Lucky waited patiently while Dane prepared his meal.
“That dog eats better than a lot of people in the world.”
“It’s a fair trade. He eats well so we can do our job saving the world even if it’s one child at a time.”
Dane gave Lucky his food then joined Bates at the harvest table.
“Thank you.”
Bates nodded. “I should have killed the bastard.”
Dane shook his head. “No. Val didn’t need to see that. It’s enough that we’ve seen our share of death in the world.”
“When were you going to tell us?”
Both men turned their attention to the doorway leading to Val’s private quarters.
Dane stood up and moved toward Val. “How are you? That’s quite the bruise you have.”
Val raised a hand to her face and touched the tender spot. “Does it look bad?”
“It makes you look badass. Doesn’t it, Bates?”
“Yep.”
“Last night, you were awesome. Special Elite awesome.” Dane gave her a boyish wink.
“Stop it. I was no such thing.” Tears welled in her eyes.
“Don’t cry, Val.” Dane took her in his arms. “Please don’t cry.”
“You can’t die. Not now.”
“I don’t plan on dying. Not for quite some time. I’ve got lots to live for now that I have a family. Do you think I’d let anything happen to me?” Dane kissed the top of her head. “I’ve got a tumor. Doc says I’ve had it for a while, but it’s only now that it’s become visible. They’re going to cut it out, and I’ll be as good as new. If I’m lucky, my seizures will be gone, too.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“It’s Christmas. I was selfish. I didn’t want to ruin it for anyone.”
“Did Jules know?”
“I found out last night,” Jules answered from across the room.
“Geez,” Dane teased. “Do you ladies have to sneak up on us like that?”
Jules made her way to Dane. “Blame Bates. We’ve learned from the best.”
“How’s Becca?” Dane invited her into a group hug with Val.
“She’s still sleeping.”
“Good.”
“Everything’s going to work out. Don’t worry about me. Okay?” He kissed Jules’ forehead.
“Has anyone heard from the police? Have they charged John Sinclair?” Jules asked
“He’s being taken care of,” Bates answered.
“I’m making breakfast and no one better not say they’re not hungry,” Val announced as she pulled away from Dane and made her way to the kitchen counter.
“We’re all hungry,” Dane answered for them. They owed Val to eat a hearty breakfast, after what she had endured last night without a single complaint.
“I don’t understand why he wanted Jules,” Val mused.
“I was the only one who got away,” Jules answered with deep sadness. “If only I’d dealt with him and not left for Toronto. Maybe he wouldn’t have had the chance to hurt those other women.”
“It’s not your fault,” Bates said. “He’s been hurting women for a very long time.”
“He’s right,” Dane agreed. “No one knows what would have happened if you had stayed.”
“He’s locked up now, and he won’t be able to hurt anyone else,” Bates said.
“Amen to that. Now someone set the table,” Val said.
It was Christmas Eve night, two days since their ordeal with John Sinclair. Jules and Becca had not returned to their house in the city. As Jules explained to her aunt, she didn’t want to waste any more time apart from Dane. Besides, Becca deserved the chance to get to know her father.
“Hurry up!” Dane called from the foyer. “We’re melting here.”
Becca jumped on the spot, unable to contain her excitement. “Come on, Mommy!”
“I’m coming,” Jules answered, laughing. “Is all this necessary?” Jules appeared wearing an overly large tan sheepskin coat that hung to her knees, a thick buffalo wool knitted hat, and a red scarf around her neck. The only items belonging to her were her winter boots and whatever clothes she wore underneath the coat.
“Did you put on the long underwear?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s yours and it’s too big. If I have to wear it to go outside, then I’m staying in the house. I already look ridiculous as it is. Look at me. I can barely move.”
“You, Red, can never look ridiculous.” Dane handed her a pair of sheepskin mittens. “You’ll need these.”
“Where are we going?” Jules asked as she put on the mitts.
“Out.”
“Why do I have all these clothes on when you don’t?” Jules noticed Dane wearing his sheepskin jacket and his Stetson. Becca wore her snowsuit, hat and mittens, and winter boots.
“I have my long underwear on, and I’ve got my scarf and gloves. I’m good.”
Jules huffed in response, feeling uncomfortable and foolish in her winter wear.
“Where’s Lucky? Shouldn’t he be coming with us?”
“He’s with Bates and Val.” Dane held out his hand to her. “Don’t worry. If anything happens to me, you can lie on top of me. You’re pretty good at that.”
Jules felt the blush rise in her cheeks. “That’s not funny.”
“It is, and it’s true.”
They left the warmth of the house into the frigid night air. Jules, too focused on trying to move in her heavy clothing, didn’t notice the horse and sleigh waiting at the end of the walkway.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t have Lucky?” Jules stopped when she noticed what was waiting in front of her. “Dane?”
Dane moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. His mouth caressed her ear. “Care to help a guy out? Your name’s Red and I’m Gary. You’re my girlfriend. And this time we have a chaperone, Becca.”
