by B. J Daniels
“I do. Our children will love all of this,” she said with a wave of her hand.
Culhane kissed her, and they both began to dig through the boxes.
“Shall we start putting things up?” she asked when they’d taken the decorations out of every box. “You know how your mother had them, so just tell me and—”
He was shaking his head. “You decide where things should go. I’ll help. But this is our home.”
“I won’t get it right.”
He laughed. “Look at all of this. You can’t get it wrong.” He picked up a large beautiful crystal angel. “Without thinking, where would you put this?”
“Over there so the crystal picks up the firelight.” She started to correct herself since there were so many other places it could go.
“Perfect,” he said and carefully handed it to her. “Tomorrow we’ll go buy a tree. It’s a little late to be tromping into the woods for one.” He considered the twenty-foot ceiling. “A large tree. Would you like that?”
“I would love that.” She leaned in to kiss him, and he encircled her in his arms. “Our first Christmas.”
Together they began to decorate the large main-lodge living room. Culhane put on holiday music. Alexis made hot apple cider. At the sound of a vehicle, they looked out to see one of the neighboring ranchers pull up. As he climbed out, he pulled a huge evergreen Christmas tree from the back of his pickup.
“I thought with all the moving, you might not have time to cut your own tree this year,” the rancher said. “I’m Bob Barnhart from down the road.” He extended his hand.
“Please come in and have a cup of coffee to warm up,” Alexis offered.
But Bob declined. “I have to get on home, but I would love to sometime during the holidays. My wife is anxious to meet you,” he said to Alexis. “Just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.”
They hauled the tree into the living room. It was huge but would fit quite nicely.
“We’re going to have to buy a tree stand,” Alexis said after Culhane leaned the tree against the wall.
He laughed. “I’m sure there’s one here,” he said, motioning to the rest of the boxes they hadn’t looked in yet. Sure enough, there was, along with dozens and dozens of ornaments that his mother had collected.
When Alexis’s parents called to see how they were doing, she invited them over. Her mother brought a cranberry-orange coffee cake and some ornaments from Alexis’s childhood.
“You are not climbing that ladder,” Culhane said when he saw Alexis starting up it with more ornaments. She smiled down at him, shook her head and let him spoil her.
It was nightfall by the time Culhane put the star on the top of the tree. Her parents had gone home, leaving the two of them to enjoy their hard work. They stood back in awe, Culhane’s arm around her, as they admired the results.
“It’s...amazing,” Alexis said, her voice breaking. “It’s so...beautiful.” She could see the Christmas lights reflected in his blue eyes along with the sheen of tears.
“Mom would have loved this.” He turned to her. “She would have loved you and this little one.”
“I know I would have loved her.”
He nodded. “And she would have loved how happy we are.”
“I think she knows,” Alexis whispered. “A guardian angel has been watching out for us both. And now your father is with her.”
* * *
CULHANE COULD ONLY nod around the lump in his throat. He pulled her close, his gaze locking with hers. As each box had been opened and each decoration carefully lifted out, he had remembered happy memories from his childhood, the ornaments especially representing the best of his childhood Christmases.
“I feel like your mother isn’t the only one here tonight,” Alexis said. “This ranch is such a blessing. Your father wanted it to be perfect for us, and it is. He must have been so happy with you and your mother on your ranch.”
Culhane nodded. “Looking back, I realize that all of this reminded my father too much of her. I don’t think I ever realized how much he loved her. I think I, too, was a reminder of her.”
“We know that he loved you,” she said. “He just didn’t know how to show it.”
“He threw himself into his work,” Culhane said. “After the first Christmas, I didn’t ask to come home. Nor during summer vacation. Maybe he thought I didn’t want to see him, either.” He shook his head. “He would write me a check and tell me to get something I wanted.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, pulling him close.
“It wasn’t all bad. Christmas at the Cardwell Ranch with Ford was so much fun. He has all those cousins. We used to sled and have these humongous snowball fights.” He laughed. “They treated me like I was one of the family. No one could be luckier than that.”
“He knew you loved ranching,” she said, motioning to the ranch they now owned. “You do realize how special this gift actually is, don’t you? My mother said that your dad’s lawyer came over to the house and asked them all kinds of questions about what I liked. Your father hadn’t forgotten you. The Crooked Tree proves it.”
He looked down into her beautiful face. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
“Do tell,” she said, laughing.
“I prefer to show you,” he said. “Every day of our lives. I want to make you my wife. I want to be your husband.” He loved the sound of that. “I can’t wait to marry you and raise our children here.” He glanced around the room. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. My father did know me. This place... It’s exactly what I would have chosen. We can have an amazing life here. You can still track down bad guys. You can do whatever you want. Just be my wife and share your life with me and our children. Let’s not wait. Let’s get married on Christmas Day.”
* * *
ALEXIS LOOKED OVER at him to see if he was serious. “A Christmas wedding? You do realize that Christmas is coming up really fast?”
