Alyssa shook her head. “But I don’t need all this; can’t you understand? I don’t care about expensive clothes or going to fancy parties. I just want to do something I love. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life helping wealthy people get away with crimes just because they can afford the best legal office in town.”
“You’ll also help innocent people, though. It’s not always going to be that bad. Being an attorney is a great job.”
Alyssa took a step back and let out an exasperated sigh. Why could nobody at least try to understand how she was feeling?
“Dad, did you hear what I said? I was so unhappy with my life before I went to Wyoming that I’d contemplated killing myself. Doesn’t that mean anything to you at all? Is money more important than your own daughter?”
Her father flinched and his eyes widened in horror. “Is that what you think, Alyssa? Do you really think that our jobs or our money are more important than our children?”
Alyssa shrugged. “It sure looks so to me.”
He closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. The feeling of being held in her father’s strong embrace brought her back to her childhood, to the last time he’d held her like that.
Tears flooded her eyes and spilled over. Soon she was sobbing like a child against her father’s soft cashmere sweater, totally careless of smearing her makeup. He patted her back soothingly and waited until she stopped sobbing before saying a word.
When he started talking, his voice was low, soft and comforting, and Alyssa relaxed in his arms.
“We just want what’s best for you, sweetheart. You’re our precious daughter, and we know how easy it is to love someone and end up with a broken heart. Everything looks beautiful when you first fall for someone, but life is tough and even though it hurts, sometimes you have to be realistic and put your dreams aside.”
Alyssa pulled back and wiped her eyes, sure she probably looked like a panda. She stared at her father, his eyes soft and his smile gentle, but his loving expression didn’t help her feel better, nor did it make his words less hurtful.
“I don’t want to put my dreams aside; I want to be a vet and I know I can do it. Grandma used to tell me to follow my dreams, if I knew they were true. She was the one who told me to hold on to love once I’d found it, to never let it go. I love Sean, and he loves me—I won’t let go of what could be my only chance at being happy.” She sniffled and brushed her cheeks with the palms of her hands. “I know it all happened so quickly, but maybe it’s how it was meant to be. Maybe I’ve had enough of indecision and I don’t need any more time to think about my future. Since Sean came into my life I’ve been happy, truly happy, Dad; happier than I’ve been in years.”
“Alyssa, my mother was a dreamer; she wasn’t really the best advisor on such important things. She met my father and got married within a year. I know it was different back then, but I still think it was too rushed—and all because she believed in fairytale romances.”
“But she’s been happy with Grandpa; she kept telling me he was the love of her life,” Alyssa argued, trying to prove her point. Maybe it didn’t happen to everyone, but some people did find their soul mates.
“Please, try to see things through our eyes, Alyssa. You barely know this guy and we don’t even know him at all. How can you be so sure he won’t break your heart?”
“I can’t,” she said, hanging her head and staring at her feet. “But I can’t be sure I won’t get run over by a car, or die in a plane crash or have a heart attack in my sleep, either—this doesn’t stop me from living, though, does it?”
She looked up at her father with defiance in her eyes, and saw his lips slightly curl in a smile. He was trying to remain serious, but he clearly understood he was just about to be defeated. They hadn’t sent her to the best law school for nothing, after all; if this was a trial, she was sure she was about to win it.
“What will you do if things between the two of you don’t work out?” he asked, relenting a little.
“He’s not the only reason why I want to move to Wyoming. If things didn’t work, then I’d concentrate on my studies and put my life first. I don’t want to build my hopes up and then get disappointed; I’ll take each day at a time, no plans, no expectations. I just want to be free to be who I am, not the person you and Mom expect me to be.”
“This might turn out to be the worst decision of your life, you know that?”
Alyssa nodded. “Then I’d only have myself to blame for it, but at least I would know I’d tried. I don’t want to live a life of regrets just so that Mom can go brag about me with her friends.”
Her father let out a tired sigh; Alyssa knew it must be a trick of her mind, but he looked older, as if he’d aged during their exhausting conversation. For the first time in her life she wondered whether he’d ever truly loved her mother the way she loved Sean, the way her grandmother—his own mother—had loved her husband. She’d never seen the sparkle in her parents’ eyes when they looked at each other; she’d never felt the love radiate from them when they were in the same room; she’d never even seen them hold hands or cuddle on the couch, watching a movie. She knew, if she’d agreed to keep seeing Julian, her life could have been exactly like theirs. The thought made her shudder.
“When are you thinking of leaving?” he asked, his tone back to the efficient and self-assured Chief of Police.
“I wanted to go speak with the college dean in Cheyenne, see if I can start classes after the holidays so I won’t waste a whole year; I guess I could try to catch up.” She made a mental note to call the college after the Thanksgiving weekend and try to move things a little quicker. She couldn’t wait to start her new life—the sooner, the better.
“I could make a few phone calls and try to pull some strings in the local police department, see if they can help you find a place to stay and maybe a job.”
