by Nancy Naigle
“I hope he loves it.” Liz took Krissy’s and Ginger’s hands into hers. “We did good.”
“We did. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get home and feed my kids,” Ginger said. “Thanks for letting me be a part of this. Let me know what he thinks!”
They saw her to the door and she drove off.
“What a day.” Liz sat on the couch and propped her leg back up. “I feel like everything was moving so fast, then it stalled when I got hurt, and now it’s like we’re going down the big hill on the roller coaster with our hands in the air screaming.”
“But in a good way,” Krissy said.
“The very best way.”
Krissy turned to Liz, her expression serious. “Matt would take good care of you. This is more than a construction project for him. You know that, right?”
Liz dropped her head back against the couch. “It’s so confusing. My head knows it’s impossible, but my heart—”
“Your heart is smarter than that brain of yours. Trust it.”
Liz’s heart leapt, or maybe it was giving her a swift kick because she kept second-guessing it. If only she could believe it. “I can’t risk it, Krissy. This is a small town. If something went wrong…”
“And if it didn’t. Wow. I’d give anything to have someone look at me like he looks at you.” Krissy squeezed Liz’s hand.
Her heart pounded so hard she could barely swallow. If this was what real love felt like, it was scarier than she’d ever dreamed.
Chapter Thirty-one
When Matt got home it was after ten. He’d spent time after they wrapped up work at the house helping get the Harmons settled into the cabin, and then Barney had shown up with the train pieces. Matt couldn’t wait to see if he could get the scene working the way Mr. Westmoreland had done all those years ago. They weren’t really trains at all, as they didn’t run on rails, but rather remote-controlled vehicles that looked like an engine, railcars with Christmas trees on them, and a bright red caboose. The handheld remote control explained the magical way the train made the big loop through all the lights without a rail. When he was a kid here at Christmas, he’d try to anticipate where the train would go next. He never could get it right. Now he knew why. He couldn’t wait to play the same prank on the kids of Antler Creek.
Joe had tucked his wife and daughter in bed and come out to help. Between the two of them they’d rigged up the train and figured out how to preset a route. It worked flawlessly. They’d tested out the music and Joe had repositioned the speakers and rerun part of the wire to fix the ones that weren’t working. They were wired for surround sound every step of the way. People driving through the lights would hear beautiful music as the lights captivated them along the ride.
Everything had come together, and without much time to spare. Tomorrow night people would flock to see the Lights at the Lodge at Angel’s Rest.
Matt put Elvis in the truck and drove back to his house. He was sorry Joe’s family had fallen on hard times, but they’d be comfortable and safe in the cabin. Being closer to Liz was no hardship on Matt either.
When they walked in, Elvis ran ahead, then crouched and growled, moving slowly toward the den then backing up.
“What’s the matter, boy?”
Matt walked into the other room to check, and then stopped dead center in the room.
How did they do this?
Elvis braved up and walked into the room behind Matt, sniffing around the edge of the tree, then backing up again.
“It’s okay, boy,” he whispered.
Liz poked her head around the corner on her scooter. “Hey. I thought I heard you come in.”
“You did all this?”
“Your sister and Ginger were a big help.”
“It’s great.” Matt had never seen a Christmas tree look this good. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” He stepped close to her and hugged her by his side.
“You like it?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t like it, I love it.” He moved closer to the tree. “Where’d you find that tree topper? It’s the coolest one I’ve ever seen.”
“I made it. Umm, full disclosure, all those pretty pheasant feathers are from that vase in the other room. The antlers are from your collection too. I promise to return them after the holiday.”
“No problem.” He nodded. “Good use for them. I really love what you’ve done to this place.” She was the one thing that had always been missing. Until this second, he hadn’t been able to put his finger on it.
“I’m glad you like it. I wanted to do something for you.” She moved her scooter over next to him.
“Thank you.” He put his hands on the handlebars of the scooter. “How’re you doing?”
She looked up into his face. “Pretty good. Not ready for snow bowling yet, but better.”
“We may have to put our rematch off until next year.”
“We can do that. Ink me in.”
“Really?” He was almost afraid to take her seriously. “You’ll be here?”
“Definitely.”
He couldn’t hold back a grin. Probably one that made him look like a goofball, but he didn’t even care. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. He laid his hand on top of hers. “Good.”
She held his gaze.
“The Harmons are nice folks,” Matt said. “Joe stepped right up and pitched in. I didn’t even have to ask.”
“Good. I didn’t get to talk to his wife, but when I heard him talking to the gal over at Goodwin’s I knew I could make things better for them.” She looked into his eyes. “I didn’t think twice. I knew I wanted to help.”
Matt knew that feeling. Sharing gifts was the best feeling in the world. “Joe wasn’t exaggerating when he said he could do just about anything. He’s been a huge help.”
“That’s great.”
“I invited them to come over tomorrow morning for breakfast. It’ll be a long day and with the lights tomorrow night I thought it would be nice for everyone to get together for a good meal.”
“Great. What time will they be here?”
“I told them to come around eight. We’ll eat at eight thirty.”
