullen had struck with them.

She'd sounded so grown-up. “Because, you know, Lily, there are kids out there who are less fortunate than we are. We have you and Uncle Cullen, but some kids have nobody. We want to help them.”

Lily was so touched she had to blink back tears.

After all the loss and turmoil they'd been through, they could still count their blessings. She realized that Cullen might have had a little something to do with that.

Actually he'd had everything to do with it. She could see that as plain as day. The one thing she was having trouble seeing was the bad boy that her girlfriends had described.

Sure, he was a complex, complicated man, and he'd obviously known more than his share of women, but he hadn't brought any of them around since she'd been caring for the kids. In fact, if she hadn't seen the text from Giselle, she might be inclined to believe that he'd gotten a bum rap with this bad reputation. Because all she knew was that he had such a big heart when it came to these children.

Whether he believed it or not, he would make a great father to these kids. Somehow she just had to make
him
recognize that side of himself.

As they approached the Celebrations Inc. booth, George stumbled and dropped the armload of loaves he was carrying. With a scowl, he bent down to pick them up, but an older lady who had been walking toward them stopped to help.

“There, there, let me help you, young man,” she said, stacking the two remaining loaves on top of the ones he had already picked up.

“Thank you,” Lily and Cullen said at different intervals. Their arms were already full and it would've been difficult to help George before they'd set down their loads.

“My pleasure,” she said. “What are you selling?”

“Stollen Christmas bread,” said Hannah.

“It's not
stolen,
” Megan quickly informed the woman. “Like, we didn't steal it or anything. It's just called
stollen
because—because it's from Germany and that's what they call it. But we made it ourselves. We didn't take it from anyone.”

“We're going to give the money we make selling it to kids who are less fortunate than we are,” said Bridget, her voice barely a whisper.

The woman's hand fluttered to her heart. “That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. I will certainly make sure I come back and buy several loaves to help you in your generous endeavor.”