by Ross, Mia
“No problem.” He climbed in the other side and eased the truck out of its spot to avoid disturbing his cargo. Lisa was chattering like an excited blue jay and about a mile out, he said, “You’re psyched about giving your family that portrait, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I’ve been working on it a long time, and I can’t wait for them to see it.” Suddenly, she gasped. “Oh, no! I forgot to get heavy-duty hooks to hang it with.”
“Don’t worry.” Seth patted the chest pocket of his denim jacket. “I brought some. Gus said you could use them to hang an elephant, so I think they’ll do.”
She blew out a sigh so deep, it ruffled her bangs. “I’m glad you thought of that. It would have been such a bummer not to be able to hang the portrait up right away.”
“I’m curious why you’re bringing it now. It seems like the kind of thing you’d do on Christmas Day.”
Reaching over, she rubbed his shoulder. “You were so encouraging while I worked on it, I wanted you to be there when they see it for the first time. Plus, they all asked to see you again so they could say goodbye before you leave.”
Glancing over, Seth asked, “How about you? Are you going to say goodbye, too?”
“Not tonight,” she replied quickly. “Tonight is for enjoying. I’ll say it tomorrow.”
She turned to stare out the window, and Seth thought he heard a trace of regret in her voice. He was feeling some himself, and his heart leaped at the possibility that Lisa might miss him. He was tempted to tell her he could stay, at least until New Year’s, but his characteristic reserve made him hold back.
Settling permanently in Harland wasn’t in his plans, so extending his visit would only delay the inevitable. Since she was going to Europe in the spring, it was probably best for both of them if he left now.
Or was it?
Dense as he was about some things, Seth knew his own heart. It wanted him to stay with Lisa and see where their relationship would go. The trouble was, he had absolutely nothing to offer her, and she deserved to have everything in the world.
Besides, he was tired of roaming around the world, and she was just getting started. Then again, maybe traveling with Lisa wouldn’t be so bad. No one would be shooting at him, after all, and he could just enjoy himself. With the money he had saved up, if he was sensible he could probably be gone for a year or more.
Just one problem, the voice of reason reminded him: she hadn’t asked him to go along. All they’d done was share a few kisses, and she was eager to spread her wings and fly. The last thing she probably wanted right now was to be tangled up with a guy still learning how to walk.
Thankfully, his pointless mulling ended as he pulled in at the Sawyer farm. Easing his truck in beside the back porch, he opened Lisa’s door and unhooked her painting. As they carried it up the steps, he could smell pork roast and something sweet to go along with it. Through the window he heard Kyle and Emily singing “Rudolph,” with the extra phrases kids liked to throw in.
“Like a lightbulb!” they shouted as Lisa opened the door.
When they saw her, they ran over and almost knocked her down with a tag-team hug.
“Seth, Aunt Lisa, wait till you see the tree!” Kyle exclaimed, motioning to the archway. “It’s humongous!”
“I picked it out,” Emily informed them in a very grown-up voice. “It’s the prettiest one ever.”
“Whoa.” Looking through the archway into the living room, Seth approved her choice with a low whistle. The large space was dominated by a blue spruce whose top ended just a few inches short of the vaulted ceiling. “Nice job.”
The little girl’s blue eyes sparkled at the praise. “Thank you.”
The kids raced away, and Marianne came around the island with a curious look at their package. “What’s this?”
“Oh, just a little something for over the fireplace,” Lisa replied casually, leading Seth toward the spot. “I thought it would make a nice holiday decoration.”
Marianne gave Seth a questioning glance, but he was careful to keep his expression neutral. He didn’t want to spoil Lisa’s surprise by mistake. Near the fireplace, they met up with three guys drowning in a sea of ornament boxes and tangled Christmas lights.
“Here’s some blue replacement bulbs.” Taking them out of a box, Caty held them up from her seat in the rocking chair. “I’d bring them over, but I can’t get up.”
“Stay right there,” Matt told her sternly. “We haven’t done our Lamaze class yet, and I’m not crazy about winging an early delivery.”
“Okay.” Rocking a little, she smiled over at Seth and Lisa. “Happy tree day, you two.”
“Lisa’s got something for us,” Marianne announced, motioning to the crate. “The lights can wait.”
“Works for me,” John agreed quickly, dropping his strand.
Laughing, Ridge strolled over to join everyone in front of the mantel. After some shifting around, they all fixed expectant looks on Lisa.
“I don’t have a big speech or anything,” she said. “I’ve been working on something for all of us, and I wanted to give it to you now.”
Taking his cue, Seth undid the straps and helped her lift the portrait from its protective frame. Because John was standing off to the side, he saw it first.
“Lisa,” he whispered, “that’s incredible.”
The others pressed in for a better view, and Seth moved away to give Lisa the spotlight. The painting had been a labor of love for her family, and she’d earned every compliment they could give her.
“It’s amazing,” Marianne said, gently touching the canvas. “It looks just like a photograph.”
Lisa beamed with pleasure. “That’s the idea. Our copies of that photo won’t last forever, but this will.”
