I have seen all of Elvis’ movies over the years, multiple times, but I am watching them again (I have them all on DVD) and blog about them from time to time. I am up to Elvis’ 9th 10th and 11th movies. (All from 1962)
Follow that Dream
This movie was filmed in July, 1961, which was the month and year I was born, just a little bonus fact. 🙂
About: Elvis plays Toby Kwimper, the son of a backwoods man who takes in homeless children, one of them being Holly, a young woman who becomes Elvis’ love interest. The family runs out of gas by a highway that is as yet unopened and they decide to homestead on the property. A government official is determined to get them off the property, and he and a social services woman whose advances are scorned by Toby, wreak havoc for the family, but in the end, honesty and goodness prevail. The movie culminates in a courtroom scene where the social service woman is trying to paint the Kwimersas depraved unfit people and trying to take away the twin boys and the little girl they’re raising. There is a cute little twist that I always loved. The woman cites a word association test she earlier gave to Toby, but she warps his answers to make him appear to be a despicable human being. Toby (Elvis) is representing himself and he makes a whispered suggestion to the judge. The judge announces that the woman should give Elvis’ father a word association test on the spot and analyze his answers. She does, and as the Judge reads the answers aloud, she associates something vile with each one. For example, the word was ‘moon’ and the response was ‘shine’ and she states that it proves he’s an alcoholic. The judge says, “What about Shine on Harvest Moon?” – As it turns out, the judge was reading his own answers, just to prove that she was purposely twisting anything the Kwimpers said. (Okay, that was lengthy, but since I was a child, I just really love that scene :))
Side notes: During filming, Elvis met Tom Petty, who was only 11 years old at the time. Petty’s uncle was involved in the production of the movie. Shortly afterwards, Petty swapped his slingshot for a friend’s collection of Elvis records.
The movie was based on the 1959 novel, Pioneer, Go Home, by Richard P. Powell. At first, the author was unhappy about Elvis in the role, but once he saw his performance, he was pleased.
My favorite song from the movie: I’m Not the Marrying Kind or Angel
Favorite scenes:
There were soooo many. This movie is adorable, funny, sweet, charming, exciting, etc, etc. The Kwimpers are so naïve and good, that they don’t realize when a group of gangsters move in next door that they’re really bad guys. Many of my favorite scenes are just the funny moments from the movie, such as when the gangsters try to blow up the Kwimpers’ house, because Toby has become Sheriff and he imposes laws on them. They leave a homemade bomb beneath the house, and Elvis and Holly find it and, while they don’t know what it is, they think the ‘fellas’ must have left it accidentally, so they return it, leaving it outside their door and of course, it blows up the gangsters’ house. I also love the scene at the end, after the courtroom scene, when Holly has decided to make her move on Toby. She goes outside to where he’s lying on the porch bench, singing Angel. She sits next to him and asks him to show her what that social service woman did to make him kiss her. Elvis tells her, step by step, and it’s very sweet, very romantic. Elvis really had a knack for those romantic scenes and generating chemistry with his female leads. But, my favorite part was when he told Holly that ‘she run her fingers along his forehead’ and Holly said, “Like this,” and stroked his forehead. Elvis said, “Well, not so much like you was ironing a shirt, it was a little softer.” Haha, adorable! Below is a clip of the scene. Enjoy!
Kid Gallahad
I’ll never forget, as a kid, watching this movie and seeing Elvis getting hit, over and over, and his beautiful face covered in blood. It was pretty traumatic.
When I was married, my husband was a huge Charles Bronson fan. I told him that Bronson once played second fiddle to Elvis in a movie. Obviously, he knew what a super star Elvis was, but as far as movies, he couldn’t imagine Bronson having lesser billing in a movie. So, of course, I had to prove it.
About: Elvis plays Walter Gulick, who has just gotten out of the army. He hitches a ride to Cream Valley, where he was born, and winds up at an inn and boxing camp run by Willy, played by Gig Young. Elvis is looking for a job and ends up sparring with one of Willy’s boxers. Elvis is taking a beating, then suddenly knocks the guy out with one punch. Elvis becomes a boxer and romances Willy’s sister, Rose, who comes to the inn to check on Willy because she finds out he’s in trouble. As it turns out, he’s mixed up with the mob. Of course, in the end, Elvis helps save the day and everyone lives Happily Ever After. (Bronson plays a trainer and cut man)
Side notes: The film is a remake of the 1937 movie starring Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. It was directed by Michael Curitz, the same guy who directed King Creole.
Junior welterweight champ Mushy Callahand, who appeared in the movie, trained Elvis to box.
A few of Elvis’ close friends, and part of the ‘Memphis Mafia’ also had small roles in the movie: Red West as an opponent and Sonny West and Joe Esposito had bit parts.
My favorite song from the movie: I Got Lucky or Home is Where the Heart Is
Favorite scenes:
I always love Elvis fight scenes, and this movie had plenty. (Although, since he was so often hit in the face, these scenes aren’t quite as easy to watch) One of my favorites was when he was wearing a white undershirt and the mobsters had just crushed Charles Bronson’s hands, and Elvis came downstairs and beat the hell out of them. I also love the scene where Willy (Gig Young) is telling Elvis to stay away from his sister, and Elvis tells him off. He says he’s marrying Rose, not because she’s Willy’s sister, but in spite of it. I love Elvis’ intensity in movies when he’s passionate about something.
Girls, Girls, Girls
About: Elvis plays Ross Carpenter, a fisherman whose dream is to own his own boat. But, he grew up an orphan and is struggling to raise the money. He meets Laurel, played by Laurel Goodwin, and falls in love, not knowing that she’s wealthy. She ends up buying a boat for him, but it makes him angry because he doesn’t want a hand out.
Side notes: This is the only of Elvis’ feature films that was nominated for a Golden Globe, which I find very strange. It wasn’t in my top favorites.
The movie was Laurel Goodwin’s screen debut.
Favorite song from the movie: Elvis’ big hit, Return to Sender, was featured in this movie, and it’s one of my favorites, along with Because of Love and the title song, Girls, Girls, Girls.
Favorite scenes: I can tell you what isn’t my favorite scene, or at least as far as Laurel. She and Elvis are having dinner and end up doing a dance to a song, The Walls Have Ears. She looks like a dork. J Just to prove it, I’ve shared the clip below. Some of my favorites are when Elvis is singing with two little Chinese girls. It’s adorable. Also, a scene where Elvis and Laurel are standing on the porch in a thunder storm. I love storms, so Elvis in a romantic scene during a storm is rightup my alley. 🙂 I also love the scene after Elvis finds out Laurel bought the boat for him. He’s angry because he doesn’t want handouts. He tells her that, as an orphan, the only thing he ever had was handouts, so that he got to wondering if the food he ate was something no one else wanted. Again, love his anger/intensity.
Thank you for joining me. Have you seen any of these movies? What did you think?
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
I apologize, but this has been a crazy week, so rather than post a new blog, which I didn’t have time to write, I am reposting an older blog. Hopefully, some of you will be seeing it for the first time. 🙂
***Keep an eye out for an upcoming contest where one lucky winner will receive this prize, along with a $10 Amazon Gift card. Follow my blog in order to receive notifications, including details of the contest.
As everyone knows by now, in my opinion, Elvis had it all. He was insanely gorgeous and sexy. His voice was phenomenal, magical. He could dance, he could act. He was generous and down to earth. And, people who met him said he had this special charisma that was impossible to put into words, impossible to resist.