“Tell me what your fantasy wedding is like,” he said later in bed. He’d leaned on his side to give her his undivided attention. “I’m thinking it would be here, downstairs. We have plenty of room. Can you see it?”
Alexis had to think for a moment. Had she ever let herself even fantasize about it? Slowly, she did begin to see it. She smiled and, closing her eyes, told him what she saw.
Culhane laughed as he kissed her, forcing her eyes open again. “Leave it to me.”
That sounded a bit frightening, but she kissed him back and said, “I could help.”
“No, I have it. Trust me.” He grinned at her.
“All right. I’ll call my mother. I’m sure she’ll be excited to go with me to find a wedding dress.”
“Just give me a list of who you’d like to invite,” he said, sounding excited.
* * *
“HE’S PLANNING THE WEDDING?” her mother said when they met at the bridal shop. “I thought he never planned anything ahead of the next few minutes.”
Alexis laughed. “He didn’t. Doesn’t. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Her mother looked skeptical. “Maybe I’ll offer my help.”
“I’m sure he could probably use it.” But the next day, after they’d found what had been the perfect wedding dress at the first shop they tried, her mother called to say that Culhane apparently had everything under control.
“You’ll have to stay at your parents’ house the night before the wedding,” Culhane had informed her.
“You have to be kidding,” she’d said.
“Not for that reason.” He’d laughed. “You can’t see the venue until that morning when we get married. I want to surprise you.”
Her mother had raised a brow when she told her.
“No matter what, I’m going to love it,” Alexis assured her.
Nothing was going to spoil their wedding day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
ALEXIS SAW THE expression on Culhane’s face and knew something was wrong the moment she walked into the kitchen. He was on the phone. At first she’d thought it was Jana, but when he said, “It’s fine. Thanks for letting me know,” and disconnected, she knew it was much worse news than Jana.
She waited, wondering what could have upset him. Something about the wedding? When he said nothing, she broke the tense silence. “You don’t have to worry. If we don’t get married Christmas Day—”
“We’re getting married Christmas Day,” he said, putting on a quick smile that just as quickly disappeared. “That was Al.” He took a breath and let it out before he spoke again. “Cline disappeared from the hospital.”
She’d actually forgotten about Cline, once she’d heard that he was alive and doing better in the hospital. He’d awakened in the trees, walked to a neighboring house and got them to call an ambulance since Furu hadn’t. She’d just been relieved that she hadn’t killed him. After that, she’d forgotten all about it. Moving, getting settled here on the ranch, preparing for Christmas, thinking about their wedding... She swallowed, feeling guilty since she was the one who’d put Deputy Cline in the hospital.
As if reading her mind, Culhane said “Do not feel guilty about hitting him with that rock. He kidnapped you.”
“I know. Where do they think he went?”
“That’s just it,” Culhane said. “Al’s worried. Cline has some neurological problems, and as wrong as it is, he might blame you.”
She felt her eyes widen. “You think he’d come out here? Threaten me?”
“I didn’t want to tell you, but just in case... Not that I intend to let him near you.”
She nodded. “The law’s looking for him, right? They’ll probably pick him up before we have to worry about it.”
“I hope so.” He turned to her, taking her shoulders in his hands and looking into her eyes. “I don’t want anything to get in the way of our wedding. Nothing is going to keep me from marrying you Christmas Day. Certainly not Terry Cline.”
* * *
CULHANE HAD LEARNED that bad news usually came in threes. After Al’s call, he’d figured Jana was next. So he hadn’t been surprised to get her call. The past was determined to drag them back—even at Christmas. He’d heard that she had been released on bail, so it had only been a matter of time before she’d be calling.
“Jana,” he said and braced himself, expecting she was going to hit him up for money. He hadn’t decided what to say. It wasn’t like he didn’t have it. But he also knew that no matter how much he gave her, she’d be back for more again and again. He figured if he said no, she would threaten to sue him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be dragged through that, either.
“I just called to thank you,” Jana said. “You really did save my life.”
That took him by surprise. “You’re welcome.”
“I have some news that I wanted to share with you,” she said.
He waited, still bracing himself.
“You know about my son, Joshua. Well, I’m going to be his nanny again for a while until Buzz Atwater and I get married.”
“What? I thought he was going to jail for insurance fraud.”
“It wasn’t him,” she said. “It was his wife. She’d been taking all the real jewels out of the jewelry he’d given her and replacing them with fake ones, then working with the sheriff to have the most expensive ones stolen. Buzz had no idea until the emerald-and-diamond one was stolen a second time. That’s when she confessed what she’d been doing with the sheriff. They’re getting divorced. Buzz and I are moving to Houston and starting over—once my legal problems are behind me. Buzz has hired me a good lawyer. We’re going to be a family.”
“Jana...” He started to warn her about getting her heart broken but realized it would be a waste of breath. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you. And I’m sorry for...everything,” she said.
He disconnected and hoped Jana had a happy ending—for her son’s sake—and went to tell Alexis the news.
