by Debbie Mason
“It’s okay. We’re going to be okay.” He took her in his arms and rocked her. She felt his tears in her hair.
“I saw him. The night I died, I saw him. He was at the end of the light. He was with my dad. I wanted to go to him, to them.”
“But I called you back.”
She nodded.
“I’m glad you came back to me.”
“I am too.”
He let her go and wiped the tears from his face and then hers. He smiled, lowering the coat to check on the baby. “I’ll do a quick search for Dawn, and then I’ll get my car.”
“I’m going to bring him into the church. Father O’Malley will be sympathetic. He’ll want to help Dawn. He won’t call the police. He’s been working with Evie and me on the family initiatives at the community center.”
“All right. I’ll meet you there within the next thirty minutes. Hopefully with Dawn.”
Fifteen minutes later, Connor walked into the church with a shivering and tearful Dawn at his side. Once they’d reunited mother and child, Father O’Malley brought her to the rectory for hot chocolate, leaving Arianna and Connor to talk.
“I’m going to stay with them for a few hours to see if we can come up with a solution tonight. Evie’s on her way over,” Arianna said.
Connor nodded. “There’s something I need to take care of. I’ll be gone for a couple of days. I’m not leaving you,” he said firmly, as though sensing the panic that welled up inside her. “Trust me. I’ll be back in time for Christmas. I’ll meet you at the town hall at three o’clock for Hazel’s announcement.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
It was three o’clock on Christmas Eve, and Connor wasn’t there. Arianna glanced around the packed town hall. She smiled at Evie, Dawn, who held her son in her arms, and Father O’Malley. Dawn had decided to keep her baby. Arianna, Evie, and Father O’Malley had signed on as Dawn’s surrogate parents or, as Father O’Malley liked to tease, David’s grandparents. It was then that Evie and Arianna changed their designation to surrogate big sisters.
Arianna glanced to her left. Connor’s family took up nearly the entire front row. His mother leaned across his father. “He’ll be here. My son always keeps his promises,” Maura told her with a reassuring smile.
“Thank you.” She appreciated her support. Arianna had been nervous when she’d first arrived at the town hall. Connor had been wonderful, but she hadn’t known what to expect from his family, especially Maura, who wasn’t exactly an easy woman. They’d all been lovely.
“Sorry. Excuse me.” Arianna heard a woman’s voice coming from the back of the hall. She glanced over her shoulder to see Dorothy DiRossi clear the crowd, rushing down the aisle to the front row. “Oh good. I’m not too late.” She handed Arianna a card-size Christmas box. “This is from you to Connor.”
“I don’t understand,” Arianna said, lifting the lid. At the sight of two chocolate cigars, one with a pink wrapper and one with a blue one, she dropped the box.
Maura squealed and dove for the cigars, which had fallen onto the floor. “Look, look. She’s having twins!” She waved them in the air.
“She’s not having twins. We don’t know what she’s having. Now, put them in the box before you ruin Connor’s surprise,” Dorothy said.
Arianna stared at the woman. “I’m having a baby?”
“Yes. You’re definitely having a baby.”
The crowd broke into cheers.
“How?” Arianna asked.
Several people started to laugh, and Dorothy shushed them. “When you told me you’d been more tired than usual and nauseated and your arm was fine, I decided to do a pregnancy test. And”—she waved the chocolate cigars in the air—“I was right. Congratulations, lovey.”
The crowd started shouting congratulations too and asking when the baby was due.
Arianna sighed. “You might as well tell them.”
“You’re a nosy bunch. Arianna and Connor’s baby is due next summer.”
When the hall got so quiet you could hear a pin drop, Arianna shifted in her seat to see what was wrong. At the back of the hall, Connor stared at her.
“What’s the holdup? Come on. Get going!”
“Glamma?” Arianna said, as stunned as Connor still appeared to be.
“Yes. Yes, it’s me, and if Connor would stop blocking the way…”
Connor grimaced and then moved aside to reveal her grandmother and her two sisters. “Jenna? Serena? What are you all doing here?”
“We’re your secret admirer’s best and biggest surprises,” her grandmother announced as Arianna ran up the aisle.
“You are. You definitely are,” she said, half-laughing, half-crying, hugging the three of them.
“Your mother’s back at the house with the dog,” Glamma announced. “So we should probably get this show on the road. Hazel, are you ready with the announcement?”
“If you don’t mind, I need a minute,” Connor said, gesturing for her grandmother and sisters to sit down. As they released her and made their way to the front row, Connor took Arianna in his arms. “I wouldn’t have minded a bit of privacy for this, but it looks like the whole town is in on it anyway, so they might as well know I’m going to make an honest woman out of you,” he said as he went down on one knee. “Arianna Bell, mother of my son, mother of my baby-to-be, and the only woman I have ever loved, will you please put me out of my misery and marry me?”
