Shelley looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Flathead Lake. “I don’t know, Mom. The weather doesn’t look that great.”
“Nonsense,” Elena exclaimed. “Ted will drive us into town and Caleb can bring Sam.”
“Why don’t we leave it until tomorrow? After we’ve seen the tree, I could take you to the tiny home village. It’s changed a lot since you last saw it.”
Shelley’s dad stood and stretched. “I vote for seeing the tree today. It will be nice to get some fresh air, even if it is cold.”
Aunt Rosa smiled at Shelley. “We could go for a walk around the lake if the snow stays away. I had a little too much dessert.”
Shelley looked at her sister and brother-in-law. It didn’t look as though they were too worried about going into town, either. “Okay. If everyone wants to go into town, that’s fine by me. But make sure you bring a good jacket. At this time of the afternoon, the wind can be bitter.”
Surprisingly, everyone grabbed their jackets and were standing beside their vehicles in record time. Her family must be more desperate than Shelley thought to get out of the house.
“We have Christmas music,” Elena said proudly. “It will help set the mood.”
Ted opened the passenger door of the SUV and waved his wife inside. “As long as you don’t play your favorite song more than twice, I’m happy.”
After everyone else had climbed into the vehicle, Ted said, “Your mom played Michael Bublé’s ‘White Christmas’ at least forty times on the way here.”
Shelley smiled. “Don’t worry, Dad. If I hear the opening notes, I’ll ask you to forward the playlist to the next song.”
Her dad hugged her. “That’s my girl.”
“Don’t get too excited. What if Mom doesn’t want to skip to the next song?”
“Then we’ll have to be creative,” he whispered. “The speakers might suddenly lose power.”
“Sneaky,” Shelley whispered.
“I’ve learned a thing or two after forty years of marriage.” He held open the car door and winked at Shelley. “Let’s go and see a Christmas tree.”
John glanced at his watch for the tenth time. “They’re late.” Early this morning, he’d left Los Angeles and flown back to Montana to surprise Shelley. Apart from Steven and Bailey, the only other people who knew he was here were Shelley’s parents.
Steven peered at the trucks driving up and down Main Street. “They won’t be long. Elena will make sure Shelley gets here.”
John hoped so. “Do you think I should text Elena to see where they are?”
“Give them ten more minutes. Ted might have underestimated the time it would take to get here.”
Pulling his ski cap lower, John shivered as the freezing air hit his face.
“Are you sure you don’t want a sign for the front of your jacket? Shelley might not recognize you.”
John rubbed the lower half of his face. For the last eight years, his beard had become more than an excuse not to shave. It was his mask, a new identity that helped him get through each day after he’d left the army.
When he used to look in a mirror, his beard reminded him that he wasn’t the naïve twenty-two-year-old who’d left Colorado to serve his country. He’d seen too much to ever be that person again.
But today, everything was different.
Last night, he told his family he was shaving off his beard. They knew the significance of what he was about to do and, God bless them, they’d supported him each step of the way.
If someone had watched what had happened in his parents’ bathroom, they might have thought they were crazy. With half his family squashed into the bathroom, and the other half in the hallway, he’d shaved off his beard, cried for what it had represented, and laughed at his dad’s awful jokes.
Afterward, his mom kept hugging him and his sisters looked sideways at him, puzzling over the different person sitting in the living room.
Steven nudged him. “Are you listening?”
He looked blankly at his friend. “Sorry. I was hundreds of miles away.”
“I could tell. You’d better come back to earth in a hurry. Shelley and her family have arrived.”
And just like that, John’s heart pounded, and he felt like he was going to be sick.
Shelley was the first person to climb out of her dad’s SUV. She wasn’t wrong about the weather. A cold wind was blowing directly off the lake, freezing everything in its icy grip.
“There’s a reason no one else is looking at the tree,” she told her family as another gust of wind had her reaching for her hat. “It’s too cold.”
“Plenty of vehicles are driving past, though,” Aunt Rosa said. “And I can see why. What a magnificent Christmas tree.”
Ted let out a low whistle. “How on earth did you get the tree inside a barn? It’s enormous.”
Shelley’s gaze lifted to the top of the tree. “It wasn’t easy. After a special hoist lifted it off the trailer, eight people carried it inside. It took nearly an hour to make sure it wouldn’t fall over.” She thought the tree would look smaller beside the lake but it didn’t. Whether it was the platform at its base, or the extra light at the top, everything about the tree was supersized and gorgeous.
Sam and Caleb joined them at the end of the street.
Shelley looked at Sam and frowned. “Should you be outside? It’s freezing.”
Sam sighed. “Not you, too. I’ve just had half an hour of Caleb saying the same thing. I’ll be fine.”
Uncle Jackson stood beside Sam. “Don’t worry. As long as Sam stays between Caleb and me, she won’t slip or slide anywhere.”
