Season of Wonder

by RaeAnne Thayne

  If she wanted to make a better life for her girls here, she had to be wary about letting down her guard around him.

  “Can I play with my dolls?” Mia asked.

  “For a few minutes, then we need to head over and help Ruben and Silver clean up his boat. If we get done in time, we’ll go pick out our Christmas tree.”

  “Yay!” Mia did a little circle in the air, which Winky promptly copied.

  “Whoopee,” Silver said, with no trace of excitement in her voice.

  “You don’t like Christmas?” Ruben asked.

  “I like not having to go to school for two weeks,” Silver said, “but the rest of it seems like a lot of work for limited payoff.”

  Silver’s words stuck a little sharp-tipped thorn into Dani’s heart. Had she failed her daughter when it came to instilling Christmas spirit in her?

  She hadn’t always loved the holiday, either. It was tough being in foster care at Christmas. If her foster family had other “real” children, there were always inherent inequities in the way she had been treated, especially among extended family members.

  Most of the time, they probably weren’t even aware of it. She had noticed, though, even as she understood. Why should grandparents extend the same effort and energy into finding the right gift for someone who could be gone from their lives the next day?

  She had gotten used to it. What other choice had she been given? Eventually, Dani had come to treat Christmas as just another day to get through, this one with a little more chaos than most.

  After she had Silver, though, Dani had gained an entirely new perspective.

  She had this small, wonderful creature to think about now and Christmas became far more magical when her focus shifted to providing memories for her child.

  Dani had always tried to make up for the dearth of material things by giving her girls experiences they wouldn’t forget: walking through a light display in a city park, going to the mall to see Santa, visiting nursing home residents who would otherwise be alone—both because it was kind and also to remind her girls that while they didn’t have much, they had each other.

  The last few years, she had been so insanely busy trying to survive the rigors of veterinary school, she was afraid she had failed in that arena, too.

  This year had to be different.

  While money was still tight thanks to all those loans she had taken out, gambling toward her future, she was more comfortable financially than she had been in years. That was in large part thanks to Ruben’s father and his generosity both in the compensation he was providing her during her internship and his offer to let them live in this small but comfortable house on the lake.

  She had been afraid this would be a hard Christmas. The stress and trauma of Tommy’s death and the highly charged circumstances around it had taken their toll on her and on Silver. Mia was mostly oblivious, since her father had been a stranger to her, but Silver still grieved.

  Despite everything, Dani had grieved as well. She had mourned the pipe dreams she’d cherished as a lonely, foolish teenage girl, swept off her feet by a fast-talking young man who had promised safety and security and the happily-ever-after she had always yearned after.

  Those dream castles had turned to sawdust too quickly. His promises had all been an illusion, but at least her girls had come out of her marriage, the two most important things in her life.

  In a way, she supposed Tommy had given her the thing she most needed, someone to love. Two amazing someones. She could regret many things about her marriage to a man who ultimately chose a life of crime over his family, but she would never regret her daughters.

  She wanted to give them the best possible Christmas here in Haven Point.

  Whatever game Ruben Morales might be playing, whether he was befriending them to dig deeper into her life in an effort to protect his father, or whether he genuinely wanted to know them better, she would be cautious around him. She had to be. Her girls had no one else to stand for them.

  An hour later, she had to acknowledge that keeping her distance from Ruben Morales was easier said than done, especially when he was so very sweet to her daughters.

  “Look at that,” he said, standing back and admiring the work he and Silver had put in to clean away the graffiti. “It came off perfectly, just like the label on the cleanser said it would.”

  “You can’t even tell it was ever there,” Dani said, admiring the sleek, glossy gleam of his boat in the afternoon sunlight with the words The Wonder in small script near the stern.

  “I’ll admit, I was a little worried about damaging the finish, but this stuff is magic. I’m glad it worked so well.”

  “I do like your boat,” Mia said. “It’s pretty.”

  Ruben smiled down at her and Dani tried to ignore the little flutter of nerves inside her.

  “Thanks. I think so, too. I never considered myself a boat guy but it kind of seemed a natural fit, since I own a house right on the water. I will say, next time I buy a boat, I’m going to do it at the beginning of the season, not at the end. I’m anxious to get out on her.”

  Silver rolled her eyes. “Why do guys always consider their boats girls?”

  “Because we love them,” he answered promptly. “And maybe because they’re unpredictable and take more work than any guy ever expects.”

  This time Dani was the one who rolled her eyes. “And because men like to think they’re the captains of them, but it’s really the boat that makes all the rules,” she told her daughter, then decided she would be wise to change the subject.

  “You guys worked hard today. I’m impressed,” Dani said. “I didn’t think we would get everything cleaned up in one Saturday.”

  “Agreed,” Ruben said. “I was worried the weather wouldn’t hold, but we did it. Lucky for us, the shed at Mrs. Grimes’s place didn’t need a second coat, either.”

  “Yay us!” Mia said, beaming her gap-toothed grin.

  “You didn’t have much to do with it,” Silver said.

