Celebrate in Good Hope (Good Hope #22)

Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Football isn’t the only thing I love .

Was he talking about her? Could it be that he loved her as much as she loved him? Or was she reading too much into a simple comment?

It had seemed so when, a second later, he’d leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Just so you know, I can’t wait for us to get out of these clothes…and watch episode four.”

Roe had laughed then, and the air of watchful waiting shimmering in the air between them had shattered into a thousand pieces.

Once inside, they headed off to their respective rooms to change into something more comfortable. It hadn’t taken Roe long to pull on a tee and loose-fitting cotton pants. Instead of shoes, she slipped on her beloved Ugg slippers.

She was adding popcorn to a bowl when Boone strode into the kitchen.

Roe turned and smiled. It really should be a sin for a man to look that handsome in sweats. His hair was mussed, as if she’d just run her hands through it .

Either his fingers or the sweater coming over his head were to blame. She hadn’t touched him—not today, not yet.

When they reached the great room, as was his habit, he dropped down beside her on the sofa.

After taking a sip of cola, she picked up the remote. “Ready to dive back in and see what happens next?”

Boone had turned her on to an obscure sci-fi series that she was now as excited as he was to watch.

“Not yet.”

Roe looked at him, puzzled. “You changed your mind about episode four? I’m open to watching something else.”

She really had wanted to see what happened in the next episode but reminded herself it was Christmas Eve. Perhaps Boone had changed his mind and wanted to watch Elf or some other holiday classic.

“The series still works.” His warm smile chased away any doubts. “But it’s Christmas Eve, and I have a gift I’d like to give you.”

Roe’s heart gave a little leap. “You got me a present?”

While she’d gotten him something, she hadn’t expected him to reciprocate. After all, they hadn’t spoken about exchanging gifts.

She couldn’t stop the pleasure rising inside her any more than she could keep the smile from her lips.

“Of course.” Reaching down beside him, he pulled out a small box.

Roe saw immediately that he’d discovered the leftover Christmas paper she had used to wrap his gift. The fact that he’d wrapped her gift himself made it extra special. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Not yet. You haven’t seen it. You may hate it.”

She shook her head. Roe could never hate anything that came from him. Turning her attention to the small square box in her hands, Roe ripped off the paper .

Removing the lid of the white jewelry box, she stared at the sterling silver bracelet engraved with a celestial moon and small, sparkling stones as stars.

Her heart rose to her throat as Roe looked up. “Th-this is so incredibly lovely. And thoughtful.”

Relief washed over his face. “I hoped you’d like it.”

“I don’t just like it.” She carefully lifted the delicate bracelet from the box, letting it dangle from her fingers. The light caught the stones and sent out little prisms of color. “I love it.”

She rested her hopeful gaze on his. “Will you put it on me?”

His big hands looked even larger as he fumbled with the clasp, but in only moments, the bracelet encircled her wrist.

Smiling, she held up her hand. “Every time I look at it, I’ll remember our night in the tent.”

Heat flared in his dark eyes. “I’ll never forget that night.”

She dropped her gaze again to rest on the bracelet. “You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect gift.”

“Now we can start the episode.”

“Not so fast.” Roe pointed to the tree. “There’s a gift under there with your name on it.”

Boone turned. His lips curved when he spotted the brightly wrapped package. “That wasn’t there when we left for church.”

“I grew up with four brothers who used to unwrap gifts to check them out, then rewrap them and put them back under the tree.” She smiled. “I was taking no chances.”

Boone rose and crossed the room, returning seconds later with the gift. He shook it. “What’s in here?”

“I’m not saying.” She leaned back against the sofa. “You’re going to have to unwrap it if you want to know.”

In three pulls, the paper fell to the floor and the box was open, the tissue paper inside the box shoved to the side, revealing the leather-bound hardcover book.

“It’s an autographed copy of Empire of the Cosmos .” Roe spoke quickly. “I picked it up at Book & Cup. Bea Chapin said it’s the first book in a new series by an up-and-coming space opera author. She said since you love Dune , you’ll love this book. If you don’t like it, you can exchange?—”

He leaned over and kissed away the rest of what she’d been about to say. “It’s perfect. I love it.”

What was perfect was sitting with him on the sofa, his arm around her shoulders and a crackling fire filling the room with warmth. Roe tried hard not to think about when all this would be gone, and she’d be left with only memories.

“I contacted a few people I know in Denver.” Boone tossed out the information halfway through the episode. “They’re going to put out feelers and see if there is anyone in the area looking for a stage director.”

Roe paused the show and shifted to face him. “When did you do that?”

