Cattle Valley Mistletoe CV2 (12 page)

Hal shook his head. “You two are quite the pair. So afraid of bugging the other that you both sit home alone.” He put his hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “Call him.”

“Maybe,” Kyle said. “So what’s Casey wanting?”

“Hey, Wyn, could you grab that side for me?” Casey asked, standing near the top of the ladder. This was his last strand of Christmas lights, but his hanging partner, Hal, had gone off to pick up the new table and chairs the church had purchased.

“Looks great,” Wyn commented, coming over to give Casey a hand.

“Thanks. I think we’re almost done. Once Nate gets back from Tyler’s with the table arrangements we’ll be all set for tonight.”

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Just then, Nate walked in carrying a big box full of poinsettia plants. “There’s more in the back of my SUV,” Nate told them.

Looking at each other, Casey rolled his eyes. “I guess that’s our cue to get back to work.” He shrugged into his coat before following Wyn and Nate back out.

Once the six large boxes were brought in, Nate went back out for one more box. “That’s the last of it,” Nate said setting it down.

Casey looked at the covered box. “What’s that?”

“Ah, that, my friend, is our ice breaker.”

“Our what?” Wyn asked, trying to see over Nate’s shoulder.

Pulling off the paper, Nate extracted his prize. “I had Tyler make it up for me. If I measured correctly it should be long enough to string from one side of the room to the other.”

“Mistletoe? How on earth did Tyler find enough mistletoe to make that up?” Casey looked at the clear fishing line with sprig after sprig of mistletoe tied on with red curly-ribbon.

Nate looked at the long strand with a smile on his face. “I had him place the order weeks ago before he even opened his shop. Man that guy is skittish. I think I shaved about ten years off him when I walked into the shop to place the order.” Casey knew the reason Tyler was skittish, but it was said to him in confidence and he hadn’t even told Hal. “Looks like he did a nice job.”

“Yep, she’s a beaut.”

“So tell me what the point is?” Wyn inquired.

Nate sighed and punched Wyn in the arm. “We’re gonna hang it across the hall so all kinds of people can get kissed.”

“Excuse me?” Wyn rubbed his arm, still looking puzzled.

“Palmer Wynfield, are you telling me you’ve never been kissed under the mistletoe?

Damn, besides the presents and the Christmas morning sex, mistletoe’s the next best part of the holidays.”

“Sorry, I must have missed that,” Wyn said, brushing tinsel off his cashmere sweater.

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Casey watched as Nate gave Wyn a devilish grin. “Maybe you can coax Ezra under it later?”

A bark of laughter erupted from Wyn. “Right, I’m sure Ezra James is coming to the party. The only reason that mountain of a man comes into town is to scare dogs, children and me.”

Nate looked over at Casey and winked. They both knew Ezra planned to attend the party.

He’d come out of his shell nicely since Halloween. Casey knew it was Nate’s doing for the most part, but he hoped working on the reception room helped, too.

“Well just plant that tight ass of yours under one of these little sprigs and see what happens.”

As smiling faces began to fill the room, Casey couldn’t help but feel proud of his congregation and all they’d accomplished the last few days. They’d all pitched in to paint, stain the trim and lay the floor. The result was a well-built room that would serve the community for years.

Feeling arms wrap around his waist from behind, Casey turned and tipped his head up to see his man. “Hey.”

Hal leaned down and licked the shell of Casey’s ear. “It’s a good party.”

“The best,” Casey agreed. He turned in Hal’s arms and kissed him, his tongue thrusting as deep as it could go before twining around Hal’s.

“Mmm, what was that for?” Hal continued to brush kisses across Casey’s forehead.

“You’re standing under the mistletoe,” Casey replied, pointing up.

Hal chuckled, “You can’t walk ten feet in here without being under the stuff.”

“Yep, that’s the way Nate planned it.” Grinning, he pointed toward Wyn. “Watch, you can see the sparks fly across the room. Pick a man or woman and study them. They’re all giving out signs to those they want a kiss from.”