  “Not true,” Ruben said. “She was the best cheerleader ever, plus she helped move firewood for the Millers and petted Mrs. Grimes’s schnauzer.”

  Mia beamed at him, clearly smitten. Oh, Dani hoped her little girl didn’t get her heart broken.

  “Thank you for all your help,” she said. “We never would have been able to make things right without it. You really went above and beyond.”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it really was my pleasure. Despite the work involved, it was a fun day.”

  Dani was afraid to admit how very much she agreed with him. “Silver. Don’t you have something you want to say to Deputy Morales?”

  “Ruben,” he insisted.

  “Thanks again for helping us, Ruben,” Silver mumbled. “And I’m sorry I tagged your girlfriend here.”

  Ruben grinned and patted the side of his sexy boat. “She forgives you. And so do I.”

  Dani could swear her daughter grinned back for just a moment but she concealed it quickly.

  “The good news is, now she should be all ready for the Lights on the Lake Festival next week.”

  “I want to see that!” Mia said.

  “You can watch the parade from your house, but it’s more fun to go to Lake View Park downtown, where there are craft and food booths, live music and games for the kids. It’s a big party. The biggest one of the season. You don’t want to miss it.”

  Her first instinct was to tell him they would likely do better to watch from their house, but that seemed to play into her antisocial tendencies. She was trying to make a home here, which meant she needed to get out and mingle more.

  “Thanks for the reminder. Can we help you clean up?”

  “Not much to do. I should be fine.”

  Mia tugged on her sweatshirt. “Mama, can we go get our Christmas tree now?”

 
; “Yes. Let’s go home and clean up, then we’ll drive to Shelter Springs and check out the lot Ruben was talking about.”

  “Do you have a tree stand and Christmas lights for your tree?” he asked.

  She hadn’t thought that far ahead. “No. I suppose I’ll have to pick those up while we’re in town.”

  “I might be able to help you out there, actually. My parents bought an artificial tree a few years ago and they’ve been storing their old things in my garage. There are a couple of tree stands and at least a half-dozen strings of lights. I can’t guarantee they’ll all work, but you’re welcome to use what you can find.”

  His offer surprised and touched her, especially as she suddenly realized that purchasing multiple strings of lights and a new tree stand for a real tree might end up costing her more money than if she went ahead and bought a whole artificial tree.

  “That’s very nice of you. Thank you.”

  “Silver, come help me dig around in the garage for a minute, will you?”

  “Ooh. That sounds fun,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Still, she went with him toward the house and the attached garage, and Dani and Mia followed behind.

  His garage was neatly kept and well organized, though not to the point where he seemed like a neat freak. He went to the back of the garage and pulled down a ladder from the ceiling, which made Mia’s eyes go wide.

  “That’s cool! I want one of those in my room!”

  “That would be great, except you don’t have an attic above your room,” Silver said. “Where would you go?”

  “I don’t care. I want one anyway. Can I have a pull-down ladder in my room, Mama?”

  “Let’s focus on the Christmas tree for now,” she said.

  “Can I go up?” Mia asked.

  “Better let me handle this for now,” Ruben said. “I haven’t been up here for a bit and I’m not sure how stable some of the boxes are. But maybe another time.”

  She made a face but plopped onto the concrete floor to watch as he climbed the ladder then emerged a moment later with a green tree stand atop a box labeled Christmas Lights, which he held in one hand as he used the other to help in his descent.

  “I saw one more box up there that might have some of my mom’s old decorations. If you’re interested in using them, I’m sure she won’t mind.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t.”

  “Let me grab the box anyway and you can decide after you take a look at what’s inside.”

  He climbed the ladder again and she did her best not to gawk through the fabric of the T-shirt he wore at the play of muscles in his shoulders and his back.

  Just as he disappeared into the bonus room, she heard a polite woof and a moment later a yellow Lab wandered into the garage. He was on a leash and at the other end stood Ruben’s father.

  “Hi, Dr. Morales,” Mia chirped. She immediately went to him for a hug, which seemed to thrill him.

  “Hello. I wasn’t expecting to find you in my son’s garage,” he told her. “What’s all this about?”

  “We’re raiding your Christmas decorations,” Silver told him. “Ruben said it was okay. We’re getting a real tree this year and he said nobody is using your old tree stand.”

  “True enough. What a good idea! I’m sorry I didn’t think of it first.”

  Ruben climbed down the ladder a moment later with another box under one arm.

  “Hey, Dad.” He set the box down and gave his father an affectionate hug, which made Dr. Morales smile and sent those blasted butterflies fluttering through Dani’s insides.

  She found it absolutely charming that he loved his parents and wasn’t afraid to show it.

  “What a kind thing, helping your lovely neighbors with their holiday decorations.”

  “I didn’t think you and Mom would mind.”

  “Not at all. Not at all.”

  Frank smiled at them and Dani’s heart warmed with gratitude for this man who had completely changed her life. She only hoped she could be worthy of his faith in her.

