CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Snowbound.

He’d had it all planned out. Get in, get what he wanted, and finish what he’d started. Only now, his grand reveal had gone south because of one persistent woman.

Veronica Cearley, widow of Joshua James Cearley, mother of deceased Adam Jay Cearley, and daughter Elle Nadene Cearley. Daughter-in-law of John James and Nadene Cearley. The Cearleys had a lineage that went way back. They’d helped establish Hidden Mountain. John James had been a lawyer, philanthropist, and a pillar of the community, a solid, faithful servant—all those terms that made him a good man.

He’d given a hungry, tired, bitter, angry young man a job once. That job had saved that young man and his ailing grandmother. And for a few years, that had meant they didn’t have to be alone on Christmas. John James had sent them a holiday meal once or twice too.

Cullen had walked by the house that first morning and noticed the condition. Once a showcase, now more an old, lonely place. But something told him whoever lived inside there needed to get out of that house.

Veronica. It has been Veronica. He’d never imagined she’d show up, but then she’d run straight into his arms there on the street and being one who believed in fate as much as he believed in faith, he had to get to know her.

But he didn’t factor in that the flyer would slip off the door and sail down onto the sidewalk. Anyone could have picked it up. The Walkers could have stomped on it and laughed.

But Veronica had found it. She would have found it anyway, on the door. But either way, she’d become a beautiful wrench tossed into his oh-so-controlled world.

God sure did have a sense of humor.

He stood and stared out the window of his bedroom. The water below shimmered in a white glitter, like a blanket of diamonds, while the snow fell in a quiet hush that made the entire countryside look like a giant Christmas card. The perfect façade.

Cullen checked his messages, then headed back downstairs.

Somehow, he had to make Veronica see that everything would be okay. Because his plan to get in, get out, and get the job done had changed. He had a new plan now.

One that he hoped would include her.

“S’mores.”

Bethany stared at the fire and wiped at her eyes. “I’m craving s’mores.”

Elle smiled at that. “I forgot. Chase and I were about to make s’mores—or he was going to make s’mores to cheer me up—when Cullen called. So we brought the fixings with us. It’s all in his backpack.”

“Chase is a dream come true,” Trudy declared, glancing around. The men had gone to check on the outside pipes since the night was grower colder by the minute.

“He’s the best.” Elle sent Veronica a smile. “He told me no one should stay mad during Christmas, and he was right.”

Elle and Veronica had come back into the den laughing and talking. Veronica thought she’d heard a collective sigh pass through the group of snowbound club members.

“It’s the snow and the fire and the season,” Trudy said, her serenity keeping everyone calm. Trudy had found happiness in these last few weeks, so Veronica celebrated for her friend. She liked Trudy and Bethany. She liked Hillman. She didn’t know what would happen with Cullen.

But Trudy and Hillman—a good match.

What better rebound than a man who’d been hurt too? A man who had his own money and ready-made grown children and grandchildren. Add little Naomi to the mix, and now, a true Christmas waited to happen.

“I think I’ll have several s’mores,” Veronica said. “Now that Elle is safe and here, I’m starving.”

“That’s the spirit,” Trudy said. Then she leaned up in the cozy corner chair where she sat like a queen. “Veronica, are you okay? Hillman explained a few things to me. Then you and Cullen seemed mighty intense when you came out of the office earlier.”

“I don’t know,” Veronica said, remembering to be honest. “I’m a little rusty in the ‘trust me’ department, and so is he. He found out I did the background research on him and, well, he’s not happy about that. And yet, he got my daughter here, and I will be forever grateful to him.”

Elle smiled and sat back to listen.

“Darling, that’s why we’re all here,” Trudy said. “We’ve forgotten we can’t be in charge of everything, and we sure can’t control everything or everyone. Cullen has tried his best to show you what he’s made of, so what’s the problem?”

Veronica didn’t have an answer for that. There was still the Troy-Bethany situation, and she didn’t want to hurt Bethany.

Bethany’s eyes widened as she glanced from Veronica to Trudy. “You’re really falling for him?”

“Yes.” It hit her in her gut. “He needs someone to need him, same as me. I took care of everyone else for years and I don’t regret that. But . . . I want to be an equal, a true partner. I’m stronger now and . . . I have to accept that my season of grief has softened and changed. Empathy—that’s what I needed all along, not just sympathy.”

“I think that’s what Cullen came here to find,” Trudy replied. “He’s the one who didn’t want to spend Christmas alone.”

