by Judith Keim
Grace turned to Lynetta. “Can you beat that? Your son wants to meet his father, and it’s been a battle to get my daughter even to visit me. Life sure sucks, sometimes.”
Sukie tried for optimism. “I’m sure once Misty sees you, Grace, and old memories come back, she’ll change her mind about you and the past.”
Tiffany grinned. “Wait until Betsy gets a chance to talk to her. She’ll make things clear to your daughter.”
“When is Betsy flying in?” Carol Ann asked.
“On the twenty-third. She’s staying with Richie and the kids,” Sukie said.
“What about Karen?” Grace asked. Karen was Betsy’s partner.
“She’s staying in Miami. It’s their busy time at the cruise line. That’s why Betsy isn’t staying here for very long. She wants to be back in Miami right after Christmas, and Richie and the kids are going back with her.”
Looking around the table, Sukie was happy now that she’d planned her party. After all these women had been through, it would be nice to celebrate the holiday together. She glanced at Carol Ann. Everyone else had someone to bring to the party. She hesitated, not sure what to say, when Carol Ann piped up.
“I’m so glad to be able to have Christmas in my own place this year.” Her gaze met Sukie’s and slid away.
Sukie couldn’t help wondering what Carol Ann was up to. She shook off that feeling. Knowing Carol Ann, it was probably nothing more than enjoying being away from her mother.
CHAPTER FIVE
TIFFANY
Tiffany left the luncheon filled with affection for the other women. They’d all fussed over Vanna and had seemed genuinely happy things were going well for her. Being given the responsibility of handling a large trust fund for a charity had seemed overwhelming at first, but Kevin Bascombe, one of Beau’s good friends, had helped guide her through the process. Now, after just a few months, she had an idea of how she wanted to handle things. Best of all, Kevin provided a safety net for her when dealing with Beau’s overbearing parents.
As she strapped Vanna into her car seat, Tiffany thought of her in-laws, Muffy and Beauregard Wright. Though they had softened a bit toward her after Beau’s death, they still had the idea that they could dictate what she should and should not do in raising Vanna to be a proper Wright. As she and Beau used to say, they thought there was only one Wright way to do things. It drove her crazy.
Tiffany drove into her new neighborhood, happy as always with her decision to buy Sukie’s house. It was perfect for her and her little girl. And, better yet, perfect for the moment as the office of WCFI. She and Kevin had set up Ted Skidmore’s old den as the office for the charity. In time, they might move it to another location, but for now Tiffany wanted to keep it close. She might have inherited a fortune, but that didn’t mean she’d suddenly spend money freely. This was Beau’s money, and she respected that.
As she stepped inside the kitchen, Kevin called out to her. “That you, Tiff?”
“Hi, we’re home!”
Kevin appeared in the doorway. Wearing jeans and a black sweater that showed off his trim, muscle-bound body, he smiled broadly at her, stepped forward, and lifted Vanna out of the car seat.
“Here’s the sweetest girl ever,” he crooned. “Savannah Grace Wright.”
At the sound of his deep voice, Vanna waved her arms with excitement.
Kevin’s fussing over Vanna seemed natural. He’d witnessed her birth, a fact that had been horribly embarrassing for Tiffany at first. But after getting past the idea that he’d seen every bit of her under those circumstances, Tiffany decided her embarrassment was unwarranted. Besides, the situation was a little fuzzy to Kevin. He’d been panicked and light-headed throughout it all.
Smiling at the memory, Tiffany said, “What’s new? Did we get the information we needed from Nepal?” She and Kevin were investigating the need for a pediatric eye center in poverty-stricken, rural areas. WHO and other organizations were involved, but after reading about the situation, Tiffany was wondering if they could help.
He smiled. “Got it. We can get to work on it tomorrow.”