“We shouldn’t hang it here,” Marianne protested. “The sunlight will fade the paint.”
“No, it’s fine,” Lisa assured her. “I finished it with a sealant that will keep the paint from fading or cracking.”
“Smart,” Matt approved with a nod.
That single word from her cherished older brother made Lisa’s chin tremble a little, Seth noticed. Hoping to keep her from crying, he pulled the anchors from his pocket and stepped forward. “John, you want to give me a hand with these?”
They hammered in the hardware, then hung the painting in its place of honor. While he was buying the hangers, Seth had found two tiny battery-powered spotlights. He pulled them from another pocket and placed them on the mantel. Switching them on, he angled them so they lit the painting to its best effect.
The slight red tint of the mahogany frame perfectly complemented the summery colors in the portrait. The green grass, the light filtering down through the tree branches, the cheery plaid blanket the family was sitting on, everything blended into a heartwarming memory of the Sawyers’ past. One that would be the same a hundred years from now as it was tonight.
Grinning at his sister, John put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s great, Lisa. I can smell the fried chicken.”
Her laugh was part joy and part relief, and she hugged him around the waist as if she was still a little girl. Then she surprised Seth by reaching out her other arm to him. “I had a hard time with Mom’s face until Seth helped me. Doesn’t she look beautiful?”
Everyone rushed to compliment him, and he thanked them with a nod. This was Lisa’s moment, and he didn’t want to steal any of the credit from her. But it felt good to be recognized for something he’d done, instead of slinking away to avoid being seen.
Tonight, for the first time since coming home two years ago, he felt as though he truly belonged right where he was. It was a good feeling.
* * *
It was past nine when the kids hung the last two ornaments on the biggest tree the Sawyers had ever dragged in from their woodlot. Tired but happy,
Lisa looked over at Seth, who’d pitched in as usual to help them decorate the higher branches. She was so glad he’d been with them tonight, sharing a festive meal and helping them trim the tree before heading back to his own family.
She would miss him, but she’d come to terms with his leaving. It was best for both of them, and she’d think of the multitalented carpenter fondly every time she ordered a meal in a European restaurant and ended up with what she wanted.
Marianne took the antique crystal star from its egg crate and held it up high. “Who wants to do the star?”
Both Kyle and Emily piped up, arguing it was their turn. Honestly, Lisa didn’t know how they remembered from one year to the next, but one of them was obviously wrong.
Grinning, John stepped in and pulled a quarter from his jeans pocket. “Heads or tails?”
“Heads I win, tails you lose,” Kyle said with a completely straight face.
Emily considered that for a second, then put her hands on her hips and glared at him in a perfect imitation of her mother. “Hey, that’s not fair. I lose either way.”
Grinning, he shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
After everyone stopped laughing, they both called heads, and John groaned. “Gimme a break, guys.”
“Why don’t they both do it?” Seth suggested while he adjusted a section of lights. “Take a picture, then let the other one put it on.”
“That works,” Ridge approved, grasping the star in one hand and lifting Emily with the other. “Ladies first.”
After posing for Marianne’s camera, Emily climbed down and carefully handed the ornament to Kyle. Ridge whispered something to him, then bro-hugged him with a proud smile. Kyle did the aw-shucks thing, but he was obviously pleased with whatever his stepfather had said. It was a nice moment, and Lisa noticed that Marianne sneaked in a shot of it before Kyle slid the star into place.
The warm exchange between Ridge and Kyle made her think of Seth and how he’d be with his own son someday. Fair and straightforward, but affectionate in the same masculine way Ridge and her brothers were. That was when it hit her.
Seth fit into her family perfectly. Like a puzzle piece in an open spot, Seth filled the empty place beside her very nicely, and she could easily imagine them together in the future.
But not now, she admitted with a sigh. Their paths were running parallel to one another, and they wouldn’t cross for a while, if ever. Long before then, someone would catch his eye, and he’d adjust his plans to include her.
Watching him fiddle with some of the upper ornaments, Lisa couldn’t keep back a wistful sigh. She wanted him to be happy, but she couldn’t help wishing she was the one he’d make those concessions for. At least, she wouldn’t mind giving it a try.
Seth Hansen was the kind of guy who made a girl rethink her priorities.
“Well, I’ve got a big day tomorrow, so I’d best be going,” he said, circling the room with a grateful look. “Thanks so much for inviting me tonight. I had a great time.”
Lisa smiled as Caty and the kids hugged him, and the guys lined up to shake his hand. Marianne sent Lisa one of her nudging looks, which Lisa pointedly ignored. Shaking her head, Marianne turned to their guest.
“You’re welcome anytime, Seth,” she said, embracing him. “Merry Christmas.”
“To all of you, too,” he answered, lifting his hand in farewell.
“I’ll go with you,” Lisa offered, taking her pink denim jacket from the rack by the door and slipping it on. She’d love it if he could stay longer, but she understood his desire to get a good night’s sleep before his long drive.
