by Camille Eide
“Sorry, that should have been included in the notes. There would be no charge for rent.”
Free rent? Something was fishy. No one gave things away for free. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. The buyers made it very clear that they will benefit from this arrangement. They don’t want the property left vacant while they wait to take possession.”
“But rent-free?”
“Yes. The interested parties feel that keeping the property occupied and maintained through the remaining winter months is of more value than a few months’ rent.”
Sue read the paper again. The figures danced as the page quivered in her hand. “I need to think about this.”
“Great. You have my number. I look forward to your call.”
Her heart beat faster as she read the paper again. It was a legitimate offer, as best she could tell. An offer that meant she not only pocketed a few thousand dollars to help tide the place over, but one that also allowed her and the kids to stay together longer. They would still have to leave, but not for a while.
The upside? She would have more time with the kids. And the downside? There wasn’t one, was there? She was losing the place anyway. It made no difference to her whether she lost it through auction or private sale.
Sue went to her planner and flipped ahead. Depending on when the deal closed, ninety days would give her until around the first of April. She turned back to today’s date. December twenty-second. Two days until Christmas Eve.
She couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas gift.
But you did ask for this. You asked God for more time with the kids.
Her hand flew to cover a gasp. At the bank last week, when she’d asked God for more time, the bank hadn’t given it. But now some investor was offering her more time—and all she had to do was accept.
“Is this Your doing, God?” she whispered. “Did You do this?” She closed her eyes. Are You real? Do You actually care?
Words from a song Joe often sang trickled through her heart.
He knows my heart, the deepest part
He feels my pain, my darkest shame
Yet lifts me up and holds me close
Fills me with His peace and says
Because of My love, I call you my own.
A vibration in her pocket followed by a buzz jolted Sue out of her thoughts. She pulled out her cell and answered Layne’s call.
“Sue? Sorry about the delay, but before I can send over the paperwork, I need you to double-check—”
“Wait. You haven’t sent it yet? Stop. Don’t send it!” Sue looked up at motion in the doorway. Bertie. Sue flashed the old woman a thumbs-up. “Don’t take my kids, Layne. We’ve just been given three more months.”
* * *
Smiling, Joe stowed his cell and lowered the lid on the bubbling turkey broth. One day until Christmas Eve and things were coming together.
“What’s up with all the calls, J-man?” Chaz wiped oniony hands on his jeans. “Got a hot girlfriend?”
“Just some details I gotta take care of.”
A big grin spread across the kid’s face. “Christmas-present details?”
Joe laughed. “Like I’d tell you.”
Chaz grinned again. He scooped up the diced onions and flung them into the stuffing.
Joe turned down the burner on the stock. The Realtor had arranged for Joe to sign papers and visit the title company at the same time, a miracle in itself with time limited and secrecy a must. He’d spent more time on the phone the last three days than he had in his entire life. And keeping his conversations out of the boys’ hearing hadn’t been easy. He’d listed his property as separate lots, applied for a loan on the ranch using a couple acres as collateral, and asked the bank to prepare a down payment from his savings.
It had taken most of Monday to file for an LLC. Naming it “Montgomery Enterprises” after Chaz seemed fitting. Joe also set up the purchase offer through the LLC with the help of his new lawyer.
Luckily for Joe, Steve Weston never forgot a friend, especially one who’d saved his neck on their last climbing trek in Alaska.
And somehow Joe had managed to pick up Christmas presents for Sue and the kids. He even found some rainbow tie-dye for old Bertie.
Mr. Stewart agreed to store the gifts at his place. Mrs. Stewart had gotten teary when she saw the presents and said she was going to bake those kids something extra special for Christmas.
Just as Joe and the guys started cleaning up, Sue and some of the girls came into the kitchen.
“No girls allowed,” Edgar mumbled. “We’re on Christmas Eve dinner crew.”
“Christmas Eve isn’t until tomorrow, dork.” Brandi said. “You done trashing the kitchen? We have to make tonight’s dinner.”
