The shower was fast, but getting on the road wasn’t. When Cooper stepped from his bedroom, he heard a commotion in the kitchen and rushed down the hall.
“Damn pipe burst.” Burt shoved a pot beneath the sink to catch the water streaming onto the floor.
Cooper raced outside. Ignoring the stinging snow pelting his face, he attempted to turn off the water valve to the house, but the knob was stuck. He hurried inside and threw on his jacket. “The valve’s frozen. I’ll grab a wrench from the barn and see if I can get it unstuck.”
After ten minutes of wrestling, Cooper turned off the water supply, his fingers red and numb with cold. Burt had tossed towels onto the floor, so Cooper got on his hands and knees and mopped up the excess water. “This is my fault. I should have wrapped the pipes,” he said.
“You’ve been busy taking care of the deer.”
“What’s done is done. Let’s load up the Christmas gifts and get into town.”
By the time Cooper got Burt into the van and the presents packed safely behind the seats, a half hour had passed. The wind buffeted the van as they drove toward the county road and the windshield wipers were no match for the blowing snow. Cooper hit the brakes at the end of the driveway. If it had been just him, he’d have made an attempt to drive into Mistletoe but he couldn’t take the chance of becoming stranded or sliding off the road with his father along.
“Looks like we’ll have to settle for visiting Finley and the boys tomorrow.”
His father’s chin trembled. “Take me back to the house, then go on by yourself.”
“You’re not spending Christmas Eve alone.” He shifted into Reverse and turned the van around. This Christmas Eve would be no different than last year—he and Burt would watch old movies until bedtime. But with a little help from Santa, Christmas Day would be memorable.
* * *
“ARE COOPER AND Burt coming over tomorrow?” Tuff asked as he slid beneath his bedcovers.
“I’m not sure, honey.” After the parade Finley had extended an invitation for the men to join her and the boys for Christmas dinner, but after the cold shoulder Cooper had given her that day, she wasn’t counting on their presence.
“How come we haven’t seen Burt?” Flint asked.
“I think he and Cooper had to make sure the deer were taken care of in the snowstorm.”
Her sons exchanged a secret look. Then Flint spoke. “They gotta come tomorrow, ’cause we made you a gift and it’s in Cooper’s barn.”
“A Christmas gift?” She smiled. “What is it?”
“We’re not telling!” Tuff said.
Helping the boys make her a present didn’t seem like the action of a man who’d suddenly gotten cold feet.
“Mom?”
“Yes, Tuff?”
“Can we put some Mistletoe Magick on our pillows tonight?”
“Did you change your mind about what you want Santa to bring you?” She hoped not, because she’d purchased the toys a month ago and they were safely hidden in her bedroom closet.
“I want to add another present,” Tuff said.
Flint sat up in bed. “Me, too.”
Finley fetched the vial from the boys’ bookshelf and handed it to Tuff, who tipped the bottle over too quickly and spilled half the contents onto his pillow.
“Save some for me.” Flint sprinkled the rest on his pillow.
“It looks like you both drooled on your sheets.” She kissed each son on the forehead. “I love you lots.”
Finley retreated to the kitchen and opened a bottle of wine, poured herself a glass, then went downstairs, where she stood at the front window, watching the snow fall—blanketing the ground and her heart in a heavy white shroud.
* * *
“DON’T SEE HOW we’re gonna get the van out of the garage, let alone make it into town today.”
Cooper looked at his father’s forlorn face and smothered a smile behind his hand. The old coot pouted like a kid, wanting to be with the twins Christmas morning. Burt had woken at 5:00 a.m. shouting for help out of bed. He’d wanted Cooper to start shoveling so they could leave before noon.
Cooper could shovel the driveway in a half hour, but they’d be stuck at the ranch until the country road had been plowed. He checked his watch. It was only seven. “I bet the boys are still sleeping.”
“You were up at the crack of dawn, sneaking into the living room to see what Santa left you under the tree.” Burt smiled at the memory, and Cooper couldn’t love his father any more than he did right now.
The years flashed through his mind as he recalled the times his father had taken him fishing. All the Christmas Eves the old man had stayed up late, putting toys together so Cooper could play with them first thing in the morning. It was Cooper’s turn to make sure his father got his wish this Christmas. “I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“It’ll take a little longer to get into town, but I’ll hitch the horses to the buckboard and we’ll—”
“Go the back way.” Burt’s eyes brightened with excitement. “Don’t forget to throw extra hay in the wagon and a water bucket for the horses when we get to Finley’s. And a shovel in case you gotta clear her driveway so she can move her station wagon out of the garage.”
“I got it covered. You bring extra blankets and change into your winter boots.” Cooper paused at the front door. “And didn’t you buy a red Christmas cap a few years ago?”
“I’ll find it.”
Cooper headed to the barn. The snow had quit falling, but the weatherman warned there would be pockets of heavy snowfall later in the afternoon. If they were going to make a break for town, now was the time. After Cooper hitched the horses to the buckboard and loaded supplies and the presents into the wagon, he went into the house to fetch his father. He carried Burt to the wagon and set him in the back, where he’d spread a horse blanket on top of hay. “Stay down and you’ll be protected from the wind.”
The ten-minute drive by car into town took over an hour. When the horses reached Main Street, Cooper noticed all the Christmas lights were covered in snow and the candy canes that lined the sidewalks were no longer visible. Mistletoe, Texas, had become a winter wonderland. Face stiff from the cold, Cooper bent his head against the wind and urged the horses to go a little farther.
* * *
“THEY’RE HERE! THEY’RE HERE!” Flint shouted from the back bedroom.
Finley left the kitchen, where she’d just put the turkey into the oven. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest, afraid to hope. “Who’s here?” She entered the bedroom and found the boys with their noses pressed against the cold window, fogging up the glass.
“Cooper’s driving our parade float,” Tuff said.
Flint wiped the window so he could see better. “Where’s Burt?”
Finley peered over their heads. “Sitting in the wagon.” When Cooper guided the horses into her driveway, she rushed into the bathroom and checked her appearance in the mirror. It was too late to put on makeup or change out of her Bugs Bunny pajamas, so she threw on her robe and hurried downstairs, where the boys already waited in their coats and boots by the back door.
“Hurry, Mom!” Tuff said.
Finley stuffed her sock feet into her rubber rain boots, then stepped outside, the boys right on her heels. Cooper smiled—a genuine ear-to-ear grin—and her heart swelled with hope.
“Can we shelter the horses in your garage?” he shouted.
“Sure!” She used the shovel she’d left by the back door and quickly cleared the steps and the short walk to the driveway. She entered the garage through the side door and pressed the opener. When the door lifted, she shouted, “I think there’s room for the horses without having to move the car.”
Cooper unhitched the geldings and led them into the garage, then a
sked the boys to fill the bucket with water. The twins dashed into the house while Cooper spread hay on the ground for the animals to eat.
Cooper looked at Finley, and his loving gaze warmed her cold toes. “I’ll carry Burt inside. Then I’ll come back for the presents.” Cooper helped Burt get settled on the upstairs couch, then went outside and removed the burlap bag he’d stowed beneath the buckboard seat.
“What’s in there?” Finley asked, holding the back door open for him.
“A surprise.” He winked. Cooper had never winked at Finley before and she laughed, her spirits soaring. She made a move toward the stairs, but he snagged her bathrobe and spun her toward him. His hands settled on her waist.
She gazed into his eyes. “I didn’t think you were coming today.”
“A snowstorm couldn’t stop me from being with you and the boys.”
“But last week...at the parade...”
“I’m sorry for that. I was working through an issue with Burt. But it’s all good now.” He glanced above their heads. “Merry Christmas, Finley.”
“Merry Christmas, Cooper.”
“Hey, Burt, I think my mom’s kissing Cooper.” Tuff’s voice echoed at the top of the stairs.
“Yuck!” Flint giggled.
“You two gonna smooch all morning or get up here with the presents?” Burt hollered.
Finley and Cooper joined the trio in the living room, and Cooper gave the boys their present from him and Burt.
“It’s a train!” Flint shouted.
“Did you make this?” Tuff asked.
“Burt helped me,” Cooper said.
Flint and Tuff hugged Cooper, then Burt. “It’s better than Jacob’s train,” Tuff said.
“Yeah, waaay better.” Flint helped his brother place the cars on the track.
“Don’t you two want to give your mother her gift?” Cooper asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Flint took the wrapped package Burt held out and delivered it to Finley.
“You’re gonna love it, Mom,” Tuff said.
“Am I?”
“Cooper helped us make it,” Flint said.
Finley tore off the paper and gasped. “A birdhouse for the backyard!” She hugged her sons. “This is beautiful. What an amazing job you two did.”
“Cooper said it’s a motel for really small birds.” Flint pointed to the round holes. “It’s got lots of rooms.”
“A finch motel. It’s lovely, boys.”
“And this is from me.” Cooper handed Finley a wrapped present.
She ripped off the paper, then admired the wooden box with carved flowers on the lid. “It’s beautiful, Cooper.”
“It’s a keepsake box.”
“What’s a keepsake box?” Flint asked.
“A place for special things.” She opened the lid and discovered the inside lined with emerald-green velvet. “Thank you, Cooper.”
“Aren’t you gonna hug him, Mom?” Tuff asked.
“Yes, I am.” Finley left her chair and hugged Cooper, who stood by the Christmas tree. His hands tightened around her, and right then she wished she could steal away with him somewhere private and thank him properly.
“I have something for you and Burt.” Finley grabbed the black jewelry pouches from beneath the tree.
Burt opened his first. “Gold nuggets?”
The boys laughed. “They’re copper stones,” Flint said.
“What am I supposed to do with these?” Burt looked befuddled.
“Hold them in your hands before you fall asleep at night. The copper’s healing powers will help with arthritis and rheumatism.”