And, Elvis did things that no other entertainers will ever do. Can you imagine performers of today; Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Bruno Mars, and others like them, taking two years away from their careers to serve in the armed forces? (I guess these are good examples of the currently popular male singers. Either way, you get my point. :))
Elvis was so special, that my sister, Ruth, and I had to make a ‘deal’ when we played Barbies. Instead of having actual Ken dolls (we didn’t have a lot of money, so we had to make do with just the Barbies themselves), we would have imaginary guys for our Barbie boyfriends. However, since we would both want Elvis, and neither would give in, and it would be unfair for either of us to have him for our BB’s (Barbie Boyfriends), we struck a bargain. Neither of us could pick Elvis. He was just too untouchable, off limits. 🙂 Instead, we had to settle for guys like David Cassidy, Donny Osmond, Bobby Sherman, and so forth. Somehow, we made do.
Elvis generosity is legendary. He purchased FDR’s Yacht in 1964, intending to donate it to March of Dimes, but they refused the gift, saying the upkeep was too much. He ended up donating it to St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital. I’ve heard stories, although I’m not sure how many of them are true, about his giving nature. One story is about a man who saw Elvis and a friend in Memphis one day. Elvis was searching his pockets for a dime to make a phone call. The man gave him a dime, and Elvis asked for his address so he could send him a thank you note. A few weeks later, the man received a letter from Elvis with the news that he’d paid off his mortgage. Of course, the stories about his giving away cars is almost as well-known as Elvis himself. One of my favorites is the story about the black lady who worked as a housekeeper at a hospital in Memphis. She was walking down Union Avenue and saw a stretch limo in front of a dealership with its doors open. She stuck her head in to look inside and commented on what a beautiful car it was. Elvis was in the car, and he instructed the man with him to order her one just like it. I also heard that, In 1975, he bought an electric wheelchair for a poor woman in East Memphis, and that he picked her up and personally sat her in it. The woman’s teenage daughter told Elvis she liked his car. He gave it to her and even gave her boyfriend a job. Even if some of these stories are exaggerated or fabricated, enough has been documented about his philanthropic nature for me to be certain he had a kind and giving heart.
Who is your ultimate celebrity? Why? Is it mainly because of their talent and appeal, or does it go deeper than that?
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Not only is Elvis well loved here in the Unites States, he has fans all over the world–fans from paupers to princes, in fact.
Last year when Prince William and Prince Harry were in Memphis for a friend’s wedding, they visited Graceland. The mansion was shut down to the public for the visit, and the royals, along with a group that included Princess Eugenie and Beatrice, toured the home and grounds.
Here they are on Graceland grounds wearing the famous Elvis sunglasses:
Even though Elvis died before they were born, the princes were interested enough in his legacy to take time out of their schedule to visit his home. A true testament to the far-reaching and lasting popularity of the King of Rock and Roll.
While Elvis was loved all over the world, he never toured overseas, although he said many times that he wanted to. Supposedly, the reason that Colonel Parker never allowed Elvis to tour outside of the U.S. was because he was an illegal immigrant from Holland, and he was afraid of being deported, or perhaps even imprisoned (there were rumors that he was wanted for murder, but I don’t know if that’s true).
Here is Elvis in front of his beloved home in 1957, the year he purchased Graceland:
Have you ever visited Graceland? Would you like to? I’ve been several times and am looking forward to going again sometime, hopefully soon. I can’t wait to try out the new Ipads they provide on the tour where John Stamos’ voice is the tour guide. How cool is that?
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
After Elvis came home from the army, he once more began making movies and stopped touring. I can’t imagine how that must have felt to fans, waiting so anxiously for his return, then being unable to see him live in concert. Although, seeing him on the big screen was definitely a treat as well. 🙂
When the concept of a special featuring Elvis first came about, Colonel Parker originally had the idea of Elvis singing Christmas carols. But director Steve Binder wanted something more. After noticing how relaxed and natural Elvis was in rehearsals, and how he and the other musicians played off one another, joked around and impulsively performed old blues and rock and roll songs, he decided to run with that theme and he and his crew did everything they could to recreate that situation and help Elvis relax. Elvis was reluctant to perform live, he was sure people would laugh at him, but Binder brought in Scotty Moore and Bill Black, the musicians Elvis started with, to put him at ease. (Unfortunately, the other member of the group, DJ Fontana, had passed away in 1965.) Although Elvis was terrified, not long after taking the stage, he managed to set it aside, or at least to appear to. According to Binder: “If you look closely at the opening seconds of the show, there’s a close-up of Elvis singing. You can see his hand on the mike – and it’s visibly shaking. Then he sang 8 or 9 strains, and he was back.”
What developed was a phenomenal, ground breaking show, a mixture of big number performances with extravagant settings, such as the sequence with gospel songs and the musical ‘skit’ featuring Guitar Man and Big Boss Man. The ending number was a spectacular performance of Elvis, looking incredibly handsome in a white suit, singing ‘If I Can Dream’ a song written especially for the show, based on Elvis’ feelings about some of the issues going on in the world, including the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. Watch here:
The most memorable and impactful segment of the show had to be the ‘in the round’ jam session. Elvis in black leather, sitting around, joking and belting out some of his finer songs with his buddies surrounding him. Although I know Elvis was nervous, it certainly doesn’t show. He looks relaxed, sexy, confident as he smiles, jokes, and projects the famous Elvis swagger and charisma. Here is a little taste:
The show aired December 3, 1968, but I’ll be honest. I don’t recall seeing it at that time. I don’t know if my parents just didn’t allow us to watch it, or didn’t think about it (I was seven years old). My first memory of seeing the special was the following year in August, 1969 when my family traveled from Oklahoma to California, making stops in various states, including to visit my half-brother in Colorado. (They piled 5 kids in a station wagon Mom earned from selling Tupperware, and we embarked on the well over a thousand miles journey…what were they thinking???) I’m guessing the special was re-broadcast, or my memory is totally skewed, but I have this recollection of being at my half-brother’s house, and the 68 Special playing on his television. I was enthralled, captivated, couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. I’d already loved Elvis for as long as I could remember (and at 8 years old, that wasn’t all that long :)), but it was my first time to actually see him perform, other than in his movies, to see his amazing stage presence and the way he interacted with an audience and held them under his spell. Fortunately for all of us lucky enough to have seen Elvis in concert (for me, 3 times), this was the beginning of Elvis’ return to live performances.
The 68 Special was a smashing success. It was viewed by 42% of the audience and was the number one show that year, receiving critical acclaim and rave reviews. Elvis was indeed back.
What about you? Have you seen the special? What did you think?
Elvis passed away so young, that it’s unimaginable to think of him as a grandfather. Lisa Marie was only nine years old when he died, but she is now forty-six. She’s been married four times. Her first marriage was to Danny Keough, with whom she had two children, Ryleigh and Benjamin. She was briefly married to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage. She is now married to Michael Lockwood, and they have twin girls, born in 2008. The twins’ names are Harper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Love. The ‘Ann’ is from Priscilla’s middle name. And, of course, Aaron was Elvis’ middle name, and Love was his mother’s middle name. I think it’s awesome that she gave her children those names, but I can’t help think it’s a little unfair to poor Harper that she gets Priscilla’s and Finley gets both Elvis’ and his beloved mother’s middle names. 🙂
*** Susan Coryell mentioned the ‘twin’ connection, and that is something I meant to briefly address in my post. As I’m sure everyone knows, Elvis was born a twin, but his brother, Jess Garon, died at birth. It’s pretty awesome that Elvis’ only child also gave birth to twins.
Perhaps not all that surprising, both Ryleigh and Benjamin are in show business. Ryleigh is a model and actress. I first discovered this (although I should have already known) when I saw her in a small role in Magic Mike, the quite memorable male stripper movie starring Channing Tatum. Did any of you see the movie? Do you remember Ryleigh?
