by C. C. Coburn
“I’m afraid not.”
“What?” the two women asked at once.
“He’s refusing to come down until they get Will out!”
Becky couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up inside her. “That damn stubborn pair!”
“They are, aren’t they?” Matt agreed, unable to hide his smile.
“But won’t Nicolas be cold?”
“I doubt he’s worrying about his own comfort. The paramedics will have made sure he isn’t hypothermic. He’s in the heated cabin of one of the snow-grooming machines. They’ve been providing shelter for the rescuers when they need to take a break.”
“Are…are they close to finding Will?”
He shook his head. “I wish I had the answer to that. When they do finally bring them down, they’ll both be taken to the hospital.”
“Hospital?” Becky wanted them safe at home with her.
“It’s standard procedure,” Matt explained. “They’ll be thoroughly examined for internal injuries before they’re released.”
AS DAY TURNED TO NIGHT, every nerve in Becky’s body wanted to scream as she realized there was probably no hope for Will now. She wanted to rail against the injustice of it. Will was a true hero. He’d sacrificed his life for another. For her son. She fought the grief threatening to overwhelm her.
“I can’t stand this anymore,” Matt said, his lips a tight line. “I’m going up there.”
Becky’s heart filled with hope. “The two most important people in the world to me are there, Matt. Please bring them back safely,” she said, her voice choked with emotion and gratitude.
With a quick salute, he jumped onto a snowmobile and roared off.
She hugged herself against the cold. Matt would find Will and bring him back, she told herself. He wouldn’t come down from the mountain until he did.
Jack joined her, linking his hand with hers. “I don’t pray much these days, Becky, but if you’d like, I’ll pray with you,” he said.
She gazed into his deep blue eyes, so different from his brothers’, and wondered again why he’d left the seminary.
She nodded, and they prayed silently together. Please, God, keep Will safe.
DARKNESS FELL, but the base area was flooded with light. To distract herself Becky put all her energy into seeing that Miss Patterson was comfortable. The elderly woman had refused to go home until she knew Will was safe. Talk about stubborn! Becky thought as she fetched more coffee.
“There’s someone coming down!” Jack cried.
Becky raced outside. Sure enough, several snowmobiles, followed by a snow-grooming machine, were moving slowly down the mountain.
They were either taking care to transport patients carefully over the snow—or driving slowly out of respect for the…Becky shook her head to clear it of negative thoughts and approached the supervisor who’d taken over from Matt. “What’s going on?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. Our communications cut out a few minutes ago and we haven’t been able to restore them.”
She forced herself to be patient, to wait and to hope. Sarah came to stand beside her, clasping her frozen hand as they waited for the slow procession to make its way down to them.
The wait seemed interminable as she peered through the darkness, trying to see who was on the lead snowmobile.
The radio crackled back to life and the operator gave a shout. “They’re okay! They’re both okay!”
Sarah and Becky turned to each other with a cry of triumph, hugging each other tightly as tears streamed down their cheeks.
“I have to go to him,” Becky said. From the moment she’d heard they were coming down, she’d wanted to run up the slope to meet the small convoy. And now she did, surprised that her feet felt so light. The leading snowmobile broke from the ranks and charged toward her.
Matt was driving, his face split in a huge grin as he pulled up a few yards from her. His passenger eased himself off the seat behind him and stood unsteadily.
“Will!” she cried and closed the distance between them. He grunted as she flung her arms around him and held him close. “I’m so happy to see you!” she said and kissed his cold cheek.
“Where’s Nicolas?” she asked, looking back at the slope.
“Telling the snow groomer how to drive his truck.” He chuckled softly. “That kid has a lot of his mother in him!”
Becky grinned at his teasing remark and hugged him once more, just to be sure he was real. “I love you!” she cried.
He grunted again and brought her against him.
“Are you okay?” she asked, then drew back to look into his eyes. “You keep grunting.”
“Broken ribs,” he groaned and took in a ragged breath. In the light from the other rescue vehicles she could see that he was wincing with pain. “Say that again,” he murmured.
“Are you all right?”
“The part before that.”
“I love you.”
His dark eyes bored into her. “Do you really?”
“Oh, yes!” she cried and kissed him. “Forever!”
He gave her a dimpled grin and said, “Then let’s get our little guy and go home.”
THEY ARRIVED BACK at Becky’s house several hours later, after having their injuries attended to at the emergency room. Will had resisted going to the hospital, claiming he wanted to go home and maybe sleep for three days straight instead. But as soon as Becky heard the words lung puncture and life threatening when the paramedic mentioned the possible complications of broken ribs, she’d insisted he go to the hospital along with Nicolas.
Becky rode in one ambulance with Nicolas. Matt rode with Will in another. She fussed over her son and asked why he hadn’t come down the mountain as soon as they got him out. “I was sick with fear and worry, and all I wanted to do was hold you in my arms,” she told him.
But Nicolas, with wisdom greater than his years, said, “If Will hadn’t stayed, if he hadn’t given me his beacon, they might never have found me again. I owe him my life, Mom. He stayed so I wouldn’t be alone and I stayed so he wouldn’t be alone, either. He’s my buddy. And buddies stick together.” Tears brightened his eyes and Becky had to wipe her cheeks for what seemed the hundredth time that day.
