“Wow,” Ella said, looking up at April as she and Clay put the mugs onto a tray. “Those are the most beautiful hot chocolates ever.”
Clay grinned at her as he picked up the tray and lifted it into the air over the kid’s heads, carrying it as carefully as he could into the living room.
“Oh, don’t those look beautiful?” Clay’s mom said, eyeing the hot chocolates with great admiration.
“Those look like they will go perfectly with our gingerbread cookies,” Clay’s father said, rising from the couch to get the basket of cookies.
Clay set the tray down on the coffee table, the warm fire to his back.
Ella and Eric swarmed the table like busy bees, and Clay held his hand up. “Wait just one moment, all right? Let’s let Grandpa come back with the cookies.”
“Here we are,” Grandpa said, setting the decorated plate down beside the mugs.
Clay then gently passed a mug each to Ella and Eric before passing them out to his parents and April.
Ella snickered. When Clay looked over, he caught Eric licking a moustache of whipped cream off his top lip.
He and April settled down in front of the fireplace while everyone enjoyed their cookies and cocoa.
Everywhere Clay looked, there was evidence of the wonderful day they’d been having. There were some glasses and a pitcher of sweet tea on the dining room table, along with some stacks of dessert plates that hadn’t been used.
There were still tiny scraps of wrapping paper from when the kids unwrapped all their gifts that morning. Their stockings were hung back up over the fireplace, now empty. He saw the movie case still sitting beside the television from when they’d all curled up on the couches that afternoon and watched a movie. The kids had fallen asleep and had wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the time until dinner playing outside.
More than anything, though, Clay had been so happy that April had chosen to spend Christmas day with him and his family. While most of his extended family had gone home by now, he was happy to have her company. He was able to enjoy the day with the people he loved most.
“You know, this might be the best Christmas that I’ve ever had,” Clay said, looking around at everyone in the room. “I couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
“It was a nice day, wasn’t it?” Clay’s mom said.
“I loved opening presents,” Ella said, chewing on the end of her candy cane before dunking it back in her coca.
“I loved eating prime rib for dinner,” Eric said, nodding.
Clay nodded. “All of those were good things. But this year, I’m particularly thankful for a gift that I hadn’t expected.”
He turned to April, who had her hot chocolate clutched between her hands. Her eyes were fixed on him, and she was smiling like she’d never been happier.
“When we met, April, I never would have imagined what sort of incredible relationship would develop. It was completely by happenstance, too.”
April smiled. “I was on my way to the beach and he pulled me over for driving a little too fast.”
Clay shook his head. “I could’ve let it go and should have. Well, maybe not, because I think God had a plan for us to meet.”
April’s face was bathed in warm firelight, and it made her eyes sparkle. She smiled up at him and nodded.
“It wasn’t just that day that God would bring us back together,” Clay said. “You were my kid’s teacher, too. So even if I hadn’t pulled you over that day, I still would have eventually met you.”
“I was worried I might not ever meet you, but I know you’re right that God knew all along,” April said with a laugh.
“You were persistent, I’ll give you that.” Clay grinned and shook his head. “Truth is, I’m glad that I finally came in to see you.”
“And I’m glad you invited me to Ella and Eric’s birthday party,” April said.
“That’s what started it all, wasn’t it?” Clay’s mother asked, beaming at him. “Even then, I could see you were smitten.”
Clay flushed, but he nodded. “Yeah, I guess I was. I thought you were beautiful from the moment I laid eyes on you,” he said, taking one of April’s hands in his. “And you just became more and more beautiful to me the more I got to know you.”
“Oh, Clay, really.” April blushed and tilted her head to the side.
“I know we ran into a small snag with everything that happened at the school,” Clay said, avoiding saying exactly what happened with young ears in the room. “But that’s all behind us now.”
April nodded and took a deep breath.
“So,” Clay said, turning around to look at Eric. “Would you mind grabbing that ornament off the tree, bud?”
Eric’s face was so excited as he hopped up and dashed over to the tree. He plucked a red elaborately decorated ball off the front of the tree and brought it over to Clay.
“Thank you,” he said, taking it from Eric’s outstretched hand. He turned back to April, slowly lowering himself down off the hearth of the fireplace and onto his knee on the carpet.
April’s eyes widened as she stared from Clay’s face to the ornament in his hand.
“I know we haven’t known each other very long, April Summers, but every single moment we’ve spent together has been magic. In that short time, you have opened my eyes to what true happiness is.”
April set down her cocoa, her hands shaking slightly. Her eyes never left Clay’s face.
“There is one thing that I am missing in my life to finally feel complete,” Clay said. “More than anything, I want a wife I can love and cherish, and I want a mother for my children who will love them as much as I do.”
April’s hand was pressed against her heart, and even in the flickering light from the fire, he could her eyes were welling with tears.
“April Summers, I hope that you would do me the highest honor…” he opened the top of the ornament, revealing a sparkling diamond ring inside. “Of becoming my wife. Will you please marry me?”
April gasped, staring down at the ring for a long second. “Oh, Clay,” she said. Then she burst into tears, nodding over and over again. “Yes! I will!”
