by Lisa Jackson
“Is Anya here?” Nate asked the minute they parted.
“She’s upstairs,” Sawyer said. “She said she wanted to change.”
“Is she—still marrying me?”
“Well. That’s probably going to be up to you,” Sawyer said.
“What do you mean?” Nate said.
“There’s good news and there’s bad news,” Sawyer said.
“Please. Spit it out,” Dani said.
“She’s hammered,” Sawyer said.
“She had one and a half glasses of wine?” Dani asked.
“Look. She wanted to talk. So we went to the Duck and Dive again—and I might have mentioned how you had three Dark and Stormys—”
“Oh no,” Dani said.
“And so she had to have four.”
“Four?” Dani said. “Four?” She couldn’t believe Anya was still walking and talking. They were twice the punch of a glass of wine.
“What’s a Dark and Stormy?” Nate said.
“Nate,” Dani said. “Find the priest. Reschedule the wedding.”
“Not until I talk to Anya,” Nate said.
“Whiskey, dark rum, and who knows what else,” Dani said. “They’re lethal.”
“Is she sick?” Nate said.
“Actually she’s just—rather—bubbly so far,” Sawyer said.
“TOODALOO!” It sounded like a battle cry, and it rang out from the direction of the foyer. Dani, Sawyer, and Nate all rushed in. There, at the top of the stairs, was Anya posing in a bright yellow gown with tons of crinoline. She was carrying a yellow parasol. She looked like a cross between Big Bird and Little Bo Peep. Nate’s mouth dropped slightly open, too, as Anya made a show of coming down the stairs. Behind her, her sister, Victoria, tripped after her, trying to hold up the train. Partygoers, sensing an entrance, began to gather and stare at the phenomena. When Anya reached the bottom, she held her hand out for Nate to kiss. He seemed frozen in place.
“You look . . . you look . . .” he said.
“Southern?” she said.
“I guess so,” he said. He finally took her hand and kissed it.
“Y’all are so kind,” Anya said to the crowd in a fake Southern accent.
“My word,” Ruth said stepping into the foyer. “What is this?”
“I made Christmas grits!” Victoria said. She thrust up a container.
“What in the world is Christmas grits?” Ruth asked.
“Grits with red and green M&M’s,” Victoria said.
“Please, everyone, do spread out and mingle,” Ruth said, trying to herd her guests back into the parlor room.
“Is there dancing?” Anya asked, grabbing Nate’s hand and pulling him into the living room.
“I think I need a drink,” Dani said.
“Way ahead of you,” Sawyer said. He handed her a flask. She stopped short of telling him she loved him and took a swig.
“Ruth,” Dani said. “Any chance there’s a pot of coffee on?”
“Coffee,” Ruth said. “If we want to sober that girl up, we’re going to need charcoal.” The music picked up in tempo. Anya was leading a dance. Despite Ruth’s horror, the guests loved her. Soon they were gathered around her and Nate as they danced, clapping in rhythm. Ruth stood on the outside of the circle, fuming. Dani stepped up. It was now or never.
“Ruth?” she said.
Ruth turned, her mouth in a grimace. “It’s not too late,” she said. “My wedding dress is upstairs. Put it on, and I’ll grab Father Mike. You and Nate can get married and—”
Dani grabbed Ruth’s hand and pulled her over to the photograph on the easel. She reached in her little clutch and pulled out her phone. She brought up the picture of her after Nate proposed, the one with the look of horror, and showed it to Ruth. “That’s my face after Nate proposed,” Dani said. Ruth studied it, then searched Dani’s face. “And this is Anya’s face after Nate proposed.” Dani discreetly lifted the covering on the photograph, slowly exposing Anya’s beaming face. “I want you to look at each photograph, and think carefully, Ruth. Honestly. Which face do you think has the best chance of bringing you great-grandchildren?”
Ruth clasped her hands under her chin and pursed her lips. She looked to the ceiling. Then looked at the photos again. “Do you think they’ll have a British accent?”
