Holiday Baby

by Jenna Mindel

  “Let’s say grace.” Her father, at the other end, reached out to hold the hands of her mom on one side and Cam on the other.

  Cat clenched her teeth as she reached for Simon’s hand.

  His thumb brushed over hers, distracting her from the rote prayer she knew by heart. She stared at their clasped hands, remembering the gentle way he’d touched her on their one night together. The way he’d held her. She’d been half-frozen from the cold rain, but his touch had been so warm.

  “Amen.” Simon lifted his head.

  Had he thought about her at all?

  Cat pulled her hand away, grateful for the increased noise of chatter and the clatter of serving dishes being passed. She glanced at Simon and nearly laughed at the shocked look upon his face. “Crazy, I know, but this is home.”

  “Worse than chow time at some mining camps I’ve been in.” He accepted the tray of turkey and offered to fill her plate before his. “White or dark?”

  “A little of both, please.” Her mother had always made two turkeys so there would be plenty of leftovers. She watched as Simon served her before choosing an ample portion for himself.

  “What about Opal, when will she eat solid food?”

  Cat’s head spun. Thinking back to when her youngest sister Erin and brother Luke were babies, she couldn’t remember when they started eating solids. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

  Simon stared at her as if she should know these things by heart. “I bought a book.”

  “A book?”

  “About the steps of childhood development over the first year. I purchased it at the local bookstore a couple of stores down from me.”

  Cat stared at him. Why would he do that? Was he thinking about giving more than financial support?

  “What?” His dark eyes looked warm and sweet.

  Now wasn’t the time to discuss anything in depth, but she had to know. “Why’d you buy that?”

  He shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

  Cat looked away and connected with her father’s piercing gaze.

  Dad’s going to give your man a talking-to.

  She didn’t want her father or Zach making demands on Simon that they had no right to make. She and Simon were too old for her father to pull out the proverbial shotgun, yet that was exactly what he looked like he might do.

  * * *

  After dinner and cleanup, Cat’s family gathered in the family room once again for the remainder of the football game. Simon held Opal in the rocking chair near the fireplace, glad for some distance from Cat. The woman’s nearness made his head spin. Not at all a good thing, especially when it made him question everything he’d decided about his future.

  He’d put plans in place that were hard to change. Namely, a gem hunt in January for a high-end investor. He couldn’t exactly back out and keep his reputation solid. He needed this for future income. Bottom line, he didn’t want to back out. He loved gem hunting. It was his life—always had been.

  He gazed at his daughter’s pretty little face as he cradled her in his arms. Holding her might not have been the best idea. He’d used rocking her as a shield against Cat and her family and all that small talk. He wasn’t part of the jokes they shared as they loaded the fridge with leftovers and the dishwasher with dirty dishes. He didn’t want to be part of them, but using Opal as an excuse for distance had backfired. He’d climbed from one hot pan into another because this baby pulled hard on the heartstrings. This precious little bundle was sinking her sweet little brown-eyed hooks into him fast.

  Opal blew bubbles and cooed and kicked her legs. He reached for her hand, amazed at the baby’s grip. “You’re a strong one.”

  She gurgled back.

  He spotted Cat in the kitchen, talking with one of her sisters-in-law who held a large boy of her own. The child fought to keep his eyes open. Cat’s sisters were busy placing pies on the counter and making coffee.

  The Lions were down by seventeen, so the game had lost some of its appeal. Simon glanced around the room. Cat’s younger brothers were sprawled on the floor, sleeping. Even Andy Zelinsky, sitting in a recliner, had closed his eyes. Zach did too, with his wife, Ginger, cuddled into him.

  What was he even doing here?

  Anger he hadn’t felt in years roared to life. This was what a family was supposed to be, was supposed to have—a warm holiday meal, served with comfortable trust. No drama, no sirens and no TV dinners. The absence of all of this from his own childhood left him with a bitter taste in his mouth that no amount of pie they served could dislodge.

  Part of him wanted to make a scene, to vent some of his anger. But that wouldn’t be fair to the people here, who’d been nothing but welcoming. And it wouldn’t be fair to Opal, who deserved exactly this type of wonderful family occasion. Days like this were things he didn’t want Opal to miss.

  Would she grow up missing him?

  His gut twisted. If he wasn’t careful, he’d miss her.

  Simon stopped rocking. Buying that book had only confirmed that he didn’t have what it took to take care of a baby. One day, he might be of more value than financial child support, but that wasn’t now. Cat had a fine support system in her family right here. She wouldn’t be raising Opal alone.

  He carefully stood and crossed the expanse of floor toward Cat.

  “Want me to take her?” Cat asked.

  “Please. It’s late. I’d better get going.” He wanted out.

  “But you haven’t had dessert.” Cat’s sister-in-law balanced her boy on her hip.

  “Some other time.” Simon couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

  Cat’s mom stepped forward and took Opal. “Thank you for coming, Simon. Cat will walk you out.”

