by Terri Reed
“No doubt Louise will love having you stay,” he said. He’d assumed she’d go home for Christmas, then fly off to the job she had waiting for her. He couldn’t deny he was glad to hear Sophie would be around for a little while longer than he’d thought. Not that he planned on spending any more time with her than necessary. “It’s nice that you have a flexible job.”
“It’s not great on my pocketbook, but Grandma needs me, and I’m happy to be here with her while I have the time.”
“Did you have to give up a photography job to be here?”
“No. Thankfully, I was just wrapping up one in Gran Canaria, so the timing couldn’t have been better.”
“Ah, that explains the tan.”
She flashed him a grin. It was like the sun coming out on a spring day. “Yes. It was a bit of a shock to come from the balmy Canary Islands to here.” She added diced carrots to the chicken. “I’m sure my agent would have found me a Christmas shoot with a magazine or something. She’s the best in the business.”
“Only the best for the best.” He slid the cubed potato pieces into the pan and watched as she poured olive oil and seasonings over the food.
She let out a wry laugh. “Right.” She moved past him to grab a stack of plates from a cupboard. “What about your family? Are your parents still in eastern Washington?”
“No.” He took the plates from her and set them on the counter. “You must be thrilled at the prospect of going abroad again.”
“I am. This job will add more prestige as well as photos to my portfolio, and if they like my work they’ll probably hire me for more.”
“Which reminds me, I’d still love to see your portfolio. Did you bring it with you?”
Her cheeks flushed. From the oven’s heat or a blush? “You can see it online. I have the hard copy of my portfolio in my studio in Burbank.”
“Oh, you have a studio? For portraits?” He hadn’t thought she did studio sittings.
“No.” She crinkled up her nose. “I mean, I do portraits, but not in a studio. I meant my studio apartment. I use it mostly for storage and as a staging area.”
“I see. I lived in a studio in downtown Bellevue for years. In a high-rise. It was, well, very different from the suburbs.”
She opened a drawer and pulled out silverware.
“You miss your life before Troy?”
He frowned, darting a quick glance toward the living room. Just in case Troy could hear, he dropped his voice. “Life has certainly changed.” He shrugged. “It is what it is. Before I was alone, and now I have Troy.” And thanks to this amazing and beautiful woman, Troy was safe and would be cared for when David was at work this week.
He needed to change the subject before he said something like that out loud. “Hey, so Troy and I are going to buy a Christmas tree tonight.” He’d been trying to think of a way to make it up to her, and this seemed like it might work. “I noticed that Louise doesn’t have one. I’d like to repay you for everything you’ve done. Can I pick up one for you guys while we’re there?”
Sophie tucked in her chin. “You don’t have to repay me.”
He held her gaze with determination. “I always repay my debts.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I can take care of it.”
She sounded insulted. Not at all what he’d meant to accomplish. But he couldn’t accept her charity. Even well-intentioned charity. “I know you’re capable of doing it, but I’d like to.”
A frown marred her forehead. “My help doesn’t come with a price tag.”
Definitely offended. “I know it doesn’t. I didn’t mean to imply it did. But I have a truck. I’ll be bringing a tree home for my house, and just thought I could bring you a Christmas tree, too.”
Grandma called from the living room. “We’re going Christmas tree shopping? How fun!”
He shared an uh-oh look with Sophie. Apparently Louise had been listening to their conversation. Hopefully, Troy wasn’t as adept at eavesdropping.
“I’m planning on picking up a couple of fir trees from the lot at the grocers,” he said as he stepped into the living room. If Sophie wouldn’t accept his offer, then he’d go through Louise to get his way. “I owe Sophie big time for all her help.”
Sophie arched an eyebrow at his retreating back. He was serious about making restitution. That didn’t sit well with her. But it also made her curious why he’d feel the need. Why couldn’t he accept help without feeling an obligation to reciprocate?