Benjamin is a singer, and he is purported to have a record deal, although the record has not been released yet.
Both of them most definitely have that ‘Presley’ look. Can you see it?
I can just imagine how proud Elvis would be of them. He was a doting father, and he adored Lisa Marie. I am sure he would be just as enamored of his grandchildren, if not more so. How awesome would it be to see the four of them perform together?
I love that Lisa has respected her father’s name and that she’s proud of her legacy. I just hope Elvis’ grandchildren do the same. Their heritage is a special one, and they owe their looks and their talent to him. Hopefully, they realize and appreciate that.
This afternoon, a wake will be held for slain New York City Police Officer, Rafael Ramos. The services for Liu have not been scheduled yet. I would like to take a moment to remind people that, every day cops put on a uniform, they lay their lives on the line to keep us safe. While, of course there are some bad ones, for the most part, the job is an underpaid, thankless position, and the officers who risk their safety to protect citizens are truly heroes.
I have a great amount of respect for the police, as did Elvis. He had an extensive collection of police badges, and used several police officers for security detail. He was friends with many in the Law Enforcement world, including Denver Police Captain Jerry Kennedy. In 1971, Elvis was visiting Denver when Officer Merle Nading was gunned down. Elvis was deeply troubled by the tragedy and donated $5,000 to the Denver Police Department.
Just thought I’d share a brief post in honor of our fallen heroes, in conjunction with my weekly Elvis post.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that 2015 will bring peace and accord in the United States. We are all Americans, and if we turn against one another, that leaves us broken and vulnerable to the enemies who wish to destroy us.
Christmas was Elvis’ favorite time of year. He was very much a homebody, and he loved Graceland, loved his family and friends. So, gathering at Graceland for the holidays was a special time for him. He was also extremely generous, and Christmas was an opportunity to share his good fortune on a grand scale, although he was generous all year round.
Here are a few photos of his home during the holidays. Graceland still uses the same decorations that Elvis had when he was alive. I have yet to visit his home during the Christmas holiday, but I would love to.
I love Christmas as well, and when I was younger, we used to listen to Elvis Christmas music while we decorated. I carried that tradition into adulthood and my children and I would do the same. It was a sweet, magical time and I cherish the memories.
My favorite performance of my all-time favorite Christmas song, Blue Christmas:
A few years ago, I wrote a very short (only three chapters) Christmas story as part of an anthology with other authors. I’ve inserted my entire story below. Guess what it’s titled? Give up? Blue Christmas! 🙂
I hope you enjoy…Merry Christmas!
*** Warning – Rated PG-13
BLUE CHRISTMAS
by Alicia Dean
Chapter 1
Someone was in the house.
Sophie Winston halted in the doorway, her hand frozen on the knob. A swallow clicked in her dry throat.
She’d turned the lights off before leaving for work that morning. She always did. But the lights were on now, and a man’s jacket was thrown across the back of her easy chair. Why would an intruder leave his jacket lying around? Not a smart move. But dumb or not, the guy could be dangerous.
Her heartbeat pounded through her eardrums. She fumbled her phone from her purse. Before she could dial 911, a man emerged from her kitchen. She screamed and dropped the phone.
“I-I have a gun,” she blurted.
He grinned. “Yeah? So do I.”
Oh God. She was lying, but he probably wasn’t.
She lifted her chin. “I called the police. They’ll be here any second.”
He frowned as if perplexed. “That’s odd since I didn’t hear you speak to anyone and I saw you drop your phone.” He inched closer and crossed his arms over his chest. “I assume Nathaniel didn’t tell you I was coming.”
“Nathaniel?”
“Your fiancé.”
She clenched her teeth. “I know who Nathaniel is. Why would he invite you here?”
He ran a hand through short dark hair. “I’m part of his security team. He sent me here to look out for you.” He reached into his jeans pocket, and she tensed, but when he pulled his hand out, a ring with a lone key dangled from his fingers. “See? He gave me a key. He didn’t tell you about the threats?”
Although she and Nathaniel didn’t live together, they each had a key to the other’s house. The man’s story was starting to sound plausible. But she wasn’t entirely convinced. “What threats?”
As a candidate for State Senate, Nathaniel was often in the public eye, but she’d never known of anyone wanting to harm him. If he’d sent someone all the way to Oklahoma City from Los Angeles to keep an eye on her, he must be concerned.
“It’s just a precaution. These things happen all the time. Some nut bag sent him a threatening email. He thought I should keep an eye on you. Just in case.”
Now that her fear had lessened, she took a moment to study him. He wore jeans and a button down black chambray shirt. The gun resting in a holster on his hip and the steel in his grey eyes made for an odd mixture of danger and sex appeal. Chill bumps raced over her skin, and she rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to suppress a shiver.
“I’m sure you won’t object to my calling to confirm your story.” She bent her knees and lowered to retrieve her phone, careful to keep her skirt from hiking up while her gaze remained locked on the intruder.
He inclined his head. “Be my guest.”
She snatched up the phone and rose, then dialed Nathaniel.
“Nathaniel,” she said breathlessly when he answered. “Did you send Mr….” She lifted her brows questioningly at the stranger.
“Cooper,” the man provided. “Chase Cooper.”
Into the phone, she said, “Did you send Mr. Cooper to guard me?”
“Oh God, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I forgot to mention it, didn’t I?” He let out a frustrated sigh. “This campaign has got me going in a thousand different directions. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I received a threatening email, so I sent one of my security guys to stay with you until I get back.”
She closed her eyes, only semi-relieved. Chase Cooper was who he claimed to be, but how the hell was she supposed to live with a complete stranger for an entire week?
“Is it really necessary? I have an alarm system.”
“I’d feel better. Do it for me, please? Give me one less thing to worry about?”
Her heart warmed at the affection in his voice. She missed him. Why couldn’t he be the one here to look out for her? Because, he had a campaign to win. One that had taken up a majority of his time for several months. If she planned to be the wife of a politician, she had to make certain sacrifices. “Sure, yeah. He can stay.”
“Thank you, darling. Love you.”
“Love you.” She hung up and slid the phone back in her purse.
Chase lifted his hands, palms up. “All settled?”
She gave a reluctant nod. “You can put your things in the spare room. It’s down the hall on the left.”
“Already done.”
She didn’t ask how he knew which the spare room was. The man exuded a keen awareness of his surroundings. He likely didn’t miss much. Then, there was the fact that all her things were in her own bedroom. Not many people would miss that piece of evidence.
Moving further into the room, she said. “I’ll go change. I’d planned to make a light dinner for myself. I’ll cook enough for us both.”
“Don’t bother about me. Just pretend I’m not here.”
Easier said than done. His very presence dominated her small living room. She couldn’t pretend he wasn’t here if she lived in a twenty room mansion.
****
Sophie cooked spaghetti and tossed a salad. At her insistence, Chase joined her, and they ate in an uncomfortable silence.
When dinner was over, she said, “I’m going to watch Home Alone. Would you like to watch with me?”
“The movie about the kid whose parents leave him alone at Christmas?”
She nodded. “I usually end up seeing it half a dozen times during the Christmas season.”
“No thanks. I’m not much of a movie watcher. Especially Christmas movies.”
“You don’t like Christmas or just movies about it?”
He pushed away from the table and rose. “I’m not a fan of the holiday.”
“Why not?”
His dark brows drew together in a frown. “Can’t a guy hate a holiday without having a reason?”
She gave him an overly sweet smile. “I suppose so.” Grinch.
Standing, she began stacking plates, but he reached out and took hold of her wrist. His touch elicited a disturbing tingle, and she tugged loose from his hold.
