Cougar Christmas Read online

  “That’s all right, baby—just call me a hopeless romantic. Nothing but the most expensive fake jewelry for my girl.” Drew took the ring from her and got down on one knee. Taking her by the hand, he looked soulfully up into her big, brown eyes. “Genevieve, will you marry me?”

  “Drew!” Her cheeks grew pink and for a moment he thought he’d carried the joke too far. But then she twisted her real diamond and wedding band off her finger and stuck them in the pocket of her skirt. Holding out her left hand she said, “All right—put it on me.”

  Drew grinned and slipped the glittery pink ring on her finger. “I knew you were a hopeless romantic, too.”

  “I guess I am.” Genevieve was still admiring the ring when a deep, dry voice behind them said,

  “Ah—getting ready for our vow renewal ceremony on Christmas Day, I see. Just be sure you get the wedding band that goes with your new engagement ring.”

  Drew’s head jerked around and he saw Phillips bearing down on them, his tweed jacket flapping like a ship in full sail.

  “Uh…” He vaguely remembered Phillips saying something about a renewal of vows when they’d first checked it but he hadn’t dreamed he and Gen would actually participate. Still, why not? It wasn’t like it would be legally binding. “Yes,” he said, standing up and putting an arm around Genevieve. “We can’t wait for the ceremony.”

  “Well, good.” Phillips nodded heartily. “I think there’s hope for you two yet. You’re already looking much closer and happier than you were when you first came here.”

  “Are we?” Drew looked down at Genevieve. There was a faint blush on her cheeks but she didn’t look unhappy. He remembered how reluctant she’d been to even let him hold her hand. Now, here she was, nestled comfortably in the crook of his arm without a word of protest. “I guess we are,” he murmured, smiling at her. He liked the way her soft, curvy frame melted against his own much larger body. Liked the way she looked up at him with something like trust in her eyes.

  “Well, I’ll leave you to get on with your day.” Phillips nodded at them. “Just remember the ceremony is at ten tomorrow directly after breakfast.” He smiled fondly. “Personally, I can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas than by reaffirming your love.”

  “It sounds lovely,” Gen murmured and Drew felt her breathe a little sigh of relief when Phillips turned and headed off in the direction of another hapless couple.

  “Whew,” he muttered when Phillips was out of ear-shot. “I was afraid he might have another critique of our ‘performance’ from last night.”

  “He’s horrible,” Gen whispered back. “I really don’t think Stuart has any idea of what’s going on here.”

  “Well, you can tell him when we get back.” He sighed. “I guess it’s about time for group therapy. I wonder what wonderful work of art we’re making today. Maybe they’ll have a bunch of easels set up and you’ll get a chance to paint me in the nude.”

  “Drew!” She smiled and shook her head.

  “What?” He put a hand to his chest in mock offense. “I make a wonderful artist’s model, I’ll have you know. I used to model nude in college all the time.”

  “You did not,” she protested as they strolled down the plush carpeted hallway towards the group therapy room.

  “I did too,” Drew protested. “It beat flipping hamburgers at McDonalds. And all the ladies used to ask for me by name.” He put his head to one side. “Of course…it was kind of surprising they remembered my name considering the class I modeled for was in a retirement home. And I have to admit, I think when they said modeling, they meant I was supposed to use modeling clay and help the residents make ashtrays. Still, nobody complained when I got naked so I figured…”

  He broke off then because Gen was giggling so hard she could barely stand and he had to hold her up with one arm.

  “Drew!” she gasped, clutching him around the waist and shaking her head. “What is it with you? Why are you always trying to crack me up?”

  “Maybe because I love to hear your laugh,” he said, suddenly serious. Tilting her chin, he looked into her eyes. “You have a gorgeous laugh—soft and sexy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before this weekend, you know?”

  Gen grew suddenly sober too. “I didn’t have much to laugh about,” she murmured. “Especially not this last six months when I’ve been so worried about losing my job.”

  “You’re not going to lose your job,” Drew promised her. “Although…” He bent down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “You might lose your heart.”

  He’d meant the line as a joke—another way to make her giggle. But Genevieve’s lovely face was serious when he drew back to look at her.

  “Drew,” she whispered. “I—”

  “Yeah, baby?” Sensing she had something important to say, he leaned closer.

  “Um…I…I have a surprise for you,” Genevieve blurted. “It’s what I was coming to tell you when I found you in the jewelry shop.”

  Drew had an idea this wasn’t what she’d been about to say but her words still intrigued him.

  “A surprise? What is it?”

  “It’s about dinner. We don’t have to spend it with Mitzie and Myron or Stan and Georgia.”

  “You have some new ‘couple friends’ in mind for us?” Drew asked, frowning. Personally, he thought anyone would be an improvement over the two couples they’d already dined with but you never could tell.

  “Nope—we’re not sitting with anyone. We’ll be off by ourselves.”

  Drew grinned. “Sounds like a Christmas Eve miracle. How did you pull that off?”

  “I went to the kitchen and made arrangements for us to have our ‘feed-me picnic’ for supper tonight.”

  “Mmm, sounds nice.” He nodded.

  “You haven’t heard the best part yet—we get to take it out of Whispering Pines—we actually get to leave! Get out from under Phillips’ thumb for a while.” Genevieve looked extremely excited at the prospect.

  “You mean…actually go outside and have an outdoor picnic?” Drew frowned. “Look, I don’t mind the cold weather, Gen—I’m used to it since I grew up in Colorado. But you’re a Florida girl and it’s something like forty degrees outside.”

  “I don’t care how cold it is,” she said fervently. “I’d have supper in a meat locker as long as I didn’t feel like that damn vulture was staring over my shoulder the whole time.”

  “Hey…” Drew looked at her earnestly. “This morning’s little ‘therapy session’ really shook you up, didn’t it?”

  She bit her lip and looked away. “I don’t like feeling like that. Feeling so…vulnerable.”

  Drew wondered if she was talking about feeling vulnerable in front of Phillips…or in front of him. But he simply shrugged.

  “Okay, if you really don’t think you’ll mind the cold…”

  “I’ll be fine. Besides, we won’t be going far. There’s supposed to be a picnic table up in the woods, not too far from the resort. We’ll just have supper and come right back. We’ll be gone just long enough to miss dinner with everyone else.”

  “Spoken like a true social recluse—and a girl after my own heart.” Drew grinned at her. “Okay, when do we go?”

  “Right after group therapy. The kitchen promised to have everything ready for us—all we have to do is swing by and get the picnic basket.”

  “We’ll need to change into some warmer clothes first,” Drew pointed out, eyeing her sleek little black skirt and high heels. “Did you bring any hiking boots?”

  “I won’t need hiking boots just to walk a few hundred feet from the resort,” she protested. “Don’t worry, Drew—I’ll be fine. This is going to be fun—you’ll see.”

  “Can’t wait.” He grinned at her. “Come on—let’s get group therapy over with so we can go picnicking in the dead of winter wearing inappropriate footwear.”

  “Drew!” She slapped playfully at his chest and grinned at him.

  Drew smiled back, happy just