“And can we do our window the same so we’ll match?”
Noah stepped forward. “Chloe, I’m sure Miss Beth doesn’t have time to do our window, too.”
A bubble of perverse glee caused her to smile. It was nice to shove the rigid Noah off his foundation sometimes. “Actually, my mother has asked me to do both windows, so it’s not a problem.”
“Can I help? I like decorating.”
“Of course.” She ignored the deep frown that had formed on Noah’s brow. “We can do it now if it’s all right with your father.”
Chloe nodded enthusiastically. “Is it okay, Daddy?”
“Do I have a choice?”
She and Chloe glanced at each other before turning to face him. “No.”
Their simultaneous response sealed the deal. They shared a smile, linked arms and went back inside the office.
Beth eased her conscience by remembering Noah’s declaration that he couldn’t say no to his child. This time it had worked to her advantage.
* * *
Noah leaned back in his office chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He’d decided to work while Beth and Chloe decorated the front office window. With several reports due and calculations to make on a few structural situations, he had plenty to keep him busy. His new plotter, the large printer he used for blueprints, had been delivered and needed to be set up.
The office was quiet at the moment. Beth had taken Chloe to the store to pick up more decorations for the window. They’d run out of paper and red ribbon. He’d welcomed their departure to focus on his work, but found the office strangely lonely with them gone.
He’d chosen to work here in the back office as they went about their business, but it had been hard to concentrate. The wide opening in the wall between the spaces made it easy to see and hear customers as they entered. But it had the opposite effect when two females were decorating a Christmas window. They’d worked quietly, but the soft giggles and happy chatter had distracted him. After the huge disappointment Chloe had suffered thanks to her mother, he was glad the holiday weekend was providing some enjoyment for her. He just wasn’t sure how he felt about Beth being the source.
Watching them work together had unleashed a flood of warmth and longing deep inside of Noah. Chloe was missing out on having a woman in her life. Gram was great, but the age difference sometimes became an issue. Beth was young, enthusiastic and close in age to Chloe’s mom. Though Yvonne had always been more concerned with her own enjoyment than her child’s. There were times when he seriously considered marrying again to give his daughter a mother. But he couldn’t get beyond the knowledge that he’d failed twice.
Rising, he walked into the front office and stopped. The room had been hit by a craft tornado. Tiny slivers of white paper littered the desk and floor like confetti. Ribbon in various lengths curled on every surface. Instead of being irked, he chuckled at the mess. Chloe was having fun. That’s all that mattered.
Suddenly the pair entered like a burst of energy, laughing and cradling bundles of items for the window. He frowned at the large assortment. “I don’t think there’s room in that one window for all this stuff.”
“Some of it’s for Beth’s apartment, Daddy. She can’t reach the boxes in the closet so she bought some new things.”
He looked to Beth for an explanation.
“My sister has all her Christmas decorations shoved in the back of her closet, and they’re too heavy for me to pull out.” She gestured toward her knee. “Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, but I don’t want to risk it right now.”
“I’ll pull it out for you. You should have just asked.” What was he saying? When had he become her rescuer?
“Oh, that’s all right. I’ll get one of the boys to come by.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m right here. Besides, it’s the least I can do to thank you for decorating the window.” She smiled, and his heart dipped into his stomach.
“Thanks. We’ll do that as soon as we’re finished here.”
Working was pointless. He gave up and offered himself as the token tall person to fetch the things too high for them to reach. When the window was done, there remained an empty spot that begged for a tree.
“Is this where our tree will go? Do I need to go buy one?”
Beth set her hands on her hips, her mouth puckered into a thoughtful—and adorable—grimace. “Not sure yet. A white tree to match the one in our window would be the obvious solution, but I’d like to see what else I can find.”
“So are you done?” He studied the window. White paper snowflakes bobbed in the air along with red streamers. They’d cut out shapes to look like snowdrifts and taped them to the bottom and edges of the window like a frame. He would never have thought of using simple paper and ribbons to decorate.
“For now.”
Chloe nodded. “We need an accent color. We’ve decided that it should be aqua.”
Noah had no idea what they were talking about. Aqua? That wasn’t a Christmas color.
Chloe reached into one of the larger sacks and pulled out a figure of a peacock in hues of aqua. “This is for Miss Beth’s window, and she’s still looking for one for ours.”
“Maybe my sister has something in her closet.”
“Now’s as good a time as any to find out.” There he went again, volunteering his help when there was no need. Beth looked as surprised as he felt.
“Thanks. Give me a few minutes to put this stuff away and straighten up the office.”
Noah watched her go, suddenly aware that she’d taken a considerable amount of energy with her when she left. His office didn’t seem nearly as bright and cheerful without her.
“Daddy, I love Miss Beth. Isn’t she wonderful?”
She was something. He just hadn’t decided what yet. He cleared his throat, which was unusually tight. “She’s a very nice lady.” Beautiful, strong, compassionate—and determined to leave Dover. “Let’s clean this up.”
