CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
By the time Savannah marched down the aisle to her groom, the entire church and most of Hope Falls knew about Alli and Hope’s heart. Weddings were usually emotional occasions, but when Savannah got to the end of the aisle, she’d pulled her parents, Bristol, Vince, and Alli into a group hug. There wasn’t a dry eye in the entire church as every single person in the sanctuary rose to applaud.
Bristol hoped that Pastor Harrison was wearing a mic because otherwise the audio for the wedding video would be nothing but sniffles and nose blowing from the crowd.
The ceremony was blissfully short-lived and went off flawlessly. She felt the weight of Beau’s gaze on her, never wavering. But she avoided looking at him except for the occasional glance every thirty or so seconds. Her parents had coaxed him into the front row with them and Violet where he sat and watched her like a hunter patiently waiting for his prey.
When Vince bent the laughing Savannah over backwards to lay a first kiss on her, the crowd cheered. Bristol glanced over her shoulder at Alli who was grinning wide, and in that moment, she felt Hope’s presence in a soaring lift of spirit.
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By the time the wedding party finished up with pictures, the reception was well underway thanks to a generous open bar.
Amanda and Justin Barnes had pulled out all the stops to turn Mountain Ridge’s ballroom into a winter wonderland. A twelve-foot tree decked in lights stood guard over the ever-growing pile of wedding gifts beneath it. The rafters of the ballroom were strung with hundreds of white lights, and each table had an ivory tablecloth with its very own Christmas tree centerpiece. Accents of silver and gold clung to anything that would stand still. On the wall beyond the dance floor sat long tables laden with appetizers and swagged in gold tulle. The wall of glass that opened onto the large stone patio provided the perfect view of the light snow that had just begun to fall.
It was the perfect night to cap the perfect day for her sister. Savannah and Vince danced and laughed and accepted the well wishes of most of Hope Falls.
Bristol did her best to avoid Beau, but fate—and her dear sister—conspired against her. Somehow Savannah had managed to add Beau and Alli to the family table. Beau claimed the seat next to her while Alli sat between him and Mary who was beside herself with joy.
Lissa snuck up behind Bristol. “If he pulls anything, you tell me, and I’ll threaten him with my butter knife,” she whispered in Bristol’s ear.
“I’ll let you know.”
An entree magically appeared in front of her, replacing the salad she hadn’t touched, but she didn’t do more than rearrange it on her plate. Her mind and heart were so full. Her body was painfully aware of Beau’s presence, the nudge of his knee under the table, the texture of his suit jacket against her bare arm when he reached for the butter. She could feel the heat pump off his body and hated that she wanted to lean into that heat.
While her body paid exclusive attention to Beau’s physical presence, she watched Alli intently, looking for signs of Hope. She was a pretty girl with her short crop of reddish hair. She sported a teeny stud that winked in her nose under the reception lights. Bristol wondered how protective big brother Beau felt about that. Alli chattered happily with Bristol’s parents with a barely restrained energy that was refreshing. The girl had a new lease on life, and Bristol felt like she wasn’t going to waste it. Hope would approve.
Just about every single reception attendee stopped by their table to introduce themselves to Alli and welcome her to Hope Falls. In Bristol’s opinion, they were entirely too friendly toward Beau. Beau was still the enemy and should be treated as such. She excused herself abruptly from the table and got up.
Bristol ducked behind the massive tree and was heading for the side door, intent to grab a few seconds of alone time. But when the tingle raced up her spine, she knew she’d just allowed herself to be cornered by Beau.
“Bristol,” he said, his large palms sliding down her bare arms.
The DJ announced a slow song for “all the Christmas lovers out there.”
“Dance with me,” Beau said, his voice low and heated when Dean Martin launched into Let it Snow.
“Give me one good reason why I should.”
“So I can apologize again… and explain.”
She should know better, Bristol thought as she let him pull her into his arms. Her whole body was on high alert as he wrapped her arms around his neck and settled his hands at her waist. When she tried to step back, create some space to breathe, Beau tightened his hold and pulled her closer.
“So talk,” she said, pretending that she wasn’t melting in his arms, fighting off the memories of his body over her, under her, inside her. Her breath froze in her lungs when her core clenched reflexively.
“I was drafted by the Blackhawks out of high school,” Beau began. “And in some ways, they felt like the first family I ever had. For two years, I trained, and I traveled. I partied a lot. Hockey was my entire life. And then my parents announced they were leaving the country to dig wells in Africa. Alli was only nine when she came to live with me, and that changed everything.”
“Must have cramped your style,” Bristol said, thinking of all those pictures of Beau and all those women.
“I grew up fast. I stopped fooling around, stopped partying. I never brought a girl home with me. The ones I was photographed with? They were all my teammates’ sisters or cousins. I never dated any of them. I didn’t want Alli to grow up thinking that’s what women were valued for. To be honest, having her around made the whole team grow up. They had been my family, and that made them hers too. She was everyone’s little sister, and none of us wanted to set a bad example for her.”
Bristol could just imagine little Alli growing up around beefy hockey players. It made her smile, a little.