  “I’ll help you carry these things next door,” he said. “Mia corazón, you don’t mind holding Baxter’s leash for me while I grab some boxes, do you?”

  Mia giggled at the nickname he always called her. “Nope. Baxter is my friend.”

  She grabbed the dog’s leash and petted him, giggling when he licked her.

  “What have you all been up to on this beautiful, rare warm December gift of a day we’ve been given?”

  Dani hesitated. She didn’t want Frank knowing about Silver’s vandalism but she didn’t know how to avoid telling him.

  Ruben sent her a sidelong look, as if he sensed exactly what was running through her mind.

  “Just helping out some neighbors,” he said with an easy smile.

  Silver frowned and looked as if she wanted to spill the whole story to the veterinarian but she finally looked down at the ground, as if she was too embarrassed to confess to her mistakes.

  “What about you?” Dani asked to change the subject.

  “My beautiful bride and I went into Shelter Springs to do a little Christmas shopping this morning. I don’t recommend it. The stores were a madhouse. But when you have eight grandchildren and four step-grandchildren, you have to start somewhere.”

  She loved the way Frank always referred to his wife. Myra was just as sweet as her husband and Dani had liked her instantly when they came to town.

  “Were you out for a walk or did you stop by for something in particular?”

  “A little of both. I won’t deny Baxter and I both needed a walk along the lakeshore after all that shopping and those crowds, plus your mother wanted me to come over and remind you about your sister’s big concert tomorrow.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “And I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of this, but your mother is serving churros and chocolate at our house afterward.”

  “I’ll definitely be there for that.”

  “No concert, no churros. You know the rule.”

  Ruben made a face. “It’s a dumb rule.”

  “You can take that up with your mother, if you dare.” Frank turned to Dani. “You’re all invited, too, my dear. In fact, I was heading to your house next to tell you about it. Now you’ve saved me the trip.”

  “What concert?”

  “My sister sings in a jazz band,” Ruben explained. “They’re pretty good, actually, and give a fun show, especially at Christmastime.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “And they’re doing a benefit concert at the Episcopal church tomorrow night,” Frank explained. “The proceeds benefit the women’s shelter. Afterward, Myra always throws a family party with hot chocolate and her famous churros.”

  Mia’s eyes lit up. “I love churros,” she declared. “Once I had them at school. They were muy delicioso.”

  Frank chuckled. “I’ve got a wonderful idea. Considering you live next door to each other, you could ride together.”

  She immediately wanted to protest but Ruben spoke up before she could. “That’s a great idea, Dad. What do you say, Dani?”

  She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell him to stop being so nice to her, to stop trying to confound her and twist up her insides and make her find him even more impossibly attractive.

  “Can we, Mama? I love, love, love churros.”

  How was she supposed to refuse churros and chocolate with Ruben’s family when it sounded so very appealing?

  She forced a smile. “Sure. That sounds fun. What time is the concert?”

  “It starts at seven, but there’s no reserved seating, so you might want to be there early,” Frank said.

  “I’ll pick you up about six fifteen. Does that work?”

  “Sounds good. I guess we’ll see you then.”

  She didn’t see that she had
much choice, when Mia and even Silver looked excited about the prospect.

  “Thank you again for all your help today,” she said to Ruben after Frank waved farewell to them all and continued on his way with his dog. “We would never have been able to take care of it all without you.”

  His smile left her entirely too breathless. “I was glad to help, this time. I hope I don’t have to again,” he said to Silver.

  She, predictably, rolled her eyes. “You won’t,” she said. “I don’t want to have to spend another Saturday cleaning up.”

  “Fair enough. Have fun tree shopping for your Christmas tree. If you need help stringing the lights, give me a call.”

  She wouldn’t. Dani would stay up all night if she had to in order to finish the job. She didn’t need to become more dependent on Ruben Morales for help with things she ought to be handling on her own.

  “Thanks. Have a good evening.”

  She handed the box of lights to Silver, gave the tree stand to Mia, picked up the box of ornaments, then ushered her family out of the garage.

  She couldn’t afford to fall for Ruben, she told herself as they walked across their winter-dead lawn toward home.

  Yes, he pushed all her buttons. He was big, sexy, sweet. Irresistible. But she would have to strengthen her defenses and do her best to keep a safe distance from him.

  She couldn’t risk a broken heart, too, not when her whole life here in Haven Point felt as if it were hanging by some fragile, silvery thread of tinsel.

  7

  Ruben knocked on Dani’s door the next evening, trying to ignore the restless edge that settled on his shoulders like the gently falling snow that had finally come to Haven Point.

  It was stupid to feel any nerves. This wasn’t a date. He was simply being neighborly, giving Dani and her girls a ride to a concert. That knowledge didn’t seem to take away the anticipation surging through his veins.

  She didn’t answer the door for a long moment. When she finally did, Ruben completely forgot that he needed to breathe in order to sustain life.

  She looked stunning in a wine-colored skirt and a creamy cable-knit sweater. Her dark hair hung in soft waves around her face, unlike the ponytail or messy bun he was used to seeing.