Christmas Duet: A Big City, Small Town Christmas Romance Bundle Page 10

  "Well, of course, I am a genius. Which is why you married me," I joked, playfully bumping him with my shoulder. "I can't believe, though, that I'm acing myself out of the dream wedding ceremony."

  "Who says we can't have a recommitment ceremony for family and friends next year anyway?"

  He was so damn cute when he was excited. "Maybe. After I get my figure back."

  "You'll get it back." He kissed me. "Even if you don't, you'll still be beautiful. Now, tell me about the ceremony."

  "I've booked a little private wedding chapel on the banks of the Hudson River in upstate New York for Christmas Eve day, just like the invitation says. I have a pastor, whose name really is Brown, James Brown, just like I wrote."

  "That was no joke?"

  "Not at all." I answered all of his questions. Telling him about the rules for New York weddings. How I'd had his tux cleaned. And Harry had gotten the twenty-four-hour waiting period waiver. How the marriage records would be sealed and not part of the public record.

  As the icing on it all, I brought out the postnup prenup I'd had Harry draw up and I'd signed. I handed it to Jus, wrapped in a bow.

  His brow furrowed. "What's this?"

  "Another present." I bit my lip. "To show you that all I want is you. Not your money. Just your love. And that you have all of mine."

  He untied the ribbon and pulled out the legal document, skimming it. As he read, the furrow in his brow deepened. "A prenup?"

  I nodded. "It's your basic postnuptial prenup, giving me a fixed sum of ten million, as we had originally agreed. So I didn't think you'd object to the amount. Though it can be changed if you like. Anyway, should we ever…split, which we won't, the amount will be adjusted for inflation for the duration of our marriage. And half of any joint assets we accumulate after our marriage. Which, because we're a community property state, is Washington State law. That part can't be altered.

  "But read it at your leisure." I winked at him. "And have your lawyer look it over. Since he drafted it—"

  Jus tossed it back in my lap. "I'm not signing that."

  "Jus, I want this done right. You should have had a prenup when you originally fake-married me. That was part of the reason for our ruse in the first place, to protect you from being taken to the cleaners.

  "As your current fake wife, I would advise you to protect yourself and your assets. You've earned your billions. I don't want them, not if I don't have you to go with them. I don't want you to ever doubt that I love you."

  His Adam's apple bobbed. His eyes got misty. He hugged me to him.

  "Please, Jus. Sign it for me. But do it at Harry's office where it can be witnessed and notarized so it will be legal."

  "One hundred million and not a penny less."

  I stared at him.

  "You get one hundred million or I won't sign. That's a pittance of my net worth." He was using his hard-ass negotiating voice. Which meant he wouldn't budge.

  I sighed and extended my hand for a shake. "Deal. But you know it's not what I want."

  He shook. "Deal." Then he frowned again. "Is a postnuptial prenuptial even a thing? Even legal?"

  I shrugged. "Harry's not sure. There's no case law. But why wouldn't it be? People renegotiate contracts all the time."

  He kissed me. "Damn, Kay, I love you."

  "I love you, too." I stared into his eyes. "But what are we going to do now? We have to be at the Christmas Eve Nutcracker. And that's when I've booked our wedding!"

  Then I thought of Riggins and I smiled. "I was mad at Riggins for strong-arming me into telling you early. I was going to surprise you with this the morning of the 23rd. Now I see his point."

  "Riggins knows about the wedding?" Justin's smile disappeared.

  "Not about the wedding. Just that I wanted to take you away for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I had to let him in on that much. I needed his help. He agreed to cover for you at Flash and the children's hospital on the 24th.

  "What about you? What was Riggins' involvement in the Nutcracker surprise?"

  Jus sighed. "He was instrumental in getting me the tickets. And he insisted I tell you, too, claiming surprises could backfire." Jus shook his head and grinned.

  We laughed together at that.

  "Okay, so we give Riggins points for being sneaky, but a good friend.

  "But what do we do now? I didn't think you'd want to be away from Flash during peak. I assumed the bulk of everything would be done by Christmas Eve. We would tell our family we were busy and wanted to be alone on our first Christmas and sneak off and get married.