He met her gaze, a small grin playing over his lips, as if he sensed the effect his touch had on her. “I’ll get this. You cooked. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your sappy movie.”
She swallowed, releasing the plates to him. “Thanks.”
An hour later, she was settled in front of the television. Chase wandered around the room, checking locks, studying the alarm pad, periodically moving from one window to the other, peering outside.
She lost track of his movements as the story drew her attention. When it showed the part where Kevin talked to the old man in church, tears clogged her throat, then spilled down her cheeks.
“Are you okay?”
Chase’s deep voice came from over her shoulder where he stood behind the sofa.
She wiped at the tears, embarrassment heating her face. “I always cry at this part.”
“Why do you watch something that makes you cry?”
She twisted to look at him and shrugged. “Because I love the movie. The ending makes it worthwhile.”
“All’s well that ends well, huh? Gotta love those happily ever afters.”
His sarcastic attitude took away her enjoyment of the movie. Pointing the remote at the tv, she clicked the power off and stood.
“I think I’ll turn in now.”
“What time do you go to work in the morning? I’ll take you.”
“Actually, we’re closed until after Christmas.” Thank God. She couldn’t imagine having him show up at work with her, shadowing her every move.
“Oh? What do you do?”
“I work for a printing company. It’s a small operation, family owned. They’re all about the holidays and family time.”
“Works for me. Makes my job easier. I’ll be across the hall. Let me know if you need me.”
****
The next morning after a shower, Sophie wrapped a towel around her body and opened the bathroom door. She glanced up and down the hallway for signs her guest. Seeing none, she headed toward her room.
She’d taken no more than three or four steps when Chase opened his bedroom door. He saw her, then halted, his brows lifting. She tightened her hands around the top of the towel to keep it from slipping.
God. How humiliating. She should have brought a robe, but she was accustomed to being the only one in the house and wasn’t in the habit.
“Sorry.” His voice held no hint of sincerity. “I didn’t know you’d be…less than clothed.”
“I didn’t think you were up yet.”
He nodded. “Apology accepted.”
She wanted to stamp her foot in frustration, but fear of dislodging the towel kept her from it. “I didn’t apologize.”
A slow smile curved his mouth. “Does that mean you’re not sorry?”
She didn’t miss the amusement in his tone. He was toying with her.
His gaze roamed over her body, leaving shivery warmth in its wake. Although she knew she should leave, escape to her bedroom, some unseen force held her rooted in place. Her eyes met his, and an almost tangible burst of electricity passed between them. The sensation was disconcertingly close to desire. Did he feel it too or was her near-nakedness contributing to her wanton thoughts?
Guilt squeezed her heart. How could she react that way to another man? She loved Nathaniel.
But Nathaniel had never looked at her like…like she was a steak he wanted to sink his teeth into. Uninvited, thoughts rose of Chase’s mouth doing other things to her. Irritation sharpened her voice. “Nathaniel hired you to protect me. Not ogle me.”
He chuckled. “Ogle? Did we travel back to 1950 when I wasn’t looking?”
“Excuse me,” she bit out. Stalking past him, she hurried to her bedroom, her skin prickling with the certainty he still stood where he was. Watching her.
She avoided him for most of the day—as much as she could, considering they shared the same too-small house. She busied herself cleaning, catching up on emails, anything to avoid conversation, or a repeat of their uncomfortable encounter that morning.
To prevent being blatantly rude, she invited him to join her for dinner that evening. She cooked chicken and rice, making a mental note to go to the grocery store tomorrow—no doubt accompanied by Chase. She didn’t have enough food in the house for two. She hadn’t planned on entertaining for a week.
He seemed not to share her discomfiture. He tucked into his dinner like he didn’t have a care in the world.
After finishing off a second helping, he leaned back in his chair. “Dinner was great. You’re a good cook.”
“Thank you.” She inwardly glowed at the praise. Nathaniel was seldom in town, and when he was, they usually went out to dinner. It was nice having a man to cook for. Especially one who appreciated it.
“Let me ask you.” He glanced around. “Seeing as you’re such a fan of Christmas, why didn’t you decorate? Put a tree up?”
“I’m waiting for Nathaniel to get home. I don’t want to celebrate until he’s with me.” She smiled. “I can’t wait. It’s one of my favorite parts of the holiday. When we were young, my mother would play Elvis Presley Christmas music while my sister and I helped decorate the tree. There was something so special, so magical about it.”
“Magical? Decorating a symbol of the commercialism of a stressful, hectic holiday is magical?”
She refused to allow his cynicism to get to her. “Surely you have childhood memories about Christmas that warm your heart.”
He pushed back from the table and stood scowling down at her. “What part of I hate Christmas did you not understand?”
She flinched. “Sorry. You brought it up.”
He scraped his hand through his hair. “True. My mistake. Look. I’m here to do a job. Nothing more. If you’re in danger, I’ll protect you, but we don’t have to get all chummy and swap stories, okay?”
“Sure.” Annoyance tightened her jaw. Screw him. She refused to allow this cynical stranger to bother her. Even a little bit.
His head jerked in a nod before he strode from the room.
What an ass. He damn sure didn’t have to worry about her initiating any conversations. She was done with attempts at civility.
She gathered the dishes, trying to focus on thoughts of Nathaniel’s return to sooth her. But the hateful Chase Cooper kept intruding. At least with Nathaniel’s arrival, she’d see the last of him.
Just as she was finishing the dishes, her cell rang.
She smiled when she saw her older sister’s number on the caller ID. “Hey, Kate. How are things in Detroit?”
“Not great.” Her sister’s usual gaiety was absent.
“Has something happened? Are you all right?”
Kate’s sigh came over the line. “I wish I could tell you in person, but I think you need to know now, and I won’t be home for another week.”
“Tell me what?”
“Go to your computer. I’m sending you a link.”
Sophie booted up her laptop and signed onto her email, then clicked on the link Kate sent. It took her to a newspaper article that included a photo of Nathaniel.
Nathaniel kissing another woman.
Chapter 2
The headline read, Senator Nathaniel Bingham Rings in the Holiday with a Ho-Ho-Ho. Where is his Fiancée and is this the Gift she Expected?
Sophie’s mouth opened, but no words came out. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, but when she looked at the screen again, the damning photo was still there. Tears strangled her voice. “Oh my God. He’s cheating.”
“I’m sorry, sis.”
“There has to be some explanation. He loves me.”
“What other explanation?”
She wanted to hang up, to cut off her sister’s voice of reason.
But Kate’s reality became her own as she stared at the photo of her fiancé playing tonsil hockey with a tall, curvy blonde. There was only one explanation.
“That son of a bitch.”
“What are you going to do?”
Sophie laughed, but it caught on a sob. “Dump his ass.”
“Good for you. That slime ball. Stay strong. Don’t change your mind before he gets home.”
“I’m not waiting until he gets home. I’m calling him right now.”
“Seriously? Atta girl. Call me if you need to talk. See you soon.”
Sophie jabbed the buttons on her cell so hard, the tip of her finger hurt. As soon as Nathaniel answered, she said, “I saw the photo.”
For several moments, there was only silence. Then, “I don’t have to ask which one.”
An icy chill surrounded her heart. For a second, she hoped he’d offer a plausible explanation, even though there was none. His response made it all too real. “Did you think I wouldn’t see it?”
“I knew there was a chance you would. I hoped you wouldn’t. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“Didn’t mean for me to see it, or didn’t mean to be a cheating bastard?”
He released a sigh. “Both. I met Trudy and…and it just happened. I fell for her. If it makes any difference, I’m sorry.”
