The Christmas Sweets (Now and Forever Romance Book 4)
Page 3
When the weather allowed, while Braydon made candy, she took Jake for long walks, window shopping, and ice skating. She would watch from the parents’ bleachers, where electric heaters provided some comfort.
And every day, she felt closer and closer to Braydon. By Friday, they were dancing around the subject of a possible future together.
Jake was hunched in front of his PlayStation with a bowl of popcorn at his elbow while Braydon made dinner for Tatum, proving that candy wasn’t the only thing he could cook.
“This is delicious,” she said. “How did you know lasagna is my favorite?”
“You told me on Wednesday.”
Tatum laughed. “Well, at least you listen. It would be great to have someone around who actually enjoys cooking.” Then she blushed and looked away, afraid she’d gone too far.
Braydon took her hand across the table. “I’ve been thinking about that,” he said. “I’m so fond of you.”
“Uh-oh,” said Tatum. “Why do I hear a ‘but’ coming?”
Braydon pulled his hand back and picked up his glass of wine. “It’s not doubt,” he mused, his forehead creasing in thought. “And you are perfect for Jake.”
Tatum felt a sliver of heartache. She hugged herself tight. “You’re tired of me already?” She tried to keep her tone light, but her voice wavered.
“No, no! Not at all!” Braydon got up and moved to her side. He pulled her out of the chair and into an embrace.
Tatum argued with herself about whether she should enjoy the closeness or break it off…for about one second, then wholeheartedly hugged him back. “Thank goodness!”
Braydon smoothed her hair. “I just have this memory of Jake’s mother, haunting me. Is it okay for me to bring someone else into my life?”
Tatum leaned back to look in his eyes. “Do you need some time to think? Shall I stay away for a while?”
Braydon looked tortured. “I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered, “but I keep waiting for permission to move on. Does that make sense?”
Tatum hated to say it out loud, but she couldn’t lie to Braydon. “Yes, it makes sense. You’re still tied to her through Jake. Her spirit is still in your heart and your house.”
“Maybe…maybe just one day,” said Braydon. “Let’s see if I can stand to be apart from you for one whole day. If I can’t, that’s my answer.”
Tatum’s heart teetered on the edge of a cliff, but she pulled herself together. “All right.” She held out her hand, and they shook on it. “But you know what this means, right?”
Braydon shook his head, bewildered.
Tatum moved to the coat closet for her things. “It means you get to do the dishes all by yourself.” She forced a playfulness into her voice that she wasn’t feeling, and managed to hold it together until she was safely down the stairs and on the sidewalk.
It suddenly felt colder. Ice crystals in the air made it look like it was snowing in slow motion. The streetlights cast a bluish glow that made the world seem harsh and unfeeling. She hunched inside her down coat and pulled her red scarf closer around her neck, but they could not protect her from the frostbite that was forming around her heart.
By the time she reached her apartment and hung up her things, the internal frost had melted and poured out as tears. She curled up on one end of the couch and muted the TV. One day. One whole day. Her future depended on whether Braydon could stand to be apart from her.
After half an hour of tears, she got angry. After all, there were two people involved here. No, three. What about little Jake? She adored him, and he was finally coming around about the piano.
She decided to go read in bed. She picked up the library books off the table, but her eyes filled with tears again and their titles were blurry. She couldn’t even remember what she’d selected. No matter. She set them back on the table and went to bed.
The next morning, it snowed. Tatum had been so busy with Braydon and Jake that she didn’t have anything in the house to eat except the bag of candy she’d bought last Saturday.
“One week,” she mumbled. “How can my life take such a total turn in one week? And now I don’t even know if there’s a future for us.” She turned up the heat and tucked her feet into bunny slippers. It was going to be a long day. She heated water and made tea. It went well with the root beer candy she popped into her mouth.
It was bleak outside. Her Christmas tree would shine brightly in this gloom, but when she plugged it in, every flash stabbed her in the heart.
“At least I have one miracle I can count on.” She ran her hands over the keyboard and turned it on. As she played, her fingers took over, and after half an hour, she felt better…all the way up to her elbows. “Where did I put my piano books?”
She found them on the bookshelf and spent a pleasant hour playing tunes from each. The last book had a keyboard manual stuck inside. It must have belonged to the original owner. Tatum set the manual on the music stand and flipped through the book from back to front. It was boogie-woogie and there were handwritten notes in the margins. At the front of the book, she froze. At the top of the first page was a name.
Shelly Farmer.
Her hands trembled. Did this keyboard once belong to Braydon’s wife? Giving it to One-Two-Three was sort of like giving to a charity.
She decided that the manual should stay in the case, so she wouldn’t lose it. In the lid of the long black box was a velvet pocket. She tucked the manual inside it, but it caught on something. She slid her fingers in and found a pale green envelope. Written on the envelope was “To the new owner.”
