Once Upon a Texas Christmas

by Winnie Griggs

  Of course she did.

  “What is it?” Jamie asked.

  She ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ll show you when the time comes.” Then she waved a hand forward. “Now let’s see if we can find the perfect tree for the lobby.”

  Jamie gave her a challenging look. “I picked this one, it’s you and Uncle Seth’s turn.”

  With a grin, Abigail nodded. “All right. Let’s see if we can do as good a job as you did.”

  Seth raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re in charge of hotel decor. I defer to your expertise.”

  “Very well—challenge accepted.”

  After studying and discarding several possibilities, Abigail paused in front of another fir. “This is it!”

  Jamie, however, didn’t share her enthusiasm. “But it’s kind of flat on one side and the limbs are crooked on the other.”

  Seth had to agree that her choice was an odd one. He couldn’t wait to hear her explanation.

  She gave Jamie an incredulous look. “But don’t you see, that’s what makes it the right choice.” She waved a hand dismissively. “Perfection can be so boring. By picking one that has obvious imperfections but lots of character, we will have the absolutely marvelous challenge of showing everyone how beautiful it can be when we lavish it with loving attention.”

  Her unexpected words took his breath away.

  Perfection is boring—did her philosophy extend to people as well as trees? Could she see through his own physical imperfections to find something to love?

  Or was he reading too much in her words?

  He caught her cutting a quick look his way, a look filled with a meaning he was almost afraid to believe.

  Then she looked away, studying the tree with just a little too much concentration. There was a vulnerability in her demeanor that made him ache to go to her.

  But Jamie spoke up, and the moment was lost. “So how are you going to mark it special without the embroidery?” his nephew asked. “You promised you’d show us.”

  “So I did.” Abigail reached up and took off her bonnet. With a quick tug, she removed the perky blue ribbon that circled the brim and formed the tie under her chin.

  “I’ll just twist this with the ribbon I brought and that should make it unique enough to identify the tree as ours.”

  “But you’ve ruined your bonnet,” Seth protested.

  “Just temporarily. I can replace the ribbon with another one once I get home.”

  Abigail fussed with the ribbons until she had marked the tree to her satisfaction. Then the two of them each took one of Jamie’s hands, and they headed back toward the wagon, singing carols. When they arrived, they found the Parkers and Everett already there. The Barrs came up right behind them and Jamie and Jack immediately began boasting to each other about their finds. Jack seemed decidedly deflated when Jamie reported that they had claimed not one but two trees for the hotel.

  When the Dawsons arrived a few minutes later everyone piled in the wagon and they headed back to town.

  Seth was frustrated by the fact that he and Abigail hadn’t had any time to talk privately.

  Although he wasn’t sure what he would have said to her if they had.

  Yes, he did. It was time to tell her the truth. The truth about the hotel-manager job.

  And, if she would still listen, the truth about his feelings for her.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  On Monday Seth was prepared to have that discussion with Abigail, or at least as prepared as he’d ever be.

  Surely, if he explained how important hiring Michelson was to his and Jamie’s future, she would understand. Perhaps, if he also explained that he wanted to share that future with her as well, she would even embrace the opportunity. Because he now dared to hope that she actually returned his feelings. It was something he’d never allowed himself to hope for before, that someone could love him just as he was.

  But problems with one of the materials shipments claimed his attention first thing, and when he was done with that he found Abigail had stepped out to run some errands. It was nearly lunchtime before they finally had a moment alone.

  Deciding to wait until dessert was served, Seth let Abigail chatter on about her day. Why had he ever thought the sound of her voice distracting and foolish? Now he looked forward to her colorful reports with pleasure.

  Darby stepped into the dining room when they were halfway through their meal and approached their table. “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Reynolds, but I thought you’d want to know. There’s a Mr. Bartholomew Michelson here to see you. He’s waiting in the lobby.”

  Seth felt his whole world tilt off balance. What was Michelson doing here? He wasn’t supposed to leave Philadelphia until the day after Christmas.

  Abigail gave him a puzzled smile. “Michelson? Isn’t that the name of the property you’re planning to buy?”

  Seth nodded, trying to figure out how to stop the rock slide that was hurtling his way.

  Before he could pull his thoughts together, he saw Michelson himself step into the dining room. “There you are, I thought I heard your voice.”

  Seth set his napkin on the table and stood. “Bartholomew, this is quite a surprise.”

  The man grasped Seth’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “I know I’m a few weeks early, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to see the place. And it occurred to me that if I’m going to be hotel manager, I probably ought to be in on some of the staffing decisions as well.”

  While Michelson was speaking, Seth watched Abigail from the corner of his eye. Her confusion was rapidly replaced by disbelief and betrayal.

  As if in a dream, he continued to make polite conversation, as if his world wasn’t unraveling. “You should have wired me so I could have a room ready.”

  The man waved a hand. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. And there’s no need for special arrangements, any room will do.”