Underneath the scarf covering her mouth, Jules smiled. “What took you so long, Gary? A girl could freeze her ass off out here in the cold.”
“That’s my girl.”
Dane took Jules by the hand and led her to the sleigh. “Step up and sit down and slide over.”
She did as she was told, climbing up onto the sleigh then sitting on the cushioned seat.
“Slide over,” Dane reminded her before he picked up Becca and handed her to Jules.
Dane followed behind her, taking his place on the padded seat. He reached behind him and retrieved a fur lap throw. “Put it on like this,” he said as he positioned the wrap to cover their feet right up to their waists. “Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
Dane gathered the reins and gave them a shake. “Walk on, Beau.”
“Are you sure this is safe?”
“I’ve been driving a sleigh since I was knee high to my grandfather.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“If I keel over, take the reins and tell Beau to go home. He’ll turn around.”
“You’re joking.”
“He’s trained, just like Lucky. I wouldn’t take the chance. If you can’t do it, I’m sure Becca could.”
“What are you? A dog and horse whisperer?”
Dane chuckled. “I’m a man who had too much time on his hands who wanted to get his life back as best he could.”
“You’ve succeeded.”
“Almost. Do you remember our first date after Marylou’s wedding?”
And so it began—Gary and Red’s make believe date.
“Perfectly. Do you?”
“How could I forget? It was February, close to Valentine’s. We both agreed that Valentine’s Day was pure hype and caused more heartbreak than any other day of the year.”
“You still gave me a Valentin
e’s card, though. It was a kid’s card. No romance, only a cute kitten on the front. And you gave me a book.”
“A book of fairy tales.”
“Yes. You wrote on the first page. Something like—”
“Sometimes, life is more magical than a fairy tale. All you have to do is believe.”
“You were right. Life is more magical than any fairy tale.”
Dane handed the reins to Becca. “Want to give it a try?”
Becca squealed her delight.
“Hold them like this,” Dane said, showing her how to hold the thick leather straps. “Got it?”
Becca nodded.
“That’s my girl. You’re doing great.”
“Can she do that? Is she safe?”
“She’s fine. Nothing’s going to happen.” Dane reached behind the seat and retrieved a wicker basket.
“What have you got there?”
“It’s not a sleigh ride without hot chocolate.”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”
“I’ve had lots of time.” He opened the basket and took out three travel mugs. “This is easier than pouring from a thermos.” He offered a mug to Jules, then a kid’s sized mug to Becca once he took the reins from her. “You can have these back. I promise.”
Jules sipped at her cocoa. “This is delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Dane pulled on the reins. “Whoa, Beau. Whoa, big boy.”
Beau stopped.
“Is there a problem?”
Dane smiled. “No. Everything is fine. Look up there.” Dane pointed to the night sky above them. “Do you see the stars, Becca? Aren’t they something?”
“Wow!”
Dane laughed. “Wow is right!”
“It’s breathtaking.” Jules marveled at the number of brilliant stars above them. “I’ve never seen the night sky so bright.”
“The sky always looks like this on Christmas Eve.” Dane leaned down, his mouth close to Becca’s ear. “If you look very carefully, you might even see Santa’s sleigh.”
Becca gasped. “I will?”
“Yep.”
They watched the sky for a moment. “Is that Santa?” Dane pointed at the sky. “Or is that Santa?”
“I don’t see him!” Becca said, her voice quivering.
“What was I thinking!” Dane slapped his forehead with his gloved hand. “It’s too early for Santa. He’s on the other side of the world right now.”
“He is?”
“Yes. Do you know what we can do? Look for shooting stars.”
They gazed up at the stars. Jules and Dane pointed at shooting stars making their way across the sky. Becca’s excitement grew with every shooting star she found.
Jules caught Dane’s attention and mouthed the words, “Thank you.”
Dane winked in response.
“Did you know that if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true?”
“It will?”
“Yes. Go ahead. Try it.”
“Close your eyes, sweetheart, and think of something you want,” Jules said.
“I did it!”
“Good for you.”
“Now you do it, Dane.”
Dane closed his eyes. He didn’t have to try hard to come up with a wish. He knew what he wanted—to be a family with these two redheads.
“Done. Did Mommy make a wish?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Yay! We all made wishes!”
“There’s one more thing for us to do,” Dane said.
“What’s that?” Becca asked.
Dane slipped off his gloves and reached into his coat pocket. He brought out a velvet box.
“Red, no more playing boyfriend-girlfriend. It’s time we played for keeps. Will you marry me?”
“Say yes, Mommy!”
“She has to see the ring first, sweetie. She may not like it,” Dane teased. “Go on, Jules, open it.”
Jules took the small velvet box from him and opened it. She wiped at the tears running down her cheeks. “I …”
“It belonged to my Grandmother. If you don’t like it, I’ll buy you another one, whatever you want.”
“No! That’s not what I was going to say. I didn’t expect you to propose.”