Casey watched Wyn trying to pretend he wasn’t watching Ezra out of the corner of his eye. He looked back at Hal, who was looking at a completely different couple. “Oh, wow, I wouldn’t have suspected that match-up.”

Chuckling, Hal bumped Casey with his hip. “I would. I’m just surprised it took them so long.”

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Watching in anticipation, Casey’s breath caught as Gill went down on one knee and placed a soft kiss on Kyle’s mouth. They broke apart, and Casey could see Kyle say something to Gill, before they kissed again, and this time the kiss seemed to go on for minutes.

“Beautiful,” he whispered.

“Yeah, it is,” Hal agreed.

As the party continued, Casey kept himself busy shaking hands and talking to his friends and neighbours. For the first time he felt he was really connecting with the community.

When Nate finally made his way over with Rio in tow, Casey hugged him. “Thanks for helping me get the place ready.”

“It was my pleasure,” Nate said, releasing Casey from his embrace.

Casey caught Hal coming out the door that led into the chapel. He started to go to him, but stopped himself when he saw the look of peace on Hal’s face. Casey breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

“You look happy,” Rio kidded him.

“I don’t think I could get any happier than I am at this moment.” Cuddled together beside the tree, Hal traced Casey’s chest with his fingers. They’d already made love and were enjoying the fire and the lights of their very first Christmas tree. “It is pretty,” Hal commented, looking at all the homemade decorations. “It would be even prettier without that big root ball and plastic tub under it though,” he chuckled.

“Shhh, it’ll hear you,” Casey grinned. “Don’t you feel better knowing you saved a tree while still being able to bring it inside?”

“My back’s still sore from digging that thing out of the ground. I’m gonna let you dig the hole to plant it in the front yard.”

“It’ll last that way ’til spring, right?”

Hal laughed and rolled over on top of Casey. “I love you, you goofball.” Casey put the palm of his hand against Hal’s cheek, brushing his thumb across Hal’s lips.

“I love you, too.”

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“So does that mean I’m going to get you to move in with me?” Hal had been dying to ask but knew the time was finally right.

“What about my house?”

“Rent it out. I know it’s part of your salary, so rent it out.”

“I couldn’t take rent money for a house that isn’t even mine.” Casey seemed to think it over for a few seconds. “I guess I could give the church the rent money, though.”

“See, there you go, all worked out,” Hal said, dipping his head down to give Casey a slow explorative kiss.

“You sure about me moving in? I know you think I’m perfect, but I do have a few bad habits.” Casey started ticking them off on his fingers.

“I leave the toilet seat up, no matter how many dirty clothes are in the basket, I refuse to do laundry more than one day a week, and I enjoy walking around in the nude,” Casey finished with a smile. They both knew that wouldn’t be considered a bad habit to Hal.

“And you snore,” Hal added.

Casey’s jaw dropped, “I do? No one’s ever told me that before.”

“Good,” Hal said, giving him another kiss. “Because I’ve noticed you only do it after a really long night of extreme sexual activity.”

“Oh, well, there you go then, problem solved.”

“As far as the toilet seat, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m a guy. All guys leave the seat up unless they have a wife around to yell at them. And I’ll continue doing my own laundry. My stuff gets pretty dirty anyway, it should be washed separate from your fine church clothes.”

“Speaking of church…”

“Yeah, I know you saw me earlier. I went in and had a little talk with the man upstairs.

Seems he’s just been waiting all this time for me to get my head out of my ass.” Hal didn’t feel like going into detail with Casey. It was a very private moment when he forgave not only God but his mom as well. It was time to move on and heal old wounds.

Reaching under the tree, Hal handed Casey an envelope. “You get to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and this is it.”

“We never open gifts until Christmas morning at home.” Casey stopped and grinned. “I mean back in Kansas.”

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“This is my contribution to our new traditions list, now open it.” Hal waited for Casey to open the envelope. The tears in his eyes told Hal he’d done a good job predicting what he wanted.

“I can’t believe you got me a plane ticket to see my family.” Casey looked at the ticket in the firelight. “When’s it for?”

“First of March, and if you look a little closer you’ll see there are two plane tickets in there. I know it was a little presumptuous of me, but I was hoping you’d let me tag along.”

