The Christmas Bouquet

by Sherryl Woods

  Caitlyn rushed across the room to envelop him in a hug. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet,” he said, holding her in place and giving her a direct look. “Now tell me what you and Noah have decided.”

  Cait glanced in Noah’s direction.

  “I’m going to make an offer on that house,” Noah told him.

  “And establish your medical practice here?” Mick said, his satisfaction evident.

  Noah nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking.”

  Megan gave Cait a worried look. “Are you okay with that? You didn’t seem so enthused earlier.”

  “Of course she is,” Mick said. “No reason not to be.”

  “Mick!” Megan kept her gaze on Cait. “Sweetheart, how do you feel about it?”

  “I’m convinced it’s what Noah wants, so I’m fine with it,” she said. “I just felt completely blindsided when I saw Noah looking at a house. I needed to be sure he wasn’t doing it to pacify Grandpa Mick or to back me into a corner. He swears it’s the right situation for him.”

  To Noah’s relief, she said it without any hint of reservation.

  “All right!” Mick said with enthusiasm. “Now we can start planning that wedding.”

  “Hold on,” Cait said. “Nobody said anything about a wedding. This decision is about what’s best for Noah and maybe even for the baby. That’s the only thing anybody’s committing to right now.”

  A frown settled on Mick’s face. Noah had the sense he was about to launch into a tirade that would only defeat his purpose, so he quickly stepped in. “That’s enough for now, Mick.”

  “Exactly,” Megan chimed in. “Leave them be, Mick. They have to reach their own conclusions.”

  “They’re having a baby,” Mick protested. “This is no time to be dillydallying.”

  “And it’s no time to be piling on the pressure,” Megan told him firmly. “Haven’t you always said that Caitlyn is incredibly smart? Now trust her to make a wise decision when it comes to what’s best for her life.”

  “Please,” Caitlyn implored, adding her voice to her grandmother’s.

  Noah almost felt sorry for the older man, who obviously just wanted things to go well for his beloved granddaughter. “It will work out,” he assured Mick. “I promise you that.”

  “Just not on your timetable or in the way you might envision,” Cait told him. “Be patient with us, okay?”

  “Looks as if I don’t have much of a choice,” Mick grumbled, then added with frustration, “I can’t say I understand why Abby and Trace aren’t all over this.”

  Megan laughed. “Because they’re both smart enough to see that pushing usually backfires with O’Briens.”

  Noah was glad he’d figured that out all on his own.

  * * *

  Caitlyn went back to work at the hospital after the quick trip to Chesapeake Shores, satisfied with the outcome of her visit with her grandfather. She’d also reached a new understanding of Noah’s priorities, one that had left her at peace with his decision. Now if only she could be as certain about what needed to come next for her.

  She was on a break when she noticed that she’d missed a call from her sister during rounds. She quickly hit speed dial to return the call.

  “You’re having a baby!” Carrie squealed when she answered. “How on earth did that happen?”

  “The usual way,” Caitlyn replied.

  “Oh, I know that, but for heaven’s sake, Caitlyn, you’ve never expressed even the slightest interest in dating, much less hopping into some man’s bed. This man must be something extraordinary.”

  Caitlyn laughed. “He is pretty special. I can’t wait for you to meet him. When will that be? And where are you now?”

  “At the airport on my way home,” Carrie said, her tone sobering. “I quit my job.”

  “But you loved that job,” Caitlyn said, not even trying to hide her shock. “Or was it Marc Reynolds that you loved?”

  “You don’t have to sound so smug,” Carrie said, bristling. “You told me I was trailing all over the world after him for all the wrong reasons. I thought eventually, if I worked my backside off, he’d notice me.”

  “If noticing you is a euphemism for sleeping with you, I thought he had noticed you,” Caitlyn said.

  “Sure. Turns out I was handy and a whole lot easier than dealing with some demanding, temperamental model like Patrina.”

  “That’s who he’s hooked up with?” Caitlyn said. The supermodel had been on the cover of at least three magazines in the past few months, to say nothing of quite a few tabloid editions. Her romantic exploits were almost as notorious as her ability to sell the dozens of fashion and cosmetic brands with which she was associated.

  “Seems Marc is like most men. He only wants what’s unattainable. I finally realized I was just convenient and doubly handy because I worked harder than anyone else on his staff.”

  “Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry.”

  “Hey, lesson learned,” Carrie said. “At least I got some invaluable experience in the fashion world. I’ve already put out a few feelers. I’ll have another job in no time.”

  “Maybe you should spend a little time in Chesapeake Shores and get your feet back under you and your priorities straight before you dive right back in,” Caitlyn suggested, then added, “It would be nice to have my twin close by for a while, especially now.”

  “If that’s true, why didn’t you call me yourself to fill me in? Why did I have to hear your news from Mom?”

  “Because you were working,” Caitlyn said candidly. “And you were a hundred percent absorbed in that. Last time we spoke, I barely got a word in edgewise.”

  “You could have told me to shut up and listen,” Carrie argued.

  Caitlyn laughed. “Last time I tried that, you got offended and hung up on me.”