Tatum’s fingers fumbled as she opened the card. It read:
“I pass this keyboard on to someone who needs it more than I. May you love it and play it and cherish it. And when the time comes, please find it another good home. Shelly Farmer.”
Tatum’s tears flowed again, but this time it was with a sense of grief. She felt that Shelly could have been her best friend had they met earlier in life. She fought the urge to call Braydon and tell him what she’d found, but he said he needed a day. So she sat down at the keyboard and played until her back threatened to snap in two.
It was past one p.m. by the time she moved to the couch. Her tea was cold, but she drank it anyway. She consumed three small Tootsie Rolls and a handful of melt-in-your-mouth peppermints. Once again, she fought the urge to call Braydon.
Instead, she wandered into the kitchen and picked up her library books. She carried them to the couch. Well, her original plan had been to eat candy and read. It looked like she was going to have a chance to do just that.
Before she could sit down, there was a knock at the door. Tatum wasn’t expecting visitors. She peeked through the peephole, and her heart soared. She nearly destroyed the sliding bolt in her haste to get the door open.
“Braydon! Jake!”
Jake ran past her and threw himself on the sofa face down.
Tatum looked a question at Braydon. “What’s up?”
Braydon looked chagrinned. “I’m an idiot. I was miserable all night and all morning, too. I think I should make a new future instead of worrying about—”
Jake lifted a library book in the air. “Look, Daddy. This book has Mom’s name on it.”
Braydon closed the door, and Tatum took the book from Jake. It was from the romance section of the library. She gaped at the title, then held it up for Braydon to see.
He read, “Shelly Says Yes.” His mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Jake hopped on one foot to the Christmas tree and dropped to his knees in front of it. “Your lights are twinkling,” he said. “Daddy, look, here’s my part of the paper chain. I signed Jake on all my pieces. Wait. Someone wrote on this one.” He tried to pull it away from the tree. Braydon moved quickly to save the fir.
“Let’s not pull the tree over,” he said firmly.
“Look.”
Under Jake’s name, someone had drawn a red heart.
Braydon looked at Tatum. “Did you do that?
”
She mouthed a silent, No.
“Cool, Jake. That’s an excellent chain, by the way.”
Jake said, “There aren’t any presents under the tree.” He sounded disappointed.
Braydon responded, “Santa hasn’t come yet.”
Jake gave him a look. “Really, Dad? Tony Pesca says his parents are Santa Claus.”
“So you don’t believe anymore?”
Jake shrugged. “Tony has lied before.”
Tatum hid her laugh behind one hand. Then she said, “Braydon, the book title has to be a coincidence. I got these books from the library more than a week ago, before I met you.”
Braydon nodded. “I guess signs from the beyond only happen in movies.”
“You sound disappointed.” She moved close and hugged him. She could feel his body heat even through his winter jacket.
“I guess I am,” he said, hugging her back. “I’m like Jake. I’m not ready to stop believing in miracles.”
Tatum gave him an impish smile. “Good. Because I have one for you.” She let go of him and retrieved the note from the keyboard case. “Read this.”
Braydon took the note. He read it once, then twice. His eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God. This was Shelly’s old keyboard!”
Jake went to the keyboard and turned it on. “You mean this used to belong to my mom?”
Braydon nodded, marshaling an effort to speak. “That’s right, Jake.” His voice quavered.
Jake said, “Look, Dad. There’s a playback button. Maybe Mom left a message.”
Before Tatum or Braydon could say anything, Jake pushed the playback button. The sound of a boogie-woogie version of “Jingle Bells” floated through the room. And right afterward came a sweet organ version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
“Tatum plays really well, doesn’t she, Jake?”
Tatum squeezed Braydon’s hand. “I didn’t record those songs.” She looked up at him. “Along with the note, I found this book of boogie-woogie with Shelly’s name on the first page.”
Braydon sagged onto the couch. He ran his fingers over the book, and then over her signature. “All I knew before I got here was that I couldn’t stand being away from you. And here you are, playing Shelly’s old keyboard, handing me a note from the past.” He pulled Tatum down beside him and embraced her. “I love you, Tatum Price. I want you in my life. In our lives.”
Tatum felt joy swelling within her. “Me, too.” They kissed warmly.
Jake held his nose. “Ewwwwww. Love birds.”
Braydon laughed. Then he squirmed. “Oh, it’s the other library book.” He pulled it out from under himself and held it up and read the title. “Sweets for the Heart.”
Tatum shrugged and her eyes twinkled. “What can I say? I love romance.”
Jake was playing with the ornaments on the tree. “I love Star Wars and Transformers,” he announced.
But no one answered. Tatum and Braydon were lost in another kiss.