“Sounds good.”
They stood there in the silence, next to the Christmas tree.
“I better go get some sleep,” she said.
“Yeah. Both of us. Good night, Liz. Thanks for the tree. It’s beautiful.”
“You’re welcome.” She slid her hand out from under his and scooted back toward the guest room.
No one had ever gone to this kind of trouble for him before. He pinched one of the boughs of pine, releasing the fresh scent into the room.
Wondering what kind of gift he might buy Liz to put under the tree, he turned off the lights and went to the other end of the house, where the master suite was. He wasn’t used to having other people in his home, but tonight it felt comfortably full.
The next morning, Matt got up early to fry bacon and sausage. He took the dishes that had been his mother’s and stacked them at the end of the island. He wished his parents were here to meet Liz.
“Hey, big brother.” Krissy walked into the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a white sweater. “I’ll get the coffee going.”
“Thanks.” He scrambled a huge batch of fresh eggs, then started making milk gravy the way Momma always had.
Joe and his family showed up, and he was just talking to them with Krissy when Liz finally rolled into the room.
“This place smells fantastic,” Liz said. “Why didn’t someone wake me?”
Krissy took the biscuits out of the oven and started dumping them into a breadbasket.
“We wouldn’t have let you miss it. I was just coming to get you.” Matt slid the huge pan of gravy onto the counter and put a ladle in it, then walked over to Liz and gave her shoulder a squeeze.
The smile she rewarded him with meant more to him than any paycheck.
With a happy heart, he spoke over the friends that had gathered. “Eve
rything is ready. Y’all grab a plate and dig in. There’s plenty here.”
“What a spread.” Joe picked up a plate and scooped eggs onto it.
“We can’t thank you enough,” his wife, Maryanne, said. She held her baby on her hip and a plate in the other hand. “That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in weeks, and now this?”
Little Holly cooed and clapped.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” Liz said.
“Let me take the baby while y’all eat.” Matt held his arms out for the little girl. “Come on, Holly. Want to come see me?” He lifted her in the air, then settled the giggling child on his shoulders, moving around the kitchen and then sashaying off into the den.
Chapter Thirty-two
Liz watched Matt from the kitchen. He was so at ease with the little girl, pointing out ornaments on the tree and singing Christmas carols along the way.
Seeing Matt like that had her imagining what it would be like to be a family with him.
Is there anything sexier in the world than a man with a child?
She fixed her plate, then took the spot at the very end of the island so she could balance on her scooter rather than try to transition to a chair.
Joe’s phone rang and he stepped outside on the porch.
Not meaning to eavesdrop, Liz tried to focus on the conversation in the kitchen, but Joe’s deep voice kept pulling her back. From what she could hear, it sounded like he’d been part of a mass layoff in Ohio when the factory where he worked lost a big contract. After four months of him trying to find a job, along with a thousand other locals, they’d been evicted from their home. He wasn’t happy about going to Florida to stay with Maryanne’s parents, but he was out of options.
She heard Joe say he felt like a failure for letting his family down. That tugged at her heart.
She regretted eavesdropping when she heard him tell the person on the phone about the kindness she’d shown giving them a place to stay. He’d referred to her as an angel, saying he’d repay her somehow.
Liz wasn’t worried one bit about being repaid. She felt awful that he felt like he needed to work the whole time they were there. Maryanne was sick, but he’d needed rest too. She knew he was up late with Matt working on things.
Matt carried Holly back into the kitchen, but rather than stopping next to her mom, Matt brought the little girl over to Liz.
“She’s so precious,” Liz said.
“Thank you,” Maryanne said. “She’s such a happy baby.”
“She is.” Liz clapped her hands and held them out. Holly reached for her, and Liz took her into her arms. She smelled of baby powder and innocence. “You are so beautiful.”
Holly grinned and giggled, drooling a little as she did.
“That looks good on you,” Matt said.
Funny. I thought the same thing about you. She imagined what a Christmas would look like with colorful wrapping paper all around them as the baby managed her way through the pretty paper and overwhelming surprises Christmas morning would bring.
“You like children,” Matt said with a smile as he sat down next to her.
“I do.” Liz bounced Holly on her hip. “I’d always thought I’d be married and have one by now.”
“Well, you had to get Angel’s Rest first,” he said with a wink. “I mean location is everything.”
She laughed. “I guess.” So many things felt right here in Antler Creek. “I’d like to get everyone together who has helped on Angel’s Rest. The house project and all the Christmas stuff too. Do you think Maizey could cater it for me?”
“She’d be thrilled to. If there’s one thing Maizey likes, it’s a party,” Matt said.
“I was thinking maybe something Saturday afternoon before the lights, since Sunday is Christmas Eve.”
“Sounds perfect.” Matt got another cup of coffee and warmed up Liz’s. “We could do it here, but it might be more fun at Angel’s Rest. The downstairs is in good shape and it would be nice for everyone to see the progress we’ve made so far.”
“I love that idea. Nothing fancy, just an honest thank-you.”