She threw her arms around his neck, crying into his chest. It wasn’t long before he felt tiny hands wrapping around them, too.
“We’re gonna have a mom!” called Ella.
“And she’s our teacher!” Eric said.
Clay slid the ring on April’s trembling finger a few moments later when she was able to compose herself a bit more. Clay’s mother had brought a box of tissues, plucked a few and passed them to April, who was dabbing at her damp eyes.
“But the school,” she said, staring down at her glittering ring. “This is going to be a problem, isn’t it?”
Clay grinned at her. “Do you remember when I told you the principal said we would look into special circumstances?” he asked. He pointed at her ring. “Your contract says that you can’t date the parents of your students. It says nothing about being married to one.”
April was thrilled, and so was Clay. The kids were dancing around the living room, arm in arm, saying over and over again, “We’re gonna have a mom, we’re gonna have a mom!”
Clay pulled April in close to him, his heart so full he thought it might explode with joy. He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
“Merry Christmas, April,” Clay whispered to her as they watched the kids dance around.
“And Merry Christmas to you, my fiancé,” April whispered back. “This has been the best Christmas ever. I’m so glad I came to Savannah.”
“Me, too,” he tightened his embrace and sighed. “Me, too.”
* * *
Preview of All About Trust
Karin is new to Reno, at least sort of. She's been there a year and hasn't fully settled in to her life. Her job as a veterinarian is satisfying and she loves what she does, but something's missing. She knows exactly what it is, but she's afraid to do what it takes to cha
nge things.
Nick and Buzz meet Karin in the line of duty. As K-9 cop and handler, they need to stay in tip-top shape and Karin is happy to help--at least with Buzz. Nick will have to be on his own. He's thrown off guard when he realizes he wants her to be a little more involved with him, not just Buzz.
Just when Nick breaks through Karin's wall of fear, a secret comes crashing down around them. Will they be able to overcome it? Is a relationship really what God has in store for them or is this a sign that it's not the right thing?
1
“Down, boy.” Nick Cardwell patted the dog’s head, his partner and side-kick of the furry variety. He couldn’t blame Buzz for alerting him to all the goings-on. There were dogs, cats and other fuzzy creatures all headed into Bright Lights Clinic, just like he was.
There was a difference, though, and that was more than apparent the minute Nick got out of his state-issued vehicle, stood up in his uniform and grabbed the leash then clipped it onto Buzz. The leash wasn’t necessary, but it seemed to make non-dog lovers a little more at ease around the big German Shepherd.
Buzz was incredibly well-trained and Nick joked regularly that Buzz had gone through more training than he had for his position. Buzz was probably better behaved too, at least sometimes.
They headed into the vet’s clinic, waiting for a family of four and their pet rabbit to go in first. Nick wasn’t in a hurry. Buzz’s normal veterinarian, Dr. Vince Morgan, was usually pretty quick for his annual check-up.
When the family moved aside from the reception desk, Nick smiled charmingly at the receptionist. Lucy flushed and stuttered like she normally did once a year. “H-hi, Officer Cardwell.”
“Please, call me Nick. I’ve seen you for three years. Well, Buzz has at least.”
Lucy just seemed to blush harder at that, so he dropped it. She wasn’t the only female who did that when he came around. Nick chalked it up to the police uniform and the fact he kept his body in good shape. After all, it was part of his job to be in top physical condition and he took his job very seriously. He wouldn’t let down his fellow officers because he got lazy and skipped going to the gym.
Nick was proud of his job and all that he’d accomplished since deciding to join the police force. His uniform was crisp and clean, with the insignia for the K-9 unit of the Reno, Nevada police force embroidered brightly on it. He was thirty years old and a dog handler. He loved his job, and it kept him busy. In fact, his job was the biggest part of his life.
He had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes that sometimes looked black and sometimes looked a warm, chocolate brown. He’d heard women say he was handsome, but he didn’t think much of it. He believed the state of his heart was more important and he just needed to find a woman who agreed with that logic.
Though he’d never been a player, he wanted his dating around days to be far behind him. After high school and college he’d been trying to settle down, but good women were hard to find in Reno. It was even harder to find a woman who understood the demands of his job and the relationship he had with Buzz.
Lucy checked the paperwork. “You and Buzz will see Dr. Boling today, our new addition to the team. I’ll just make sure your exam room is free and then I’ll take you back.”
Nick frowned. “I think there’s been a mistake. Buzz always sees Dr. Morgan.”
Lucy smiled apologetically. “Yes, normally he does, but I’m afraid Dr. Morgan is out today. He’ll probably be out for a while. He took a bad fall and ended up with a broken leg. The other vets have split up his work load, and I can assure you Dr. Boling is a fantastic vet. Buzz is in good hands.”
Nick wasn’t convinced. Dr. Morgan knew about Buzz, knew about his history and the stress of the job, along with its dangers. He knew what to look for and what to keep an eye on. Nick wasn’t crazy about some new doctor. His hackles were up about this change and he wanted to prevent Buzz from being seen by just anyone.
Plus, it sounded like this Dr. Boling was new and he didn’t like the sound of that. Buzz wasn’t a tester dog. He was a police officer. However, unless he wanted to wait until Dr. Morgan was back in, he really didn’t have a choice.