Tiffany took Vanna from Kevin’s arms. “She needs a nap, or she’ll be crabby later on.” She cuddled Vanna in her arms and gave her a kiss. There’d been a time when Tiffany was certain Vanna had inherited Muffy’s fussy temperament, but the baby had grown into a more reasonable child. Even now, after the excitement of being with the Fat Fridays group, Vanna was content to drift off peacefully.
Tiffany carried Vanna up to her room. She loved the soft pink color on the walls. When Beau had been at his worst, caught up in drugs, he’d defiled Vanna’s room in their old house. Now, her room was restful and fit for a princess with its white-canopied Jenny Lind crib, matching bureau, and white rocking chair decorated with pink flowers.
Observing this room in this house, Tiffany wondered how things could have gone so horribly wrong with Beau. She’d always respect the memory of their happy times together, but after all the tears and her grieving for him and for what might have been, she was ready to move on. It was time.
She put Vanna down for her nap and went downstairs.
When she walked into the office, Kevin looked up from his computer. “Everything fine with Vanna?”
She nodded. “I think after all the excitement at lunch, she’ll probably nap for a couple of hours.”
“Good. We need to talk about the project in Appalachia.”
Taking a seat at her desk, Tiffany listened eagerly to Kevin. As she shared ideas with him, she found herself thinking of him as a man. He was handsome, bright, and kind in ways Beau had never been.
“Tiffany?”
She turned her attention back to the figures Kevin was showing her.
CHAPTER SIX
CAROL ANN
On Sunday, as agreed, Carol Ann drove to Ed’s apartment. She knew exactly where it was because at one time she’d thought she’d live there with a young man named John—a lyin’, stealin’, snake-in-the-grass who’d broken her heart.
As she drove into the upscale complex, Carol Ann caught her breath. Three-story condos lined the shore of the lake, providing water views from both ground-level decks and upper-floor balconies. Regret filled Carol Ann as she studied the brick and clapboard buildings. She’d been such a fool to believe someone wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. After being badly burned twice by her romantic notions, she wasn’t about to try for a third time. Especially now that she was carrying a baby whose father she didn’t really know or care about.
She parked in the driveway of Ed’s condo and walked around to the front door. If she played her cards right, she could end up with a whole new career, something that would make it possible to keep her baby with her as she provided for the two of them.
Ed greeted her with a smile. “My magician has arrived!”
She returned his smile. “We’ll see how much magic your place needs before I answer.”
He laughed. “I’ve put up a Christmas tree, but I need you to help me pick out ornaments and to choose some other decorations.”
“I can do that,” she said, stepping inside. She glanced around and held back a gasp. At one time, she had envisioned how the rooms should be decorated. Ed’s sparse furnishings were all wrong for the space—too small, too traditional, too boring.
He studied her. “Guess I need more help than with Christmas decorations, huh?”
She nodded. “A lot more help.” She spoke with unusual confidence, but then she’d studied home-decorating magazines and blogs and had clipped articles and photographs for years in preparation for the time when her prince would magically arrive to carry her away from the life she had at home with her parents.
Ed eyed her with a new appreciation. “So, I gather you’ve had a lot of experience.”
“Well, let’s say I’ve done a lot of studying about it,” she said, thinking of the many copies of Architectural Digest she’d picked up along the way.
“Okay, look around the
living room, and then let’s go to the store,” said Ed. “I’ve never done a lot of holiday decorations before, but this is my first real home, so let’s do it right. I intend to stay here for a long time.”
Several minutes later, Carol Ann followed Ed into the garage, and as he held the door for her, she slid into his BMW. Passing through the kitchen to get to the garage had been another surprise. Apparently, he liked to cook. The kitchen was well stocked with pots and pans she’d recognized as top-quality.
On the way to a mall north of Atlanta, Ed drove with confidence.
Carol Ann studied him out of the corner of her eye. Away from the office he was a different man—more relaxed, less nerdy.
He parked in front of one of the stores Carol Ann had suggested they visit. They got out of the car and walked toward the entrance together. As she walked beside Ed, Carol Ann wondered if this was how people married to one another felt—one of a pair.
