Christmas Duet: A Big City, Small Town Christmas Romance Bundle Page 9

  As he picked up his son, the boy burst into an even louder round of screams and protests.

  Jus, who was normally good-natured and patient with anything having to do with children, looked irritated at the interruption.

  He squeezed my hand. "This one gets my vote."

  "Not so fast." I looked around again to make sure there were no reporters. "It is definitely nice. But we have to see the front side of the others before we decide. Those are your rules, not mine," I teased.

  "Damn the rules. I made them. I can change them," he said. "I like this one." He reached into his pocket, ostensibly to pull out his phone, as I reached into my purse for the card.

  I was half expecting him to pull out my advent charm bracelet bead of the day instead of his phone. Which, of course, would be another Nutcracker bead. Explaining his excitement and why he wanted me to vote for this particular display. He was so undeniably adorable and romantic. This was threatening to be the best bead presentation yet.

  But I was losing ground and getting nervous I was going to blow my opportunity. I had to get my surprise in before we moved away from wonderland entry. Or we got another unexpected interruption.

  We spoke at the same time.

  "I've been trying to find the perfect way to give you this." Puzzlingly, he pulled neither his phone nor a small jewelry box out. Instead, he pulled an envelope from his pocket with a flourish and held it out to me. "I had to pull all kinds of strings—"

  I pulled the marriage proposal card from my purse and looked deep into his eyes as I went up on my toes and whispered in his ear. "I have something for you, too."

  I took the envelope from him. He took the card from me.

  "You first!" we said in unison again. "No, you!"

  "Jinx!" I finally said.

  "All right, clearly, great minds think alike. We'll open them together." His gaze held mine. "Agreed?"

  I nodded. "Agreed."

  The envelope he'd handed me was unsealed and looked like a ticket sleeve. I opened the flap and pulled out eight tickets to The Nutcracker. Box seats. And a note in Justin's neat engineering printing. A new tradition for the whole family. Both sides are going. Your parents. My parents and brothers. You and me.

  I stopped reading and gave a girly squeal. "Jus!"

  Jus had opened the handmade card I'd given him and was staring at it with a shocked, still expression.

  I held my breath. I'd taken great pains with the calligraphy and the wording. I'd spent an inordinate amount of time stamping, cutting out shapes, and applying appliques, embossing, and even glitter, using every card-making technique I knew. I'd used my design skills and premium, high-quality cardstock, sparing no expense. I'd even judiciously applied gold and silver foil to make a Christmas wedding announcement/marriage proposal card. And though the calligraphy wasn't as pretty as a professional's, it got my point across.

  I watched his face as he silently read the words I'd penned.

  Kayla Marie Lucas Green invites you, Justin Arnold Green, love of her life, fake husband, father-to-be of her child, and lover, to really marry her, in a legitimate, legal ceremony, sanctioned by the State of New York, complete with a genuine, authentic, and legally binding second marriage license on December 24th at 1 p.m. in New York State. We won't be married by a snowman. But the preacher's name is Brown.

  This was where I had planned to whisper in his ear, Will you really marry me, Jus?

  Instead, I was staring at the date on The Nutcracker tickets. And the rest of his note. It will be a Christmas Eve to remember.

  It certainly would.

  Before either of us could speak—it was safe to say we were both speechless with surprise—a camera flashed, immortalizing the moment and our stunned expressions. My sometimes ally, sometimes nemesis, local daytime TV personality and talk show host Sunshine Sheri, appeared with a camera crew in tow.

  I'd been so absorbed in this beautiful, bittersweet fiasco of a moment, I hadn't noticed her come in.

  Who invited her? I thought. And what was she doing, lurking behind a potted palm, waiting to pounce on us?

  Before we could turn and run, her eyes lit with a predatory glint. She smiled an evil, slow smile of satisfaction. The ball on her red Santa hat bounced. Of course she was wearing a Santa hat! Her heels clicked on the polished granite floor, the sound of my beautiful marriage proposal being interrupted and ruined. And I swore her crew had moved into position to block all the exits.