“It doesn’t.” She was annoyed that pain tightened her voice.
He sounded weary and resigned when he spoke again. “I was hoping I could wait and do this when I got back, but that’s obviously not an option now.”
“Do what?” She let out a humorless laugh. “Wait. You’re ending things with me? No way. You don’t get to do that. I was calling you to tell you it’s over. I’m the one ending things with you.”
“Does it even matter who does it?”
It shouldn’t, but it did. She’d been dumped three times in her twenty-five years. Never had she been the one to call things off. She’d examine later what the hell was wrong with her that she couldn’t hold a man’s interest more than a few months. But this time, she would do the dumping.
“It matters, asshole. We’re through.” The words were at the same time liberating and unbearable. “Just out of curiosity, why did you bother to send Chase Cooper to protect me if you care so little for me?”
“I care a great deal for you. No matter what, I don’t want you hurt by some crazed person with a vendetta against me.”
Her mouth twisted with bitterness. “What happens to me from here on out is none of your concern. I’ll send your bodyguard back to you.” She punched the end button, proud that she waited until she disconnected the call to cry.
She tossed her cell phone aside and stared in rapt, masochistic fascination at the computer screen. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from her fiancé—make that ex-fiancé—and the gorgeous bimbo in his arms. But then, she shouldn’t be all that surprised. There was no way she could compete with someone like Trudy. Unremarkable women such as herself—average-looking, auburn hair, blue eyes set a bit too far apart and a frame that often carried a few extra pounds—would always come in second to stunning blondes who looked like they’d stepped off the cover of Vogue.
“You’re crying again. Another movie?”
She jumped, whirling to see Chase standing behind her. Had he heard her phone call with Nathaniel? There was nothing in his expression, or his words, to indicate he had.
She turned her back to him and shook her head. “Please just go. I want to be alone.”
“Must be a doozy. Let me guess. It’s a Wonderful Life?”
With rage bubbling just beneath the surface and no one else to expend it on, she vaulted from her chair and advanced on him. “I’m not watching a movie. You were right, okay? Christmas sucks. The movies, the stupid trees, the music, it all sucks. And, by the way, you’re fired.”
His eyes widened, and he lifted his hands in surrender. “Chill out, okay? You didn’t hire me, so you can’t fire me. I stay on until Nathaniel tells me the job is over.”
She stood directly in front of him, hands on hips. Her chest rose and fell with the intensity of her anger, although why she was angry at him, she had no idea. “Well, Nathaniel’s a two-timing piece of shit, and I’m no longer in danger since I’m no longer his fiancée, so trust me, your job is over.”
His expression softened. “I’m sorry. How did you find out?”
Her eyes flew to his. “You’re not surprised. You knew?”
He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I worked on his security detail before he sent me here. I knew.”
“And you didn’t bother to tell me? To save me the humiliation?”
He smiled with sympathy. How dare he smile at her with sympathy.
“Would it have been less humiliating if a total stranger had told you your fiancé was cheating?”
No, it wouldn’t have been, but that was beside the point. “I expect you to be gone as soon as you can make arrangements. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bottle of wine that needs my attention.” She went to brush past him, and he took hold of her arm, stopping her.
“Drowning your sorrows?”
She looked down at his hand, then back up at him, shaking off his touch. “No, celebrating. After all, it’s the holiday season, right?”
****
The wine bottle wasn’t quite full, so it disappeared quickly. The only other alcohol in the house was half a bottle of vodka.
Note to self, buy more liquor.
Not bothering with a glass—or a jacket—Sophie took the vodka out on the patio and plopped into a chair. Snow drifted down, and she lifted her face, letting the cold drops melt on her skin. She loved snow. When she and Kate were little, they’d build snowmen and her mom would make snow ice cream. She looked at the bottle in her hand. Could one make vodka- flavored snow ice cream? Surely there was some kind of recipe involving vodka and snow. Vodka came from Russia, right? It snowed in Russia all the time.
She giggled and tipped the bottle to her lips, taking a long pull. The liquor burned, and she coughed, then shuddered.
The patio door slid open. She didn’t bother to turn around. She knew who it was.
“What the hell are you doing out here? It’s freezing. You’re not even wearing a coat.”
“I’m coating my insides,” she slurred. “With this.” She lifted the bottle over her head.
Chase came around to stand in front of her. “You switched to vodka. Is that a good idea?”
She stood, intending to explain why it was a perfect idea, but the quick movement made her head spin. She took a deep breath and pressed her hand to her forehead until the dizziness passed.
“Sticking with wine would be a better idea if I hadn’t run out.” She was pleased to note her words were slow, deliberate. Barely slurred at all. “That unfortunate circumstance made switching to vodka an excellent idea.”
“You’re already drunk. And you’re shivering. Here.” He took off his jacket and dropped it over her shoulders, then pulled the edges together under her chin. “Let’s get you inside.”
“Your jacket makes me feel warmer than the vodka did. Wearing it is kind of like when you touch me. I get this hot, tingly feeling.” She shoved her hair out of her face and looked up at him. “Weird, huh?”
He didn’t respond. Half his face was illuminated by the glow through the patio door, the other half in shadows. The rhythm of his breathing changed. She could hear the shift in the quiet of the drifting snow.
“Yeah, weird,” he finally said, his voice a raspy whisper. “Come on. Come inside.”
She let him lead her into the house where she dropped onto the sofa and took another swig of vodka. This one made her shudder, but it didn’t cause her to cough like the last time.
Chase took the bottle from her hand. “You’ve had enough. Maybe you should go to bed. Sleep it off.”
She peered up at him through a blur of tears. “Can you sleep off a broken heart?”
He smiled and reached down to cup her face in his palm. “Time will take care of the pain.”
She resisted the urge to close her eyes and stroke his hand with her cheek like a satisfied cat. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
Pushing unsteadily to her feet, she slid his jacket off and let him lead her to her bedroom. As soon as she reached the doorway, her stomach clenched and nausea hiccupped in her throat. “Oh God,” she whispered.
Chase took hold of her shoulders and turned her toward the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet in time. He squatted next to her and pulled her hair back from her face while she heaved her guts out. In between bouts of vomiting, her cheeks burned with humiliation. She wanted to tell him to go away, but each time she opened her mouth to speak, she got sick again.
When the episodes finally passed, she dropped onto her butt, looking down at the floor so she didn’t have to face him. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him stand. Good. He was going away. Leaving her alone to wallow in her mortification.
She heard water running from the faucet. In moments, he returned and placed a cool, wet wash cloth on her forehead. He took her arm and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“I need to brush my teeth. You’ll have to step out.”
He laughed. “I just watched you puke for half an hour, but you don’t want me in here while you brush your teeth?”
It didn’t make sense, even to her. But for some reason, the action seemed a little too…familiar. “Please.”
“Okay. Sure.”
He stepped outside the door. When she was done, she came out of the bathroom and let him guide her to her room. She took off her shoes, but remained fully clothed and climbed into bed.
Chase pulled the blankets up to her chin. “Goodnight. Get some rest.”
“Thanks, Chase. I’m glad you’re here.”
He chuckled and brushed the hair back from her face. “Drinking makes you a lot nicer.”
She might have said something in return, but she couldn’t be sure because, in moments, she was asleep.
****
Oh God, just let me die. Sophie winked her eyes open and quickly closed them. The room spun, so she opened them again, groaning in misery.
Was she still drunk? Her stomach roiled, and shards of pain pierced her skull. She’d had hangovers before, but this was the mother of all hangovers.
The door eased back. Chase stepped inside, holding a glass.
The memories of last night came rushing back, and her cheeks heated. He must be disgusted. Annoyed, appalled, and ready to get the hell away from her. Yet here he was.
