Chapter Eight
Mia loved the Marietta Christmas Stroll. They arrived early enough to see Santa in his sleigh leading the lighting ceremony. The lights were strung from lamppost to lamppost, twinkling gaily in the fading light. The tree was a beautiful one from the Scott Brothers’ tree farm, twelve feet tall and decorated with sparkling colored lights. There were wagons for hayrides, as well as two horse-drawn sleighs driven by two of the Scott brothers. Mia knew Lane from having met him the day before, but she didn’t know the other driver. They took a ride with Lane and his nephew in their sleigh, driving slowly up and down Main Street, looking at the shops, watching the people and the festivities. With a light snow falling, tucked into warm blankets and with Wyatt’s arm around her, she relaxed and let the romance and holiday mood cocoon her in a happy dream. She could almost believe she and Wyatt stood a chance.
Almost. Until she thought about the secret she’d kept from him. The secret she’d have to tell him soon. But she still didn’t think it would be right to tell him now. There would be time enough later to do it. For now she’d just enjoy being with him and try to forget about the future.
There was delicious food. Honey buns, chocolates, cookies, and candies just for a start. They ate deliciously messy sausage buns from a Bavarian food truck and cotton candy from another vendor. They drank hot chocolate and hot spiced cider. Christmas carolers wandered the street singing favorite carols while Christmas music poured out of speakers that could be heard all along Main Street.
“I need to get my nieces, Gina and Carmen, a present,” Wyatt said.
“You’re Christmas shopping this far in advance?” Mia asked him. “You never shop until Christmas Eve.”
“The shops are open and we’re here. I figured I might as well get something now.” He looked up and down the sidewalk. “Except I don’t have a clue what to get them.”
He had the “I’m just a helpless male” look down pat.
Her lips twitched. “Oh, I get it now. You want me to help you.”
“You are a girl,” he pointed out. “How should I know what sixteen-year-old girls like?”
“You’ve always managed to get your girlfriends presents without my help,” she said dryly.
Unperturbed, he grinned. “You can’t go wrong with jewelry.”
“You have a point.” They walked down the sidewalk. “Do you want to get the girls jewelry?”
“Maybe.”
“Are their ears pierced?”
“I have no idea.”
“They almost certainly are. But maybe you should get them a necklace to be safe.”
“What if they don’t like it?”
“Then they can return it.”
He looked unconvinced. Obviously, that idea wasn’t doing it for him. She stopped outside the window of Marietta’s Nail Salon. Judging from the sign in the window, it looked as if the salon was up on all the latest crazes. “Are your nieces girly-girls?”
“I guess. Last time I saw them they had their fingernails painted in different colors and with some kind of doodads on them. A different color and doodad on every nail. It’s hard to miss, plus they wanted me to choose which one was the best.”
“Did you?”
“Do I look stupid? Of course not.”
“Get them a gift certificate for a mani/pedi. They’ll love it.”
Mia looked around while Wyatt bought the certificates. She loved nail polish but she rarely wore it on her fingernails because her hands were either covered in paint or she’d just scrubbed the paint off to go to her waitress job. So there wasn’t much point. She painted her toenails occasionally, but she had a hard time not doing anything for long enough to let the polish to dry. She was going to a fancy ball, though. Maybe she could paint her nails for that. Or better yet, make an appointment for herself here.
As soon as Wyatt finished she booked an appointment on the day of the ball. “You’re smart to book it early,” the owner told her. “We get really busy on event days. Especially for something like the Christmas Ball.”
Mia wondered what Wyatt looked like in a tux. He’d said the ball was a black tie affair. She’d never seen him wear one. He wouldn’t be tall, dark and handsome. He’d be tall, blond and to-die-for.
“Let’s go to the Graff hotel,” Wyatt said. “There’ll be a ton of people because that’s where they’re taking pictures with Santa, but the gingerbread house competition is at the hotel too. I haven’t seen it yet. It’s new since the last time I was in Marietta for Christmas. From what I hear, some of the creations are amazing.”
Both Santa and the gingerbread competition were held in the Graff’s lobby. Mia suspected the hotel was a beautiful place whatever the time of year, but decorated for Christmas it was stunning. It was both elegant and luxurious, but the atmosphere was friendly and festive. Red and white poinsettias were everywhere. The Christmas tree was huge, large and imposing and decorated with glittering glass ornaments, twinkling white lights and wide, dark red velvet ribbon. Garlands both plain and decorated were draped over the fireplace mantel and the windows, and beautiful wreaths hung in the center of each window. Mistletoe awaited in doorways. The huge gleaming chandelier that hung from the high ceiling’s dark rafters threw light over an enchanting holiday scene.
Wyatt led her over to the display of gingerbread houses and other Christmas themed creations. Castles and cottages were decorated with icing, gumdrops and glitter, and peppermint candy canes lined walkways. There was a Santa’s workshop with his elves, a couple of sleighs piled high with toys tumbling from them, and several trains, all made of gingerbread.
