Enchanting Christmas (Impossible Dream, Book 2)

by Beth Ciotta

  “Son of a bitch,” Zeke said.

  “Where’s the letter?” Roger asked.

  “I burned it,” Chrissy said. Her first words. Words that caused a universal frown.

  Her dad shifted, a six-foot-four mountain of frustration and anger. He jerked his head toward Mason but addressed Chrissy. “How am I supposed to confront his asshole father with no proof of threat?”

  She swallowed hard. “I don’t want you to confront Boyd Rivers. I want you to accept Mason and the fact that we want to move forward as a couple.”

  “You haven’t seen each other in five years!” Zeke exploded.

  Eva shushed her son. “Seems we have a lot to sort out. I have coffee brewing on the stove. Give me a hand, Christmas.”

  Roger elbowed Zeke. “Grab a bottle of whisky. You.” He pointed at Mason. “Take a seat.”

  Mason squeezed Chrissy’s hand before she finally let go and followed her mom into the kitchen. It smelled like toast and coffee and goodness. Tears stung her eyes as her mom grasped her shoulders.

  “I have two questions. Do you love him?”

  “With all my heart. I know it seems crazy, but—”

  “Is he a good man?”

  Chrissy crooked a wobbly smile. “Too good to be true. He’s already bonded with Mel. He’s moving here and—”

  “That’s all I need to know.” Eva hugged her tight and smiled against Chrissy’s cheek. “Now. Let’s go side up with Mason and do battle with your dad and Zeke.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Once upon a special night

  One week later

  “Sorry I’m late!” Chrissy rushed into Café Caboose, her purse and a shopping bag looped over her arm. Winded, she plopped into the vacant seat next to Emma. “Did you order yet?”

  Emma nodded. “Choo-Choo Cheeseburgers all around. Extra fries for you as specified by you.”

  “Awesome. Thanks.” She swiped off her cap and smiled at her friends. Emma, Angel, Georgie, Bella. All the Inseparables, minus their gentle, secretive east-coast transplant. Chrissy was so thrilled to be with all of them, she didn’t even mind the holiday music playing loudly in the background. ’Twas the night before Christmas Eve. Of course, the staff at Caboose were cranking up the jolly.

  “Talk about miracles,” Chrissy said in all sincerity. “Between everyone’s manic schedules, I was beginning to think we’d miss our traditional dinner this week.”

  “I wasn’t worried for a minute,” Bella said.

  “That’s because you’re obscenely optimistic,” Emma said. “As it was, I was the only one who had every night open for the last six days—surprising and somewhat depressing. I thought I had a life. Now I’m wondering. Even with three jobs, I have much more time on my hands than any of you.

  “You,” she said to Bella, “had conflicts with the library and that kids’ function with Savage. Angel’s neck deep in her charity work. Georgie had commitments with her assorted half and step siblings. Chrissy, well, we all know what she’s been up to,” Emma finished with a wink.

  Chrissy flushed.

  Angel smiled. “I think it’s sweet. And inspiring. Reunited with her true love. The father of her child. Five years of separation and now they’re making up for lost time by spending as much time together as possible.”

  “You can’t blame Chrissy for being joined at the hip with Mason,” Georgie said. “The man’s not only handsome and charismatic, he’s also a mover and shaker. Angel was desperate to sell her house on Eagle Butte. He’s buying it. Bryce was three days from shutting down Coyote’s. Mason swooped in and saved the day. Within a week and a half, the man landed a home, a business, wooed back his love, won over his daughter, and…he’s pretty much charmed the whole of Nowhere, including Chrissy’s family.” Georgie frowned and blushed. “No thanks to my loose lips.”

  “Would you let that go?” Chrissy said as she motioned the waitress for a coffee. “If I was going to be mad at anyone, it would be Ryan. He’s the one who tipped off Zeke. Hard to be mad though, when I know his intentions were good. For years I gave Ryan the impression Mason was a bastard, so naturally he was worried.”

  “Yeah,” Georgie said, “but because of me and Ryan, Zeke punched Mason.”

  “And Mason took it like a champ,” Chrissy said, smiling a little when she remembered how he’d stayed true to his word. He’d focused on smoothing things over with her family. Slow going, but it was going. His developing relationship with Mel, on the other hand, was moving at lightning speed. Chrissy wasn’t sure who her daughter adored more: Mason or his dog.

  “All I know,” Emma said as the waitress served their burgers, “is that at the rate you two are going, you’ll be married by the New Year.”

  “I doubt that,” Chrissy said, focusing on her fries rather than her friends. “We haven’t even…”

  “What?” Georgie asked.

  “You’re kidding!” Emma said.

  Chrissy shushed her, feeling as red as the ketchup she squirted onto her plate.

  “You’ve been hot and heavy for over a week,” Emma said in an excited whisper. “Considering the heat level of the public affection, I just assumed you were burning up the sheets at home.”

  Angel gawked. “You mean you haven’t… Wow. That’s a stunner.”

  “Color me surprised,” Georgie said.

  “I know you said Mason wanted to take it slower this time,” Bella said, “but, I’m with Georgie. Every time you two are in the same room, the windows steam up. I just assumed…”

  “What are you waiting for?” Angel asked.

  “It’s not me. It’s him. Every time we get close, he puts on the brakes. It’s like all of a sudden he’s gone all old-fashioned on me.”

  “When you put it like that,” Bella said, as she dressed her burger, “it’s sort of sweet. Definitely romantic.”

  “Try frustrating.” Chrissy stuffed a handful of fries into her mouth. She’d been eating a lot lately. Oral compensation for the lack of sex. “It’s been five years since…”

  Angel angled her head. “Since you and Mason…”

  “Since me and anyone,” Chrissy blurted then lowered her voice, “did it.”

  “Five years of celibacy?” Georgie asked wide-eyed.

  “That’s just wrong,” Emma said with a headshake.

  “What? You thought I was sleeping around?” Chrissy asked Georgie.

  “Of course, not. But I assumed you’d, you know,” she said with a furtive glance around, “done some horizontal barn-dancing with someone at some point. How would I know? You’re always so private about that stuff.”

  “If you want to, um, mambo so badly,” Angel said. “Why don’t you make it impossible for him to say no?”

  Chrissy raised a curious brow.

  “Wow,” Emma said. “It has been a long time. Be the aggressor. Seduce him. Wear something hot—”

  “Or nothing at all,” Georgie said with an ornery grin.

  “Joe likes it when I dress up in costume,” Bella said, causing everyone to pause mid-chew. “Drives him senseless.”

  “So, so wrong,” Emma said.

  “What?” Bella asked, then snorted and rolled her eyes. “Not my princess gown or any of the other stuff I wear for storytelling with the kids. I’m talking sexy stuff. You know,” she said with a wiggle of her fair brows. “Nurse Goodbody, Friendly Skies Flight Attendant, Deputy Patdown.”

  Angel buried her red face in her hands. “TMI.”

  “Holy crow,” Georgie said.

  “Who knew you had it in you?” Emma asked then looked to Chrissy and jerked a thumb at Bella. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

  “I get it,” Chrissy said. If her goody-two-shoes cousin could seduce biker dude senseless, surely Chrissy could obliterate Mason’s restraint. “I don’t do sappy, but I can do sexy.”

  “Where’s Mason right now?” Bella asked as she slurped egg nog.

  “At his house.” Although, Chrissy and Melody had been spending so
much time there with him and Rush it was beginning to feel like their house.

  “Where’s Melody?” Georgie asked.

  “With mom and dad. Baking cookies and helping to prepare for Christmas Eve.”

  “Then what are you doing here?” Emma asked.

  “Mason all alone in that big house,” Bella said.

  “Timing is everything,” Angel said. “Well, timing and attitude.”

  Chrissy blinked at her friends. “But we haven’t even exchanged our gifts.”

  “We can amend that,” Emma said.

  On cue, everyone dipped into their shopping bags, checking name tags and passing beautifully wrapped packages to the appropriate Inseparable.

  “Whatever it is,” Bella said as they all traded gifts. “I love it.”

  “You shouldn’t have,” Georgie said to everyone even though she didn’t know the contents of her packages, “But thank you!”

