Close to Heaven

  The old man talked at length about how real love meant a willingness to sacrifice for the other person, to place their needs before one’s own, and, if it came to it, to lay down one’s life for the other. Then it came time for their vows. They hadn’t had time to write anything themselves and so had left it up to Grandpa Belcourt.

  “Do you, Joseph Michael Moffat take Rain Marie Minear to be your wife, to sacrifice for her, to put her needs ahead of your own, and to lay your life down for hers should there come such a day?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you, Rain Marie Minear take Joseph Michael Moffat to be your husband, to sacrifice for him, to put his needs ahead of your own, and to lay your life down for his should there come such a day?”

  “I do.”

  “Who has the rings?” Grandpa Belcourt asked.

  Bear stepped out from behind Rico, dressed in buckskin, his long hair brushed and drawn back into a ponytail. He came to stand beside them and opened his hand to reveal the rings. He placed his other hand over them in a gesture of blessing.

  Joe expected a Bible verse from him, but for a moment Bear said nothing.

  “Father God, these are true, kind people. They feed me when I am hungry. They welcome me. They clothe me. Bless them on this day and always.”

  Shouts of “Amen!” filled the pub.

  Bear handed the rings to Grandpa Belcourt as they’d planned, then went to stand behind Rico once more—but not before Rain pressed a kiss to his cheek.

  “Thanks, Bear.”

  Grandpa Belcourt talked about the importance of the circle, or hoop, in Lakota culture. “May this circle that unites you remain forever unbroken.”

  He handed Rain’s wedding band to Joe. “Joe, as you put the ring on her finger, repeat after me. ‘I give you this ring as a symbol of my abiding love for you, my life-long fidelity, and my devotion.”

  Joe repeated the words, slid the ring onto her finger. Then she, too, repeated those words and slipped a platinum band onto his finger.

  “You are now husband and wife.”

  Joe didn’t wait to be told to kiss Rain, but drew her into his arms and covered her lips with his as the pub filled with cheers.

  They opened the buffet, the servers cutting prime rib, filling plates, distributing champagne for the toast.

  Hawke came up to Joe, along with the members of his crew who’d come with him—Brandon Silver and Jenny Miller among them. “Amazing ceremony, man. Thanks for inviting us. I’m so happy for the two of you.”

  “You’re not leaving already, are you?” Rain asked, looking disappointed.

  “I’d love to stay, but I’ve got to go play Santa Claus.”

  Christmas Tots.

  “Right,” Joe said. “That’s tonight, isn’t it?”

  “Once again, the people of Scarlet came through. Not a single child was left out.”

  Rain glanced at Joe, a knowing smile on her lips. “I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks, Eric.”

  “I should thank you. We’ve gotten a lot of donations in honor of the two of you.” He kissed Rain’s cheek, then shook Joe’s hand.

  Joe went to the seats that Rico had saved for him, Rain, Lark, and himself, glasses of champagne already poured, slices of prime rib sitting next to mashed potatoes, salad, and slices of baguette.

  He leaned over to check on his bride. “How are you feeling?”

  “Starving,” she said. “Happy.”

  “Good.” Joe waited until most people had finished their meals, then tapped the side of his glass with his knife. “This is an informal situation, so we won’t be doing any big speeches or anything—

  Rico stood. “Oh, yes, we are. I didn’t stay up till three this morning writing this for nothing. Sit down and shut up, Joe.”

  Laughter.

  Joe sat next to Rain, the happiness on her face lighting his world.

  Rico cleared his throat. “I’ve known Joe Moffat and Rain Minear since I came to work here, almost twenty years ago. Joe hired me despite my prison record, trusted me with knives, helped me get back on my feet. He never treated me like an ex-con, but like a trusted member of his staff. He helped restore my sense of dignity after it had been stripped away. I stayed out of trouble because of him.”

  Rain looked over at Joe, her gaze soft. “That’s my man.”

