"How was your day, son?" Annabelle asked.
"Fine," Luke said curtly, not wanting to go into details too much.
Annabelle peered across at Luke. He tried to avoid her gaze. Those eyes had an unnerving ability to see through any attempt to pretend or disguise. And, right now his mother's gaze was homing in on her son's face like a tracker hunting prey.
"Just fine?" she asked innocently.
Luke sighed. "Okay. You win," he said. His mother smiled. "A visitor got caught in the snow, out on the ridge. Her car broke down."
Nicole lifted her head from her book. "Her?" she asked, eyes bright with curiosity. "Young or old?"
Luke furrowed his brows. "What's that got to do with anything?"
Nicole shrugged, feigning innocence. "Nothing. Just wanted more details."
"I'm a sheriff," Luke reminded Nicole. "I'm supposed to keep everything I do confidential."
His mother smiled at him. "We just like to know what kind of day you've had, that's all," she explained. She glanced down at her book. "So who was this young woman?" she asked without raising her gaze to Luke.
He cleared his throat. He wasn't going to win, was he? Not with his mother and sister both determined to find out the identity of the mysterious, stranded woman. It did sound like something out of a mystery story, he reflected.
"She's one of those folks who came here from LA in the summer."
Nicole stood up and came to stand in front of Luke's chair. "The TV company? The one that wants to make a documentary about the town?"
"I think it's a bit more than just a documentary," he replied. "At least, according to Erin."
"Her name's Erin?" his mother asked softly. Her gaze was firm now. Unwaveringly set on Luke.
"I remember her," Nicole said. "Wasn't she the pretty dark-haired woman that went around with that awful man?"
Luke sat back in his chair and wished the conversation would finish. It wouldn't be long before he'd have to give them every detail of the time he'd spent in the car with Erin. Then, it would be a short hop to demanding when he would be seeing her again.
"I think she's only here for a few days. She's leaving before Christmas."
"Really? That's unfortunate," Annabelle said.
"Why?" he asked.
"I'm sure she'd love to see what a real Christmas is like."
Luke squinted at Annabelle. "She comes from LA, mom. Not from the planet Mars."
Annabelle smiled patiently. "I know, dear. But, you know, we do things differently here. We know how to really make Christmas special." Annabelle looked at Nicole. "Isn't that right, Nicole?"
Nicole nodded. By the look in his sister's eyes, Luke could tell she wasn't finished grilling him, yet.
"When you seeing her, again?" Nicole snapped.
Luke frowned. "Who said I was seeing her?"
Nicole lowered one brow and stared at him, saying nothing at all. He knew what that look meant.
He looked across at Annabelle and saw that she was also waiting for an answer to that question. He wasn't going to get out of this.
Luke sighed. "If you must know, I've arranged to see her tomorrow. She has some important meetings, and I've agreed to show her around the town. Make sure she can find the folks she needs to talk to, right?"
His mother and sister both looked at each other, exchanging a slight, and very annoying nod of the head. What was this, some kind of dating arrangement meeting?
He knew his whole family had been pressing him about when he was going to find a wife and settle down. It had been a regular subject of conversation for a while, one he'd usually managed to avoid. His work was important to him, and he loved helping the people of the town. But, in his quiet moments, when he was fishing, he often thought of how good it would be to have a beautiful wife to come home to; someone with whom he could share his life, all his triumphs, all his difficulties. Because, that was what being married was all about, wasn't? Having a powerful sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself; hoping that in being a part of that, you'd grow to be a better man.
All of this was what he'd been doing his best to avoid for too long. Burying himself in work so that he'd avoid thinking about it.
Now that she'd confirmed her suspicions, Nicole went back to her chair. Luke stroked Scoot's soft fur. Everything went very quiet again.
He gazed into the flickering flames. They'd managed to get it out of him; succeeded in getting him to tell them the real truth about the stranger from LA. That she was someone he'd be spending quite a lot of time with over the next few days.
And he, for one, wasn't complaining one little bit.
CHAPTER FOUR
True to his word, Sheriff Luke arrived at the door to the bed and breakfast the next morning. He'd called ahead to check that she would be ready and she'd found herself feeling excited as she'd told him to pick her up at ten o'clock.
Right on time the doorbell rang. From up in her room, Erin heard Mrs. Kennedy opening the door. She heard Mrs. Kennedy exclaim, "Sheriff MacAllan, in you come. I'll call her down."
Before Luke had a chance to get too comfortable in the living room, Erin went racing downstairs and caught him in the hallway. He looked surprised and delighted to see her. She'd dressed in her warmest gear, thick jacket, jumper, heavy pants and boots.
His gaze flickered up and down, taking in the sight of her.
"Think I'll be warm enough?" she asked.
He laughed quietly. "I think so," he said nodding his head. "What do you think, Mrs. Kennedy?"
Mrs. Kennedy examined Erin and smiled. "I think she looks lovely."
Erin could see that Luke agreed with that assessment. It looked like he was trying real hard to disguise his true appreciation.