“Hey,” Chaz snapped. “Us men are making a real Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. You might get to lick the gravy spoon. If we let you.”
“We’ll be out of your way in a sec.” Joe grinned at Sue, then turned away. He’d have to knock that off before she got suspicious. “We’re just prepping now for tomorrow night.”
“You guys are fine.” Sue gave Brandi a look. “We’re in no hurry.”
Joe turned off the broth, wiped his hands on a towel, and went to Sue. “Hope you don’t mind if I spend some time with John and Fiona.”
She searched his eyes. “Are you serious? You’ve been working here for nothing but room and board. Board which usually comes out of your own pocket, if we were to get technical. Besides, they’re your family. I’m glad you’re going. The way you’re helping them is really …” She turned and brushed crumbs off the island. “You should spend more than a few hours with them, Joe. Nine days from now you’ll be too far away to see them.”
He bit back a smile. “Nine days? I wasn’t counting.”
She shot him a confused frown.
Are you going to miss me? The thought sent a warm, guilty pleasure through him. He knew exactly how many days until he was supposed to leave for Louisiana.
Except now he wasn’t leaving.
“Sue, about me leaving—looks like they don’t need me to be there on the first now. Is it okay if I stay a few more days?”
“Really? I mean, yeah, that’s no problem.”
“Thanks.”
She glanced around the kitchen. Vince was spraying a soapy pot and getting more water on the counter and window than on the pot itself. Sue lowered her voice. “Joe, there’s been a change in plans. Juniper Ranch isn’t going to auction.”
Joe raised his eyebrows to display the appropriate level of surprise.
“It’s being sold to an investor. I’m signing the papers right after Christmas. But the buyer can’t take possession until April and has offered to let us stay here until then.” Her face softened. “Rent-free.”
The sparkle of a tear in her eye caught him off guard, set his heart pounding. He needed to be more careful. Keeping his secret might be a lot harder than he thought. “So you and the kids don’t have to leave so soon now, huh? That’s a plus.”
She nodded and watched the teens vying to work in the same space. “It’s a huge plus. And it makes me wonder if …” She faced him, an intense question burning in her eyes.
His pulse quickened. Shoot. She knows.
“I think it might have been an answer to prayer.”
Sue had prayed? “What do you mean?”
She took hold of his wrist and pulled him toward the kitchen door, out of the kids hearing. “That day I went to the bank, I sort of asked God to give me more time with the kids. I thought He didn’t answer. But this offer—it’s like a gift. From out of nowhere and from a total stranger. It’s probably just a coincidence, right?”
The way she searched his face kicked his pulse up three more notches. He cleared his throat. “It sounds like an answer to prayer to me.”
Nodding, she blinked moist eyes. “That’s what I thought.”
Way to go, Father. She’s beginning to open her heart to You. I didn’
t know she prayed for more time, and You used me to answer that prayer. He swallowed hard. “That’s great, Sue. I’m glad for you.”
“It’s only a few months, but—” With a long look at the kids, she got quiet. “Time is precious. I’m relieved to have a little more. And grateful.”
If only he could pull her into his arms and tell her she didn’t ever have to leave. Instead he nodded, forced to pretend he was a surprised bystander.
“I guess I owe God and some silent investment company my thanks,” she said softly.
As she left him to help with dinner, Joe fought back a smile. That sweet heart of yours is about to bust free, and I’m going to be right there when it happens. That’s worth waiting for.
If he could stand the wait.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Hey, who messed with my sequencing?” Chaz pushed his glasses higher and peered at the jumble of wires crisscrossing the back of the thin board. “Pass me that screwdriver.”
Sue handed over the screwdriver and paused to stretch and look around. The den was overrun with twelve mismatched kids, three tables full of projects, and—not a partridge in a pear tree other than Sue. She hadn’t intended to be the only adult on duty Christmas Eve day. Sue had given Bertie Christmas Eve and most of Christmas day off, forgetting that when she gave Linda and Karla their notice, their time was up at Christmas, not the end of the month. But Joe would be back for dinner, so she wouldn’t be alone for long.
