The Texas Christmas Gift (23 page)

Her mother’s expression gentled. “You really don’t know?”

Desperate for help, he shook his head. “Apparently, I haven’t got a clue,” he remarked drily. Otherwise he would be with Eve right now, celebrating the best holiday of the year. Instead of flailing around, lost and at loose ends.

The older woman sent him another wry smile. “Then it’s about time you found out, don’t you think?”

“How?” Derek retorted in droll exasperation. “She won’t talk to me!” Wouldn’t answer his calls or his emails or his texts.

“Since when has that stopped you from going after what you want?” Marjorie asked, unimpressed. “You and I are a lot alike, you know. That’s probably what attracts— and repels—Eve the most.”

Reluctantly, Derek conceded that she had a point. He and Marjorie were both driven individuals.

“So, I know that if you really want to make something happen, you’ll find a way.” Marjorie paused meaningfully. “Same as me.”

* * *

“
W
HAT DO YOU
mean, you’re not coming home?” Eve asked her mother on Christmas Eve morning. They always spent the holiday together, and Marjorie’s release had already been scheduled.

“I decided to stay another couple of days.”

Eve admired her mother’s tenacity, even as she worried about her own lack of it. “Then I’ll come to the cardiac rehab unit and spend it with you.”

“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Feeling more despondent than ever, Eve said, “You don’t?”

Her mother continued brightly, “We can have dinner together in the dining room here on Christmas Day, and celebrate then.”

“What about the rest of the time?” Eve demanded. There were over twenty-four hours between now and then! She had wanted a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen. Comfort. And joy. And love. In short, all the things she could have had with Derek, if she’d only had the courage to take the leap of faith required, and see their relationship through.

“I’ll be resting,” her mother replied, as matter-of-fact as ever. “And you need the time to reflect, in any case.”

Eve wasn’t sure she wanted to do a lot of thinking about everything that had happened. Because thinking would lead to crying, and she had done enough of that. “You’re sure?” she asked again, wishing she didn’t already miss Derek—and Tiffany—so very much.

“Positive,” her mother said, sounding positively cheerful and relaxed.

Feeling abandoned all over again, Eve sighed. “Okay...then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom. And Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you, too, honey.”

Eve hung up the phone.

A moment later, the doorbell rang.

She went to answer. On the porch in front of her condo was a wicker basket containing a DVD of
A Christmas Story,
a red-and-white-striped tin of popcorn and her favorite sparkling water. Attached to a box of peppermint bark, fastened with a big red bow, was a card that said, “You’re right. We don’t know as much about each other as I want to know. Maybe we should start by watching each other’s favorite holiday movies. Derek.”

What did that mean? Had he forgiven her? Was he ready to slow down and give her the space she had asked for?

And what was so great about spending Christmas Eve alone, anyway? Eve wondered grumpily. She knew from previous conversations with Derek that Tiffany was spending her evening with Craig and Carleen. Had Derek arranged to be with family, too? Or was he as alone—and miserable—as she was? About to sit down and watch her favorite holiday movie by himself?

There was only one way to find out!

* * *

D
EREK HAD JUST
turned on the DVD when his doorbell rang.

The melancholy sounds of
A Charlie Brown Christmas
filling his beautiful empty home, he went to see who was on the doorstep.

Eve stood there, looking like an angel from heaven. She was wearing a pretty red dress and a white wool coat. A silk scarf was looped around her neck, the gift basket he had left for her was by her side and two other presents were in her arms. With a hint of color in her sculpted cheeks, her golden-brown hair flowing over her shoulders, she looked as elegant and gorgeous as ever. “I hope I’m not intruding,” she began.

If she only knew how much he’d been hoping she would reach out to him, the way he had been reaching out to her. Yet something in her eyes had him erring on the side of caution. Suppressing the impulse to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, he remained where he was and simply said, “You’re not.”

She flashed a brief smile. “I was out delivering thank-yous to clients and thought I’d stop by to give you this.” She handed him a small gift-wrapped box bearing his name, and another with Tiffany’s.

Was that it?

Just a business call?