Aunt Rosa smiled. “You are a good man, Jackson.”
“I try, Rosa.”
With Sam being looked after, Shelley turned to the rest of her family. “Do you want to cross the street and have a closer look or are you happy to stand here for a few minutes?”
Elena pulled her jacket close and smiled. “I would like everyone to stand in front of the tree and take a family photo.”
Shelley’s eyebrows rose. “It’s almost pitch-black and snowing, Mom. I don’t think your cell phone camera will give you a very good photo.”
“We will do our best.” And without waiting for the rest of her family, Elena looked both ways before striding across the street.
Ted wrapped his hand around Shelley and Aunt Maria’s elbows. “It looks as though we’re following Elena.”
Reluctantly, Shelley went with her dad. This was the craziest thing they’d ever done. If they weren’t careful, someone would come down with a serious case of frostbite.
The only other person mad enough to be outside was a man standing on the far side of the tree. Shelley’s gaze skimmed over him before returning to her dad. “The Business Association used their own decorations. The decorations we had were a lot smaller.”
The red and gold baubles on the tree were the size of bowling balls. Shelley stepped closer, trying to figure out how they’d tied them to the branches. It was bad enough attaching the smaller decorations. These would be even more difficult if you took into consideration the wind, snow, and rain they’d have to withstand.
“Excuse me?”
Shelley glanced over her shoulder, smiled, then moved away from the man she’d seen earlier. He must have dropped something on the ground or left something behind.
“Shelley?”
She frowned. His voice sounded remarkably like…
She turned and stared. “John?”
“I think so, although it’s so cold that my brain feels as though it’s frozen.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You look…different.” With his ski cap pulled low and his beard completely gone, she hardly recognized him. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Los Angeles with your family.”
“I wanted to spend some of Christmas Day with you.” He pulled off his cap. “Better?”
She nodded and touched his face. Without his beard, John’s eyes looked
twice as large and twice as blue. His jaw was more chiseled. And his lips. Shelley’s breath caught. He had a mouth that was made for kissing and whispering sweet nothings to her over bags of chocolate fudge.
“Look at your eyelashes,” she said with a sigh. “I never realized they were so long.”
“I guess they’re more noticeable now that I don’t have a lot of facial hair.”
Shelley dropped her hand to her side. He must think the cold air had gone to her brain as well. “Why did you shave off your beard?”
John pulled his hat back on and moved closer. “I don’t need to hide behind it anymore. I feel different, but the same. And…” He ran his hand around the back of his neck. “I’m not making much sense, am I?”
“I kind of understand. You’re like a butterfly who’s come out of his cocoon. You’ve changed on the inside and outside, but you’re still the same amazing John McDonald that I met outside The Welcome Center.”
His eyes looked less worried. “Keep talking.”
Shelley bit her bottom lip. “Can I do something else?”
John cleared his throat and looked over her shoulder. “Your family’s pretending they’re not looking at us. Whatever you want to do will have to be parent friendly.”
“This is definitely parent friendly,” she whispered as she pulled John close. Standing on tiptoes, she rubbed her cheek along his jaw. “Your skin is so soft.”
John’s gentle sigh stirred memories of the times they’d spent together, the times when neither of them felt like the person they used to be.
She placed little kisses along his skin and inhaled the subtle scent of his aftershave. “You smell incredible.”
“You can thank Dad for that. I borrowed some of his aftershave.”
While she was lost in the feel and smell of John, he’d pulled her close. Not wanting to waste a wonderful opportunity, she snuggled into his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and held onto the man who’d changed her life.
“Umm…Shelley?”
“Mmm?”
“Your family look like frozen Popsicles.”
She stepped back and looked over her shoulder. “Why are they waiting over there?” Suddenly, everything made sense. “They’re so lovely. They knew you were coming home for Christmas and wanted it to be a surprise. That’s so sweet. We should—”
“If you’re going to say, go and see them, we can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I haven’t said what I want to say.”
Shelley frowned. “It’s because I’ve spent too long admiring your handsome face, isn’t it? Okay. I’ll focus on your eyes so that I’m not distracted. Tell me what you want to say, but be warned. If you’re breaking up with me, Dad, Caleb, and Uncle Jackson won’t be happy. Think Sicilian mafia, times three.”
“Your mom’s family is from Tivoli.”
“Sicily…Tivoli…they all have famous crime families.”
John pulled her into his arms and started laughing. “What am I going to do with you?”
Shelley smiled. “You could let me rub my face against yours? I like the feel of your skin touching mine.”
A blush washed across John’s cheeks. “You can touch my face as much as you like after we’re home. But, for now, I’ve got something to ask you.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket.
Shelley’s eyes widened. “If that’s a pair of earrings, you’d better tell me quick.”
“It’s not earrings.” John’s blue eyes shone with love, kindness, and all the things that were so good about him.
