One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“YOUNEVERDIDsay how your date with Vaughn went last Saturday, Sierra.” Dani slid into the chair across from her at the kitchen table.

Sierra’s parents had arrived in town Sunday, and her sister and her family on Tuesday. Levi and her staff were running the restaurant most of the week, while she spent Thanksgiving with her family at their lake home on the outskirts of town.

“The party was nice and there was plenty of food. Isaac and Donna have a beautiful home. They bought the Landrum Estates and had it restored, so it still has that old Southern feel. Donna said she had fun redecorating. Most of the furniture she had to get restored to look like the original.”

There was no way she would tell Dani about the after-party activities at Vaughn’s home, or the vivid memories that kept repeating in her mind.

“So where is Vaughn? Why didn’t you invite him to Thanksgiving dinner?”

“He left Sunday to spend Thanksgiving with his sister in Boston.”

“When will he be back?”

Sierra wondered why all the questions. “He’s returning Sunday night.”

“And we’re leaving Sunday evening,” she groused. “It’s too bad we won’t get to officially meet him.” Dani looked around and leaned closer to Sierra. “Just to give you a heads-up, Mom wasn’t in town but a few hours when she heard that you’ve been seeing Vaughn Miller.”

Sierra didn’t have to wonder how their mother had come across that information. On her parents’ first day back in the cove, they’d hooked up with old friends. Although the population in the cove was growing, there were still people who thought it was their God-given right to pry into other people’s business. “And?”

“And she’s worried.”

Sierra lifted a brow. “Worried about what?”

Dani looked around again. Through the window, they could hear their father and the kids outside laughing as they washed the RV with Emory. Their mother was with them, but could come through the back door at any time.

“Mom’s glad you’re finally dating again after Nathan, but she’s concerned you’ve fallen for the first man to show interest in you. She thinks you should be dating others.”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “First of all, like I told you when you had that same concern, Vaughn is not the first man to show interest in me since my divorce. There have been others, but Vaughn is the only one I was attracted to.” Very much attracted to, she thought to herself. “But even Vaughn knows our relationship comes with limitations.”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Know your limitations with him, Sierra?”

“Yes.”

Dani sighed deeply. “I think Vaughn is the best thing for you, and I even told Mom that when she expressed her concerns with me. I can hear how happy you are after spending time with him. Teryn likes him a lot, too. She told Mom about the flowers that he gave her and how he took her out on his boat.”

“He’s good with her,” Sierra said, thinking of how he’d called from the airport Sunday while waiting on his flight. He had told Sierra to let Teryn know he would be bringing her a special gift back from Boston. Of course, Teryn was excited about that and was anxious for Vaughn’s return.

“I am enjoying my time with him.”

“And sleeping with him?” Dani asked in a low voice, smiling. When Sierra didn’t say anything, a smirk appeared on Dani’s face when she said, “You don’t have to admit or deny anything, Sierra. I’m just happy you’re finally getting some. And from what I can tell, with the improvement of your attitude, it’s the real deal. I just hope...”

When Dani didn’t finish what she was about to say, Sierra prompted, “You just hope what?”

“That you don’t let your I-am-an-independent-woman soapbox mess up a good thing with Vaughn.”

Sierra rolled her eyes again. “Since you’ve never had to flex your independence, Dani, I don’t expect you to understand. Emory is what dreams are made of. You were lucky. I had a hard lesson to learn. It’s just me and Teryn now and I have to be strong for her. I can’t depend on anyone else for her or my happiness and I won’t.”

She figured her sister still didn’t get it, but that didn’t matter to Sierra. She knew what she had to do and knew the sort of woman she’d become and why. No man would change that.

Later that evening as Sierra lay in bed in one of the guest rooms, she thought about the conversation she’d had with Dani...as well as the one she’d had with her mother a few hours later. She was glad Dani had warned her about what their mother was thinking.

She’d had to first remind her mother she was a thirty-year-old adult, and whatever decisions she made about dating Vaughn and others—if she decided there would be others—was hers to make. She knew her mother didn’t want her to be hurt again, but this was her life.

The one thing Sierra would admit to herself was that since seeing Vaughn, it was nice to have someone to share her time with...when she had time to spare. More than anything she enjoyed their phone conversations at bedtime, when they shared how their day had gone. He was an easy person to talk to and she’d learned a lot from him about the running of a business, and more than once she’d run ideas by him.

She hadn’t heard from him since he’d left and she was a little disappointed with that. But then she shouldn’t be. A voice in the back of her head was mocking her and saying, Since you’re such an independent woman you can just as easily contact him. She knew that was true, but he had said he would call when he returned Sunday. He hadn’t promised to call while he was away. Spending time with his sister was just as important as her spending time with her family, so she wouldn’t bother him. She let out a frustrated sigh. Was she being logical or less independent?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ding of her cell phone, indicating a text. Sitting up in bed she grabbed for her phone and read the message. I miss you.

Drawing in a deep breath, she ignored the flutters that went off inside of her when she texted back, I miss you, too.

