One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson

CHAPTER TEN

“CONGRATULATIONS, BIGBROTHER. I am so proud of you.”

Vaughn grinned and tossed a paper clip on his desk as he told his sister, Zara, the news. She was the first person he’d called after leaving Reid’s office. The older man’s faith and trust in him was astounding and had meant a lot.

Even if he had remained working on Wall Street and living in New York, he would not have gotten the advancement in his career like Reid had given him today.

“Thanks, I got work to do and I’m sure you do as well,” he said, straightening up in his chair. “You’re still planning to travel to Paris for Christmas?”

“Yes, those are my plans. It’s been a while since I spent Christmas there.”

His parents had a beautiful home in Paris that he and Zara now jointly owned. Zara had gone there a couple of times since their parents’ death ten years ago, but he hadn’t.

“I’m glad we’ll be spending Thanksgiving together. Will you be okay by yourself for Christmas, Vaughn?”

He smiled, doubting if she would ever stop worrying about him. “I’ll be fine.” No need to tell her that he intended to make special holiday plans of his own if a certain woman cooperated. “Goodbye, Zara.”

“Goodbye, Vaughn.”

He hung up and drew in a deep, satisfied breath. It was hard to believe a few years ago at this time he was sitting in a jail cell, wondering if he would ever get his life back. Not only had he gotten it back, he’d gotten a lot of blessings as well.

His thoughts went to Sierra. Did she want to see him as much as he wanted to see her? Had she thought about him as much today as he’d thought about her?

Since he hadn’t put his phone away he decided to call Sierra, to let her know he would be dropping by after work. Hopefully, she would have time to sit with him for a while.

“Hello?”

She sounded breathless. Nearly as breathless as she’d been last night. “Sierra, this is Vaughn. I hope I’m not calling at a bad time.”

“No, I was getting dressed.”

Vaughn’s brow rose in surprise. “You’re going out?” he asked, and too late he figured he had no right to.

“Yes, I have a committee meeting. I told you I was on that Christmas committee, thanks to Vashti.”

He chuckled. “Vashti is known to do stuff like that. I have good news to share with you.”

“What?”

“I’d rather tell you in person,” he said, not able to keep the excitement out of his voice.

“Okay. The meeting should be over around seven. Usually there’s socializing afterward. Do you want to drop by the restaurant around seven thirty?”

Vaughn really didn’t want to wait that long to see her but had no other choice.

“Okay, I will be there. Will you have your cook put today’s special aside for me? What is it, by the way?”

“Lobster bisque.”

He didn’t remember her ever having that on the menu before. “That’s new, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but it’s still one of my grandmother’s recipes. Kaegan had an extra shipment of lobsters from Boston that he needed to get rid of and sold to me at half price.”

“Then I can’t wait to try it. I look forward to seeing you later.”

ONTHEDRIVEback from the meeting Sierra glanced over at Velvet. Her good friend had been unusually quiet both going to the meeting and now on the return trip. They’d shared lunch earlier and she’d been in a happy mood. Sierra wondered what had happened since then. “I think the meeting went well, don’t you?”

Velvet brought the car to a stop when the arms came down at a railroad crossing and looked at Sierra. Moments later a train rolled by. “Yes, I thought so, too. Although I would have preferred not being in the company of Laura Crawford. After the meeting she took me aside and felt the need to again make me aware her brother was interested in me and instead of playing hard to get, I should feel honored.”

Sierra chuckled. “I got just the opposite kind of talk from her.”

Velvet’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“She pulled me aside and said she heard rumors that Vaughn and I were seeing each other, and thought I should know that she has him on her radar.”

“Wha—? She actually told you that?”

“Yes.”

“And what did you say?”

“I told her that just because she has him on her radar doesn’t mean he has her on his.”

Velvet burst out laughing. “You told her that?”

“Yes,” Sierra said, frowning. “Emma had already scooped me that word around town is that Laura has her eyes on Vaughn now that his name has been cleared. What Laura told me tonight pretty much confirms it. The nerve of her. She doesn’t know me. Besides, Vaughn and I don’t have that kind of a relationship.”

“Umm, he has asked you to be his date to the New Year’s Eve Ball.”

“But I haven’t decided whether I’m even going. However, I refuse to let Laura Crawford think she can give me a heads-up like that and think it means anything.”

“She probably sees you as a threat,” Velvet mused. “You’re four years younger and definitely a lot prettier. And you’re well-liked, which I can’t say the same about her. That was obvious tonight. Did you see the other women’s expressions whenever Laura spoke? She’s pushy, argumentative and was against every suggestion anyone made.”

“But Ashley wasn’t having it.” Sierra grinned when she recalled the number of times the committee’s president, Ashley Sullivan, had put Laura in her place, reminding Laura that everyone, and not just her, had ideas that should be considered.

“I noticed. Are you going to mention what she said to Vaughn?”

Sierra shook her head. “I doubt it.”