He looked her in the eye, trying to decide.

“Merry Christmas,” she said thickly.

Were those tears glistening in her amber eyes? Or was he just imagining the slight tremble of her lips?

She picked up the basket he’d left for her, and handed it to him, too.

“Merry Christmas to
you.
” He set the gifts she’d brought him on top of the unopened ones he had left for her, in the basket.

Across the street, neighbors paused to observe.

Eve glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to him. “May I come in?” she asked quietly.

He narrowed his eyes, still trying to figure out what she was up to. Was this the ultimate kiss-off? Or something else entirely? Well, there was only one way to find out.

He nodded and stepped aside. She swept by him in a drift of hyacinth perfume.

Acknowledging that she had the power to break his heart all over again, he closed the door behind them, shutting the rest of the world out. At least for now.

Her head cocked at the distant sound of the
Peanuts
gang rehearsing a Christmas pageant. Derek led the way into the adjacent living area, where a beautifully decorated tree and more presents waited. The television was on. Snoopy and the gang were dancing uproariously, while Charlie Brown stood alone and looked on, exasperated, depressed and disillusioned.

“For the record, I haven’t watched the movie yet,” he said awkwardly. Although he had seen it before as a kid, many times.

As he set the basket down on the coffee table, he could see the seal on the DVD he’d given her was also intact. He figured whatever this was, they might as well get it over with. Particularly since she hadn’t yet moved to take off her coat or scarf. He inclined his head at the gift basket. “You didn’t like my gift?” Was she rejecting that, too?

“It was nice.”

“But...?”

She lifted a shoulder. “It wasn’t what I wanted, after all.”

His heart, not to mention his pride, felt stomped on again.

“The being-apart-from-each-other bit,” she amended hastily.

A muscle worked in his cheek. “What did you want?” he rasped.

Eve took a deep breath and came closer. “A do-over.”

“A do-over?” he repeated dumbly.

She nodded. Took off her coat and then her scarf, and set both aside. Amber eyes locked with his, she came nearer still. Took both his hands in hers and squeezed lightly. She paused to look down at their entwined fingers. “I know I said I was upset because everything was happening too fast.” She took another breath, then looked up again. “But I realize that wasn’t it at all.”

He followed his instincts and wrapped his arms around her. “Then what was it?”

She shrugged, looking tearful—and remorseful—yet again. “It was that it was happening at all,” she choked out. “I knew the first time we met that you had the power to change my world. It’s why I found you so completely irritating.”

Eve drew a breath and pushed on emotionally, “The first time we kissed, I knew you had the power to change my heart.” She splayed her hands over his chest. “And the first time we made love, though I tried hard to deny it, it was pretty much a done deal.”

Derek stroked his palm over her hair. “You rocked my world, too.”

She nodded, truly accepting that in a way she never had before. Her voice dropped a notch. “The fact is, I’ve never wanted to be with anyone as much as I wanted to be with you, Derek. In truth, I didn’t even know it was possible to love like this....”

With joy soaring through him, he pressed a finger to her lips. “Back up a minute,” he demanded gruffly. “Did you say ‘love’?”

Eve nodded, trembling all the more. “And not in the casual, maybe-we-should-consider-having-a-relationship kind of way, but the forever-and-ever kind.” She swallowed hard, but her gaze didn’t waver as she forged on. “And that scares the heck out of me, Derek, because I’m afraid something could or will happen, and we’ll lose this—”

Knowing she wasn’t the only one at fault here, Derek interrupted her. “For the record, what we feel for each other scares the heck out of me, too. Which is why I’ve been pushing so hard,” he admitted hoarsely. “I wanted everything nailed down in a way that couldn’t be undone. So it wouldn’t be easy for us to walk away. When what I should have had all along was faith.” He lifted her hand, kissed the back of it. “Faith in you, faith in me, faith in the two of us and the love we share. And in the life we could have, if we take the time to build a relationship that is strong enough to last through whatever fate throws our way.”

Eve smiled, as at peace now as she was in love. “I do have faith in you, Derek.”