Jake shook his head. “If you’re going to kiss a lot, you better get married.”
Tatum and Braydon laughed.
Braydon framed Tatum’s face with the palms of his hands. “What do you think? Can you be happy stepping into a ready-made family?”
“Yes,” said Tatum. “Very happy. What woman wouldn’t jump at the chance to marry a man who makes his own chocolate?”
CHAPTER 7
“But TaterTot, you can’t get married so far away! Your mother wants to see you in a wedding gown.”
Braydon swayed back and forth, holding Tatum in his arms as she spoke to her parents. He mouthed silently, TaterTot?
Tatum made a face, then said to her father, “Don’t worry, Dad. Braydon wants to meet you all. We’re going to stay engaged a while. But after school is out, we’re coming to California to get married.”
“Oh dear,” said her father.
“What? What is it?” asked Tatum.
“Your mother already has a copy of Brides magazine in her hand.”
Tatum laughed. “I’ll send you some pictures, Dad. I want you to see what a handsome family I’m marrying into.”
“Ha! You’re giving me my first grandson. How’s them apples?”
“It’s all candied apples here, Dad. Braydon is a candy maker, and he has his own shop in the Village.”
“No wonder you said yes,” teased her father. “Sweets for my sweet girl. Your mother says it should be a June wedding. Hello? You there?”
Tatum couldn’t answer because Braydon’s warm lips had claimed her own.
* If you enjoyed this story, please take a moment leave a review. *
Other Books by Regina Duke
Colorado Billionaires — Contemporary Romance
The Wedding Wager (Colorado Billionaires, 1)
The Wedding Hope (Colorado Billionaires, 2)
The Wedding Venture (Colorado Billionaires, 3)
The Wedding Belle (Colorado Billionaires, 4)
The Wedding Guest (Colorado Billionaires, 5)
The Wedding Toast (Colorado Billionaires, 6)
The Wedding Gift (Colorado Billionaires, 7)
The Wedding Deal (Colorado Billionaires, 8)
The Wedding Veil (Colorado Billionaires, 9)
Colorado Billionaires Boxed Set (Contains novels 1, 2, and 3)
Colorado Billionaires Boxed Set (Contains novels 4, 5, and 6)
Colorado Billionaires Boxed Set (Contains novels 7, 8, and 9)
Colorado Billionaires 8 Novellas (Contains: Sunny’s Christmas, Krystal’s Christmas, Christmas Angel, Love Again, Twice the Joy, Jingle Bell Magic, Jingle Bell Wedding, Jingle Bell Romance)
Colorado Billionaires Christmas 2014 (Sunny’s Christmas, Krystal’s Christmas, Christmas Angel)
Colorado Billionaires Christmas 2015 (Jingle Bell Magic, Jingle Bell Wedding, Jingle Bell Romance)
Love on the Lazy B: Love Again, Twice the Joy (Two Colorado Billionaires Stories)
Now and Forever Romance — Contemporary Romance
June Bride (Now and Forever Romance, 1)
Chapel of Love (Now and Forever Romance, 2)
The Christmas App (Now and Forever Romance, 3)
The Christmas Sweets (Now and Forever Romance, 4)
The Christmas Light (Now and Forever Romance, 5)
The Christmas Beau (Now and Forever Romance, 6)
Silver State Romance — Contemporary Romance
North Rim Delight (Silver State Romance, 1)
The Woof in the Wedding Plans (Silver State Romance, 2)
Calin's Cowboy (Silver State Romance, 3)
Silver State Romance Boxed Set (Contains novels 1, 2, and 3)
Paranormal
My Vampire Wedding
Sugar Rising (Mindflesh Saga, 1)
Hope Eternal (Mindflesh Saga, 2) COMING in 2019
Strange Tales
Song of the Elephant Lady (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 1)
Garden Variety (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 2)
Where Shiny Ones Love People (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 3)
Aid and Comfort (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 4)
Face to Face (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 5)
Trickster (A Short Story) (Strange Tales, 6)
Other
Self-Help for Writers: Being Your Own Cheerleader
Loving the Sensitive Dog
If you enjoy Regina Duke’s books, you will love Sandra Edwards’ romances and paranormals.
Also look for Stevie Lynn’s urban fantasy and paranormal.
If you like regencies or firehouse romance, check out Colleen Ladd.
About Regina Duke
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Regina Duke writes sweet romance, cozy mystery, and paranormal. She lives in the High Desert with her three dogs, and when she’s not writing she’s playing the piano and enjoying her friends. For more info on Regina’s books, visit her websites: ReginaDuke.com (fiction) and LindaLouWrites.com (non-fiction).
Visit the author at he
r author page http://www.amazon.com/Regina-Duke/e/B005KB08YM or email her at me@reginaduke.com.