The next day, Christmas Day, Rose and Austin spent the morning in bed. He decided to give his sister Angie the house they grew up in and make Rose’s apartment home until buying or building one of their own. But on this most sacred of gift-giving mornings, their presents to each other didn’t come in packages tied with ribbon. They were personal, full of passion and pleasure. As perfect as alone with him was, as much as she’d loved it, she knew it couldn’t last because they had family to see and a benefit concert to attend. So propped up against pillows, Rose snuggled against her husband, making the time count.
Austin picked up her left hand and kissed the fourth finger. “I’m sorry you don’t have a ring.”
“It all happened so fast. And I don’t mind.” She shrugged. “Rings don’t make us any less married and that’s all I care about.”
“Me, too. But first chance I get, I’m taking you to the jewelry store.”
She kissed his neck. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to that. It’s like saying I’ve got no estrogen.”
He laughed. “Not only do I want to buy you the biggest diamond in the place, I want a ring on your finger to show God and everyone that you’re all mine.”
She looked at his handsome face, studying his eyes for any lingering pain about the girl he’d lost along with the ring he’d given her. All Rose saw was happiness and a sparkle that was for her alone.
She smiled up at him. “Back at you, bud. I’m putting a ring on your finger, too, so the ladies won’t have any doubt that you’re spoken for.”
“Amen. I worked awfully hard to convince you we were exactly the right fit for each other.”
“I’m told you appreciate things more when they don’t come easily.”
“Then I appreciate the hell out of you,” he said sincerely.
She tapped her lip thoughtfully. “It did take a while for me to realize you have all the attributes on my man-must-have list.”
“And what would those attributes be?” he asked, one dark eyebrow lifting.
“There are only six.”
“Wow,” he said. “No pressure.”
She ignored him. “Every last one is a deal breaker and sense of humor is right there at the top. Followed by handsome.”
“So you don’t think I’d have to wear a bag over my head walking up Main Street?”
“Not a chance,” she said, running a finger over his strong, rugged jaw. “Number three is a good kisser.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I checked that one off the list that night in my office when we were working on the mayor’s Christmas cards.”
“I confess to putting a lot of effort into that one. It might have been my only shot,” he admitted.
“Mission accomplished. It worked better than you could possibly know.” She thought for a minute. “Next is sexual chemistry. Since we’re both here naked after a pretty spectacular night, I think it’s safe to assume that that one is crossed off the list.”
“I aim to please.” His grin was wicked. “What else?”
“My man had to be smart,” she said. “Little did I know he’d be scary-smart.”
“Thank you, I think.”
“And last but not least, he had to be just the right age.”
“Since we are both here naked and everyone in Thunder Canyon saw us get married last night, I made the cut on that one?”
“Oh, yeah.” She leaned over and gently bit his earlobe. “You’re perfect.”
He sucked in a breath, then said, “I’m liking being married to you, Red. Life is going to be really fun and full of surprises.”
When he put his arms around her and pulled her down, Rose sighed. “We’ll be late for Christmas dinner at Ethan’s.”
“Do you really care?”
“No.” She laughed when he kissed her neck and slid under the covers.
Later that evening Rose and Austin sat in the front row, a few feet from the stage, at the fairgrounds arena. They were waiting for Zane Gunther’s concert to start and she watched a scattering of stragglers hurrying in. A hum of murmuring voices echoed and buzzed in the tiered seats behind them. The place was sold out; it was going to be a capacity crowd.
The high ceiling was dark, shadows hiding the equipment that would light the stage when the show started. It was being broadcast on the local TV and radio stations.
Rose felt Austin’s warm hand wrap around her smaller one as his thumb rubbed her left ring finger. A smile curved her lips as she remembered their earlier pillow talk. She felt as if their relationship had gone from forget it to forever. Tonight Zane’s journey was coming full circle.
After a horrible, unimaginable accident that resulted in a young girl’s death at one of his concerts, Zane had been changed, withdrawing from his life which only seemed to get worse. The girl’s family had brought a lawsuit against him which was eventually settled out of court. With Jeannette by his side, he was finally able to move on with his life and career, but he was using that platform of fame to do good.
A few moments later the overhead stage lights clicked on. An unseen announcer welcomed everyone to the charity concert. Rose recognized Drew Casey’s voice, the radio personality she’d seen at Presents for Patriots. And then he was introducing the singer.
