by Bree Cariad
The world was very white the next morning. “The highway is plowed,” Zachary informed her as she joined them in the kitchen. DeLynn wished she’d had a change of clothing as she was still wearing the same thing as the day before, but she had been at least able to shower, wash her hair, and dry it. Their guest bathroom was equipped with everything.
“Oh good. My family would be very upset if I couldn’t spend Thanksgiving with them,” she said, smiling as his mother handed her a plate with a very normal pancake on it. “Thank you.” Anderson wasn’t in sight and she wondered if he was sleeping in when she heard the front door open and a few minutes later he walked in, his cheeks ruddy from the cold.
“All right. The cooler’s in the back and I put your chains on, just to be safe.”
“Thanks, Dad, but I could have done that,” Zach said, giving his father a one-armed hug.
“Yes, you could have, but I was out there anyway. Good morning, DeLynn. Did you sleep well?” Ander asked, taking a plate from his wife.
“Yes, I did, thank you. And thank you for letting me stay last night.”
“Oh, that was no trouble at all,” Konani said, waving her hand absentmindedly. “I hope you’ll return.” The chatter was quiet and about simple everyday things as they ate breakfast and once they were through, Zachary stood up.
“I promised her father I would have her home first thing this morning, so we’d best be off.”
The walkway to the street had been shoveled again and the snow was at least six inches deep on each side. Looking up as they walked along, DeLynn couldn’t help but notice the clouds. “Is it supposed to snow again today?” she asked as Zach opened the passenger door for her.
“Through tomorrow, I believe. Which will give the weekend a little time to unslush before next week,” he said in amusement, waiting until she climbed in and shutting her door before going around to the driver’s side.
“Can I use your phone again? Barrett wanted me to call before we left.” Zachary pulled his phone out and turned it on before handing it over. As he pulled a u-turn and headed toward the highway, she dialed home.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Evan called into the phone.
“Evan, don’t yell,” her mother chastised in the background. “You’ll break someone’s eardrums.”
Giggling, DeLynn imagined the scene in her head. No doubt Evan was still in his pajamas and probably hopping away not giving the phone to their mother.
“Hey, Ev,” she said. “Can you let Barrett and Mom know I’m on my way home?”
“Just a sec!” he yelled making her hold the phone away from her ear and laugh. “Mom, I’m just having a little fun,” he whined.
“DeLynn?” her mother said in a slightly breathless voice. “Are you coming home?”
“Yes. I just called to let you guys know we’re on our way.”
“Oh good. And did you have a good time last night?” she asked hesitantly though even if DeLynn hadn’t, it wasn’t like she could have said so with Zachary sitting next to her. Thankfully she didn’t have to try and lie.
“I had a great time, Mom. Zach’s mother is from Hawaii and the meal was made up of foods from her home. I ate too much, but it was wonderful.” Just remembering the lau-lau, her mouth watered. She could go for one or two more of those.
“Oh, good. Well, the roads are pretty nasty, so make sure he drives slowly. We’ll see you in a couple hours, honey.”
“See you soon.” After making sure the call was off, she handed Zach back his phone. “Thanks for rescuing me last night. When I found the student center locked, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
“It was no trouble, DeLynn. I was happy to do it. And I’m glad you enjoyed Mum’s cooking. Her food is fantastic. When we lived in Hawaii, Kuku…that’s Mum’s mum, would cook huge Christmas night dinners for the whole family.” He let out a huge moan. “I wish I was going back this year but I knew it wouldn’t be possible. Hopefully next year.”
“Do you have a large extended family?”
“Huge,” he admitted. “Mum is one of seven children, Dad the eldest of three. I have cousins all across the globe.”
“Wow. I have four siblings but no extended family.”
“Until we moved to Washington, I was around cousins all the time so I never realized the lack of not having siblings,” he said as he pulled onto the highway. “When we arrived here, I was at a bit of a loss at first.”
The more she learned about him, the more she wanted to know and was very glad they had at least an hour together on this ride to Hyacinth. “So are you an American citizen, then?”
“I have dual citizenship. American because I was born on U.S. soil and my mother’s a citizen and New Zealand because my father’s a Kiwi.”
“A Kiwi?”
“It’s what they call themselves. Like Americans are called Yankees.”
“So what made you stay here? I mean, you’ve lived in a couple other places. Why Washington State after you graduated?”
“I love it here,” he admitted. “In many ways this place reminds me of New Zealand. Plus, I adore my parents. If they elected to move back to Hawaii or New Zealand, I would probably follow once my doctorate was complete. I wouldn’t mind being back in either place.
“Where would you like to go?” he asked after a few minutes of peaceful silence. “Any dreams of far off places?”
“Only a couple. Don’t laugh. I want to go to Disneyland and I want to go to London.”
“I would highly suggest them both. Though I prefer Disney World to Disneyland. And London?” He nodded emphatically. “Everybody should go there at least once in their lifetime.”
“You’ve been to England, too?” It boggled her mind. He was a world traveler. Why would he want to live in Hyacinth?
He shot her a grin before looking back at the road. “My Uncle Simon lives there with his wife and two of my cousins. I’ve spent a couple summers with them.”
