Honky Tonk Christmas (33 page)

She walked them to the door and stood on the porch, sucking in lots of good cold country night air. She saw the lights of the truck turn into the parking lot but figured someone was just using her space to make a U-turn. When it pulled right up to the door she recognized the truck and the driver. She could hardly believe her eyes when Holt crawled out and shook the legs of his jeans down over his boot tops.

She walked into his arms and everything in her world was right.

“I missed you,” she said.

He tilted up her chin with his fist and kissed her hard. “I missed you too.”

She wanted to propose to him right there on the spot. She’d had a lot of hours to think about what was important in her life. Day one she fought the idea that popped into her head about marrying Holt and moving to Corn. That was in Savannah when she missed the kids’ school program. Corn didn’t look so bad when she landed in Florida. Day three she called Merle and tiptoed around the idea. Merle said her offer still stood and she wasn’t surprised but to think about it for a few weeks before she made a rash decision. The night before she’d called her father and he told her the same thing Merle did. Now she was in his embrace and she lost her nerve.

“Where are the kids?”

“Molly kept them. She said they’d be bored to tears driving all the way down and back. So she invited Tasha and Matty over and they’re making Christmas cookies. I had to see you, Sharlene. I couldn’t wait until Christmas. Tired?”

“Exhausted. Holt, I…”

“Sharlene, I…”

They both started and stopped at the same time.

He took her hand in his and started toward the door.

“Was it a big success?” he asked.

“My friends thought so. I must’ve sold a hundred books all total. That’s not bad for a debut author. I’m so excited I could jump up and down about it all. What were you going to say a while ago?”

“This isn’t a very romantic spot,” he said.

Her breath caught in her chest. “It’s more romantic than McDonald’s.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “I love you.”

“But…” she started and he shut her up with a hard, hot-blooded kiss that turned into two and then three.

“You were saying?” he said when he finally drew away.

“I love you back.”

“What are we going to do about that?” he asked.

“I’ve got a plan,” she said.

“Does it involve buying a small airplane and weekend trips?” he asked.

“What?”

“It’s the only way I can stand being away from you. This week has been pure hell for me. I can’t do it, Sharlene. We may have to invest in a small plane and learn to fly so we can at least be together on weekends.” He kept one arm around her and kicked the door shut with his boot heel.

“I think you’ll like my plan a little better,” she said.

He kissed her again when they were inside the Honky Tonk. “When did you figure it out?”

“A long time ago. I’m just not good at giving in to my heart. How about you?”

“On the creek bank when we were at your folks for the weekend.”

“But you said Dorie…”

He nodded. “She was. She made me realize that the chemistry between us went deeper than physical attraction. It wasn’t there with her. It is with you.” He landed one more kiss on her lips and went behind the bar to open two bottles of beer. “Okay, tell me your plan.”

“First tell me you love me again. I need to hear it one more time.”

“Darlin’, I love you with my whole heart and mind. I will love you forever and won’t stop at death. I will love you through eternity and beyond. Now tell me about this plan.”

“I will but not until we finish our beers. I want to hear all about the kids, and Kent and Chad and the girls and how the wedding plans are coming along. Don’t leave out a single detail,” she said.

Holt began to tell stories about the houses they were moving into and the kids and Sharlene hung on every word. She sighed when he finished and carried the empty bottles back to the bar.

“Want another one?” she asked.

Mistletoe hung from the ceiling in several places, glittery garland decorated the jukeboxes, and two Christmas trees, one on either end of the beer joint, were lit up.

She couldn’t leave this place. She just couldn’t. Her plan went right down the drain. Tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto her blouse.

“Darlin’, why are you crying?” Holt crossed the floor and wrapped her up in his arms.

“I love this crazy old beer joint,” she said.

“I know, baby, I know.” He wiped away her tears and kissed her on the nose. “It’s a matter of which do you love most. It or me?”

She looked around and then at him and settled it in her heart that very moment. The Honky Tonk was home but Holt held her heart. She’d miss the Tonk but she’d die without Holt Jackson.

He dropped down on one knee and looked up at her. “Sharlene Waverly, will you marry me?”

She nodded. “Yes, I will.”

“And move to Corn with me?”

“Yes, I will.”

He stood up and wrapped her in his arms. “I love you. It’s not enough but it’ll have to do because my heart is all I’ve got to offer you. I promise I’ll love you forever, darlin’.”

She pointed to the mistletoe right above his head.

“We don’t need that but we’ll take all the luck we can get,” he whispered as he kissed her with so much heat that her legs trembled.

“Now, I’ll tell you my plan,” she said.

“I’m listening.”

She smiled and laid her head on his chest.

***

The Honky Tonk had even more decorations than it did the night that Holt proposed. The whole place glittered with the warmth of lights and garland, and smelled like Christmas with the cedar branches strung down the bar. Finger foods were arranged on four eight-foot tables and by two o’clock the Tonk was filled with past and present patrons. Daisy, Jarod, Chigger and Jim Bob, Billy Bob and Joe Bob and their wives, Cathy and Travis, Luther and Tessa, Darla, Angel and Garrett, Merle and Amos. Larissa, Hank, and Henry and to Sharlene’s absolute surprise, Victoria. There were so many people that she couldn’t begin to count them all.

