One Christmas Wish by Brenda Jackson
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
SIERRASURVEYEDHERreflection in the full-length mirror. She and Vaughn would be going on their first official date. The plan was to have dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant, stay to enjoy live music and dancing, and then walk along the pier to see all the decorated boats.
Tonight, the carolers started rehearsal and Velvet, who’d volunteered to help the group, was keeping Teryn. Sierra smiled when she heard the doorbell. Not surprisingly, Vaughn was right on time. Grabbing her purse and a shawl she headed downstairs. After checking through the peephole, she opened the door. “I’m ready.”
She couldn’t help but grin when Vaughn let out a whistle and raked his gaze over her from head to toe. He’d said that he liked seeing her legs and tonight he was seeing them. Her dress was one she hadn’t worn in a while and was dressier than most.
“You look absolutely stunning,” Vaughn said, smiling at her.
“Thanks, and you look stunning as well,” she said. Although he wore business suits all the time, she still thought he looked dashing in anything he put on his body. She would also admit he looked good wearing nothing at all.
After thanking her for the compliment, he stepped back for her to close and lock the door, and then he escorted her to his car. Opening the door, he said, “I am a lucky man tonight to be dining with such a beautiful woman.” He closed the door and walked around to get in on the other side.
He was full of compliments and Sierra appreciated every one of them. She’d been nervous about tonight, but now in his presence she felt good because going out on a date with him felt right.
When he got into the car and started the ignition, she said, “You’ll be happy to know I informed Teryn this morning that I mailed off all three letters to Santa.”
Vaughn had dropped by on Monday and handed Teryn his envelope with his one Christmas wish, after she had reminded him about it that Sunday over cookies and hot chocolate. That had pressured Sierra to do the same, and she’d decided to make it simple. Her one Christmas wish was for happiness for the new year.
Of course, they did not get mailed as she’d told Teryn. Sierra had read Teryn’s letter to make sure everything on her Christmas wish list was purchased. Vaughn’s letter was in her purse to give back to him tonight.
“I bet Teryn was overjoyed about it,” Vaughn said grinning.
“She was, and I also want to thank you for helping to decorate the café’s storefront.”
It was hard to believe Christmas on the Main had started this week and the winner of the most decorated storefront would be chosen tomorrow, right after the lighting of the Christmas tree in the town’s square. Since she was on the committee, it would be a busy Saturday for her. In fact, this week had been busy for both her and Vaughn, so she was looking forward to dinner and unwinding with dancing and a walk on the pier.
“How have things been going at work?” she asked.
Vaughn hadn’t left town on any business trips this week, but he had worked long hours at the office. She would put soup aside for him to eat since he would always drop by the café after work.
“Great. I got word today that Evans Toussaint will start after the holidays. That was good news.”
“It certainly is. He was well-liked in the cove.”
“That’s what everyone is telling me.” When he came to a stop at the traffic light, he said, “I also have more good news.”
“What?”
“The Louisiana Historical Society verified the marriage license for Lafitte and Zara as authentic.”
“Oh, Vaughn, that is wonderful,” she said, blinking back happy tears. “I always believed Lafitte married Princess Zara.”
“Yes, I have you to thank for uncovering the truth.” A teasing grin curved his lips. “Now I don’t feel so bad for taking you on the stairs that night.”
She laughed. “You should not have been feeling bad about it anyway. I hold that night as one of my most special memories.”
“Thank you for saying that, cherie, because I hold it that way as well.”
Sierra gazed out her window when he moved the car forward. She thought the days leading to Christmas in Catalina Cove were the best. Driving through town was like entering a Christmas wonderland. The streetlights around town had been transformed into candy canes and Christmas holly hung from most of the traffic lights.
When they pulled into the parking lot of the Lighthouse Restaurant, Vaughn brought the car to a stop and turned to her. “My ladies are still coming to my home for dinner on Sunday, right?”
Vaughn had invited her and Teryn to dinner. “Your ladies will be there with bells on,” she said, smiling.
The Lighthouse Restaurant was the best place in Catalina Cove for elegant dining. Dinner had been wonderful and very few people gave them a second glance. Sierra figured news had spread around the cove they were seeing each other, so them sharing dinner was no big deal.
“Will you dance with me, Sierra?”
“I’d love to, just as long as you know it’s been years since I’ve been out dancing.”
He chuckled. “Same here.”
The band was playing a good mix of music and when Vaughn pulled her into his arms for a slow dance, she thought they fit well together. For years she and Dani had taken dance lessons while growing up, but there was nothing like being held in the arms of a man you cared about.