Casey pulled Hal down for a kiss. “Are you kidding? My mom will probably have a list a mile long of things she needs done around the house when I tell her I’m bringing home a big strapping contractor.”

Laughing, Hal rolled them so Casey lounged on top of him. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you, but I’m not gonna question it too hard, you just might change your mind.”

“Never, I’m yours for keeps.”

Sitting in the front row with Dave and Ada, Hal felt a wealth of emotion, pride being number one. The uncomfortable pew didn’t even faze him. Neither did the crying infant in the back of the church. As he watched and listened to the Reverend Casey Sharp address his congregation, Hal felt his chest puff up just a bit. That was his man up there, drawing the people into the sermon he’d been preparing all week.

Casey stood in front of the church and lifted his hands, reaching out to the congregation as he spoke. “We may not be surrounded by blood relatives, but God has given us each other. And together, we are a family. The best part about us is that we are a family by choice. Take the time to turn to your neighbour sitting beside you and shake his or her hand. That person will most likely be the one on your doorstep in time of need, not just during the holiday season but year-round.”

Hal turned and shook Ryan’s hand before turning back to Ada. When she reached out, Hal shook his head, and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for being my mother by choice,” he said into her ear so she could hear above the noise of the congregation. He felt Ada’s breath hitch as she hugged him tighter.

Releasing her he dabbed her tears with his knuckle. He reached beyond Ada to shake Dave’s hand. He thought he saw a little moisture in Dave’s eyes as well, but it could have just been the lighting. Dave was one of the toughest men he’d ever met, although given time to think, Hal realised Dave had rarely yelled at him. Boy, did he have a lot of making up to do.

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Deep in thought, Hal almost missed the rest of Casey’s sermon. The one thing he kept coming back to was family and how every person in the room was family to the person next to them. Hal thought it was a good message. Many in Casey’s congregation had been shunned by their own blood relatives for no more reason than who they chose to love.

A sense of peace settled deep within him as Casey ended the service with a prayer. With the only sound being Casey’s voice, Hal closed his eyes, inhaling the smell of the fresh-cut pine swags that decorated the church. Hal found himself bowing his head and asking for forgiveness for all that he’d done to shun the one who’d always love him.

Casey stood at the back of the church and hugged every member that passed through the doors, paying special attention to the children in their holiday finery. As Hal watched him, he realised Casey was indeed made for this job. The peaceful expressions on people’s faces attested to that fact. When the last church member had filed out, Hal stepped up and put an arm around Reverend Sharp. “That was beautiful.” Casey’s cheeks turned slightly red as he ducked his head. “Thank you for coming, it meant the world to me.”

“Oh, I plan on being in the front row every Sunday.” Hal realised Casey had yet to meet Ada and Dave. Their arrival minutes before the service hadn’t left any time for introductions. Hal squeezed Casey’s hand. “I want you to meet my parents.” He turned to the older couple still standing beside the pews and motioned them over.

“Casey, this is my mom, Ada, and my dad, Dave.” Hal knew it was the first time he’d officially called them that, and their faces both showed it.

“It’s nice to meet you both. I hope you’ll be able to stay a few days.” Casey shook Dave’s hand, but Ada pulled him into a hug.

“That was a wonderful service, Reverend,” Ada said.

“Thank you, but call me Casey.” He kissed Ada’s cheek before releasing her. Looking down at his white robe, Casey turned back to Hal. “I’m going to go change and make sure everything’s blown out and locked up. Why don’t the three of you do me a favour and run to Kyle’s to get our goodies,” Casey said hurrying down the aisle unbuttoning his robe as he went.

Without thought to the people beside him, Hal followed. “Wait.” Casey stopped and turned. Hal took a couple more steps and pulled Casey into his arms. “I love you,” he whispered, seconds before covering Casey’s lips with his own. He felt the fire that always accompanied the taste of Casey and moaned. The kiss went on far too long to be 83

considered appropriate in front of ones parents, but Hal didn’t care. “Merry Christmas, baby.”

“And a Happy New Year,” Casey whispered back.

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