Insta-love and happy-ever-after sounded pretty damn good to him. But he got that she needed practical solutions. “I’m not asking you to move in with me tomorrow. I just want a chance for us. I swear, if it were the least bit doable, I would relocate to Seattle. Unfortunately, Stryker Marine isn’t all that portable.”
“Linc, honestly. I’m not asking you to move to Seattle.”
“And I need you to know that I’ve thought about it, that I’ve considered the possibility from every angle, but it’s not going to happen anytime in the near future. And if you won’t move to Portland, fine. Do what you need to do. Go to Seattle. It’s not the other side of the world. With effort and planning, we can still see each other. We can see how it goes...”
Her eyes shone with moisture. “You seem so sure.”
“I am sure. And I don’t need for you to be sure—not yet. Right now, all I need is for you to stop saying no, to be open to trying to work things out.”
With a soft cry, she grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him down for a hard, hot kiss.
When they came up for air, he demanded, “Please tell me you’ll think about it, about you and me and more than just till New Year’s, about the two of us deciding to find ways to be together, to build on what we’ve started this Christmastime.”
Her beautiful mouth only trembled a little as she smiled.
“Tell me that smile means yes,” he said gruffly.
She nodded. “Yes, I will be open to the possibilities.”
“And we’ll find ways to see each other after the holidays are over,” he prompted.
“Yes. All right. After the holidays, we’ll keep seeing each other.”
“Exclusively,” he added.
She nodded again. “Exclusively. Yes.” And then she grinned at him. “Happy now?”
“It’s a start.”
* * *
The next morning, Linc woke to Jayden pounding on his bedroom door. “Uncle Linc! Get up. It’s snowing!”
Linc rolled over and opened his eyes. The other pillow was empty. Harper had gone back to her place. He looked forward to the time when he could wake up every morning and find her there beside him.
He wasn’t going to rush her, though. Last night, they’d made progress. He’d revealed some unpleasant truths, and she’d agreed that what they shared didn’t have to end with the holidays. It was far from a promise of forever. But he would be patient with her. He’d asked for a chance with her and she’d said yes.
“Uncle Linc, come see!”
“Unc Wink, up! Now!” Maya chimed in from the monitor.
He shoved back the covers, pulled on some sweats and opened the door to an impatient little boy with small fists braced on his hips. “Finally.” His irrepressible nature got the better of him and he dropped the stern expression. “Snow! We got snow!”
Linc ruffled his hair. “Come on. Let’s get your sister up, put on our coats and go have a look.”
In her room, Maya stood in her crib. She bounced up and down. “I wet!” she announced gleefully.
Linc changed her diaper and put her in warm leggings and a fluffy pink velour top. “Want to see the snow?” he asked as he hoisted her off the changing table.
“Yes!”
So they put on their coats and went out on the porch—where the snow was half rain that melted completely when it hit the ground.
Jayden refused to be disappointed. He predicted, “I just know we will get some by Christmas.”
Linc made them breakfast and then hung out with them all morning. They were eating lunch when Harper arrived.
She entered the kitchen with pink cheeks and a halo of moisture clinging to her hair from the rain still coming down outside. “Wet out there,” she said, and brushed at the crown of her head.
“The rain looks good on you,” he replied, because it did. She gave him one of those smiles—the intimate kind, just between the two of them. “Everything looks good on you,” he added.
And one way or another, he was going to make her see that they could have a future together. They only needed to reach out and take it.
* * *
Christmas on Carmel Street had its opening performance that Saturday afternoon. Linc brought the kids early. Harper was already there. He texted their arrival and she met him in the lobby. Taking Maya in her arms, she ushered Jayden backstage to get ready for the show.
Linc stood around in the lobby for a while, waiting for someone to take his five-dollar admission fee. Once that was handled, he entered the nearly empty auditorium. He chose a seat in the first row, so he would be ready to help with Maya if the need arose.
A few minutes after he sat down, Liam and Daniel Bravo, both of whom had kids in the show, appeared with their wives. The men sat on either side of Linc as Keely and Karin lingered in the aisle to chat. The men talked about the Blazers, the Seahawks and the Christmas show the year before. Liam and Daniel agreed that the kids loved being part of it. A few minutes before showtime, Keely and Karin took seats beside their husbands.
By the time the curtain went up, there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. The children were all on their best behavior, earnest and serious even when they missed an entrance or forgot a line. Prompters from the wings on either side of the stage kept things on track.
The audience of parents and grandparents and doting aunts and uncles seemed to love every minute of it. Linc certainly did. Maya played an angel in two of the biggest musical numbers. A girl of twelve or thirteen seemed to have been assigned to keep an eye on her. The girl held Maya’s hand and whispered to her now and then. Maya never once froze up or fussed. Linc was so proud of her.
As for Jayden, he kept popping up in every other scene. He played an angel, too. He was also one of Santa’s reindeer, a little drummer boy, a nutcracker and a singing, dancing squirrel.
As he pranced around in his squirrel costume, Daniel leaned in and whispered, “Kid’s got talent.”
Linc thought of Megan. His heart ached, missing her, wishing he could look over and see her, right there beside him, beaming in pride at her daughter and son.