Inside the store, she went over to an area marked “Ornaments”.
After strolling through the aisles and looking at the displays, Carol Ann remarked to Ed, “I’m thinking wooden ornaments might be nice on your tree. I know some of them are quite expensive, but they’re classic and should last you a long time.”
He nodded. “Sounds good. Let’s pick out a few.”
They soon had a nice collection of them.
“What about some green-and-red-plaid ribbon to go along with these ornaments? I can weave it between the branches to give the tree a finished look.”
Ed’s eyebrows rose. “You can?”
She nodded, pleased she’d experimented with it one year on her sister’s tree.
He shrugged. “Okay by me.”
As she was looking at decorative pieces for his fireplace mantel, he appeared at her side, wearing a Santa hat.
She laughed. “Looks good.”
“Covers up my bald spot. Maybe I should wear it to work.”
“Some of the girls working downstairs would love to see you like that,” she teased.
“How about you?” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.
She waved away his remark, but felt a blush rising to her neck. She’d learned from her mistakes. She wasn’t going to weave romantic fantasies around Ed. She held up a wooden sleigh filled with greens and holly. “This would look nice on your mantel. The wood matches the beams in your living-room ceiling.”
“Okay, let’s get it. We ready to go now?”
“I think so. Two more things. A wreath for the front door and a pot to hold a live Alberta spruce to set outside by the front entrance.”
He followed her to the displays and hefted the pot she chose into their cart. “Now, let’s go.”
As she wheeled the cart from the checkout line, Carol Ann thought how much fun it was to buy what she liked without worrying about its cost. Ed hadn’t been concerned at all by the prices, reminding Carol Ann that Ed was a well-respected, top executive at MacTel.
They drove home in companionable silence, listening to Christmas music on the radio. For the first time this season, it truly felt like Christmas to her.
Back at his condo, Ed carried the pot to the front walkway and set it down in a spot Carol Ann suggested. Carol Ann handed him the metal over-the-door hook and waited while he hung the wreath on it.
Standing back, he studied the door and then at Carol Ann. “Looks great. Thanks.”
She returned his smile. “Let’s see what the rest of the decorations look like.”
They went inside. It felt like Christmas morning to Carol Ann as she opened the bags and drew out the tree ornaments one by one.
Ed placed the sleigh filled with holly and evergreens atop the mantel and stood back. “What do you think?”
Carol Ann gave him a high five. “It’s perfect with the wooden mantel and the painting you have above it.”
“Yeah, you’re right. It needed something, and this is nice.”
Ed stood back and watched as Carol Ann unrolled the spool of flexible plaid ribbon and went to work.
“How about a glass of wine?” he asked her, turning on the gas fireplace.
Carol Ann shook her head. “No, thanks, but I’d take a cup of coffee. Decaf if you have it, and black.”
“No problem. One cup of decaf coming up.”
She continued threading the ribbon through the tree’s branches, bending its edges in such a way that the ribbon rippled, giving it a nice dimension.
“Wow,” said Ed, returning to the living room with her coffee. “You really know how to do this.”
Carol Ann turned to face him. “Thanks,” she said, accepting the coffee from his hands. “We’re almost ready to put on the final touches.”
They took turns hanging the ornaments. When each one was placed exactly where they’d agreed, Ed stepped back and looked at the tree. “Wonderful.”
It was, Carol Ann thought, her best work. The large, standing nutcracker they’d placed by the tree was the perfect finishing touch.
“Let’s celebrate,” said Ed. “How about staying for dinner? I’ve got two tenderloins to grill, and I’m a mean chef.”
Carol Ann grinned. Nobody else needed to know what she was doing. This was, after all, a Secret Sunday.
With the fireplace going and Ed working in the kitchen, Carol Ann rested her head back against the couch cushions. She felt so at home here, she thought sleepily, and closed her eyes.
“Carol Ann?”
