Page 63 of Fairy Tale Marriage

Shayne Beaumont McIntyre, he wanted to shout. Hiswife.

Beside him, Rafe released his breath in a pitying sigh. “My poor sister. You don’t even realize you still love her, do you?” He held out the papers. “If you hurt her, McIntyre, I’ll make you pay.”

Chaz took the packet without a word, barely noticing. Rafe’s departure. You don’t even realize you still love her, do you? He shook his head. No. It wasn’t possible. He hadn’t felt love since...

He closed his eyes, his throat moving convulsively. He hadn’t felt love since he’d last held her in his arms. His eyes opened and he stared at the mosaic with desperate hunger. He’d first found love in her arms. He’d also considered it a forever love. Only he’d been too afraid to admitit.

He never knew how long he stood there. Aminute. An hour. An odd feeling deep in his chest finally propelled him into motion. Aflicker of warmth. Aburgeoning.

A resurrection.

He’d told Shayne he’d died inside years ago, but he’d lied. Instead, those emotions had lain dormant, waiting for the return of spring. And spring had come storming through, wearing a bell-draped mask, atender smile and velvety eyes filled with a love so generous and so absolute that it brought humbling tears to his eyes. She’d come, sweeping aside the bitterness of winter, her kiss coaxing life where none should exist.

His jaw worked as he forced himself to face the soul-stripping truth. He loved her. He had the first time he’d set eyes on her over nine years ago and he’d continued to right up until this very second. And he would for the rest of his life. There’d been only one thing that had kept him from admittingit.

Fear. Fear he’d lose her again at some point in the future. Fear he couldn’t handle it if anything happened to her. But most of all, fear she wouldn’t love him as utterly as he loved her. Well, the proof of her enduring love stood before his eyes, an eight-year labor oflove.

“Well, you love-crazed fool,” he muttered to himself. “What the hell are you doing sanding here?” He tucked the packet Rafe had given him into his coat pocket. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and he had a home and a daughter, agrandmother and a handful of crazy employees to get back to. But most important of all, he had a wife who loved him. Awife he loved with all of his newly discovered heart.

“What’she doing?” Shayne demanded in an undertone.

Jumbo shook his head morosely. “Doin' what he always does on Christmas Eve. He's holed up in there with a bottle and a stack of writing papers.”

“But why?”

“Can’t say, missy. Now why don’t you get along to the kitchen? I’m sure Mojo can find something to keep you busy.”

She shook her head. “No, thanks, Jumbo. Idon’t feel like burning any food right now.”

“Well, maybe you’ll be in the mood a little later.”

Staggering her with a gentle pat on the back, Jumbo lumbered on his way. Desperate for something to occupy herself, Shayne pretended to buff the mosaic pieces set into the floor along the hall, but really she used it as an excuse to hang around outside Chaz’s officedoor.

After another ten minutes of halfhearted polishing, she glanced around, assuring herself the corridor remained empty. Then she tiptoed to his door and pressed her ear to the wood. She couldn’t hear a sound. If he sat in there drinking himself into a stupor, he was being darned quiet aboutit.

“Somethin’ I can help you with, little lady?”

Shayne whipped around, blushing at the amused twinkle in Penny’s eyes. “Oh, no. Iwas just... Just...”

“Waxing the door with your ear?”

She sighed. “Something like that.”

“Well, then. Carry on. But you should know.” The laughter died from Penny’s eyes. “He won’t be out until morning. Never is.”

“Oh.”

Shayne gave the door a final forlorn look before slipping away to her bedroom. She had a few last-minute presents to wrap, even though Christmas promised to be decidedly strange this year. Still, she couldn't allow Sarita to be affected. She just hoped a box brimming with hair ribbons and combs and barrettes would be enough. She spared a brief glance toward her gift for Chaz. She sniffed, distressed to find herself in tears yet again.

Topping the small box with a colorful bow, she pushed it aside. Dam it all! Curling up on the bed, she allowed herself a good cry, hoping to get it out of her system. She was being foolish, she knew that. But tomorrow would mark the end of any chance to win Chaz’s love. Once he opened her gift, her dreams for being loved for herself wouldend.

Surely that deserved a few tears, didn’tit?

“Keep your voices down, damn it!”

“You try and wrestle a tree this big into a room half its size and see if you don’t give a yelp or two,” Penny complained.

Chaz gave the base of the tree a tremendous shove, sending his foreman tumbling into his office. “If you wake up my daughter or my wife, yelping is the least you’ll be doing.”

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