“Mavyn Vance?” Kris’s eyes widened. “I love Mavyn Vance.”
“Mavyn Vance is my best friend,” Cora informed her.
“Ah … crap,” Kris muttered. “What’s my other choice?”
Grams gave her a wide smile and finished for Cora. “Our beautiful Cora survived the way you destroyed her career because she’s a gifted suspense writer.”
“Romantic suspense, thanks to Quill’s inspiration,” Cora interjected.
Grams laughed heartily at that as Kris’s fake lips thinned. “Romantic suspense,” she corrected and then gave Kris a compassionate look. “You will do a series of features on all of your sites with Cora, giving her loads of free book promotion. Cora and Hope will stay with you to get everything set up and uploaded right now. If any of them don’t post on their scheduled dates, or if you ever try to hurt any of our family again, we’ll assume you chose option one.”
Kris stared at Grams as if wondering if she dared call her bluff. The staring contest didn’t last very long before Kris muttered, “Okay.”
Grams patted Cora on the arm. “We’ll see you back at the house later. Come on, Chase.”
Chase didn’t need to be told twice. He took Grams’s arm and hurried to the front door.
“Chase,” Kris called after him.
Chase didn’t want to stop, but he did, forcing himself to look back.
“Thanks for listening to me. For the record, you may be the only man besides Quill who resisted me.” She winked. “That girlfriend of yours must be something special.”
“She is,” Grams said before Chase could respond. She tugged on Chase’s arm and then they were blessedly out the door. It was like emerging from the viper’s den.
Grams was surprisingly quiet as they drove to her house on the northwest side of the lake. There were a few cars in the driveway.
He got Grams’s door and escorted her across the snow-packed drive and to the stairs. She patted his hand as they reached the landing. “That was very kind of you to try to help that awful woman this morning. I’m very grateful you didn’t fall to her tricks.”
“Thanks, Grams.”
She grinned up at him. “I think the rest of your Christmas is going to be fabulous.”
“Of course it will be. I’ll be with my family.”
She patted his cheek and let him open the door. The only thing that would make this Christmas better was to have Ashley appear, and of course for his brothers to come back. He was grateful Ren was safe and wanted to meet him and Quill.
They walked into a large open area. Chase loved the warm cabin-type feel and the huge windows overlooking the lake. Chelsea was in the kitchen stirring some kind of sauce on the stove. She waved happily as they walked in. “Merry Christmas!”
“You too!” he called back.
He heard a squeak of surprise and as he rounded the counter, he saw the little man Dax having an “airplane” ride with a lady’s feet on his stomach. The woman lay on her back holding the boy aloft. Chase could see blonde hair and then she tilted her head back and smiled at him.
“Ashley!” He blinked and had to gasp for air. His chest felt tight and then expanded with the shock and joy of this Christmas miracle.
She set Dax down and he protested loudly, “Hey, it’s not his turn. It’s mine!”
Ashley scrambled to her feet, straightening her blouse and her hair and smiling shyly as Chase rushed across the living room to her.
Chelsea hurried over and lifted her son into her arms. “It’s Chase’s turn now. Let’s look at your presents.”
Grams appeared to be very interested in the sauce that Chelsea had left as Chelsea carried Dax over to a huge pile of toys. Chase and Ashley stood facing each other. He wasn’t sure if he should talk first or let her, but he was so happy she was here. He could simply stand here and stare at her and already his Christmas would be a million times better than it had been.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“No. You don’t need to be sorry. I didn’t want to push you.” He lowered his voice. “I only want to be with you.”
She stepped closer and happily they were almost touching. “My mom squared me up,” she admitted. “She told me that I never loved any of my seven fiancés.”
“Seven?” Grams interjected.
Ashley’s face flared red. “It’s a long story.”
“You can tell us later.” Grams waved a hand. “Sorry I interrupted. You can go somewhere private if you want, but I kind of like being your audience.”
Chase didn’t mind sharing this moment with Grams, but he looked to Ashley.
“I don’t mind,” Ashley said. “Because I actually am going to want to tell the whole world. I’ve fallen in love with Chase Hamilton. Fallen in love for real this time.”
That was all Chase needed to hear. He wrapped her up tight, bowed his head, and kissed her. The kiss was full of the love they shared and the commitment that neither of them were going to back away from.
When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers and just drank in the sight of her.
He heard Grams clapping happily. “You should do a spring wedding.”
He felt Ashley tense.
“No,” Chase said. “We’re going to get married whenever and wherever Ashley wants.”
She smiled tenderly at him. “I want to get married in the spot we fell in love, Mystical Lake, next Christmas.”
“A year’s engagement?” Grams questioned. “That’s too long.”
Chase smiled. “Ashley will need that time to plan her dream wedding. As long as I know she’ll be mine, I won’t rush her.” He meant giving her time to work through any worries or commitment issues as much as he meant planning the wedding, and her eyes said she knew that. He dropped his voice. “Unless you want to elope on a tropical island next week?”
She smiled and tenderly kissed him. “I love the idea of my dream wedding at Christmas next year. But the more important detail is my dream groom. I love you.”
“I love you. Merry Christmas.”
Then they were kissing again. A year would be a long time to wait, but for Ashley he’d wait a decade if that’s what she needed.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Ashley snuck a peek into the main open area of the resort. She couldn’t see around the temporary barrier, but she could imagine Chase waiting up front, looking perfectly handsome in his tux. Her dress was a tailored off-white gown with a pink tint under the tulle giving it a hint of color. It had a crystal-beaded waistband with jeweled buttons down the illusion back. The sparkling sequin lace appliques scattered over the bodice and skirt and the plunging illusion bodice completed the picture. It was breathtaking and every detail of their wedding would be perfect, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to be married to Chase.
Grams had been right. A year was a very long engagement.
“Get back in here,” Grams demanded. “It’s not time yet.” She winked at Ashley’s mom. “This girl is just chomping at the bit to race down that aisle.”
Her mom laughed. “Good thing too. With her other engagements, she was racing the other direction.”