  “What a surprise!” Angel said. “Or at least it will be.”

  “You can open these later,” Emma said to Chrissy while reloading her gift bag.

  Georgie shoved aside Chrissy’s half-eaten meal. “Dessert’s waiting at home.”

  Somewhat stunned, but inspired, Chrissy looped her scarf around her neck. Her pulse raced as her mind mentally scoured her lingerie drawer. Nabbing her coat and bag, she stood and smiled at her friends. “You’re the best.”

  They smiled back and answered as one. “We know.”

  * * *

  “To wrap or not to wrap? Do I do the friend-of-mommy thing or the daddy-Santa thing?”

  Rush cocked his head at his person.

  Mason cocked a brow at his dog. “You’re no help.”

  Hands on hips, he shifted his gaze from the scruffy mutt to his messy bed, a bed overflowing with gifts for his daughter. Chrissy had asked him not to go overboard. “So much for keeping it real.”

  The doorbell rang.

  Instead of barking, Rush nudged Mason’s hand. A new skill he’d learned in order to alert Melody of a sound. Rush would never be a full-fledged, top-notch hearing dog, but he was coming along with some basics.

  Everything, relating to their move to Nowhere, was coming along and coming together in a calm and grounded manner, Mason thought as he loped down the stairs. Even though he’d jumped on buying this house and investing in the Coyote Club, it had merely been the groundwork to rooting himself in Chrissy’s hometown. To dig in with her and her family. To provide a stable home for Melody. Building trust, deepening bonds, nurturing a successful business…that would take time.

  “Anything worth having is worth waiting for, working for.”

  At long last a sense of contentment and purpose fueled his days. Every morning he woke inspired. Every night he counted his blessings. Chrissy and Mel topped the list. He’d never felt more loved in his life.

  He swung open the door expecting a delivery man. He’d been receiving packages for several days. His heart slammed against his ribs. “Dad.”

  “Son.”

  Mason stood poleaxed. They hadn’t spoken since the blowout. He’d had two tense calls from his mother, ordering him to stop this nonsense and come home. He’d ignored her third call.

  Wearing a cashmere coat and an enigmatic expression, Boyd shifted his sizable body, snow crunching beneath his boots. “Are you going to invite me in or are we going to have this discussion on your porch?”

  Rush sat at Mason’s side. He wasn’t growling, but his tail wasn’t thumping either. Curious, yet cautious. Like owner, like dog.

  It was cold and dark and, even though his closest neighbor was a half-mile away, Mason had no interest in airing his dirty laundry in a plain view. He and Chrissy were a lot alike when it came to guarding their privacy. Spine stiff, mood edgy, Mason sent Rush packing then stepped back, allowing the old man to invade his new home.

  He led him into the living room without offering to take his coat. A silent signal to state his case and be gone. It wasn’t like Mason to be bitter, but dammit he was. Boyd Rivers had robbed him of five precious years and now he was tainting his cherished sanctuary.

  A fire crackled in the hearth. The massive Christmas tree twinkled with lights and ornaments, several handmade by Mel. A holiday movie played out on the big-ass plasma screen, featuring the velvety voice of Bing Crosby. Rush had curled up on his bed with a stuffed animal—another gift from Mel.

  “Are you alone?” Boyd asked as his grey gaze skimmed the cozy room.

  “At the moment.”

  “I thought maybe…” He worked his jaw then swung a festive shopping bag at Mason. “This is for Melody.”

  Mason stared at the bag. “You brought my daughter a gift?”

  “I was hoping to meet her and…Take the damned bag, Mason. It won’t bite.”

  Heart thudding he relieved his father of the metallic green bag and set it next to the tree.

  Boyd stuffed his big hands in his coat pockets. “I was hoping to meet Melody and I wanted to apologize to Miss Mooney. And you. It took a lot of digging, but you were right. There was a letter. A threatening letter and it was sent via Edward’s office.”

  Mason balled his fists at his sides. “But you didn’t write it. Or sanction it.”

  “I did not.”

  “Then who? Oh, hell.” Mason’s gut cramped. “Mom?”