He sauntered over and eased down on the edge of her bed. “Here, this should make you feel better.”
Warily, she eyed the reddish orange milky concoction he thrust toward her.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a makeshift hangover cure. You didn’t have everything I needed, so I had to improvise.”
“What’s in it?”
“A lot of stuff that’s good for you. Just drink it.”
She took the glass and brought it to her lips. The first sip made her gag. “Ugh. I can’t drink that. It tastes like fruity vitaminy milk.”
“Something like that. Quit being a baby and drink it. Trust me. It’ll help.”
Because she would have drunk pure gasoline if she thought it would help, she obeyed.
She emptied the glass and, surprisingly, felt marginally better almost immediately.
“Where did you learn to make that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Picked it up somewhere. I also heard that taking a shower and alternating between cold and hot water helps.” A wicked grin curved his mouth. “I’ll volunteer to man the faucets.”
She managed a smile. “I think I can handle that one my own, but thanks for the offer.”
“Any time. I’ve made you breakfast. It’s a good idea to get something solid in your stomach. You feel up to going to the kitchen, or you want me to serve you breakfast in bed?”
She frowned in confusion. “Why are you being nice to me?”
He grinned. “I figure after what you’ve been through, you need someone to be nice to you. Even if it comes from an ogling, Christmas hating Grinch.”
His words coaxed another smile from her. “Look, I’ll make sure Nathaniel gives you your full pay, but I really don’t need a bodyguard—babysitter—any longer. I just want to be alone.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be. Not just yet. Is there someone I can call for you? I get why you don’t want me hanging around. A stranger isn’t much comfort at a time like this.”
She thought of his tenderness, the way he’d taken care of her last night. Crazy as it sounded, being with him didn’t feel like being with a stranger. But it was time for him to go. Before she did something stupid, like mistook his caring for real feelings, and made even more of a fool of herself.
“I can call my friend, Rayna. She’ll keep me company.”
He stood and took the glass from her. “Good. I’ll pack. Eat your breakfast, then call her. I’ll wait until she gets here to leave.”
She ignored the pang in her heart at the thought of never seeing him again. Totally irrational. In spite of his not feeling like a stranger, that’s exactly what he was. “You’ve got a good heart, Grinch.”
“You think so? I’ve been told it’s two sizes too small.”
Beneath the nonchalant smile and flip words, she detected pain. He’d been hurt too.
When he opened the door to leave, the aroma of bacon wafted in, making her stomach grumble. She hadn’t noticed before. Probably because she was too focused on her hangover…and Chase. But now she was starving. She quickly showered, then dressed in sweat pants and a tee shirt.
In the kitchen, she found scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast on the stove. She smiled. Who’d have thought Chase had a domestic side. She ate as much of the breakfast as she could force down, then dialed Rayna. Chase obviously wouldn’t be satisfied that his duties were over until she had company.
“Hey,” she said when Rayna answered. “If you’re not doing anything, can you come over? I could use a friend.”
“I’m sorry, sweets. I’m in Tulsa. I can come over tomorrow when I’m back in town. What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here. Too much to go into over the phone.”
“Okay, see you soon. Merry Christmas.”
Bah freakin’ humbug.
“Merry Christmas to you.”
Chapter 3
Chase insisted on staying until Rayna arrived. Sophie felt bad about imposing, but in spite of her telling Nathaniel she’d send his bodyguard back, he hadn’t called to officially release Chase from his duties. At least he would be paid for his time.
Later that evening, Sophie pulled back the patio curtains so she could enjoy the snow that had been falling steadily all day. A few inches had already accumulated, and the weather reports indicated a few more were expected by morning. The perfect setting for a perfect Christmas…or would have been if her jackass ex hadn’t totally ruined it for her.
She missed Kate. Missed her mother. She’d never known her father. He died when she was an infant. Her mom had moved to Florida so they only saw her every couple of years. Kate wouldn’t be home until the day after Christmas. Like this holiday didn’t already suck enough.
Sophie felt rather than heard Chase walk up behind her. That special tingly warmth she’d come to associate with him trickled over her skin.
“Sorry your friend can’t make it until tomorrow.”
She looked at his reflection in the frosted glass. “I’m sorry too.”
He settled his hands on her shoulders, and she tensed against the yearning that slithered through her.
“Is it so terrible that I’ll be here one more night?”
His husky voice vibrated through her system. She was tempted to lean into his touch. Only a few short inches separated her from his warm, strong body.
She shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Maybe it should be. But for some reason, it’s not.”
His breath caught. She wasn’t sure if he’d applied pressure to turn her around, or if she’d done so on her own, but suddenly she was looking up into eyes that were now a stormy grey.
He tilted his head forward, and she raised her face to accept his kiss. His mouth was gentle as he coaxed her lips apart and slipped his tongue inside. She moaned and linked her hands behind his neck.
He moved his hands down to her hips, tugged her tightly against his body, pressing forward until she was against the cool glass of the patio door. Breaking the kiss, he trailed his lips down the sensitive flesh of her neck. A shiver of delight skittered over her flesh.
“Wow,” she murmured. “How did this happen?”
“I’m not sure,” he growled against her skin. “Maybe I’m the rebound guy.”
She cupped his face in her hands and lifted until he was looking at her. “Are you okay with that?”
He quirked a grin. “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Some emotion came and went in his eyes so quickly she couldn’t identify it. Then his lips were back on hers and she no longer cared…no longer thought about anything except the delicious sensation of his mouth moving over hers, then down to her throat, her breasts…his hands shoving her tee shirt up, his fingers scorching heat along the skin of her lower back.
He pulled her with him, and they stumbled through the living room, not releasing contact, but still managing to shed their clothes.
In her bedroom, he pushed her gently onto the mattress. A brief flash of Nathaniel’s face popped into her mind, but Chase’s touch soon erased it. All coherent thought fled until there was only this moment, only the two of them locked together as snow fell against the darkened windows in a world gone silent, other than the sounds of harsh breathing and moans of pleasure as she gave herself completely to a man she’d only met a few days ago, but seemed to have known a lifetime.
****
Sophie thought she’d wake up filled with regret, but when she opened her eyes to find Chase’s handsome face on the pillow next to hers, relaxed in sleep, the only thing she felt was contentment.
Easing out of bed, she threw a robe on and went into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. While it brewed, she picked up their scattered clothing, a grin curving her lips as she recalled the haste in which they’d shed them. When she picked up Chase’s pants, his wallet fell out, the contents spilling to the floor.
A yellowed square of paper caught her attention. She unfolded it to reveal a newspaper article. The headline read, Christmas Eve Murder-Suicide Leaves Ten-Year-Old Boy Parentless. Sickness coiled in her stomach. The article didn’t mention the boy’s name, but that wasn’t hard to figure out. The parents’ last name was Cooper. The father shot his wife before taking his own life next to the Christmas tree. The boy had found them on Christmas morning.
“Oh, God,” she choked out.
“What the hell are you doing?”
She jumped at the sound of Chase’s voice, dropping the newspaper clipping. He stood scowling at her, wearing black sweatpants he must have grabbed from his room. His bare chest heaved with angry breaths.
“I—I’m sorry. It fell out of your wallet.” She was horrified, sickened, broken-hearted just from reading the article. She couldn’t imagine how Chase must have felt. He’d lived it.
“You had no right.” His voice was deadly quiet. He glared at her, his steely gaze filled with venom.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—“
A snarl twisted his lips. “Now you know. Poor, tragic Chase Cooper. I guess that little romp was a way to erase both our holiday blues for a few minutes. Thanks for that.” He bent and snatched his clothing from the floor. “I’ll stay out of your way until your friend gets here.”