“I’m sure Nate’s Southern drawl will give them a run for their money.”
“She does seem to be a hit with the guests.” Just then Anya’s laughter boomed through the room. Ruth paled.
“Keep Calm and Carry On,” Dani said. “Keep calm and carry on.”
Victoria suddenly popped up from behind them. “Off with her head! Mind the Gap! Blimey! Gobsmacked.” She grinned at Ruth. “Criminey, it’s balmy in here,” she said. She held up her purse. “Do ye mind if I put Christmas Crackers and Crowns on everyone’s plate?”
Dani waited to see if Ruth would spontaneously combust. Instead, she looked at the photograph of Anya, then back at Victoria. She grabbed a paper crown out of Victoria’s parcel and put it on her head.
“Follow me,” she said.
If anyone had told Dani that everyone would be sitting at the table wearing colorful paper crowns and opening Christmas Crackers, including Ruth Hathaway, well, she would have thought he or she was on crack. But showing Ruth the photographs and mentioning the word great-grandchildren had certainly seemed to do the trick. Dani just wished she’d had time to tell Anya that she could stop acting like a crazy person. Dani didn’t realize how crazy until she realized the swan was missing from the middle of the table. At first she thought it had been cleared to make way for the platters heaped with ham, and roast, but soon, Anya’s arm movements gave it away. The swan was in Anya’s lap and she was cooing at it and stroking it like a kitten.
When the salads were cleared, Ruth stood and lifted her glass of champagne. “I’d like to propose a toast,” she said. “To Danielle—”
Anya let out a growl. Nate pushed back his chair. “I have to stop you there, Nanna,” he said. “You shouldn’t be toasting Danielle. She’s only here on assignment.”
“A Southern Christmas,” Dani answered when everyone stared at her.
“The British are coming!” Anya shouted as she thrust her fist in the air.
“Hear, hear,” Victoria said. From down the table, their mother, Margaret, shushed them.
“Nathaniel,” Ruth said. “I—”
“Grandmother, do let me finish,” Nate said. “Anya is the woman I’m going to marry. Although I must announce that we have decided to wait until the new year and have a proper wedding in a proper church.”
“Nathaniel, I think that’s—” Ruth said.
“Frankly, Grandmother, I don’t want to hear what you think right now. Dani is simply here for ‘A Southern Christmas’—”
Anya stood. “Oh, bloody hell. That’s not the real assignment. That’s just her cover story. The real story was on how to get your ex back. You, darling, were all she wanted for Christmas.” Besides swaying and slurring her words, and molesting a swan, Dani was impressed that Anya hadn’t passed out yet.
“What?” Nate said.
“Let’s not worry about that,” Danielle said. “That was ages ago. You’re in love with Anya, and I’m in love with Sawyer.” She gasped, then slapped her hand over her mouth. It was the first time she’d said it. “Damn,” she said under her breath. Sawyer started to chuckle. This was worse than falling asleep and drooling on him. She was never going to hear the end of it.
“Nathaniel, what I was going to say—” Ruth started once again.
“What?” Anya yelled. She stood up, clanked the swan down at her place setting, and swayed. “That you won the war?”
“It is true, we did win the war,” Ruth said. “Just like we should have won the War of Northern Aggression.”
“Grandmother,” Nate said. “That’s all in the past.”
“The War of Northern Aggression is just as important now in the year 2014 as it ever h
as been. However—”
“Did you bring our tea, Mother?” Anya shouted down the table. “Perhaps Ruth would like to dump it in the bathtub.”
“Oh please, do it,” Sawyer said, snapping pictures. “Please, please, dump tea in the bathtub.” Dani stepped on his foot.
“I love you, too,” Sawyer leaned down and whispered. Dani lit up like a firecracker. The violinists were still playing, and as the noise level at the table increased, they moved in closer and played louder.
Ruth began to strike her fork against her champagne glass until everyone quieted down. “Do let me speak. This is still my house. Nathaniel, you will sit down.”