It hadn’t been hard to get the kids interested in making Christmas gifts for Joe, Bertie, and the Stewarts. She helped Jasmine and Cori with their snowman by filling in the lettering on his “Let It Snow” sign with a tiny paintbrush.
The snowman for Mrs. Stewart was Jasmine’s idea, after the farmer’s wife delivered chocolate cream and pumpkin pies for Christmas.
“Hey, Crankypants, hand me that extension cord.”
Sue snapped her head up.
The extension cord lay at Brandi’s feet, but the girl either hadn’t heard Chaz or hadn’t bothered to respond. She’d been dozing in the corner the entire time the kids had been working.
Chaz rolled his desk chair across the floor and picked up the cord. “Got it. Don’t sweat it, princess. Wouldn’t want you to break a nail.”
Brandi snorted and buried her face in her bent knees.
“Stupid snowman keep falling,” Jasmine said. “He not stand up.”
Cori frowned. “He’s not stupid, he’s just not fat enough. We need something in the bottom for weight. What we need is some rocks.”
Jasmine jumped up. “I get rocks.” She disappeared through the foyer and went out the front door, letting in a blast of cold air and the sound of Ringo barking.
Car tires crunched in the drive.
Sue frowned. Bertie wasn’t supposed to come back from her sister’s until tomorrow night, and Joe wasn’t scheduled to return for a few more hours.
She rushed to the window to see if she needed to hide the gift makings.
A late-model sedan she’d never seen before parked near the shop. At least it wasn’t Joe or Bertie.
She went to the entryway.
A tall, broad-shouldered man met Sue at the door, Jasmine at his side. His dark eyes and handsome face struck her as oddly familiar.
Ringo sniffed the man, wagging.
“Hi, can I help you?”
“I sure hope so. I’m looking for Joe Paterson.” He offered a polite, dimpled smile.
Something about the man’s smile quickened her pulse. Sue pulled Jasmine inside. “I’m sorry, Joe’s not here right now.”
“He’s not?” The man’s face fell. “Do you expect him back soon?”
“Maybe you could tell me who—”
“Oh, sorry. I’m Ben.” He smiled again and held out his hand.
In a daze, Sue shook his hand. Ben? As in …
“Ben Jacobs. Joe’s my brother.”
Sue gasped, covering her mouth. “You’re little Ben?”
He laughed. “I guess that would be me.”
Jasmine tugged on Sue’s sleeve. “Miss Susan, he need to come inside. Too cold.”
“I’m so sorry. Come in, please!” Sue stepped aside for him as questions swirled through her mind like confetti at New Year’s. “Does Joe know you’re coming?”
Ben shook his head. “I was hoping to surprise him.”
“Are you kidding? Yeah, this will definitely surprise him. He’s going to be so …” She caught her lip in her teeth, suddenly struck by the enormity of what this would mean to Joe. “He’s in Bend visiting with John and Fiona, actually.”
“Is he? Good. Glad to hear that.” Ben smiled.
Sue searched him for signs of animosity but didn’t see any. Apparently Ben didn’t have hard feelings toward the family that had discarded him. “He’ll be back for dinner. You’re welcome to join us.”
“Well, I’ve waited this long. Guess I can wait a little longer.” Ben smiled again, but the light in his eyes dimmed. “I’ll just come back later when he’s here.”
“No, please, come in. Make yourself at home. Jasmine, will you introduce Ben to everyone?” As Jasmine escorted Ben into the den, Sue checked the time.
Now to wait for Joe’s return.
No, this couldn’t wait. He needed to come home now. She punched his number on her phone, hoping he hadn’t turned his off.
“Hey, Sue,” Joe answered. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, but you need to come home now. We have a surprise for you.”
She could hear the confusion in his pause. “You want me to ... come home?”