  "For most people, getting married on Christmas Eve is a bad deal. Your anniversary on another holiday for life?" I shook my head. "Not so romantic. Except for us. We'll always be able to sneak an anniversary present in with the rest."

  "You thought of everything," Jus said.

  "Except you surprising me." I grimaced. "And putting those tickets away before Sheri saw them."

  "I hate to say this—this is the best surprise of my life, other than when I convinced you to fake-marry me and I hate to mess with it—can we postpone the wedding until after Christmas?"

  I really hated to tell him this part. I was hoping to avoid it until after Christmas. I sighed and shook my head. "I'm grounded after Christmas. Remember that spotting I had earlier this month? Add to that I'm at risk for going into preterm labor, and my doctor wants to err on the side of caution. She reluctantly gave me permission to fly until Christmas."

  He stared at me with a worried expression and laid his hand on my baby bump. "Why didn't you tell me? Is she going to be okay? Are you—"

  "We're both fine. Everything's fine. The doctor is just being cautious."

  "We'll get married in the next twelve days—"

  Guys! They were such fixers. But this couldn't be fixed.

  I shook my head. "One, with the port strike on top of peak, that would put too much stress and pressure on you. Let's face it, it just wouldn't look good to the investors and would be bad for Flash and employee morale. You can't ask them to put in long hours and then go dancing off on vacation, even for a day." I was thinking more and more like an entrepreneur every minute.

  "Two, how would we convince Riggins? And three, even if all that were possible, there are no venues, nothing available. Everything is booked. I was lucky to get something on Christmas Eve. And only then because most of the wedding venues are empty. Most people aren't crazy enough to get married on December 24th. Especially when it's midweek."

  "We'll make it possible. We'll get married at the courthouse." Jus nodded, agreeing with his own point and ignoring the rest of mine. "It won't be as romantic. But if the idea is just to get legitimately married—"

  "It is!" I said. "And I wish it were that simple. But the only way to get a second license is if the celebrant requires one to conduct the ceremony. And in New York, you get your license at town hall, not the courthouse. Anyway, the town clerk won't conduct a second ceremony because the state considers it a recommitment ceremony, not a marriage. I checked."

  His face fell.

  "I know!" I said. "It makes no sense. They'll issue a second license if a member of the clergy requires one for a second ceremony. But they won't conduct one. And, at this late date, just try to find a celebrant who will perform the ceremony before Christmas, require the license, and doesn't mind conducting it on a tarmac because there are no venues—"

  He squeezed my shoulders. "You're right. It was shitty of me to even suggest it. After all the trouble you've gone to to surprise me and plan a real wedding against all the odds, we're getting married on December 24th at the little chapel on the Hudson River in New York State by Parson Brown."

  "Sounds like a game of Clue," I said.

  "Babe"—he took my chin and tipped my face up to his—"I would marry you anytime anywhere again and again. We're going to do this." He sounded suddenly fierce and determined.

  "We'll fly out the 23rd after the Santa Sample Sale, get the license, get marri
ed at one, which is only ten in the morning Seattle time. The ceremony will be quick. No reception. Okay, correct that. One on the jet on the way back, just between you and me." He gave me a lecherous look.

  I raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You and me and my cousin Dex, if we can convince him. We need a witness. Fortunately, just one, not two like here. He's the only other person who knows about us, so tag, he's it. We just have to convince him to give up his Christmas Eve day for us."

  Justin's eyes lit up. He brushed my worry about Dex aside. "Dex will jump at the chance to do something different for a change."

  "To fly five hours across the country and back?"

  "We'll make it worth his while. I have ways of convincing him. Bargaining chips. Leave it to me." Jus paused. "Back to logistics. It's a five-hour flight. Less on a business jet, especially if we catch the winds. Going west home we gain, rather than lose, three hours. We can be back on the plane by eleven our time. Home by four.

  "Dex makes it back for Christmas Eve dinner. We're at the ballet by seven thirty. It will be tight."

