Leo turned to her with a pleading expression. “Would you?”
Eve grinned at them both. “I can probably be persuaded.”
As they moved across the meadow to the pecan trees, Chance made them a dare that he could pick the most in thirty minutes’ time and Leo eagerly took up the challenge. Even Eve found herself getting into the competitive spirit.
Sure enough, thirty minutes later when they stopped for lunch, Chance was the clear winner. The outcome surprised Eve since he seemed to be doing as much chatting and posturing for their benefit as working.
But as they settled down on the blanket for their picnic, she had to admit he was an entertaining and charming companion. He amused them by pointing out cloud pictures, teaching Leo how to make stars and other figures from sticks and string, and trying to show them both how to whistle, though Leo was a more adept pupil than she was.
When there was a lull in the conversation, Eve turned to Leo, deciding it was time to ease him into thinking about family and belonging. “Tell me a little about your parents.”
The boy got a look on his face that was a bittersweet mix of pain and longing. “Pa was a farmer and he could make just about anything grow. He was always teaching me things—how to ride a horse, or milk a cow or start a fire. He said it was never too early for a boy to learn things a man ought to know. But we had fun, too, ’cause he said it was okay to be a kid while I was going about learning to be a man.”
“Sounds like he was a great father,” Chance said.
There was a note in his voice that Eve didn’t quite understand, but now was not the time to figure it out. “What about your mother?”
“Ma was the best cook in the world and pretty, too. Pa always said she was prettier than a springtime meadow. And she liked to pick fresh flowers to put on our Sunday dinner table. She sang when she cooked or sewed. And Christmas was her favorite time of year.”
The boy’s parents had obviously surrounded him with love.
Leo gave the two of them a look that dared them to disagree. “This year I’m finally going to have a real Christmas again.”
“What do you mean by a real Christmas?” Chance asked.
The boy didn’t hesitate. “One where I can really celebrate. I know it won’t be like the ones I remember from when my ma and pa were around, but at least I won’t be locked up in the shed by myself.”
Eve couldn’t stop the sound of her indrawn breath. How could that horrible man have treated Leo so harshly? A quick glance toward Chance showed he felt the same.
But right now they needed to focus on the happy times. “Tell me about the Christmases you remember,” she said. “What are your favorite memories?”
That brought Leo’s smile back. “Ma always went all out to decorate the house for Christmas. Pa used to tease her about it. There would be sprigs of evergreen and holly tied up with red ribbons on the mantel and around the doors. Then there was a Nativity set that Pa made. Ma always set it next to the fireplace—she said it was to keep the holy family warm.”
What a lovely thought. Eve thought she would have liked Leo’s mother very much if they’d ever met.
“And we would make decorations to put on the tree—like angels out of cornhusks and cloth, and paper stars and popcorn garland. Then, when Pa brought the tree home on Christmas Eve, we had everything ready. And we would sing Christmas songs while we decorated it.”
“Those all sound like nice traditions, Leo.”
Leo nodded. “And Ma had a special cloth angel with shiny tin wings to put on top of the tree. Pa used to lift me up so I could put it on myself.”
“Well, those are all wonderful memories. I can see why you cherish them.” Eve gave him an affectionate smile. “Perhaps this year you can start making pleasant new memories to add to those.”
Was this the right time for her to bring up the subject of his finding a new family? Before she could say anything, Leo popped up and ran across the meadow. When he stopped, he excitedly called them over. Eve looked around but could see nothing but trees. “What do you suppose he wants us to see?” she asked Chance.
He stood and held out a hand to help her rise. “There’s only one way to find out.”
They crossed over to Leo, but Eve was as clueless when they reached him as she had been before. “What is it?” she asked.
“Will you look at that tree?” There was a touch of awe in his tone.
Eve studied the tree in question. It was a cedar, well formed and about seven feet tall. But there was nothing to mark it as anything special. Still, Leo was slowly walking around it, studying it appreciatively from every angle.
Eve glanced at Chance, seeing if he had any idea what was going on. But Chance merely shrugged.
“Is something wrong?” she asked the boy as he reappeared from behind the tree.
He turned to her, his expression hopeful. “I was just thinking, wouldn’t this make the perfect Christmas tree?”
Luckily, Leo didn’t wait for a response. “It’s a good height and it’s full all the way around. It would look great inside the front room.”
Chance studied the tree critically. “It’s a fine specimen, all right.”
“It reminds me of the last one my pa cut down for us,” Leo said wistfully. “Mr. Belcher never bothered with decorating or anything. He never had visitors and he spent Christmas day in town.”
Eve’s grandmother had never bothered with a tree, either. But if having a tree would make Leo happy, then he should have one. The problem was, she wasn’t certain where he would be come Christmas, so it would be hard to promise him that he would be decorating this particular cedar.
“This year will be different,” Leo said with absolute confidence. “I can go to church if I want to and celebrate proper.”
“It most assuredly will.” It warmed her heart that he considered church service a part of the celebration, especially after all he’d been through. And Christmas was still four weeks away. Surely they could find him a good home before then.
