The Mistletoe Effect

by Melissa Cutler

  “Follow me? What do you mean?” She told her father she was going to follow him to Forth Worth? That was unacceptable. She was too smart and had waited too long to follow her dreams to give them up for him—not when he was more than willing to give up his job to follow her.

  “You know exactly what I mean,” Briscoe snapped. “So the way I figure it, my best bet to keep her here is to keep you here at Briscoe Ranch Resort no matter what kind of hit that means for my bank account.”

  “I’m not sure I follow you, sir.”

  “You need me to spell it out to you? Fine. I’m offering you a blank check. You want to build a horse-breeding center on my property, it’s yours. You want to build an equestrian center there, I’ll finance it. Whatever Outweller’s offering to pay you, I’ll double it. Just name your price for keeping my Carina close to the family. I don’t know what I’d do without her in my life, and I’m not keen on finding out.”

  Chapter Twelve

  As soon as the Mistletoe Ball’s four-course dinner concluded with a succulent roast duck, Emily made her usual grand entrance while Carina’s father stood at the microphone praising her culinary skills as the guests rose for a standing ovation.

  Carina stood near the back of the room—the best place to watch the double doors for Decker, who was two hours late already, not that she was ready to give up on him yet—and clapped along with everyone else as Emily bowed, eating up the limelight like she was born for it.

  The ball was being held in the same ballroom as Decker and Carina’s wedding reception, but gone was the winter wonderland garden and in its place was an ornate red, green, and gold theme. Ribbons and evergreen garlands decked the ceiling and met in the center of the dance floor where a massive crystal and gold chandelier hung. A gas-burning fireplace at the rear of the stage kept the atmosphere cozy and the string quartet and a capella singers were dressed in period pieces of a bygone era that reminded Carina of A Christmas Carol.

  Though she’d overseen the event planning, she’d delegated the décor to Alex. And while the general artistic theme of the event didn’t waver year to year, Alex outdid himself every time, probably because his partner, Xavier, was in attendance, as he was every year, so they could renew the vows of the wedding of their hearts, as they called the not-so-legal ceremony they’d held in their home five years earlier with their own church’s pastor.

  This year, Alex had added new touches of extravagance to the ball, such as staging a library in one corner, complete with shelves lined with leather-bound volumes, leather chairs artfully arranged to encourage conversation, and a hot toddy station.

  After the praise for Emily had died down and the dancing and mingling started, Emily made a beeline for Carina. “Hey, sweetie, that was a nice response to dinner. Everyone deserves to get a standing ovation at least once in their life.”

  “The meal really was ovation worthy,” Carina said.

  Emily waved off the praise. “What can I say, I have a passion for roast duck.” On her last word, she looked past Carina and gasped, her eyes going wide.

  The next thing Carina knew, Emily had her by the shoulders and was turning her away from the door. “Look at me, Carina. And only me.”

  “What?”

  “Keep your eyes on me and think of something happy, something peaceful.”

  Even if Carina were prone to happy, peaceful thoughts, she wouldn’t have been tonight. Not with the Mistletoe Ball in full swing and her nerves going haywire about whether Decker was going to show. “What? Why?”

  “Because you deserve a few more seconds of peace before all hell breaks loose.”

  Carina tried to turn, but Emily’s grip on her arm intensified.

  “Is it Decker? Is he here?” Carina asked.

  “No, it’s—”

  “Haylie!” The shrill voice of Carina’s mother pierced the air. “My baby, you’re back!”

  Emily winced and released Carina’s shoulders. “Too late.”

  Oh, damn. Carina spun around to see her mom shuffling across the dance floor in her impossibly tall stiletto heels, her arms outstretched toward Haylie, who stood just inside the door, dressed in a strapless black cotton maxi dress that looked like it might double as a bathing suit cover-up and that emphasized her dark tan. Wendell stood behind Haylie, looking uncomfortable. He smoothed a hand over his jeans, highlighting the shiny gold wedding band on his ring finger.

  Damn, damn, damn.

  Carina strode forward. “Haylie? What are you doing here? Where have you been?”