  Cat looked hesitant but nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

  “Thank you for dinner.” He should have said his goodbyes to the rest of the family, to Cat’s father, but they were sleeping.

  At the door, Simon silently donned his coat while Cat slipped into hers and then pulled on a pair of boots. She followed him outside.

  The air was crisp with an icy bite to it, but Simon breathed deeply, letting his thoughts settle down. The sun had long since set, leaving behind only remnants of light showing from beneath the dark clouds clustered on the horizon.

  “I’ll walk you to your car,” Cat offered.

  “It’s cold. You needn’t.”

  “It’s okay. I wanted to ask you something, anyway.” She looked a little nervous.

  That made him want to bolt even faster, but he kept his pace even next to Cat’s. “Something on your mind?”

  Cat pulled the collar of her coat closer. “Yes. You don’t have to give me an answer right away, just think about it.”

  “What’s that?” They were near his car now.

  “What if you kept your shop open?”

  “I’m committed in January to an investor to buy rubies and tourmaline in Mozambique. It could very well turn into something long-term.”

  Cat took a deep breath and let it out. “What if I managed your shop for you while you were away?”

  He looked at her. “Why would you want to?”

  “I gave my notice at the magazine before coming home and I need a job. One that’s local.”

  He narrowed his gaze. “Do you know anything about retail?”

  Cat lifted her chin. “How hard can it be?”

  He chuckled. Hard enough for him to quit the business after only six months. Though maybe it wasn’t that the work was too difficult—it just wasn’t something for which he was well suited. He wasn’t fond of dealing with customers. He liked finding the goods and making something out of them, but the retail side of things was simply too routine for him. Boring.

  “Just think about it.” She shivered.

  It wasn’t a bad idea. “Something to think about.”

/>   “Yes, I know.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. It’d be a way to support Opal as well, keeping tabs on her while she grew up. If Cat succeeded, he would too. He could take payment in gems to use in his own designs while gathering specified items for investors, billing them for travel expenses. His shop lease would have to be reinstated through May. This might work.

  She laid her hand on his arm.

  Through the heavy wool of his coat, he felt her warmth. Her idea had merit. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  “Not a thing.”

  “Come by the store before closing and I’ll show you what managing a shop would entail.”

  She searched his eyes, looking worried. “Can I bring the baby?”

  It might be better to have the baby along, keeping his mind focused on the reason for all of this. They still needed to discuss support payments, as well. “Yes, that’d be fine.”

  She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you.”

  He squeezed back. “Good night, Cat.”

  As he watched her return to the house, a Bible passage he’d read from the gospel of Luke suddenly came to mind.

  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

  He’d had trouble understanding that verse. Unsure why he thought of it now, Simon searched for meaning and came up empty. Unless...he’d moved to Maple Springs in an attempt to save his life from danger. Perhaps this verse coming to mind confirmed his decision to go back out there.

  He was a certified gemologist with a pretty good reputation for finding and purchasing gems. To be the father that his daughter needed, he’d need to provide for her. If he could provide a job for Cat and keep his income stream stable, then all the better.

  The tricky thing was his connection to Maple Springs would remain and that might tempt him to linger more than he cared to admit. He’d set up house once before with his siblings and the results had been disastrous for all of them. He didn’t want to ruin Opal too. Or Cat.

  Chapter Four

  Gray clouds darkened the day, making five o’clock seem more like midnight than twilight. Cat stood outside of Simon’s jewelry store and shivered. The business card he’d given her showed the store hours as 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

  Cat pulled the collar of her coat closer as a blast of cold air zipped down her neck. She should have worn a scarf. She fiddled with the fleece baby blanket, making sure it still covered Opal in her car seat.

  Simon’s storefront was small, but he had a large window that showcased his wares. Necklaces, bracelets and rings were meticulously displayed on velvety forms. She looked closer at the gemstones glittering in the overhead lighting. Several of the engagement ring settings were unique with soft folds of silver or gold cradling gorgeous diamonds, emeralds or rubies.

  “Like what you see?” Simon’s soft accent warmed her as he peeked out from the shop door.

  Cat straightened. “I do.”

  “Good.” He grinned and then spotted the car seat and frowned. “Come inside, where it’s warm.”

  Cat stepped inside and it was warm. Really warm. “Do you have the heat on high in here?”

  He chuckled. “This place doesn’t spread the heat well. The back shop is pretty chilly. Let me take your coat.”

  Cat handed it over and then stooped to take off the blanket covering Opal, who gurgled and smiled. Cat played a quick game of peekaboo, earning another baby smile.

  Simon peered down into the car seat. “Hello, Princess.”

  The baby kicked her feet in response. Evidently, Opal liked Simon’s voice too.

  “She’s very happy today.” Cat looked around.

  The shop wasn’t so much wide as deep. A long display case ran alongside the wall opposite a small counter with a cash register. Behind that was an open area with a large jeweler’s workbench and tools and equipment that Cat assumed were used to cut and polish stones, and craft the metal for the settings.