Turning in his direction and leaning her head against the headrest, she asked, “Where else have you been?”
Everywhere was probably an overstatement, but it felt like it to her. He had been on every continent and had been to many countries. “Dad was big into having me do what he did. So I spent a lot of my summers as a teenager and in my first few years in college checking out the world. Backpacking across continents and getting by with a phrasebook.”
“No wonder you enjoy working with people.”
“It’s my favorite part of this vocation,” he admitted. “I love people. We’re all different in some aspects, but one thing we all have in common. We need one another. Once you can find common ground with someone, no matter what they come across like, you’ve found a friend.”
“Can I ask something? It’s personal and if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to,” she added in a rush.
“Ask anything you want. I’m a pretty open book.”
“Why Hyacinth? I mean, you know what the town is founded on. Those of us who live there, well, it’s the norm. But you’ve lived all over. Doesn’t it seem…odd?”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Not at all. Once I truly began to understand the Hyacinth lifestyle, it not only made sense to me, but I found myself attracted to it. I want…no, I need to take care of the people I care about. In my profession, I’ve found that discipline is freedom rather than restriction. Knowing one’s boundaries is liberating.”
Relieved, she nodded. “It truly is. I find college confusing in that manner. Everyone thinks it’s so freeing to ‘do whatever you want’, but I find it terrifying. I prefer to know what’s expected and the results that will come from it. That’s freedom to me. Like with school. I know if I study and work hard, that I’ll get good grades and one day receive a degree. Chrissa…she spends all her time partying and is changing into someone I don’t even know anymore.”
She didn’t even realize how sad she sounded until he removed his right hand from the wheel and reached across, taking hers and squeezing
it before letting go. “Everyone has their own path, DeLynn. Some choose the harder one. Because, like you say, they have a twisted version of freedom. Hopefully she will learn what she needs before she gets hurt.”
She nodded but found it impossible to speak for a moment as the feel of his hand on hers had sent a bolt of excitement through her. Not once in her life had a boy ever taken her hand. Needing to get him to talk so she could just listen, she searched for a comfortable subject. “What’s involved in getting your doctorate?”
It was a subject he was excited about and for the rest of the trip, he described the program and everything that was involved within it. As they got close to Hyacinth, she gave him directions to her house.
“Thanks for the ride,” she said as he pulled up to the drive.
“You’re very welcome.” He turned off the engine and hopped out, trudging through the high snow to come around and open her door, grabbing her book bag as he did so. Before they reached her front door, it opened and both Barrett and her mother walked out.
“Good morning,” Barrett said, walking forward and shaking Zachary’s hand and removing her bookbag from his shoulder at the same time. “Thank you for bringing our girl home safe and sound. Would you like to come in? We’ve got hot cider and the girls made some cookies.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I have tons I need to get done this weekend on my home and only four days to do it.”
Realizing that while they knew each other’s names they hadn’t actually met, DeLynn quickly introduced her parents to the man at her side.
“Do you have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving dinner?” Liz asked, putting an arm around DeLynn and walking back toward the door, pausing to wait for his answer.
“Last night was kind of my Thanksgiving dinner. I have some leftovers in the truck and—”
“Are you sure? We have plenty and I hate to think of you alone on a holiday.”
“Thanks, but I do have an enormous amount of work I need to do.”
“All right. It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Styles.”
“Zachary, please.”
DeLynn would have liked to hear whatever was said behind her, but her mother ushered her in the house and shut the door, blocking off any ability to hear whatever Zach and Barrett were saying to one another.
“Why don’t you go up and change?” her mother suggested. “Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Tons. Their guest room was warm and quiet.” With Liz shooing her toward the stairs, DeLynn gave up trying to figure out what Barrett might be saying to Zachary and darted up to her room. She took another long shower, letting the hot water melt the chill in her bones and got dressed in flannels to stay warm. When she got back downstairs, the rest of the family was watching television.
As most of the food had been prepared the night before, it was a simple matter of putting the correct foods in the oven or on the stove at the right times to make sure dinner was ready at the exact hour. There was a pleasure having Barrett there, though having no Deeka was a letdown.
“They’re not coming?” she asked in disappointment as she helped set the table.
“The snow’s too deep for Curtis’s chair and the crutches would be a danger. I told them I’d bring dinner over later.”
“I’d like to go when you do,” DeLynn told Barrett. “It feels like forever since I’ve seen her.”
“And maybe you can take some dinner over to that nice young man,” Liz said as they took their seats. “I hate to think of him alone on Thanksgiving.”
“What nice young man?” Blaine asked, spearing a turkey leg.
“Zachary Styles, the man who rescued your sister yesterday.”
“Oh, that nice young man,” he said with a smirk, grinning at DeLynn. As heat filled her cheeks, she busied herself with filling her plate. Thankfully everyone else was too busy with getting their dinner to notice her embarrassment.
After a few minutes when her blush was gone, DeLynn remembered what she needed to ask. “Do we have plans for this weekend?”
“Well,” her mother said, thinking about it. “The town tree-lighting is tomorrow and this weekend we need to find our own tree and decorate it.”