  Her eyes shot to Haylie’s left hand, but it was covered by their mom’s hair. Carina brushed the hair away and sure enough, Haylie wore a simple gold band on her ring finger, too.

  Triple dog damn it.

  “You two got married?” Carina cried, perhaps a bit louder than was necessary. But she couldn’t help it. What had Haylie been thinking, giving Wendell another chance? The guy was a sleazebag.

  Haylie and Carina’s mom backed up, gasping and clutching her pearl necklace. “Is it true?”

  “Yes, Momma. It’s true. I’m sorry you couldn’t be there, but the wedding you and Carina planned was too much pressure, with Wedding World magazine in attendance and all those people and being in the church with the same chaplain who baptized me. But I realized as soon as I ran outside that I loved Wendell and he loved me, and I’m not going to let one little stripper incident ruin what was meant to be. So we swung by the honeymoon suite, grabbed our luggage, and eloped to Corpus Christi. Now we’re going to live happily ever after forever.”

  Emily leaned close to Carina’s ear and tsked. “Is it just me or do they put the moron in oxymoron?”

  Carina might have chuckled at that if she weren’t still stunned stupid.

  “Sis, what the hell?” Haylie said, looking Carina up and down. “Why are you wearing your bridesmaid dress? And is that my wedding ring on your finger?” She grabbed Carina’s hand.

  Carina yanked it away. Yes, yes she was wearing the bridesmaid dress and Haylie’s ring. But Carina had good reasons for both. “In all the times you’ve called to check in this month, Mom didn’t tell you what happened at the chapel after you and Wendell ran off?”

  “Tell me what?”

  Carina’s mom fiddled with one of the many gold rings on her hand. “Your father didn’t want to let Haylie off the hook so easily. If she knew you took care of the Mistletoe Effect jinx, then she wouldn’t have had any reason to come home and get married.”

  Carina rubbed her brow. “Mom, really? You and Dad used the jinx as leverage to guilt Haylie into getting married when she didn’t want to—like you did to me?”

  Mom’s spine stiffened and her lips went flat. “I’m going to go get your father. He’s been dying to see you, Haylie, sweetie.” With a swish of her skirt, she was off.

  Haylie took Carina’s elbow. “Wait, what? You got married? To who? You haven’t been on a date in years.”

  More like six months, but that was hardly relevant anymore.

  Wendell shouldered between Haylie and Carina. “Uh, I’m going to go get a drink at the bar. Hay, you want anything?”

  Haylie patted his cheek. “Aw, thanks, baby. I’ll take a glass of wine.”

  As soon as he’d walked out of earshot, Carina said, “You married a man who calls you ‘Hay’? Like horses eat?”

  Haylie gave her a sisterly shove. “Don’t be so judgy. It’s cute when he says it.”

  Not really. “Does this mean you forgave him for hiring a stripper the night before the wedding and failing to write his vows?”

  Haylie rolled her eyes as though annoyed Carina had the nerve to ask. “He didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that he was so intimidated by our father that he wasn’t in his right mind before the wedding.”

  All Carina could do was blink at her.

  “Oh my goodness, Carina. There you are!” It was Alex, looking sharp in an expensive-looking charcoal gray double-breasted suit, with a bright blue silk tie that brought out t
he warmth of his eyes. In his arms, he held one of his babies swaddled in a pink blanket. Next to Alex stood Emily in a crisp chef’s jacket, her hair pulled back into a severe ponytail.

  “We have a party emergency,” Alex said. “So sorry, Haylie, but I’m afraid I need Carina’s help with something.”

  As if Carina could handle any more stress at the moment. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me Chaplain Roberts is drunk again.”

  Alex took hold of her shoulders and steered her away from her family. “Come with me; I’ll explain everything.” Under his breath he added, “We’re rescuing you.”

  Carina slung an arm around Emily’s neck and the other around Alex’s waist. “I don’t know whether to slap you two for making me worry more than I already was or kiss you for saving me from … from … that.”