“Uncle David!” Troy protested. “My mom said the good trees come from farms.”
Hearing Troy talk of his mother compelled Sophie to hurry forward. If the child cried again, she wanted to be there for him. But even as that thought formed, she reminded herself it wasn’t her place to comfort Troy.
“All Christmas trees come from tree farms, Troy,” Sophie said, joining them. She eyed Troy carefully. He didn’t appear to be on the verge of tears. “The ones at lots are usually sold as fund-raisers for various clubs or charities. So it’s not a bad thing to buy from the grocery store.”
“But it’s much more enjoyable to go to a tree farm and cut down your own tree,” Grandma interjected. “Your grandfather and I went to school with the family who owns and operates Sleigh Bells tree farm. They have plenty of attractions that make the experience fun. They’ve got a petting zoo, a Santa House, and sleigh rides.”
“And cinnamon-covered donuts!” Troy let out a whoop. “Last year we watched them make the donuts and then got to eat them while they were hot. Yummm.”
Sophie’s heart was warmed to see that Troy had such a fond memory to hold on to.
“Let’s do it!” Grandma clapped her hands in joy.
“Grams, it’s raining,” Sophie protested. Someone had to be the practical one. “Not to mention cold.”
“You do remember you’re in the Pacific Northwest, right?” David asked. An amused smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Rainy and cold is what winter is about here.”
She couldn’t argue that point. “But the tree will be too wet to put up.” Sophie imagined the mess that would be. Water droplets all over the place.
“That will be true wherever the Christmas tree comes from,” David countered. “It will have to dry in the garage until you’re ready to decorate, either way.”
“That makes too much sense,” Sophie replied with a wry laugh. “But Grandma shouldn’t be out and about in the dark, rainy night.”
“Hey, I’m not an invalid,” Grandma said. “I can wheel myself through trees. And it doesn’t require standing to munch on warm donuts.”
“We haven’t even had dinner yet,” Sophie said with a pointed look at her grandmother.
Grandma waved a hand. “After dinner, silly.”
“Can Riggs come, too?” Troy asked as he plopped down next to the puppy for some love.
“Does the Christmas tree farm allow pets?” Sophie asked Grams.
“I believe so.”
Sophie glanced at the clock. “How late is the farm open?”
“Good question,” David said and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll find out. Hopefully they have their hours posted on their website. What was the name of the place?”
“Sleigh Bells.”
He grimaced as he looked at the screen. “They’re only open until eight. By the time we eat and drive there, we wouldn’t have much time to look for a tree.”
Seeing the disappointment on Troy’s face and in Grandma’s eyes, Sophie gave in. “Let’s make a day of it on Saturday, then. We could ride the sleigh, eat donuts, and pick a tree.”
“And pet the animals!” Troy cheered. “What about Riggs?”
“Let’s see.” David scrolled through the screen on the phone. “Yes. They allow dogs on leash.”
“Yay!” Troy hugged Riggs. “Hear that, boy? You get to come with us.”
Riggs barked and gave Troy a slobbery kiss.
Sophie laughed and her heart swelled. She liked this. Liked being here
with David and Troy and Grandma. She turned away and reminded herself not to get used to it. She was leaving after New Year’s. But the normal excitement she felt when she thought about traveling, of seeing a new place and photographing new wonders, didn’t make her pulse pound.
Instead, she felt a confusing pang of loss.
“Thank you, ladies, for a wonderful home-cooked meal,” David said as he rubbed his full stomach. He’d eaten more than his fair share. Having existed on ready-made dishes for so long, this was a special treat. Almost as special as being here with Sophie and Louise.
“You helped, so you deserve some of the credit,” Sophie said with a smile. She sat across from him in her grandmother’s dining room. The light from the craftsman-style chandelier bounced off her shiny blond hair. He liked her delicately carved bone structure, the straight line of her nose, the curve of her cheek. Her face captured his interest, but there was more to her beauty. An inner vibrancy and vitality that made him itch to have a set of colored pencils and a sketch pad at his disposal.