Carol Ann opened her eyes and sat up disoriented. “Oh, my! I’m so sorry; I fell asleep.”
Ed smiled at her. “No problem. You must be tired after doing all this work here.”
Carol Ann silently nodded, unwilling to confess that it was her pregnancy that had made her sleepy.
She got up and went into the powder room by the front entry, sleepily noting it was another room that needed attention. When she emerged, Ed waved her into the kitchen.
“Thought we could eat here. The steaks are just about ready.” He indicated the grill sitting on a small deck off the kitchen.
“What can I do to help?” she asked.
“Nothing. Just have a seat, and I’ll be right with you.”
Surprised and pleased, Carol Ann sat at the small, pine kitchen table. It felt good to be waited on and to eat real, honest-to-God food. Her mother thought heating a frozen dinner was cooking, and they’d had frozen pizza every Saturday night. Now that she was in her own place, Carol Ann had begun to cook healthier meals for herself.
Ed brought in the steaks and served them on plates. “Help yourself to salad. Sorry, I didn’t have time to do my famous scalloped potatoes.”
Her smile was heartfelt. “This is so nice. Smells good and looks fabulous.”
“Good. Living alone, I had to decide if I was going to eat junk food all my life or get interested in fixing my own meals. Cooking has become a hobby.” He patted his stomach. “It has its downsides, but it gives me a lot of pleasure.”
Carol Ann finished chewing a tender, well-seasoned piece of beef and swallowed happily. “Right now, your cooking is giving me a lot of pleasure.”
He laughed. “That’s enough to make any chef happy.”
They finished their meal chatting about the upcoming holiday. “You’re sure you want me to come to your place for Christmas?” Ed asked.
“Yes, I would love to have you. It’s my first Christmas in my new apartment, and it’ll be fun to share it with you. But we’ll have to be careful. We don’t want anyone to think we’re dating. I can’t do anything to lose my job.”
“Agreed,” Ed said amiably. “By the way, speaking of jobs, what do I owe you for decorating my place for Christmas?”
“Not a thing. It’s Christmas, remember.” She drew a deep breath, reminding herself of her big plan. “But, Ed,” she forced herself to say, “I’d really like to help you fix up this condo. I’ve seen only a small part of it, but I know I could help you make it nice.”
“You mean better than this?” Ed teased.
&
nbsp; Her head bobbed in agreement.
“I’d like that, Carol Ann. Maybe we can continue to work on it outside the office. Nobody there needs to know about it. I know how sensitive you are about having anyone suspect there’d be a reason for you to lose your job. My job is important to me, too.”
“How about meeting on Sunday afternoons? We could go shopping then. Not as many people are out and about.”
“Sounds good. After the New Year, we’ll begin the transformation of this place.”
“It’ll be our secret,” said Carol Ann agreeably, liking the idea of more Secret Sundays.
CHAPTER SEVEN
GRACE
Grace looked around her small apartment, making sure it was spotless. She’d made up the double bed in the guest room with new sheets. On top of the quilt, she’d placed an old, stuffed hound dog whose left eye was a broken button but who was otherwise in good shape. Four years ago, she’d sent Misty off to her cousin’s house in Ohio with her favorite doll and a fluffy, stuffed kitten. But packing in such a hurry for a quick getaway had prevented Grace from taking too much else from the house beyond the clothing she and Misty needed. She wondered if Misty would recognize Spotty, the stuffed dog. She used to love it.
Next, Grace went to her closet. Since she’d come to Williston, she’d lost quite a bit of weight—enough that she’d had to purchase some new, more-stylish clothes. Tiffany had taken her shopping and she, along with the others in the Fat Fridays group, had encouraged her to style and color her hair. With Buck dead and her now being free to live without his stalking her, she looked younger than she had in years.
She held out the skirt and sweater she planned to wear to greet Misty at the airport. Classic black skirt and a red sweater for the holidays. She’d bought them on sale, making them even more attractive to her.