Christmas Weddings by Carole Mortimer

Author:Carole Mortimer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

IT TOOK Reed five seconds to realize he was an idiot. He watched his plane depart, not even caring, because by that time, he was running down the concourse to Gate C-31, hoping to get there before Marietta boarded her plane, all the while thinking this was some scene out of a movie and all he needed was a director to cue the music for a teary reunion.

But what he got instead was a closed door and a plane taxiing away from the gate.

And no Marietta.

“Damn!” He spun around, but didn’t see her anywhere. The airport was still crowded, backed-up travelers camped out everywhere, a sea of Christmas festivity. Now that the storm had lifted, so too had people’s spirits and he could hear a happy hubbub of voices chatting about travel plans, connecting with loved ones. A few people had even started singing Christmas carols, creating an impromptu choir in the corner.

He sank into one of the empty chairs at the gate and flipped open his cell phone. He’d called work as soon as it looked like his flight might be delayed, but then turned the phone off the minute he’d seen Marietta, knowing at that moment that there’d been nothing more important in his life than reconnecting with her. But now she was gone, and whether he liked it or not, he had a job that he needed to return to. A life.

Either way, he was going to track Marietta down. And by Christmas or New Year’s—whatever it took, someday very soon, he’d be on her doorstep once again. Regardless of what Marietta Westmore might have said, Reed had no intentions of letting her go again.

The cell phone let out a trill as it powered on, then a series of beeps announcing voice mails. The office. Reed called in, connected with his boss and sat back against the chair, prepared for a lecture.

“Reed! Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you all day.”

“Stuck in Chicago, Don. How’d the meeting in Boston go?”

“They loved your proposal. Looks like we signed another new client, thanks to you. You’re a real asset to this company, even when you’re not in the right state.” Don chuckled. “Before you know it, you’ll be a partner here. That should be happy news for your Christmas.”

Ambition. Lofty goals. Those had never really gone hand in hand with Reed Hartstone. All his life, he’d wanted nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps and work the Hartstone land in Whistle Creek. He’d fallen into a financial career because he’d had to, and found himself advancing because he had a knack for numbers.

But had he been happy?

Content. Satisfied. Yes, but happy? No.

He sat in a hard plastic chair in a busy airport, replaying the day with Marietta, his mind combing over the decisions he’d made, searching the memories of the last seven years, grasping for the last time that he’d felt true happiness.

And like a broken record, his mind kept returning to the very same destination.

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