by Lizzie Shane
No one had been hurt. She reminded herself of that again, but her heart still raced. When the red car’s back tires had spun out and it had begun to slide sideways down the road, taking up both lanes, there had been a moment when she was sure she was going to hit him and the SUV would have cut through that sports car like butter. The other driver would have been killed instantly and there was no telling how much damage they would have sustained. But somehow she’d swerved. The steering wheel had seemed to move by itself. Somehow they’d avoided that vision, but the swerve had given up their own precarious control and the SUV had spun out on the ice—and as soon as they had begun to spiral down the road, all she’d been able to think about were Ty and Jade, trapped in the car with her, and the number of top-heavy SUVs that flipped in situations like this one. Visions of them rolling had filled her head, the roof crushing down on them each time they dangled upside down.
Thank God, they’d hit the berm. The hard-packed snow had stopped them, but now they were wedged in it. She’d tried driving out while Ty was checking on the other driver, trusting the power of the SUV’s engine, but hadn’t been able to move an inch. At least the engine still ran so they didn’t have to worry about getting hypothermia while they waited.
And no one was hurt.
She kept repeating that to herself, waiting for it to sink in. Jade and Ty were fine. She’d even seen the other driver get out of his car, looking more dazed than injured. They were fine. Everyone was fine. But she couldn’t seem to calm down.
She’d always thought she was calm under pressure, but it was Ty who was cool as a cucumber, checking on everyone, calm and collected.
Andi forced herself to unbuckle her seatbelt and open the car door, something white tumbling out of the car to land on the snow. She climbed out and knelt, absently plucking the small white package with the red ribbon off the ice and tucking it into her pocket. She made her way toward the front of the car where Ty stood with Jade, moving slowly on the icy road with her legs still wobbly from the accident.
Ty looked up when she approached, his daughter tucked against his side. “You okay?” he asked. “You still look a little shaky.”
She gathered her To Do list around her like a shield. “I should report the accident—”
“Already done. I’ve taken care of everything. There’s a car coming for us and the charter will be waiting for us when we get to Bemidji, they’re even waiving the fee for changing our flight time because of the accident.”
Andi frowned, perversely annoyed that he’d stolen her usefulness. He’d even thought of calling the plane service and she hadn’t even thought that far yet. “That’s my job. I’m supposed to be the one making those calls.”
He nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that and I don’t think you should be my assistant anymore.”
“What? When have you been thinking that?”
“For the last thirty seconds or so. I have clarity now—”
“Good for you.”
He went on as if she hadn’t grumbled. “And it’s obvious to me that we can’t keep working together and—“ He glanced down at Jade, modifying whatever he’d been about to say. “Other stuff, as well. So if I have to choose between dating you and having you run my life as my assistant, I choose dating. And you’re a da—ah, darned good personal assistant so I’d like you to appreciate what I’m sacrificing here.”
“Do I get a say in this?”
“Sure. If you don’t want to date me, I promise it will only be slightly awkward working as my personal assistant and knowing that I’m secretly pining for you. Or I can find you another job. A better job. With someone who isn’t nearly as much of a pain in the ass.”
“You want to date me?” After this morning when she’d shown how flimsy her faith in him was? After everything that had happened today?
“I thought I made that clear last night. Technically, I want to marry you, but I’m trying not to freak you out.”
Her jaw dropped. “That isn’t funny.”
“Who’s joking?” He turned his attention to Jade then, still tucked tight against his side. “Why don’t you go warm up in the SUV,” he suggested. “Looks like Andi needs convincing.”
Jade moved back to the shouldered vehicle, but stopped to hug Andi on her way, making her heart clench in her chest. “He wants to keep us,” Ty’s daughter whispered, giving her one last squeeze before walking to the SUV.
Ty’s daughter. Which reminded Andi of another red flag. One they’d never discussed. “You said you wanted a family,” she said as soon as the door shut behind Jade. “What if you want to give Jade a little brother or sister? I can’t do that.”
He shrugged as if it was nothing. “So we’ll adopt. My capital in Hollywood will probably skyrocket if I start importing babies from war-torn countries.”
“This isn’t a joke.”
“I know.” He closed the distance between them, his steps careful—whether from the ice or an attempt not to spook her, she couldn’t tell. “Can’t we just try?” he asked when they were separated by inches. He caught her hands. “Come on, Andi. Can’t you see that we belong together?”
“We’re oil and water. You’re the life of the party and I’m a planner.”
“Yin and yang,” he countered. “We fit. You complete me.”
She stared up at him incredulously. “Please tell me you didn’t just quote Jerry Maguire at me.”
“Hey, it’s a good line.” He grinned, unrepentant. “And it also happens to be true. We’re good together, Andi. You have to see that. And we’re already a family. You, me, and Jade.”
“Jade?” Was he really going to keep her? There was so much coming at her and she was still so rattled it wasn’t processing.