“Well, darlin’, you did it. You’ve got a fantastic Honky Tonk Christmas. I remember when me and Jarod clashed right here where I’m standing,” Daisy said.

“And when Travis kissed me,” Cathy joined the conversation. “This is a wonderful idea, bringing us all together like this. Now where’s the books? I want twenty and all of them signed.”

“Twenty?” Sharlene was amazed.

“Yep, I’m giving them for presents all year.”

Merle tapped a Mason jar with a spoon. “Hey, everyone. Sharlene is going to talk now so listen up.”

Sharlene picked up a karaoke microphone beside the bar and blew into it. “Testing,” she giggled. “I always wanted to do that. Now seriously, today is very important to me. I came to the Honky Tonk last year as most of you know and this place gave me the inspiration for a wonderful book. While I was off doing a little promotion and visiting some of my old friends, I figured out exactly what was important.”

“Aha!” Larissa said.

“You win.” Sharlene winked.

“Short version,” Merle said loudly.

“Okay, short version it is then. I’ve sold the Tonk to Merle who insisted on paying exactly what the appraisal price is. She says it’s the giving it away that has brought on the charm or curse or…”

“Charm!” Holt said from the end of the bar where he visited with Jarod, Travis, and Hank.

“Okay, then charm it is.” Sharlene held out her hand and he joined her. “We got married this morning in Palo Pinto. I’m told that tomorrow morning I have to be sitting in an old orange rocking chair on the front porch of this little ratty house in Corn, Oklahoma, because all Judd and Waylon want for Christmas is me. Now on to the next item. Tessa, Darla, and Luther will manage the Honky Tonk for Merle. Darla is moving into the Bahamas Mama house. I’m moving out of the apartment in the next couple of weeks when we can get down here to pack. My book
Honky Tonk Charm
is set up on the bar and I’ll be glad to sign a copy for any and everyone.”

“And the story ends right here,” Tessa said. “Luther and I will be getting married in February so the charm is finished.”

“What about Darla?” Chigger yelled.

“Oh, I expect there’ll be some charm left, just not for the owner unless Merle is up for a wedding,” Holt teased.

“Bite your tongue, cowboy,” Merle said. “Luther?”

He went to the jukebox and plugged money into the slot. Garth’s song, “To Make You Feel My Love,” started and Hank led Sharlene to the middle of the floor.

“Thank you lord for the Honky Tonk,” he whispered as he drew her near.

“Amen,” she said.

“I love you, Mrs. Jackson.”

“That does roll off the lips very well, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am, it does.”

***

They arrived at the house no bigger than the Bahamas Mama house in Mingus long after midnight. Christina and Creed were watching old movies on late night television when Holt carried Sharlene over the threshold.

“Why’d you do that?” Creed asked.

“Because I married this woman today,” Holt answered.

Christina beamed. “I told you they wouldn’t wait until summer.”

Creed stood up and reached for his coat. “Where you going to live?”

“Right here until Holt can build us a house,” Sharlene said as Holt set her down.

“Okay, take me home, Creed. My little brothers and sisters will be up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa left them,” Christina said.

“It’s cold and spitting snowflakes. You want me to drive you kids home?” Holt asked.

“Naw, I got my four wheeler out back and we’ll stay off the roads. It’s only half a mile up through the countryside. We’ll be home in twenty minutes,” Creed said.

When they were out of the house, Holt picked Sharlene up again and carried her to the bedroom where he laid her down gently on the bed and said, “Well, darlin’, it’s been a day. You had your Honky Tonk Christmas and it was beautiful. This isn’t so romantic for our wedding night. I should have had roses on the bed and champagne chilling in a fancy bucket in a fancy hotel room,” Holt said.

“What is that noise?” Sharlene asked.

“It’s your Christmas present. We’ve got it in a carrier in the corner of the kids’ room. It’s going to be a surprise after they find you on the front porch in the rocking chair,” he smiled.

“Is it…”

“Shhh, you’re not supposed to know that it’s a cat. It’s six weeks old and black and furry. Judd picked it out. Have I told you that I love you in the last five seconds?” He stretched out beside her on the bed.

She snuggled next to his side, resting her face against his heart and listening to the beat. The nightmares might come back on occasion but Holt would always be there when she awoke and tell her that he’d chase the monsters away. “It was a beautiful day. I wouldn’t have done one thing different. No big wedding to be nervous about. And my Honky Tonk Christmas was perfect. I thought it would be sad but it wasn’t at all. I’m leaving one life behind but the one in front of me is so much better. And honey, those two kids in there are my roses and truth is I’d rather have a cold beer any day as champagne. And I already love my Christmas present.”

“And I love you, Sharlene. We’ve only got four hours before you have to get up and sit on the porch. Got any ideas?” He kissed her earlobe.

“Yes, I do! We are going to live happily never after for the rest of our lives, starting right now with this hot kiss. Merry Christmas to me, Holt Jackson.”

The End

Carolyn Brown
is an award-winning author with more than forty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She is the author of
Lucky in Love
,
One Lucky Cowboy
,
Getting Lucky
, and in the Honky Tonk series,
I Love This Bar
,
Hell, Yeah
,
and
My Give a Damn’s Busted.
She was born in Texas but grew up in southern Oklahoma where she and her husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, make their home. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.