She didn’t expect life in Glimmer Creek to be one continual party, but she had every intention of enjoying the excessively romantic moments, along with the more everyday ones.
After the music ended, Gideon cleared his throat. “It’s warm in here. Do you want to step outside for a few minutes?”
“Sure.”
She collected the cloak that matched her ball gown and they walked across to the park twinkling with thousands of tiny lights.
“This is so beautiful,” she murmured. “Like a Christmas fairyland.”
“I prefer looking at you.” Gideon ran a finger under his high collar, appearing uncomfortable. She knew he’d rented a costume for the night and appreciated his effort. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to look at you for the rest of my life,” he added.
Her breath caught. “Oh?”
“Yes. I’m not rich and never will be, but I love you and I’m praying you feel the same way about me,” he said simply. “Please marry me. I knew we’d need to make compromises about where and how we live, but we can do whatever it takes.”
“You haven’t been divorced that long. How can you be sure?” Nicole asked, suddenly realizing she needed to know why he thought they could make it when his first marriage had failed.
Gideon sighed. “Nicole, my marriage ended a long time ago, way before it was official, and I’m just as much to blame as Renee. We should have recognized that we were so different we’d need to work extra hard at staying in love and building common ground. Instead, we drifted apart. But I promise that I will never let that happen with us. I’ll love you forever, with every particle of my being.”
Love and certainty overwhelmed Nicole and she threw her arms around his neck. “I won’t let it happen, either. I love you and there’s nothing I want more than to live in Glimmer Creek and be your wife.”
“We don’t have to live here. I meant what I said about making compromises. I also expect to do my share around the house, including cooking and changing diapers. That is, I mean, you said you wanted kids and I—”
She put a finger on his lips to stop him. “I do. And I know we’ll have things to work out, but not about Glimmer Creek. I want to stay here. You simply have to be patient while I figure out how to do it all. There’s just one thing...” She paused and looked at him seriously.
“What’s that?”
“Even when we’re sharing laundry duties, you have to wash your own work clothes because I’m not touching them. Cow manure may smell like money to some people, but I agree with my niece. It just smells like cow poop to me.”
* * *
“AGREED.” GIDEON LAUGHED.
He held out the velvet-covered box that had been burning in his pocket all evening and watched as Nicole opened the top. Inside was an antique ruby ring that had belonged to Helga’s great-grandmother. Helga had given it to him a few months before after learning that he was getting divorced. She hadn’t wanted Renee to have it, but he had a feeling she’d approve of Nicole.
“This came down through my foster mother’s family. They thought it had been lost, but found it when they moved off the farm.”
“It’s perfect,” she whispered as he put the ring on her finger. “Even the size is perfect.”
The sound of people talking came from nearby but Gideon didn’t care as he pulled Nicole close for a kiss. It was just the beginning, but what a great beginning.
* * *
“WOULD YOU DANCE with me?” asked Luke.
Carlie drew a sharp breath and turned. He looked unbelievably handsome. “All right.”
She took his hand and he swept her onto the floor.
“Did you hear?” he asked after a minute. “Nicole and Gideon just got engaged. She isn’t even going back to Austin. She’s staying in Glimmer Creek and moving in with Gideon.”
Carlie almost missed a step. “That’s terrific. I mean, about the engagement.”
“I’m excited for her. Concerned, too, but that’s my natural state, as you well know.”
“But you’re resisting the urge to interfere. Right?”
“Right. I may learn slowly, but I learn.”
The music ended, but Luke kept hold of her hand. “One more, please?”
It was the “please” that got to her, but she tried to let her mind drift as they danced. She was thrilled for her friend and the holiday ball was such a romantic night for an engagement. She’d seen Gideon and Nicole posing on the staircase for a photograph and would have to get a copy of the picture specially framed for them as an engagement present.
“What will happen after your father’s surgeries?” Luke queried, startling Carlie from her reverie.
“Meaning?”
“I just wondered if Glimmer Creek is in your future, or if you plan to move back to the San Francisco area.”
“I’m staying,” she said. “I enjoyed the city, but it wasn’t home. We’re close enough I can always go overnight to see a play or visit Fisherman’s Wharf. Los Angeles is a little farther, but it’s still doable for a long weekend.”
For some reason Luke seemed pleased by her answer, but she didn’t want to think about why. It was too easy to start reading meaning into everything he said and did, like his attempt to get her to look at property with him.
He couldn’t seriously be thinking about moving to Glimmer Creek. The most likely explanation was that he’d guessed Nicole might be staying, and wanted to have his own place when he came to visit.
