Silver Bells. Mary Burton
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turned around hoping she could be cool. Cool? Amy’s heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to leap right out of her chest. She struggled for a flip answer of some sort. Nothing came to her. Besides, Hank was looking at her so intently, she needed to respond. “Don’t you have to ask me to marry you before the kids come? You haven’t even kissed me yet.”
“Not true,” Hank said lightly. “I kissed you once, and I never forgot the feeling. That kiss lasted twenty-one seconds.”
“You counted the seconds?” Amy asked in awe.
“Yeah. I thought I was going to black out. I was in love with you. I realized I was still in love with you the minute I set eyes on you.”
Amy was so light-headed with Hank’s declaration she reached for the side mirror to hold on to it. Hank had just said he loved her. That’s what he said. The words were still ringing in her ears. All her dreams were finally coming true. She was supposed to say something. What?
Hank shuffled his feet in the snow. His voice sounded so anxious when he said, “Your turn.”
The words were stuck in her throat. She wanted to say them. Instead, she leaned forward, grabbed his jacket in her mittened hands, and yanked him forward. She planted a lip-lock on him that made her head spin.
“Twenty-seven seconds!” she shouted gleefully when she came up for air.
The sound of handclapping brought both of them to their senses as a small laughing crowd moved off.
“Wow!” was all Hank could think of to say.
“That’s it, wow!” Amy said. “You up for an encore?”
Hank groaned. He was no fool. He moved closer. All the years of pent-up longing melted away when he brought his lips down on hers. This moment he knew seared his future. When he finally released her he looked into her eyes and saw what he knew was mirrored in his own. In a low, husky voice, he asked, “How many seconds?”
In a voice as shaky as Hank’s, Amy said, “Are you kidding, I wasn’t counting.”
“Oh, who cares? You going to marry me?”
“If that’s a proposal, the answer is yes.”
Hank backed up a step. He looked to Amy like he was in a daze. She smiled.
He smiled.
“We should go to pick out the Christmas trees, Hank.”
“Yep. That’s what we should do,” Hank said.
“But are we going to do that?”
Hank groaned as he opened the passenger-side door for her. “Yes, that’s what we’re going to do, but later, we are going to do other things.”
“Promises, promises.” Amy giggled. My God, when was the last time I giggled? Never, that’s when. She leaned back and closed her eyes. She realized she had never been as happy as she was at this moment.
Hank laughed, a joyous sound. “There’s something you need to know about me. I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep. I don’t know when I’ve been this happy,” he blurted.
Amy laughed again. “Me, too. It’s such a wonderful feeling. More so because it’s the holiday season. Everything seems to be special during this time.” Her voice turned serious a moment later. “But there’s Mr. Carpenter and Alice. Are we being…?”
“No. It was Albert’s time. Alice…well, Alice made her own decisions. While we both understand that, we’re doing what we think is right. We’re doing what we can for Alice. Albert…is beyond our control. Somehow I think he would be very happy for the both of us. No, that’s wrong, Mandy. I know Albert would be very happy for us. Okay, enough of all this. Are you ready to pick out the biggest, the best, the most-wonderful-smelling tree in the lot?”
“I’m ready, Mr. Anders,” Amy said, hopping out of the truck.
An hour later they were covered in pine resin, but they had three trees that Hank said were the best of the best. The young guy working the tree lot shoved the trees through a barrel. They came out the other end covered in white netting. They watched as he loaded them into a pickup truck and hopped into the cab, where he waited for instructions.
While Hank paid for the trees, Amy explained where the trees were to be delivered. The young man nodded and peeled out of the parking lot, snow spiraling backward in his wake.
“Bet you five bucks those trees are home before we get there,” Amy said, walking hand in hand with Hank back to the SUV. “Wait! Wait! We have to buy tree stands.”
Together they walked back to the tree lot, where Hank picked out three stands capable of holding the big trees. He whipped out his credit card, paid for the stands, then they were on the way home. A light snow started to fall again as they hit the main road.
“Pay up,” Amy said when Hank swerved into the driveway. All three trees were exactly where Amy had told the youngster to put them. Hank kissed her instead.
“That’ll work.” Amy giggled again. She felt like a teenager as she helped Hank cut away the netting to set up the tree in the stand on the Carpenter front porch. When they were finished, Hank stood back and said, “It’s a beauty, perfect in every way. Tomorrow we can decorate it.”
“Oh, it smells so good. Growing up, you could smell the tree all over the house. I loved it then as much as I love it now. I guess it’s the kid in me. That won’t change, will it, Hank?”
Hank for some reason knew this was a very important question, and he had to give just the right answer. “Memories are a wonderful thing, Mandy. Sometimes they fade in time, but if you work at remembering, then I think they’ll be with you forever. The special memories. Like this one. Christmas was always the best time of year when we were kids. All the wild anticipation, the frenzy of the shopping, the tree, the snow, the way the house smelled. Ben and I used to talk about it. For the most part I think he and Alice pretty much duplicated everything. For them it was easier because they’re in the house we grew up in. I know it was different for you after…but see, you still have those wonderful earlier memories.” He looked at her expectantly to see if she was in agreement. She smiled, and his world was right side up.
“Okay, let’s set up the tree for the boys. Then we can go back to your house and set yours up and do…other things. What say you?”
Amy giggled again. “Won’t work, Hank. We have to decorate the house for Alice. I don’t know why I say this because it’s just a feeling. I think Alice is waiting until that’s done before she returns home. Having said that, let’s get to it. But before we get started, I think I’d like a cup of coffee. Your house or mine?”
“Well, since we have so much work ahead of us, I guess it should be the Anders house. I imagine the twins will be awake from their nap by now. I can’t wait for you to meet them, and Mason as well.”
“I have to let the dogs out first. I’ll be over in a few minutes.” Amy kissed him lightly on the lips before she tripped her way to her own front door.
Inside, she ran to the back door to let the dogs out, then leaned against it. She was shaking from head to toe. She was in love. Hank loved her. She loved him. How wonderful is that? Is this one of those Christmas miracles?
Was this love going to come with a price on it? Amy closed her eyes and thought about her home in Hollywood, thought about her contract, the few friends she had, and what her agent was going to say when she told him to buy out her contract. What would all those people on her payroll do if she turned her back on Hollywood? She could bonus them out and wish them luck in finding a new job. Was she getting ahead of herself? Probably, but she didn’t care.
Hank had asked her to marry him, so that had to mean they would live where his business was. Maybe they could buy the Carpenter house from the mortgage company and have a home here in Apple Valley. She knew in her heart that Mr. Carpenter would approve. She rather thought