  “I’ve heard people call Joe cold, aloof, eccentric. If you believe that, then you don’t know this man. None of us—not even Rain and I—know everything Joe has done for the people of this town, but that’s how he wants it. He doesn’t want attention. He just wants to make things better. Joe, you’re my hero, and you’re a hero to this town.”

  Shouts of “hear, hear!”

  Joe looked up at his closest friend, his throat strangely tight. “Thanks, Rico.”

  Rico went on. “What can I say about Rain? We all love her.”

  Cheers, shouts of “yes!” and “we do!” and applause.

  “When I first met her, she had a baby and was serving drinks—illegally—to try to make ends meet. I had a thing for her. I admit it.”

  Rain smiled up at him. “That’s sweet.”

  “I never acted on it.”

  “Smart man,” Joe muttered.

  Laughter.

  “I realized within the first week here that any man who went after Rain would have to go through Joe. I outweigh Joe by about forty pounds, and I’ve come out of prison fights not even bleeding. But there was no way I was taking him on. The man was crazy in love with her even if he didn’t yet know it.”

  Joe looked into Rain’s eyes. “It’s true.”

  “Rain is one of a kind, the sort of woman who raises up everyone around her. Her kindness and generosity have touched us all. Whether she’s only served you food and drinks or whether you know her personally, she’s made your dark moments brighter and your happy days happier still. She’s the best friend a person could have, a wonderful mother, and the soul of this pub.”

  Rain dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “Stop! You’re making me cry.”

  Joe squeezed her hand, leaned in, kissed her cheek. “It’s all true.”

  “Please stand for a toast.” Rico raised his glass, gave people a moment to get to their feet. “To the bride and groom!”

  “To the bride and groom!”

  “And Merry Christmas!”

  Joe drank his champagne, while Rain took only a sip, then deftly switched her almost full flute for his empty one, the two of them sharing a secret glance.

  Joe stood, thanked Rico and Lark, the staff, the catering company, the Timberline Mudbugs, and all of those who’d come to celebrate with them. “Now that we’re done eating and talking, it’s time for music. May I have this dance?”

  He took his bride’s hand and led her onto the dance floor, just as the Mudbugs started playing their own rendition of Je Suis Tout Pour Toi, the Cajun Wedding Song.

  “Rain and Joe, this is for you.”

  Rain stood with her husband by the front entrance saying goodnight to their guests and thanking them until only the staff and a few diehards were left. Hank sat at the bar. Bear ate from the buffet like it might be his last meal. Team members sat at their usual table cheering one another on as they took turns on the climbing wall.

  “How do you feel?” Joe asked her.

  “I’m doing great.”

  “Good.” His lips curved in a sexy smile that told her he had plans.

  That was fine with her. She had plans, too—like getting him out of that tux and jumping his bones.

  Rico walked up to them. “You want us to take down the decorations tonight?”

  Joe shook his head. “No, leave the decorations up. It’s Christmas. But, hey, can you clear everyone out of here? I’d like to be alone with my woman—completely alone.”

  Rico grinned. “Sure thing, boss.”

  “What are you up to?” Rain asked.

  He took her hand, kissed it. “You’ll see.”

  It took ten minutes or so to round ev
eryone up and get them out the door. The Team guys moaned when Rico told them it was time to quit climbing.

  “Time to go home,” he told them. “You can come back and play with your favorite toy tomorrow. The wall isn’t going anywhere.”

  Bear thanked them for the food.

  “Where will you be for Christmas?” Rain asked him.

  “Winona and Chaska want me to stay at their house.”

  Rain felt relieved. “Merry Christmas. Thank you for your blessing.”

  Bear shuffled away.

  Hank was the last customer to leave. “You won’t even let me drink one last shot to you and your woman, Joe? That’s just mean.”

  “Thanks for the thought, Hank, but I’d like you to get the hell out of here so I can be alone with my bride.”

  Then there was only staff. Rain and Joe thanked them one at a time as they left— Marcia and Chey for decorating and serving drinks; Libby for the Christmas brew, which had been drunk to the last bottle, apart from the cases Joe had locked in his office; the kitchen staff for their hard work in feeding an estimated six hundred guests.

