Love Inspired December 2014 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Rancher for Christmas\Her Montana Christmas\An Amish Christmas Journey\Yuletide Baby (32 page)

Chapter Seventeen

I
t took Breezy ten minutes to find a parking place. Martin's Crossing just days before Christmas was a busy place. She hadn't realized it would be like this, that the entire town would show up for this early Christmas celebration. Down the block she could see the parade lining up. The floats were lit with Christmas lights. A school band was warming up.

She stood next to her car waiting for Joe to get out. He'd been released from the hospital that morning. They'd gone to his home so that he could pack a few things. It had surprised her, Joe having a home.

He joined her and they walked across the street and down the block to the park. In the distance a horse whinnied. Of course there would be horses in the parade. Breezy scanned the crowd looking for Jake and the twins. She ached to see them. But she was afraid.

“You'll be okay, Breezy. And so will those little girls.”

She put a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

The church choir was warming up. They would be singing outside because the weather was good. Breezy, with Joe at her side, walked toward them. She didn't know if she would still be included. Her acceptance here had a lot to do with her acceptance by the Martins. She knew that. And she wanted their continued acceptance.

She wanted this Christmas to be special. It would have been if she hadn't crossed lines with Jake. If she had remembered that relationships never worked in her favor.

No, she shook her head as she chastised herself. This Christmas would be special. She had a home, she had Rosie and Violet. And she had friends in Martin's Crossing. She would have a big dinner and invite Oregon, Joe and anyone else who might be alone for the holidays.

A flat trailer was being used for a stage. Breezy headed that way. Margie spotted her. The older woman called out and waved Breezy forward. The others noticed and many of them called out, friendly smiles on their faces.

“Breezy, I was so worried you wouldn't be here for your solo. But here you are. And Joe, too. I'm so glad to see you both.” Margie gave Breezy a quick hug and then handed her a songbook. “We'll sing right after the parade and then before cookies and warm drinks in the community building.”

“Okay.” Breezy held the songbook and glanced around. “Have you seen the twins?”

“They're with Marty. I saw her pushing the stroller. Those little girls have grown, I think,” Margie said. “You go catch up with them and we'll see you after the parade.”

She drifted away. Joe had left her. She knew that he planned on helping serve cookies and drinks. Like her, he had found a place in Martin's Crossing. She hoped, no, she prayed that things went well for him in the future.

As she walked toward the street she spotted Marty and the twins. She called out and Marty turned. Breezy stopped, waiting to be beckoned forward, waiting for Marty's reaction. The older woman smiled and waved. Something eased inside Breezy.

She hurried forward, catching up with them as Marty positioned the stroller so the twins could watch the parade. The girls spotted her and started to cry her name. But garbled in the word
Brees,
she also heard
Mama
and she knew that she wouldn't leave. Jake would have to make the decision to take away her rights to the twins. And she knew he wouldn't.

They would work out a way to be friends. They would spend Christmases together for years to come. So this year was important. She had gotten off track with wishful thinking. But she was back on track now. She would be able to smile at Jake and pretend nothing had happened.

She would pretend he didn't shake her world to the core.

“Rosie, Violet.” She kneeled next to the girls and gathered them in hugs, kissing their cold cheeks. Rosie patted her face and Violet pulled herself out of the stroller to cling to her neck.

“They missed you.” Marty said it with a kind look that didn't include censure. “I missed you, sweetie.”

Those words meant everything. With both girls clinging to her, Breezy stood and allowed Marty to take her, with the twins, into a motherly hug. She breathed in, fighting the sting of tears.

“It's good to be home,” Breezy said as she backed away, wiping at her eyes.

“You're okay?” Marty asked as she moved them all toward the street and the approaching parade.

“I'm good. Joe was in the hospital so I stayed in Austin long enough to bring him home.”

“Breezy, you had quite a shock with Tyler Randall coming after you the way he did. I wish you hadn't left.”