Zane Gunther walked out onto the stage with his guitar draped across his chest. He stopped in front of the microphone stand and looked into the audience. His green eyes glittered in the bright stage lights.
“Thank you all for coming tonight to share a part of your Christmas for a cause that is close to my heart.”
When he self-consciously dragged his fingers through his hair, Rose realized it was probably the first time she’d seen him bare-headed.
“I’m here to pay tribute to a life cut short and it would be disrespectful to wear my hat.”
“That explains that,” Rose whispered to Austin.
Zane continued, “There’s been a whole lot of publicity about what happened to Ashley Tuller and I’ll carry the sadness of her loss with me as long as I live. If I could bring that little girl back, I’d do it in a heartbeat, but I can’t. All I can do is reach out to kids in a positive way, help their growing up go a little better, a little easier. So I’m here to announce that I’m starting the Ashley Tuller Foundation to fund high school music programs and support for families with teens who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. With your help we can reach out to young people—”
From where she and Austin sat, Rose could see people off stage, in the wings. Someone was beckoning to the singer, getting his attention. There was shock and emotion in Zane’s eyes just before he made an announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s just been brought to my attention that Ashley’s family is here tonight. I’m humbled and very grateful for that.” He looked offstage at them. “Would you like to come out here and join me in honoring your daughter?”
As the spectators applauded encouragement, a middle-aged man and woman walked out on stage with an older teenaged girl protectively between them. Father, mother and daughter held hands.
“Please welcome Ashley’s family,” Zane said, “Mr. and Mrs. Tuller and their daughter, Tania.”
The audience erupted into applause again and everyone was on their feet. The pounding noise seemed to go on forever, as if somehow it could bring them a measure of comfort. Finally Ashley’s father walked to the microphone and the arena grew quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
“Thank you all for being here tonight. Ashley would have loved this,” he said, smiling as he looked around. “When she died, her mother, sister and I wanted someone to blame. She was only thirteen and went to her favorite singer’s concert. She loved music and it was going to be the best night of her young life. But she never came home again and someone had to be responsible for that. However unfair it was, the target of our anger was Zane Gunther. Our daughter, Tania, made us realize it wasn’t his fault. It was simply a horrible accident and revenge wouldn’t bring her back
.” He pulled his wife and daughter close. “We’ll always miss our Ashley and never forget her.” His voice was husky with emotion. “Now with a foundation named after her, the rest of the world won’t forget either. When we learned about Zane Gunther’s tribute, we had to be here. We’re grateful to him for helping us to keep her memory alive. With his permission, her mom, Tania and I would like to be involved in the Ashley Tuller Memorial Foundation.”
Zane walked over and held out his hand to the other man, but Mr. Tuller brushed it away. Rose felt more than heard the audience gasp, then hold a collective breath, before the whole Tuller family embraced the singer. Zane’s shoulders were shaking with emotion and the three people who had suffered such an unimaginable loss circled around and comforted him.
Rose’s eyes filled with tears and she was pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the arena because she heard sniffling all around her. She fumbled in her purse for a tissue, then felt Austin’s arm around her.
“I think we just saw a Christmas miracle,” he said.
After all the anger, accusations, recriminations and sadness, what she’d just seen here tonight was truly miraculous. The power of forgiveness filled the arena and no one who’d witnessed it could ever forget.
Rose looked up and through her tears she saw Austin smile. “A perfect ending to a perfect day. The spirit and season of forgiveness and the magic of love that brought so many of us together tonight is the best beginning to the rest of our lives.”
A heart wants what a heart wants, she thought, and wouldn’t settle for anything less. She’d found her prince and he was the last man she expected when she’d least expected him.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” she said.
Austin kissed her. “That goes double for me.”
“I never even opened a present, but I got everything I ever wanted. I got you.”
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Teresa Southwick
for her contribution to the
Montana Mavericks: The Texans Are Coming! continuity.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-8197-4
HER MONTANA CHRISTMAS GROOM
Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Books S.A.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
‡ Men of Mercy Medical
¶ Montana Mavericks: The Texans are Coming!
¤ Most Likely To…
§§ The Wilder Family
‡‡ The Nanny Network
~~ Montana Mavericks: Thunder Canyon Cowboys
* The Marchetti Family
** Destiny, Texas
† Desert Brides
†† If Wishes Were…
§ Buy-a-Guy
Her Montana Christmas Groom Page 19