  “You were the most beautiful bride ever,” Marcia said.

  Chey gave Rain a wink. “Have fun tonight.”

  Rico was the last to leave. “The place is all shut down and locked up. Congrats to the two of you. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  Joe’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard about some of the things you’ve done.”

  Rico nodded and laughed. “Yeah.”

  “Are you sure everyone’s gone?” Joe asked “No one is hiding in the bathrooms?

  “I’m sure.”

  Joe reached behind the bar, pulled out the bottle of Macallan 1940 that he’d brought from home, and handed it to Rico. “Thanks for being my best man. You did one hell of a job. I couldn’t have pulled this off without you.”

  Rico’s jaw dropped. He took the bottle from Joe as if it were a baby, cradling it in his arms. “M-M-Macallan 40? This is… Oh, my God. Jesus. Thanks, Joe. You are one crazy son of a bitch. You know that?”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  Rico kissed Joe full on the mouth. “Take care of that beautiful bride of yours. She’s a keeper.”

  Rain watched Rico go. “You just made his year.”

  “Come dance with me.” Joe threaded his fingers through Rain’s and drew her with him toward the dance floor. He walked to the sound system and put on John Legend’s “All of Me,” a song Rain loved, then took her into his arms.

  They held each other close as they danced, Rain singing along, the lyrics coming alive for her in a way they hadn’t before. She would never hear the song again without thinking of this night, without thinking of Joe.

  He nuzzled her ear. “You have such a beautiful voice. I want to hear you sing every day of my life.”

  The song ended—and Joe walked toward the stage, his lips curving in a grin just as “My Eyes” by Blake Shelton started to play. He stopped at the control panel, flicked on the spotlight, then walked up the stairs, loosening his tie, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Oh, my God.” Rain gaped at him, laughing. “Do you want to…?”

  “I am not going to be the only person in Scarlet who hasn’t fucked on my own stage. Come here, woman.”

  Still laughing, Rain lifted her skirts, walked up the stairs, and into Joe’s arms.

  He crushed her against him, brought his mouth down on hers, his kiss slow and deep and warm with the taste of whiskey.

  Oh, she wanted him already. “You look so freaking sexy in that tux.”

  He backed her up against the back wall, his mouth moving to her throat, raising goose bumps on her skin. “I’ve wanted to fuck you in that fine dress all night.”

  “Yeah?” She reached down between them, fumbled with the hook and fly of his trousers, and freed his erection, impatient for him. “What are you waiting for?”

  He lifted her skirts, grabbed her ass, and lifted her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around him. They moaned in unison as he buried himself inside her and started to move, fucking her hard and fast. She held onto him, light from the spotlight blinding her, and she realized that anyone could be standing there, watching Joe fuck her, watching him pound into her, and she wouldn’t see them.

  To her astonishment, the idea turned her on.

  It didn’t take long, orgasm quickly overtaking her, pleasure singing through her, his breath hot on her skin as he groaned out his climax. For a time, they stood there, bodies still joined, out of breath, hearts pounding.

  “We have to do this again,” she said.

  “Fine by me.”

  “I didn’t know a person could feel this happy,” Rain said as Joe lowered her feet to the floor.

  “Yeah?” Joe kissed her, soft and slow, then looked into her eyes. “Want to know a secret? Neither did I.”

  Chapter 17

  Christmas Eve

  It was hard to have a romantic morning in bed with your new husband when you felt hideously nauseated. Forget sex. Forget breakfast in bed. Forget breakfast, period.

  Joe brought Rain tea and crackers—then held her hair when it all came up again.

  “It’s like having stomach flu half of the day every day for three or four months,” she told him, kneeling beside the toilet.

  “I’ve been doing some reading. They say it’s a good sign.”

  “It doesn’t feel like a good sign.” She moaned, threw up again.