“I just needed a few days,” Breezy explained. “And I'd gotten the call about Joe. I had to go to him.”

“I know. We have all the time in the world to talk. But I want you to know you have people here who care about you.”

She nodded, fighting tears. Marty sighed and patted her arm.

The parade was almost to them. At the front was a local band with only a dozen or so students. They played “Silent Night” as they marched past. Young girls carried the banner with the school name. The twins waved and bounced in Breezy's arms.

Breezy set the twins down. She held Violet's hand and Marty held Rosie's. Breezy pointed so that the girls could pick up the wrapped pieces of chocolate and lollipops that were tossed to the people lining the street.

For thirty minutes they stood there watching. The floats from area organizations and churches came after the horses. Another band, this one playing “Joy to the World,” walked by.

More candy was tossed and the girls would pick it up and hand it to Breezy to put in her pockets.

Near the end came the local saddle club. Jake, Duke and Brody road with them. Breezy held her breath as she made eye contact with Jake for the first time in several days. And it still hurt. His lack of trust hurt.

At the very end, the local fire department had decorated their old truck with lights and music blasting from speakers. Santa sat in the back. The truck stopped and more candy was tossed.

The crowds pushed closer, gathering more candy. Children rushed to greet Santa. Someone pushed close behind Breezy and she stiffened, waiting for an attack that didn't come.

“It isn't a big parade, but it's always been one of my favorites.” The voice, low and husky, came from behind her.

Breezy hesitated before facing Jake, hoping she didn't look too desperate. “It has been fun.”

“Welcome home.”

“Yes, it's good to be back. Where's your horse?” she asked as she and Marty put the girls back in the stroller.

“Duke put him in the trailer so I could get over here to the girls. And to you.”

“They loved the parade.”

“I thought they would. They're old enough to enjoy these things a little more. Last year...”

She touched his arm. Last year his sister and Lawton had been here.

He cleared his throat. “Last year they were barely a year old.”

“A lot changes in a year,” she said.

“Yes, a lot changes.”

“I need to go join the choir.” Breezy looked down at the twins again. It was easier to focus on them than the man with the crystal-blue eyes standing in front of her.

“We'll be over there in a minute.” Jake took the stroller from Marty. “I drive slower than Marty.”

She managed a smile and walked away. For the twins she could do this. She
would
do this. But it was going to hurt. No two ways about it.

* * *

Jake ignored the look Marty gave him. The one that asked him what he was going to do. He didn't have an answer, and he didn't want to think about this. Not tonight.

It was hard enough that today he'd caught Brody on the computer searching for Sylvia Martin. He'd told his kid brother to let it go. He'd tried to find her once. He'd written her a letter when their father died. She'd responded and told him she was really very sorry and hoped they were all doing well. He tried to write and tell her they were great without her. That letter was returned, undelivered.

He had to acknowledge that Breezy wasn't Sylvia. Breezy had come back. As hurt as she was, he knew she would come back to the girls.

“Jake, you have to find a way to make this work. For the twins.” Marty touched his hand as he pushed the stroller. He stopped pushing and looked at her, trying to find an answer for her and for himself.

“I will.” Jake let the words out on a sigh. “I made a mistake, but I'm going to fix it.”

“What mistake? Being attracted to Breezy?” Marty winked as she said that. “I can't see how you two falling in love is a mistake. Not for you, for her or the twins.”

“I don't think I mentioned love,” he said. “I meant I should have told her about the P.I.”

“Yes, you should have.”

The band played a few notes, warming up. Jake watched Breezy take her place on the makeshift stage. She stood up there in her long skirt, sweater and boots, blond hair down her back. She belonged. To this town. To him.

Man, he wanted to push his way through this crowd of people and take her in his arms. But he couldn't because he didn't know what he was feeling or what would happen come next week or next month.

Marty whispered for him to move forward and stop staring because he looked like a fool. He chuckled and shook his head. He pushed the stroller forward, joining the crowds.