“Yes. As soon as you can.”
He hesitated a moment. “Okay, we were just about to open presents, but—”
“Can you bring John and Fiona with you?” Sue peeked at Ben, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake. “For dinner? Or would that be too hard for your family?”
A stunned silence. “I’ll check, but I think they’d like that. Should be enough food.”
Sue smiled. “Do you mean for you or everyone?”
“Good point. I am pretty hungry.”
* * *
When Joe’s truck lumbered up the drive, Sue sent Edgar, Deeg, and Chaz outside to help Joe with the wheelchairs. She stood in the dining hall, fighting to keep her excitement from bursting out. Her heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe. She peeked behind her at the kitchen door to make sure Ben was still out of sight.
Joe came in pushing a frail-looking man in a wheelchair, followed by a younger woman in another chair aided by the three boys.
Chaz closed the door against the chill.
Joe introduced John and Fiona to everyone.
Above the clamor, Sue met Joe’s eyes. Her face probably beamed like a beacon. She didn’t care; she couldn’t help it.
“Merry Christmas,” Joe said softly.
His smile melted her insides. “Merry Christmas, Joe.”
“Merry Christmas, Joey!” boomed from behind her. Ben came into the foyer and went straight to Joe. “Been a long time, big brother,” he said, voice husky. He offered a hand.
Joe stared at Ben, recognition dawning in his eyes. His chin tilted away, like he was about to ask Sue for an explanation, but his eyes stayed fastened on the younger man. “Ben?”
Ben smiled. “The one and only.” His waiting hand stretched out further.
“Ben? Are you kidding me?” Joe took a step closer and pulled Ben into a bear hug.
Sue couldn’t breathe.
The men pounded each other’s backs, hugging each other hard. Voices shushed and the room fell silent.
Tears rolled down Sue’s smiling cheeks.
“Missed you, little bro.” Joe pulled back and examined his brother, shaking his head. “Where’ve you been? How’d you find me?”
As Ben told about his search, Sue watched Joe, her heart nearly overflowing.
“And then I almost had you in Alaska, but by the time I figured out what island you were based on, you’d left.
It wasn’t until your name turned up on the rental agreement for old man Jacobs’s place that I found an address for you.”
Joe gave Ben’s shoulder another squeeze and a solid pat. “Man, it’s so good to see you.”
“Been way too long.” Ben nodded, never taking his eyes from Joe.
Kids murmured and whispered.
Sue decided to switch up the plan. She gathered a crew of kids and sent them into the kitchen to start dinner, then she gave Joe a nod and followed them.
In the kitchen, Jasmine grasped Sue’s hands, giggling. “You see Papa Joe’s big smile?” She giggled again. “He so happy.”
“I’m very happy for him.” Sue wiped her cheeks and smiled. “Okay, guys, let’s see if we can whip up a Christmas Eve dinner. Um … who knows the plan?”
Armed with teamwork and a cookbook, she and the kids got things started. The turkeys Joe had popped in the oven before leaving had been roasting all day and were coming along nicely, filling the kitchen with savory smells.
Sue peeked out the door to the dining hall.
Joe strode briskly into the room—alone. He stood at the long window with his back to her, hands on his hips.
Apprehension twisted her belly. Maybe inviting the whole family here was a mistake. These were the people responsible for separating Joe from his brother.
Sue slipped out quietly and went to him. “Joe? Is something wrong?”
Joe shook his head and swiped at his eyes with a sleeve but didn’t turn around.
She moved closer and touched his arm.
“No, I’m good,” he said, voice choked. “This is good. Best Christmas I’ve ever had.”
The raw emotion in his voice tugged at her heart, launching an overwhelming urge to hug him. Unsure what to do, she simply stood there, her arms hanging empty at her sides.
Joe drew a shuddery breath and flashed a glance her way. “Thanks, Sue. You have no idea what this means to me.” Then he returned to the den, leaving her alone.
Loving him.