  “You shouldn’t be worried. The ball’s going great and Decker’s going to be here soon,” Alex said. “He’s always late to parties, remember?”

  That he was, now that Carina thought about it, but still. “I’m not so sure Decker’s going to show.”

  “I am,” Alex said. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

  “He’d be a fool to let you go,” Emily added.

  Carina’s friends were being so sweet and supportive that she didn’t have the heart to point out that Decker had quit his job that day and had driven to Fort Worth, probably to accept Murray Outweller’s offer, or that she and Decker had decided to part ways when she moved to California. She hadn’t been able to find the words to tell her friends she was leaving, and now she was glad she’d spared them that distress, because California was off the table.

  She knew what she wanted now, more than a dream job, and she refused to give Decker up without a fight. Even if he didn’t show tonight, she was ready to stand up, just like Decker taught her to, for what she wanted—and what she wanted was him.

  When they reached the far side of the room where Xavier was waiting, Carina angled herself so she had a view of the door. Xavier, who was holding his and Alex’s other twin baby and looking just as handsome as his better half in a black suit that brought out the rich hues of dark skin and the chiseled cut of his jaw. Alex procured a glass of champagne for Carina, and while they waited for the festivities to start, she filled them in on Haylie’s elopement.

  A rhythmic rapping caught the attention of the ball guests. All eyes turned to the doors where Granny June stood, her cane whacking against the wall near the doors. Haylie and Carina’s mom weren’t in sight. From behind Granny June, Decker jogged forward, looking fine in his black suit and black Stetson, if a bit harried. He scanned the room until he saw Carina, who was already jogging toward him as fast as her dress and heels would allow.

  He met her halfway. “Sorry I’m late. I was—” He stopped mid-sentence and looked Carina up and down much in the same way Haylie had. “What are you wearing? Is that …”

  Carina’s voice was unsteady, her heart racing, as she smoothed a hand over her stomach. Yes, once upon a time, it had been her bridesmaid dress, but now it held so much more significance. “It’s my wedding dress. I thought it was fitting since we were renewing our vows tonight.”

  Warmth and love radiated from his eyes and his smile. “Well, you look really beautiful in it.”

  “Thank you. You came. I wasn’t sure you would.”

  “First of all, of course I did. We have a deal, you and me, and I’m a man of my word. And second, Granny June was my personal escort, so I didn’t have much of a choice. As soon as I pulled in front of my house, she met me at my truck and got right to badgering me about coming tonight. It took some convincing for her to accept that I’d already planned to be here. Even still, she waited out front while I changed into my suit and drove me over here in her golf cart.”

  “You let Granny June drive you in her golf cart?” Alex asked, aghast. “You’re lucky to be here in one piece.”

  Decker nodded his agreement. “The big Man on high and I kept up a conversation the whole way over here, believe me.”

  “Before you noticed Carina’s dress, you were about to tell us why you were running so late,” Emily said.

  “Yeah,” he said, distracted. “I had to stop at a store and take care of a thing.”

  “Vague much?” Emily said.

  But Carina didn’t care. She was just so damn relieved he was there with her. She smoothed a hand up his jacket lapel, then shirt collar, until her fingers hit the skin of his neck. She would never get tired of touching this man, of drinking in his presence, the way he smelled, the way he looked at her with love in his eyes. “How about a proper hello?”

  “My apologies on not getting around to that sooner.” Wrapping his arm around her, he planted a lingering kiss on her lips with the same confident but anxious energy that he’d breezed into the room with. When the kiss ended, he looked past her to Alex and Xavier. “Hey, Alex, hey, Xavier. Another year, another vow renewal, hmm?”

  “Absolutely,” Alex said. “And this time, Ivy and Isaac are here to celebrate with us.” Xavier scooted the blanket lower to show off Ivy’s scrunchy, sleepy-sweet face.

  “She’s going to be a heartbreaker, that’s for sure,” Decker said. To Alex, he added, “This place looks crazy-good. It’s hard to believe it’s the same room our reception was held in. You’ve got some serious talent, man.”

  “Thank you.”