“Lawton wanted us to become a couple,” Jake shared with Marty.

She laughed. “He was your best friend and he wanted you as happy with his sister as he was with yours. Makes perfect sense to me.”

“Not to me. Take two people with trust issues, toss them in a situation and see what you get.” He walked around to the front of the stroller and handed Violet the drink she'd asked for.

He missed his sister at times like this. And he missed Lawton. He pushed his hat back and took in a deep breath and let the pain out on the exhale.

The music started, giving him a much needed reprieve. Marty was as bad as his brothers these days, wanting to involve herself in his life. His relationships.

The choir started to sing. “Away in a Manger” came first. They included a choir of children for this song, letting the little ones sing the last verse without the band. The crowd's silence said everything. Especially since tonight the baby Jesus had been put in the nativity and the star above the little building was lit.

The last song of the night included Breezy's solo. He watched as she sang “Mary, Did You Know?” Their gazes locked for an instant, then she glanced away, her eyes widening on something or someone behind him.

Jake spun around, worried it was Tyler Randall, even though Tyler's bail was high and Breezy looked thrilled, not upset. A couple approached Jake, and a small boy of about seven walked with them. The woman was tall with long dark hair. The man next to her wore a cowboy hat and a protective glare. Family, Jake guessed.

The woman walked up to him, pinning him with a look.

“Jake Martin, I'm Mia McKennon. Breezy's sister.”

He must have looked perplexed because the man next to her held out a hand and offered an apologetic look.

“Slade McKennon, and you'll have to overlook my wife. She's retired from the DEA but she hasn't retired from digging into other people's business.” He gave his wife a look that Jake couldn't miss. He brought the boy up to his side. “This is our son, Caleb.”

“It's good to meet you.” Jake shook Slade's hand and then watched as Mia knelt next to the twins, her smile for them a lot different than the one she'd given him.

“Breezy didn't know we were coming down,” Slade offered in a way that seemed to be another apology.

“Didn't she?” Jake said. Breezy was still on the stage. They were singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The crowd sang along.

After the song ended, Slade McKennon spoke again. “No, she didn't. Mia talked to her yesterday and said she got a bad feeling. Mia doesn't ignore her bad feelings. And I guess I've learned not to ignore them.”

“I see,” Jake said. He got the distinct impression they thought he was responsible for those bad feelings in Breezy's life.

As he watched Breezy hop down off the trailer, the only thing he could think about was loading her up in his truck and taking her for a drive somewhere, far away from all of these people and their opinions.

If they drove far enough, maybe they could outrun both of their pasts.

He'd like to hold her close as they sat on the tailgate of his truck watching stars. It had been a long, long time since he'd done anything like that. He couldn't remember the last time he'd even wanted to take a woman for a drive down by the creek. He wanted to hold her hand, maybe brush a kiss across her knuckles. He wanted like crazy to tell her that if they could be friends, maybe they could be more.

But all of those thoughts fled like darkness come sunrise. Breezy's family had come to check on her, to make sure she was safe. What did they want after that? To take her back to Oklahoma?

Breezy hurried toward them. When she reached them, she pulled her sister into a hug, reaching for the boy, Caleb, as she did. The two sisters talked, laughed, hugged again.

Violet started to cry. Breezy broke away from her sister as she gave Violet her attention, leaning down to pick up the little girl who wanted to be held.

“They're beautiful,” Mia said. Her hand, probably without her realizing, went to her belly. “I can't believe that by summer I'll have a little person like that.”

“Maybe a little smaller.” Breezy smiled as she said it, holding Violet to her shoulder.

Rosie, not to be left out, looked at Jake with big tears falling down her cheeks. He picked her up and she immediately reached for Breezy.

“I think they've missed you,” he said.

“I could take them tonight. If you think...” Breezy shrugged.

“That would be good.” Jake handed Rosie over. “I have some shopping to do tomorrow. By the way, if you haven't seen Lilly, she wanted me to let you know the puppy is weaned.”