  “Okay, I can be a little self-absorbed,” Carrie conceded. “But I do love you and I want to hear all about Noah and this baby you’re expecting the minute I get home. Maybe I can stay at your place for a couple of days before I brave Chesapeake Shores. Would that be okay or will I be in the way?”

  “You could never be in the way,” Caitlyn told her. “And if you’re asking because of Noah, we both work so much we rarely even cross paths. He still has his own place, in fact.”

  “Well, you must have found time to do something,” Carrie joked. “I have to admit, it makes me very happy that I’m not the twin in the family headlines for the moment. Quitting a job nobody in the family respected can’t possibly compete with having a baby. And, just so you know, as soon as you know the sex of the baby, I’m going to call in a lot of favors in the fashion world to ensure your baby is the best-dressed kid ever.”

  “Just what I need, a tiny fashionista,” Caitlyn protested.

  “Maybe you’ll learn something,” Carrie teased. “Your wardrobe is seriously lacking in style.” She fell silent for a full half second, then said excitedly, “We can go shopping for maternity clothes when I get there. That will be so much fun.”

  “That will be torture,” Caitlyn told her. “Besides, white coats are very in at the hospital. And just so you know, it was never your job we didn’t like. It was the way we all thought Marc was taking advantage of you. Count your blessings that Grandpa Mick didn’t fully grasp what was going on or he’d have been in Paris dragging you home himself.”

  “Mom says he’s taking your news surprisingly well,” Carrie said.

  “That’s because he likes Noah and is convinced I’ll fall into line and marry the man.”

  “You don’t want to get married?” Carrie asked, sounding stunned. “You’re the ultimate traditional woman, at least compared to me.”

  “I don’t want to be pushed into getting married,” Caitlyn corrected. “Not if it’s for all the wrong r
easons.”

  “But you love this man, right?”

  “I do.”

  “And he loves you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I really don’t get it,” Carrie said. “You should be jumping at the chance to marry him. I certainly would be.”

  “Let me ask you this,” Caitlyn said quietly. “If your dream job in Paris was waiting for you, would you be jumping to get married if it would keep you from accepting it?”

  “So this is about going back to Africa,” Carrie concluded. “Oh, sweetie, I know that’s been your goal, but I’m here to tell you that even the best job in the world can’t compete with being in a relationship with the right man. Trust me on that. I may have been delusional where Marc was concerned, but I believe I was meant to be married with a bunch of kids underfoot.”

  “Well, I want it all,” Caitlyn told her.

  Carrie laughed. “Just like all the O’Briens. We were led to believe that was possible, weren’t we? Mom is responsible for that.”

  “Absolutely. She set the bar pretty high.”

  “Did you ever stop to consider that maybe it’s just not possible for most women?” she asked, real regret in her voice.

  “Not for a minute,” Caitlyn responded emphatically, then sighed to herself. What if she’d gotten it wrong?

  * * *

  The rest of May and June passed by in a blur. Though Cait and their future were never far from Noah’s thoughts, he had a million and one things to do to finish up his residency and get all of his ducks lined up to open his medical practice in Chesapeake Shores.

  He found it worrisome that Cait always seemed to have some excuse for not joining him when he drove down for the closing on the property or to check on the progress with the renovations. While it was true that her schedule was every bit as demanding as his and there had always been conflicts, he got the feeling that she’d deliberately found a way to ensure that their time off never coincided.

  And with her sister’s surprisingly prolonged stay at her apartment, they hadn’t spent any time alone together in weeks. That didn’t seem to frustrate her half as much as it did him.

  “I thought Carrie was only planning to spend a few nights with you,” he’d said a week ago when she’d shown no signs of leaving after her visit had already lasted nearly a month. For once he made no attempt to hide his exasperation.

  “I can’t very well toss her out,” Caitlyn had told him, a defensive note in her voice. “She’s going through a big transition right now.”

  “And her presence actually fits into your plan at the moment, too, doesn’t it?”

  She’d scowled at that. “Meaning?”

  “You’re using her as a buffer, Cait. As long as she’s there, we can’t spend a minute alone together. You get to postpone the sort of serious conversation we need to have. With my residency ending and my move to Chesapeake Shores imminent, we need to settle things.”

  “We’re alone right now,” she’d countered, though there was a telltale blush on her cheeks, proving that he’d guessed accurately about her motives.

  “Sure, in the middle of the hospital cafeteria,” he’d replied, then shook his head in frustration. “Never mind. I need to get back upstairs.”

  A few weeks ago on their visit to Chesapeake Shores, he’d allowed himself to hope that they were moving forward. Now he wasn’t sure of that at all. If anything, they seemed to be drifting further and further apart. He didn’t know Carrie all that well yet, but he couldn’t help wondering how much she might be influencing Caitlyn. She was, after all, used to flitting all over the world, unattached. Could her lifestyle be more appealing to Caitlyn than she’d ever acknowledged?

  He was still pondering that when he arrived at his new Chesapeake Shores home and office. Mick’s crew had finished the renovations yesterday. Mick himself was there to meet him.

  “What do you think?” Mick asked after they’d toured the house. “Is this what you had in mind?”