“I love this,” Mia said. “They are so cool!” She oohed and aahed over the entries, not even minding Wyatt laughing at her fascination.
On their way out they ran into Wyatt’s brother Jack and his wife. Wyatt introduced her to Maya and Jack. Maya managed to look gorgeous even though her baby was due at any moment. Jack, who had what she thought of as the Gallagher good looks, resembled Dylan more than he did Wyatt. He had dark hair instead of blond, but he had the same engaging smile as Wyatt did.
“I see a spot over in the far corner, and there are even empty chairs,” Maya said. “Let’s go over there where we might be able to hear each other without shouting. And I can sit down,” she added.
“Congratulations on your baby,” Mia said. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“A boy,” Maya said as they sat. “We thought about making it a surprise but none of us could stand not knowing.” She rubbed her stomach in the way pregnant women often did. “I am so ready for him to be here.”
“You really exemplify the saying that pregnant women glow.” She wasn’t just saying that, she really meant it.
“That’s very sweet of you to say, but I suspect the glow you see is sweat.”
They all laughed but Maya’s husband leaned down and kissed her. “Truer words were never spoken. The glowing, not the sweating.”
Maya laughed again but she looked pleased. Who wouldn’t be with a husband who obviously thought she hung the moon?
“Wyatt tells us you’re an artist,” Maya said. “What medium do you work in?”
“I’ve experimented with many different ones. Primarily oil and watercolor. I’ve dabbled in acrylics. I sketch with pencil, pen and ink and pastels. Since I flew, I brought watercolors and pencils with me. Flying with oil paint is difficult nowadays.”
“Do you prefer to paint landscapes or people or something else?”
“I love landscapes, wildlife and other animals, but I don’t paint portraits anymore.”
Wyatt, who’d been standing beside them talking to Jack heard that and said, “Mia got burned out on portraits.”
“I’m sure I’ll paint them again at some time, but when I first started trying to support myself with my art, I did a lot of commissioned portraits.” Remembering, she shivered a little. “They weren’t always what I would have chosen to paint.”
“Understatement. I used to hear her cursing from two apartments away.”
Jack and Maya both laughed.
“Wyatt’s exaggerating.” Not by much, though.
“Ha! Remember when you threw that canvas at me?”
“Really? A canvas? Did you hit him?” Jack asked her.
“Damn straight she did,” Wyatt said before Mia could answer. “Caught me with the corner. I’m lucky I didn’t lose an eye.”
“A small canvas,” she scoffed. “It came nowhere near his eye. It hit him in the nose and he deserved it. He said the painting made him want to barf.”
“Did you really?” Maya asked him.
“You betcha. I could have said worse.”
Mia shrugged. “I’ll admit it wasn’t my best, but in my defense, the subject wasn’t very appealing either.”
Maya started to say something but instead she grimaced and put her arm over her stomach.
“Are you all right?” Jack asked her, instantly concerned.
“I’m fine. It was just a twinge.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. But I am tired. Let’s go home.” With her husband’s help, she got out of the chair. “It was so nice to meet you, Mia.”
Mia stood up too. “I’m sure we’ll see more of each other. Congratulations again on your baby.”
“Thank you.” A funny look crossed her face. “Oops.”
“Oops? Oops?” Jack repeated, his voice rising. “What’s wrong?”
“My water just broke.”
“Here? Now?” He looked down at the puddle spreading at Maya’s feet. “Oh, shit! You’re in labor!”
“Yes, Jack.” She patted his arm. “Don’t look so alarmed. I’m sure we have plenty of time to get to the—” She broke off and doubled over.
“Oh, yeah, plenty of time. Damn it, my car is nowhere near here.”
“Mine is,” Wyatt said. “We parked a few blocks away. I’ll go get it.”
“You won’t be able to get any closer,” Jack said.
“Trust me, I’ll manage.”
Mia didn’t doubt that he would.
“If you want to go to the ranch, I can run you home and come back,” Wyatt said to Mia after dropping Jack and Maya off at the hospital entrance.
“Do you want me here?”
Hell, yes, he did. He wasn’t about to freak out or anything, but he admitted that his brother and sister-in-law having a new baby had brought back memories and feelings he’d yet to fully deal with. If he told Mia he was fine and took her home, she’d know he was lying. “Yes.” He took her hand. “But you look tired.”
“This is one of the reasons I’m here, Wyatt. You don’t need to worry about me.”
He wanted to ask her if the baby and the wedding were the only reasons she’d come, but that wasn’t a conversation they needed to have here and now. For now it was enough that Mia was with him and she hadn’t totally shut him down about sleeping together again.
Mia had only been in town a couple of days, but they’d been two eye-opening days for Wyatt. Sure, he wanted to have sex with her again. It had been good between them before. How much better would it be now that he recognized how he felt about Mia? He’d fallen for her long ago, but it wasn’t until they slept together that he realized how hard he’d fallen. Color him amazingly dense.
Wyatt, Mia, Dylan, Sean and Honey, and his nieces had been in the labor and delivery waiting room for a couple of hours now. Maya’s parents and sister had arrived not long after Jack’s side of the family.