  He seemed to notice Abigail for the first time and gave her a short bow. “Pardon me, I should have introduced myself. I’m Bart Michelson. My apologies for interrupting your meal.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Michelson. I’m Abigail Fulton.”

  “Ah, Miss Fulton. You’re the decorator, are you not?”

  “I am.” She stood and set aside her napkin, her movements deliberate. “And there’s no need to apologize. I was finished anyway.”

  Michelson shook his head. “Please, don’t let me run you off.”

  The smile she gave Michelson was overbright. And she still hadn’t met his gaze. “I’m sure you and Mr. Reynolds have a lot to discuss. And since I have matters to attend to myself, I’ll leave you get started.”

  Seth couldn’t let her go like this. “Miss Fulton—”

  “I’ll have a room prepared for you right away.” Her words were addressed to Michelson, as she was ignoring him altogether.

  And before he could say more, she walked away.

  Michelson was saying something, but Seth didn’t try to listen. “Excuse me, I need to tell Miss Fulton something.” He waved toward the table. “Feel free to order something to eat while you wait.”

  He had to explain things to her, had to try to wipe away the hurt he’d put in her eyes. He wasn’t sure he could make it right, but he had to try.

  Seth caught up with Abigail just as she finished giving Ruby instructions.

  “Abigail—”

  She cut him off again. “I’m sure you and Mr. Michelson will have quite a bit of planning to do in the coming weeks. Since my work is nearly complete, I can easily work from my library, giving Mr. Michelson my desk in the office. I’ll have my things cleared out by the end of today.”

  Seth raked a hand through his hair. “That’s not necessary. I—”

  “I insist. Now, if you’
ll excuse me, I should make a few arrangements in the library to prepare for the move.”

  Without giving him a chance to respond, she turned on her heel and headed to the library.

  Determined to have her hear him out, Seth followed. He found her standing with her back to the door, shoulders bent and her hands gripping the edge of her desk.

  “Abigail, please, let me explain.”

  She spun around to face him. “Explain what? That this was your plan from the beginning and that you had no intention of giving me a chance?”

  “Bartholomew Michelson has experience with the job of hotel manager that you simply don’t, no matter what your aptitude.”

  “Yet, you let me believe I had a chance.”

  “You were the one who kept insisting you would change my mind. I never promised you anything.”

  He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as he saw her flinch.

  “You’re right. I did this to myself.”

  “That’s not what I meant. Look, I know I should have tried harder to explain, but this is important to me. Hiring him for this job is part of the deal I struck for the Michelson property. It was decided long before I knew you.”

  “And now that you know me, has anything changed?”

  He raked a hand through his hair. “Let me explain.”

  “There’s no need. I thought this time it would be different but I should have known better.”

  “What do you mean, this time?”

  She waved a hand, her expression settling into bitter lines all the more alarming because he’d never seen her like this before.

  “No one ever chooses me. Not my brother when my mother died. Not my friends when the truth came out at boarding school. Not Everett when I first showed up at his door. Not anyone, not ever.” She waved a hand, her expression desolate. “You’d think I would have learned my lesson by now.”

  “Abigail, that’s not—”

  “Please go.”

  Seth wanted to protest, wanted to shout out “I choose you.” But her expression hardened further and she spun around, turning her back on him.

  He’d waited too long. She wouldn’t listen to him. Not now.

  Perhaps not ever.

  With defeat turning his hope to ashes, he left the room.

  * * *

  As soon as the door closed behind Seth, Abigail crumpled, letting the sobs come. She’d dared to hope he returned her feelings. How could she have been so wrong?

  It wasn’t even that he’d given the job she wanted so desperately to someone else, though that did sting.

  If he’d truly loved her, he would have trusted her with the truth, would have told her so she could have dealt with it and moved on. But he hadn’t thought enough of her to allow her that dignity.

  Why wasn’t she ever enough?

  * * *

  Abigail took the only step left to her. By later that afternoon, she was ready to talk to Everett. There was no way she was going to give him a chance to turn her away as well.

  She cornered him in the newspaper office with a request to hear her out. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve spoken to Mrs. Ortolon about taking Hilda’s place at the boardinghouse come the end of the month, so I won’t be as available to help with the children or the businesses in the future.”

  Everett studied her with a probing look for a long moment and it was all Abigail could do not to squirm.

  “For some reason, I thought you would end up working at the hotel,” he finally said.

  She shook her head, keeping a bright smile on her face. “That didn’t work out.”

  “But Mrs. Ortolon? Are you sure that’s the right job for you?”

  “It’s a place to start. After all, I can’t live here forever. And since the job comes with a room at the boardinghouse, you and Daisy can take my room and use it when the new baby comes.”

  He raised a brow as if figuring out a puzzle. “Is that what this is all about? Abigail, you will always have a place here, for as long as you want it. Daisy and I both love having you around, and not just because you’re such a big help.” He took her hands. “You’re family, Abby, as much as Daisy and the kids are, and family sticks together.”