  "But doable," I added. "I love you." I bit my lip. "Let's hope nothing else comes up to get in our way."

  I held out my hand. "And don't you have something else for me? Like my advent bead? I thought that's what you were going to give me at the gingerbread houses."

  He grinned and reached into another pocket. "You're terrible."

  "And greedy," I said with a smile.

  10

  Monday, December 15th

  Kayla

  I was in my office on my computer working on details for the Santa Sample Sale when my mom called.

  "I just saw you and Justin on Sunshine Sheri's show!"

  Mom was always delighted when I made it on TV. She was a successful lawyer, but somehow the sight of her only child on TV made her day and gave her bragging rights. Her girl was famous! Her thoughts, not mine.

  "I'm glad Justin told you about the ballet! I was bursting keeping it to myself. He called us early last week to invite us. Those tickets are impossible to get! Even for a billionaire, I would imagine." She sounded impressed.

  Almost everything about Jus impressed her.

  "We're all lucky to have Justin in the family. He's such a thoughtful young man. I appreciate him trying to accommodate both mothers and give all of us equal family time."

  She paused and I sensed a "but" coming.

  "I suppose that's the downside of having a married daughter. There's that other family to consider and share you with.

  "It's just…you're our only child. And they have two other sons. Who, by your account, are their favorites. You'd think they could give a little and let you spend all of Christmas Eve with us. I'm not so sure about sharing a box at the ballet with the Greens. They'll outnumber us."

  I'd been murmuring my agreement as she talked. My mind mostly elsewhere, occupied with making sure we were fulfilling as many Christmas wishes at the sample sale as possible.

  "You like the Greens, Mom. You said so yourself."

  "Mmmmmm," she said, obviously hedging. "What I know of them. But it is a little awkward when we first meet, as it is with people who aren't well acquainted. I think the thing is we never got to get to know them properly during an engagement period and wedding season. Eloping on the spur of the moment like you did—"

  "Saved you a lot of headaches. Think how it could have been—fighting over who gets to invite who and sit where and pay for what. You should be grateful," I teased her. "And shouldn't you be working?"

  "We're recessed for lunch," she said. "Well, anyway, I hope Justin won't mind a few family pictures. Just of our family. Not that I'm averse to a few with the Greens, too. But you know how I like my Christmas Eve family photos. And you will be spending the night with us?"

  "Actually, I was thinking this year you and Dad, and the Greens, should all come spend the night here with us. We have a big house and plenty of room—"

  "Kayla!"

  "Teasing, Mom. Though you and Dad could come spend the night with us. We have three trees."

  "Yeesss, but that won't seem like Christmas, will it? Tradition!"

  "Things are changing, Mom. I'll humor you this year, but next year is a whole new game."

  "That's generous of you, child." She laughed. "I suppose it could be worse. My sister called. She's unhappy with her headstrong only child, your cousin Dex. Well, who else?" She laughed at herself.

  "Anyway, he's going on some kind of overnight snowboarding trip with friends on the 23rd and won't be home until dinner on Christmas Eve."

  I held my tongue and tried not to laugh. Jus had done his job and talked Dex into being our witness. I didn't know what Jus had promised him, but I would bet whatever it was was good. My aunt, my mom's twin sister, would be furious at me if she knew I was the source behind Dex's trip. Given the circumstances, though, what could I do?

  "Are you sniggering?" Mom said.

  Oops! Not doing such a good job at holding it in.

  "It's not funny," she said.

  "No, Mom. But it's exactly like Dex."

  Yes, I threw my cousin who was doing me a Christmas favor under the bus. Evil, evil. Well, he'd pranked me enough during my lifetime that he probably deserved it. And was being handsomely compensated for his effort, I was sure.

  "You have a point!" Mom laughed, too. "Before I forget. I've been meaning to ask you. I haven't done my baking yet."

  Which was exactly like Mom every year. She was a perpetually late, last-minute baker. At least her cookies were always fresh on Christmas Eve and she didn't have to pull them out of the freezer, either.