“You love me, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And I love you. Come on, Red. You know how this goes. I ask you to marry me, and you say yes.”
“Say it, Mommy!”
Jules gazed down at Becca. “Before I say yes, I want you to know something, sweetheart. Dane’s your daddy.”
“He is?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Yay!” Becca clapped her mittened hands. “It came true!”
“What came true?”
“My wish. I wished for Dane to be my daddy!”
Dane gazed at Jules. “So? Are you going to make my wish come true?”
“Yes! It’s a yes!”
“Yay!” Becca cheered.
Dane leaned over Becca and kissed Jules. It was a soft kiss, one that promised many more to come. “I love you. Now my wish has come true.”
Becca snuggled into Dane’s side and yawned. “I knew you were my daddy. We have little ears.”
Dane laughed. “We sure do, little one. We sure do.”
“Someone’s ready for bed, and I have a feeling she’ll be up bright and early in the morning. Do you mind if we head back, Dane?”
“Home, Beau,” Dane called out. “Let’s get our girls home.”
Beau answered with a whinny then turned to make his way back to the ranch.
Once her stocking hung over the fireplace, a plate of oatmeal cookies and a glass of milk had been left out for Santa, along with carrots for the reindeer, Becca was ready for bed. She kissed everyone good night, including Bates and Lucky. Jules was sure she saw Bates get teary-eyed.
Becca settled into her bed and fell asleep soon after her head touched her pillow.
“Do you think she knew you were her daddy because of your ears?”
“She is smart.”
“Too smart if a four-year-old could figure that out.”
“Four almost five-year-old,” Dane reminded her. “I’m sure it’s the almost five that makes her smart.” He put his arm around her waist and led her back to the living room.
Val had set out a tray of filled champagne glasses for the four of them.
“In celebration of your engagement, and your first Christmas as a family.”
Everyone took a glass and held it out. “Cheers.”
“Merry Christmas,” Bates added.
“Thank you, Bates. Merry Christmas to you.”
They waited for the drinks to finish and Val and Bates to head off to their rooms before Dane and Jules snuggled on the sofa in front of the fire.
“I thought they’d never leave,” Dane murmured.
“Don’t say that. It’s not nice.”
“I’ve been waiting to have you all to myself since you agreed to marry me. I think I’ve been very patient.”
“For a man who has lain in the same spot for several days without moving, I think you weren’t even close to being patient.”
Dane straightened, turning so that he could gaze into the eyes of the woman who uttered those words. “What did you say?”
“You didn’t hear me?”
“I heard you. It’s what you said. Red, you joked about me being a sniper.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“Of course, I liked it! It’s just that coming from you, it’s unexpected.”
“I know. I’m the first to admit that I’d be out the door as soon as I thought about you shooting people. But now. . .” she hesitated.
“Now?�
��
“I saw first hand how you and Bates saved Val by using a gun without killing John Sinclair. I’d hate to have his ghost haunting that house.”
“You’re making another joke?”
“No. I’m serious. If that evil man died in my house, I could never set foot in it again.”
“You don’t have to set foot in it. Your home is here now. Remember?”
Jules held up her ring finger and admired the diamond ring that adorned it. “Do you think your grandmother would have approved of me?”
“Definitely.”
“How do you know?”
Dane settled back in the sofa and wrapped his arm around Jules’ shoulders. “You are everything she told me to look for in a woman.”
“Redheaded, hot-tempered, and opinionated?”
“Someone with a beautiful soul, a smile that brightens my day, and someone who can cook and clean and keep my home spotless.”
“She didn’t say that!”
“Grandma told me that my heart would know when I found the right woman. I’d feel that ache in my chest when I wasn’t with her.”
“Did your heart ache for me?”
“It doesn’t now. That’s all that matters.”
“I’m not a homemaker. I have a cleaning lady that comes every week to my house. I don’t bake. I can barely cook.”
“We’ll keep Val with us forever.”
“Do you mean that?”
“She’s welcome to stay here as long as she wants. Bates, too.”
“Bates, too?”
“To use a word our daughter is quite fond of using, yep.”
“I’m good with that.”
Working together they filled Becca’s stocking and one each for Val and Bates. Lucky got a stocking filled with dog snacks. Dane retrieved wrapped presents that had been hidden away in his office then placed them under the tree. When they finished, they stood back and admired the lit Christmas tree with all of its trimming and the presents underneath it.
“You were right.” Jules nodded her approval. “The popcorn strings do make it a Christmas tree.”
“I think that calls for a celebration of milk and cookies.”
Jules looked at the untouched plate of goodies left for Santa. “It’s your job. Dads always eat Santa’s treats.”
Dane shrugged. “Well, they are my favorite and Lucky’s.” Dane popped a cookie into his mouth and tossed one to Lucky. Lucky gobbled his treat in one bite. Dane took the last cookie and broke it in half, and offered a piece to Jules. “Mrs. Claus?”
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