“I’m afraid that part isn’t negotiable. Me and Jade, we’re a package deal now. I’m gonna fight for her, for what’s best for her, always. Whether that’s me or Izzy—though I think it might be me, because no one is going to love her more than I do. And I need you, Andi, to keep me in check so I don’t spoil her rotten. But mostly, I just need you. You wanna be my yin? Or my yang, I’m not sure which one is which. Though be my yang sounds kinda dirty, so I think I should be yang.”
Was this really happening? One of the most eligible bachelors in Hollywood was offering her everything she’d ever wanted? And all she had to do was be brave enough to say yes?
“Are you sure?” she whispered, looking up into his face.
“Andi Cooper, I’m in love with you. And I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
Wow. “I love you too,” she whispered. Every over-the-top sexy bit of him. Especially his gigantic heart.
A smile lit his face. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she confirmed, fighting her own smile. “Even if you are a spoiled diva who really shouldn’t get everything he wants all the time, this time I can’t say no to you.”
“Thank God. I was afraid I was actually going to have to work to win you, and we both know I’m allergic to effort.” She thumped him on the chest and he laughed. “Okay. Maybe a little effort…”
He pulled her in tight for a kiss—and they both heard Jade’s whoop of joy from inside the SUV. Andi giggled, smiling as his lips touched hers—
Until he pulled away, grumbling, “What is that?” and reached into her pocket, removing the white package with the red ribbon that had been digging into her stomach as she pressed against him. A bright little boy grin lit his face. “You found it.”
“I almost stepped on it. It fell out of the car when I opened the door.”
“It must have come loose of where it was hiding in the accident.” He stepped back, holding up the present like a trophy. “Jade! It’s a Christmas miracle!”
The back door opened and Jade climbed out of the car at his wave, frowning at the present. “What is it?”
Ty beamed, wagging the package temptingly. “You’ll have to open it to find out. One last present.”
<
br /> Jade accepted the gift after a moment’s hesitation, frowning as she ran her fingers over the wrapping—which Andi now saw wasn’t just white, but had a pattern of angels pressed into the thick paper. “We used to have wrapping paper like this,” she murmured.
“You and your mom?” Andi asked, and Jade nodded mutely.
“The lady at the shop wrapped it. Maybe she can tell us where she got the paper and we can get some for next year,” Ty explained, but Jade didn’t seem to be listening, all of her focus on the present she carefully unwrapped.
Andi took the paper she’d so carefully removed and Jade pulled the top off the box, peering inside. “How did you—” She broke off, eyes tearing.
“Jade?” Ty asked nervously. “Do you like it? You were always looking at Andi’s and when I saw it in the window it seemed like a sign…”
His daughter reached into the box and pulled out a delicate silver charm bracelet that tinkled a sweet, bell-like sound as she lifted it into the air. Angels and stars dangled from the chain. Jade touched one of the charms, her voice ragged as she whispered, “Her wing is bent.”
“It is?” Ty asked. “We can replace that one.”
But Jade was shaking her head, staring at the charm bracelet like it was magic made real. “My mom had a charm bracelet like this,” she whispered, almost too soft to hear, her voice cracking. “The angel with the bent wing was her favorite. She said it showed she had some mileage as a guardian angel. The bracelet got lost when she died. They said it must have fallen off in the ambulance, but no one could ever find it.” She looked up at her father. “How did you find it?”
“I didn’t,” he said helplessly. “I was waiting to meet you after the parade and it was just there in a shop window.”
Jade sniffed, her gaze returning to the charms.
“Maybe we were meant to find it,” Andi murmured.
Jade lifted her gaze to Andi’s, her pale blue eyes glistening. “Do you think she wanted us to find each other?" she whispered.
Andi remembered the way her own bracelet had jingled when the SUV swerved to avoid that red sports car, the way it had caught on the perfect Christmas tree, the way it had made its delicate, musical sound again and again as they slowly found their way to being a family.
She didn’t know yet if they would get to keep Jade, but she knew one thing. “I think she knew we all needed a little more love in our lives and wanted to help us find our way.”
Jade smiled, sniffing as her father helped her put the bracelet on her wrist. He wrapped one arm around Jade and the other around Andi, pulling them both in for a hug as the snow began to softly fall again and the two bracelets jingled in harmony.
Because the angels were listening.
Epilogue
One year later…
“That is the ugliest tree I’ve ever seen. I’m impressed, beautifuls. I didn’t think you were going to be able to find one uglier than last year.”
His girls giggled, their arms hooked over one another’s shoulders as they admired the ugliest damn Christmas tree on the planet that was currently taking up half his living room. The thing was huge, even if it was misshapen.
Jade had gone through a growth spurt this year and was now almost as tall as Andi—a sight which never failed to tighten Ty’s chest at the thought of how fast she was growing up, and all the years he’d already missed with her. He’d sworn he wasn’t going to miss another day, and so far, he hadn’t. He’d even turned down a role filming in Budapest over the summer because he wouldn’t have been able to bring Andi and Jade with him.
Jade’s aunt Izzy walked into the room then, carrying a box of decorations. “Are these the ones you were talking about, Andi?”