“And I have faith in you.” They kissed, sweetly and tenderly.

Finally, they drew apart.

Eve continued affectionately, “Enough confidence to want to not just pick up where we left off, but to take it to the next level.”

She reached for the presents she’d brought him and had him open the first box, which contained a toy cradle for Tiffany’s baby doll. In the second was an expensive gold watch with some simple words inscribed on the back:
No Time like the Present
.

Looking a little misty-eyed, he put the timepiece on and kissed her. “As long as we’re getting gifts for each other...” Grinning mysteriously, he went to his desk, opened a drawer and returned with a jewelry box, which he handed her. It also contained a watch, with the inscription:
Slow and Steady Wins the Race.

Eve laughed. “Great minds think alike.”

Derek kissed her deeply. “They sure do. Now that we know time is on our side,” he joked.

“And that we have all the time in the world,” she added, laughing again.

They embraced, and kissed some more, even more poignantly. “So it’s official? We’re a couple?” Eve said.

Derek nodded. “For now and forever.”

Epilogue

Christmas Eve, two years later...

“I really get to put the angel on top of the tree this year?” Tiffany asked.

“You sure do,” Derek and Eve replied in unison. Eve handed her the angel. Derek lifted the three-year-old high enough to reach.

In a red tartan plaid dress, fitted red velvet vest, shimmery white tights and her favorite red cowgirl boots, her glossy brown curls swept into a bouncy ponytail, the little girl was beside herself with excitement.

As were they, Eve thought happily. She’d thought the same thing every year she had been with Derek, but she was sure this was going to be the best Christmas ever!

With his assistance, Tiffany settled the ornament on the top branch of the Fraser fir. With one arm laced about his broad shoulders, she leaned back against her daddy, wrinkling her nose and studying her handiwork.

Clearly possessing an artist’s temperament, she asked finally, “What do you think?”

“It’s perfect,” Derek and Eve said simultaneously.

Tiffany giggled as Derek kissed the top of her head, then set her back down on the floor. She dashed over to accept a hug and kiss of congratulations from Eve, too. “You two always say the same thing at the same time,” the child declared, her blue eyes sparkling in delight.

Winking, Derek gathered both ladies close for a family hug. “That’s because great minds think alike.”

Eve laughed at the familiar refrain. Tiffany did, too, then wiggled out of the group hug. “I have to get the cookies for Santa!”

“The red dish with Santa’s picture on it is on the table!” Eve called after her.

“’Kay!” Tiffany disappeared around the corner into the kitchen.

“So how are you doing?” Derek asked, putting a hand to Eve’s tummy, where another little one, yet to be born, resided.

Basking in his solid warmth. Eve sighed in satisfaction. “I could not be happier. Which is,” she teased, “a fact you well know.”

He kissed her. “And a sentiment I share.”

She and Derek had celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary the previous month, and found out shortly after that she was pregnant. Much to the entire family’s delight, the baby would be born the following summer. Her mother had not only recovered fully from her heart attack, but gone on to win the top home sales award for Highland Park two years running. Marjorie had also found a new beau, Red Bloom, when the two realized they had more in common than a lust for business. And, Eve reflected with a smile, since buying and upgrading the ranch he had wanted in Laramie County as a weekend and holiday retreat, she and Derek saw a lot more of the McCabe clan, too.

Life, it had turned out, was pretty wonderful these days. And with the first of the children they had planned on the way, it only looked to get better. Smiling to herself, she watched as Tiffany glided back into the room, a half dozen of the cookies she had worked so hard on with Eve balanced precariously on the rimmed dish. “I think Santa’s really going to like these,” the little girl declared, setting them on a table near the sofas flanking the fireplace.

“I know he will,” Derek and Eve said, once again speaking at the exact same time.

Tiffany erupted into a cascade of giggles that brought tears to their eyes. “You-all are so funny!” she exclaimed, then ran back to the kitchen to get the sippy cup of milk they’d already poured for Santa.

Derek took Eve into his arms. “Not to mention very much in love,” she said softly, splaying her hands across his chest and kissing him tenderly.