  She hurried toward us with a cheery wave, parting the crowd waiting to get into the holiday gingerbread village as easily as Mrs. Claus herself. A whisper of excitement rippled through the line as people recognized one of the city's perkiest daytime personalities.

  We're going to be on TV!

  People pointed and waved to the cameras. A few even shamelessly held their babies up. And waved their little hands, pimping them out to get noticed. Babies always caught the eye. And this display was for the children.

  As the cameras panned the line of people, I contemplated the odds that I could outrun her crew. Jus and I were probably the only two people who did not want to be caught on TV. And yet we were clearly her quarry.

  "Sheri! Sheri!" The people reached for her.

  Sheri was in her element, shaking hands, smiling, waving. She was thin, an aging beauty of the news anchor ilk. She wore a red sweater and black belt. Black slacks and boots. Her blond hair fell to her shoulders in waves beneath that Santa hat.

  Her career had been revived, in part thanks to Jus marrying me. Long story.

  "If it isn't Justin and Kayla Green!" she gushed as she reached us, as if the meeting was totally accidental. A happy coincidence.

  Right.

  "Let's just see if we can catch them for a moment!" She held her forefinger half an inch from her thumb. She waved to us again. "Tell us, Justin and Kayla, how fabulous is the display this year? And for such a worthy cause!"

  Oh, crap.

  9

  Kayla

  As Sunshine Sheri approached, Jus grabbed me and pulled me close. "Yes," he whispered without hesitation or question. He looked at me with his heart in his eyes. "I'll really marry you." He gave me a quick kiss to seal the deal. "We'll work it out."

  It was so like Jus to save the moment, and me from total humiliation. I'd been hoping for more time. More passion. A long, lingering kiss. But no one could deny the intimacy of that instant between us.

  He slid the card I'd given him into his pocket just as Sheri reached us.

  "Justin Green! You're such a big supporter of children's causes. I was hoping we'd catch you on your annual visit to the gingerbread houses," Sheri said. "Second Saturday of December three years running now. Am I right?"

  Jus grimaced ever so slightly. Obviously kicking himself for being so predictable. But who but Sunshine Sheri would have paid attention to his gingerbread visiting habits?

  "Good to see you, Sheri." He leaned forward and hugged her like she was an old friend.

  Jus was always gracious and welcoming. Genuine in an affectionate way people loved and appreciated.

  I was glad the focus was on him, because right at that moment I was trying hard not to scowl. And losing. Back to the naughty list for me.

  "And it's delicious to see my favorite billionaire." She took his hands and squeezed them.

  I was dazed and disappointed as I stood next to Jus, holding The Nutcracker tickets like a reindeer in the headlights.

  "Kayla!" Sheri held her arms open to me.

  Damn. There was nothing to do but hug her.

  Wrong thing. Wrong move.

  Sheri spotted the tickets. "What's this?" She caught my hand and looked at them. "Nutcracker tickets! Those are impossible to get. It sold out in, what? September?" She looked to Jus for confirmation.

  He shrugged.

  "And for Christmas Eve. Now, you have to have clout to get those." She wiggled her eyebrows and mugged for the camera. "What an absolutely thoughtful gesture!"

  Crap! Now we'
re trapped.

  Oblivious to the drama playing out between Jus and me, Sheri glanced at the display we were standing in front of and back to Justin.

  "You are just the most adorable billionaire!" She stared right at the rolling camera. "Isn't he, girls? Did you just surprise Kayla with those tickets? Right here in front of the Nutcracker gingerbread display? See!"

  She leaned toward the camera, confidentially speaking to it. "This is why we love Justin, isn't it, ladies? Top of the nice list for him!"

  I was feeling sick as Sheri turned to me. And beating myself up for being slow and stupid and too stunned to think. If I'd thought as quickly on my feet as Jus had, those tickets would be safely out of sight in my purse.

  "The Greens are going to The Nutcracker on Christmas Eve! What a special way to celebrate."

  She'd been sickeningly bright and perky before. Now she was downright glowing and positively annoying. "We'll be there, too! Special Christmas Eve coverage. Interviewing people. We'll be looking for you. You'll have to stop and say hello and wish our audience merry Christmas!"