They moved back toward the picnic blanket to begin packing things up and Leo gave her a dazzling smile. “So can we have a tree like that one and decorate it?”
Eve hesitated. She didn’t want to disappoint him, but she couldn’t make promises she couldn’t keep, either. It was time to have that talk. “Let’s put everything back in the vehicle then there’s something Mr. Dawson and I need to discuss with you.”
The boy’s happy expression vanished like snow in fire. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Oh, no, sweetheart. It’s nothing like that.”
He didn’t seem reassured. “Then what? You both look so serious all of a sudden.”
Chance hefted the picnic basket and led the way back to the motor carriage. “Sheriff Gleason paid us a visit while you were out with Jack and Mr. Peavy.”
Eve touched Leo’s shoulder briefly. “He heard back on that telegram he sent to Bent Oak.”
Leo stiffened, and that braced-for-a-blow look that had all but disappeared the past couple of days was back in full force. “What did he find out?”
“He heard from a Reverend Ferris, who supported your story.”
“He did?”
“Yes, of course.”
“So I’m not going to jail?”
Is that what he’d been afraid of? “Of course not. The sheriff now has enough information to confirm that Mr. Belcher has no legal claim to you and you don’t have to go back there ever again.”
Leo’s expression immediately lightened. “Then I can stay here with you if I want to.”
Eve mentally winced. Is that what the boy thought, that they would continue the current arrangement indefinitely? How would he take the news that it wasn’t going to happen?
Chance covered her lack of response by reaching into his pock
et and pulling out the pocket watch. “Mr. Belcher is no longer laying claim to this.” He held it out to Leo. “It’s now yours, free and clear.”
Eve noticed that Chance didn’t make any reference to his having paid for the heirloom.
Leo clutched the timepiece as if he’d never let it go. “So that means now I can do what I want?”
Eve took a deep breath. It was time to explain the situation to him. “Not entirely.”
“What do you mean?”
She rested her hand on his shoulder. “Leo, you must know that you’re too young to be left to your own devices. You need an adult to look out for you.”
His expression turned defensive.
“I’m not a little kid. I can take care of myself just fine.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll make very certain you aren’t put into the care of someone like Mr. Belcher again. We’ll find you a good home with a loving family.”
That answer didn’t elicit the hoped-for smile. Instead, Leo met her gaze with a pleading one. “Why can’t I live with you and Mr. Dawson? Don’t y’all want me?”
“Oh, Leo, it’s not that at all. Of course I care for you very much, and if there was any way I could offer you a home, I wouldn’t hesitate. But it’s just not possible.”
“Why not?”
“Well, for one thing, I’m not going to be here much longer.”
Leo blinked and then his eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re leaving?”
“Of course. You know I have a job waiting for me in Tyler—that hasn’t changed. I made promises to be there.”
“But can’t you get out of it? I mean, don’t you like it here?”
“Of course I like it here. And as I said, I care about you, a lot. But I can’t continue to live off of Mr. Dawson’s charity. And there’s no work for me here, no way for me to earn my keep. If there was—”
“But there is,” Leo interrupted eagerly. “You could open a candy store. Everyone likes your candy—I heard them say so.”
“Oh, Leo, that’s a nice thought, but that’s all it is. I couldn’t—ˮ
“Why not?”
Startled by Chance’s question, Eve turned to him with a frown. He definitely wasn’t helping any. “You know good and well why not. And I’ll thank you not to give Leo any false notions.”
“No, I’m serious. Think about it. Leo’s right, folks really like your candies. You’ve already gotten an order without trying. And this is a great time of year to try out a venture like this.”
Why was he doing this? They’d agreed to present a united front when they had this talk with Leo. “That may be so. But there are practical matters to consider, like acquiring a storefront with a proper kitchen, buying supplies, getting the word out. And all of those things require money, which I don’t have.”
“There are other solutions. In fact, you could use my kitchen and some of the floor space in my shop. As you’ve seen for yourself, there’s more than enough of it going unused.”
Was he serious? “Even if I could accept such generosity, it takes more than floor space to open a business.”
He spread his hands. “Of course it does. But all of that can be worked out. If you’re interested in making the attempt.” He folded his arms across his chest. “So the question is are you?”
She looked from him to Leo and back again. This was ridiculous. Impossible. Oh, so enticing. “But Mrs. O’Connell and my grandmother expect—”
Chance cut off her words with a chopping motion. “This is your life, not theirs. I asked you what you wanted to do.”
Eve felt a tiny stirring of excitement. To make a clean break from her past, to be able to work at a job that she would actually enjoy and look forward to, to stay among her newfound friends—how could she not be tempted? But she had responsibilities, an obligation to meet. Besides which, agreeing to his scheme would put her in deep debt to Chance—something she wasn’t certain she was ready for. “A decision like this has consequences. If I were to do this and the shop failed, I’d have nothing to fall back on.”
“You won’t fail.” Leo’s tone held absolute conviction.