After the standing ovation and extended curtain calls, Linc would have gone backstage to heap praise on his niece and nephew. But just about every other adult in the audience seemed to have the same idea.
He skipped the pandemonium back there and waited in the lobby. The place had pretty much cleared out by the time Harper emerged, holding Jayden’s hand on one side and Maya’s on the other.
The kids ran to him. He bent to gather them into a group hug. Jayden chattered away, excited at his success, with Maya interjecting, “I so good!” or “I happy!” every time her brother paused for a breath.
Linc told them how wonderful they were, glancing up now and then at Harper, who stood a few feet away wearing busted-out jeans and one of her big, floppy sweaters, that yellow puffer coat flung over one shoulder. She had her hair piled up in a sloppy bun, her face scrubbed clean of makeup. Never in his life had he seen a woman more beautiful.
“We should get ice cream to celebrate,” he offered, when the pint-size thespians had settled down a little.
They all agreed that was a great idea. Holding hands, they walked up the street to a shop called Scoopy Do’s. It was almost five when they got back in the car. Maya snoozed on and off during the ten-minute ride to the cottage. Jayden was still flying high, singing along to the Christmas tunes on the Bluetooth, reminiscing about his favorite moments in the show, announcing that he could hardly wait for their second performance next Saturday.
At the house, Linc and the kids helped Harper make dinner. After that, they hung out in the living area, enjoying the tree and the fire. It was a great night.
And it only got better. Once the kids were in bed, he and Harper went to his room. She stayed until one in the morning. He tried to convince her to sleep ove
r, but she insisted she really did have to go, so he put on some sweats and followed her downstairs for a kiss at the door.
“Text me when you get to your place.”
She kissed him again, a quick one. “I know the drill.”
“You really should just stay over. There’s no need for you to go wandering around in the dark late at night.”
She put a finger to her lips. “Good night, Linc.” And she slipped out the door.
He stood there alone in the foyer, missing her already, though she’d just left. It wasn’t long before his phone pinged with a text.
Home safe.
Come back.
I will. Tomorrow.
I’m so lonely without you.
He added a crying face emoji just to drive his point home.
Yes, he was a grown-ass man who’d always found emojis ridiculous. But then Harper Bravo entered his life, lighting him up with all the warm, fuzzy, gooey feelings he hadn’t realized could be so satisfying.
In response to his emoji, she sent him a GIF of two teddy bears hugging in a rising cloud of pink and red hearts and a reply of:
Good night, Linc.
He still wished she’d stayed, but he went back upstairs smiling.
As for the week that followed, it was pretty close to perfect. Twice, he caught Harper texting with Mia Acevedo. Was he growing more and more certain that Mia would offer her a job?
You bet he was. He considered calling Mia, casually suggesting that Acevedo Hybrid Homes ought to hire Harper, maybe even discussing how he could help if the company needed an investor before they would be ready to take on a second designer.
He never made that call and probably never would, not without getting Harper’s okay first. She’d made it painfully clear that she didn’t want him butting in, that no way would she take a job he’d arranged for her. He didn’t agree with her on that, but he respected her determination to do it on her own.
Saturday brought the second and final performance of Christmas on Carmel Street. There were more gaffes than last week, but the audience response was every bit as enthusiastic as before.
After the curtain calls, the Valentine Bay Community Club served coffee, punch and cookies in the lobby. They were trolling for donations to the arts council, which sponsored the events in the theater. Linc whipped out his black card and contributed.
Early Sunday, he put the kids in the Rover, picked up Harper at her cottage and they all four returned to the theater to help strike the Christmas show set. Linc and Harper took turns keeping Maya entertained and out of the way of the busy workers. In the afternoon, they drove up Rhinehart Hill to Daniel’s for the family meal and ended up staying later than usual.
It was after five when they headed back home, with Jayden providing a running commentary about how fun the afternoon had been and Maya, as usual, dropping quickly off to sleep.
The twisting driveway to the cottage was lined with tall trees. Oregon grape and giant, close-growing ferns filled the gaps between the thick trunks. The house didn’t come into view until they were almost upon it—which meant Linc didn’t see the Lexus parked in the open space near the porch until the very last turn.
Jayden spotted the unfamiliar car about the same time Linc did. “We got company,” the little boy said.
The driver’s door opened and a good-looking middle-aged woman in wide-legged gray wool pants, high-heeled suede boots and a pale pink wool coat that flowed to midcalf got out. She carried a designer purse the size of a bowling bag and, though it was already dark out, she wore giant sunglasses pushed up on the top of her head.
She was the last person Linc had ever expected to see at the cottage—or anywhere in Oregon, for that matter.
He glanced at Harper. She gave him a shrug. Apparently, she assumed that he was as much in the dark about their visitor as she was. “Don’t ask me. I have no idea who that might be.”
“It’s my mother,” he said.
Chapter Ten
“At last!” his mother exclaimed when he pushed open his door and got out of the Rover. “I’ve been waiting for hours.” He met her midway between the two vehicles. She offered her cheek for a kiss, which he dutifully provided.