“I love Anya!” Nate shouted. Anya yanked him back into his seat and nodded at Ruth.
“To Danielle,” Ruth said. “Who helped me realize that Anya Pennington was the woman my Nate should marry.”
“What?” Anya said.
“She did?” Nate said.
“Hear, hear!” Mr. Pennington said.
“Dear,” Ruth said, “you are welcome in my home, and I have no designs whatsoever on your ghastly tea. Or your Christmas grits for that matter.”
“More for me!” Victoria shouted.
“What about the lanterns on your porch?” Anya asked. “Will you take them down?”
“Let’s not push it,” Ruth said. “Merry Christmas.” The table stood, thrust their glasses in the air.
“Merry Christmas!” they said as one. Dani leaned in to kiss Sawyer when something nailed her on the head and dropped at her place setting. She picked up the swan, and looked at Anya.
“Thank you,” she said, hugging it to her chest.
“Merry Christmas,” Anya said.
“Pass the Christmas grits!” Victoria shouted.
The food kept coming. Dani had to taste a bit of everything. Roast, and ham, and buttery biscuits. Turkey with corn bread stuffing, and gravy, and cheesy potatoes, and green bean casserole. “Save room for the red velvet white chocolate cake,” Dani whispered to Sawyer. “It’s to die for.”
“I’m going to need a stretcher to carry you home,” Sawyer whispered back.
“I thought you brought the horse,” Dani said. Sawyer tried to wrestle the swan out of her arms, but she held on to it with an iron grip. The two started to laugh, and it took a long time to stop. After dinner and before dessert there was a chorus of crackles as guests popped open their Christmas Crackers. Dani’s contained a large, fake diamond ring. Sawyer shook his head as she placed it on her finger.
“Setting a really bad precedent,” he said. Dani laughed, then felt another rush of joy as his meaning sunk in. She tucked the swan in her lap, and waited for the red velvet cake. “Oh my God,” Sawyer said after he took the first bite. “Oh my God.”
“Right?” Dani said. “Right?”
“I’m really starting to like the South,” Sawyer said.
Shortly after dessert, leaving the other guests to their dancing, Dani and Sawyer stepped out onto the wraparound porch. At the bottom of the hill, the horse and carriage could be heard coming down the street. It stopped in front of the house and waited. Sawyer held out his arm. “Madam,” he said.
“For me?” Danielle said.
“For you,” Sawyer said. Together, they skipped down the steps toward the waiting carriage. Stars glittered overhead. The horse whinnied. There was a smell of cookies baking in the air. Dani lifted her head to the sky and searched for reindeer. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Chapter 14
Dani and Sawyer stood in the sailboat, next to the bed. It had been a long night, but Danielle was charged with desire. All her senses were on fire. Sawyer looked so handsome in his tux, especially with his bow tie taken off and the first couple of buttons undone. “You’re beautiful,” he said.
“So are you.” He took her hand and kissed it. She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a real kiss. Soon their bodies were pressed together, mouths and hands hungrily exploring each other. When Sawyer touched her breasts she felt a tingle all the way down to her toes. After a bit of teasing, he stopped to kiss up and down her neck. She groaned, grabbed his shirt with both hands, and tore it down the center. “Woman!” he said. “It’s a rental.”
“Don’t call me woman.”
“You’re going to pay for that.” He playfully threw her down on the bed and straddled her.
“Please don’t rip my dress,” she said.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” She smiled, then rolled over and let him unzip her. Soon she was out of her dress and he his pants. She told him to keep his ripped shirt on. He laughed and tipped a fake cowboy hat. “Ma’am.” He admired her black lace bra and panties, gently outlining every bit with his finger. She wrapped her legs and arms around him, and whispered every little thing she wanted him to do to her. He was happy to oblige. She was already thinking ahead to next Christmas. She would definitely break out the naughty Santa outfit. He was going to love it.