  "Can you come over on the 23rd and make cookies with me? We'll have so much fun! We'll send your dad out and watch Christmas movies while we bake…" She kept talking, selling it with as much enthusiasm as if she was on the shopping channel.

  I had stopped listening. Crap. No matter how much holiday time I gave her, it was just like Mom to angle for more and put me on the spot.

  Think fast, I told myself. Think up a lie and think it up quick!

  "Kayla?"

  "Sorry, Mom. I can't. Jus and I have plans on the 23rd." I crossed my fingers, hoping she wouldn't pry.

  "Plans." Her voice fell. "That's nice." She was really trying to rally and make allowances now that I was a married woman. "Unfortunately, the 23rd is the only time I can do it. What are you up to that night? Can it be moved?"

  If she'd known I was flying to my real wedding, she would have been horrified she'd asked.

  "No. Sorry. I've planned a special date night," I lied. Sort of. I couldn't very well tell her I was going to make Jus her actual son-in-law. Yes, Jus was going to be real, too! Wait. Wasn't that the Pinocchio story?

  "Two days before Christmas?" Her voice dripped suspicion. She was probably thinking I was putting her off.

  Which I was, in a way.

  "Jus and I have barely had any time together this holiday season. Which is my favorite time of year. Peak!" I said with enough disdain to sound like the Grinch.

  "Ah, yes, the infamous peak." She chuckled. "I suppose you deserve some time together before Christmas." She was clearly trying to be supportive, but she sounded disappointed all the same.

  "Well," she said, changing the subject with a filler word. Typical for her. "Have you seen the ten-day weather forecast? It doesn't look like we're going to get a white Christmas this year."

  What else was new? We seldom did. I'd lived in the Seattle area all my life and could only remember a few.

  "They're predicting mild, pleasant weather. It would serve your mountain-going cousin right if there was no snow for this snowboarding trip of his! They're predicting a terrible year for the ski resorts."

  Uh-oh. Mountain snow, where are you when I need you to provide Dex an alibi? Problems, problems.

  "The East Coast, though!" Mom was saying. "Brrrr. They're expecting a blizzard. I wouldn't want to be in New York State over Christmas, that's for sure! Remember that storm they had tha
t shut New York City down a few years ago? This could be that bad, or worse. So they're saying.

  "The meteorologists are already warning New Yorkers to get their holiday shopping done early. They'll have a white Christmas for sure. I just hope Rudolph can get Santa's sleigh through."

  My heart thudded to a dead stop. Fixing Dex's cover story was a small problem. But a big snowstorm could derail my whole wedding. "What?"

  "Not like it matters to us!" She paused. "Anyway, they're often wrong. Especially this far out. But they like to be sensational, don't they? Oops! Look at the time. I have to run. Recess is over. Talk to you soon!"

  After scaring me with dire warnings of an epic New York snow, she cut me off and went back to court. I hoped she was right about them being wrong. About New York. I looked up the weather for my New York destination wedding. And yes, she was correct about the weather report. New York was bracing for the storm of the century.

  Fortunately, the century is young, I told myself. Maybe it won't be so bad.

  "Oh, crap!" I said, not believing myself. Another thing to worry about.

  I called Jus and worried to him, poor guy. Like he needed another stress in his hectic life. Or a pregnant, panicked bride-to-be on his hands.

  "Nothing to worry about! They're never right this far out. If they're predicting a blizzard it will probably be fifty and sunny that day."

  He was completely nonchalant and unconcerned. Almost too indifferent to chances of impending wedding-cancelling weather.

  "We won't have Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," I said. "We'll have to hope our plane blinks like a blinking beacon to light the way."

  Jus laughed. "Both the jet and the airport we're flying into are rated for all weather conditions. A little snow won't stop us."

  His confidence was almost reassuring. "Almost" being the key word. I wasn't the bravest flyer anyway.

  Friday, December 19th

  Justin

  Kay had planned a beautiful executive party. Our house looked festive. Kay looked even better. My gaze followed her around as she effortlessly mingled, charmed, and made small talk with the execs and top management from Flash.