Veronica had been so deep into her own head, she’d missed the obvious. He was afraid, like the rest of them. He’d lost his mother during Christmas. She’d felt empathy for that, but her overriding need to nail down his motives had marred everything. She’d tried understanding him, and she did get it—that ache deep inside a heart that would never go away. But Cullen needed to trust her as much as he wanted her to trust him.

“I think you’re right. He’s been through a lot and most of the bad in his life happened during the holidays.”

She glanced toward the kitchen when she heard the door open. Cullen and Hillman were huddled together near the sink. Cullen had ignored her since they’d all come back downstairs.

“But he and I might be done.”

“Done?” Trudy did a fabulous eye roll. “Honey, you are no more done than fresh dough still rising. You and that man, the chemistry is off the charts and out the window.”

“I agree,” Elle said with a smug smile.

“She’s right,” Bethany said. “The way he looks at you makes me shiver.”

“Your hormones are out of whack,” Veronica said, her own backbone shivering when she thought about his kisses. “And you, Trudy, are in lust with Hillman.”

Trudy’s perfectly arched eyebrows went wide. “Hillman and I have a deal. We are companions, nothing more.”

“Companions?” Veronica almost snorted. “You and Hillman are the best couple possible.”

“He is a sweetie,” Trudy said on a giggle. “And a great companion, even if he had to cover for Cullen.”

Elle shook her head. “So this is what I’ve been missing.”

“Trudy Gladstone, giggling.” Veronica shook her head. “Companions. Right.” Then she lifted her wineglass. “To men we don’t understand, but we use for companionship.”

She looked up to find Cullen and Hillman standing in the archway, smiling over at them.

“What’s so funny?” Cullen asked, clearly still a little mad at her.

“Everything,” she said. “We have to roll with the punches, don’t we?”

“I suppose so,” he replied. “Even the gut-punches.”

Then he turned and went back into the kitchen.

Hillman looked at Veronica. “He’s in a mood.”

Her feet forced her up before her brain could comprehend. “I’ll go talk to him.”

She’d fought with a man who needed people around him during the holidays. Wanted some sort of family because he had no family left. That might be the reason he found it so hard to open his heart to people.

She wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. She’d learned grace again; she had to use it tonight. Trudy had been right; she was so not done with this man.

“Cullen?”

He whirled, his hand in the air. “I don’t want to talk.”

She walked over to where he stood in the dining room by the bay windows. Seemed to be his favorite spot. She didn’t speak. Instead, she took his hand and held it tight in hers.

They stood for a long time, holding hands. Lulu came in and sniffed at them, whimpered her frustrations at being ignored, and headed back to the other room.

The snow kept falling, covering all the ugly spots, hiding all the pain, blanketing the broken limbs and decayed leaves. The forest became a fairy tale kind of beautiful.

She could be in a fairy tale—a lost princess who’d found her knight in shining armor, the queen, the king, and her younger princess sis. Lulu could be the jester. Only this was reality, and she could rescue herself, but having a knight on the side didn’t hurt.

“Cullen . . .”

He finally turned to her, his hand still clinging to hers.

“Cullen, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried. I’ve always been too nosy for my own good, but—”

He stopped her by tugging her close and kissing her, his lips telling her what he couldn’t say with his heart. His arms surrounding her with a deep trust and definite need that she mirrored by holding him tight and returning his kisses.

They could melt snow with this kind of heat.

Finally, he drew back to brush her hair away. “You weren’t part of the plan, you know?”

“Yes, so you keep telling me. But you certainly weren’t part of my plan, either.”

“I have a new plan, one I’m excited about. One that you helped me with. It could benefit everyone.”

She nodded. “When you’re ready, I’d love to hear about it, but you still need to tell Bethany the truth. And Troy needs to own up to his part.”

Surprised, he drew back. “Okay, but he’s on his way, so try to be patient.”

“I’m learning patience, yes.”

He kissed her again and held her close. “You now know all my secrets except one.” He drew back. “And I hope that one won’t break us completely.”

“No, that’s not good enough. You might want privacy, but keeping your cards close to your vest and trying to control the narrative doesn’t cut it with me.”

He nodded. “Okay then. Out with all of it.” He took her by the hand. “I’m about to confess everything, and when I’m done, you can decide if you want me around or not.”

They all gathered around the fire. Trudy and Bethany got to know Elle, and Chase fit right in, talking about football with Hillman and Cullen. But Cullen kept watching the door.

Did he expect someone else?

Before she could nudge him to get on with things, they heard a knock.