On Christmas morning they awoke to the sound of seagulls. Dani was once again draped over Sawyer, but this time they were skin to skin. She stirred and then a few seconds later his hands began to rub up and down her body. In less than a minute they were making love again. They couldn’t get enough of each other. They did it again in the tiny shower, after laughing, and kissing, and knocking each other into the walls. Then it was coffee and donuts up on the deck, each back in their sweatpants and shirts. The sun was beaming on the water, causing it to glitter like gold.
“Chocolate eclairs and coffee,” Sawyer said. “Very Southern.”
“A mouthful of amazing,” Dani said.
“You can say that again,” Sawyer said, coming in to lick a bit of chocolate off of her bottom lip. “Should we open our presents?”
“How about we take a walk on the beach first?” Dani suggested. “We can open them there.”
“Perfect.”
The roads were clear, and they cranked Christmas carols on the radio as they drove to Wrightsville Beach. They found primo parking and soon they were standing with their toes in the sand, watching the waves crash onshore.
“I hope you’re not thinking of the Russian nanny,” Dani said.
Sawyer threw his head back and roared with laughter. “I lied about her,” he said.
“Good.”
“She’s actually Polish.” Dani pushed him, then he grabbed her around the waist and spun her around. Then they sat on the sand and exchanged gifts. Dani made Sawyer open his first.
“Circus toys!” he exclaimed. The delight in his voice was real. He examined each piece carefully. The tiger. The giraffe. The elephant. The circus train and tent. He set them all up in the sand and gazed at them. “I love them,” he said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Maybe we’ll go on safari and see them for real.” It sounded amazing. “Your turn.” He handed her a box that was too small to be teacups.
“I thought you got me teacups,” she said.
“There’s no more tea,” he said. “I dumped it all in the bathtub.” Dani was laughing as she opened the box. She stopped when she saw the gorgeous blue topaz and diamond necklace glittering back at her. She gasped. She’d forgotten how beautiful it was. “How did you know?”
“How could I not know? It was meant for you.” He took it out of the box and went to put it on her.
“I couldn’t,” she said. “It was a small fortune.”
“I put it on Adel’s credit card,” he joked.
“I love it.” She held her hair back as he clasped it around her neck. Soon, he was kissing it.
“Thank you,” she said, putting her hands on the side of his face. “You gave me Christmas.”
“Y’all come back now, hear?” he said in his best Southern accent.
“That’s terrible,” she said.
“I’ll work on it,” he said. They lay on the sand and listened to the waves. “How about a Texas Christmas next year?”
“Hook ’em horns
,” Dani said.
“Don’t ever say that again,” Sawyer said. They laughed, and then kissed, and then played with the tiger and the giraffe in the sand.
CHRISTMAS IN MONTANA
CATHY LAMB
For Karen Calcagno
Chapter 1
I am, currently, the manager for the hard-rock band Hellfire.
I am quitting tomorrow. My boss, front man Ace Hellfire, real name Peter Watson, son of a pastor, will be unhappy.
It’s going to be a sticky situation, but it doesn’t change my mind.
I have been traveling the world for ten years with Ace, his band, and crew. I have listened to more eardrum-splitting concerts and head-banging rehearsals, and been witness to more temper tantrums and wildness than I ever wanted to see. My nerves are shot, my exhaustion complete. I don’t think I want to travel again unless it’s to a remote cabin in the woods.
I love to sew, but I haven’t sewn in years. I love to embroider, but I don’t know if I remember the cross-stitch. I love to cook, but haven’t followed a recipe in way too long. I love to ski, garden, and ride horses, but I never do any of those things.
I have lived out of suitcases for much of every year, my outfits a collage of color, but now I want to find a home, stay in it, and set up a sewing room.
I am a country girl from Kalulell, Montana, who has been working with hard-core rock musicians out of Los Angeles and I am done. I am headed home for Christmas, and then I will figure out Plan F, the F standing for my Future.
I miss small town life. I have always missed it, especially during the Christmas season. I did not miss, however, what happened on a snowy, dark night on a curvy road. It still haunts me.
Some might say I ran from small town country life, that I wanted the twinkly lights of the city and the excitement.