“The divorce papers Jennifer handed me when I told her that I wasn’t going to reenlist don’t exactly support that theory.”
Carter hadn’t meant to say that, either. What was wrong with him? He never talked about his ex-wife or the past.
“Why did you leave the Navy?”
“I wasn’t going to be like my dad and choose my career over family. It was too late, though. I practically begged Jennifer to give our marriage another chance, but she’d already made up her mind.” Even after three years, the sound of Jennifer’s laughter when Carter had suggested they see a counselor still echoed in his memory. “She’d found someone else. Told me to stick to what I was good at because it certainly wasn’t relationships.”
“You gave up a career you loved for your family. You were willing to do whatever it took to save your marriage, and your ex-wife walked away from her husband and child. I’m not a detective, Carter, but it appears to me that she was the one who wasn’t good at relationships.”
A part of Carter wanted to absorb that as truth, but his own father had left without a backward glance when Carter wasn’t much older than Bea. Didn’t that make him the common denominator in both situations?
“Ask me about policy and procedures and protocol, and it’s all good. But Bea...” Carter’s throat tightened. “She’s...amazing. She deserved so much more and got stuck with me.”
“Bea doesn’t see it that way. She loves your mom but she needs you, too. And she doesn’t care what’s under the Christmas tree. All the things Bea wrote down in her book aren’t really things at all. She wants time with the people she loves. She wants...”
“Wants?” Carter prompted when Ellery suddenly ran out of steam.
“Her daddy to smile more.”
If Carter had been questioning whether his heart was in working order anymore, he got his answer. Because Ellery’s words hit their target dead center.
“I smile.”
“No.” Ellery contradicted him. Again. “You really don’t. Your lips...” Her gaze dropped for a moment and bounced back up. She cleared her throat. “They twitch a little at the corners, but that’s about it.”
“Twitch?”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Ellery added quickly. “It’s very, um, attractive. The twitch. But you need to practice a little more.”
“I need to practice. Smiling.”
“Uh-huh. It’s like you’re holding back in that area, too. It’s not always about control. Sometimes you have to...let go.”
Carter decided to take her advice. He took a step closer.
Ellery’s startled expression and the surge of color in her cheeks brought a smile to Carter’s lips. He gave it free rein.
“Like this?”
“That’s...good.” Ellery began to back up, and Carter caught her hand before she made contact with a rusty nail protruding from the wall.
“Your ears are already pierced, so...”
Ellery laughed, the sound low and sweet, and Carter threaded his fingers through hers, locking them together.
Her hands were delicate. Her skin as soft as satin.
Carter’s mind made the leap on its own, wondering if her lips were, too.
He couldn’t stop himself from drawing Ellery deeper into the circle of his arms any more than he could have stopped his next breath. Surprise flared in Ellery’s eyes and then Carter saw something else take its place. Something that made him forget all about the past.
“Ellery...”
The snap of a car door jolted them apart. Jolted Carter back to reality.
“Guests?” Ellery asked.
Carter looked out the window and sighed.
More like trouble.
* * *
Ellery’s heart, still in recovery mode, took another roller-coaster dive when she looked outside and saw the black pickup truck with the Castle Falls logo painted on the side.
The driver’s-side door swung open and Aiden hopped down from the cab. He jogged around the hood to the passenger side of the vehicle and extended a hand to Sunni Mason, guiding her safely to the ground.
Lord? I’m not sure I can take much more.
Carter muttered something under his breath as he strode toward the door.
Ellery contemplated staying in the barn, but if Aiden and Sunni had returned to check on Sugar, she’d end up trapped in polite conversation, pretending everything was fine.
And pretending was beginning to extract a heavy price.
She followed Carter out of the barn just in time to see Liam’s lean frame unfold from the back seat.
Ellery wasn’t sure if it was the aftershock from being in Carter’s arms or seeing two of her brothers again that was responsible for the sudden wobble in her step.
At least Carter didn’t notice and reach out to steady her this time. Which was probably a good thing because Sunni Mason had already drawn her own conclusion about them the night they’d visited her booth at the carnival.
A conclusion that had seemed far beyond the realm of possibility at the time.
But now...
Ellery hoped the woman would attribute the burst of color in her cheeks to the snow swirling in the air.
“Mom wanted me to call and give you a heads-up we were on our way over,” Aiden said cheerfully. “But I knew you wouldn’t answer the phone, so here we are.” He punctuated the statement with an affectionate thump to Carter’s back.
The few times Carter had talked about Ellery’s brothers, he’d made it seem as if their relationship was more professional than personal. Her brothers obviously viewed things differently.
Bea dashed over to greet their visitors and Aiden swept her off the ground. “Hey, Goldilocks.”
Carter frowned when Aiden set Bea on the ledge of his broad shoulder. “Didn’t you break that arm?”
“What did I tell you?” Aiden tossed a grin at Liam. “He really does care.”
But Liam wasn’t paying any attention to Aiden. He was looking at her.