Outside, her eyes went to the gnarled oak they all considered Ethan’s tree. This was their third Christmas without him, but sometimes she missed him so much, her heart ached. With no direct memories of her mother, he was the only parent she’d ever known.
“Something wrong?”
The worry in Seth’s voice brought her back to the present, and she turned to him with a sad smile. “Not really. Just thinking about my dad.”
Seth’s gaze went in the direction she’d been staring, then came back to her. “Is there something special about that tree?”
“It was Dad’s favorite place on the whole farm. It’s been here forever, and he and the boys used to eat lunch under there when they were working.”
Seth smiled understanding. “I think lots of Sawyers did that in the past, too.”
That he’d instinctively picked up on what she hadn’t told him made her wonder. Was she doing the right thing letting him walk out of her life?
“So you’re headed home in the morning,” she said instead. This time, she was the one who couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Yeah. Mom’s making a big lunch, and it takes about three hours to get there. I’ve got a couple things to finish up, so I’ll get started around nine.”
“The diner will be hopping tomorrow.” Lisa pulled a small package from her jacket pocket. “I should give you this now.”
To her surprise, he frowned at the box wrapped in shiny gold paper. “I didn’t get you anything. What an idiot. It’s Christmas—I should’ve thought to get you a present.”
“You tutored me so I won’t make a fool of myself while I’m in Europe. You couldn’t have bought me anything better than that.”
Apparently satisfied, he opened her present. Inside, a heavy pewter key fob was pegged to a velvet board embossed with Harland Jewelry. Seth lifted it out and tilted it into the light coming from the kitchen windows to read the inscription. “Be strong and courageous.”
“I had them engrave it special for you.”
“Because I need to be strong and courageous?”
“Because you are strong and courageous.” When his eyes met hers, she added, “I got it to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything. Saving Pastor Charles, helping with the church and Cleo. For being my friend,” she added with a heartfelt smile.
Taking the key chain out of the box, he hefted it in his hand. “This feels like it could take a real beating. I had one like it when I was younger.”
“I got the idea from your mom. She said—”
His delighted expression dimmed considerably, and his eyes froze on her like icicles. “You talked to my mom?”
“Well, yes,” Lisa stammered, suddenly terrified that she’d done something horribly wrong. In a desperate attempt to smooth it over, she went on in a rush. “I wanted to get you something you’d really like, and I figured she’d have some suggestions.”
“You’ve never even met my parents.” His deep voice was so measured it sent a chill creeping up her spine. “How did you get their number? Aunt Ruth?”
“I looked it up online, in the Fayetteville white pages.”
“Unbelievable. You hunted down my parents.”
“Not really.” When he glared at her, she realized the difference was purely semantics. “Now that I see how angry you are, maybe it wasn’t such a good plan.”
“Angry? This is the kind of thing stalkers do.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she shot back. “I wasn’t stalking you, I was trying to buy you a gift.”
“What else did she tell you? How pathetic I was after I lost that thing? How I thought losing it meant something awful was gonna happen? I was right, you know. A week later, my arm was in pieces and my best friend was dead.”
She’d never seen him like this. Raging without reason, glaring at her as though she’d invaded his very
private—very painful—life. If after all this time he could still think that about her, she didn’t know how to change his mind.
She tried to snatch the box away from him, but he held it out of reach. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
“Not even a little. Why don’t you
straighten me out?”
Jaw clenched as if he was struggling to keep his temper, he glowered at her in a way she’d never seen from him. “I’m disgusted. Ever since I came home, you were the first person to treat me like I wasn’t made of glass. Everyone else babies me, and I thought you were different. Turns out I was wrong.”
He spat those last words as if they tasted bitter in his mouth. Since he did have a point, she probably should have backed off and apologized.
Instead, she drew herself up to her full height and looked him dead in the eyes. “Oh, get over yourself, Mr. High and Mighty. If someone trying to do something nice for you disgusts you, you’re not the man I thought you were.”
Too furious to stand there one more second, she spun on her heel and stalked away from him. She heard him mumble something nasty, then his truck door opened and slammed shut. As he drove around the circle, the sound of gravel spitting from under the tires had an angry quality to it. Only then did she look back.
She glimpsed his face, rigid and furious, as the truck flew past her and out toward the road. It was his own fault, she reasoned. Their evening didn’t have to end this way. They should have had a nice, warm moment, maybe a goodbye kiss, before he left.
Stubborn beyond belief, she railed silently. Then again, maybe that was a good sign. The man currently racing away from her as fast as he could was very different from the one she’d met just after Thanksgiving. Seth was more personable now, and his newfound confidence would force people to stop treating him like a wounded little boy. Combine that with his stunning good looks, and he’d be irresistible to any female over twenty and breathing.
Sadly, Lisa knew that once he left Harland, she’d never see him again.
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, Seth was shoving things into his big duffel bag when his cell phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he grinned. “Hey, Mom.”
“Merry Christmas Eve! Are you on your way?”
“Soon. I have to finish up a few things, but I should be on the road by nine.”