Alyssa cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “You don’t trust I can do this on my own, do you?” She smiled when her father grinned, caught red-handed. “I’ll be fine, Dad. Sean and his family will take care of me. They have a ranch, so I could stay with them until I find somewhere to rent. I have Grandma’s inheritance money; I’ll be okay for a while.”
“I suppose nothing I’ll say will make a difference now?” Alyssa shook her head, smiling. Her father wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. “You definitely took the Irish stubbornness from your grandmother. I’d long given up hoping trying to win against her, and now I guess I’ll have to give up again.”
Alyssa laughed and hugged her father. “Thank you, Dad. I promise you’ll be proud of me this time.”
“I’ve always been proud of you, sweetheart,” he said before kissing the top of her head and leading her out of the room back to where everybody was waiting for them. Alyssa felt as if a huge load had been removed from her stomach and she breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully things would start to look up now that at least her father had accepted her decision.
Chapter Forty-seven
Christmas Eve
Sean gave one last glance around the stable to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Although he’d only worked half his usual hours, it had been a long day and he was wrecked.
He hadn’t stopped thinking of Alyssa ever since he’d woken up. He kept having visions of her at some posh high-society party with people wearing tuxedos and gowns, sipping champagne from crystal goblets and eating caviar. No matter how hard he tried, he would never in a million years be able to give her that kind of life. He promised her he’d find a way for them to be together, but now that the deadline of their deal was getting closer he was starting to lose all hope.
He was looking forward to a hot shower, getting out of his work clothes and into a warm sweater and a pair of loose sweatpants. It hadn’t snowed all morning but they were expecting snow in the late afternoon, so he couldn’t wait to slouch on the sofa in front of the fire, watch TV and drink a hot chocolate.
He closed the door of the barn behind him, and when he turned, he froze in place as a vision he was sure was a figment of his imagination flashed in front of him. The rich color of her hair stood out from a white woolen beret against the white background of the snowy ground and trees, and she was wearing a white parka that made her almost blend in the wintry landscape like a chameleon—a beautiful and extremely sexy chameleon.
He blinked once and brushed his gloved hand across his face; he was having a hallucination, it couldn’t be real. He took a couple of steps, and the sound of his boots crunching in the snow made her turn toward him. When she saw him, her whole face lit up and broke into the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.
He frowned, still wondering whether he was dreaming it all, but when she dropped her carry-on bag and broke into a run to him, flinging herself at him when she was within jumping distance, he knew it was all true.
He staggered back when he caught her, and inhaled her familiar scent. Memories of their days together crawled back into his mind and his heart rate picked up.
She was real. She was in his arms.
Her arms went around his neck and she looked at him, meeting his incredulous stare.
“Hi,” she said with a smile, as if her being there was the most normal thing in the world.
Sean found himself at a loss for words, too overwhelmed to say something, and still fearing that he would wake up and realize he was alone.
“Are you going to say something?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
Sean let out a chuckle. “I’m . . . I’m just a little dazed. I’m still trying to convince myself you’re not a trick of my mind.”
“Here, I’ll prove it,” she said, taking his face in her hands and pulling it toward her. When her lips pressed down on his, a shot of electricity went from his head down to his toes, and he knew right then she was as real as she could be.
“Mmm . . .you taste too good to be a dream,” Sean said with a low moan. Alyssa giggled and pinched his cheeks with gloved fingers.
He looked at her for a minute: she wore a light trace of gold makeup on her eyelids, and long jet-black lashes framed her beautiful green eyes. They were dark green now, like raw emeralds, like the Wyoming fields in summer, and the black pupils contrasted with the rich color of her irises, making him want to lose himself in their depths. He was mesmerized.
The white woolen hat she was wearing made her look like a child, but at the same time she looked so sexy he had to remind himself it was too cold to drag her inside the barn and relive their last night together before she’d gone back to New York.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, staring straight into her eyes. They twinkled like gems and her cheeks flushed a little at his comment.
“And you’re sexy as hell, Cowboy,” she said with a naughty grin.
Sean let out a hearty laugh and took her by the hand, tugging her behind him. “Let’s get inside now. The cold’s making you talk nonsense.”
She chuckled and wrapped herself around his arm with her free hand, leaning in to kiss his cheek. The warmth of her lips seared his skin. This was better than any of the dreams he’d had over the past three months. She was real, she was in his arms, and suddenly he didn’t care about spending the rest of the afternoon on the couch with a hot chocolate. He’d be willing to stand outside in the cold all day if she only asked him to.
“Hey,” he said when they reached the porch and he noticed her big suitcase sitting on the first step. “What happened to your plans of spending Christmas Eve with your family? Not that I’m complaining about having you here all for myself, but won’t your parents be upset you’re not there?”
Alyssa shrugged and squeezed his hand. “In a way, I will be spending Christmas with my family. With my Wyoming family.”
She blushed a little and fumbled with a lock of hair, twirling it around her index finger. His heart swelled at her words.
“When I was here, I felt like I was at home; your parents made me feel welcome and part of your family. And, well, now we’re a couple . . . I’m sort of family, aren’t I?”
He nodded, giving her a smile. “Well then, welcome home, City Girl.”
