A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft

by Shelley Shepard Gray

  “I haven’t forgotten,” he grumbled.

  But Beverly did notice that his eyes had lit up. She led the way down the rows again, stopping to feel the branches and needles, inspecting each tree from every angle.

  After another thirty minutes, Eric reached for her hand. “Beverly, I can’t take it much longer. Pick a tree. Pick any tree. Please.”

  “Oh, all right.” Turning around, she marched back to the front of the lot. “This one,” she said at last, pointing to a slim, seven-foot-tall pine.

  He tilted his head to one side. “That one? Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  Later, as they stood by the cash register and Eric paid too much for a tree that they didn’t actually need, Beverly said, “Eric, how are we going to get this tree home? You’ve got a small car just like that couple over there. And, um, I fear I’m not quite tall enough to help you tie it on the roof.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that. We’re going to get it delivered.”

  “They do that?”

  He pointed to the sign. “Looks like it.”

  Somewhat embarrassed, she noticed that there was, indeed, a sign that said that delivery was available. “That is a gut idea.”

  “I thought so, too.” After he paid the men and set up a time for delivery, he turned to her. “Now, it’s time to go get lights and ribbon.”

  “I suppose it is,” she said with a laugh.

  He opened her car door to let her in. Then, after he got settled in the driver’s side, he turned right onto the street. Minutes later, they had left the quaint buildings of Pinecraft and were in the traffic of Sarasota. She, of course, was familiar with the area though she didn’t drive.

  “The traffic has already started to get worse,” she commented as she eyed the cars slowly easing through the intersection and the bicyclists maneuvering in and out of traffic. “By January first or second, no one will want to drive if they don’t have to. The streets get so congested with automobiles and bicycling tourists, it takes twice as long to get anywhere.”

  “That’s the consequence of living someplace so beautiful, I guess.”

  She nodded and leaned back in her seat, realizing as she did so that she now felt completely comfortable around Eric. She didn’t worry about what to say to him, or how he might react to different situations. Actually, more than anything, she trusted him. She was so grateful to have him as her friend.

  “Have I told you how glad I am that you came here?”

  “You have, and I’ve also told you that I was happy to come.”

  “You took the first flight here. I don’t even want to think about how much that cost.”

  “I don’t want you to worry about that. Every penny I spent was well worth it.” Lowering his voice, he said, “Beverly, don’t you realize that I didn’t want to be anywhere else? I hated the thought of you being in the inn alone and scared.”

  His words meant so much to her. Although they sometimes had their rocky moments, it was nice to know that her instincts had been right. Eric was a man she could completely depend on. Even when she was grumpy or scared or, well, being silly. No matter what she did or what her mood, he was there for her.

  She sincerely hoped that he felt the same way about her.

  “Do you have any family or friends back in Philadelphia who are upset that you left so abruptly?” she asked. The question was blunt—and maybe none of her business—but she was eager to move the conversation on. “Will they be disappointed that you won’t be there for Christmas?” Of course, the moment she asked such things, she wished she could take them back. She sounded vaguely callous. Almost insinuating that she would be surprised if he had family and friends who cared about him. “Sorry if that came out wrong,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to sound like—”

  “I know what you meant.” As he stopped at a traffic light, he looked her way. “Mind if I ask why you want to know?”

  She realized that she’d struck a nerve. His question had struck one, too, and it made her come to terms with her feelings for him. Eric meant more to her every day. “I guess I want to know more about you,” she said hesitantly. “If that’s okay.”

  “You can ask me anything you want,” he said as the light turned green and he accelerated the car forward.

  “Ah, here we go,” he murmured as they came upon a big retailer that sold pretty much anything one might need. He clicked on his turning signal and moved to the right lane. “To answer your question, no, there’s not really anyone in Philly who is going to be that upset that I won’t be spending Christmas with them.”

  “What about Jack? What is he doing for Christmas?”

  “I’m not sure . . .”

  “Would he like to come here?” Feeling happy that she could push him a little, she said, “You should ask him, Eric. I would enjoy getting to know your brother.”

  He winced. “Believe it or not, I did ask him yesterday when I was at the Cozy Café.” After a pause, he added, “I should have talked to you first. I’m sorry.”

  “No need to apologize. I’m glad you asked him.” She smiled, wanting Eric to see that she really was happy he’d reached out to his brother. “No one should be alone for Christmas.”

  To her surprise, Eric still looked a little hesitant. “Beverly, don’t forget that Jack has some regrets about this past, too.”

  She swallowed, remembering. However, although she recalled every bit of Eric’s past, she couldn’t remember the particulars of his brother’s story. “What does he regret?”

  “A lot of things, but most of all, for going to prison for robbery.”

  “He went to prison . . . for robbery.” She clenched her hands together in an attempt to maintain her composure. “I see.”

  “He’s not dangerous or anything, Bev,” Eric said quickly. “I promise, I would never put you in danger. Gosh, I wouldn’t want him anywhere around you if I was worried about that. But you do need to know that, well . . . he made some mistakes and he paid the price.”