  Simon hung her coat on the rack next to his woolen tweed. “Why don’t you bring Opal over here? So she’s off the floor and away from the draft of the door if someone comes in.”

  Cat hoisted the car seat and set Opal on a sturdy bench behind the cash register. “I hope I didn’t come too early. I know you close at six.”

  “Perfect timing. Go ahead and look around—you need to get a feel for all that’s on display, anyway.”

  Simon used all sorts of precious and semiprecious gemstones with gold or silver or both. He even displayed jewelry highlighting Northern Michigan finds of Petoskey stone and Leland bluestone.

  Cat pointed. “Did you make those?”

  “Every piece in here.”

  “Where’d you get the local stones?” She could easily imagine Simon scouring the shoreline. Had someone shown him how to spot them?

  “Rather curious, aren’t they? I’d never heard of them before moving here, but after tourists asked for them, I figured I’d give them a try. I found a guy in Petoskey who has a large supply of raw stones. The Leland blue were some that I found on the beaches there this past summer. A local showed me what to look for and said they were nothing more than leftover smelting slag.”

  Cat knew that. She’d grown up here. Perusing his display case, she had to give him credit. “Ginger was right, your designs are amazing.”

  “Thank you.”

  “How did you maintain your craft at this level when you were hunting for gems?” She reverted to a journalism tone, but she really wanted to know. She wanted to know a lot more about this man.

  “I worked in London and New York making jewelry for part of the year so I didn’t get rusty. My employer had jewelry stores in each city.”

  Cat looked over rubies, diamonds, star sapphires and topaz, but one stone was missing. “No opals. Did you sell them?”

  “I have them still.”

  “But no jewelry from them?”

  Simon shrugged. “Not yet. Come, I’ll show you the ones I kept from the stash I purchased that night.”

  Cat glanced at the baby. She cooed and kicked, fixated on the large ball of a light fixture overhead. Cat followed Simon into the back of the shop, which was much larger than the front. Cooler too. This was where he made the magic happen, shaping a lump of gemstone into something beautiful. Something unique.

  He opened the door of a large safe and pulled out a tray of plastic bags containing what looked like hunks of rock from a distance. These were the same opals she remembered with flashes of translucent color showing through in spots.

  Cat reached out to touch one that Simon laid in front of her. “They are beautiful.”

  “That one was the largest raw opal of the lot, remember? The best of the best.” He touched the rock too, and his finger swiped hers.

  Remember?

  As if she’d ever forget. She’d accompanied Simon to purchase these. There had been government officials following their every move it seemed, although none of them were around when those three men had chased them for miles. The next morning, Simon had been so quiet when he’d put her on that small plane back to Nairobi. Telling her only that he wanted her out of Ethiopia.

  Away from him.

  He’d mentioned that they’d both had their reasons for not contacting each other. Cat pulled her hand back. “Why didn’t you call me? I didn’t know if you were even alive.”

  Simon looked her in the eyes, but his expression was closed. “I thought about it, but at the time we were worlds apart. I read the article you’d sent to my employer for review, so I knew you’d made it home.”

  He gave nothing away, not even a hint of what he’d felt about her back then. If anything. What had she expected? It wasn’t as if they’d made any sort of commitment...but there had been a connection. She’d felt it as clearly as
if it had been a tangible cord that had coiled around them.

  Not now, though. He was closed up tight and distant.

  “Did you like it? The article.”

  The corner of Simon’s mouth curved into a hint of a smile, but he didn’t answer. The bell of the front door jingled, announcing a customer. “I’ll be right back.”

  She watched him with an older woman looking for a Christmas gift for her daughter. Simon asked the usual questions to get a sense of what the woman might like to see before pulling a tray of sparkly necklaces out from the display case.

  An awkward silence filled the space while Simon waited for the woman to choose. Finally, he asked, “Did you want to see something else, perhaps?”

  The woman looked at Simon, helplessly uncertain. “Well...”

  Cat had a hunch the woman couldn’t afford the options Simon had shown her yet was too embarrassed to say so. She finally stepped in. “We have some lovely local stones displayed here if you’d like to have a look.”

  “Why yes, thank you.” The woman’s eyes widened and she followed Cat.

  Cat discreetly flipped the gilded price tags on several items so the woman didn’t have to ask. The woman finally chose a sterling silver and Petoskey stone bracelet.

  “I’ll have this boxed for you.” Cat handed it over to Simon. She took the opportunity to murmur quietly, “Sorry, but I—”

  He waved her whispered apology aside as the woman met them at the cash register. It was clear to her already that Simon was hardly a natural at retail sales. She was surprised that his gem-hunting days making deals hadn’t helped him gain the skill to read customers. Maybe he simply was too used to playing the waiting game, letting the other person make their move first.

  “She’s my only child and I still like to spoil her when I get the chance.” The woman smiled as she offered her credit card and accepted the bagged jewelry.

  Cat glanced at Simon standing nearby. He gazed at Opal and even smiled at the bubble the baby blew.