“Alright, I guess we can make it work. Just make sure she gets Buzz’s history.”
Lucy nodded, and he took a seat in the grayish-green chairs in the waiting room. Buzz looked up at him, waiting on his cue. There was a little boy next to them, probably waiting on his pet, who kept looking at Buzz.
Smiling to himself, he looked at the little boy. “Do you want to meet Buzz?”
The little boy giggled. “His name is Buzz?”
Nick grinned. “It is. Why? Is that not a fierce enough name?”
The boy smiled, revealing two missing front teeth. “Like a bumble bee?”
“Nope, not quite.” Nick crossed his arms. “A police dog like this needs a hero’s name, doesn’t he? I’m sure you know Toy Story, right?”
The boy nodded, his eyes wide. “He was in Toy Story?”
Nick fought back a laugh. “Not quite, but he’s named after Buzz Lightyear. I mean, Buzz is pretty awesome right? Protector of the universe?”
The little boy nodded, his shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes. “How does he protect the universe?”
Nick leaned real close and the little boy leaned in with him, determined to hear the secret. “Buzz is a part of the K-9 unit. He’s just like any other police officer, only in doggy form. I protect him and he protects me, because we’re partners.”
The boy looked at Buzz in awe. “Can I pet him?”
“You can, but only once very gently on the head. Just like me, he knows that when his uniform is on he’s working. This little patch on his harness is his uniform. And we can’t play when we’re working, right?” Nick showed him the harness and then pointed to the patch on his own police uniform.
The little boy reached out and gave one small, tentative pat directly on the top of Buzz’s head between his pointed ears. As he was trained to do, Buzz didn’t move, he sat completely still. Only his tongue lolling out was the sign that Buzz enjoyed the pat. Buzz knew when it was time to play and when it was time to work and he knew he wasn’t allowed to play right now, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying the attention.
“Buzz? We’re ready for you.”
A pretty blonde-haired woman in a white lab coat was standing at the edge of the hallway, waiting for him to bring Buzz over to her. He hadn’t seen her before, but he was intrigued. She must be one of the new vet techs for this Dr. Boling. Maybe he would like to switch doctors after all. That is, if this Dr. Boling was good to Buzz.
She kneeled down as soon as they were close. “Hi Buzz. Your dad tells me you’re a hero. Is that true?”
Nick smiled sheepishly. “Technically, he doesn’t belong to me. He belongs to the Reno, Nevada Police Force. I’m not really his dad.”
She looked up at him and smiled. He felt a little dazed. She wasn’t just pretty. She was stunning. From what he could tell she wasn’t even wearing any makeup, and she still stopped him in his tracks. She wasn’t wearing any lipstick and her lips were a pretty bubble-gum pink. She had amazing green eyes that were almost translucent. Her hair was just a little wavy and she left it loose in almost a windswept kind of look, with long bangs that fell softly along one side of her face.
He realized she was talking to him and he’d totally missed whatever she said while he was taking in her looks. He grinned apologetically. “Sorry, what was that?”
She didn’t seem fazed by his loss of attention. He supposed she was probably used to it. “I just said that you don’t have to be a legal guardian to be a dad. I’m pretty sure Oscar, that big fat orange cat you saw lounging on the front desk, isn’t legally mine, but he comes home with me, so… semantics, am I right?”
He laughed out loud. “Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. I certainly feel like I’m his dad sometimes. He ate my roast beef sandwich when I took like, two steps away from it yesterday. I almost took away his Xbox privile
ges for a week.”
He glared at Buzz, who just smiled back at him in his usual way. She laughed and beckoned them into the room. “Follow me, and we’ll get this party started.”
She led the way, and he gladly followed her. At least a foot shorter than his own six feet and four inches, she was petite but had just the right number of curves. He and Buzz followed her down a long hallway then turned right and went past three more doors until she stopped. A steel door with a glass window was open and she motioned for them to go in first. He stopped, and Buzz immediately sat. Both men waited for her to go inside first.
2
Karin Boling wanted to smile when she realized that both Buzz and his intensely hot owner, Nick, were waiting for her to go inside, like she was some lady from fifty years ago. She wanted to be annoyed, but she actually thought it was sweet and gentlemanly. She walked in first, being careful to press against the door so it didn’t shut and lock on them before they could get into the room.
“So, any problems with Buzz? Issues eating, drinking? Any high temperatures or things we should know about?” Karin fired off questions as she pulled out the paperwork. From what she’d read in advance Buzz seemed in peak physical condition - much like his owner. She tried not to stare at Nick’s biceps straining against the black uniform, but couldn’t help a quick peek.
Focusing her attention back on Buzz she rolled her stool over to him, first checking his vitals and then looking inside his ears and eyes. Buzz had all the looks of a completely calm dog, but Karin had been at this a long time. Just because she was new to Bright Lights Clinic didn’t mean she was a new veterinarian. She’d gone to school for six years and had been practicing ever since. Since she was thirty-three, that meant she had almost a decade of taking care of any kind of domestic pet that came through the doors.
A Christmas To Remember (Hero Hearts) Page 7