A half hour later, Noah pulled the last box from the crawl space in Beth’s closet and stood. There was no way, with her injury, she could have done this on her own. He was glad he’d been here to help. He placed the plastic container near the others in the living room.
Chloe dashed in from the balcony. She’d been watching the vendors arriving in the square for the grand lighting kickoff this evening. “Wow, that’s a lot of boxes. Can we open them now?”
Noah picked up her jacket and tossed it to her. “It’s time to go. I’m sure Miss Beth would like some time to sort through these things on her own.”
Chloe slipped on her jacket, glancing over her shoulder at the balcony. “Are you going to watch all the lights come on tonight?”
“Of course. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be spectacular.”
Chloe bit her lip, an impish smile lifting the corner of her mouth. “I think your balcony would be the best place to watch from.”
“Chloe.” Now his daughter was playing matchmaker, too. Or was she simply looking for more time with Beth and a perfect vantage point to see the lights? Either scenario was not good.
Beth must have read his reluctance because she slipped an arm across Chloe’s shoulders and gave him a challenging smile. “I think you’re right. Why don’t you come back this evening? I’ll fix supper, and we can watch the lights come on together. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
No. No way. He was spending too much time with Beth as it was.
“Please, Daddy. That would be so totally cool.”
He sighed. He had a sturdy spine and it worked to perfection, except when his little girl made those puppy dog eyes, and her voice went up three levels, and she asked him for something she really wanted. Then those healthy vertebrae turned to jelly. Gram was going out to dinner with friends this evening, so he’d been looking at o
rdering pizza. If Beth’s cornbread stuffing was any gauge, she would probably serve a tastier meal than he’d been planning.
“Fine. What can I bring?”
“Nothing but yourselves.”
They started for the door, but Chloe stopped and spun around. “Do you need any help with supper? I help Gram all the time.”
Noah froze. “Chloe, it’s not nice to invite yourself to people’s homes.”
“I’m not. I’m offering to help. That’s different.”
Not in his view, but when he saw the grin on Beth’s face, he knew he was licked.
“Chloe, you are just full of good ideas today. I’d love to have your help. In fact, it’s nearly time to start preparing anyway. You could stay, and your dad could supervise.”
Talk about being ganged up on. How was a guy supposed to stay strong when he had two beautiful women working against him? “You can stay, but I’m going back to the office to work. That window-decorating session cost me some time.”
Beth helped Chloe remove her jacket. “Fine. You do that, and we’ll call you when everything is ready.”
Noah opened the door and headed down the stairs. As he entered his office, he felt the silence in a way he hadn’t before. Worse still, he was looking forward to the meal and to watching the lights go on all over downtown. He wanted to see that childlike sparkle in Beth’s eyes. The thought of seeing his daughter and his friend experience the grand lighting filled him with joyful anticipation. He sent a quick text to his gram explaining the change in plans, knowing she would be smiling happily at the turn of events.
As he stepped into his office, the delicate snowflakes and ribbons in the window fluttered, reminding him of the video he’d watched last night of Beth. Red reminded him of her strength and determination. White conjured up all her feminine traits. How could the thing he admired most about her be the thing that kept them apart?
He owed Beth a debt of gratitude for helping to lift Chloe’s spirits and forget about her mom’s broken promise. But he worried he was trading one bad situation for another. Beth still had every intention of returning to dancing, which meant the heartbreak would be deeper when the dance world lured her back.
He was standing in a bed of wet cement, and it was hardening around him faster than he could pull himself out.
The bell on his office door chimed, and he looked up to see a slender middle-aged man enter. “Can I help you?”
The man gave him a quick once-over with piercing dark eyes. “You the engineer?”
“Yes, sir. Noah Carlisle.” He extended his hand. “What can I do for you?”
“Harvey Kramer. I’m remodeling a house out on Old Agler Road, and I need an engineer to check things out to make sure the changes I want to make are possible.”
“I can help you with that. Have a seat and tell me what you’re looking at doing.”
Noah sent up a grateful prayer. Nothing better to take his mind off Beth and Chloe than his first client. This was something he understood and could control.
Chapter Seven
Beth slid the casserole dish into the oven and closed the door, double-checking the temperature before setting the timer. Anticipation over the meal with Chloe and Noah bubbled up, making her feel lighter than she had in a long while. She loved to cook, but with little free time and no one to cook for, she’d rarely taken the time.
Making one small adjustment to the fall-themed place mat she’d put at Noah’s place, she scolded herself for being so particular. He’d never notice the table decorations. Not the way she’d noticed him as he’d wrestled the boxes from the tight storage space. Every masculine movement had captivated her attention. The muscles in his arms and back had flexed appealingly as he’d tugged the boxes from the deep space. His jeans had stretched tightly over his thighs as he stooped to place them on the floor. He’d caught her staring more than once, but she dismissed her interest as the need to make sure he didn’t miss any boxes or break anything fragile.