  I felt sick. My slow reaction time may have just blown any chance of a Christmas Eve wedding. And after Jus had just tried to save it.

  "You'd better keep your eye on Justin, Kayla," Sheri said. "After this romantic gesture, girls are going to want him even more. If you ever let him go, there will be a line of girls waiting to snap him up!"

  "I'm not planning on losing him anytime soon. Anytime period." I put my arm around him, possessive.

  Jus looped his arm me, beaming. He had the same grin on his face he'd had when I told him I loved him the first time. Awe. Wonder. Complete happiness.

  I felt the same way. If only I hadn't been so stupid and slow…

  "Do you have a favorite display this year?" Sheri asked him. "Do we have to guess? Or does it start with The Nutcracker?" She laughed as she winked into the camera.

  "Winter Wonderland," Jus said without hesitating. He pulled out his phone. "I'm texting my vote in right now. I've always loved that bit about the snowman and Parson Brown. Look at that snowman and tell me they haven't captured it perfectly."

  "Liar!" I mouthed to him.

  He winked and turned the conversation away from us to what a worthy charity this village was raising money for, encouraging everyone to visit it and donate.

  Justin

  I've had my share of fantasies. Since freshman year of college, most of them regarding Kay. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine her proposing to me. It was enough of a stretch to imagine her accepting my proposal.

  I finally managed to extricate us from Sunshine Sheri's grasp. "Merry Christmas! Happy holidays! You'll have to excuse us now, Sheri. We have a busy day of Christmas shopping ahead. Only twelve days until Christmas. Busy, busy, busy!"

  "You don't do all of your shopping through Flashionista?" Sheri asked.

  I winked at her. "Not all."

  She signaled "cut" to the cameras.

  "Thanks for humoring me," Sheri said to us when they were no longer on us. "We got some good footage. This should bring people down. We'll be airing this segment on Monday's show."

  I nodded. "Great! We'll be watching for it. Really, nice to see you, Sheri. Happy holidays!"

  I grabbed Kay's hand and pulled her past the crew and gathering crowds into the revolving door.

  "We could go round and round for fun." I winked at her.

  She shook her head, laughing. Damn, I liked seeing her happy. "This isn't Elf."

  "We need to watch that movie." I pulled her out onto the sidewalk, into the noise of the street and the city. "I love you!"

  Delirious with joy, I threw my arms around her, wide baby belly and all. Picked her up off her feet beneath her butt, holding her so that she towered above me, and lifted my face for a kiss.

  She cupped my face. "I love you, too. You're happy?"

  "Ecstatic!" I mugged for a kiss again.

  She laughed and lowered her lips to mine, kissing me in that sweet, hot way that made me want to take her in the street. That made my heart sing and my pulse race.

  Someone walked by and yelled at us, "Hey! Where's the mistletoe?"

  I spun her around, still kissing her. When I stopped, she was breathless.

  She smiled down at me. "Your kisses are positively dizzying!"

  "Yeah?" I grinned. I couldn't stop grinning. "I have that effect on women. It's my animal magnetism."

  "Ah," she said. "I thought it was the spinning. But that explains it." She laughed. "Now put me down. People are staring at us."

  "Let them stare!" I laughed, too. The sun was shining. It was a beautiful, cold, clear December day. But even if it had been raining, it would have been a gorgeous day.

  "Jus!"

  I shook my head and set her gently on her feet. "I love you. In more ways than you'll ever know."

  "Really?" she said. "Let me count the ways—"

  I grabbed her fingers and kissed them. "Your hands are cold." I pulled my gloves from my coat pocket. "Wear mine."

  She pulled a pair for her pocket and held them up. "I have my own. But you're sweet."

  "You've made me the happiest guy in the world."

  "In the world?" Her eyes sparkled.

  With tears of joy, I hoped.

  "I love you, too."

  The way she said it, softly, deeply, made my heart sing. "Say it again?"

  "What?" She looked puzzled. "I love you?"

  I grinned. "Yeah. Say it a million times. I never get tired of hearing it."

  She shook her head. "You're crazy. And way too easy to please."