And she did care about him, maybe a little too much. Funny how she’d begun shifting from wanting “just the moment” to wanting more. It could have started Saturday night when he’d returned from Boston early and she’d spent the night at his home. Or maybe it had been that Sunday when he had hung the wreath on the door with Teryn and later joined them for cookies and hot chocolate. It really didn’t matter when she began shifting, what mattered was that she had.
They enjoyed three more dances together. It seemed the musicians had deliberately played slow tunes just for them.
When Vaughn took her hand and escorted her out of the restaurant for their walk on the pier, he glanced at his watch and then at her. “What time will Velvet be bringing Teryn home tonight?”
She smiled. “Since this is Friday night, Velvet suggested I let her spend the night. I’ll pick her up in the morning.”
Sierra could tell by the smile that reached all the way to that sexy dimple in his chin that Vaughn approved of that arrangement.
THREEDAYSLATERSierra pushed away from the computer on her desk and looked at her watch. Velvet was dropping by the café for lunch and Sierra would be joining her. It had been a wonderful weekend. Dinner with Vaughn at the Lighthouse Restaurant Friday night had started things off.
Saturday, her committee had selected the winner of the Christmas on the Main contest. All of the storefronts had been beautifully decorated, and it had been hard to choose just one. The winner had been the Ellorans’ Ice Cream Shop.
Teryn had gotten so caught up in the holiday spirit that it was contagious. After church yesterday, she had convinced Sierra they needed a Christmas tree. Vaughn had joined them in picking one out and helping to decorate it. He had bought a tree for his home as well, and later, when they went to his house for dinner, they helped him decorate his.
Vaughn’s cook had done an outstanding job and dinner had been delicious. Teryn kept telling him that his house was as big as a castle and that she had counted twenty-two rooms.
After dinner Vaughn showed them his new boat dock, and Teryn had suggested that it would be the perfect place for a huge, decorated Christmas tree. That way it could be seen by any boats passing by at night. He had agreed and suggested Teryn invite the kids in her first-grade class to help decorate. The event would be this coming weekend.
After news about it got around, Vaughn had called that morning with a great idea. Since a lot of the people living in the cove had never set foot on Zara’s Haven, he thought now would be a good time for them to do so and he wanted to make Saturday a fun day for all. Sierra thought Vaughn’s hospitality was more than generous and told him he didn’t have to do everything Teryn suggested. However, it seemed he had liked the idea as much as Teryn.
When Sierra got up from her desk to join Velvet for lunch, all she could think about was that it would be another busy weekend.
“YOULOOKHAPPY,” Velvet told Sierra when she sat across from her in a booth a short while later.
Sierra couldn’t help but smile. “I am. I think the holidays bring out the happiness in people. Seeing Teryn happy makes me happy.”
“And what about you and Vaughn?”
Yes, what about her and Vaughn? she thought, wondering how to define their relationship to Velvet. Hot and explosive quickly came to mind. However, it was more than just the physical. Now she could define their relationship as meaningful.
“I really like Vaughn and enjoy the time we spend together. He’s very attentive when it comes to Teryn and goes out of his way to include her in many of our activities.” She paused a moment and added, “Vaughn is someone I can talk to about anything.”
Velvet nodded. “Do you see forever in your future with him?”
Sierra paused and then said, “Forever is a long time, but if I was honest, I would have to say yes. I thought I would never think that way again, but I do.” To change the subject, Sierra asked, “Are you going to the town hall meeting Thursday night?”
“Yes, I plan to go,” Velvet said. “I understand they’ll unveil the new housing development on Lacroix land, update us on the water-taxi service and tell us who’s taking over the bank now that Mr. Barrows is retiring.”
“Sounds like a meeting none of us should miss,” Sierra said.
“I agree.”
Suddenly, Sierra felt a presence by their table and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
She looked up and saw Nathan and she couldn’t hold back a gasp of shock. Her ex-husband was the last person she expected to see here in Catalina Cove. The last person she’d expected to see ever. She frowned. “What are you doing here, Nathan?”
Not bothering to display manners by acknowledging Velvet, he said, “We need to talk, Sierra.”
Her frown deepened. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”
A smirk appeared on his face. “I beg to differ.”
Sierra glanced around and saw they were drawing attention. “Differ all you want. Please leave, Nathan.”
“Trust me. You’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s about your goddaughter.”
Levi walked over to ask, “Sierra, is this man being a nuisance? Do you want me to call the sheriff?”
