Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

“ W hat did you think of the play?” Magnolia stepped closer to Lucas. He slid his arm around her shoulders as she scooted into him.

“Well, as plays go, it wasn’t half bad.” Lucas could count on one hand the number of plays he’d attended. His last one was in junior high. His mom was volunteering at his school. She was a chaperone and insisted that if she had to attend the school play, then so did Lucas.

Laughter floated from Magnolia’s lips, coming out in a puff before dissipating into the cold night air. “Not bad? It was terrific … as wonderful as plays I’ve seen in New York. I could tell from the way Lillian was going on about the community playhouse that she’s super proud of it. Now, I know why.”

Lillian was waiting for them, already seated on the front row, when they arrived at the theater. She had on a snowman sweater that was complete with red bows and bells. She greeted Lucas and Magnolia like old friends, jabbering about the playhouse and how lucky the town of Remember was to have such talented people, not only to run the playhouse but also to perform. Lucas would have preferred to poke his eyeballs out with a dull fork rather than sit through the duration of a play. Yet, it had been enjoyable to see the excitement on Magnolia’s face as she watched it. Once, when she was startled by Marley’s ghost, she’d reached over and grabbed Lucas’s hand. The gesture jolted Lucas. Mostly, because he never would have thought that he and Magnolia would be a good fit. And yet, surprise, surprise, they were. Ever since Magnolia had reentered his life, it seemed that Lucas was having to rethink his stance on quite a few things.

Snow was still falling, encapsulating the world in a cocoon of stillness. They strolled past the shops on the square with their festive windows. The square was bustling with excitement from those who’d come to see the nativity. People were friendly, nodding and smiling at Lucas and Magnolia as they passed them on the sidewalk. In the background, Christmas carols were being sung by a choir of children, their youthful voices pouring gladness into the still air. Lucas felt an unexpected glimmer of hope. Normally, during this time of the year, he had to fight against the gloominess of his memories. Tonight, however, his heart felt light, a new scope of possibilities unfolding before him like the pages of a book that he never would’ve thought to select from the shelf.

Several times since they’d left the playhouse, Magnolia had stopped at a store window to look at the displays. They were headed to the live nativity beside the courthouse that sat prominently in the center section of the square. “This town is so quaint and picturesque. I feel like we’re in the middle of a snow globe,” Magnolia said with a touch of wonder in her voice.

“It’s certainly cold enough to be a snow globe,” Lucas joked.

She cut her eyes at him, her lips forming a pout. “Party pooper.”

He laughed, squeezing her shoulders. “Nah, I’m just more of a realist.” He appreciated how optimistic Magnolia was. She had a knack for taking pleasure in the moment. She was soaking in the experience of the live nativity celebration like it was a rare treasure. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Lucas liked seeing the world through Magnolia’s vivid, lively eyes. Also, it didn’t hurt that Magnolia looked terrific in her bright red coat, which accentuated her blonde locks.

The fragrant scent of cooking food wafting in the air caused his stomach to rumble.

“I heard that,” Magnolia chuckled. She motioned at a nearby food stand. “Let’s get something to eat before we go to the nativity.”

A few minutes later, they found a vacant bench where they commenced eating hamburgers, cheesy fries, and hot chocolate.

“You know,” Lucas mused. “I don’t think I’ve ever drank hot chocolate while eating a burger.”

Magnolia giggled. “Me either. It’s pretty good.”

“Yeah, not half bad.”

“There you go again with that not half bad lingo.” She shook her head, giving him an affectionate look. “Stick with me, Lucas Romeo, and you might just find yourself getting excited about life.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I just might.” Their eyes met. Lucas could see the adventure shining in Magnolia’s eyes. She was enamored with him, viewing him as her knight in shining armor, the one who was going to save the day. With her by his side, he felt like he could be her hero. Or maybe she was his hero. She was saving him from a life of cynicism and regret. Here, tonight, he was beginning to think that anything was possible.