“Thank you, Finley. It would be nice not to have any aches and pains when I wake in the morning.”
“Open yours, Cooper,” Tuff said.
He looked inside his bag, then stared. “It’s a pink stone.”
Finley laughed. “It’s mangano calcite. Otherwise known as the heart crystal.” She stared into Cooper’s eyes, hoping he’d see that she was entrusting him with her heart.
He cleared his throat. “I was going to wait until the right moment to ask but—” he glanced at the boys and Burt “—right now is the perfect time.” He grasped Finley’s hands and stared into her eyes. “We haven’t known each other very long, but sometimes all it takes is a look or a smile for the heart to recognize its soul mate.”
Finley’s eyes watered. “Cooper, I’m wearing a bathrobe.”
“And you couldn’t look more beautiful than you do right now.”
“What’s going on?” Tuff asked.
“Shh!” Burt hushed. “Cooper’s asking your mom to marry him.”
Ignoring the others, Cooper said, “You’re the magic that’s been missing from my life all these years.” He squeezed her fingers. “I love you, Finley. Will you marry me?”
“Say yes, Mom!” Flint shouted.
“If Cooper marries Mom, will he be our dad?” Tuff asked Burt.
“Yep. And I’ll be your grandpa,” Burt said.
Tuff pushed his brother aside and patted his mother’s arm. “Say yes, Mom.”
Finley’s heart swelled inside her chest. “I need you more than you need me,” she whispered. “You keep me sane and grounded in my chaotic world.”
“Young lady,” Burt said, “before you give my son an answer, I want you to know that I’ll be moving down the road into that newfangled retirement community. You won’t have me underfoot.”
Finley gasped and glanced between Burt and Cooper. “If I have anything to say about it, you’re not moving into that home. This family won’t work without you, Burt.”
Cooper pulled Finley close and nestled his face against her neck. “How did I get so lucky to find a woman with such a generous heart?”
Finley clasped Cooper’s face between her hands and stared into his eyes, which were bright with tears. “We both got lucky, Cooper.” She kissed him softly on the mouth, mindful of the boys watching.
“Are you guys gonna kiss all the time now?” Tuff asked.
Cooper chuckled. “Probably.”
“Yuck,” Flint said.
“You caught yourself a real Christmas angel, Cooper.”
“We both caught ourselves an angel, Dad.”
The boys launched themselves at Cooper, knocking him backward on the floor. “It worked! It worked!” Flint shouted.
Finley laughed at their antics. “What worked?”
“The Mistletoe Magick,” Flint said. “We asked Santa to bring us a dad for Christmas and he did!”
Finley raised her gaze to the ceiling, sensing Granny was smiling down on them.
“Now, if you’ll excuse your mother and me, we need a moment alone.” Cooper took Finley by the hand and led her downstairs, where they had more privacy. He gathered her close beneath the mistletoe. “Thank you for opening your heart to Burt and allowing him to be in our lives.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. Burt is a part of what makes you so special. We’re going to be a family that stays together through good and bad. That stays together forever.”
“I love you, Finley.”
“And I love you, Cooper.”
His mouth drew closer to Finley’s, but before his lips touched hers, a knock on the back door startled them.
“Viola?” Finley said when she opened the door.
The choir director smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry I interrupted your...” She cleared her throat, then shoved a pie at Finley. “I made a peppermint pie for you and the boys.”
Finley suspected the older woman was angling for an invitation to Christmas dinner so she could spend time with Burt. “Come in out of the cold. You’ll join us for Christmas dinner, won’t you?”
“I don’t want to impose,” Vi
ola said as she unbuttoned her coat. “Hello, Cooper.”
Cooper struggled not to smile. “Mrs. Keller.”
“Where is the old troublemaker?” Viola asked.
“Upstairs with the boys,” he said.
Viola marched right up stairs.
“Mrs. Keller, guess what!” Finley heard Flint shout. “My mom’s gonna marry Cooper and he’s gonna be our dad.”
“Well, now, isn’t that nice,” Viola said. “Merry Christmas, Burt.”
“Merry Christmas, Viola. You look real pretty in that purple dress.”
Finley leaned against Cooper and smiled. “Your father may not be living with us much longer.”
“I’m not sure Burt can handle a woman like Viola.”
“When Viola sets her mind to something, there’s no deterring her.” Finley recalled the lotion the choir director had purchased and smiled.
“Our family might grow even bigger,” Cooper said.
“I hope so.” Finley pointed to the mistletoe above their heads and whispered as his mouth drew closer, “Merry Christmas, Cooper.”
“Merry Christmas, darlin’.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460343449
A Mistletoe Christmas
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
Santa’s Mistletoe Mistake
Copyright © 2014 by Carla Bracale
A Merry Little Wedding
Copyright © 2014 by Cathy McDavid
Mistletoe Magic
Copyright © 2014 by Brenda Smith-Beagley
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
A Mistletoe Christmas: Santa's Mistletoe MistakeA Merry Little WeddingMistletoe Magic Page 25