Eve would have been flattered under other circumstances.
Chance held her gaze. “I agree with Leo. But this is a decision you have to make. We can’t make it for you.”
That gave her pause. All her life her grandmother had made the major decisions without ever asking how Eve felt about them. Sure, she’d made a few impulsive, reactive decisions—and those often landed her in trouble. Not a good indicator of how she would do on the big things.
“Will you at least agree to give it careful consideration?” Chance asked. “After all, you have until Monday to decide.”
She supposed these two deserved that much from her. “I can agree to that. And even more, I will pray about it.”
She smiled down at Leo. “But for now, you are still in my care and we are both staying put at Mr. Dawson’s place. Regardless of what happens come Monday, I plan to enjoy the next few days while we’re still together. What do you say—no droopy expressions or moping?”
Leo kicked at a rock on the ground but nodded. “I guess so.”
“Excellent.” She turned to Chance. “And you?”
Chance grinned. “You know me. I’m not one to worry about tomorrow.”
He said that as if he were to be commended on it. But maybe he was just doing his part to lighten the mood. “Good. Then what do you two gentlemen say we head back and see what Dotty has been up to?”
* * *
On the drive back to town, Chance mulled over the idea of Eve sticking around and opening a candy store in The Blue Bottle. And the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. Over the past few days he’d gotten used to having people around, in fact had even come to enjoy it. And this would give him the best of both worlds—a family of sorts without any of the weighty responsibilities.
Then he frowned. If she and Leo stayed on, that meant they’d still be here when his father arrived in town. He had no illusions that his father would look on the arrangement as anything but a bad decision on Chance’s part— especially since he received no gain from it.
Not that his father’s opinion would keep Chance from following through with his offer. His main concern would be to make certain his father didn’t do anything to make Eve feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.
Perhaps he should warn her before his father actually showed up on his doorstep.
Then he gave himself a mental shake. He was getting ahead of himself. She hadn’t even agreed to stay yet. He was getting as impatient—and as eager for a yes answer—as Leo. Which couldn’t be a good thing.
* * *
When they had parked Tizzie back in the shed, Chance handed Leo the picnic hamper and he hefted the sacks of pecans. As he handed Eve down he noted how mussed her hair was and how flushed her cheeks were from the ride. She was smiling at something Leo had just said and for a moment she was that carefree, vibrant young woman he’d held in his arms at the dance. The urge to take her and twirl her around to the strains of an imaginary fiddler was strong. Then she met his gaze and her eyes widened in question.
He gave her one of those light, flirtatious smiles that were so good at masking his true emotions, then released her hand and nodded for her to precede him.
Why in the world did this one girl keep tripping him up on his own feelings?
When they stepped inside, they found Abigail there, chatting with Dotty. As soon as Everett’s sister saw Eve, she held up a small basket. “Here are the pumpkinseeds for the brittle, along with the other ingredients Daisy figured you’d need.”
“See,” Leo said, “everyone wants more of your candies.”
Eve winced. “We’ll discuss that later, Leo.” Then she turned to Abigail. “I’ll get on it right aft
er breakfast tomorrow, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. Whatever timing works best for you. I’m just so grateful you’re willing to do this for me. Miss Teel, my friend back in Boston, is going to love these.”
“Miss Pickering is thinking about opening a candy store here,” Leo blurted out.
Though he knew Eve would feel differently, Chance wanted to applaud the boy’s impulsive announcement. The more folks who knew about the idea, the more likely Eve was to see it in a positive light. And just as he expected, Abigail and Dotty both reacted positively.
Abigail clasped her hands in delight. “Oh, how wonderful.”
“An excellent idea,” Dotty agreed.
Eve lifted a hand, palm out. “Leo is being a bit premature. I haven’t agreed to the plan yet—I merely agreed to think about it.”
Abigail gave her a persuasive smile. “Oh, but I think having a candy store here in Turnabout is a marvelous idea. There was one near the school I attended in Boston and I visited it often. I miss it. And their treats were not as good as yours.”
Eve held her ground. “That’s very kind of you to say, but there are other matters I need to take into consideration.”
Abigail sighed. “You must do what you feel you must. But, if you decide to go through with it, which I sincerely hope you will, know that I’ll be a regular customer.” She stood. “Now, I need to get back and help Daisy with the supper preparations.” She’d barely taken two steps toward the door when she swung around again. “Oh, Chance, I almost forgot. Daisy wanted me to make sure you invited your guests to join us for our Sunday gathering.”
“Of course.” It seemed everyone was expecting Eve to stay at least through the weekend.
Once Abigail had made her exit, Eve turned to him. “Sunday gathering?”
“It’s a tradition of sorts—after the church service a group of us take our noonday meal together.”
“A specific group?”
“Very specific. I told you there were four of us who traveled here together from Philadelphia about a year and a half ago. You’ve met all of them—Adam, Everett and Mitch. We all had ties to Reggie through her grandfather, who also lives in Philadelphia, so she was one of the first people we connected with when we arrived.”
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