Andi went over to inspect the contents of one of the many boxes they’d brought with them back from Clement on their last trip—the trip when Aaron had shocked everyone and announced he was engaged.
The custody battle with Aunt Izzy hadn’t been much of a battle after all. It had been obvious as soon as Jade and Izzy had seen one another again that Izzy loved her like crazy—but when it became clear that Ty had no intention of giving up his parental rights, Izzy had agreed to transfer to a Los Angeles area hospital so Jade wouldn’t have to choose between her father and her guardian.
Izzy had separated from her husband—apparently his driving Jade to LA behind her back had been a deal breaker—and moved in with them, a situation which had been originally intended to be temporary, but Jade had liked having her aunt around so much Ty had invited her to stay on more permanently—which would be more tenable when they moved to the new house in Beverly Hills next month. The one with its own private gate house for Izzy so she could have her own space, but still be close to Jade.
It had taken time, and more patience than he usually possessed, but Jade was legally his now. And so was Andi.
They’d kept their relationship quiet at first—at her insistence—but a picture of the two of them had gone public in early February, and considering the giant rock she was wearing on her left ring finger at the time, there was no sense in denying the truth at that point.
A handful of his most rabid fans had been upset when they’d discovered their favorite heartthrob was off the market. Andi had been the victim of her fair share of online vitriol, but a publicist had helped them frame it as a Cinderella story between the celebrity and his assistant, which had rallied all but the craziest fans in support of their relationship.
They were married in a quiet ceremony in Clement in July. Nothing big. And thankfully no paparazzi hounding them or helicopters flying overhead. Just a few friends in the gazebo in the town square. Jade had stayed with Izzy while they honeymooned in Bali.
“We need Christmas music!” Jade darted off to turn it on while Izzy disappeared downstairs in search of another box.
Ty went to his wife, wrapping his arms around her from behind. “Congratulations. Ugliest tree on the planet.”
“It isn’t the tree’s fault it’s scraggly. And once we give it a little love, it’s going to be beautiful. It’s the love that counts.”
He smiled, squeezing the woman who had infused so much love into his life.
She sighed and leaned back into him. “Do you think he’ll like it?”
He was their new addition.
They’d both known they wanted to adopt and ultimately it had been an easy decision to take in another already-in-progress kid whom life had dealt a bad hand. Devyn was eight and he’d been in a group home for the last six months, but soon he would be joining theirs. In just a few hours. Just in time to help decorate the world’s ugliest tree—so they were all in a rush to get things ready for him, to make it as imperfectly perfect as possible.
“He’ll love it,” he whispered against her hair. “He’ll love us,” he promised, speaking to both of their fears. “We’ll love him so much there won’t be any other option. It’s the love that counts.”
She grinned. “Does that mean no more going overboard on presents this year?”
“Maybe. I have my reputation as an eccentric movie star to protect, but I promise—no gold-plated skateboards or diamond-encrusted bicycles.”
She laughed softly. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Though there might be a surprise under the tree for you….”
She twisted, glaring at him. “Ty. We just bought the new house. We agreed no presents.”
His wife, always practical. He grinned. “It cost fifteen bucks. I promise.”
At least he thought it did. His new personal assistant had it made to his specifications and he hadn’t seen the receipt, but he was sticking to the fifteen bucks story. It wasn’t big. An infinity symbol necklace with each of their initials engraved in it—T, J, A and now D. With room for more.
It wouldn’t always be easy—he’d learned in the last year that children complicated life in the most unexpected ways—but it would be better than the fantasy version of his life he’d envisio
ned when he’d first announced to a national television audience that he was ready to get married and have a family. The universe had listened and showered him in blessings in ways he never could have predicted—and his new life was so much better than he could have planned.
It was the love that counted and they had a lot of that.
Andi settled back into his arms, gazing at the world’s ugliest tree, her bracelet jingling. “Merry Christmas, Ty.”
He smiled against her hair. “Merry Christmas, beautiful.”
Want more holiday romance?
Look for these titles by Lizzie Shane...
Home for Christmas
Miracle on Mulholland
and watch for A Royal Christmas Wish coming October 2019
And don't miss Andi's roommate Bree's story in The Decoy Bride - out now!
Acknowledgements
Christmas stories have always held a special place in my heart. I love writing tales of hope and love and holiday magic, but I can’t do it alone. As always, I am indebted to my fabulous support team of editors and beta readers: Kristan Andrews, Kali Robaina, June Love, Kim Law, and, of course, my mom, who is an MVP typo-catcher. Thanks also to my fabulous review team. You are rock stars! And to my incredibly supportive family. I am lucky to have you.
About the Author
Born and raised in Alaska, contemporary romance author Lizzie Shane has traveled the world, but keeps coming back to the frozen north where she uses the long winter months to cook up more happily-ever-afters (and indulge her addiction to books and movies). A Golden Heart® winner and three-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, she also writes paranormal romance under the pen name Vivi Andrews. Learn more about Lizzie and her books at her website or follow her on Facebook.
And don’t miss the rest of the series…
Other Books by Lizzie Shane: