Sweet Christmas Kisses (10 page)

The hope and promise she heard in his voice had love flooding through her. This man understood her. He knew, first hand, of the storms she’d faced. And she could help him weather life’s assaults like no one else could. They were good for each other.

And it didn’t hurt that he was the sexiest guy she’d ever laid eyes on.

She smiled, striving to express all the happiness and promise that made her feel as if she were floating six inches above the bed.

“I think dating would be a really good next step.”

Bucking tradition became their approach to life. Over the past ten months, they discovered that not conforming to the rules brought them much more delight than it should. The mutatis mutandis philosophy they’d adopted offered a sense of conspiratorial joy that both of them reveled in. And to think, Aaron had never considered himself a rebel—until he’d met Christy.

And it was in that very vein that the two of them now stood on the beach, in the dead of winter, with a pastor who was right smack-dab in the middle of performing their wedding ceremony. It was Christmas Eve, and a light snow tumbled from the sky. His beautiful soon-to-be-wife wore a sexy red dress that hugged her luscious curves, and she carried a simple bouquet that she’d put together herself. Where she found peonies this time of year was beyond him. But she’d proven to him over and over again during these past months that she was an amazing and resourceful woman. The circle of red plastic mesh she’d pinned to her hair sassily covered most of her forehead and one eye, and Aaron wanted to laugh right out loud every time the pastor’s gaze darted to it. Clearly, the man was trying to decide if that really was an onion bag on the bride’s head.

Aaron had chosen to wear shorts and flip-flops, and as the sharp, salty chill stung his skin, he realized he probably should have worn trousers. And a coat would have been wise. However, that would have taken some of the fun out the day, and they wouldn’t be outside for more than a few minutes anyway. Soon, they’d race for the cottage and the cozy fire that was just a couple hundred yards away over the sand dune.

As soon as they had stepped out onto the shore, they had worked together to gather up a mound of sand, a tiny, make-shift altar of sorts, in which they had stuck two long-stemmed white roses—one for Danielle, and one for Izzie. Every time Aaron glanced down at the pristine flowers, he smiled and marveled at the fact that the two little girls had, essentially, brought him and Christy together.

Once he and Christy had started dating, they had discovered their many similar tastes. They both loved music, and enjoyed traveling and exploring new places. Both of them harbored a secret love of real-life television crime shows, and they spent many an evening trying to be the first to guess who-done-it. The best thing they had in common, though, would have to be their love of laugher. They’d gone though so much pain in the past that they instinctively looked for reasons to smile.

As the weeks and month went by, their love for each other grew into something deep and abiding. A lasting kind of love. So the next step, they decided, was to take that make-believe marriage certificate Izzie had drawn and turn it into one that met all the criteria of the law, one that would make them a real Mr. and Mrs.

“I nuh... now pronounce you husband and wife,” the shivering pastor said. “You… you may k-k-kiss the bride.”

Aaron captured Christy’s gorgeous face between his hands and kissed her with the promise of an unfailing love that would last for the rest of his life.

“I love you,” he told her.

“And I love you.” Happiness shined in her sky-blue eyes.

“If you… you don’t mind,” the pastor stammered. “I’m g-going home. My wife will have dinner waiting. And I hope sh-she has the heat turned up.”

“Of course,” Christy told him. “Thank you for helping us today.”

“Happy Christmas to you!” Aaron called to the man who was now hurrying across the sand.

“Congratulations,” the pastor shouted over his shoulder.

Once they were alone on the beach, Aaron smoothed his hands down his wife’s bare arms, noticing the goose-bumps. “You’re freezing.”

Her smile was huge. “Yeah, I am. It’s great!”

He laughed. “My legs are officially icicles.”

“Let me see if I can warm you up.”

She kissed him then, and a fiery passion sparked deep in the pit of his belly. He loved this woman to distraction, and he would continue to love her for the rest of his days.

When he got down on one knee, her brows arched with surprise.

He pulled Izzie’s ring from his pocket and slid it onto his wife’s pinky finger, right next to her brand new wedding band.

Christy’s smile couldn’t have spread any wider. “Oh, Aaron,” she breathed. “I love it. Thank you.”

“Izzie would be so happy right now.” He stood, brushing the cold sand from his knee.

“It was an almost perfect wedding, wasn’t it?” she asked, giddiness in her voice. “And I’m all ready for an almost perfect Christmas tomorrow.”

Because they’d lost their beloved daughters, Aaron and Christy had resigned themselves to the fact that nothing they experienced, not a single day of their lives, would ever be perfect. Except one thing. One precious thing, they agreed, that was true and utter perfection.

The love they shared for each other.

Everything else would have to remain almost perfect.

She squealed with surprise when he swept her up into his arms and started toward the sand dune.

“Almost perfect will do,” he whispered.

****

USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano is the author of over 30 romance and women's fiction novels. Her award-winning books have sold 4 million copies worldwide and have been translated into nearly two dozen languages. Learn more about her at her website: 
www.DonnaFasano.com
.

Ginny Baird

Copyright © 2012 by:

Ginny Baird

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief
quotes used in reviews.

This book built at IndieWrites.com

Carol Baker imagined herself in the snowy scene… An idyllic Victorian mansion sat high on a hill, overlooking a frozen lake. Holly draped from the railing of the wide wraparound porch, and a cheery Christmas wreath hung on its old oak door. She smiled beneath her warm woolen hat as fourteen-year-old Will and nine-year-old Ashley put the final touches on their snowman. Suddenly, Ashley turned on her big brother, hurling a snowball. “Oh no, you don’t,” he charged with a grin, scooping up some snow of his own and pelting back. Carol laughed heartily, joining in the fray. It was the first time she and her kids had enjoyed each other’s company in months.

Carol sighed and closed the cover of the glitzy brochure she’d been perusing, setting it on the dining room table. How she wished she could really take her kids on that kind of family holiday.

“What’s that?” Ashley asked. Her daughter had just come indoors from a rousing game of basketball, during which she’d no doubt whipped the tail of the ten-year-old boy next door. Her cheeks were pink from the nip in the air, her sweatshirt slightly speckled with moisture.

Carol glanced out the window, noting dark clouds rolling in. “Is it raining?”

Ashley pulled off her hoodie. “Just started. It’s getting really windy too.” It seemed they were in for another winter storm—all rain, with temperatures hovering right around forty. If only they had luscious snow like Carol had been dreaming about in New England.

Will emerged from the kitchen, snacking on a meatloaf sandwich. The boy always seemed to be eating these days. Perhaps that was because he was growing like a weed. “Is that where we’re going on vacation?” he asked, motioning to the brochure on the table.

Ashley took it in her hands, fanning it open. “The Love Inn?” she said with a big, broad smile. “Sounds sweet!”

Will polished off his sandwich, peering over her shoulder. “Yeah, Mom, look. They’ve even got dog sledding.”

Yes, Carol had looked in to that, and its incumbent price tag. She could nowhere afford that kind of fun on her public-schoolteacher’s salary. “Dog sledding’s expensive,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “I’m afraid we can’t swing that this year. In fact, we won’t be making it to Maine at all.”

Ashley shot her a worried look. “But you said we were going skiing.”

“Yes, honey, and we will,” Carol said brightly, producing a new pamphlet. “In Asheville!”

Her kids’ faces fell as they studied the dismal brown condos hugging the side of a craggy mountain. Their placement looked Photoshopped as log-shaped lettering proclaimed:
Discount Family Vacations.
Lightning crackled outside, and the sky opened up in a downpour.

“Oh,” Ashley said with a frown.

“For Maine, we’d have to buy airline tickets,” Carol explained. “Asheville’s within driving distance.”

“Looks cool, Mom. Really.” Will nudged his sister.

“Yeah,” Ashley said, brightening. “I’m sure it will be great.”

Just then, the doorbell rang. Carol glanced down at her sweatshirt and jeans. She’d been so busy grading papers, she hadn’t even bothered to put on makeup today. “Are you two expecting anybody?”

Will and Ashley shrugged and shook their heads.

“Probably just a delivery person,” Carol said, straightening her short brown ponytail.

Carol pulled open the front door to find a curly-headed man holding Christmas packages. Behind him, rain came down in droves.

“Hi, Carol, nice to see you.”

“Jim.” Her stomach clenched, making her feel ill all over. “You could have called.”

“I thought I’d surprise the kids on my way to the airport.”

Carol noted his dark sports car parked in the drive. A stunning, young blonde waited inside. Naturally, Jim was headed to the airport. He and Brenda hadn’t stopped traveling since they’d hooked up. When he’d been married to Carol, he’d never taken her anywhere.

“Is that Daddy?” Ashley called from inside. She rushed out on the porch and wrapped her arms around him. “Daddy, it
is
you!” she said with a happy laugh. “Come in the house. You’re getting wet!”

“Merry Christmas, angel,” he said with a happy grin.

Carol burned to rail at him for every single Christmas, birthday, and special event he’d missed. Instead, she pressed her lips together and cleared the way for him to walk indoors.

Will ambled in from the next room and cast his dad a wary eye.

“How you doing, son?” Jim asked in a jovial tone.

Will’s gaze panned out the door seconds before Carol shut it. He’d obviously seen the sports car too. “We’re headed out of town ourselves,” he said, his gaze back on his father’s.

Jim turned toward Carol. “That so?”

“Where are you going, Daddy?” Ashley wanted to know.

Jim chortled, apparently pleased with himself. “Brenda and I are headed down to St. John, little island in the Caribbean.”

“That sounds nice,” Ashley said, in all her innocence.

Carol squared her shoulders and spoke resolutely. “I’d prefer a white Christmas myself.”

Jim stared at her, then glanced at the kids. “Just where is it you’re off to?”

“Ash—” Will began, before Carol cut him off.

“Actually, we’re going to Maine!” She didn’t know why she’d blurted that out, but suddenly she’d been unable to stop herself. There stood Jim, with his expensive new car and high-maintenance wife, bragging…
bragging
… to them all about yet another extravagant vacation he would take. Well, she could be extravagant too, couldn’t she? Her kids were worth it. Didn’t matter how long it might take to pay down the credit card.

Will’s jaw dropped, but Ashley didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah,” the little girl crowed. “We’re staying in a
big
house that’s sixteen stories tall! On the top floor even! We’re going dog sledding and everything!”

“Dog sledding? In Maine? Imagine that.” He slowly shook his head. “Your mom always was one for crazy ideas.” He handed one of his two small gifts to Ashley. “This one’s for you, sweetheart.”

She accepted the flat, square box with a hopeful grin. “You want me to open it now?”

Jim nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. Carol could ask him to remove his coat and invite Brenda into the house. She could check herself into the insanity ward at the local hospital too, but she wasn’t close to doing either.

Ashley eagerly unwrapped the small package and studied it with a wrinkled brow.
Oh no
, Carol thought,
not another one of Jim’s homemade DVDs
.

“It’s a picture story album,” he told his daughter. “Complete compilation of all my trips.”

Will glanced at Carol, and she knew what he was thinking. He’d likely gotten one too. Jim was nothing if not unoriginal in his gift giving. He handed a second package to Will that looked to be identical. The boy unwrapped it, seeing he’d received the same thing as his sister. “Thanks, Dad,” he said with a tight smile.