“There’s nothing I want more than to marry—”
“Wait!” a voice in the crowd shouted out. “Don’t you want to know which one of you the town council and Hazel picked to be mayor?”
“When I figure out who belongs to that voice—” Connor began, rising to his feet with a gorgeous diamond ring in his hand.
“It doesn’t matter,” Hazel said. “They both withdrew their names. Since Connor was running in his uncle’s place, we’ve asked Daniel Gallagher—”
Glamma shot to her feet. “Hold it right there. What about me? Arianna was running in my place.”
“No. If anyone is going to be mayor, it’s going to be either me or Arianna. We won based on our own merits. Now, just give us a minute.” Connor looked at her. “I can’t believe you withdrew your name. I wanted you to be mayor.”
“I can’t believe you withdrew yours. I wanted you to be mayor.”
He grinned. “I can’t believe we’re having this discussion.”
She laughed. “I can’t believe we’re getting married.”
“So you were going to say yes?”
“How could it be anything other than yes? I love you. So, in case there’s any doubt, yes, yes, yes, yes!” She put her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“I think that was a yes for me,” Daniel Gallagher said.
“I’m her grandmother. Why would she vote for you?”
Connor sighed and then broke the kiss to look into Arianna’s eyes. “Hazel, what do you say? Two for the price of one. Arianna and I will share the job.”
Hazel and the entire town council nodded their agreement. “If you hadn’t both withdrawn your names, we were going to ask if you’d consider it. We didn’t know how else to break the tie.”
“I can’t believe we were tied again,” Connor said.
“You really did think you were going to win, didn’t you?” Arianna said.
“Of course I did.” He grinned.
“Merry Christmas, everyone!” Hazel and the town council called out before leaving the stage.
“Bah humbug,” Daniel said.
* * *
Early the next morning, Arianna sat in front of the twinkling pink tree with Connor while Comet nosed his way through the reams of Christmas wrap. Carols played softly in the living room as a light snow fell outside.
“How long do you think we have before they get out of bed?” Connor asked, glancing toward her grandmother’s bedroom.
Her mother had shared the bed with Glamma, while Arianna had shared hers with Connor and Comet. Serena had s
tayed with Jenna. They were coming here for brunch, and then they were all going to the manor for Christmas dinner. Her mother included.
Arianna hadn’t seen Beverly last night. She’d already been in bed when they’d arrived home from the manor, where they’d all gone to celebrate. Arianna couldn’t remember a happier Christmas Eve. “It’ll probably be another hour before they get up. Why?”
“Because I have something else for you, and I wanted to give it to you in private.” He drew a beautifully wrapped blue box from under the tree. She had an idea what it was as soon as she saw the box. Mostly because she knew the man who was giving it to her so well.
She lovingly stroked the box. “I bet Will’s grandmother knew you as soon as she opened her door.”
“She did.” He smiled. “She’s a sweet lady. Our son had a good family. He was well loved.”
“I know.” She took his hand and pressed it to her stomach to remind him that life offered as many blessings as it did heartache. “This baby will be too.”
He bent down, replacing his hand with his lips, straightening at the sounds coming from behind her grandmother’s closed bedroom door.
“Oh, stop it,” they heard Glamma say. “It’s Christmas Day. Now that you promised I can come home for good, Arianna will forgive you anything.”
“Is she right?” Connor asked. Surprisingly, he’d been much more forgiving of her mother’s actions than Arianna had expected. Spending time with Dawn and David had helped.
Arianna nodded. “I need to let it go, as much for my own sake as for my family’s. Holding on to the anger and pain didn’t bring our son back. It just made me bitter. I don’t want to be that woman anymore.” She didn’t think she could be, not with Connor in her life and a baby on the way.
“I’m glad, because rumor has it your mother’s moving in with your grandmother for good. Serena was talking about it too.”
“I guess I’m getting kicked out of my house after all. Are you interested in a roommate?” she teased.
“How fast can you pack?” He smiled, reaching into the pocket of his sleep pants. “We forgot a part last night,” he said, taking her left hand in his. “Arianna Bell, the love of my life, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Yes, if you’ll do me the honor of being my forever love,” she said as he slid the gorgeous diamond onto her finger. Comet barked and jumped onto her lap just as she leaned in to kiss Connor. They both ended up kissing Comet instead, who rewarded them with chin-to-cheek licks.
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About the Author
Debbie Mason is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado, and the Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue, and juicy plots” (RTBookReviews.com). When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their three wonderful children and son-in-law, and their two adorable grandbabies in Ottawa, Canada.