“Chase. I—“
“Save it. The Grinch and Mary Poppins make a bad match anyway.”
The ache that filled her heart now was different from when she learned Nathaniel cheated. It was deeper. And didn’t feel like it would go away any time soon.
How had she come to care so much for someone she barely knew? Maybe it was because, in spite of his gruff, tough guy exterior, he’d shown her a gentleness that Nathaniel seemed incapable of. Was it possible she hadn’t truly loved Nathaniel?
A thought occurred that she quickly shoved away. A small snort escaped. No way in hell had she fallen in love with Chase. It wasn’t possible. And it damn sure wasn’t smart.
No words were exchanged between them for the next few hours as they waited for Rayna. When she arrived, Chase politely introduced himself, then left without saying goodbye. The sound of the door closing echoed through Sophie’s aching heart. That was it. No more Chase. She’d never see him again. Why did the thought hurt so much?
“Who was that?” Rayna asked. “What’s going on?”
Sophie filled her in over coffee and poured out her misery.
“God.” Rayna shook her head. “You’ve had a rough week.”
Sophie let out a shaky laugh. “You might say that. Listen, you don’t have to stay with me. Chase didn’t want me to be alone, but I’m fine. I’m sure you have holiday plans.”
“Nothing until Christmas day. I’ll hang here until then. We haven’t had a slumber party in years.”
Sophie nodded, secretly grateful for her friend’s company. The only thing that could make the days leading up to Christmas more miserable would be if she spent them alone.
Over the next few days, they ordered in pizza and Chinese food, watched movies, and talked about old times. Rayna thought decorating would lift Sophie’s spirits, and she offered to help, but Sophie declined. Her heart just wasn’t in it.
By Christmas Eve morning, Sophie was going stir crazy. “How about we get out of the house?”
“Sure. What do you have in mind?”
“I don’t know. Shopping. Driving around looking at Christmas decorations. Anything. I’ve been cooped up inside for days.”
Rayna’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Cooped up with Cooper doesn’t sound all that bad.”
Sophie groaned. “How about if we don’t talk about him? About either him?”
“Deal. Let’s go shop away your blues.”
The idea was a horrible one. Rather than cheering her up, the symbols of what had once been her favorite holiday only made her sink deeper into sadness.
On the car ride home, Sophie said, “Sorry I’m so pathetic. I promise I’m not going to turn into some maudlin creature pining for my lost love.”
Rayna glanced at her and lifted her brows. “Which love would you be pining for?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen the way your face changes when you talk about Chase. I’ve never seen that look when you talked about Nathaniel, not even when you were with Nathaniel.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I hardly even know him.” But it certainly didn’t feel that way. It felt as though she’d lost something vital to the very air she breathed. She inhaled deeply and released a heavy sigh. She’d better get used to it. Chase was gone. For good. She forced a smile for her friend. “I promise I’ll be good as new for the new year. I just need to get through what’s suddenly become a depressing holiday.”
“The asshole who stole Christmas.”
Sophie laughed, a rusty sound that hurt her heart.
They pulled into Sophie’s driveway at six o’clock on Christmas Eve. The houses in the neighborhood were lit with colorful lights, save one. Hers stood dark and dismal. A fitting companion for her state of mind.
“Want me to come in?” Rayna offered.
“No, thanks. Your family is waiting for you.”
“You could come stay with me and join us for Christmas dinner.”
“I don’t think so. I appreciate the offer, though.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”
“I haven’t been alone in weeks. I think maybe I need to be.” She grimaced. “If only to exorcise the demons.”
Rayna leaned over the console and hugged her tightly. “I’m here if you need me.”
“I know. Thanks.”
When Sophie stepped onto the porch, the sound of music reached her ears. Her gaze swept the adjoining yards. Nothing. Was it coming from inside her house? How could that be?
She turned her key in the lock and pushed the door open. She halted, sucking in a breath.
A brightly decorated tree stood in front of the patio door. Red ribbons and gold bells were strung across her living room, and a Poinsettia sat on each of her end tables. “Blue Christmas” by Elvis played on the stereo. Chase rose from where he sat on the sofa.
A knot lodged in her throat when he walked slowly toward her, stopping just inches away. His expression held a hint of hope and uncertainty.
“Too much?” he asked. “It’s the poinsettias, right? I knew that was too much.”
She shook her head. “Oh my God. What have you done?”
His eyes searched hers, the intensity in his gaze stealing her breath. He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry for being such an ass. Nathaniel took Christmas away from you. I’m giving it back.”
She swallowed and shook her head again, unable to believe this was real. That he was here. “But…you hate Christmas.”
“I always did.” His voice was low, husky. “But that was before I met you. After I left, I went to a hotel. I didn’t have the energy or desire to book a flight back to L.A. There was no way I would work for Nathaniel again. Speaking of which. He called. The guy who sent the email was his mistresses’ ex. They have him in custody.”
“That’s a relief,” she said, although a small part of her wished the ex had at least had the opportunity to punch Nathaniel’s cheating face in.
Chase took her hand, circling his thumb on the skin along her inner wrist. Heat moved through her veins.
“I tried to stay away, but everywhere I looked, the world seemed to be spewing Christmas. It occurred to me that now it made me think of you. And that just felt…right.”
“You did all this. For me?” She shook her head and looked around. “And you did it really fast.”
He grinned. “I was a man on a mission. I didn’t know your favorite Elvis Christmas song, but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with “Blue Christmas,” right?”
“Never.” She was barely able to breathe out the word. Her head swam. Chase…the decorations…his words, all felt like a dream…a crazy, wonderful, impossible dream.
“Say you’ll give us a chance and my Christmases will never be blue again.”
She choked out a tearful laugh. “That might be one of the cheesiest lines of all time.”
“Yeah, but did it work?”
“Oh, it worked, Mr. Grinch. It worked just fine.”
His cupped her face between his palms. “Merry Christmas,” he whispered, then lowered his head to claim her mouth in a kiss that melted her bones and wiped away the last remnants of her holiday gloom.
It is a well-known fact that Elvis Presley loved females, and of course, females most definitely loved him. He had many, many women in his life over the years, but only a few long-term relationships. In the years before he went into the army, he had a handful of girlfriends, the most serious of them being Anita Wood. It is rumored that Gladys, Elvis’ mother, wanted him to marry Anita, but their relationship fizzled about the time he met Priscilla.
Elvis and Ann Margaret dated and they had a special bond. She claims he was her soul mate. Some people close to Elvis say that he truly loved her. I’m not sure what happened between them, but she loved him always and attended his funeral. I think they made a beautiful couple.