They said goodbye to Mrs. Kennedy who promised to have dinner ready for Erin at six o'clock. She wasn't sure if she would be back in time for that, but she promised Mrs. Kennedy she would do her best to be on time. Mrs. Kennedy was a lovely woman, Erin told herself. It seemed like she couldn't do enough to make Erin feel at home.
Once they were on their way, Erin and Luke started to chat about her appointments. She figured it was odd that she be accompanied by the sheriff, but he explained that he'd be able to show her parts of the town that only he had detailed knowledge of.
"So you're really going to show me the real, true Montana Falls?" she asked.
He gripped the steering wheel and glanced at her. "I'd have thought your boss would approve. Isn't that just what he wants?"
Erin shrugged. She wanted to tell Luke about her conversation with Bob the night before. How he'd asked her to dig deep into the unknown parts of the town. Because Bob was sure that people just couldn't be as good and perfect as she'd told him they were. But, Erin was sure that the people who lived in this town didn't harbor any secrets. At least, not the kind people like Bob would be interested in.
"I think I already know plenty about the hidden side of the town. I've seen enough to convince me that the only secret worth digging for is the secret of why everyone is so happy here," she said.
Now why had he smiled at her like that? He looked like he'd found that last statement of hers amusing.
"That's easy to explain," he responded. He turned and gazed at her. "Traditional values," he said looking quickly back to the road.
She had to think about that for a moment. Maybe he was right. All the signs she'd seen during the summer had convinced her that one of the reasons folks were so happy here, was that they'd held on to what some might describe as "old-fashioned" values. The kind that everyone had told her had gone out of fashion a long time ago.
"What kind are you talking about?" she asked.
Luke shrugged. "You know."
Erin squinted at him. "I don't."
He furrowed his brows. "Are you telling me that folks where you come from don't appreciate things like family and honesty and keeping your word?"
Erin laughed harshly. "No."
Luke peered at her disbelievingly
. He looked genuinely shocked. "What do they believe in, then?"
For a moment, Erin was lost for words. She honestly didn't know how to answer that. She searched her mind for a reply that would make sense to Luke, but she couldn't think what it could be.
Finally, she said: "Everyone is always so busy," she said. "I guess they just don't stop to think about those things. There's always so much to do."
Luke shook his head slowly. "I'm glad I don't live there," he said.
She was sure someone like Luke wouldn't fit in with the kind of life she had in LA. For that matter, could Erin fit in here, in Montana Falls? To someone like Luke, she must seem like a fish out of water. She hoped not, because, one thing was sure. The town and its people had already gotten under her skin in the most surprising and profound way possible.
When she'd woken up this morning and looked out her window at the snow covered street, she'd felt a warm glow, a rare kind of happiness she hadn't felt for a very long time. Maybe it was seeing the town with its startlingly beautiful, snow-covered streets that had burrowed its way into her soul.
She gazed out the window as Luke drove her to the Town Hall where she was to have her first meeting with the Mayor.
He parked the car out front at the Town Hall and waited downstairs while she attended the meeting. The Mayor, Abe was helpful, confirming that he'd met with the town council members and that he was confident that the few objections to the filming could be overcome. Erin asked how many folks had objected, but Abe hadn't been clear with his answer. In fact, Erin got the distinct feeling that Abe wasn't telling her the full story. Maybe the resistance to the idea of letting camera crews wander around town had grown since the summer.
Erin knew she'd find out soon enough. Especially since she had such an important contact in town as Sheriff Luke. The Mayor told Erin he'd arranged a meeting at which Erin could plead her case. Erin thought it might be wise to make a presentation those people and find out just how strong were their feelings.
Ultimately it would come down to a vote this week. That was the real reason why Bob had sent her. To try to persuade the decision makers on the town council. They were the real power in this whole thing. If they were anything like the folks she'd already met, they wouldn't be a pushover, Erin thought.
After talking with the Mayor, Erin knew it wasn't going to be easy. It seemed like Bob had overestimated how much support there was for opening the town up to the scrutiny of the world. The folks of Montana Falls had their own precious world. They wanted to keep it the way it had always been. Safe, secure, comfortable, happy.
Maybe Bob was living in his own little world if he couldn't see that not everyone in Montana Falls shared his opinion about the value of being TV stars.
When she went downstairs, she found Luke leaning against the side of his police car, speaking into the microphone of his radio. He saw her coming down the Town Hall steps and smiled. He put the microphone back on the dashboard.
"You being called to an emergency?" she asked with a sly grin.
"Someone's cat is missing."
Erin raised her brows at him. "The crime wave continues," she said mischievously.
He lifted a brow. "Mrs. Gatlin will certainly think there's been a crime if Tibbles doesn't come home soon," he said.
"Tibbles?" she asked arching a brow.
He nodded. "How was your meeting?"
She sighed, sad to be getting back to business. She'd far rather talk with him about anything else, even a missing cat called Tibbles.
"The Mayor gave me lots to do. Bob will be pleased."
"You said you have to call him every night? Give him a progress report?"
Erin nodded. "He likes to keep on top of things."
"I can see that." She saw him turn and peer across to the other side of the square, on the far side of the grass lawn, beyond the huge Christmas tree.
"You hungry?" he asked.