Will was a true hero. Her hero. She’d tell him that every day of their lives.
In spite of his dislocated shoulder, Nicolas had said he still wanted to sleep over at the ranch. The family had decided against attending Midnight Mass. After the day’s events, both Will and Nicolas needed sleep. They’d go to mass the following day instead. The family had much to be thankful for this Christmas.
“He’ll be fine, Becky,” Sarah assured her. “He’s been so excited about waking up on Christmas morning with Luke’s girls.” She covered her ears and laughed. “Can you imagine the noise?”
As he climbed into Luke’s vehicle, he looked back and, ever the considerate child, asked, “Are you sure you won’t be lonely, Mom? I could stay if you want.”
Becky shook her head. “I’ll be fine, sweetie. I’m going to wait up for Santa to come down the chimney.”
His eyes opened wide, then narrowed briefly. “Grown-ups wait for Santa?”
“Sure they do,” Will joined in, placing his hand on the back of Becky’s neck.
Nicolas gazed at his hero. “See you tomorrow. Don’t be late!”
Luke honked as he drove off and Will turned to her. “I hope I’m allowed to sleep over at your place.”
She laughed and looped her arms around his neck, careful of his broken ribs. “I’m not sure sleep is what you had planned, but…okay,” she teased, taking his hand to lead him up her front path.
Chapter Twenty-three
“I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you,” Becky murmured as she combed her fingers through Will’s dark hair later that night. They’d made love—cautiously—swept up by the day’s events and their insatiable need for each other.
A secret smile curved her lips. Cooling it hadn’t stood
a chance!
“Good,” Will panted, trying to catch his breath. “Because I know I’ll never get enough of you.”
Emboldened, she pressed a kiss to his bandaged chest, then his throat, then his lips.
They kissed for long moments until Will pulled his mouth from hers and said, “We need to talk.”
Becky expelled her breath with a whoosh. “That sounds ominous.”
“Only if you think my asking you to marry me is ominous.”
Becky couldn’t help the smile that broke across her face. Unable to speak, she shook her head.
“No? You don’t want to marry me?”
“Yes!”
“Yes, you don’t want to marry me?”
“Oh, you annoying man!”
Will grinned, and she felt his teasing humor clear down to her toes. “What am I going to do with you, Will O’Malley?”
“I could suggest a number of things, several of them X-rated.”
“Stop that!” she said, swatting his shoulder.
He lifted her hands and kissed each palm in turn, sending delicious shivers of anticipation pulsing through her.
“Will you marry me, Judge McBride? Can you see yourself spending the rest of your life in this town? Dealing with pesky pigs and sometimes annoying defendants? Having more children and living to a very old age? With me?”
“Yes! Yes, to all of it! Especially the growing old together part. I really like that.”
“And the bit about having more children?”
“A whole passel of ’em!” she agreed, and Will laughed at her mountain slang.
“Do you think Nick will mind?”
“Are you kidding? He’d love brothers and sisters!”
“No, about us getting married.”
“I can’t believe you’re even asking that. Nicolas adores you. Worships you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to my son—and to me.”
He rewarded Becky with one of his smiles, then murmured in her ear, sending shivers of erotic pleasure vibrating through her, “Let’s get started on that passel of kids right now.”
AFTER ALLOWING WILL to sleep as long as he needed, Becky served him breakfast in bed. It was only coffee and croissants from the local bakery, but sharing them would become a tradition, she decided as she picked up a special Christmas Day edition of the paper and scanned the avalanche story.
Still too raw to deal with it, she turned the page and let out a whoop of delight. Will leaned over to see what had her so amused. Dugald, who was curled up at the foot of the bed, pricked up his ears.
She pointed to a photograph of Edna Carmichael and Frank Farquar announcing their engagement. It included a brief story of how they’d dated many years ago and recently—thanks to joint efforts to save an integral part of their town’s history—rekindled their love. It closed with a statement that Louella had given her snort of approval to the match.
“Only in Spruce Lake!” Becky said. “What a wonderful, uplifting story.”
“We could have a double wedding. I’m sure Lou would love to be our bridesmaid.”
“Don’t even think about it!” She laughed, then said, “We should get dressed. The children will be waiting for us so they can open their gifts.”
As if on cue, the phone rang.
“Mom?” Nicolas said, bringing Becky back to earth. “Where are you? We want to open our gifts. And you wouldn’t believe it—Santa knew I was sleeping over at Sasha’s. He’s left all my presents here!”
Becky smiled at the excitement in his voice. “I told you Santa’s magical, sweetie. I’m getting dressed now. See you soon. Oh, and Merry Christmas!”
She hung up the phone and said, “He’s very impressed that Santa knew where he was staying last night.”
Will grinned. “Santa will know where he’s staying for the rest of his life, if I have anything to say about it.”
Sudden tears brimmed in Becky’s eyes.
Will wrapped his arms around her, asking, “Did I say something wrong?”