“Is that Santa?” Trudy asked, laughing.

“Bethany, could you get that?” Cullen said.

Surprised, Bethany glanced from him to the front of the house. “Troy?” Then she sprinted up the hallway and opened the doors wide. “Troy!”

Her husband engulfed her in a big hug. “Hey, honey. I heard you were here. Thought I’d come and join in the fun.”

Bethany wiped at her eyes and stared up at her husband. “But how? You said you were trapped.”

Troy grinned. “Let’s just say Santa has some really good elves. He got me here in record time.”

Bethany grabbed him again. “I don’t care how you got here, I’m so glad you made it—and that you found me.”

Troy, a big-boned blond with expressive sky-blue eyes, said, “I’ll always find you, Bethany.”

Veronica peered at Cullen. He nodded and watched the happy couple.

“Is there anything you can’t make happen?” she asked.

“One thing,” he replied, his gaze slipping over her lips. “I want to make you mine, but I think I have more work to do in that area.”

“Keep working on it,” she whispered. “You’re making progress and you have a lot of bonus points.”

They all sat and talked a while longer.

Troy couldn’t take his eyes off Bethany. He’d look away and then look back to make sure she was still sitting by him on the big sofa.

Veronica wondered if Bethany’s new confidence made her more attractive. Or maybe her being pregnant caused her clueless husband to see something different about her.

Either way, Veronica felt happy for the young couple. She thought about when she and Josh were first married and living in a decent, cute little starter home. They couldn’t keep their eyes, or their hands, off each other. Her heart ached to go back to that fragile time and cherish it a little bit more.

“What are you thinking?” Cullen asked as he sat down on the ottoman by her.

“I was remembering getting married. Everything seemed so clear and beautiful. Love does that; it washes away the tarnish of reality, makes you think you’re invincible. Makes you believe you’ll always be happy.”

Cullen listened, his gaze holding hers. Then he took her hand. “Love makes promises and love breaks promises.”

“Is that your way of saying you can’t ever love anyone?”

He studied her, his eyes now a midnight blue, too deep, too knowing. “I’ve never been in love. I’ve been with women, but nothing that seemed permanent. Until now.”

Veronica looked down at his hand over hers, felt the heat moving through her. “You keep hinting that you’ll open up to me, to all of us, but you’re like the Pied Piper, leading all of us around. Look, Cullen, we’re all here now. Why are you holding back?”

“You’re right. I hold back a lot. I’ve found the more people know about you, the more vulnerable you’ll become. You know more about me now than most.”

“And that makes you angry?”

“It did until I realized I should have been honest from the beginning.”

“And yet, I want to know more.” She studied his interesting road map of a face. “You were about to tell all when Troy arrived. Yet another reprieve.”

He played with a strand of her hair. “Can we make a deal?”

“I don’t know. I’m not good at deals.”

“Hear me out,” he said, smiling. “Let’s have a good Christmas. That’s one reason I came back here, not just to Hidden Mountain, but to this old lodge. I have memories here. And I want to spend Christmas here, with you.”

“That wasn’t part of the plan at first, right?”

“Nope, but fate, the weather, and you had other plans.”

They both sat still and silent for a moment.

“Think how different this month would have turned out if I’d thrown that flyer away.”

“Yes. I would have missed out on being with you, falling for you.”

She shook her head. “How can I believe you?”

“I’m used to having everything worked out, organized, clear in my head. You’re not that easy to catalog, categorize, or control.”

“Do you want to do that—control me?”

“No, I want to let go of control with you.”

She almost blushed, the heat between them solid and comfortable. But he kept himself at arm’s length by flirting. The same way she kept herself hidden behind snark and sarcasm. They’d both hit a wall.

“I could easily lose control with you too. But it’s Christmas and my daughter is right over there on the love seat with Chase, Lulu is happy, and all of my favorite people are stuck here with me. For the first time in years, it’s just about perfect.”

He gave her that soft smile of his. “This is possibly the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time, all things considered. Don’t be angry, but I’d like to spend it in peace.”

“I know everything about you now and I’m still here, Cullen. I don’t mind that if we’re honest about things.”

He hesitated, then pulled her close. “I’ve learned a lot of things being around you.”

She smiled at that, remembering grace, remembering why he wanted people with him during the holidays.

Veronica didn’t know if she’d ever feel the way she’d felt as a new bride, so young and so sure of love. But she’d like to feel something besides the gut-wrenching pain of loss.

For a couple of days, Christmas could be magical again. Maybe some secrets needed to stay secret.