  Xavier leaned to the side and rubbed shoulders with Alex, looking proud.

  Decker glanced at the stage, then did a double take. “Is that Haylie and Wendell? Where did they come from?”

  Carina turned to look. The stage was crowded with Haylie and Wendell, their parents, Granny June, and Chaplain Roberts. With Decker’s arrival, Carina hadn’t noticed that the string quartet had stopped playing and had moved their instruments off the stage in preparation for the vow renewal ceremony.

  “Get this,” Carina said. “Haylie and Wendell breezed in right before you did. Married.”

  He whipped his face around to look at Carina, as stunned as she’d been when she first heard the news. “Excuse me?”

  “They said the wedding had been too much pressure, so they eloped.”

  “And Haylie, she forgave Wendell, just like that?”

  “She said poor Wendell was so stressed about having a huge wedding and so intimidated by our father that he wasn’t in his right mind when he insisted on the stripper party.”

  “If I ever try to use a line like that on you, you have my permission to throttle me and send me to sleep in the stable.”

  She snuggled against his shoulder. A statement like that proved how far he’d come from the resort playboy he’d once been, and she loved the respectable, devoted man he’d grown into even more because of it. “Noted.”

  His gaze returned to the stage, but his mouth had contorted into a cringe. “Wait a sec. I just put two and two together. Wendell is my brother-in-law. Oh, God.”

  Decker had a right to be horrified by that realization, just as she was, but still, her heart gave a squeeze at his words. If he considered Wendell his brother-in-law, then that meant he still considered himself married to Carina. Her heart swelled to bursting.

  “Looks like your dad’s about to speak,” Alex said.

  As she’d seen so many times before, her dad stepped into the spotlight with a microphone in his hand. “Before I turn the evening over to Chaplain Roberts, I’d like to say a few words about my daughter.”

  “Here it is, Haylie’s big moment,” Carina muttered.

  “You see,” her dad continued, “my daughter Carina, the one who put on this very special event tonight, came to my office today announcing her resignation as executive in charge of special events in order to pursue her dreams and be near her new husband.”

  Carina blinked up at her dad, feeling light-headed.

  “She dedicated her life to making couples’ dreams come true, and now it’s time for me to help her make her dreams come true. It’s the least I can do for the daughter who
’s made me …” He paused, looking down, his jaw tight, and when he raised his head again, Carina would have sworn she saw wetness in his eyes. “She’s made me the proudest father in all of Texas. Not because she’s taken our family business to new heights of success, which she has, but because … Well, just because she’s my flesh and blood and she’s grown into a smart, successful, honorable young woman.”

  Decker kissed her hair. “He’s right, you know.”

  “Her dream is to design wedding dresses,” her dad said. “She’s incredible at it, and since her husband was offered an excellent opportunity that would take them from our family home here at Briscoe Ranch Resort to four hours north in Fort Worth, she’s decided to quit her job here and start a new business. But I wouldn’t be the successful businessman that I am if I didn’t try to keep her here with a counteroffer.”

  “What’s he talking about?” Carina whispered.

  “Just listen,” Decker said, nodding at the stage.

  “I’ve been thinking, with Briscoe Ranch Resort being the destination wedding capital of the country, that it might be time to diversify and offer brides a whole lot more than a perfect wedding and mistletoe magic. My offer to you, Carina, is the start-up money and facilities to open your own custom wedding dress shop right here at the resort.”

  Carina gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “I do believe that would be a perfect complement to the new Briscoe Ranch Resort horse-breeding and equestrian center that I’m prepared to invest in if your husband accepts my counteroffer for him, too. I want to keep you both here, and what good is wealth if you can’t invest it back into your family? Isn’t that right, Ma June?”

  “Well said, Son.”

  As applause erupted all around them, Carina turned in Decker’s arms. “Is that true?”

  He nodded. “I was at Granite Hill Ranch today, in Outweller’s office, turning down his offer so I could follow you to California when Ty called with his counteroffer.”

  “But I was standing outside my dad’s office and heard you two talking. He gave you his blessing with the Granite Hill job.”