The meeting with the Mayor had gone on longer than she'd realized. The clock on top of the Town Hall said it was twelve-thirty. Her stomach rumbled embarrassingly, almost like it had understood what he'd just asked her.
"I guess that's your answer," she said widening her eyes at him.
Luke laughed and glanced at his watch. "I've got some things I need to attend to soon, but I've got time for a coffee and something sweet, if you like."
She felt a tinge of disappointment, thinking that he'd been about to ask her to join him for lunch. But, then, he had a job to do, didn't he? She couldn't expect him to spend the entire day accompanying her around town. Could she?
"There's a great coffee shop on the other side of the square. Want to go?" he asked.
"Sure."
They crossed the street and cut through the small park, walking past a large statue of one of the town's founders. The square was circled with stalls that were obviously for some kind of outdoor fair. Close to the statue was a huge Christmas tree which had been covered with all manner of beautiful decorations. At the foot of the tree, she saw a pile of wrapped gift boxes.
Erin paused, and Luke halted by her side. "Are those gifts?" she said pointing at the boxes.
"Sure."
Erin looked at him. "And people just leave them out here, like that? They're not frightened someone will steal them?"
Luke frowned and then smiled incredulously at her. "Why would people do that? They're Christmas gifts for the less fortunate kids in the town."
"Where I come from those boxes would be gone in a heartbeat," she said.
Luke shook his head. "That's sad."
"That's the world we live in," she retorted.
Luke peered at her. "You really believe that?"
"It's not that I believe it. It's just the way it is," she admitted.
Luke sighed, apparently lost for words.
Erin pointed at the stalls. "What are those for?" she asked.
"Every night there's a Christmas fair. There's music and good food. Everyone comes out to enjoy the evening. It's an annual ritual for the folks here."
"Must get busy," she said looking at the dozens of stalls.
"Everyone brings their family. The kids love it. They get to play games," he said. He smiled. "And there's usually a few fights." She peered at him.
"Trouble in Montana Falls? I don't believe you?"
He laughed. "Just kids letting off steam."
Erin shook her head. Was that about as wild as things got here? A Christmas Fair getting out of hand?
She saw the sign above the coffee shop. It said "Coffee Falls" "You'll Never Fall Asleep After Our Home Brew." She smiled as she read the sign. "That's cute," she observed.
"It should be. The coffee shop belongs to my sister, Nicole," he said.
She grabbed his arm before they crossed the road. "Wait a minute. Your sister?"
Luke nodded. "You'll love her. And she's dying to meet you."
"Why?"
Luke shrugged. "She and my mom insisted on knowing all about you, last night."
Erin peered at him, wondering what he was talking about. "You were talking to your family about me?"
Luke nodded, apparently oblivious to her sudden concern. She saw him glance down at her hand and smile appreciatively. She removed it quickly.
"I'm not sure," she said slowly.
Luke smiled at her. "Just a coffee. And a few innocent questions. I promise. It'll be fine," he said.
She thought about it. Meeting family members might be an innocent event in this town, but where she came from it was usually a sign of something entirely less innocent than what Luke seemed to think it meant. Maybe it was part of learning about the differences between here and the outside world. Because she was starting to feel like she'd entered a strange, almost unreal place, one that challenged everything she'd ever taken for granted.
Erin sighed. "Okay," she agreed at last.
Luke smiled and held her elbow while they crossed the road. Erin saw a few passersby looking at her. Did they think she was being arreste
d for some crime?
Luke opened the door and held it for her to enter before him. The place was half full, and most of the customers were seated close to a huge fireplace with a roaring log fire. The heat felt instantly stifling, and Erin loosened her jacket and the collar of her jumper. Luke led the way to the counter.
Behind the shelves of delicious looking cakes and standing in front of a large, silver espresso making machine was a young woman who could only have been Luke's younger sister. She had the same even features and bright expression of her older brother. Nicole wore a plain white shirt, beige pants, and a red-checkered apron.
Erin saw Nicole stop suddenly in the middle of piling what looked like freshly baked cakes on the glass shelf.
Nicole's gaze shifted from Erin to Luke and back again to Erin. She looked genuinely taken aback.
"Nicole, I'd like you to meet Erin."
"Oh, my goodness," Nicole said enthusiastically. She placed the tray of cakes down and started to dust off the remnants of flour that covered her hand. She came around from the behind the counter. "Erin, I've heard so much about you," Nicole said.
Erin couldn't resist giving Luke the briefest of glances. He smiled weakly at her.
Nicole saw how much flour was covering her hands. "I'd give you a hug, but I'd get you covered in flour."
Nicole's eyes were bright, and Erin was amazed that Luke's sister could be so welcoming to someone who was actually a total stranger.
"I remember when you were here in the summer," Nicole said.
"You do?" Erin replied, unsure whether that was a good or a bad thing. How many other people remembered Erin?
"Oh, yes," Nicole said. "Everyone is so excited that you're going to be making a TV show about the town."
"Well, it hasn't been confirmed, yet," Erin said.
Nicole looked disappointed and glanced at Luke. "I thought you said it was definitely going ahead," she said to her brother. Luke just shrugged.
Luke's Christmas Love (A Sweet Christmas Romance) Page 3