Ethan was feeling similarly anxious as he followed Grant Honeywell to the barn. They stepped inside and Ethan stopped short, turning around to stare in wonder at the thousands of tiny white Christmas lights.
“What’s this for?” Ethan asked as surprise and curiosity won out over anxiety.
“It’s for you,” Grant said.
Ethan took a step back until he bumped the door. “Uh, I’m not sure what you’ve heard about me, but I like women. A lot.”
“By all rights, I should break your jaw for that, but you’re just too pathetic,” Grant said. “What is wrong with you, man?”
“What?” Ethan asked, taking another step forward to escape the cool draft near the door. “What are you talking about?”
“You and PJ. I would think you’d never dated a woman before, but I saw you with that pretty blond, so I know you can get a girl. I’ve been doing my best to help you out, but your incompetence is counter productive.”
“What?” Ethan said, cocking his head to the side to try and study Grant with a new perspective.
Grant sighed and swiped his hand wearily over his face. “I didn’t think you could mess things up this badly. If I had, then I wouldn’t have been so secretive about trying to help you with her.”
“Help me with her,” Ethan said the words slowly, turning them over in his mind to try and make sense of them. “You’ve been trying to help me with PJ?”
Grant nodded.
“Why? I thought you liked her.”
“Of course I do. I mean, she’s pretty and sweet and interesting, but she’s a Montana girl. I can’t marry someone who’s not southern after giving Ivy such a hard time about it. My family would never let me live it down. And I don’t want to live here; my life is in Kentucky, and PJ’s life is here. I noticed the way you look at her, and I thought I would help you out.”
“Why?” Ethan repeated again. “Why would you think I need your help?”
“Because you’re from New York,” Grant said, as if the answer should have been obvious. “What do you know about wooing a woman?”
“So, when you switched our names on the presents, that was supposed to help me?”
Grant nodded again. “When I saw you hadn’t bought her an awl after it was what you said she wanted, that’s when I knew I had to take matters into my own hands. So I switched and took the fall for that ugly jewelry you bought her.” He paused to frown. “Jewelry, Ethan? Really? She’s a farrier; what’s she going to do with jewelry?”
Ethan blinked at him, trying to decide if he wanted to explain or ignore the question. In the end, he chose to move on. “And what’s all this about?” He gestured to the interior of the barn.
“A grand gesture,” Grant said. “It’s a Honeywell specialty.” He reached behind him and flipped a switch, illuminating the barn in the soft glow of a million tiny lights. At the same time, soft music began to play.”
“How did you do all this?” Ethan asked, amazed because it really was beautiful and spectacular.
“I’m an engineer,” Grant said.
That hadn’t been what Ethan meant. He meant how had he singlehandedly strung hundreds upon hundreds of lights when there had only been a few hours between last night and this morning. He didn’t press the point though; let the Honeywells have their mystique. “How am I supposed to get PJ here to talk to me? I think she’s still mad at me.” This is what his life had come down to—asking Grant Honeywell for love advice.
“The women are taking care of that. They said they had a plan.” He checked his watch. “She should be here soon. Do you want me to hide in one of the stalls and coach you on what to say to her?”
I will not laugh, I will not laugh, I will not laugh, Ethan promised himself. But every time he pictured Grant as his own personal giant Cyrano de Bergerac, he felt the hysterical need to giggle. “I think I can handle it from here.” At least he hoped he could. At this point he wasn’t above begging.
“All right, then, I’ll skedaddle,” Grant said. He turned and headed for the door, but Ethan stopped him before he could leave.
“Grant, thanks,” he said.
Grant grinned in reply. “Don’t mess this up, New York. She’s a special gal.”
“She is,” Ethan agreed. “And I’ll do my best.”
Grant gave him an upward nod and slipped out the back just as a rustling sound caught Ethan’s attention at the front of the barn. He turned in time to see PJ stepping through the door. At least he thought it was PJ. The woman before him wasn’t wearing her usual ponytail, jeans, and plaid shirt, though. Instead, her hair hung in lush, thick waves almost to her waist and when she took off her coat, she was wearing a dress that hugged her curves and fell just above her feet. She stood shyly in the entryway as if uncertain of her welcome. After Ethan overcame his initial shock, he smiled, crooking his finger until she stumbled toward him.
She came to rest a couple of feet away, hands clasped nervously behind her back. He still hadn’t found his voice, so he simply looked at her, enjoying the view. She was stunningly, breathtakingly beautiful. Whereas before her beauty had been subtle, it was now glaringly obvious. Whatever transformation had taken place had worked to highlight her high cheekbones, obsidian eyes, long lashes, and lush mouth. Ethan nervously licked his lips, absently wondering if he was in PJ’s league and somehow knowing he wasn’t. If New York discovered her, she could be a supermodel.
“Say something, Ethan,” PJ whispered. Ethan realized then that she wasn’t subject to the thoughts in his head, but was it possible she had no idea how exquisite she was?
“I’m not sure I can, PJ. You took my words away, along with my breath.”
She grinned at him. “That’s a great line.”
“It wasn’t a line,” he assured her, taking a small step closer to lessen the gap between them. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than you at this moment.” He glanced down and saw that she was wearing his necklace. He reached over, holding it delicately between his fingers.
“I know it’s from you,” she said softly. “One of the nurses saw you buying it and told me before realizing it was probably a Christmas present.” Her hand closed over his around the necklace. “I love it. No one has ever bought me jewelry before; no one has ever made me feel like a woman until you came along. That’s a special gift that I’ll always remember when you go back to New York.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but she preempted him, standing on her toes to press her lips softly to his. Ethan, who knew how much courage her boldness required of her, lost his heart all over again. She was so…everything.
When the kiss finally ended, they rested their foreheads together, eyes closed and breathing deeply. “You don’t have to promise me anything,” she whispered. “I know I said I was looking for forever before, but you’ve already given me so much and I…I love you, Ethan.”
Ethan smiled as he looked down at her sweet, trusting face. “That’s good because I’m not going anywhere. Cam and Belle offered me a job, and I’m moving to Montana.”
“You are?”
He nodded. “And you know what else? I don’t think I could find a moment or a setting more perfect than this.” He let her go and took a step back when he remembered something his mother said. “What does PJ stand for?”
“Phillipa Jo,” PJ whispered, sill looking and sounding dazed.
“That’s pretty,” he said, and then he dropped to one knee in front of her and took her hand. “Phillipa Jo, I never thought I could leave everything I’ve been building in New York for the last ten years. And then I met you and I realized I haven’t been building anything but an empty shell. Everything I want in the world is standing in front of me, and if you’re crazy enough to take a chance on marrying the guy who just learned your name, then I promise to spend the rest of our lives making you happy. Will you marry me?”
There was a breathless pause when he thought she might say no, but then she smiled. “Yes.”
At least he thought that was what
she said. It was hard to tell over the cheering crowd of Kings peering through the door, eavesdropping on every word. Ethan stood, laughing, as he and PJ turned to look at their audience.
“What’d she say?” came Ivy’s voice over the phone held to Coy’s ear.
“She said yes,” Coy whispered, causing everyone to laugh.
“Are you going to kiss her, or do I have to come in there and show you how?” Grant asked.
“I’ve got this one,” Ethan said. Turning his attention back to PJ, he pulled her close to kiss her again, but she put up a hand to stop him.
“I almost forgot,” she said. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” Ethan replied, and then he kissed her.
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