“Ellery. It’s nice to see you again.”
The friendly greeting belied the sudden intensity of his gaze, and Ellery suddenly wanted to bolt for the safety of the inn.
What exactly did Liam see? The smudges of indigo blue in the palette of Ellery’s eyes that were a perfect match to his? The similarities in features carved from the same genetic tree?
Or were there traces of their biological mother in Ellery’s smile? The way she wore her hair?
“Liam.” Ellery dipped her head and zipped up her coat another two inches in order to avoid his gaze.
Her emotions simmered too close to the surface to deal with this unexpected visit from her brothers, but Ellery knew she’d only draw more attention if she gave in to the urge to flee.
She pressed out a smile for Aiden and Sunni. “Did you come out to check on Sugar again?”
“Not this time.” Sunni held up a large plastic container. “I heard Karen was under the weather, so I brought her some of my homemade chicken noodle soup.”
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.” Carter reached for the soup, but Sunni didn’t relinquish possession.
“I’ll find my way to the kitchen, drop this off and then pop in and say a quick hello to Karen.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Carter frowned. “You don’t want to expose yourself to anything contagious.” Aiden looped his arm around Sunni’s shoulders. “Mom never gets sick.”
Mom.
Ellery didn’t know how Sunni Mason had come to adopt her brothers, but like Candace Marshall, it was a choice she’d made out of love. And watching how Aiden treated Sunni, it was clear that love was returned.
Gratitude that her brothers had formed such a strong bond with the woman who’d adopted them was overshadowed by another question that rolled through Ellery’s mind.
Why hadn’t her parents adopted them, too?
Sunni’s warm laugh brought Ellery back to reality.
“I texted Karen before we got here and asked permission,” the woman told Carter, not the least bit intimidated by his frown. “I promise I won’t stay long!”
Carter gave in with a reluctant nod and opened the door. Light spilled from the inn and cast a mother-of-pearl glow on the shadows and the snow.
“We gave Sugar a bedtime snack,” Bea announced from her perch on Aiden’s shoulder. “And Miss El’ry cleaned up her mess.”
“Is that so?” Aiden aimed his signature grin in Ellery’s direction as he set Bea down on the ground again. “I’d say our timing was perfect, then.”
Chapter Seventeen
Aiden’s teasing comment triggered a flashback and it took all of Carter’s self-control to push aside the image of Ellery’s face from when he’d drawn her into his arms.
Perfect timing?
Or the absolute worst?
The jury was still out as far as Carter was concerned.
“I’m glad Sugar has a comfortable stall because it’s getting pretty nippy out here, isn’t it, Liam?” Aiden said.
“Nippy,” Liam agreed.
Carter was about to suggest the cab of their truck was still warm but with Karen indisposed, he was in charge of hospitality.
“Do you want to come inside, too?”
“That would be great.” Liam speared his hands in his front pockets, a casual gesture that immediately roused Carter’s suspicions. “There’s something Aiden and I wanted to discuss with you.”
“And it would probably be best if you were sitting down,” Aiden added.
Now he knew why Sunni hadn’t come alone. But Carter had no one to blame but himself. He’d walked right into their trap.
Everyone filed into the lobby and Carter got the impression Ellery would have continued walking and headed right up the stairs if Aiden hadn’t stepped in front of her.
“You should stay, Ellery. We might need a mediator.”
Carter expected Ellery to succumb to the youngest Kane’s charm like every other female within a hundred-mile radius, but he couldn’t help but feel a perverse stab of pleasure when she looked hesitant.
Looked at him.
“I don’t mind if you don’t.” Carter bent down and helped Bea take off her coat and boots. “Go play in the family room for a few minutes, okay, Izzybea?”
“Is this a growned-up talk?”
“It appears that way.”
“Okay.” Bea’s sigh reflected her feelings on the matter before she trudged away.
The gathering room was vacant, so Carter motioned them inside. Liam and Aiden claimed the chairs by the coffee table and Ellery took a position near the fireplace. Aiden’s teasing comment about Carter needing a chair was the reason he chose not to sit down.
“If this is about Tim and Justin Wagner, I won’t say I told you so,” Carter said.
Aiden and Liam exchanged a glance.
“It isn’t...and I think you just did,” Liam said drily. “Pastor Seth said he got a voice mail from you this afternoon, canceling the live nativity.”
Carter nodded. No surprise the news had gotten out already. “Mom and I talked about it this morning and under the circumstances, the best thing to do is move it to a different location.”
“Except there isn’t one,” Aiden said, his expression turning serious for once.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t your church always hosted the live nativity in the past?”
“Yes.” It was Liam who answered the question. “Some of the men converted an old lean-to behind the church into a stable about five years ago. But the number of people attending every year continues to grow, and you know how unpredictable the weather can be around Christmas for outdoor activities.
“If it was a church event, we could let the congregation know there’s been a last-minute change or cancellation, but the Evergreen’s address has been featured on every poster, community calendar and radio spot for weeks. It would be impossible to let everyone know about a last-minute change in venue.”