After they’d eaten, they walked hand in hand to the nativity. A hush of reverence settled over the scene as they looked at the manger. Lucas was surprised to see an actual baby sleeping peacefully, wrapped in a thick woolen blanket. Mary had her hand on the manger, gazing down lovingly at the child. Joseph stood near Mary, keeping a careful watch over her and the baby. There were shepherds and several sheep. The three wisemen stood at a respectable distance, dressed in vibrantly colored robes. One was holding the reins of a donkey. The nativity looked remarkably authentic.

Magnolia’s expression was one of repose as she gazed at the scene. He traced the lines of her graceful features, marveling at how angelic she looked. Her nose and cheeks were pink from the cold, further enhancing her beauty. A whisper of peace spoke to Lucas’s soul. Knowledge poured into him from someplace else. He could build a life with Magnolia. They could grow together in love and understanding. She turned to him, her eyes glistening. “This is what I’ve been missing,” she said softly. “I’ve been so caught up in fulfilling the requirements of the trust that I haven’t even taken time to be still and simply enjoy the season. Clarity comes from recognizing the true meaning of Christmas.”

“Yes,” he answered, getting the distinct feeling that they were truly understanding one another.

At the designated time, Sam picked them up near the nativity to take them back to the inn. Lucas and Magnolia sat in the back of the car. Magnolia scooted close to Lucas. He reached for her hand, linking his fingers through hers. The evening had been imbued with such a magical quality that Lucas didn’t want it to end. On the one hand, he was ready to get to Asheville so he could get the initial meeting with Magnolia’s staunch grandfather and Eric Stanford over with. On the other hand, he wished he and Magnolia could stay here longer and savor the unique culture of Remember.

“Here we are,” Sam announced as they pulled into the inn. Lucas and Magnolia walked close together to ward off the cold. Snow was still falling. Magnolia glanced up. “Do you think we’ll be able to leave tomorrow as planned?” Her voice was coated with apprehension.

“Yes,” Lucas answered with more certainty than he felt.

A cheery warmth greeted them as they stepped into the foyer. The scent of fresh pine needles from the tree enveloped them. Lucas glanced at the crackling fire in the fireplace. No one was in the living room. He wondered if Magnolia might like to go and relax there before they retired to their room. At least the living room was classy as opposed to the tacky honeymoon suite. Before he could pose the question to Magnolia, Sam spoke.

“Look where you’re standing.” The tiniest hint of a smile crept over Sam’s patrician features as he pointed to the ball of mistletoe, hanging from the chandelier.

Startled laughter rose in Magnolia’s throat as she looked at Lucas. “I guess we are.” It was cute how rosy her cheeks suddenly became.

A wicked impulse streaked through Lucas’s brain. In two short days, Magnolia would be his wife. They were to have a child together. It was time to quit dancing around the water. Better to dive right in. In a swift move, he encircled her waist and pulled her to him. She gasped softly, her eyes widening to silver dollars as she looked up at him. He caught the flicker of desire in her jade eyes. It called to him.

He dipped her back. His lips claimed hers as he kissed her hard and thoroughly as he’d been wanting to do all day. He relished the heady fire that licked through his veins. Her lips were soft and pliable against his. She tasted as sweet as he imagined. He longed to run his fingers through her glorious hair. He wanted to kiss her until he couldn’t think straight. But then the rational side of his brain took over. He couldn’t exactly do that here, in the Magnolia Blossom Inn, with Sam watching the entire thing.

He set her back upright on her feet. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted and swollen from the kiss. Her chest moved up and down with her fast breathing. Magnolia had never looked more beautiful, or more enticing. He wanted another kiss. No, he wanted infinite kisses. He wanted to savor every aspect of their physical relationship. And he would, as soon as they became man and wife. Until then, he’d keep his desire in check. It wouldn’t be easy. Now that he knew how incredible she was. Ever so slowly, a satisfied smile moved over his lips. “And here you thought we were gonna need more practice.”

A chortle hiccuped from her rosy lips. “You are something,” she uttered, caressing him with her eyes.

“So are you.”

Sam cleared his throat, winking at Lucas. “That’s the best use of the mistletoe I’ve seen all season.”