“I think you should. I would.”

Sierra shrugged. “What difference does it make? If he wants her, I am happy for them.”

“You don’t mean that, and you know it. You like him, whether you admit it or not. And just like you told her, just because she wants him doesn’t mean he wants her. If he did, he would be dating her. I personally don’t think she’s his type.”

Sierra didn’t think Laura was Vaughn’s type either, but men were known to fool you. She of all people would know that.

“Laura honestly believes she could have any man she goes after. Her brother has that same mindset when it comes to women. I think the only reason he’s interested in me is because he sees me as a challenge.”

“Excuse me, Velvet. The reason he is interested in you is because you are beautiful. Webb Crawford isn’t bad-looking either, but I know his good looks are just on the outside. I went to school with him, and he’d always thought of himself as a rock star, superjock.”

“Well, I have better things to do with my time than to deal with that.”

Sierra didn’t say anything as the two of them watched the train rush by. After a moment of things being quiet, Sierra said, “Is that what was bothering you earlier, Velvet? The thought of knowing Laura would be at the meeting?”

She didn’t think that’s what it was but knew something was bothering Velvet. She had picked up on it the moment Velvet had arrived to take her to the meeting.

Velvet didn’t say anything for a minute and then she turned to Sierra. “No, that’s not it. I got a call from Ruthie, right before I left home to pick you up. She wanted me to know Todd asked her to marry him.”

Sierra smiled. “That’s wonderful!” Then she studied Velvet’s features. “You are happy for her, right?” Although she’d never met Ruthie, she knew that she and Velvet had been best friends since their college days.

“Yes, of course I’m happy for her,” Velvet said. “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person and Todd is a very nice guy. But it just bothers me that after putting everything into a relationship for three years, it didn’t get me anywhere in the end. Why did I have to fall in love with a man who wasn’t ready to settle down and probably won’t ever be?”

“And why did I fall in love with one who gave me the impression he was ready to settle down but truly wasn’t?” Sierra countered. “I guess falling in love isn’t for everybody. You try it and then when it doesn’t work out you—”

“Move on,” Velvet plugged in.

“Yes, you move on but at the same time you guard your heart,” Sierra said.

She knew some guarded theirs more than others. With her, because of Nathan, it would be hard for the next man. It wouldn’t be fair to assume every man she met was a lowlife, but if and when she was ready to test the waters again, it would be up to her to make sure he wasn’t.

That made her thoughts shift to Vaughn. She didn’t like drama and she could see Laura Crawford causing plenty of it. Maybe she should tell him tonight that she had decided not to go to the ball with him, and that the only thing the two of them could ever be was friends.

Sierra drew in a deep breath, deciding that’s exactly what she would do. Tonight.

“I HOPE I didn’t keep you waiting.”

Vaughn looked up and saw Sierra standing by the table. She set a bowl of steaming hot soup in front of him, as well as another glass of brown ale. She placed another bowl of soup across from him and a cup of tea, then slid into the seat opposite him. “Where did you come from?” he asked, scanning her features.

Vaughn was convinced the more he saw her, the more beautiful she became. And he’d noted before she sat down what she was wearing—a long navy blue skirt and a light blue cashmere sweater. He thought the outfit looked good on her.

“I arrived a few minutes ago and came in through the back. That’s where the front door to my home is located. I slipped up the stairs to tuck Teryn into bed. I was hoping I would get back in time to read her a bedtime story, but her babysitter had beat me to it. Anyway, all I got was a kiss and she dozed right off to sleep.”

“You don’t have to apologize. You didn’t keep me waiting. How is she?”

She lifted a brow. “Who?”

He smiled. “Teryn.”

“Oh, she’s fine, although I think she’s upset with me for not having my one Christmas wish ready to give Santa.”

“Excuse me?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you another time. I’m eager to hear the good news you have to share,” she said, scooting forward and leaning over the table.

Vaughn doubted she realized just how close their mouths were now. It wouldn’t take much for him to lean in for a kiss. That made him scan around the restaurant, and that’s when he saw they were alone. “Where is everyone?”

Sierra tucked a curl behind her ear. “They’ve all gone. The restaurant closed ten minutes ago.”

“Oh.” He’d been so busy reading the stock information on his phone that he hadn’t noticed people leaving.

“I got here before closing so at no time were you alone,” she said as if that might be a concern of his. “I had Emma put aside bowls of the lobster bisque for us.”

“Thanks. It smells good and I can’t wait to try it.”

He was about to pick up his spoon to dig in when she said, “Vaughn Miller, don’t you dare eat that soup without telling me your good news.”

Leaning back against his seat, away from her mouth and temptation, he laughed. “Okay, I won’t hold you in suspense any longer. Especially since it will make the Catalina Cove Tribune in the morning.”

Her brow lifted. “What?”

He smiled and decided the hell with temptation, he would move his mouth back close to hers. “Today Reid advised me he plans to retire in about eight months and named me as his replacement.”