  “But the space is—”

  He grinned. “You’re not the only one who’s noticed how tight things are getting. I was saving this to surprise you with for Christmas, but I can see now that it won’t wait. Come with me.”

  Curious, Abigail followed her brother past his printing press to the storeroom located in the rear. He threw open the storeroom door with a flourish and waved her in ahead of him. Abigail stepped inside and studied the much-changed space. Where once there were stacks of boxes containing paper and ink, along with cleaning supplies, assorted odds and ends, and who-knew-what that had accumulated over the years, there was now a mostly open space.

  Along one wall was a bookcase and upholstered chair. The single window on the far wall now sported a pretty curtain rather than the utilitarian shade it had previously borne.

  She turned to her brother. “What am I looking at?”

  “Your new room. It’s not finished yet—there’s a new bed on order and we plan to bring down some of the furniture from your current room. Daisy and I figured you needed a place of your own, a place where you would still be close at hand so you could take meals with us and be part of our family time, but where you could also be a bit apart and have more privacy when you want it.” He studied her face. “What do you think?”

  Abigail threw herself at her brother, hugging him around the neck. “Oh, Ev, I love it! I love even more that you and Daisy would do this for me.”

  “We love you, Abby.” He grinned sheepishly as she released him. “Daisy is going to pout for days when she finds out I showed this to you without her.”

  Then he turned serious. “So you see, you don’t need to take the job at the boardinghouse. If you still want to find work, find something you enjoy. Don’t take something you don’t like just because it will provide you with a place to live, because you have that here with us.”

  Abigail felt tears prickling her eyes. Someone had finally chosen her.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Over the following days, Seth felt as if he were walking around in a nightmare.

  True to her word, Abigail had moved her things into the library and he rarely saw her at all. She never took meals with him anymore. And when they did happen to be in the same vicinity, she smiled politely, took care of her business as quickly as possible and left. She didn’t appear angry or hurt, as she had immediately after Michelson had shown up, but was merely indifferent to him.

  And that cut deeper than her anger would have.

  Michelson was now sharing the office with him and the man looked ridiculous sitting at the small desk Seth still thought of as Abigail’s.

  But Michelson just laughed it off. “I can work with this for a few weeks. Once you’re gone I’ll have that one to work from.”

  Once he was gone. Christmas was less than a week away. And instead of looking forward to the culmination of his goals, he was absolutely miserable.

  Thankfully, Abigail didn’t treat Jamie any differently than she had before. He still caught them laughing together and discussing books and Christmas. But Jamie was a sharp kid and he noticed.

  The day their trees arrived, Jamie begged Abigail to help them decorate them. At first she tried to beg off, insisting it was something families did together and that she would be helping Daisy and Everett with theirs.

  “But you’re like my family, too,” Jamie pleaded. “Besides, you promised to shower it with love and make it beautiful.”

  Seth saw her heart melt at the little boy’s plea, saw her glance his way, hesitate and then nod. “All right, Jamie. But just the bi
g one. You and your uncle should do the one in your suite together.”

  Jamie, who obviously knew that he’d gotten all he was likely to get, nodded. “Where do we start?”

  “Give me a couple of hours to gather up some supplies. In the meantime, you tell Mrs. Long to pop up lots and lots of popcorn for us.”

  Then she turned to him and Seth’s heartbeat kicked up a notch when he realized she was willing to include him in the activity. “Why don’t you take Jamie and see if there are any scraps of wallpaper or shiny metal left over from the construction that we might be able to transform into ornaments. Use your imagination.”

  He nodded and turned to Jamie. “It’ll be like a treasure hunt.”

  * * *

  Abigail did her best to make the afternoon a fun one for Jamie. For just a few hours she tried to pretend that she and Seth had only ever been friends and that he hadn’t taken her heart and then discarded it.

  Deep down, she knew she was as much to blame as he was. She’d wanted the job of hotel manager so much she’d ignored his talk of having another candidate in mind. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t love her as she did him. Not everyone could find that kind of reciprocal love.

  So she smiled and laughed and even teased a bit as they strung popcorn, tied ribbons, fashioned paper angels and turned scraps of wood, metal and wallpaper into unique ornaments.

  When they were finally done, the three stepped back to admire their work.

  “We did it,” Jamie said. “We turned that crooked old tree into something beautiful.”

  “I told you,” Abigail said. “It just takes a little love and a keen eye to bring out the beauty in anything or anyone.”

  “And a person who cares enough to look for it,” Seth said softly.

  Abigail nodded but refused to turn and meet his gaze. It was best he not see what might be reflected there.

  Instead she studied the tree. “It’s a shame, though, that we don’t have a tree topper. Something special to crown it with. I’ll have to see if I can come up with something.”

  “I know!” Jamie’s voice vibrated with excitement. “I’ll be right back.” And before she or Seth could say anything he’d dashed off toward his room.