He realized he was staring. He rose and gathered their plates. “Let Troy and me clear the table and do the dishes.”
“I’m not done eating,” Troy said around a mouthful of chicken. It seemed he, too, enjoyed the meal. Even the broccoli. David would have to remember to make the vegetable for dinner in the future.
“Leave the dishes for later,” Louise said. “Troy and I have to finish our movie.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “Riggs needs to be walked. Why don’t you two take him out?”
“Grandma.” Sophie arched an eyebrow at her grandmother. There was a note of warning in her tone. What was that about?
“Yes, dear?” Louise cocked her head at her granddaughter.
David wasn’t sure what was going on between the two women and certainly didn’t want to get in the middle of it.
“I don’t mind taking Riggs out.”
Sophie turned her gaze to him. There was speculation in her eyes. “Really? Okay. The dishes can wait, then.”
“As soon as you’re finished eating, Troy, we’ll watch the rest of It’s a Wonderful Life,” Louise said.
Troy gobbled up the last of his potatoes and broccoli. “Done!”
Louise backed her wheelchair away from the dining room table. “Do you think Clarence will get his wings?”
Troy scrambled from the table. “I hope so.”
Sophie whistled and Riggs jumped up from his bed. “Want to go for a walk, boy?”
The dog barked and trotted to the front door.
David laughed. “I take that as a yes.”
“Seems so.”
He and Sophie shared a smile. Warmth spread through him. Then she turned away and headed for the coat rack. David followed, disconcerted by his reaction to Sophie, and retrieved his jacket. Once they were bundled up and the leash attached to Riggs’s collar, they headed outside. The cool air was a welcome relief from his inner turmoil.
As soon as they hit the sidewalk, Sophie handed him the leash. He expected Riggs to balk or pull at the lead but he walked happily by David’s side.
The night was chilly and the air was moist, but thankfully the mist wasn’t enough to deter them. They walked silently through the neighborhood. David wondered if Sophie felt as awkward as he did. Maybe small talk would ease the tension. “Seen any good movies lately?”
She glanced at him. With the moonlight hitting her face, he could see amusement in her eyes. “Yes, actually. On the plane.”
She went on to tell him the plot of a sci-fi film with some big-name stars. He liked the melodic quality of her voice. It was soothing.
“Have you met any of those actors?” he asked. In her line of work she was bound to have rubbed elbows with celebrities.
“I have,” she said, though there was a note of wariness in her tone.
“You must get that question a lot.”
She sighed. “Yes, I do.”
Since he wasn’t that interested in famous people, he decided to switch topics. “I’m not much of a movie watcher. I prefer books.”
“Who’s your favorite author?”
He ran down the list of his top five writers and was pleased to discover she’d also read books by a couple of them, though she preferred lighter reading. They had a lively debate on the plot twists in a recent offering by one of their shared favorite authors.
When they reached the gate to the off-leash area of the nearby park, Riggs sat and stared expectantly at them.
“I didn’t bring the tennis ball,” Sophie said and stroked the dog’s head. “Sorry, boy.”
As if understanding, he rose and sniffed a trail to the play structure. Sophie sat on a swing.
David leaned against the slide and kept a grip on Riggs’s leash. The dog was content to sniff the ground at the end of the lead. “I need to apologize for earlier,” he said. “I’m sorry. I don’t normally try to kiss pretty women I’ve only just met.”
She sent the swing moving with the toe of her shoe. “I’m not sure how to respond to that. Thank you?”
“My only excuse is the stress I’m under,” he continued, feeling the need to explain so she wouldn’t think he was a total loser. “Between caring for Troy and work and my special project, I’m spread so thin. I lost my head there for a moment.”
Her blue eyes glittered in the moonlight. “It’s kind of gratifying to think I could make you lose your head.”
He heard the laughter in her voice. “You’re making fun of me.”