Priscilla – He met the girl who would be the only woman he ever took as a wife in Germany when she was fourteen. There has been a lot of criticism and slander toward Elvis about his interest in such a young girl, but Priscilla was very mature for her age, and Elvis was lonely in the army. (And it should be noted, he was only ten years older than her, not a huge disparity) When he met her, he felt an immediate connection. They spent hours and hours talking. They were chaperoned when they were together, and even though she eventually came to live at Graceland, from her own account, Elvis wanted to wait until they were married, and they did not have sex with her until their wedding night. (Lisa Marie was born 9 months to the day after they married) And, although Suzanne Finstad wrote a book titled ‘Child Bride – The Untold Story,’ Priscilla was actually a few weeks shy of twenty-two when they married, which is far from a child. (Ms. Finstad probably needs to brush up on her math skills.) (I haven’t read the book, and I don’t intend to. I have heard that it is filled with vile accusations and her version of the events is in direct opposition of Priscilla’s. I actually don’t read any books about Elvis, they usually just piss me off and I don’t know whether to believe anything in them. But then, that’s a topic for another blog. J) Elvis and Priscilla split in 1972 and divorced in 1973. From her account, they remained close until the day he died. My feelings about Priscilla have waffled from dislike to admiration over the years and have now settled somewhere in between. As a young girl, I was very jealous of her (well, I’m still jealous of her, if I’m being honest). I was also infuriated that she had an affair with Mike Stone, her karate instructor, while married to Elvis. Yes, I have heard that Elvis had affairs, but when you are Elvis Presley and you can have literally any woman in the world, it must be difficult to remain faithful. (I know I’m going to be lambasted for excusing his infidelity, but seriously, can you imagine what it would be like to know you could have sex with anyone in the world you wanted to? That must be a pretty powerful temptation). Anyway, I finally grew to appreciate Priscilla for what she’s done with Graceland and keeping Elvis’ memory alive and treating his legacy with respect. I understand she has said some pretty uncomplimentary things about him in the past, but now she has nothing but good to say about him.
Linda Thompson – I have decided that Linda is my favorite of all of Elvis’ women. I believe that she truly, deeply loved him. They were together for about four years, and I think Elvis loved her very much and that he counted on her for moral support. Linda took good care of Elvis and she herself has said she feels somewhat guilty because if she had stayed, Elvis might still be alive. She said Elvis was the love of her life, but he was unfaithful, and also, she couldn’t live the vampire lifestyle any longer. Her brother was one of Elvis’ bodyguards, and after Elvis and Linda broke up, he asked her if it would bother her if he stayed in Elvis’ employ. She said no, it would make her feel better to know he was there looking out for him. Eight months after Linda left, Elvis passed away. Linda learned of Elvis’ death from Lisa Marie, who was only 9. She called Linda and told her that her daddy was dead. Linda asked if she was sure he wasn’t just sick, that he didn’t just go to the hospital. Lisa said no, he’s dead. Linda was devastated. Something I only recently learned was that Linda was a song writer. She co-wrote ‘I Have Nothing’ by Whitney Houston, which is probably my favorite Whitney song. I wonder why she never wrote a song for Elvis? She didn’t start writing until much later, but I assume she always had the talent and desire. I also recently learned that she is Brody Jenner’s mother. I had forgotten about her being married to Bruce Jenner. So strange to think that the Kardashians have a link, even a remote one, to Elvis.
How many of you remember her on Hee Haw? 🙂 I thought it an odd setting for a former girlfriend of Elvis.
Ginger Alden – I am not sure what to think about Ginger. I have heard some less than favorable things about her. She was the one to find Elvis the morning he died and, from what I heard, instead of calling for an ambulance, she dressed and put on make-up, because she knew she’d be seen by the press. Then she called downstairs. There are different stories of who came upstairs and called for an ambulance, Joe Esposito claims he was the one who did, but regardless, by then it was too late. Ginger only recently came out with her own book. On one hand, I have to respect that she waited all this time to cash in on Elvis’ name, but on the other, from what I understand, some of the things she said were self-serving and untrue. Her family sued the Presley estate after Elvis’ death, because she claimed that Elvis promised to pay off her mother’s house, but he died before he could. She wanted the house paid off and money from the estate. The Aldens lost the case.
Almost unanimously, the women who worked with Elvis, knew him, or dated him say that he was very kind and respectful. I sometimes wonder how Elvis’ choices regarding his relationships would have affected the course of his life. If he’d gotten with Ann Margaret instead of Priscilla, would his acting career have been different? Would he have lived longer? Of course, he wouldn’t have had Lisa, but perhaps other children? What do you think?
(Coming January 8, 2015, now available for pre-order through Amazon, End of Lonely Street – A Vintage Romance short story from The Wild Rose Press – Pre-Order ebook for Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00QQO3BK0)
Blurb:
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
I’m sure by now, most everyone has heard of The Million Dollar Quartet, if only because of the theater production (Which is coming to Oklahoma City and, while I’m not into theater, I plan to attend). In case you are not familiar, on December 4, 1956, four up and coming singers, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, ended up at Sun Records at the same time. Carl Perkins was somewhat successful because of Blue Suede Shoes, and Elvis had recently burst onto the music scene and was starting to see some success. But who could have predicted that all four of these entertainers would go on to become legendary? Elvis had already left Sun for RCA, but he dropped by to visit during a Carl Perkins recording session. An impromptu jam session ensued, and the engineer decided to record it. Sam Phillips called in a newspaper photographer, who snapped the now famous photo. Although, in reality, the original photo (below) is not the one that most people are familiar with. The woman in the picture is Marilyn Evans, a Las Vegas showgirl who was Elvis’ girlfriend at the time. She was cropped out of the photo, but you can hear her voice in some of the recordings. In the musical, she is represented as Dyanne who sings on some of the sessions, but Marilyn did not actually sing.
Below are some songs from the session. Listening to it gives me chills. Hearing these young, phenomenally talented guys casually playing and singing together is an exceptional treat. I love that they mostly sang gospel songs. There was some speculation as to why Elvis and Jerry Lee were heard more predominantly on the gospel songs, and George Klein, Elvis’ lifelong friend said that Jerry Lee told him it was because Elvis and Jerry Lee were raised in Assembly of God and Carl and Johnny were Baptist boys, so they didn’t know all the words.
The recordings were not released until twenty-five years later. Isn’t it incredible what has developed from that seemingly casual, innocuous event of four guys, who coincidentally wound up in the same place at the same time, just hanging out and doing what they love?
(Coming January 8, 2015, and available for pre-order soon, End of Lonely Street – A Vintage Romance short story from The Wild Rose Press)
Blurb:
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Elvis’ appeal spans many, many generations. No other entertainer has such lasting popularity, or popularity with such a wide range of fans, from all ages, to all countries, etc. When visiting Graceland, I have seen fans ranging from the infant to the elderly. Sure, in some cases, parents drag their children along and the child might not know or care about Elvis. But, a great deal of them really know who he is, really love his music. You can expose your children to all sorts of things, but as parents, we all know that not all of those things stick. My three kids grew up exposed to Elvis, but they each have different levels of interest in him. They all respect and appreciate his talent, but not all of them share an equal love of his music, movies, etc. (I can’t say who loves him most, because I get in trouble when I do J) The last time we were at Graceland, we stayed at The Heartbreak Hotel and there was a youth group staying there as well. Pre-teens and barely teens were wearing Elvis shirts and taking pics of one another next to the Elvis photos hanging in the hallways. On the Graceland tour, I saw many of the young people moved to tears.
My precious niece, Amanda, adores Elvis, and she is exposing her children to him as well. My great-nephew, Blake is only five months old, so it’s too soon to know if he’ll be a true Elvis fan, but here is a pic of him at Halloween. How cute is this?
His sister, my great-niece Reagan, is five years old, and she is a true blue Elvis fan. It’s so adorable how much she loves him. Recently, her mother introduced her to his movies and they had a mini-marathon. I’m anxious to hear how that turned out. (they live out of town and we don’t see one another as often as I would like) Here is a pic of her in front of the television while Follow That Dream played.
Yesterday, for Thanksgiving, we sprang my mother from the nursing home for the day. Oddly, the topic of Elvis came up, and she, at 78 and with Dementia, went on and on about how sexy he was. LOL.
Here is a pic from last year when I took my children and my niece (my other niece, Madison) to Graceland. I’ve shared the pic before, but I thought I’d share again, since it’s so fitting to the topic. 🙂
Really, it’s not all that surprising that his legacy has stood the test of time and ages. I mean, just look at him.
Author Alicia Dean 