Wyatt and Sean had been alternating going back and forth to L&D, giving the rest of the family word as they heard it. Usually, one of the nurses would call the waiting room with an update for the family, but since Sean and Wyatt were both on staff at the hospital, it was easier for them to be the go-betweens. So far, everything was going well, but Wyatt knew Jack had been a little concerned since Maya was classified as an older mother. Wyatt didn’t consider late thirties old but in OB/GYN anything over thirty-five was considered older.
Mia had scrounged some paper and a pencil and was busy drawing pictures of the occupants of the waiting room. She’d drawn Maya’s family first. While Wyatt didn’t know any of them well, he’d met them several times. He thought Mia had done a good job catching their expressions as well as their features.
There was Dylan, in jeans and boots, slouched in the chair with his legs in front of him, crossed at the ankles. Relaxed and asleep. Somehow Mia had managed to capture who Dylan was in that drawing. A rancher. A man who could sleep anywhere at any time, but who also could wake to an emergency at a moment’s notice.
Next, she’d drawn Sean and Honey, holding hands and looking at each other, again, like they needed to get a room. Wyatt noticed Honey was still wearing her splint. He’d been worried she might have ditched it by now. He’d treated Honey when she’d broken her arm barrel racing at the Copper Mountain Rodeo a few months ago. She and Sean had already been involved when Honey had her accident, and Sean had been the one to treat her in the emergency room.
Wyatt was glad Sean and Honey had gotten together. Yes, the thought of the wedding had freaked him out at first, but now that Mia was here he could look at it more philosophically. Wyatt hadn’t told anyone in his family about Loretta, but if he had, it would have been Sean. They’d had to get his brother drunk before he’d admit it, but he’d finally come clean about his ex. He’d been played by a scheming woman, too, but at least Sean hadn’t been dumb enough to get engaged to a woman who’d lied about being pregnant with a baby who wasn’t even his. What it was about himself and his brother that some women knew exactly how to play? Some women, he thought, but not Honey. And not Mia.
Then Mia had drawn the girls, pretty teenagers with their excitement showing in every line sketched. She’d drawn Wyatt too on a separate piece of paper. He tried to look over her shoulder to see it better, but she elbowed him away. “I’m not finished. You can look when I’m finished.”
“Changed your mind about portraits, did you?”
“These aren’t portraits. They’re sketches and I picked the subjects. It’s a totally different thing.”
Wyatt picked up Dylan’s sketch. “I know how good you are, but when I see you do something like this it blows my mind. It’s a pencil drawing. Just an ordinary pencil, but it looks so much like Dylan it’s spooky.”
She glanced at him, then went back to her sketching. “Flattery won’t get you a look until I’m ready.”
“It’s not flattery. It’s the truth.”
“Still won’t work.”
Wyatt shrugged and picked up the drawing of the girls. With a few bold strokes she’d captured each girl’s youth as well as a promise of the blossoming young adult. Unlike Dylan, he couldn’t sleep, so he got up to pace. He thought about offering to help the orthopedist on call, but he didn’t feel right leaving Mia when she was staying because of him. Too bad though, because it would give him something different to focus on, rather than what could go wrong with Maya or the baby.
The last time Wyatt delivered a baby had been when he was an intern, but he was fully aware of things that could go wrong. By nature he was an optimist, but he was also a doctor and as such, a realist.
“You can look now,” Mia said.
He sat beside her and studied the drawing she handed him. It was him, definitely. But the expression on his face—did he really look like that? “I look worried.”
Mia nodded. “Well, aren’t you?”
He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. Still... “Maybe a little but not this much.” He waved the paper. “You’ve drawn me looking anxious as hell.”
She patted his arm. “I draw what I see. There are other things at play here that contribute to your stress.”
He knew what she meant. Loretta and the baby who wasn’t his. Before he could think how to respond, the doors to labor and delivery opened and Jack came out with a smile as wide as the Gallatins. “Eight pounds, seven ounces. Twenty-one inches long. Maya and the baby are both doing great.”
Dylan had woken up when Jack appeared. The men all shook Jack’s hand and slapped him on the back. The women hugged him. The girls had crowded around Jack too and were questioning him excitedly. Wyatt looked at Mia who had stayed in her seat, probably to give the family time together. She looked wistful and a little sad. But the expression was so fleeting he decided he must have been mistaken, especially when she smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up.
“Gina and Carmen, come with me. Your baby brother wants to meet you.” Jack told the rest of them, “If you all want to hang around a little longer you can all come in as soon as the girls have met him.”
“Does he have a name?” Dylan asked.
“Not yet. Maya and I can’t decide.”
“Nine months wasn’t long enough?” Sean asked.
“We could break the tie, Dad,” Gina said.
“You can both give your opinion.” Jack winked at the rest of them. “Since you are both going to give it whether we ask for it or not.” He followed the girls out.
Mia came to Wyatt’s side and slipped her hand into his. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.
“I am now,” he said, and smiled at her.