Vaughn then texted, I am still thinking about Saturday night. Amazing.

Just the mention of that Saturday night sent sensuous shivers through her. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she decided to be honest with him. She texted, All the intimate times I spend with you are amazing.

So he wouldn’t assume she was only thinking of the times they’d slept together, she quickly added, The non-intimate times as well.

He texted, No need to explain. I knew what you meant.

Yes, she figured he did. She recalled their last conversation and more than anything she wanted him to believe he meant more to her than just a good time in bed. She texted her response. Thanks.

You are welcome. Good night, Sierra. Pleasant dreams.

Pleasant dreams to you, too. Good night, Vaughn.

After clicking off the phone Sierra settled in bed. Knowing he had missed her like she had missed him meant so much. A warmth spread through her body and she knew it had nothing to do with all the bedcovers she lay beneath. It had everything to do with knowing Vaughn was charming his way deep into her heart, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for it. However, whether she was ready or not, it was happening.

VAUGHNSTAREDATthe text messages he and Sierra had exchanged moments ago. He wanted to call her, talk to her, hear her voice, but he was spending time with Zara—she’d just stepped away to make some tea.

Something was bothering Sierra. He wasn’t sure what, and figured when she was ready to tell him she would. He’d learned not to stick his nose into her business unless she wanted it there.

“Well, at least you know Sierra Crane isn’t interested in you just for your money,” Zara said, returning with her hands full. Neither of them was sleepy, so they’d decided to sit and relax with a cup of tea, at least it was tea for her and a beer for him.

“Not that I thought for one minute my wealth mattered to her, I’m curious as to why you’d say that,” he said, accepting the bottle of beer she handed him.

She chuckled as she sat across from him. “The obvious. She is reluctant about becoming involved with you. Trust me, if she was after your money, you wouldn’t be able to get rid of her.”

Vaughn didn’t say anything as he took a slug of his beer. Because money was something he and his family had always had, he’d never thought about it. He’d been aware of the term gold digger. At an early age his father had schooled him and Zara to marry within their social class. In other words, to fall in wealth and not in love.

He was glad those lessons had gone over both their heads. If either ever married, it would be for love. He had loved Camila and he knew Zara had loved Maurice. Unfortunately, they’d both been hurt by betrayals. So that proved money couldn’t save you from heartbreak.

“You’re right. Sierra doesn’t care about my wealth. What she cares about more than anything is her independence.”

“Independent women can be fierce.”

He chuckled. “Says one who knows.”

Zara frowned. “I can’t help the way I am, Vaughn.”

“I didn’t say you should.”

His sister didn’t say anything for a minute, then she finally asked, “Do you ever think about the woman who used to write to you in prison?”

He figured her question was a way to change the subject, but that particular question had come from way out of left field. “Why would you ask me about that?”

“Just curious. I know how much those letters meant to you. They gave you encouragement, kept you inspired, motivated and—”

“Sane,” he finished for her. “Although I would have to say that since I was locked up for a white-collar crime, I didn’t suffer some of the same hardships some other criminals have to deal with.”

He took another swig of beer, then said, “What was hard for me to deal with was the fact that I was an innocent man and my freedom had been taken away.” He paused again. “To answer your question, the answer is yes, I often think of her and wish there was some way I could contact her to let her know the positive impact her letters had on my mental state. I figured she was a woman in her sixties or older who was probably in the education system.”

“Why do you think that?” Zara asked.

“Her penmanship. A younger person would probably have typed on a computer then printed it out. She used the same kind of stationary each time and wrote using a fountain pen.”

Zara raised a brow. “A fountain pen? I didn’t know they still make those.”

“Exactly. A younger person wouldn’t know what a fountain pen was. I probably won’t ever know who she is. I’ve accepted she was someone who was supposed to be a part of my life at that time.”

Then, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head, he exclaimed, “That’s it!”

His sister looked at him quizzically. “What is ‘it’?”

“My one Christmas wish.”

“What are you talking about, Vaughn?”

He told her about Teryn and how she expected both him and Sierra to come up with one Christmas wish. Zara thought it was cute that Teryn could have an endless list of wishes while adults got just one.

“My desire to find my pen pal will be my one Christmas wish,” he said.

Zara reached out and patted his hand, smiling. “That sounds good. Just don’t start believing in Santa on me. Remember how I used to write those letters to Santa every year and would get everything on that list I asked for? It was a big disappointment to find out that it wasn’t a reward for being such a good girl that I got so much stuff. It was because Mom and Dad made sure we got anything and everything we ever wanted. Things don’t work like that in real life. There isn’t a Santa and there aren’t miracles.”

She went quiet and then added in a low voice, “There isn’t even a happy-ever-after.”

Vaughn didn’t say anything as he finished his beer but could feel his sister’s pain. “As adults we know that now but think of how happy our lives were when we thought otherwise. I want to make a little girl happy for the holidays. And in making my desire to one day meet my pen pal my one Christmas wish, although I know it’s one that won’t come true, I have nothing to lose.”