  “It’s amazing,” he acknowledged. The waiting room was warm and friendly. The examining rooms were filled with natural light. Upstairs, the family quarters had been renovated with the latest appliances and designer touches. No expense had been spared. Noah recognized that Mick hadn’t charged him even half of what another builder would have charged.

  “Think my granddaughter will like it?” Mick asked, a gleam in his eye. “If she’d given me any input, we could have modified it along the way. She may be the only woman I know who ever claimed to not care about a home she intends to live in.”

  Noah sighed. “I wish I thought she was planning to live here.”

  Mick gave him a startled look. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve been trusting you to close the deal. Are you losing ground?”

  “I honestly can’t tell anymore,” Noah said, not even trying to hide his annoyance. “Something changed after Carrie came back home and moved in with her.”

  “Well, I can take care of that,” Mick said at once. “That girl belongs down here, anyway. I’ll have a word with Abby and tell her that Carrie’s in the way.”

  Noah laughed at his naïveté. “And as soon as you do that, you’ll have two granddaughters furious with you. For whatever reason, this current arrangement seems to suit both of them.”

  “I can take a little backlash,” Mick insisted. “Right now we need everybody to stay focused on the goal. We need to get you and Caitlyn married by Christmas.”

  “I’m all for that,” Noah agreed. “But more and more I’m wondering if we’re not deluding ourselves that it will happen.”

  Mick sighed heavily. “I thought once she got me to agree to helping design and build those medical facilities, she’d realize she could make a difference without being in some godforsaken village herself.”

  “I thought so, too,” Noah admitted. “But in some ways, I think it’s made her more determined to get back there herself. I honestly think she’s jealous that you’re going over there to work in a few months and she can’t go herself.”

  “That’s just crazy,” Mick said. “Of all people, Dr. Davis ought to be able to get through to her how much she can do from right here. Maybe I need to have another talk with Naomi. I imagine she could dream up a few things Caitlyn could do from right here to make herself useful.”

  Noah shook his head. “It won’t help. Cait knows all about the work Dr. Davis is doing. She’s told me herself how much she admires her. She’s even been volunteering with the foundation in her spare time. But it’s not enough to replace the dream she’s had for herself for years now. She made a promise to the people in that village. She wants to keep it.” Noah sighed. “I can’t help admiring her dedication.”

  “Well, nobody’s telling her she can’t keep her word eventually. People don’t always get to do what they want to do the minute they want to,” Mick responded.

  “O’Briens do,” Noah reminded him.

  The lines of worry on Mick’s brow deepened. “Yeah, I should have known that lesson would come back to bite me in the butt eventually. So, what do we do?”

  “We don’t do anything,” Noah said. “I just have to let her know I love her, that I respect her dreams, and hope that one of these days she’ll realize that the baby and I are as important as the future she had all lined up for herself.”

  “You’re suggesting patience,” Mick said.

  “I am.”

  “I’m not much good at being patient.”

  Noah laughed at that. “Try, Mick. I’m convinced it’s the only way to get what we want.”

  * * *

  Caitlyn pulled the tattered letter out of her purse and opened it. Written in pencil in awkward lettering, it was from a young man in the village where she’d worked the summer before.

  “We miss you,” he began. “It is not good here
. Three babies died this week. Mothers are too sick to feed them. There is not enough food or milk. The doctors say there is little they can do without more help. Can you help us, Missus Caitlyn?”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks at the simple request for basic food and medical supplies, things everyone here took for granted. She knew that she alone couldn’t save everyone, but what about this one village? How could she turn her back on them? How could everyone expect her to, especially Noah? Shouldn’t the man who claimed to love her understand her need to help?

  Ironically, the one person who seemed to get it was Carrie. Her twin had been surprisingly supportive of her commitment.

  “I wish I had a goal that was half as important,” Carrie had said more than once. She repeated it now when Caitlyn showed her the letter. “All I’ve ever cared about was catching a man and doing things that were fun.”

  “You worked hard at your job,” Caitlyn corrected.

  “Because I thought it would impress Marc,” Carrie admitted. “Not because I was passionate about it. It’s fashion, for goodness’ sake. Even I know that’s not exactly a meaningful world.”

  Caitlyn found herself in the odd position of defending a career she’d often thought to be frivolous. “If it’s something you love, that’s what matters.”

  “Tell Grandpa Mick that. He spent an hour on the phone yesterday telling me it’s time to get serious about my life. He says I’m wasting time.”

  “Did he have any suggestions?” Caitlyn asked, knowing perfectly well he usually did.

  “Of course. He wants me to go to Africa with him and Grandma Megan. He said it would be good for me to do something for other people for a change, to realize that not everyone has the charmed life we’ve led.”

  Caitlyn felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. “Are you going?”

  “If I don’t come up with a suitable alternative, I suppose I’ll have to,” Carrie said, looking resigned. “As he pointed out, I can’t just sit around twiddling my thumbs. O’Briens don’t do that. And none of the job offers that have come my way have amounted to much. Quitting my job with Marc with no notice may have burned more bridges than I anticipated. Or maybe he’s been trashing me, rather than giving me the references I deserve.”