Page 348 of Under Her Skin

“Good!” she says with a huge smile. “Thanks for taking care ofthat.”

“I also will be coming back up here tonight with my family, if they want, and with you and yours, hopefully. I’m going to get baptized.” I look back at her and see her eyes shiny with unshedtears.

“Really?” she asks as she reaches out forme.

“Yes.” I put the bag of salt down and hug her. “Have you beenbaptized?”

“I have,” she says. “When I was ten. But if you want me to, I’ll do it again withyou.”

“You would?” I ask, as I didn’t think about that. But it would be special. “I’d lovethat.”

“It’s a good idea, anyway. I was too young to really know what that meant then. Now that I have a real faith that resides in me, I’d like nothing more than to renew my devotion to our Lord and Savior with you, my soon-to-behusband.”

Placing a light kiss on her rosy lips, I say, “And soon-t0-be father of yourchildren.”

She blushes and pulls out of my arms. “We have so much to do. Hurry, let’s get this finished and head home. I can’t wait for my parents to gethere.”

Hurrying to clear the sidewalk, I finally get it all done and place the empty bag in the trash can as we head to the truck. Helping her up into the tall truck, I see my future in her green eyes and know that, no matter what, we’ll make it through this lifetogether.

Climbing into the truck too, I find my phone going off with a text and read what my sister has written.Can I bring Randy with metoday?

“Seems my sister has found a date. She’d like to bring himtoday.”

Delaney claps her hands. “Yes! Tell her yes,Blaine!”

So I type back in the response and text my brother next.Kate’s bringing a date. You should, too, or you’ll feel leftout.

Starting the truck, I pull out of the parking space to go back out to the estate. When my phone dings with his reply, Delaney picks it up and reads it to me, “Already have one. You remember the sexy elf from the costume rental,right?”

“I knew it,” I say as I pull onto the road that’s beginning to get a little slippery. “Damn, they need to de-ice these again too. What a cold day we’re having here inHouston!”

“It feels weird, doesn’t it?” she asks as she puts my phone down. “It’s like a wonderland. One that can’t possibly be real. I keep thinking I’m about to wake up and find this entire thing is just a dream. Including you,Blaine.”

“I hope it’s not,” I say as I pull onto the freeway and find it a little slick too. “Damn it! Would you call the sheriff’s office or something and tell them the roads need to be de-iced again? This isridiculous!”

“Okay,” she says as she looks up the number on her phone. “Should you pullover?”

“No, I’ve got great tires and this is four-wheel-drive, but not everyone has this. And if you look behind us, you’ll see a car has just slid off to the side of the road. Report that to themtoo.”

The snow begins to get thicker, and I can see the makings of a real disaster. I hope this wonderful day doesn’t end in tragedy.This started out as the best Christmas ever, afterall.

“Hello, this is Nurse Delaney Richards, and I’d like to report a vehicle that’s slid off the road on Interstate 10, near mile marker 112. There’s ice on the roadway and the snow is beginning to fall harder. So it’s time to de-ice themagain.”

“I’ll send an officer to the area. Thank you,” the dispatcher says, then the call isover.

“That’s about all we can do, Blaine,” she says as I take our exit off the highway and find this road is worse than that onewas.

“We are in for a slow ride, baby. I hope this clears up by the time your parents get to the airport or they’ll be sitting there for I don’t know howlong.”

“Can’t you get them out in a helicopter? Your place has ample room to landone.”

“They won’t fly in the snow. If there’s a break in it, I might be able to get my neighbor down the road to go get them. Max Lane has a badass machine and he’s got tons of experience flying. Maybe I should call him to be sure he can do it, though. It is Christmas, afterall.”

“Do you know how cool that would be to fly them to the estate in a helicopter? Blaine, you have to ask him to do it. Offer him some money to entice him,” shesays.

I laugh and say, “He won’t take my money. He’s got enough of his own. But he might not want to risk it. He’s got a wife and kids. But I’ll see what hesays.”

Making the call on my speaker system, I find him answering, “Well, Merry Christmas, neighbor. How’s itgoing?”