Christmas at Bravo Ridge
Page 18
She was about to say no but stopped herself. He'd treated her respectfully in recent years—and all the more so since Aleta had stayed with her while they were separated. It hardly made sense that he would want to give her a hard time now.
And then she remembered Tabby Ellison's threats. Was this about Tabby, then?
"Corrine?" he asked, looking a little bit nervous. Maybe because she'd stood there trying to figure out what he was up to while staring blankly in his direction for the last couple of minutes.
She stirred herself to action, stepping back, whispering, "Kira's asleep on the couch. Let's go to the kitchen."
Once in there, she closed the door and offered coffee. He waved it away and took a seat at the table. "I'll get right to it," he said.
"Please do." She folded her arms protectively across her middle and leaned against the counter.
"We missed you at the ranch Sunday before last."
She frowned and then remembered. "Oh, the day you all decorated the tree…"
He gave a regal nod of his silver head. "I know that Aleta invited you. She was so pleased you were coming. And then you didn't show up. She was downright evasive when I asked her why not."
Corrine didn't beat around the bush. "Matt and I are on the outs. She was respecting my privacy, I imagine, by not discussing me with you."
He grunted. "Don't try to tell me that you don't love him."
His frankness surprised her. But all right. If he wanted to play it straight, she could handle that. She shrugged. "The problem was more that I didn't believe he loves me."
"'Didn't.' Past tense. I'll take that to mean you're finally seeing the light."
"Um. The light?"
"My son's in love with you. You don't have to worry about that. You never did."
She blinked. "I didn't?"
Davis actually chuckled. "How is it that you young people put it? You rocked his world. You always have. He was afraid of that at first. You can't blame a man for exercising a little caution. Especially a man like Matt, who had his life all mapped out until you came along and changed everything."
Corrine whirled around, grabbed a glass, ran water in it and drank it down. She plunked it on the counter and turned back to Matt's dad. "Sorry. It's hard for me to believe that we're having this conversation."
"Simply put, I'm here to apologize. I treated you like crap. I needed a lesson in humility. Recently, I got it. And when my life went to hell and Aleta left me, you were there. You took her in. She needed a home away from home and you gave her the space she needed. And then you let me join her in it. I owe you a lot. You gave me the chance to win my wife back."
She was getting kind of choked up. She waved a hand. "Hey. My pleasure."
A wry smile curved his mouth. "You're going to forgive me, then?"
"Hell. It's Christmas. Why not?"
Davis Bravo threw back his head and laughed. "You're a spunky gal, Corrine."
"Gee, thanks. I think."
"Give Matt a break, will you?"
"I'm considering it."
"Good. Come to Christmas at the ranch tomorrow."
"I'm considering that, too."
He pushed back the chair and stood. "One more thing."
"Yeah?"
"Yesterday, I had a visitor at the office…"
She'd known that was coming. "Let me guess. Tabby Ellison."
He nodded. "She had some crazy expectation that I was going to make Matt call it off with you. I set her straight."
"How?"
"With the truth. I told her you not only have his child, you have his heart. And you always will. I told her to give it up and leave Matt alone. I said that continuing to chase after him would get her nowhere and also cause her unnecessary pain and humiliation."
"You're serious. You said all that?"
"I did."
"What did she do?"
"She ran out crying. And I called her father. I explained the situation. Rockford Ellison is a supremely practical man. He promised he would have a long talk with his daughter. I honestly don't believe that Tabitha will be bothering you again."
* * *
For Corrine, the rest of the day felt brighter somehow. Yes, she and Matt were still apart. She was seeing that she needed to do something about that.
But it was huge for her, that Davis had actually knocked on her door and asked her personally to come to Christmas at Bravo Ridge. That he had apologized for all the rotten things he'd said in the past. That he had stood up for her against Tabby Ellison. And even that he'd called her a "spunky gal." More than the corny, old-fashioned words, it was the way he had said it: "You're a spunky gal, Corrine." With respect. And real affection.
She and Kira had pizza for dinner. It was a family tradition started by Corrine's mom way back when Corrine was Kira's age. They had pizza and Pepsi in front of the TV while they watched "Home Alone." After the movie, she and Kira played Old Maid to the accompaniment of carols on the CD player.
At about nine, Kira yawned widely. "Mommy. It's past my bedtime."
"I thought, since it's a special night, that you could stay up as long as you wanted."
"You did?" Blue eyes widened at the wonder of that.
Corrine nodded. "I think you should take your bath, though. And put on your pjs…"
Kira didn't argue. She bounced up the stairs. Corrine followed her up and filled the tub for her, then went back downstairs to change the CD.
Twenty minutes later, she went back up, just to check. She found her daughter sound asleep across a still-made bed, wearing her pajamas. She'd gotten all ready for bed and then just crawled up there and conked out. Corrine put a blanket over her, turned off the light and tiptoed from the room, pulling the door silently shut behind her.
Downstairs, she switched off the music and turned the lights down low, so the tree shone all the brighter. She kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch. Grabbing the afghan, she swung her legs up and wrapped the blanket around them.
She stared at the tree, admiring its beauty, appreciating the moment, letting herself kind of drift on a cloud of peace and good feelings, letting all her cares and worries fade….
The chime of the doorbell jolted her awake. She sat up and raked her hair back off her forehead, blinking blearily at the mantel clock beside the manger scene she and Aleta had so lovingly arranged.
It was 1:00 a.m. Christmas morning. And there was someone at her door. She got up to answer.
But when she reached the entry hall, indecision took over. At one in the morning it could be anyone. Bad guys didn't always take Christmas off.
The phone rang. She went back to the living room to grab the cordless. "Hello?"