Magnolia giggled, ducking her head slightly like she was embarrassed. He liked how proper and dignified she was—a princess to the nth degree. Magnolia added a refining element to Lucas, an element he’d not realized was missing in his life. He’d blustered and complained about the trendy clothes that she’d selected for him. But the truth was, the clothes were growing on him. Maybe he wasn’t as much of a redneck as he once believed himself to be.

“Lillian was hoping to be able to visit with you tonight, but she wasn’t feeling well, so she went to bed early. She suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. It gets bad this time of the year, with the dampness.”

“I’m sorry,” Magnolia said, her voice ringing with sympathy.

Sam offered a nod of acknowledgement. “Lillian hopes to be able to catch up with you tomorrow at breakfast. It will be offered, buffet-style, in the dining room. What time do you plan on leaving tomorrow morning?”

Lucas looked at Magnolia as he did a mental calculation. While they weren’t far from Asheville, they would need to account for the snow. “I’m guessing we should leave around eight or eight-thirty.”

“Good idea. We can’t afford to be late.” Magnolia looked at Sam. “Do you think the storm will let up tonight?”

“That’s what the weather forecast is saying.”

“I hope the forecasters are right.” Apprehension tightened her features.

“I’ll tell Lillian that you’ll be down for breakfast at seven thirty. Will that work?”

Lucas and Magnolia looked at one another before Lucas shrugged. “Sure, that sounds great. I hate to make Lillian get up so early. She’s already been so kind to us. We don’t want to put her out any further.”

“No, we don’t,” Magnolia piped in.

Sam waved a hand in dismissal. “You’re no trouble.” He held up a finger. “Oh, I almost forgot. Lillian called and spoke to Arthur Vinson.”

“Who?” Lucas asked.

“The man who’s selling the ranch. Lillian has some information about it for you.”

“That’s great. Thank you.”

After saying goodnight to Sam, Lucas and Magnolia went up to their room. A nervous energy buzzed between them as Lucas inserted the old-fashioned metal key into the lock. They stepped into the room, closing and locking the door behind them.

“So,” Magnolia began. Her voice shot up several notches as she clasped her hands. “What now?” Color rose in her cheeks as she glanced at the heart-shaped bed. “Does it feel hot in here?” She removed her coat and draped it over the foot of the bed. “I’m sweltering.” She turned to Lucas, a halting laugh issuing from her throat. “I can’t believe how over-the-top this room is.” She sat down on the bed and removed her boots. She let out a long sigh. “It has certainly been an interesting day.” Her voice had a squeaky edge to it as she forced a laugh. “The hoodlums with the knife, the storm …” she looked around “… this crazy room.” Her eyes met his. “Us.”

Lucas went over and sat down beside her on the bed. He reached for her hands. They were ice cold. A sudden thought entered his mind, tying his stomach in a hard knot. Was Magnolia having second thoughts? Everything had been going great between them, until the kiss. Maybe she’d not felt the same fire in her blood as he had. He’d been under the impression that Magnolia cared about him, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe Magnolia was still hung up on her cheating ex, and this was solely about the trust fund. He shouldn’t have let his guard down. He shouldn’t have let himself believe that he and Magnolia could craft a life together. Just when he thought things were turning around, everything went up in a ball of smoke. Well, at least he would get the ranch. He pushed out a hard breath. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. I shouldn’t have confused the situation. This is a business deal, nothing more.”

Her face fell. “What?” She barked out a hard laugh. “What happened to all of your talk earlier about standing by me?”

“I will stand by you, just like I said.”

“You are unbelievable,” she seethed.

He was startled by how quickly her anger had come on.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Her voice dripped with venom. “Just when I manage to break through that sky-high wall you’ve built up—” her voice caught “—every time we start to get close, you push me away.” Her head swiveled back and forth. “I don’t know why I even try,” she muttered, pulling her hands from his.

Confusion lassoed a tight circle around him as his brows shot down in a V. “I’m not pushing you away.”