* * *
ALEXIS HAD WAITED until almost the wedding to have the final fitting for her dress since her body seemed to change daily. She’d already packed to spend the night with her parents. Culhane had insisted so he could surprise her tomorrow when she arrived at the ranch. She loved his excitement about the wedding. Added to her own, they were both almost giddy with it.
“I’m all packed,” she announced. “Are you sure you don’t need help with the wedding plans?” she asked Culhane, seeing that he looked worried.
“The wedding is coming along fine,” he said and seemed to hesitate. “They still haven’t found Cline. Please be careful, okay?”
“I will.” She hated to even mention her last appointment with the seamstress. “I have a dress fitting in an hour.” She splayed her hands over her stomach. “Your son is to blame.”
“In an hour? I’ll go with you.”
“Culhane, you can’t go with me. You can’t see the dress before tomorrow.”
His phone rang. “I have to take this.” He stepped into the other room and closed the door. When he came back out, he said, “I have several deliveries coming that I have to sign for. Maybe you can get your mother to go to the fitting with you.”
“Mom’s busy getting dinner ready for tonight, remember? Culhane, I’ll be fine.”
He moved to her to take her shoulders in his hands. “Promise me you’ll be careful and that you’ll call me when you leave the bridal shop.”
She smiled. “I promise.” But she could see that he was still worried.
“Take your gun,” he said.
She pulled back to look at him in surprise. “Culhane—”
“Do it for me and Junior.”
She smiled. “Junior?” He shrugged and gave her a shy grin. “All right. But I’m not sure how my shoulder holster will look with my wedding dress,” she said jokingly. She went to the closet, reached up on the top shelf and pulled down her weapon. Strapping it on, she reached for her coat. “It won’t be long before I call you.”
“Good,” he said. “You’ll go straight to your parents’ house, right?”
“Yes, and I’ll see you there. Don’t forget, Christmas Eve dinner is at six.”
“I won’t forget.” He drew her close. “Stay safe.”
“You, too,” she said and kissed him and left. It worried her that he was so worried about Cline. As neurologically injured as the deputy was, it surprised her that he hadn’t been picked up yet. What if he’d gone off somewhere and died? She shuddered at the thought. That would mean that ultimately she had killed him.
Alexis parked down the block from the bridal shop and joined those still shopping on the crowded sidewalk. She could hear Christmas music and bells ringing. As everyone scurried past, there was excitement in the air. She breathed it in, smiling to herself. She couldn’t remember ever being this happy. She was getting married tomorrow. To Culhane Travis. Her smile broadened as she reached the shop. She couldn’t wait to try on her dress.
* * *
CULHANE WENT TO work getting the house ready for the wedding. He wished more than ever that his mother was here to tell him what he was doing would make his bride happy. He was winging it. For a man who didn’t plan, he had a plan. That always made him nervous.
With such a tight deadline, he had to scramble to get the cake and the band and the flowers—and offer double the cost. He didn’t care. It was worth it. He wanted Alexis to have her dream wedding.
As it started to come together, he began to breathe a sigh of relief. He really might be able to make this happen. It took his mind off Garwood and what might or might not be happening.
“Deputy Dick Furu is singing like a canary,” Al said when he called. “We had no idea of all the illegal stuff the sheriff was involved in.
But Furu did. Not just that, the deputy kept track of all of it with receipts and photos and recorded phone calls.”
“He was either covering his behind or—”
“Or planning to take Garwood down from the first. I thought at first he might have been working with the FBI all along.”
Culhane had let out a low whistle. “What about Garwood’s rich friends?”
“Dropping him like a hot potato,” Al said with a laugh. “Rumor is that Garwood has had to sell everything he has just to pay his criminal-defense lawyer. I heard that a lot of lawyers wouldn’t take his case.”
Culhane felt such an overwhelming sense of relief. Maybe he did still believe in justice. “Now I can drop my lawsuit.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back? I wouldn’t make any hasty decisions.”
“I’m going to raise horses out here on the ranch. I’ll tell you all about it when I see you. By the way, there wasn’t time to send out proper wedding invitations. Alexis and I are getting married tomorrow in the afternoon. I hope you can come.”
“That quickly?”
“I couldn’t wait,” he said and laughed. “I’m not letting that woman get away. After I almost lost her...” He had to swallow down the lump that rose in his throat. “I’m just not taking any chances.”
“I think it’s wonderful. Just tell me when to be there.”
“One more thing. Still nothing on Cline?”
“Sorry, he hasn’t turned up, but I’m sure he will.”
That’s what I’m worried about, he thought as he looked out the window at the dark pines along the creek. The ranch was isolated with lots of places to hide. Culhane told himself that by tomorrow, this house would be teeming with people who’d come to wish him and Alexis well.
He tried to shake off the bad feeling he’d been carrying around with him since Al’s call about Cline escaping the hospital. As he disconnected, he checked to see if he’d gotten a text from Alexis yet and had just missed it. Maybe the fitting was taking more time than she’d thought it would.