Nathan was tall but Levi was a lot taller and although he might be older, he carried himself like the ex-cop that he was.
She started to tell Levi to go ahead and call the sheriff, and then she thought better of it. What did Nathan mean that whatever he had to say concerned Teryn? Not for one minute did she think it did, but people were looking at them and she didn’t want to cause a scene.
“No, I’ll handle this,” she said to Levi.
Sierra turned to Velvet and saw the concern in her friend’s eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll call you later.”
She narrowed her eyes at Nathan when she stood. “We can talk in my office. This way.”
“YOUBETTERHAVEa good reason for coming here, Nathan,” Sierra said, practically slamming her office door shut behind them. It had been two years since she’d last seen him, and little about him had changed. He still paid a lot for his clothes, and it was obvious he still spent time at the gym. Although she didn’t want to admit it, he was a handsome man. However, as far as she was concerned, Vaughn was better-looking, more fit and a sharper dresser.
Nathan had the audacity to go to her desk and lean against it. He glanced around her office with an appraising eye. Then he smiled at her and said, “Nice setup you have here, although I think it’s a waste of your skills. You were a darn good software development manager at Smithfield and Tyler. I ran into your former boss the other day and he still regrets losing you.”
Sierra refused to get off topic with him. “I asked, why are you here, Nathan?” She crossed her arms over her chest. He would find out soon enough she wasn’t the same woman he’d been married to. Now she had a backbone and could think for herself.
“I would have called instead of coming here if you hadn’t blocked my number.”
“Blocking your number was the only way I could assure that you stopped calling me with your foolishness.”
“Getting back with you is not foolishness, Sierra. For me it means financial survival. The company I work for was taken over by a new group. The CEO, Mr. Charles, is a real asshole.”
“It takes one to know one,” she said snidely.
Nathan had the audacity to laugh. “Wow, my kitten has grown claws. Now back to what I was saying, this CEO is a traditionalist who doesn’t believe in divorces. He has this thing about your first wife being your forever wife and all that bullshit.”
Sierra rolled her eyes. “And this affects me how?”
“I’ve temporarily been removed from the promotability list. We need to remarry by January. I figured we won’t need to stay together any more than three years. By then Mr. Charles will have retired, and I would have gotten that promotion I’ve been working my ass off to get.”
Sierra stared at Nathan, not believing what she was hearing and getting royally pissed. She drew in a deep breath, trying to keep her temper under control. “I don’t know what plan you’ve concocted in your mind to save some promotion status, but you’re sadly mistaken if you think I’ll have anything to do with you.”
He gave her that smirky smile she’d always detested. “You have no choice...not if you want to keep full custody of your goddaughter.”
That was the second time he’d mentioned Teryn, which gave her pause. “What does any of this have to do with Teryn?”
He straightened and sauntered over to stand in front of her. She appreciated that it wasn’t too close. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “It seems there is an old law on the books in Illinois that directly affects us. I didn’t know about it until my attorney recently discovered it. Until the day our divorce was final, any legal dealings either you or I made separately, are still considered joint ventures. In other words, sweetheart, since your adoption of that little girl became final before our divorce, I am just as much her legal guardian as you are. Therefore, I had my attorney petition the state court for joint custody.”
Sierra’s head began spinning. What Nathan was saying couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. “When I adopted Teryn, you and I were separated.”
He shrugged. “That might have been the case, but it doesn’t matter. In the eyes of Illinois law, we were still legally married.”
He chuckled as he looked around her office again. “Cheer up, sweet-cakes. It could have been worse. Just think if you would have closed the deal on this place before our divorce. Then you and I would have been equal partners of your restaurant. Imagine that.”
Sierra’s entire body became consumed with anger. She took a step toward him, not caring that she was all in his face. “You bastard. You never wanted kids. Why would you want joint custody of Teryn?”
The eyes staring at her went cold and she felt anger radiating off of him. “Because I know how much that kid means to you. That’s the only way to get what I want. So hear me and hear me well, Sierra. Unless you agree to remarry me for at least three, maybe four years, or until that bastard Charles decides to retire, I will take you to court to get that kid during the summer months.”
She scoffed, thinking he had to be bluffing. “This will never stand in court, Nathan.”
“Try me. My attorney has already filed a petition for joint custody, so you might want to contact your attorney. You’ll be getting our court date soon, hopefully before Christmas, unless you agree to remarry me before New Year’s Day. You have one week to give me your answer. You know how to reach me.”
He moved around her, opened the door and walked out.