After several rings, he heard a woman’s sleepy voice say, “Hello.” Tempted to hang up, he hesitated. He didn’t want to trouble these poor people, especially on Christmas. But he had to know if they’d heard from Adelaide.
“Mrs. Fairfax?”
The sleep cleared from her voice, changing to confusion. “Yes?”
“This is Maxim Donahue.”
He could sense her unwillingness to believe him. “Is this some kind of crank call?” she asked.
“No, it’s not. I’m looking for Adelaide. I was wondering if you’ve heard from her tonight.”
“You’re looking for—Do you know what time it is?” she snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You have no business waking people in the middle of the night, no matter who you are. And after all you’ve said to discredit my son, why do you think I’d help you?”
Maxim wasn’t sure if Mrs. Fairfax’s words meant she knew the latest or not. Since Mark had changed and begun to go back on so many of his campaign promises, Maxim had been pretty vocal about his lack of admiration for him. She could be referring to that. “I disagree with just about everything your son did, Mrs. Fairfax. I won’t pretend otherwise. But I’m worried about Adelaide. Will you please tell me if you’ve seen her or heard from her? If you know where she’s at?”
“I have no idea. Why?”
Now he was certain they didn’t know about Phoenix. She’d still be raging at him if she did. “I’m afraid you’ll find out soon enough. I apologize for disturbing your sleep.”
“Wait—What do you have to do with Adelaide?”
He told himself to hang up. But Mrs. Fairfax had answered his question. He figured he owed her the same respect. “I’m in love with her,” he said and disconnected before she could rebound from the shock.
* * *
Christmas carols were the only songs she could find on the radio. Adelaide had heard enough of them for one year, but Christmas carols were better than silence, so she let them play. She’d gone to Midnight Mass at a beautiful church not far from the capitol building. She wasn’t Catholic, but when she’d noticed the crowd gathering at the doors, she’d felt drawn to join them.
She was glad she had. The service had reminded her of the meaning of Christmas and given her a sense of peace. It had also reminded her of the baby she carried and the hope that having a child brought into her life. Did the past really matter? Not if she didn’t let it, she decided.
But the minute she pulled into her driveway and saw Maxim there in his car, waiting for her, she tensed up again. She couldn’t deal with the powerful emotions he evoked—in addition to the disappointment of learning what she had about Mark. She wanted to put Mark behind her and forget once and for all, and she was pretty sure that meant she couldn’t have anything to do with politics.
That included Maxim.
After parking in her garage and cutting the engine, she sat in her car for a moment, but Maxim didn’t approach. He got out of his vehicle and leaned against it, waiting. She could see the outline of his body in her rearview mirror.
What would she say to him? As humiliating as it was to admit, he’d been right about Mark. Mark wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. But she couldn’t blame Maxim for what Mark had done. Maxim’s only sin was exposing him. Although that stung, she didn’t have the right to be too angry. He’d been her election opponent before he’d been her lover, and any other opponent would’ve done the same thing.
The radio went silent when she pulled the door latch. She liked the new delay feature that let the music stay on after the engine was off, but the sudden silence felt ominous.
“Hey,” he said as she came out of the garage.
“Hi.”
He was wearing a heavy coat, a burgundy sweater and a pair of jeans. Just seeing him made her remember what it was like to be in his arms. She’d felt safer there than anywhere else. But she tried to convince herself that was only because he’d saved her life. What she felt was hero worship. Admiration for a handsome man. It wasn’t love. She didn’t want any part of love, not anymore.
He met her at the walkway leading to the house. “You okay?”
She pushed the button on her key chain that would close the garage door. “I’m fine.”
“I’ve been worried.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” she said. “You’ve got your girls at home.”
“They’re not the only ones who matter to me.”
Ignoring that statement, she turned on her heel and marched to the house. “It’s late and I’m really tired. Would you mind if we talked another time? It’s been a...rough night.”
“I know,” he said. “I should give you some space. But...can I at least apologize?”
“For what? You wanted to win, and I was in the way. I understand.”
“Adelaide—”
Raising a hand to stop him, she donned a polite mask. “Look, I don’t blame you. If I were in your shoes, maybe I would’ve done the same thing. I mean, the object of any campaign is to win. Mark was... Mark was a cheat and a liar, and everything you’ve ever said about him is probably true.”
“I don’t care about that. I didn’t come over here to rub your nose in what he’s done.”
“Why not? Enjoy it while it lasts. This was quite the political coup.” She knew she was being harsher than she had a right to be. But she’d been wrong when they’d talked about the baby—she couldn’t be open to any of the options he’d named. They required too much trust, and trust was something she didn’t have anymore.
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “So you’re blowing me off?”
“It won’t work.”
“What about the baby?”
“You get the senate seat. I get the baby.” Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her.