You can learn more at:
AuthorDebbieMason.com
Twitter @AuthorDebMason
Facebook.com/DebbieMasonBooks/
Also by Debbie Mason
The Harmony Harbor series
Mistletoe Cottage
“Christmas with an Angel” (short story)
Starlight Bridge
Primrose Lane
Sugarplum Way
Driftwood Cove
Sandpiper Shore
The Christmas, Colorado series
The Trouble with Christmas
Christmas in July
It Happened at Christmas
Wedding Bells in Christmas
Snowbound at Christmas
Kiss Me in Christmas
Happy Ever After in Christmas
“Marry Me at Christmas” (short story)
“Miracle at Christmas” (short story)
Praise for Debbie Mason’s
Harmony Harbor Series
Driftwood Cove
“Mason rolls out the excitement in the fifth book in the Harmony Harbor series.”
—RT Book Reviews
“I love second-chance romances, and Debbie Mason has written another good one in her Harmony Harbor series with some pretty significant obstacles between our hero and heroine and their happy ending.”
—TheRomanceDish.com
Sugarplum Way
“4 Stars! Harlequin Junkie Recommends! An amazing addition to this sweet and sassy series.”
—HarlequinJunkie.com
“I really enjoyed this story…It had a lot of elements that, put together, made for a Christmas where dreams really do come true.”
—RomancingTheBook.com
Primrose Lane
“4 Stars! This is a book worth savoring as it has all the elements of a fantastic read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Wow, do these books bring the feels. Deep emotion, heart-tugging romance, and a touch of suspense make them hard to put down, while the humor sprinkled throughout keeps the emotional intensity balanced with comic relief.”
—TheRomanceDish.com
Starlight Bridge
“4 Stars! Mason gives Ava and Griffin a second chance at love. There’s a mystery surrounding the sale of the estate…that adds a special appeal to the book.”
—RT Book Reviews
“I loved this book. Debbie Mason writes romance like none other.”
—FreshFiction.com
Mistletoe Cottage
“Top Pick! 4½ Stars! Mason has a knockout with the first book in her Harmony Harbor series.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Mistletoe Cottage is anything but typical. It’s a fast-paced story with colorful characters, lots of banter, and even more twists and turns.”
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
THE CORNER OF HOLLY AND IVY
By Debbie Mason
USA Today bestselling author Debbie Mason welcomes readers to Harmony Harbor! With her dreams of being a wedding dress designer suddenly over, Arianna Bell isn’t expecting a holly jolly Christmas. She thinks a run for town mayor might cheer her spirits—until she learns her opponent is her gorgeous high school sweetheart. Connor Gallagher is not going to let the attraction sparking between them get in the way of his success. But with the help of some festive matchmakers, Connor and Arianna just may get the holiday reunion they deserve.
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
BIG BAD COWBOY
By Carly Bloom
Maggie Mackey is pretty sure she hates Travis Blake. He’s irritating, he’s destroying her business, and…and he’s just so frickin’ attractive. But when they’re forced to work together, she discovers that the Most Annoying Man in the World is more than he seems. Maggie doesn’t want to risk everything on a man who’s so eager to leave town, but what if she can convince this wayward cowboy to stay? Carly Bloom’s debut is perfect for fans of Lori Wilde and Maisey Yates!
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
CHRISTMAS WISHES AND MISTLETOE KISSES
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USA Today bestselling author Jenny Hale gives the magic of Christmas a whole new meaning in this feel-good romance! Single mother Abbey Fuller doesn’t regret putting her dreams of being an interior designer on hold to raise her son. Now that Max is older, she jumps at the chance to work on a small design job. But when she arrives at the Sinclair mansion, she feels out of her element—and her gorgeous but brooding boss Nicholas Sinclair is not exactly in the holiday spirit. Nick is all work and no play—even during the most wonderful time of the year. With the snow falling all around them, can Abbey make her dreams of being a designer come true? And can she help Nick finally enjoy the magic of Christmas?
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN
By Katee Robert
New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert continues her smoking-hot O’Malleys series. Dmitri Romanov knows Keira O’Malley only married him to keep peace between their families. Nevertheless, the desire that smolders between them is a dangerous addiction neither can resist. But with his enemies circling closer, Keira could just be his secret weapon—if she doesn’t bring him to his knees first.
TWISTED TRUTHS
By Rebecca Zanetti
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti presents a sexy, action-packed story with twists and turns that will blow you away! Noni Yuka is desperate. Her infant niece has been kidnapped, and the only person who can save her is the private detective who once broke her heart.