“And I need to figure out something to do for my badge,” Evan said.
“Like what?” Barrett asked.
“It’s a community badge, so I think anything, really.”
Hoping she was on track, DeLynn asked, “Would helping someone prepare their home to be livable apply?”
Evan chewed a bit and swallowed, nodding. “I would think so. Anyone move in lately?”
“Well, Zachary’s actually doing that this weekend. He bought his first home here in Hyacinth and he’s spending all weekend long trying to get it livable so he can move in over Christmas break. Maybe if we pitched in, he could get it done faster.” DeLynn said the whole thing very fast and while Barrett watched her, he didn’t comment. Blaine, however, leaned back and grinned.
“So…Zachary.”
DeLynn kicked him underneath the table. His grin never faltered, but then she hadn’t gotten a good shot.
“Is he a suitor?” Cherise asked with interest, molding her mashed potatoes into a pyramid with her spoon.
“No. He’s the chaplain at school and he also helped me yesterday when I was stranded in Longdale.”
“Oh.” Her sister pouted in disappointment as she dribbled gravy over her potato pyramid.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Liz said. “Evan, after dinner, call your explorer leader and ask him if it would qualify. We’ll do it no matter what, but if it does, then you can get your badge for it. And DeLynn, when you take him some dinner, let him know we’ll be over bright and early tomorrow morning to help.”
Chapter 5
Snow was falling again as DeLynn and Barrett climbed into his truck with several containers of leftovers. “Blaine’ll be happy,” she murmured as she watched the flakes hit the windshield. “He can go skiing once school’s out.”
The man beside her chuckled, but didn’t make small talk as the truck made its way to Zachary’s cottage. It literally was right on the line between Hyacinth and Hins Creek and she wondered who had decided it was in Hyacinth. Lights were on in all the windows and after Barrett turned off the engine, she grabbed the one ready-made plate and the jar of lemonade Barrett had made and the two walked up to the door.
It was one of the older houses in town, but looked well-kept. Barrett knocked and a minute later the door opened to a disheveled Zachary. Dust covered his jeans and his t-shirt was half-untucked from his pants. When added in that part of his hair stuck up in little tufts, she thought he looked rather cute. Confusion and then surprise crossed his face “Come in,” he offered, holding the door open. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.”
“It’s quite all right,” Barrett said, ushering DeLynn in ahead of him. There were no chairs or tables, but the kitchen counter looked clean.
“We brought dinner,” she said, holding up the plate. “Turkey and all the sides.”
He smiled, warmth entering his eyes. “Well, thank you. I ate the rest of the lau-lau this afternoon and will admit I’m a bit hungry. I’d offer you a seat, but as you can see, there are none to be had.”
“We can’t stay,” Barrett assured him. “We’re over to my daughter’s house to take her some dinner as well, but…” He looked over at DeLynn and she realized he was leaving it up to her.
“We want to help. I told everyone at dinner what you were doing and Evan called his explorer leader and so tomorrow you’re gonna be besieged.” That had been a bit of a shock. When her brother called Jerod Kinsley to ask about the badge, Jerod had been thrilled to get the entire group involved.
“Besieged?” he asked in confusion, taking the plate and jar from her and putting them on the counter.
“Our children and Evan’s group from the Hyacinth Explorers are coming over to help you clean and get your house ready,” Barrett explained. “Hopefully you can get more done t
han you expected.”
Pleasure crossed Zachary’s face. “Well, that’s appreciated. It’s slow going, I’ll admit, and I was beginning to wonder if I’d even be able to move in by winter break.”
“Wonderful. As long as it works for you, everyone will start arriving around eight.”
The relief in Zachary’s eyes made DeLynn feel good. She had hoped to pay him back for his kindness yesterday and it looked as though she was able to. Of course, with this many people, she wouldn’t be able to talk to him as much, but she was still glad they were able to help. After saying goodnight, they headed to Deeka’s house. There had been a little shoveling done, but not much, so while DeLynn went into the kitchen with Deeka with all the parcels of food, Barrett took the shovel and some sand out front to clean off the porch and the walkway.
“How are you enjoying school?” Deeka asked as they unpacked the food.
“For the most part, it’s great. I like my classes. Chrissa, however…”
“She won’t even pick up the phone when I call,” Deeka admitted.
“Why?”
“I told her off when she was making excuses.” Deeka winced. “I didn’t mean to, but her constant complaints about her mother were getting under my skin. So I reminded her that at least she had two parents who loved her and she hasn’t talked to me since.”
“I don’t think she’s hanging out with the right people,” DeLynn admitted as Deeka put together a plate of food for her and her husband.
“What about you? Made any friends?” Her best friend and sister put one of the plates in the microwave.
“A couple. Heather’s really nice. I’ve only met her once, but I think we could be good friends. And the chaplain is really nice.”
Deeka giggled and nodded, dipping her voice to barely a whisper. “Yeah, I caught sight of Zachary Styles. Yow! His wife must be one happy lady.”
“He’s not married,” DeLynn said, squirming as Deeka raised an eyebrow.