"You're awake." It was Matt.
"I am now." She clutched the phone tight. Could this be the Christmas present she wanted most of all? "Someone just rang my doorbell. Can you believe that?"
"So why don't you answer?"
She carried the phone back into the entry hall. "I was kind of worried it might be a burglar."
"On Christmas?"
"Well," she said, "you never know."
"Not a very good burglar, if he's ringing the doorbell."
"Hmm. Good point." Her door had a mail slot. As she watched, a white envelope appeared and slid to the floor. "Can you believe someone just sent me a letter?"
"Why don't you read it?"
"Think I should?"
"I know you should."
"Hold on."
"I'm right here," he told her. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."
Her hands were shaking. It was the craziest thing. "I think I have to put the phone down."
"Go ahead. I'll wait."
By then, she had her back to the wall, kind of bracing herself against it. With the phone in one hand and the letter in the other, she let her knees buckle. She slid down the wall until her butt met the floor. And then, with great care, she set the phone down beside her.
That left both hands free to deal with the
envelope. Fumbling, the paper crackling as her fingers shook, she managed to get it open and slide the letter inside free.
It was one page, printed off a computer. Single spaced.
It had a title, all in caps: 17 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU.
And centered, below that,…And Can't Live Without (in no particular order).
A list. He'd written a list! It was so like him.
She started reading, her heart so full she marveled it could hold all the love within it, her tears rising, pooling, streaming unashamed down her cheeks.
1. The way you look in the morning with no makeup and that grouchy frown
2. The way you move when you're dancing
3. Because of the daughter you gave me
4. Because of the amazing job you're doing raising said daughter
5. Because of the new baby. I know he or she will have the best mother there is
6. The simple fact that you happen to be the most beautiful woman in the world
7. Another fact: If not for you, I would still be a spoiled, selfish, stick-up-the-ass rich boy without a clue of all that I was missing
8. Because you work hard and are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself
9. Because you tell the truth
10. Because of your mind. It's a beautiful mind
11. Because you'll do anything for a friend
12. And speaking of that, because you took care of my mom when she needed it—in the way that she needed it
13. Because you have a sense of humor. In the long run, a guy really needs a woman with one of those
14. Because the first time I saw you naked, I thought I would die
15. And every other time since
16. Because you never take any crap from me—or anyone else for that matter
17. Because you are my beacon. Of sanity. Of truth
P.S.—Please take me back. I can live without marriage if that's how you want it, but don't make me live without you in my arms at night, across the table from me in the morning and beside me, in the good times and the tough times, too.
"Corrie?" His voice, from the phone on one side, through the door on the other. "Corrie, you still there?"
She swiped the streaming tears away, grabbed the phone and stuck it in a pocket as she shoved herself back up the wall to her feet. Once there, she turned to the door.
He stood on the other side, his eyes full of hope, a giant poinsettia held in his hands. Shyly, he told her, "I thought flowers, you know? But then I saw this…"
She grabbed his arm and hauled him inside, shoving the door shut. "Thank you." She took the plant from him, set it on the narrow entry hall table. And then she reached for him.
He gathered her into his arms. "You cried…"
"Yeah."
He bent, kissed one wet cheek and then the other. "I love you. So much. I don't know why I never said it. It was only…I had a plan for my life. It was all laid out in my mind, just how it would go—college, my masters, home to work at BravoCorp…"
"And get richer than you already were."
He nodded. "And I always did plan to get married—but not till my mid-thirties."
"…to a woman who would never own a bar—let alone get up and dance on one."
"And then I met you."
"The wrong woman at the wrong time."
"…who actually happened to be so damn right. I let my rigid plans ruin our chance at love and happiness."
She slipped her arms around his waist, kissed that manly cleft in his chin. "But see, Matt, that's the thing about love. When there's love, there can be a second chance."
"You mean that?" Hope shone in his beautiful eyes.
"Oh, yes. I was too proud. I'll work on that. You still got that ring you bought me?"
"Corrie." His voice held reverence. And surprise. "You're serious?"
"Seventeen reasons, huh? I'm impressed."
"I've got the ring. At home. I didn't bring it. I was afraid you might think I was pushing…."
"Marry me, Matt."
"Say that again."
"Marry me."
"I thought you'd never ask."
* * *
In the morning, Kira came downstairs to find her parents kissing by the fireplace.
"Daddy!" She ran to him, her arms out wide.
He scooped her up. She hooked one small arm around his neck and reached for her mom with the other. When she had them both good and close, she announced, "Happy Christmas to our family." She planted one smacking kiss on Matt's cheek and then one on Corrine's.
And then instantly she was squirming to get down and get to the tree with all those presents under it.
After the gifts were opened, Corrine made pancakes. And after breakfast, she and Kira got dressed. Matt had only the clothes he'd arrived in the night before, so they went to his house, where he showered and changed. And gave Corrine her engagement ring.
And then they drove out to Bravo Ridge.
They parked in the big circle in front of the imposing white ranch house with its grand row of white pillars holding up the deep front verandah, each one wrapped in a spiral of greenery that sparkled with tiny lights. Aleta emerged through the front door as they mounted the wide steps.
Tears shone in her eyes at the sight of Corrine. "Welcome," she said. "I'm so glad you're here." And she held out her arms.
Corrine went first into her loving embrace. And then Kira and then Matt. After the hugs, Aleta herded them inside. Corrine crossed the threshold with wonder and joy in her heart.
It was a beautiful day. A magical day. A day that Corrine had never believed would come. It was her first Christmas at Bravo Ridge.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4463-8
CHRISTMAS AT BRAVO RIDGE
Copyright © 2009 by Christine Rimmer
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