He let go of her hand and picked up her suitcase, took the steps that led to the front door and opened the screen for her. This would be the best Christmas in years.
***
As soon as she stepped through the front door, warm air filled with the mouth-watering scent of cinnamon cookies hit her, and she closed her eyes, inhaling it deeply. Her mother had never been one to cook much, let alone bake, so the only times she’d smelled anything similar in her house had been when her grandmother lived with them and she and Alyssa would make Christmas cookies.
Sean stepped in right behind her and placed the suitcase on the floor, in the same spot where he had the first time she’d arrived. This time things were different, though. This time she wasn’t here on a temporary vacation; she was here to start a new life with the man she loved.
“Do you want me to tell everyone, or would you like to surprise them?” Sean turned around and winked at her with a cheeky grin. Alyssa shook her head.
“I think it’s better if you tell them first. I don’t want to see their faces when you tell them I’m here. It was a spur of the moment decision, but I’m starting to realize it’s a pretty rude thing to do: showing up uninvited, and on Christmas Eve.”
He frowned. “Why? I’m sure my mom would be happy, and Tammy, well, I don’t need to tell you how high-pitched her squeals of joy will be.”
She shrugged and fidgeted with the zipper of her parka. Sean took a step closer and put his hand on hers.
“Alyssa,” he said, his tone deep and gravelly. “You don’t have to worry about my family kicking you out in the snow. But even if they did,” he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled at her, “they wouldn’t keep me away from you. I’d keep you captive in the log cabin where nobody would come looking for us. We could spend Christmas day snuggled up by the fire.”
Alyssa let out a quiet chuckle. “I’d actually love that. Can we do it?”
Sean placed a soft kiss on her lips and one on the tip of her nose. He shook his head and smirked when she let out an annoyed whine.
“I’ll go break the news now. Go into the living room, make yourself comfortable.”
“I’ll wait here, thank you,” she said with a shy smile, and he shrugged, going down the corridor into the kitchen where she knew his mother would be.
He left the door open behind him, and she could hear the conversation coming out of the room. Hopefully his mother wouldn’t be mad at her for showing up uninvited. She’d thought it would be nice to surprise Sean and Tammy, but she hadn’t thought about the rest of his family. After all, they didn’t know about her and Sean; to them she was only a paying guest who’d spent some time at their ranch and had enjoyed her stay. Showing up uninvited could look pretty rude.
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest when she heard Sean telling his mother they had a guest. Alyssa closed her eyes, holding her breath for a moment.
“What? But we are closed at Christmas! Why didn’t they call us before coming here?” Mrs. Maclaine said in a tone that shifted swiftly from shocked to annoyed. Great. “Why did you let them in, anyway? You know we don’t take guests over the Christmas holiday, not until New Year’s Eve anyway. I don’t have time to look after guests these days, with Nick home, and Andy and Reese coming over with the kids.”
“I really want to take this guest, Mom.”
Alyssa heard something clatter on the table, and a squeal followed immediately afterwards. She smiled: Tammy.
“Are you saying she’s here?” Tammy asked her brother, and a mi
nute later she dashed out of the kitchen, running toward her with open arms, squealing like a little child. Alyssa laughed when Tammy wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her, the squeals never fading.
“You’re here, you’re here! This is such a great surprise,” Tammy said, almost breathless from the excitement. “You spending Christmas with us?”
Alyssa nodded. Mrs. Maclaine came out of the kitchen, wearing her usual cotton apron and a smile that put Alyssa immediately at ease.
“Alyssa. What a lovely surprise,” she said with genuine pleasure as she approached her.
“How long are you staying?” Tammy asked in an excited tone, stepping in between Sean and Alyssa and linking arms with her. “Please say you’ll stay until New Year’s Eve. My friends are having a house party and I’d love to introduce you to everyone. Everyone envies my Prada bag, you know? My friend Laurann keeps asking me to borrow it, but she’ll have to walk over my dead body before I’ll let her even touch it.”
Alyssa laughed; Tammy hadn’t changed one bit.
“Hey, what’s goin’ on here? Can’t a poor guy take a peaceful nap . . .whoa!”
A younger version of Sean with longer, mussed hair turned the corner of the corridor that led to the bedrooms and stopped mid-sentence and in mid-stretch when his ice-blue eyes landed on Alyssa.
“Santa must’ve come early this year, or I must still be dreaming. Where have you been hiding all these years, honey?” He brought a hand to his heart and Alyssa couldn’t help but chuckle a little, while Sean let out a loud grunt and stepped in, before the guy Alyssa understood must be his brother could take Alyssa’s hand.
“She’s Alyssa, and she’s out of your league, Nick. Back off.”
Nick glared at Sean and pretended he hadn’t heard him at all. “Well, brother dear, I think the lady can speak for herself, can’t she? I’m sure such a beautiful girl has a matching beautiful voice.”
Tammy giggled. “You’d better listen to him and keep your hands to yourself, Nick. She’s way out of your league; in fact, she’s totally in Sean’s league at the moment.”
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