  “I’m not here to defend or explain her actions. I can’t. Not wholly. She’s yet to come clean with me on this.”

  “Why isn’t she here? Coming clean with me? What the… So she hired someone to hack into my email? To screen my correspondences? What the hell?”

  “Something snapped inside your mom when Jimmy died.”

  “We all snapped, Dad.”

  “I’ve tried to shield you, everyone, from some of her greater…issues. And yes, I’ve urged her to seek professional help. That’s yet to happen.” He blew out a breath. “I know she thought you were wild back then. More wild than your brother. She worried you might end up in trouble. I think she saw that email from Miss Mooney as trouble. Saw it as a threat. She was worried about losing you.”

  “She has lost me.” Mason’s heart felt like a freaking block of ice. “Because of her selfish manipulation, Chrissy spent almost five years raising Melody as a single parent. Five years of thinking I didn’t love her. Five years of thinking I’d rejected our daughter.” Frustrated, he shoved his hands through his hair. “Oh, what the hell do you care?”

  “I care.”

  The same words Mason had said to Chrissy during their frazzled reunion.

  “I’m a driven man, Mason, and not a particularly warm one. But I care. This isn’t easy for me to say, but I’m sorry for forcing you into Jimmy’s shoes. I don’t think I ever realized how fully miserable you were. But I do know how hard you tried.”

  Mason stood strong, even though his knees felt like buckling.

  Boyd took another look around the room. “You have a nice place here. I know you’re settling in and going your own way, but you’ll always be a part of RAVI. If you ever want to take an active role again—just say the word. I wish you and your Chrissy well and I hope to meet that granddaughter of mine sometime soon.”

  Bing Crosby continued to croon as Mason continued to stare.

  His dad glanced at the tree, the tinsel, the lights, Mel’s popcorn garland and snowflake ornaments. “I should go. Driver’s waiting to take me back to the airport. I couldn’t let Christmas go by without seeing you, Mason. As for your mother… I’m hoping that’ll work itself out.”

  He turned to leave.

  “I’ll show you out.”

  “I can find my way.”

  Mason didn’t argue. And he didn’t have it in him to go all warm and fuzzy on a man who’d never showed an ounce of true affection. Until now. If booking a charter plane to fly across the state to deliver a gift and an apology counted as affection.

  “Ah, hell.” Mason hurried across the room, Rush trotting behind, tail wagging. He caught up just as his old man’s b
oots hit the porch. “Dad. Thanks for… Merry Christmas.”

  Boyd turned, nodded. “You don’t have to tell her it’s from me, but I’d be obliged if you gave that gift to my granddaughter.”

  Mason nodded, watching as his father strode through the dark to his rented ride. When the car backed out, Mason closed the door and palmed the wall. He looked down at Rush. “Yeah, I know. The season of goodwill. Forgiveness, understanding, and all that. Gonna need some time on this one, Champ.” He pushed off the wall. “Time and probably a drink or two.”

  As they moved back into the living room, Mason’s gaze fell on the metallic bag. He wasn’t sure how Chrissy would feel about giving Mel a gift from his dad, a man she’d lived in fear of for the last few years.

  Only Boyd Rivers hadn’t really been to blame.

  Curious, Mason stooped down next to the bag. What did Boyd know about little girls? Had he bought a gender appropriate gift? An age appropriate gift? When Mason had confronted his dad about Melody’s existence, he’d mentioned she’d been born deaf. Had the old man bought an appropriate gift period?

  Mason glanced at Rush who whined.

  “I’m with you,” he said. “Let’s find out.”

  Mason pulled crinkled red tissue from the bag until his fingers connected with the gift. “I’ll be damned.”

  A small tambourine rigged with multi-colored LED lights. A rhythmic instrument that she could shake or smack like a drum. A musical instrument that flashed and twinkled with a bonus light show.

  “Perfect.”

  Almost as perfect as the card with the handwritten message: For Melody. March to the beat of your own drum.

  Chapter Twelve

  Chrissy’s knees knocked as she rang the doorbell. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was nervous or cold. Probably both. The door swung open and Mason looked stunned. She hadn’t called ahead, still.