“People look forward to the live nativity every year.” Aiden leaned forward, braced his hands on his knees. “It’s more than an event. It’s a reminder that the best gift came from heaven.”
The sincerity in his tone was unmistakable but Carter couldn’t ignore the facts.
“I understand your dilemma,” he said. “Here’s mine. I’m keeping an eye on the inn and Bea started Christmas vacation this morning. With my mom out of commission, I can’t devote any time to setting up the barn.” Carter shot Aiden a pointed look. “Not to mention it’s already occupied.”
“Sugar is on the pro side of the list.” Aiden grinned. “You already have one of the animals. Liam is in charge of setup and will show off his mad carpentry skills. You won’t have to do a thing.”
“Liam as in Liam Kane?” Carter lifted a brow. “The guy who’s getting married on Christmas Eve? The day after the live nativity?”
“Yup.” The groom-to-be got that goofy lovesick look on his face again. “I have Anna’s blessing. Cassie and Chloe are part of the angel choir and they’ve been practicing their song for weeks.”
“Brendan offered to pitch in, too,” Aiden added, as if having another Kane involved ranked on the “pro” side, too. “And if you need help around the inn, just say the word.”
“Help with what?”
“Anything.” Aiden rolled his eyes at Liam. “You wouldn’t think we’d have to explain this to a former Navy SEAL. Think of us as part of your unit. We have your back, bro.”
Carter should have sat down. Because the matter-of-fact statement almost took him out at the knees.
His unit?
He thought he’d kept a professional distance since Aiden’s accident but apparently—and Carter didn’t know how, where, or when—the Kane brothers had decided he was a friend.
A fragment of his conversation with Ellery shifted in Carter’s memory.
You keep everyone at a distance.
For Carter, maintaining boundaries with people in the community fell into the same category as putting on his bulletproof vest. It was the smart thing to do. People inevitably bent or broke the rules, and if that person was a friend, issuing a ticket or a warrant for an arrest was difficult.
So was responding to the scene of an accident and performing chest compressions on the buddy you’d gone fishing with the day before.
“It’s not just the barn.” Carter sensed he was losing the battle, but he couldn’t go down without one last fight. “From what I understand, Mom was going to provide refreshments for everyone and she’s pretty picky about what comes out of her kitchen.”
Carter hadn’t expected them to cave, but he hadn’t expected the brothers to exchange a triumphant fist-bump, either.
“That’s where Ellery comes in,” Liam said.
“Ellery?” Her name came out a little louder than Carter intended.
“She’s your secret weapon.” Aiden rubbed his hand against his stomach. “Maddie might have dropped off some leftovers from that tea thingy today.”
Carter’s gaze shifted to Ellery, too. She didn’t look like a secret weapon at the moment. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an eighteen-wheeler.
“You’re forgetting something important. Ellery doesn’t work here. She’s a guest.”
Ellery caught her lip between her teeth in a gesture that was becoming as familiar to Carter as her smile.
“That’s...not complet
ely accurate.”
“What isn’t completely accurate?”
“Your mom hired me to take her place in the kitchen until she’s back on her feet.”
* * *
Hired.
Ellery still wasn’t sure who’d been more shocked by her announcement, her or Carter. Because the word kind of implied she’d already made up her mind and accepted Karen’s offer.
You said you’d think about it. What were you thinking?
Ellery grabbed the chef’s knife and took out her frustration on an unsuspecting tomato before tossing it into the salad bowl.
She’d taken refuge in the kitchen after Sunni and her brothers left, but the simple act of preparing a meal didn’t clear her head. A half an hour later, Ellery’s thoughts were still spinning.
The bleat of the kitchen timer and the buzz of her cell formed a duet that made Ellery wish she were Bea’s age again. At least then she could press her hands against her ears and squeeze her eyes shut to avoid a “growned-up” talk.
Ellery should have known Jameson wouldn’t be satisfied with the brief voice mail she’d left on his phone.
“Hi, Jameson.”
“What is going on, Ellery? I thought you’d be home by now.”
Ellery pinched the phone between her ear and her shoulder and pulled the pizza stone from the oven. “Karen is still sick, Jameson. What else could I do?”
“For starters, you could hire an entire staff to take care of the inn instead of putting yourself on the payroll.”
Ellery winced. Maybe she should have left out that part of the message when she’d told Jameson she was extending her stay. Again.
“You and I both know I’m not going to accept any payment,” Ellery said.
Jameson’s sigh filtered through the line. “You are definitely Candace Marshall’s daughter.”
Yes. But she was a Kane, too.
That was what made this whole situation so complicated.
“Mom never turned her back on someone who needed help.”
“There are other people who need you, too,” Jameson reminded her. “What about the foundation?”
Ellery ignored a pinch of guilt. “Everything is going fine. I’ve been sorting through the online applications and Phil is handling the daily correspondence with our sponsors.”
The Holiday Secret (Castle Falls Book 4) Page 13