Lakeshore Secrets: The McAdams Sisters - Kate McAdams (By The Lake Series Book 1) (22 page)

Marc would have enjoyed skipping the Snowflake Ball to curl up with his fiancée in his suite...alone. But Kate had insisted, with all the bustling excitement throughout the resort, that he was required to make an appearance. He was surprised after everything between them that she didn’t want a break from his family, from the resort. He knew he sure did.

He smiled, making his rounds to the staff doing a little chit-chat with everyone, losing sight of Kate popping in and out of the crowds. The manager of the ski hill talked about the spike in younger kids they were having with the new bear hill and that they might need to hire on some extra help the following year. That was always a plus. More people equalled more enjoyable which equalled more money.

The twinkle lights draped above the room weaved through sparkling hanging organza with large plastic snowflakes and spinning icicles suspending down across the length of the ceiling. The glittering spinning mirror ball seemed to enlighten and transform the room around him into the magical ball his sister intended to create as he caught sight of his wife-to-be. For the first time he experienced what the guest experienced when they entered an event planned by Violet.

Kate was beautiful. The long shimmering blue dress hugged her slim body and showed off every curve. He wanted to run his hand along ever one. The dress just graced the floor and flowed elegantly behind her as she walked...directly towards him. Her magnificent eyes captured his with sparkling specks of green, blue and brown soaked in desire. And love. After the battle they fought since she came back to Willow Valley, he finally uncovered her secret and her love for him. The neckline dipped low and his eyes couldn’t help but travel to the see-through lace that extended across her arms.

“You look beautiful.”

She smiled. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He touched his designer tux. “Oh, this old thing,” he brushed off and she laughed against his lips. He turned serious. “Has it been too much tonight? Should we go?” His mother and Violet had opened the adjoining ballroom and shared the staff party with their engagement party, so it was a huge gala.

She touched his hand softly. “Dance with me.”

His anxious being slowed as he led her across the floor and to where he’d found her straddling the 7’ ladder only days earlier. Images of them in his suite with her straddling him flashed in his head. He mentally shook the thoughts away, but not so far away because he fully intended on ending the evening with that scenario. He pulled her close in his arms and began slowly moving her across the dance floor. He’d wanted to attend this party with Kate as his real fiancée and here she was in his arms, forever. He was never letting her go again. There would be no more secrets between them.

“I love you Marcus Caliendo,” she whispered. “I never dreamed a day like this could be possible.” He knew another dream she’d kept at bay and he was going to sweep her off her feet and fly her away.

“I love you Katherine McAdams,” he whispered back. “I always dreamed a day like this was possible.”

She laughed and peered up to look at him. “Thank you Marc. For understanding.”

He cupped her face and pulled her forehead against his. “No more secrets.”

She shook her head against him. “I will never hide anything from you again.”

“I will never let you go again.”

“You will never have too.”

He kissed her loving her warm wine flavor just as the sky opened up like Emma had promised and white thick flakes fell from the sky encircling around them in a winter wonderland.

Kate smiled and pulled away to look up. “This is amazing.”

He caught Emma’s eyes across the room and she raised her hands as if saying
I told you so
, and then winked.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her against him and picked her feet off the floor enough to twirl them.

As the ball was coming to an end Marc walked Kate toward
their
suite. He liked how that sounded. But before they made it that far he took her to the back door of her favorite restaurant−the only one that had ice cream−and pulled his card out.

“We don’t use keys anymore.”

She pouted, then snatched the card from him, knowing exactly what was to follow.

As they sat in the kitchen on the floor against the metal fridge sharing a bowl of ice cream he decided they had shared a lot of good moments in this kitchen and he wanted to add one more before they had to grow up and not act like teenagers.

“I was thinking we should take a couple weeks off and get away.”

“After Christmas?”

“I was actually thinking we could start tomorrow.”

She glanced up at him surprised. “Tomorrow? The month is just starting.”

He nodded. There were a lot of things happening, but he had already sat down and discussed it with his parents. “Yes, we are flying to the Maritimes.”

Her mid-mouth spoon of ice cream paused. “Are you serious?”

He nodded.

“Tomorrow?”

He nodded.

Her eyes turned into large round olive saucers and her hands flew around his neck, ice cream, spoon and everything.

Kate sat hunched down behind the snow fort wall they had built and waited...waited...and then boom! The snowball came flying over the wall and landed at her feet. High pitched hysterical giggles followed from the other side of that wall and she stood up holding her own handful of snow.

“Which one of you was it?” she asked planting a gloved hand on her hip and threatening with her snowball.

Marc’s guilty eyes stared back her and even then the little mini them with her brunette curls halfway down her back and matching guilty blue eyes pointed at Marc.

“Hey!” he teased, ruffling her hat. She giggled again.

Kate lifted, aimed and threw the snowball at Marc who dodged it, then lifted Rosemary into the air flying her in a circle before calling, “Let’s get her!”

They were running toward Kate when Rosemary’s grandmother called them into the house. “Hot cocoa is ready! With mini marshmallows.” Rosemary cheered and started toward the house.

Marc grabbed Kate’s hand and gave her cheek a kiss before they followed the tiny footprints in the snow.

It had only been a week since she recalled parking in front of the small farmhouse with her nerves unraveling like a cat rolling a ball of yarn around the house.

“Are you ready?” Marc had asked her.

She shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

He sat back and she had stared at the little house knowing beyond those walls was the one person that had been in her head like the background noise of a radio. It had happened all so suddenly. She had just found out about Rosemary, finally after all these years, locked and sealed her relationship with Marc and here they were, together. She wasn’t alone. She would never be alone now that the truth was out and he had forgiven her. What an amazing man was by her side. But she had been worried before they knocked on that door. Would she like them? Would they bond? Would she ever grow to love them?”

“Aren’t you scared?” she had asked Marc.

“I’ve never been more scared in my life.”

“Me too.”

He squeezed her hand. “I’ve also never been happier.”

She smiled at him. “Me too.”

Now here they were and it hadn’t been nearly as scary as she had first anticipated. Soon they would all be returning to the resort...together. It was amazing what they had accomplished in the short time together...the three of them...as a family.

Rosemary stopped walking and turned her heart quenching grin at them. Her grandmother had done an amazing job raising a polite, sweet little angel. She waited for them to catch up then separated their hands replacing them with her own for the walk back to the farmhouse.

Kate’s heart warmed and she looked up at Marc and almost laughed at his mushy grin. This little girl had him wrapped around her little finger and it was adorable.

The End

Coming Soon:

Lakeshore Legends

The McAdams Sisters

Book Two, Peyton McAdams

By The Lake Series

Shannyn Leah