* * *
Maxim was still standing on Adelaide’s stoop when the porch light went off. He didn’t know whether to bang on the door or leave. Memories of the time they’d spent in the mountains, especially of that second night when they’d said so much without saying a word, made him want to insist she come back and talk to him. But he couldn’t force her to let him into her life if she didn’t want him there. He’d been crazy to think she did. It was Mark she’d always loved, Mark she still loved, even though the stupid son of a bitch had been a complete fraud. Mark had never deserved her.
But maybe Maxim didn’t deserve her, either.
Thinking of his girls waiting patiently for him at home, he released a long sigh and walked back to his car. He’d been so excited about having Megan and Callie meet Adelaide. Then Harvey had ruined it all.
The radio came on as soon as he started his car and Elvis Presley began singing, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you—”
Quickly changing the station, Maxim backed out of the driveway.
* * *
As she watched Maxim’s headlights swing out into the street, Adelaide felt like crying. But she choked back her tears. She’d done the right thing. Despite all the years they’d been acquainted, she didn’t know Maxim, not really. Maybe he was no better than Mark.
“Getting with me was just another way to protect his political aspirations,” she said. But all the things she remembered him saying to her when they were together seemed to dispute that statement. I can’t pretend to be Mark again. If I make love to you, it’ll be because you want me... We’re talking about a baby, Adelaide. Our baby. My career doesn’t come before that... You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on....
Had he meant any of it? It’d felt real. Unlike Mark, Maxim didn’t use flattery. He only said what he meant. That was why she’d been upset enough to run against him. He’d told some reporter that Mark had been worse for the district than if it had gone unrepresented, that he’d been
one of the most selfish individuals on the planet.
And, as she’d just told him, he’d been right. Why was she blaming him for being right?
The message light blinked on her answering machine. Seeing it, she realized she’d forgotten to turn her cell phone back on after the church service. Ruby was probably going crazy with worry.
Trying to put Maxim out of her mind, she crossed the room and pressed the play button. Sure enough, her friend had called a number of times. Adelaide was about to stop the playback without listening to the rest. She was one touch of a button away from erasing the whole thing when she heard a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time—the voice of her former mother-in-law.
“Adelaide? Are you okay? What’s going on? Maxim Donahue just called here. Can you believe it? At midnight on Christmas Eve? We don’t even know him. I mean, we’ve met but never really talked. He was looking for you. Only now I’m thinking he must’ve been drunk, because when I asked him why he wanted to find you he said...he said he was in love with you. And then he hung up. That’s it. Isn’t that crazy? He’s the man you’re running against, isn’t he? The one who never liked Mark? Anyway, give us a call. We’d like to see you this Christmas. You haven’t swung by in a while.”
Another message from Ruby came on right afterward. “Damn it, Adelaide, this isn’t fair. Why the hell won’t you pick up?”
Adelaide scarcely heard it. As she hit the stop button, her mother-in-law’s message was still playing in her mind: He said he was in love with you.
Was it true? Would Maxim really have come right out and said that to Mark’s parents?
Stunned, Adelaide slowly sank onto the sofa. Was she being as smart as she assumed? Or was she letting Mark ruin what she had with Maxim the same way he’d ruined the last few years of their marriage?
Her hand shaking, she reached into her purse, got her phone and turned it on. She’d missed eighteen calls from Maxim. Why would he spend his whole Christmas Eve trying to reach her if he didn’t really care? He couldn’t have been doing it simply to neutralize the opposition. The scandal that had broken tonight would cripple her campaign; he wouldn’t have to worry about her even if she did keep running.
He said he was in love with you.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she dialed his number. She didn’t really expect him to answer. Not after what she’d said to him at the door. But he did.
“Hello?”
“Maxim?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry. I—” Her voice broke but she battled through it. “I think I’m just scared.”
“I’m not like Mark, Adelaide,” he said. “You can count on me.”
Recalling the way he’d hauled her out of that Cessna and made her dig that snow cave, Adelaide smiled. He was right. She could count on him.
“Will you come back?” she asked hopefully.
“Are you kidding? I turned around the second I saw it was you. I’m already pulling into your driveway.”
Tossing her phone aside, Adelaide hurried to the door—and rushed into his arms as he came up the walk.
“Thank God,” she said. “I thought I’d lost you.”
Epilogue
As Adelaide finished arranging the last of the presents under the tree, she could hardly believe an entire year had passed since she’d been stranded in the Sierras. So much had changed since then—she’d dropped out of the race, gotten married, had a baby. But she didn’t regret those changes; they’d all been good. She didn’t even regret that Maxim was still in politics. Not only had he won the primary, he’d retained his seat in the November election, but the way he handled his job was so different from Mark.
“What are you thinking about?”
She smiled as Maxim walked into the room carrying Connor, their three-month-old. “How close we came to walking away from each other last year.”
“We didn’t come that close,” he said.
She arched her eyebrows at him and he grinned.
“I was in love. I wouldn’t have let you get rid of me that easily.”