  She brushed her teeth, then let Joe tuck her in bed again. She managed to fall asleep despite the nausea. When she awoke two hours later, she felt good enough to take a shower and dress. She left the bedroom to see what Lark and Joe were doing and overheard them talking.

  “I wish you really were my dad.”

  “I could be. I could adopt you.”

  Rain’s stomach did a flip. Oh, Joe.

  She’d never imagined anything like that.

  “Adopt me?” Lark laughed. “I’m an adult.”

  “Adult adoptions happen all the time. You’d be a Moffat then—and my legal heir, along with your mother and the baby.”

  Rain smiled to herself. He’d said baby without stammering this time.

  “You would do that?” Lark asked.

  That’s when Joe spotted Rain on the stairs. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

  “Better. Thanks.” She went to sit at the table beside them, saw a small stack of printouts sitting in the middle of the table. “What’s all of this?”

  “Joe was thinking about taking all of us to Hawaii for Christmas. As much as I love the idea, I told him that he shouldn’t surprise you with this because you might not feel up to it.”

  Good girl.

  Rain had known Joe would try to do something like this. She’d asked Lark to do her best to intervene if she got wind of any plans. Then she’d told Lark how Joe had never really had a true Christmas.

  “You mean he had never decorated a tree before?” Lark had stared at Rain, clearly shocked and sad for him. “I always thought you and I had it rough because there was never much money. But Joe grew up wealthy, and he had less than we did. You always told me that money didn’t matter. You were right, Mom.”

  Rain shared a smile with her daughter. “Lark and I have other plans.”

  Joe looked over at Lark. “Aha. The truth comes out.”

  Lark laughed. “This year, you’re having a real Christmas.”

  “A real Christmas?” Joe looked from Lark to Rain, one dark brow raised.

  Rain took his hand. “You know—strings of popcorn and cranberries for the birds, cookies—”

  “You ate the cookies,” Joe said accusingly, a hint of humor in his voice.

  “More cookies, games, stockings, ghost stories, yummy food—”

  “Turkey and mashed potatoes,” Lark blurted. “Or more prime rib.”

  Rain went on. “Singing carols, watching It’s A Wonderful Life and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, sitti
ng together by the tree to watch the lights, opening gifts on Christmas morning.”

  She could see that Joe still didn’t get it. But then how could he understand something he’d never experienced?

  She tried to explain. “This is our first Christmas as a family.” Oh, it felt incredible to say that. “You’ve missed out on so much. Let us give you a true family Christmas.”

  Joe sat back in his chair, a bemused expression on his face. “Okay. I’m game. What do we do first?”

  They made a shopping list for everything from craft supplies to food. Then the women got dressed up—Joe knew they were up to something—and they drove into Scarlet. Joe tried to give Rain one of his credit cards, but she refused.

  “Whatever we get you, it’s going to be with our own money,” she said.

  They all went their separate ways, agreeing to meet at the Food Mart parking lot in two hours, when they would shop for the items on the list and then head home.

  The streets of Scarlet were crowded with locals doing last-minute shopping like they were, the shop windows decorated with holiday themes, lights hanging in garlands across the street. People called to him when he passed, waving.

  “Merry Christmas!”

  “I heard you got hitched. Congratulations!”

  “Hey, Joe, congrats! Where’s your better half?”

  Despite the friendly faces, Joe felt like an outsider. Christmas had always been impenetrable to him, a hollow and empty holiday. Since leaving home, he had ignored it, apart from giving his staff holiday bonuses. But now he had a family—the thought made him smile—and he would do his best not to be a Grinch, no matter how he felt.

  He made his way down Scarlet’s only retail street, hoping to find something special for Lark, as well as a few smaller things for Rain. The ring had been her big gift, but she’d already gotten it. He knew it probably wouldn’t matter to her, but he wanted her to have something to open.

  He went to the bookstore, the jewelry store, and then found himself inside Tanagila’s, Naomi Belcourt’s shop. He glanced around, saw Naomi, Chaska, and Winona Belcourt standing behind the counter. “Hey, how’s it going?”