“Yes, you are,” she argued, thrusting out her chin. “You’re pushing me away just like you did when we connected at the drive-in.” Her eyes flashed fire. “Don’t try and deny it!”

His brain raced to connect the dots. “Are you saying that you care about me?”

“Of course, I care about you!” she snapped. “I’ve always cared. If you had an ounce of sense in that bull-headed brain, you’d realize it.” Her voice hitched. “What does a girl have to do to get you to open your eyes?”

A swell of relief ran through him. He rubbed his neck. “I guess I misread the situation. When we came into the room, you were as jittery as a frog hyped up on a pound of sugar.”

“A w—what?” she laughed in surprise.

He rushed on. “I assumed that you were having second thoughts about us.”

Her eyes lasered into his. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No.” Even as he spoke the word, the truth of it settled into his bones. “This thing with us … it caught me completely by surprise.”

A hint of a smile peeked beneath her frustration. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” She paused. “If you must know, if I was acting a little jittery it was because I’m worried about tomorrow.”

“Are you afraid that we won’t get there in time?”

“Yes, I’m worried about the weather. I’ve been praying that it will clear.” Apprehension clouded her eyes. “But that’s not all.” She began fiddling with her hands.

“What else?” he prompted.

She clasped her hands together, holding them tightly in her lap. “Tonight has been wonderful.” Her eyes softened.

“Yes, it has,” he uttered, soaking in her exquisite features. He marveled at the glow in her countenance, how her eyes reflected such light and hope.

“I just don’t want anything to change what’s developing between us. My grandfather and Eric Stanford will be looking for any chink in our armor. I dread being put under the microscope … I dread it for the both of us.” She squared her jaw, a fierce light shining in her eyes. “We have to stand together. We have to show them that we care about each other.”

His hand went out to cup her jaw. He stroked his thumb over her smooth, milky skin. “That shouldn’t be too hard to do.”

She gave him a questioning look. “No?”

“No,” he affirmed, a smile moving over his lips. “Because it’s the truth. I’m falling for you, princess. Fast and hard.” This was new for him, laying out his heart. It was hers to do with as she pleased.

Her face lit with such pleasure that it warmed him through to his toes. “About time.”

An amused chuckle rose in his throat. “I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I eventually come around.”

“The cowboy can be taught,” she teased, a brilliant smile breaking over her face.

He pursed his lips. “You know, this situation reminds me a little of bronc riding.” It was cute how quickly her eyebrow shot up.

“Please don’t tell me you’re comparing me to a bronco,” she clipped indignantly.

“Never,” he laughed. “Hear me out. When my cousin Jaxson and I were teenagers, he always wanted to ride broncos. He talked about it incessantly. It was like this annoying song that he got in his head and wouldn’t let go of. Finally, to shut him up, I agreed to go with him and give it a try.” He grinned remembering. “I got bucked off, nearly from the minute I got on the bronco. I got a nice face-full of dust.”

She grimaced. “That sounds awful.”

“Yeah, one would think. But then I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and mustered up the courage to get on again. This time, I rode for four seconds.” A grin slid over his lips. “From that point on, I was hooked.” His eyes moved over her face. “You see,” he murmured, “bronc riding was the sport that I never knew I would come to love.” Her eyes flicked with understanding before glowing with delight. He continued, “You’re the song that I can’t get out of my head—the song I don’t want to let go of.”

Her green eyes sparkled with amusement. “An annoying song?”

A crooked grin slipped over his lips. “I’ll opt to plead the fifth on that one,” he winked. The pull to her was too great. He couldn’t resist kissing her. He traced the outline of her lips with his finger. A contented sigh rose in her throat as her lips parted, causing his blood to run faster. “You know,” he drawled, “I was wrong earlier.”

“Oh?”

“When I said we didn’t need any practice.” He leaned in, his hands encircling her back. Her hair swished in the process, and he caught a whiff of her fruity shampoo. It drove him to distraction. She was intoxicating, mesmerizing. How had he not realized it before?

Her eyes danced with anticipation. “I’m always up for practice,” she whispered, as his lips took hers.