He opened the lid and Shelley gasped. Nestled on white satin was the prettiest diamond engagement ring she’d ever seen.
Slowly, John got down on one knee. With tears in his eyes, he said, “Shelley Jones, will you marry me?”
She took a deep breath. She loved John and knew he loved her, that he wanted to be part of her life. But she didn’t think he’d ask her to marry him. Not now. Not when they’d only known each other for a few weeks. “I don’t…I can’t…” Tears streamed down her face.
John looked worried. He stood and held her hands. “It’s okay. Take another deep breath.”
She tried, she really did. But each time she looked into John’s eyes, she cried.
He reached into his pocket and handed her a handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
“Do you feel better?”
Shelley took a shaky breath. “I do.”
His frown deepened. “If I asked you to marry me again, would you repeat those words?”
After she realized what John meant, she imagined being his wife. Of having a family and growing old together. It was everything she’d ever wanted and more.
John lowered his head until their foreheads were touching. “It’s okay if this is too soon. I can ask you to marry me again in six months, a year, or whenever you’re ready.”
Closing her eyes, Shelley felt the warmth of John’s body sheltering her from the weather, the intimacy and strength of the man who would always be the center of her world.
“Ask me again,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
John sighed. “Shelley Jones. Will you marry me?”
“I will…I mean…I do.” She opened her eyes and smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.”
She reached up and cradled John’s jaw in her hands. “Neither can I.”
When they kissed it was sweet and sexy and so addictive that Shelley kissed him again. With John by her side, there were no yesterdays and no todays, only a wonderful future to look forward to.
Claps and cheers rang out across the lake as her family hurried toward them.
Shelley sighed. With two engaged daughters and a baby on the way, she wouldn’t be surprised if her parents moved to Sapphire Bay.
She just hoped John knew what he was letting himself in for. Three Jones sisters were trouble, but their mom was even worse.
“How do you feel about a short engagement?” John whispered.
Shelley looked at him and smiled. “How short?”
“Three or four weeks?”
She wrapped her arms around him and smiled. “Now I know you’re the man of my dreams. That sounds perfect.”
* * *
THE END
Thank you
Thank you for reading The Santa Express I hope you enjoyed it! If you did…
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To discover what happens to Shelley, Bailey, and Sam, keep reading for a preview of Endless Love, the Jones family story—the fifth book in the Santa’s Secret Helpers series!
Endless Love
Santa’s Secret Helpers, Book 5
* * *
Pre-Order Your Copy Today!
To Be Published December, 2020
* * *
This Christmas, something magical is happening in Sapphire Bay.
The New Year has never been so exciting in Sapphire Bay! With Shelley and Bailey’s weddings fast approaching, and their sister, Sam, expecting a baby, the Jones family has never been busier.
* * *
But with houses to remodel and Santa’s Secret Helpers overwhelmed with wishes, it’s up to Pastor John, Caleb, and Steven to make more dreams come true.
* * *
When an emergency throws their lives into chaos, the Jones family discovers the joy in family, faith, and holding on to what’s important.
* * *
ENDLESS LOVE is the fifth novel in the Santa’s Secret Helpers series and can easily be read as a stand-alone. Each of Leeanna’s series are linked so you can find out what happens to your favorite ch
aracters in other books.
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If you would like to know when Leeanna's next book is released, please visit leeannamorgan.com. Happy reading! For news of my latest releases, please visit leeannamorgan.com and sign up for my newsletter. Happy reading!
* * *
Endless Love
Santa’s Secret Helpers, Book 5
Pre-Order Your Copy Today!
To Be Published December 2020.
Enjoy More Books By Leeanna Morgan
Montana Brides:
Book 1: Forever Dreams (Gracie and Trent)
Book 2: Forever in Love (Amy and Nathan)
Book 3: Forever After (Nicky and Sam)
Book 4: Forever Wishes (Erin and Jake)
Book 5: Forever Santa (A Montana Brides Christmas Novella)
Book 6: Forever Cowboy (Emily and Alex)
Book 7: Forever Together (Kate and Dan)
Book 8: Forever and a Day (Sarah and Jordan)
Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 1-3
Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 4-6
* * *
The Bridesmaids Club:
Book 1: All of Me (Tess and Logan)
Book 2: Loving You (Annie and Dylan)
Book 3: Head Over Heels (Sally and Todd)
Book 4: Sweet on You (Molly and Jacob)
The Bridesmaids Club: Books 1-3
* * *
Emerald Lake Billionaires:
Book 1: Sealed with a Kiss (Rachel and John)
Book 2: Playing for Keeps (Sophie and Ryan)
Book 3: Crazy Love (Holly and Daniel)
Book 4: One And Only (Elizabeth and Blake)
Emerald Lake Billionaires: Books 1-3
The Santa Express Page 20