When Caitlin stepped back, she shifted her gaze to Holt and tilted her head. Her message couldn’t be any more clear.
He did as she suggested and stepped toward his father, hand extended, but the vet pulled him into a hug. Chauncey gave a warning yip, but they ignored him.
“I can’t believe this is real,” Coates said. “But I’m glad it is.” He pounded on Holt’s back for a moment, then let him go.
Holt cleared his throat, wishing there was some way he could wipe the dampness from his eyes without looking like a total wuss. “I never expected to have a father in my life. I’m glad he turned out to be you. I’m really proud of what you did here tonight.” He reached down and patted Chauncey’s head. “What you do every day. I was going to tell you, no matter how those turned out,” Holt said and tipped his head toward the lab reports Caitlin still held, “that I want to help.”
Coates met his gaze. “Thank you. I don’t know what to say, except that I’m glad, too. More than I ever imagined I could be. Look what you’ve made of yourself, despite the rough start you had thanks to Jenny’s aunt. I couldn’t be more proud if I’d raised you myself.” Then he turned to Caitlin. “And you, my Scottish friend, I wonder if all this would have happened if you hadn’t been mugged your first day in the village…”
“And ye hadna come to my rescue,” Caitlin answered, her thicker accent and the gravel in her voice revealing how choked up she was by the revelations. “We wouldna kenned what could ha’ been, and that would ha’ been a tragedy.” A tear tracked down her cheek, then another, and another, where they met the corners of her smile.
“But it wasn’t,” Holt interjected, feeling giddy bubbles fizzing through his bloodstream. Was this happiness? If so, he had missed a lot in his life. “You weren’t hurt that day, and you made a friend who turned out to be important in my life. Both our lives. Even more, you stuck by your guns when I didn’t believe in you or your wild theories. You were right all along. I’m glad you didn’t let me push you around.”
“I’m a Scot. We don’t push very easily,” Caitlin told him, her smile turning into a grin.
His father laughed at that. “Holt, I think you’ve met your match.”
Caitlin’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, but a warm sense of rightness filled Holt with those words. His father was right. He had met his match. He’d known for days and had begun the conversation about their future together before the outcry by the Christmas tree broke the spell. He had more to do to convince Caitlin, but he never doubted for a moment that he would succeed.
* * *
Christmas day arrived with unfinished business between Holt and Caitlin. He entered his great-aunt’s closet with more than a little trepidation, but he was on a mission, one he’d nearly left until too late. In her jewelry box, he hoped to find a ring he could give Caitlin. Something important enough to show her how much she meant to him, but not so gaudy that she might not like it. If nothing else, a placeholder until she could select a ring herself.If she said yes.
The box’s small brass lock plate was locked, but he had the keyring he’d found hidden in a drawer, the same one that held the key they’d used to unlock the trunk in the attic— and a host of family secrets. This lock opened easily, proof that his great-aunt had used it often. He lifted the lid.
Ornate gemstone earrings and a string of pearls filled the top drawer. The next drawer held marcasite jewelry, very old-fashioned. No. Nothing interested him until he opened the third drawer. Pay dirt! Rings filled it. The diamonds needed to be cleaned. He couldn’t judge their quality, but their cut was also old-fashioned. A sapphire encrusted band caught his eye, but right under it, he found a small yellow silk drawstring bag. He opened it carefully and spilled the contents into his palm. A large, clear, deep green, emerald-cut emerald set in yellow gold winked green and gold at him. He studied it, looking for flaws and found none. Perfect. He dropped it back into its protective bag and locked the box, but he wondered that she kept valuable jewelry in the house like this and not in a safe. The house was isolated, but that didn’t guarantee anything.
Now to finish his preparations. He gave the ring to Mrs. Smith, then he went in search of Caitlin.
Weeks ago, when he found out about his inheritance, all he’d felt was dread. He had never dreamed he could be as happy as Caitlin made him. Knowing she cared about him— not his wealth— meant everything. She had done her best to make his life better— often despite him.
He found her in the office, puttering with the catalog of his great-aunt’s belongings. “I thought you’d finished that,” he told her. “It’s Christmas, not a day to work.”
She pointed at the screen and shrugged. “I can never leave well enough alone. I thought of a more appealing way to describe some of the furniture, so here I am. What are you up to?”
He glanced out the window in time to see Mrs. Smith walking back toward the house. Holt gave Caitlin his best innocent,I’m not up to anythinglook. “Grab your coat and come with me?”
“Sure. Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Caitlin closed her laptop and left the room, giving him a quizzical glance as she passed him by and stepped out of the office door. He’d left his jacket in the foyer in case he talked her into going out with him. By the time he donned his, she was back, buttoning up her coat as she approached. “Okay, I’ve wearing my coat. Now, where are we going?”
“Come with me.” Earlier, Holt had realized the perfect place to pop the question. He led Caitlin to the old gazebo, where Mrs. Smith had set up a table draped with a white cloth and covered with a tea service, a thermos, small cakes, and other sweets. Holt didn’t expect they’d enjoy any of it but figured it was good camouflage.
“It’s still a bit chilly out here for tea, don’t you think?”
“Really? A hardy Scot concerned about the cold?” He gave her a disarming grin. When she rolled her eyes, he added, “I thought some hot tea would be just the thing to warm our first Christmas together while we enjoyed the day.”
“Um, okay.” Caitlin set about pouring tea. “You take yours black, aye?”
“And you take yours with milk and an ungodly amount of sugar, yes,” Holt replied with a grin. “Don’t forget a sweet or two.”
“Ha! Ye ken my weakness,” Caitlin answered, chuckling. Then she froze, tongs held a few inches above the serving plate. “Wait. What’s this?” She looked up at Holt, brow furrowed.
He knew exactly what she’d found in the middle of the tea cakes. He dropped to one knee and held out a hand. “That, my love, is a ring. A complete circle, a symbol of my infinitely deep feelings for you. And the emerald symbolizes new beginnings, growth, and love. Forever love. I want you in my life forever, Caitlin. Will you marry me?”
She picked up the ring and held it out to him.