Still...there had been a strange look in Luke’s eyes when he talked about moving. And just now he’d asked if she planned to stay in Glimmer Creek, as if he’d realized he should find out what her plans might be.
Sternly, Carlie reminded herself that Luke had warned her off after they’d made love, saying he was worried about mixed messages and that he couldn’t think about relationships because of the girls.
But hope was irrepressible, especially at Christmas, and Carlie’s heart soared along with the music as they danced.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE DAYS BEFORE Christmas Eve seemed to hurry by and Carlie did her best to stop thinking about Luke.
Now that her father was doing what the doctor had ordered, he was finally improving, so she ought to be content...except she was madly in love and didn’t know what to do about it.
She even was starting to think Luke cared about her, as well, but it wasn’t that simple. Sure, he was working on not being quite as high-handed, but could she trust that he wouldn’t look at her someday and realize she didn’t compare to Erika?
“Gideon has an apartment above the clinic, but we’re going to look for a house,” Nicole told Carlie on Christmas Eve morning. They were in the Poppy Gold library, drinking tea. “It won’t be easy to find the kind of place we want in Glimmer Creek.”
“What kind of place is that?”
“A good-size home, with enough land for rehabilitating injured wildlife. And raising kids.”
Kids... A pang went through Carlie and she swallowed. “Sounds like you’ve been converted to country living.”
“Totally. But we have things to work out, especially about money. I’m going to sell my condo in Austin and want to use part of the sale to start a computer business here, and put the other part on a house when we get one.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
Nicole nodded. “Yup. Gideon is trying to have a modern attitude, but I can tell it bothers him. We’ll get through it, though. Of course, he’s also getting thrown in at the deep end when it comes to family. My folks are coming for Christmas. They usually spend December in the Bahamas, but they’re arriving early tomorrow morning. I’ll move down to the bedroom on the ground floor and let them use my room. Luke still has to let Guest Reception know they’re coming.”
Carlie wondered if she’d meet the s
enior Forresters. It might be uncomfortable, given what she’d heard about them. “That’s nice. Are you cooking or attending the Poppy Gold luncheon?”
“Gideon and I are cooking. We’ve come up with a menu that isn’t too challenging. Desserts will be from Sarah’s Sweet Treats, but we’re doing the rest.”
Nicole’s phone chirped with a text message and she looked down at the screen, smiling. “Speaking of which, he wants to meet so we can shop for groceries.”
Carlie sighed as her friend left in a whirl. She didn’t begrudge Nicole her happiness, but it was challenging to smile and pretend she wasn’t distracted by her own love life.
Luke and the girls would be in Glimmer Creek for only another two weeks. That was, if Luke didn’t move to California, which she still couldn’t really believe he planned to do.
Finally, she went back to her desk. She’d considered taking Christmas Eve off, but had been too restless to stay home baking and cooking with her mother.
The rest of the day rushed by, and toward evening, Carlie decided to take a walk through Poppy Gold before leaving.
The air hummed with the energy she always associated with Christmas Eve. Costumed carolers walked the streets and frost was forming early on the grass, with the multicolored lights reflecting off the ice crystals. The only thing that could complete the festive picture would be snow falling in the park, but they’d decided it would be too complicated to bring any of the snowmakers over from the sledding hill.
Detouring to watch the skating rink for a few minutes, she saw Nicole and the twins on the ice, along with Gideon. They were laughing with Luke, who’d obviously just taken a tumble. So, he’d actually gone skating instead of just watching.
They’re happy, she thought as she walked toward the employee parking lot. All of them. Christmas and Poppy Gold had finally woven its spell.
“Carlie, wait up.”
She turned and saw Luke waving as he removed his skates at the edge of the rink. A moment later he sprinted toward her in stocking feet.
“You all seem to be having fun,” she said, trying to sound bright and cheerful, the way a good activities director should sound.
“It’s hard not to have fun here. I, uh... Could we go somewhere and talk?” he asked.
“It’s Christmas Eve, Luke. You need to be with your family.”
A slow smile curved his mouth as he stepped closer. “That’s sort of what I want to talk about.”
Her pulse jumped.
“You see, I’ve got this problem,” he continued. “My family can’t be complete unless you’re part of it.”
* * *
LUKE REACHED OUT and stroked Carlie’s face, feeling like a teenager again, tongue-tied and awkward with a pretty girl, unable to say the things he needed to say the most.
“You warned me away, remember?” she said, her voice trembling.
“Guys say all sorts of stupid things,” he breathed. “Please don’t hold it against me.”
“Luke, stop. Nicole and Gideon are watching. So are the girls.”