Matt handed her his phone. “Here’s Maizey’s number.”
She pressed the button and Maizey’s cheerful voice came over the line. “Hi, Maizey, it’s Liz.”
“Liz? I thought it was Matt’s number that flashed up. Never mind. How are you doing with that bum ankle, dear?”
“Better every day. I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure. What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to hire you to cater a little thank-you event this Saturday afternoon at Angel’s Rest. Can you squeeze it in?”
“For you, dear. Anything. Anytime. Just let me know what you’d like to have, and how many people we’re talking about. I’ll take care of the rest. No pun intended.”
“Great. I’ll call you later with all the details.” Liz hung up the phone excited to be able to thank everyone for their generosity. “Matt, do you have a list of everyone who has helped?”
“Better than that. I have all of their emails too.”
“You’re the best.”
“I believe it’s still your name at the top of that snow bowling scoreboard,” he said. “That would make you the best.”
His smile made her insides spin. She laid her hand on his arm. “Really. Just take the compliment. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
* * *
THAT AFTERNOON LIZ was dying to go help get Angel’s Rest ready for the big production that night, but Matt insisted they had it under control. She’d loved the Lights at the Lodge when her grandparents had hosted it. It would be different without them, almost a little sad, but she couldn’t wait to see how many people would show up.
She and Krissy sat at the kitchen island playing Scrabble to pass the afternoon. Unfortunately, Liz couldn’t stay focused and had lost all three games to her. Something that never happened.
A puff of cold air filled the room as Matt and Elvis walked in.
“You girls ready for a great night?”
“We are,” they both said.
“Staying here all day has been torture,” Liz complained.
“Small price to pay to be out and play all night tonight.” Matt closed the door behind him. “I can’t wait for you to see it.” He grinned wide, like a little boy with a big surprise that he was dying to reveal.
“I can’t wait either.” She had no idea what to really expect. It had been exciting to see the few things they’d done the other night, but it was nothing like what Pop and Gram had done. Now, that had been a real light show.
She’d already set her mind to not be disappointed, but rather appreciative no matter what with all the effort folks had put into it. Pop was no easy act to follow.
“Here’s the plan,” Matt said, rubbing his hands together. “It’s a little after four now. Cars will start up the hill at six P.M. sharp. The sheriff blockaded the road for us.”
“That’s pretty special,” Liz said.
“So, I need y’all to get the hot chocolate made and in the coolers, and be dressed and ready to go by five fifteen. It’ll only take a few minutes to get to the house, but we’ll need to set up.”
“No problem,” Liz said. “Come on, Krissy, let’s start the water boiling then go get changed.”
It didn’t take long to get the pots on the stove, and then they took off back toward the guest bedrooms to get changed.
A few minutes later they were both dressed in layers and had their hats and coats ready to go. They stacked them by the back door, then made quick work of the hot chocolate in the big insulated watercoolers that would keep it warm for visitors that came to see the lights.
Matt carried the coolers out to the truck as they got each one filled.
The sun was setting as they loaded into the truck and headed for Angel’s Rest. Liz rode shotgun and Krissy climbed into the backseat with Elvis. As they turned out of his driveway, Matt texted someone; then his phone ping
ed back.
“Who’s that?” Liz asked. “Is everything okay?”
He patted her leg. “You’ll see.”
She gave him the stink eye. He was always up to something.
They took the side-pass road, and then Matt turned left back up Doe Run Road toward Angel’s Rest.
Liz licked her lips, eager to see how things had shaped up. The corner post of the fence that ran the perimeter of the property now glowed with Christmas lights run among fresh pine roping. A wreath hung in the center.
“It’s beautiful,” Liz said. “There’s an angel in the middle of the wreath! I love it.” The angel, shaped like a snow angel, appeared to have been cut from plywood and sprayed silver. It reminded her of the other night when he took her to make snow angels near the pond. That was so much fun. Her heart raced much as it had when she’d been a little girl first seeing the lights.
“I can take credit for that one,” Matt said, “but I think you’re going to like what you see next even more.”
He rolled down the windows. The cold air rushed in. Liz was getting ready to tell him to roll them up when she heard the music.
“Christmas music!” She spun around and looked at Krissy.
“This is great,” Krissy said, bouncing in the seat and leaning up between the front seats.
Liz pulled her coat tighter and zipped it.
There was a glow up ahead. It started about fifty feet from the driveway, with white blinking lights dripping from the tall trees like snow or icicles. A row of colored bulbs was draped along the fence line in red, blue, green, and yellow.
Matt pulled up and stopped at the edge of the driveway.
To the left, with a spotlight shining on it, a sign had been nailed to two white posts with fancy finials. The sign was a dark green that matched the tin roof on the house. Trimmed in silver, a beautiful angel with detail that made her appear almost three-dimensional graced the center of the sign. The angel’s halo was shiny gold, as were the letters in “ANGEL’S REST” that flanked her on each side of her pretty white robe in a thick elegant script.
“Matt?” Liz’s hands flew to her mouth. “How did you…? Krissy?”