  She realized then that Eric was giving her a way out. Though it was clear that he wanted Jack to visit, Beverly knew if she told him that she couldn’t handle having an ex-convict at the inn he would abide her wishes. However, the expression on his face told her everything she needed to know. He loved his brother and he wanted to see him.

  And because of that, she needed to overcome her prejudices and welcome Jack into her home. “We all have a past, Eric,” she said, realizing with some surprise that it was just as true for her. “Everything will be fine.”

  “You can think about it . . .”

  “Nee, if you want him here, then I do, too.”

  “I just want you to be happy, Bev.”

  Giving into impulse, she reached out and squeezed his arm. “I will be. So, is he for sure coming? Do you know what day he’s going to arrive?”

  “I don’t know if he’s actually coming or not. He said he wanted a couple of days to think about it.”

  She was having a hard time reading Eric. “I’m sorry. Are you worried that he might say yes or he might say no?”

  “You know what? I’m not actually sure.” Lowering his voice, he said, “There’s so much bad between us, you know? Whenever I see him, it seems like everything I’ve spent my adulthood pretending never happened comes back in a flash. I think it’s that way for him, too.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?”

  “Five years ago.”

  “It sounds like it’s time, then. I hope he says he’ll come. But if he does, he’s going to have to share the attic room with ya.”

  He grinned. “It’s going to be awkward, but he can share my Barbie Dream House with me, no problem.”

  “I have no idea what a Barbie Dream House is.”

  “I can remedy that, Bev,” he said as they pulled into the supercenter’s crowded parking lot. “Come on. We’ll go get lights and ribbon for our beautiful tree. And while we’re wandering around, I’ll take you by the toy s
ection and show you what is usually at the top of every little girl’s list to Santa.”

  “It’s that special?”

  “It is when you’re five or six years old. I don’t know a lot, but I can promise you that.”

  She giggled. “Lead on, Eric.”

  December 14

  At nine thirty the next morning, after helping Beverly serve breakfast and clear the table, Eric got yet another cup of coffee, his iPad, and phone, and walked out to the back patio, his favorite spot to relax.

  Beverly popped her head out after him. “Are you going to call Jack?”

  “Yep. I want to call before we get busy with the tree.”

  After Beverly’s tree had arrived yesterday, they’d moved around furniture and placed it in the inn’s left front window. Eric had been eager to string lights on it and see how it looked, but when he’d noticed how Beverly kept moving it around, fingering the boughs, and generally looking like she was coming to terms with the fact that she had a Christmas tree now sitting in her living room, he’d suggested that they wait a day before decorating it.

  As he’d hoped, at the mention of the tree, her eyes lit up. “Take your time, Eric. And don’t worry. Jack will say yes.”

  Eric didn’t want to say anything to Beverly, but he was actually kind of afraid of that.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his brother—he did—he just didn’t want to revisit their past all over again. Every time they did that, Jack ended up talking about his years in prison and Eric inevitably felt guilty. Soon after, they usually started talking about their parents and how they’d lost both of them far too early. Which, of course, brought forth yet another set of studiously repressed emotions.

  Staring at his cell phone, Eric wondered if it was truly possible to forge a new relationship with a long-lost brother.

  There was only one way to find out.

  He thumbed through his contacts and pressed Send.

  Jack answered on the first ring. “You didn’t waste any time, huh?”

  “I guess not. Actually, I was telling Beverly yesterday that I asked you to come out here.”

  “What did she say?”

  “I think she’s even more hopeful that you’ll accept my invitation than I am.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. So, have you looked at your work schedule?”

  “Yeah. And I thought about it, too.”

  “What did you decide?”

  “I want to come, Eric. If you’re sure you want to be together again.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well, in that case, Florida sounds great.”

  “It is great. What date do you want to arrive? Any day or time works for me.”

  “Let’s make it from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-sixth, just like we talked about.”

  “You can stay longer if you want,” Eric offered. He was pretty sure Jack would have to make at least one connection in order to get to Sarasota. That meant he’d be spending a good amount of time flying on both Christmas Eve and the twenty-sixth.

  “No, I think this will be good.” His voice turned hesitant. “E, are you sure you don’t mind paying for the ticket?”

  “I’m positive. I want to pay for it.” Eric opened his iPad, ready to start looking up flights, when Jack spoke again.

  “Hey, Eric? One more thing.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Does, ah, your Beverly know I’m not like you?”

  Even though their lives had veered in different directions, Eric knew they were essentially the same as they ever were. “What are you talking about? We might have different types of jobs but we’re still a lot alike where it counts.”

  “Don’t play stupid. You know what I’m talking about. I mean, does Beverly know about my past?”

  Eric wasn’t going to let Jack take that burden solely on his shoulders anymore. “You mean our pasts? Yes, she knows.”

  “You can pretend we’re the same, but we’re not. You went to college, Eric. I went to prison. That’s kind of a big difference.”

  “You kept me from going down that path.”