“But I couldn’t protect her from everything,” Beau continued. “In school, when kids found out who she was, who I was, they’d ask her for things. Tickets, autographs, jerseys. And the same thing happened to me on occasion. There was a girl who worked for a sports management company. We dated off and on for a few months until I found out she was just trying to get me to sign with the agency. Others just wanted money or the attention you get when you’re associated with a professional athlete.”
They swayed slowly to the music that neither was listening to.
“When she got sick, I retired. I couldn’t be there for her like I needed to be and be on the road for the season. I didn’t want to put Alli through the public spectacle of the ‘poor NHL player and his dying sister.’ And as much as those guys had my back on the ice, it’s hard to be family when I wasn’t part of the team anymore. So it’s been just the two of us since last year.”
Bristol didn’t want to admit that she could empathize with him. She felt more comfortable with mad.
“So you came out here and lied to my face to make sure I wasn’t trying to scam you out of money,” she summarized, hunting for the anger again.
“I came here to make sure your family was safe for Alli to meet. You gave us the greatest gift on earth, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to rush into an introduction when I know nothing about your family. What if you’d wanted something from her or me? How could either of us say no with what you did for us?”
“I just wanted her here today, Beau! I wasn’t looking for a payout or media attention.”
“I know that,” he said, swaying to the music. “Alli and I wouldn’t be here if that were the case. You and the Quinns were exactly the kind of people I’d hoped you’d be. Alli’s missed out on that. A brother who was on the road half the year, parents who had no interest in her life. I wanted to give her normal.”
“You did the best you could,” Bristol said grudgingly.
“When she got sick, I thought it would be the catalyst that would bring our parents home. That now they wouldn’t be able to ignore her.” He shook his head sadly. “They never came home. They just told me to handle it and keep them apprised. There were funds to raise and forests to save and humanitarian missions to plan. They couldn’t be bothered to put that aside and come home for their daughter even when she was on her death bed.”
“I’m sorry, Beau. That’s not what family should be like.”
“I know what it should be like. After I spent time with you and Violet, when I had Thanksgiving with the rest of your family, that’s when I knew what I wanted. I want a loud, sloppy, supportive, crazy family for me and for Alli. I want her to have you and the rest of the Quinns. I know this is a lot to take in in one day, but Alli and I are moving here. I’m staying, and I’m going to get a second chance with you. I want us to be a family together. You, me, Violet, and Alli.”
Bristol stumbled and stepped on his foot. “Are you insane?”
“I think so,” he said with a soft laugh. “I haven’t thought about anything but you since I saw you at the rink that first moment. I looked at you, and I thought ‘That’s what my future looks like.’”
“Jesus, Beau!”
“I don’t expect you to forgive me right here and right now. I know you’ll make me work for it, and I love that about you. But please, Bristol, promise me you’ll give me the opportunity to make it up to you.”
“You lied to me, you slept with me, and then you just abandoned me.”
He shook his head. “After we spent that night together, after I saw your family and how much they were still hurting over Hope, I knew I had to go home and talk to Alli. It took no convincing on my part to get her out here, and she already told me at the church she’s staying.”
“How the hell do you expect me to trust you again?”
“You know me, Bristol. You know I’m a good guy. I made a mistake—a big one,” he acknowledged before she could point it out. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this right.”
“I don’t think you understand. You lied to me, you lied to my family, you lied to my entire town. I let you into my home with my daughter. I slept with you. I never would have done that had I known who you really were.”
“Baby.” She could hear the hurt in his tone.
“Thank you for bringing Alli here today, Beau. It means the world to my family, but I just don’t think I can forgive you for the rest.” Bristol tried to free herself from his arms.
“Look at you two so cozy under the mistletoe,” Sue Ann announced, appearing next to them in a red and green plaid skirt and sweater combination and looking pleased as punch.
Beau and Bristol looked up to see the berries and glossy green leaves hanging above their heads.
“You were such a rascal, Beau, fibbing like that. You’re lucky your heart was in the right place, or you’d have a lot of explaining to do!” Sue Ann poked him in the chest. “Well, don’t let me stop you. Mistletoe is serious business!”
Bristol thought about running for her life, but Beau would just catch her. And she didn’t want to cause a scene at Savannah’s wedding. She’d never live it down. A crowd was already gathering, all smiling expectantly. Oh, how quick Hope Falls was to forgive.
“Oh, hell. Just get it over with already,” she muttered to Beau. But he wouldn’t be rushed. He took his time, framing her face in his hands and lowering those firm lips to hers, taking what she didn’t want to offer. It was a chaste kiss, but that didn’t stop her body from erupting like a volcano. He didn’t have to pull her closer, her body happily threw itself at him. The feel of him against her, the connection their bodies shared, was a painful reminder of what could have existed between them.
When he finally pulled back, people were cheering, and Bristol had to uncurl her fingers from the lapels of his jacket.
The song changed from Sweet Christmas Carol to Icona Pop, and before Bristol’s eyes had refocused, Savannah was there, dragging her out on the dance floor. She looked over her shoulder at a disheveled and regretful Beau as she was led away.