“Maybe. I accept your apology and you don’t need to feel bad about it. You have a lot on your plate.”
He stared out at the trees. “Yes. Daniel would have handled it all with ease. He never let life rattle him.”
“Grandma said they died in a car accident.” Sophie’s voice was soft and gentle.
Searing pain went through him, but he forged ahead with the story. “They were heading home from Seattle,” he told her. “They’d taken Troy to the Space Needle and to the aquarium on the waterfront.”
Sophie let out a small gasp. “Troy was with them?”
“Yes. He’d fallen asleep, and thankfully was strapped securely in his car seat when a drunk driver hit them head-on. They were headed home on the SR520 Bridge.”
“The floating bridge? I thought there was a divider.”
“Yeah, well, this clown got on the bridge going in the wrong direction. He smashed into Daniel’s sedan.”
“That’s horrible.”
“Daniel and Beth died within minutes of impact. At least that’s what the police told me.”
She rose and came to him. “And the driver of the other car?”
“He died as well.” There was no solace in the man’s death. It was so needless.
“No wonder Troy has nightmares.” She touched a hand to his sleeve—lightly, but there was still a connection. “I can’t imagine the sorrow you feel. Or the rage at the senselessness of the accident.”
He straightened. She was so close, the scent of vanilla and sugar clinging to her hair wrapped around him, cocooning him in warmth. “No, I don’t suppose many people could.” He stared up at the moon. Raindrops hit his face. He didn’t mind. He hoped the rain hid the tears that leaked from his eyes. “Daniel had asked me to go with them. He was always doing that, trying to include me. I’d declined because I was working on my project. I was always working, too busy for family.”
“If you’d gone, you might have died, too.”
Her words scored him clean through.
“What would have happened to Troy?” he said.
“Grandma says you and Troy attend her church occasionally,” she said softly.
He sucked in a breath. He went for Troy’s sake. “Yes. When we can get ourselves up and out the door in time.”
She slid her hand down his arm until she captured his hand. “I hope you’ll seek God’s peace and comfort. He has a plan for you. And for Troy.”
He threaded his fingers through hers and started walking back toward
Louise’s house, Riggs out in front of them, as a way to stall responding. Sophie had such a sweet nature. She was as optimistic as Daniel had been.
“I appreciate your words,” he finally said. “But Daniel was the one who prayed and went to church. I go because I know that is what Daniel would want for Troy.”
“It’s noble of you to honor your brother in that way.” She squeezed his hand. “Wouldn’t Daniel want that for you, too?”
His heart twisted in his chest as her words dug in deep. “Yes, he would.”
But just because he was going to church didn’t mean he and God were on speaking terms. Not by a long shot.
Late that night, Sophie called her parents again. Dad answered and immediately put her on speaker. “I’m here with your mother,” Dad’s voice filled Sophie’s ear. “Where are you?”
“In Washington.” She sat on the bed in the guest room and plucked at the thread nubbins on the comforter. “Did you know Grandma was injured?”
“What?” her mother cried. “How did that happen?”
Sophie hesitated before revealing the circumstances of her grandmother’s injury. “Well, she tripped over her puppy.”
“Why on earth would she get a dog?” Dad asked.
“She’s lonely,” Sophie replied, trying to keep censure from her tone.
“Why did she call you?” Mom asked. “Why are you there? I thought you were on some island paradise for a location shoot.”
“I was. She called to see if I would come help her.”
Her mother let out a huff. “If she needed help she should have called us.”
Then, a little away from the phone, she added, “Maybe it’s time to think about a retirement center for Louise.”
“Mom, no. She doesn’t need that.” Sophie stood and started pacing. “She’s fine, except for a sprained ankle. I shouldn’t have told you. That’s probably why Grandma didn’t.”
“Nonsense,” Dad said in a soothing tone. “I’ll talk to my mother. We won’t do anything she doesn’t want.”