  “You made choices, too, Eric.” Before Eric could argue, Jack blurted, “Are you sure she’s okay with having an ex-con in her home?”

  “She’s more than okay with it.” That lump that he’d been pretending hadn’t been about to choke him was threatening to block his whole throat. “Okay, before we get all sappy, give me your email address. Do you have one?”

  “Of course I have one.”

  After writing it down, Eric smiled. “Great. I’ll make a reservation right now and then email it to you. I’m really glad you’re coming here, Jack. It’s going to be a great Christmas.”

  When Eric finally disconnected, he breathed in deeply and exhaled. He felt like he was finally moving forward. At long last.

  After he made the flight reservation and sent the confirmation to Jack, he looked for Beverly and found her sitting on the front stoop, sipping coffee and watching a trio of hummingbirds flit around a feeder.

  He sat down next to her with a sigh.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  Glad that his earlier misgivings had disappeared, he grinned. “He’s coming. I booked his flights after we talked.”

  “I’m so glad.” She smiled. “I hope you two have a nice visit together.”

  “Me, too.” After debating whether or not to bring it up, he ventured, “I’ve kind of noticed that you don’t seem so bothered by my past anymore. Is that the case?”

  “I suppose.” She kicked her feet out straight in front of her. Today she was wearing a red dress. It had short sleeves and shiny black buttons running down the length of it. Matching red flip-flops were on her feet. After setting her coffee cup down, she rested her hands behind her. “Eric, I finally realized that I couldn’t fault you or Jack for your pasts. Not when I’ve had something in my own past to overcome.”

  “Our pasts are a little different, Beverly. Jack and I broke the law. You suffered a broken engagement.”

  “That is true, but I let one very bad experience become the focal point of my life. The first couple of years here, I kept being jilted a secret. But then, when I finally started talking about it, I realized that I’ve been giving it too much power over my life. Yes, it was painful, but it doesn’t define me. And it was wrong of me to let some poor decisions you made as a teen define you for me.”

  He was speechless. He’d never expected her to accept his past so easily.

  “Sorry. I guess I sound a little preachy.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  Looking back his way, she reached out and touched his sleeve. “Please know I’m not suggesting that what happened to me can compare to what you went through.”

  “Yeah, you haven’t gotten arrested.” Even though he tried to make light of it, he knew his voice was bitter.

  She shook her head. “Eric, I’ve always had people in my life looking out for me. That’s what I meant. I wish you and Jack had had the same thing.”

  “I did have that. Jack looked out for me. He made sacrifices for me. The older I get, the more I realize that, too.”

  “Then it’s good you called him. Ain’t so?”

  Hope and relief and well, love, flowed through him as he stared at her. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

  “Jah, Eric. I really mean it.” Then, as if she couldn’t resist teasing him a bit, she added, “Besides, it’s your inn, you know.”

  Though he was tempted to take the bait and roll his eyes, he resisted. What they were talking about was too important to him. And maybe to her, too. “Bev, what if it wasn’t? What if it was still your inn and we were just friends? Would you want Jack to stay here then?”

  “Jah. Because he is your brother, Eric. I would want him here because he matters to you. And, well, because everyone needs a chance to begin again.” With a sigh, she leaned against him, so her shoulder was resting against his arm. “I’m happy Jack is going to join us f
or Christmas, Eric. Mighty happy.”

  He curved an arm around her shoulders and held her close. Right there, out in the open. Smack in the middle of the front porch of the inn.

  For a split second, there was so much pain and hope in his heart he felt like it was on the verge of bursting.

  Or maybe he would simply break down and cry.

  After a few minutes, Beverly rested her head against his chest. He thought about how right she felt. How right they felt together.

  How much it was going to hurt when she realized that she could do much better than him.

  Chapter 14

  December 18

  When Mark walked into the Quick Stop at ten minutes to five, he expected to see Laura looking as eager to see him as he was to see her. After all, they had something pretty big planned for later: Her mother was allowing Laura to spend the evening with him.

  First he was going to take her home to the farm to have supper with the family, then the two of them were going to go hang out at Pinecraft Park. More and more Amish had arrived from up north and Mark was pretty sure two of his buddies from Charm had arrived earlier in the day. He was as anxious to see them as he was to spend time with Laura.

  But before they did any of that, he needed to figure out what was wrong. Instead of greeting him with a smile, she looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

  “Mark, I’m so glad you’re here!” she called as she walked out from behind the counter. After giving a small wave in her manager’s direction, he put an arm around Laura’s shoulders.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. His imagination started going crazy, and every bit of it settled on something bad. “Laura, are ya hurt?” He scanned her face, her simple white blouse and jean skirt, looking for any sign that could give him a hint of what had made her so upset. “Did someone bad come in here and scare you?” He always worried about her safety, working in a convenience store like she did.

  “Nee, it’s nothing like that. I’ll tell you when we leave.” Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Scott, its five to five. Can I go ahead and punch out?”

  Her boss walked over to a machine on the back wall. “That’s fine, Laura. You go ahead and punch out.”