Returning his smile, she adjusted the garland on the tree. “Do you think Harvey ever regrets what he did?”
“I would guess he does. He loved California politics. I’m sure he wasn’t happy when there wasn’t another politician in the state who’d work with him.”
“You have to be able to trust your campaign manager,” she said. “It was nice of Luke not to hire him. He could’ve justified doing it, you know.”
“No, Luke’s a good man. He didn’t appreciate what Harvey did, even though Harvey returned my money.” He held up his son and laughed when the baby gave him a goofy smile. “I’ve been encouraging Luke to run for the state assembly.”
“That’s a great idea.” She reached for the baby. “Here, hand him to me and grab his car seat. We need to head to the airport to get the girls.”
Maxim checked his watch. “You’re kidding, right? We’ve got an hour.”
The wait was making Adelaide crazy. “Maybe they’ll get in early.”
“And maybe we’ll have to drive around that pickup circle a million times until they show up.”
“Come on.” She waved him toward the baby’s car seat, which was sitting near the sofa. “I can’t wait to see them. And I know they can’t wait to see the baby.”
“They just saw him at Thanksgiving.”
“But he changes so fast. And they love having a little brother.”
“They love having a mother again, too,” he said softly. “Thank you for being so good to them.”
Adelaide didn’t even have to try. They enriched her life as much as Maxim or Connor. “I never dreamed I could ever be this happy,” she said.
He raised her chin to kiss her. “And I never dreamed I could ever be this much in love. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Donahue.”
Adelaide closed her eyes as their lips met. She had everything she could ever want, thanks to one snowy Christmas...
* * * * *
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY
Sherryl Woods
Also available from Sherryl Woods
and MIRA Books
Chesapeake Shores
Willow Brook Road
Dogwood Hill
The Christmas Bouquet
A Seaside Christmas
The Summer Garden
An O’Brien Family Christmas
Beach Lane
Moonlight Cove
Driftwood Cottage
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
Harbor Lights
Flowers on Main
The Inn at Eagle Point
The Sweet Magnolias
Swan Point
Where Azaleas Bloom
Catching Fireflies
Midnight Promises
Honeysuckle Summer
Sweet Tea at Sunrise
Home in Carolina
Welcome to Serenity
Feels Like Family
A Slice of Heaven
For a complete list,
please visit the author page at Harlequin.com
Don’t miss LILAC LANE,
the new novel from Sherryl Woods,
available soon from MIRA Books!
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Excerpt from Lilac Lane by Sherryl Woods
One
“Mom, it’s snowing,” Hannah shouted from the living room.
Savannah heard the pounding of her daughter’s footsteps on the woo
d floors, then the eight-year-old skidded to a stop in front of her, eyes shining.
“Can I go outside? Please?” Hannah begged. “This is so cool. I’ve never seen snow before.”
“I know,” Savannah told her, amused despite herself. “We don’t get a lot of snow in Florida.”
“Wait till my friends back home hear we’re going to have a white Christmas. It is so awesome. I am sooo glad we moved to Vermont.”
Though she could understand her daughter’s excited reaction to her first snowfall, from Savannah’s perspective the snow was anything but a blessing. Since her arrival a couple of days ago, she’d discovered that the furnace at Holiday Retreat wasn’t reliable. The wind had a nasty way of sneaking in through all sorts of unexpected cracks in the insulation, and the roof—well, the best she could say about that was that it hadn’t fallen in on their heads...yet. With the weight of a foot of damp snow on it, who knew what could happen?
It had been three weeks since the call had come from the attorney informing her that she was a beneficiary of her aunt Mae’s estate. The bittersweet news had come the day before Thanksgiving, and for the first time since her divorce the year before, Savannah had thought she finally had something for which to be thankful besides her feisty, incredible daughter. Now that she’d seen the inn, she was beginning to wonder if this wasn’t just another of Fate’s cruel jokes.
Holiday Retreat had been in the family for generations. Built in the early 1800s as a home for a wealthy ancestor, the huge, gracious house in the heart of Vermont ski country had become an inn when the family had fallen on hard times. Savannah could still remember coming here as a child and thinking it was like a Christmas fantasy, with the lights on the eaves and in the branches of the evergreens outside, a fire blazing in the living room and the aroma of banana-nut bread and cookies drifting from the kitchen. The tree, which they cut down themselves and decorated on Christmas Eve, always scraped the twelve-foot ceiling.
Aunt Mae—Savannah’s great-aunt actually—had been in her prime then. A hearty fifty-something, she came from sturdy New England stock. She had bustled through the house making everyone in the family feel welcome, fixing elaborate meals effortlessly and singing carols boisterously, if a bit tunelessly. It was the one time of the year when there were no paying guests at the inn—just aunts and uncles and cousins all gathered for holiday festivities. To an only child like Savannah, the atmosphere had seemed magical.