“Last week.” His dark eyes searched hers. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, no.” A lump rose to her throat. “I don’t mind. That was nice of you.”

She nearly said it would also be nice to be close to him but stopped herself just in time. Boone had never mentioned them continuing their relationship once he was back on the team.

That fact, as well as recalling all the friends she’d left behind over the years who promised to stay in touch but then stopped responding to her texts after a few months, had Roe keeping her mouth shut.

He planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I want you to be happy, Roe.”

Her heart swelled, becoming a warm, sweet mass in her chest. “I want that for you, too.”

Gazing up at him, at his strong profile, Roe felt the love in her heart rise and spill out. If she couldn’t have him forever, she’d savor every last minute of what time they had now.

“Forget the show,” she heard herself say. “Let’s go to bed.”

Roe opened her eyes Christmas morning and found Boone’s side of the bed empty and cold. Slipping on a soft chenille robe and her slippers, she wandered down the hall, coming to an abrupt halt when she heard voices.

She’d started backing up, then heard the word Dad and realized they didn’t have unexpected visitors. Boone was talking to his father on speaker. Her lips curved. Despite the chill in the air, her heart warmed. He was such a good son to call his dad on Christmas.

She had already done her duty, extending her wishes in her family’s group chat yesterday. That was when she’d learned her parents would be having brunch with friends today, and her brothers and their families would be celebrating Christmas doing, well, family things.

Roe wondered if Boone had called his dad first or if he’d already spoken with his mother.

“You better start pushing those doctors to let you do more,” his dad ordered. “The Grizzlies won’t wait for you forever. You’re not young and fresh anymore. Now that you’re injured, they?—”

“I didn’t call to discuss my rehab with you.” Boone’s voice held a steely edge. “I’ve got that under control.”

“But—”

“I called to say Merry Christmas, that’s all.”

Roe heard the strain in Boone’s voice.

“Since I’ve done that, we can catch up another time. Good?—”

“Is it that woman? Is she the reason you’re not in any hurry to get back to Denver?”

For a second, Roe wondered what woman Boone’s father was talking about. Then it hit her that he was talking about her .

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Roe. It?—”

“Be smart, son.” Boone’s father steamrolled right over his son’s protest .

Though Roe had never met Maury Boone, she didn’t think she’d like him. Not based on what she was hearing right now, anyway.

“There will be lots more women down the road,” Maury was saying. “Your focus needs to be on your career, not?—”

That was all Roe heard. Boone must have taken the phone off speaker and walked farther into the kitchen, because while she could hear his murmured response, she could no longer make out the words.

She waited in the hall until everything was silent, then strode into the kitchen.

Boone stood at the stove, already dressed for the day in jeans and a forest green sweater.

He must have heard her footsteps because he turned before she could greet him, a smile on his face and a spatula in one hand. “I hope you like French toast.”

Because he looked stressed, she crossed to him and brushed his cheek with her lips. “You know the way to my heart.”

The second the words left Roe’s lips, she wished she could call them back. Regardless of what his father might think, she would never try to tie Boone to her or interfere in his career in any way.

“You’ll have to take a few bites first. Then tell me if I succeeded.”

His lighthearted comment and teasing smile eased her worry. Obviously, he hadn’t taken his father’s warning seriously.

Minutes later, she sat across from him at the table, a plate of French toast smothered in syrup in front of her and a cup of steaming coffee to her right.

“You were up early.” She lifted the mug to her lips but didn’t take a sip, studying him over the rim.

“Since I won’t be going to the gym today, I did what exercises I could.” He forked off a large bite of French toast. “Then I called my parents. Because, Christmas.”

“I texted my parents and brothers yesterday. ”

“Good job.”

Roe nodded, thinking how nice it was to have him around to spend Christmas with. She’d spent many holidays alone, especially in the past five years.

“I’m glad I let you stay.”

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I’m glad, too.”

After pushing down the ache in her chest that wanted to rise up and choke her, Roe told herself to let it go. What she’d said was enough. There was no need to get mushy and embarrass them both.

But there had been so many times in the past, so many friends she’d had to leave behind, so many times she hadn’t let those who’d made a mark on her life know how much they’d meant to her.

“You’ve made this time in Good Hope special.”

“That sounds an awful lot like good-bye.” Boone eyed her thoughtfully over his next forkful of French toast. “Are you going somewhere?”

Roe struggled for the right words but found it difficult to think when he settled those warm brown eyes on her.

“E-eventually,” she finally managed to stammer. “We both will.”

“True enough.” Boone chewed the bite he’d finally put in his mouth. “But not now. Today, we’re together, and we have a job to get to.”