“I don’t care. You see, I’m in love with you,” he whispered. “Completely and utterly. Is there any chance you’re willing to take on a ready-made family?”
Her stubborn chin went up. “I’m glad your trip to California has helped you and the twins, but you’re just caught up in the moment. After all, Christmas is a time when all things seem possible.”
“Listen to me. I’m not caught up in a moment or confused by a haze of holiday spirit. You make everything possible, because you’re wonderful and loving and challenge me to be a better person.”
She shook her head. “I can’t compete with your wife’s memory. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“Except this isn’t about Erika. It’s about you trusting me.”
Carlie’s eyes filled with tears, making Luke ache and hope at the same time. “Even if that’s true, it doesn’t mean we’re right for each other.”
“You’re perfect for me. And even if I’m not perfect for you, I’ll do my damnedest to try.”
* * *
CARLIE SWALLOWED.
“Carlie, a million possibilities are waiting for us,” Luke said intently. “Please trust that I know my heart and will never intentionally do something to hurt you. You can trust me. And even if you say no, I’m not leaving. The girls and I are moving to Glimmer Creek and I’ll wear you down eventually, because I love you, heart and soul.”
“What about your business?”
“I’ll get the right equipment to run it from here. Problem solved.”
Carlie felt like a kid again, standing in front of the grandest Christmas tree in the world, with all the sparkling potential it offered.
“But are Annie and Beth ready for a stepmother?” she asked, wanting to believe him more than she’d ever wanted anything. It wasn’t that she wanted Luke to forget Erika. She just wanted to have her own place in his heart.
This was about trust.
Luke gave her another heart-pounding grin. “I already talked to them. We drove down to the valley yesterday and they helped pick this out for you.” He held up a ring between his thumb and forefinger. “It took negotiation—you know how the girls don’t ever like the same things—but then I told them we should think about what you’d prefer.”
The ring was lovely, with diamonds and sapphires. Yet it was what Luke had said that made Carlie melt. I told them we should think about what you’d prefer. It told her more than he knew. Relationships were give and take, with no one person coming first all the time.
He gave her his heart-stopping grin. “Please don’t make me wait any longer—you don’t want the father of your present and future children to get frostbite, do you?”
“Present and future children?” she asked, her throat tight.
“Beth and Annie are already the daughters of your heart and they want little brothers or sisters, which I think is a splendid idea. Say yes, Carlie. Say you love me.”
Carlie desperately tried to hang on to her common sense.
Luke had been trying to show her that he could change. And for all his faults, she couldn’t see him ever being deliberately hurtful. Of course, his stiff-necked pride was a pain, but she’d be able to deal with that...
She shook herself. Could she seriously be considering his proposal?
Yes.
Her smile grew. “Okay, I love you. And yes, I’ll marry you. But don’t think it changes anything. You aren’t getting your way all the time.”
He slid the ring over her finger and gathered her close. “Actually, I’m counting on you to keep me in line,” he murmured against her lips.
Carlie was aware of excited voices nearby, but right now the only thing that mattered was the strength and certainty in Luke’s arms and kiss.
Christmas just kept getting better and better.
* * * * *
Come back to Glimmer Creek with
the next book in Julianna Morris’s
POPPY GOLD STORIES miniseries,
available in August 2017, wherever
Harlequin Superromance books are sold.
Keep reading for an excerpt from TEMPTING THE SHERIFF by Kathy Altman.
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Tempting the Sheriff
by Kathy Altman
CHAPTER ONE
VAUGHN FULTON TOSSED his shades onto a box marked Kitchen Crap and turned in a slow circle. He’d been played. Suckered, by an eighty-four-year-old man. If Emerson Fulton were still alive, he’d be smirking his ass off because he was about to make good on his promise to see that his nephew stayed in Castle Creek longer than it took to eat a rib eye at the diner and watch a ball game for dessert.
He pushed a breath through his nose. Yeah, he should have visited more often. No doubt about it. He’d let down the old man.
And his uncle had plotted one hell of a payback.
“Bits and pieces, my ass,” Vaughn said aloud. The echo he should have heard failed to bounce back at him. No surprise, considering the ceiling-high jumble of boxes and furniture crowding the room. A jumble that hadn’t been there two months ago, when he’d stopped in to check on the old man. A week later, Uncle Em was gone.
Vaughn pinched the bridge of his nose.
Near the end, he’d promised to handle the property side of things. Stay at the house as soon as he could manage it. Clear it out and see it sold. Two days max to empty the place, Uncle Em had sworn.
Christmas with Carlie Page 26