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her down the street.

  She looked at me quizzically. "Where are we going?"

  "Somewhere you can tell me all about it. Everything. I want to hear all about our wedding plans." I stopped suddenly, pulling her up short in front of me. "We can really get married in New York? With a genuine second license? That we both sign? I thought that wasn't legal anywhere in the US."

  She tenderly stroked my beard, laughing, I presumed at my enthusiasm. "Yes, we can really get married. You and me. Not you and some imposter." She paused, turning suddenly serious.

  "Jus, I never got to say the words. I was going to actually ask you to marry me. I rehearsed and everything."

  "So say them now."

  She glanced around at the people walking by. "Out on the street? I feel silly."

  "Kay?" I coaxed.

  "Justin Arnold—"

  "I hate that middle name."

  She gave me the look.

  "Sorry." I put on an apologetic face. "Proceed."

  "Justin Arnold Green, will you really marry me?" She tapped her chest. "Not a fake. Not a proxy. But really marry me?"

  "Yes!" I kissed her again, deeply, lingering. Shit, I loved the way she kissed me, running her tongue over my lips until I trembled. Nibbling me. Pressing up against me.

  She pulled away suddenly. "Jus, what are we going to do? In our rush to surprise each other, we've booked competing events. And now that Sunshine Sheri has announced our attendance at The Nutcracker to the world—"

  "We'll cancel," I said. "Give our tickets away. I'd rather marry you any day."

  She pursed her lips. "Jus, how much trouble did you go to to get these tickets?"

  "Riggins—" I started to say.

  "Riggins!" she said at the same time.

  We stared at each other in surprise.

  "You, too?" we said together.

  "We have to stop this speaking-in-unison crap." Her hand was still cold. I tucked it in my pocket with mine. "I want to hear everything. But not out here on the street. I have an idea!" I let go of her hand, pulled out my phone, made an online reservation, and called for a cab. "Come on!"

  "Where are we going?"

  I grinned. "Someplace private. In the mood for a Ferris wheel ride?"

  Kayla

  Less than fifteen minutes later, we were being escorted to the front of the line at the wh
eel, each carrying a T-shirt to commemorate the moment. Jus had paid for two consecutive rides, which was good for about forty minutes of complete, private alone time.

  "You two look happy," the attendant said as he opened the door to the private VIP gondola. "Having a good time downtown?"

  Jus grinned. "Oh, yeah."

  Then we were locked in, cuddled together on the leather seat as the gondola rose and people boarded the next gondola below us. It was just the two of us. With soft Christmas music playing in the background and a view of the city decorated for the holidays before us.

  "This is perfect! Date day on the wheel like all the high school and college kids? And tourists!" I teased.

  He was grinning ear to ear. "Hey, it's private. We have the T-shirts." He flashed four champagne toast drink coupons. "And we can have a holiday toast later."

  I shook my head and patted my baby bump. "Am I allowed?"

  He put his arm around me. "So talk. Tell me everything. I want to know all the details of my upcoming real wedding to you. New York? This is really legit? How did you find out about it?"

  As the wheel went up and around, we took in the view of the city, the sound, and the mountains. I told him everything, all the details. "A lunch conversation with my sorority sister Kelly put me on to it. She was telling me about her friend's secret wedding and all the headaches involved." I gave him the details and took him through my discovery process.

  "So I looked into it, and sure enough, New York will issue a second license under specific circumstances." I listed them for him.

  He squeezed my hand, beaming. He hadn't stopped smiling. He looked as elated as if he'd proposed and this had been our real engagement. "Why do I feel like shouting this out to the world? I'm really going to marry this girl!" He held our clasped hands up in a victory-type pose.

  "Shut up!" I leaned my head on his shoulder.

  "I want to tell everyone. Not kidding. This is brilliant. You're brilliant. I'd been thinking of surprising you on our first anniversary with a recommitment ceremony some place romantic. Maybe Italy. So you could have the dream ceremony you always wanted and our family and friends could celebrate with us. But I couldn't find any way to get another completely legal license and marriage certificate. You've outplayed me!"