She placed her hand over his strongly beating heart and said, “No, you said everything right.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “It’s been a very emotional twenty-four hours for me. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost either of you in the aval—”
Her words were interrupted by Will kissing her. When he finally drew away, he whispered, “Let’s not talk about it again, okay? At least not for a long, long time.”
She nodded, stroking his cheek. “I love you, Will, and I don’t ever want to be parted from you.”
“Ditto!” He kissed the tip of her nose. “We’d better get moving. Miss Patterson will be waiting for her ride. Mom invited her to spend Christmas with us.”
“THERE YOU ARE!” four children chimed as they entered the living room at Two Elk.
“We’ve been waiting forever ’n’ ever,” Celeste told her uncle, a frown creasing her brow.
He hoisted her onto his hip, wincing at the effort. “Merry Christmas, cupcake,” he said and nuzzled her neck, causing her to burst into squeals of laughter.
When he set her back on her feet, his other nieces and Nick demanded equal attention, and from then on, the morning was an endless round of gift opening and exclamations of surprise.
WHEN THE LAST GIFT had been opened—a saddle for Daisy—Will brought Becky to stand beside the Christmas tree with him.
He cleared his throat and said, “I have an announcement to make.”
Becky smiled as eleven pairs of eyes widened.
“This wonderful woman—” he raised Becky’s hand to his lips “—has consented to marry me—”
“Hallelujah!” Matt cried and leaped to his feet. He grabbed Becky in a bear hug. “Welcome to the family, Becky,” he said, then turned to Will and shook his hand, saying, “It’s about time, little brother!”
“Hey! We’ve only known each other a few weeks!” Will protested with a laugh.
“More than long enough!” his father yelled above the commotion of screaming children as he came to offer his congratulations.
Surrounded by family, Becky dabbed at her eyes and hugged Nicolas to her as he said, “Mom, this is the best Christmas present in the world!”
Epilogue
The next December…
“My turn now!” Nicolas said, reaching for his baby sister.
With an indulgent smile, Becky handed four-week-old Lily Emma O’Malley over to him. He settled her against him and cooed at her. She offered him a toothless, deep-dimpled grin.
“Do you think she knows I’m her big brother?” he asked, his eyes imploring Becky for an affirmative answer.
“How could she not, buddy?” Will said as he sat on the sofa beside his adopted son. “You’ve done nothing but boss her around since she got here.”
Nicolas chuckled and tickled Lily under her chin, something he’d discovered was guaranteed to have her gurgling with pleasure.
Becky’s heart overflowed with love and happiness as the two men in her life gazed in wonder at the most recent addition to their family.
How things have changed in the past year! she thought. It was a year to the day since she’d first met Will.
They were married at the end of January and she’d become pregnant almost immediately. Job sharing with Judge Stevens had turned out even better than Becky had hoped, and now that she was on maternity leave, another young judge had come to live in Spruce Lake. Would Judge Jenny Chesterfield also find love in this quirky, wonderful town?
The old buildings on Main Street were gradually being restored, attracting a lot of publicity and even awards for their sensitive renovation. Frank had moved back to town and married Edna Carmichael. She still ran her florist shop on Main Street but would soon relocate the business to new premises a short walk from Frank’s and her restored Victorian home. They’d moved in before Thanksgiving, and the housewarming was a huge event, attended, it seemed, by half the town.
Frank, of course, needed an elegant home to cal
l his own since he’d been elected mayor of Spruce Lake by an overwhelming majority.
Miss Patterson still lived in town, but next summer intended to move to the new independent-living units being constructed at the Twilight Years. Will popped in to visit her several times a week and she still baked him chocolate chip cookies.
Matt had been elected county sheriff. Will, true to his promise, had been both Matt’s campaign manager and project manager of the buildings’ restoration. The brothers had forged an even closer bond. They still bickered occasionally, but Matt had learned to take less umbrage at Will’s teasing and Will had found a new respect for his older brother.
Nicolas was thriving. He loved being part of the O’Malley clan. When school had resumed in January, he’d entered the same grade as Sasha. Now that they were cousins, they were more inseparable than ever, and Nicolas had made other friends at school, too. He’d competed in his first swim meet last summer. Although he’d come last in the race, the memory of the standing ovation he’d received from the crowd still brought tears to Becky’s eyes.
Sarah was right; Nicolas didn’t need to be intellectually challenged all the time. He’d learned far more about life by hanging out with Will than he would have if he’d attended a school for gifted kids. And he was happy. Unbelievably happy.
For the moment, they were still living in her rented Victorian in town, but come summer they’d be moving into the beautiful home Jack was building for them on Will’s land. She smiled at that. The ranchettes were a runaway success and she was delighted that Matt had purchased the lot next door—at a heavily discounted price—and would be their neighbor sometime in the future.
And Will had started skiing again. He and Matt had a regular ski date each week. He’d promised to teach Becky, once she felt ready to give it a try. She was sure that eventually she’d be able to face going up the mountains that had nearly claimed Nicolas’s and Will’s lives—but not just yet.
“Can we go buy our tree now?” Nicolas asked.