The truth was, she liked watching Noah. She liked the little groan in his throat as he hoisted a heavy box. She liked the way he had to repeatedly brush his wavy hair from his forehead. She liked many things about him. But she shouldn’t.
Chloe came in from the balcony for the tenth time, her impatience growing. “There sure are a lot of people down there. When did you say the lights will go on?”
“Seven o’clock. You still have an hour to wait.”
They’d worked together, making the chicken-and-mushroom casserole and preparing fresh rolls. Chloe proved to be an entertaining and helpful assistant. Now they had to wait forty-five minutes before they could eat.
“Can we look in the boxes now?”
“Sure. In fact, let’s start with this big one because I’m hoping there’s a garland I can drape over the balcony railing.” As expected, a large garland was coiled neatly in the bottom. Bright gold bulbs were intertwined among the long faux evergreen strand and accented with lights and strings of beads. It would look lovely draped along her balcony rail. The next box they opened held tabletop decorations her sister had collected.
Chloe hummed along with “Frosty the Snowman” playing in the background before pulling out a sturdy snow globe with a white church in the center. She shook it to set the flakes in motion. “I love Christmas. It’s so pretty and happy. I think it would be fun to spend each Christmas in a different place so I could see how other people decorate.”
“That would be fun, but if you’re away for the holiday, you won’t be with your family.”
“I’d take them with me. It’s only Gram and Daddy.”
Beth chuckled softly as she tried to envision wrangling all her family members in one direction. But they’d never leave the family home at the holidays. A sharp stab of regret pricked her heart when she thought about the many Christmases she’d missed and could never recapture. This Christmas would be one she would cherish because it would be one she fully embraced. “I couldn’t do that. There are too many of us.”
Chloe nodded. “I wish my mom would come home for Christmas.” She shook the globe again, watching the mini snowstorm.
Her melancholy tone pinched Beth’s conscience. Chloe’s disappointment from the last holiday was still so fresh. “I’m sorry you weren’t able to go to see her over Thanksgiving.”
Chloe offered a small smile and a shrug. “She’s very busy and very important. That’s why she forgets about me sometimes.” She shifted and looked Beth in the eye, her smile confident. “But she loves me. I know when she sees me again, she’ll remember how much she misses me, and then we’ll spend more time together and go places and have adventures.”
Beth forced a smile. From what she’d learned from Noah, Chloe’s hopes would likely never be realized. She wanted to hug the little girl close and try to explain the behavior of adults, but she had a feeling Chloe’s belief was too strong to be swayed by truth. Eventually she’d have to come to terms with her mother’s indifference. She prayed Noah would handle that time carefully.
Noah arrived just as the timer dinged on the casserole. They worked together to get the food on the table, and Noah gave the blessing.
Beth was thankful that Chloe’s excited chatter prevented any conversation between her and Noah. She liked looking across the table and seeing Noah there. Mostly she liked the feeling of inclusion that being together created. It wasn’t too different from the feeling she had when she performed. If someone had told her she could have that feeling outside pointe shoes, she would have scoffed. But here she was, in her sister’s apartment with an attractive man and his adorable daughter, feeling more like she belonged than she had in a long time.
“Beth.”
She blinked and looked at Noah. “What?”
He grinned. “You wandered off for a moment. I was complimenting you on your casserole. I never
knew you were such a good cook.”
“Thank you.”
Chloe twisted in her chair and looked out the front window. “Is it time yet?”
Noah checked his watch. “Almost.”
“Why don’t you two go out on the balcony while I clean up? By then it should be close to seven.”
Noah stood but he didn’t follow his daughter outside. He picked up his plate and carried it to the sink.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Oh, yes, I do. If my gram found out I didn’t help clear the table, I’d be in the doghouse for a week.”
“Well, I’d hate to see you forced to endure that horrible fate.”
He laughed, causing her to study him a moment. “You’re in a good mood.”
“I am. While you were preparing the meal, I was landing my first private client. He’s restoring an old house out on Old Agler Road, and he needs an engineer to go over the place.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. It’s a small start. Hopefully once I get connected with a few local architects, I’ll get into the commercial business deals. That’s what I really enjoy.”
Beth glanced at the clock. “Oh. It’s almost time.” The temperature had dropped, and the lightweight sweater she wore wouldn’t provide much warmth. She lifted a throw from the sofa as she headed for the balcony, but Noah took it from her, opened it and gently draped it around her shoulders. His arm lingered awhile, making her aware of the warmth of him and the nearness.
He looked into her eyes as if searching for something. His arm urged her forward.
“Beth.”
Her name was a whisper, soft and caressing. She knew what he was asking, and she raised her head in response.
“Daddy, look at all the people. And there’s the carriage going by.”
They pulled apart and joined Chloe on the balcony as she leaned over the rail, watching the crowds of visitors milling around in anticipation of the grand lighting event.
Beth allowed her gaze to scan the square, chasing the moment with Noah to the back of her mind. “Mom told me this was a big deal, but I had no idea. I can’t remember ever seeing so many people in our little town.”
A Mom for Christmas Page 10