“This is a surprise.” He pulled his phone from his pocket to check messages. She hadn’t texted, called or emailed. “I had no idea you were here—or that you were coming.”
“I confess.” Swiftly, she peeled off her driving gloves and shoved them into a pocket of her coat. “I wanted to surprise you.”
I’ll bet. “Well, Mom. You did.”
She put her hand against his cheek. Her smooth fingers were cold. “So good to see you, darling.” Her fond smile seemed strained. And why wouldn’t it be? There was only one reason she would fly here from Italy without saying she was coming. She intended to confront him about Imogen face-to-face. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Mom.”
Harper’s door opened at the same time as Jayden’s.
His mother ignored Harper and focused on Jayden as he climbed from the vehicle. “Jayden Michael, I swear you’ve grown a foot since last January. Come here this instant and give your grandmother Alicia a hug.”
Jayden went right to her. “Hi, Grandma,” he said politely, and submitted to the hug. Linc’s chest constricted at the sight. Jayden recognized his mother’s mother, but nothing more. She was a virtual stranger to him.
In the meantime, Harper had taken Maya from her car seat. The little girl yawned and rested her head on Harper’s shoulder.
Alicia, her eyes narrowed now, finally looked at Harper—but only to issue a cold command. “Let me see Maya.”
Harper carried the half-asleep toddler around the front of the Land Rover.
Alicia stared fixedly at Harper. “Hello.” Her mouth tipped up at the corners—but barely.
Linc made the introductions. “Harper Bravo, my mother, Alicia Buckley.” His mother had taken her maiden name again after the divorce.
“It’s a pleasure.” Harper looked uncomfortable, but she managed to inject warmth into the words.
Apparently, Alicia had forgotten all about the little girl snoozing on Harper’s shoulder. “You’re a local?”
Harper smiled a gentle smile. “I am, yes.”
“Ah. I wasn’t aware that Linc had local—” she paused just long enough to make the final word of the sentence an insult “—friends.”
Linc jumped in before his mother could embarrass him further. “I do have friends here in Valentine Bay. Harper has the next cottage over. She and her sister Hailey direct and produce the community Christmas show. Both Jayden and Maya performed in the show this year. You missed a treat, Mom. I wish you’d let me know that you were coming.”
“I’m sure you do,” Alicia replied sourly.
Maya lifted her head and squinted up at Harper. “Hawp. Hungwy.” She rubbed at her sleepy eyes.
Alicia suddenly remembered that she’d been ignoring her only granddaughter. She loomed in close. “Hello, Maya Renee. Do you remember me?”
Still half-asleep, Maya frowned at the strange woman with the sunglasses on her head. Then she turned to Harper and asked again, “Hungwy?”
“It’s been a while since we ate.” Harper sent Linc a speaking look. He wasn’t sure of the exact meaning, but he got the general drift. His mother was behaving badly and Harper didn’t know what to do with that. “A snack wouldn’t hurt.” She held out her hand to Jayden. “Let’s go in.” The little boy darted right to her and slipped his fingers in hers. “Nice to meet you.” She gave Alicia a much cooler smile than the previous one and turned for the steps.
Linc resisted the need to get right in his mother’s face about her rudeness to Harper. Later for that, though. First things first. “Pop the trunk, Mom. I’ll get your bags.”
Alicia had the keyless remote in her h
and, but she didn’t use it. She waited until Harper and the kids went inside to demand, “What is she, the housekeeper?”
Linc answered flatly, “Her name is Harper, in case you weren’t paying attention—Harper Bravo. And no, Harper is not the housekeeper. Pop the trunk.”
Alicia punched a button on the remote and the trunk sailed up. “Is there something going on between you and that girl?”
It was too much. “I had forgotten how rude you can be—and to answer your question, yes. There is. Harper is important to me. She matters. If you have any consideration for me at all, you will treat her with respect.”
Alicia drew her shoulders back and spoke in a silky, even tone. “I’m your mother. I love you and want the best for you. I’ve come all the way out to the edge of the Pacific Ocean to get you to see what a horrible mistake you’re making.”
He considered suggesting she find a hotel. At least then he wouldn’t have to deal with all her ugly shit. But he couldn’t quite make himself kick his own mother to the curb. “What did I say the last time we spoke?”
“Is this a quiz?” she chirped aggressively.
“If you’re coming in—”
“Of course, I’m coming in.”
“Great. You will treat Harper with courtesy and kindness.”
“Of course I will, Lincoln.”
“And you will accept that Imogen and I are through.”
“But I don’t accept that.”
“Then there’s no point in your coming inside.”
That set her back a fraction. “You don’t mean that.”
“Make up your mind, Mom.”
She actually teared up. “I am so frustrated with you.”
“Same. Make up your mind.”
Alicia took off the sunglasses, put them back on and slid them up on top of her head again. “All right. I will say nothing more about you and poor Imogen.”
He drew a slow, deep breath. “Good. How long are you staying?”
She put her hand to her mouth and then to her throat. “A few days?”
“Fair enough, then.” He went around to the open trunk and pulled out a pair of floral-themed Gucci suitcases. “It’s good you’re here. You can get to know your grandchildren a little.”
A Temporary Christmas Arrangement Page 15