Epilogue
December 24th, one year later
WAS THIS A MISTAKE?
Maybe it was—it was going to be hard to tell until it all settled out, but still Raine had fingers and toes crossed.
It was official, she was nuts for even thinking of this, but then again, Stephano and Harry had done most of the work. In a rare truce, they’d coordinated the menu and though they hadn’t necessarily cooperated with each other, they’d grudgingly come to an agreement on what to serve.
The new house was complete, if not quite ready for guests since she’d been more than a little busy, but Hadleigh, Melody and Bex had put up decorations and Grace, Luce and Kelly were on kid patrol.
Mick had mentioned he was looking forward to green chili cheeseburgers and an old Western movie.
Not this year. His entire family had agreed to come.
Was she nervous? Oh yes. Not because she was worried the party wouldn’t go smoothly, but because she wasn’t sure how her surprise was going to be received. Mick seemed to accept just fine that his family didn’t spend Christmas together, but she wanted to give him this special gift.
A really wonderful gift hopefully, with a small bonus.
She’d talked it over with Blythe and gotten full Carson approval on the idea. So he had no idea his family was coming, and everyone was forbidden to tell him.
The new house did look wonderful with all the decorations. The tree was from the north end of the property and at least twelve feet high, but a ladder and three Carson men squabbling over who was ascending it took care of the top part and Daisy and Ryder had fun decorating the rest. Ryder was getting to the age where that sort of thing was no longer his idea of fun... He’d rather be taking cute girls to the movies, and—she wasn’t a fool—maybe thinking about stealing a beer or two here or there by his age, but he obligingly hung up a snowman on a branch that Daisy wasn’t tall enough to reach, asking if it was where she wanted it. She imperiously made him move it over three inches.
He really was the nicest kid and humored Daisy without protest.
The Bransons were the first to arrive. Raine had met them on a swift trip to California that combined personal affairs with business, since she also met with the director of the pixel movie. Mick’s mother was cool and poised, but still warmer than expected. Not haughty, just assessing. His brother was very businesslike but equally likeable, and his sister-in-law was unexpectedly a kindred spirit with her keen eye for art. They’d met for dinner at some trendy restaurant so conversation hadn’t been very personal, but Raine had started exchanging emails with Mick’s mother, which he found quite amusing. She’d sent pictures of the house construction, of the sun rising over the mountains, of Mustang Creek’s fall festival, of Mick and Daisy absorbed in a game of chess, all designed to give her mother-in-law a glimpse into their lives.
To her surprise, it worked. She got back not just replies, but photos of vineyards, theater signs, and even a Halloween photo of Mick’s mother dressed up as Scarlet from Gone with the Wind for a fancy party. They might be many miles apart but they were finding a way to get to know each other.
Raine was convinced that while Mick shrugged it off as if his family never spending Christmas together since his father died didn’t bother him, it did. She was hardly a psychologist, but she had to wonder if it didn’t bother all of them and scattering to different locations was a way to avoid the emotional impact.
Time to start better memories, or so she hoped.
When Mick walked in the door, looking wiped out after a trip to Germany that took three days longer than planned, he was greeted by the sight of a houseful of people having cocktails and nibbling on artichoke dip. He stood for a minute in the doorway before he said calmly, “I saw the cars, so I guess I’m not surprised at the crowd. Raine, I talked to you last night. You failed to mention we were having a party.”
She kissed him. “Surprise! It was really your mother’s idea. Welcome home.”
He kissed her back, taking his time about it. “My mother wanted me to have a party? Now I have two women conspiring against me—three, if we include Daisy. I feel outnumbered.”
“Well, maybe we’ll have a boy to help tilt the odds. I’m due in July.”
“What?” He looked like he might fall over. “Can you repeat that? We’re having a baby?”
“It seems like we are. We’ve been trying, remember? Don’t look quite so incredulous.”
“I’ve certainly have been doing my best.” He scanned the room and froze. “Is that my brother pouring himself a drink? He’s here? On Christmas Eve? In Wyoming?”
“Don’t look now, but your mother is right there in the corner, talking to Blythe and Ingrid. I have no idea what they’re saying but I’m going to bet you’re the main topic of conversation.”
“That’s a bet I’d be crazy to take. And nice job trying to change the subject. Raine, really? We’re pregnant?”
“I’m pregnant and you’re the father, so the answer to that is yes.”
“I’m... I don’t even know what to say. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It seemed like the perfect present to surprise you with. Last year you got a haunted cabin. How is a girl going to top that one? It was a high bar.”
“I think you just cleared it.” He reached for her again, but laughing, she pushed him away.
“Tonight you can tell your family face-to-face. Let’s go celebrate. Mace made a non-alcoholic wine drink just for me, called Bran-Son. Drake has a new foal about to drop he’s going to call Brandy. You know those two. The race is on, boy or girl.”
“My family isn’t up for this crowd. Or for Mustang Creek. This isn’t Paris or Rome.”
“No.” Raine hooked her arm through his, her eyes shining. “It sure isn’t. But I think they’ll find they prefer it here.”
He certainly did.
* * * * *
From #1 New York Times bestselling author
Linda Lael Miller and MIRA Books
comes a sweeping new saga set against the backdrop
of the Civil War.
Read on for an exclusive sneak preview of
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY...