Tanner grinned. “Oh, I think it’s already too late for Eve. Mayor Grant has got your number.”
Eve laughed. “Well, on that note, I’m heading home. I need to get the peanut into bed. Tomorrow is going to come early.”
“I’ll run y’all home in the ATV,” Tanner said.
“Devin said he’d drive us, but thank you.” Not that she was avoiding being alone with Tanner. She wasn’t, exactly. Eve pushed to her feet. “I’m so sore from pulling weeds in the flower bed this morning, I can barely lift my arms.”
She turned around to find Devin already sound asleep on the couch, his hat pulled down over his eyes. Lacey laughed. “He’s gonna wake up at ten o’clock tonight and think it’s time to get up for the day.”
“Looks like you’re stuck with me,” Tanner said. “Grab a blanket off the back of the couch, and I’ll get Alice. It’s gonna be a chilly ride.”
Eve nodded, and Tanner reached down for Alice, effortlessly lifting her and carrying her toward the door. Her heart squeezed as Alice’s skinny little arms circled Tanner’s neck. Whatever Eve’s feelings for Tanner were, and those were still to be determined, Alice had fallen hard for the handsome rancher.
“See you tomorrow, Eve.” Lacey kicked back farther in the recliner and closed her eyes.
Feeling nostalgic, Eve picked up one of the throw blankets from the back of the sofa. She remembered the feeling of being pregnant and so exhausted you could barely move. But she also remembered how her heart had leaped the first time she’d felt Alice move.
She’d loved every second of it.
Eve followed Tanner outside and climbed into the ATV, holding her arms out. He placed Alice in her lap, wrapping the blanket around both of them.
He slid in beside her. “No heat. Sorry.”
“No walls, either. It’s cold now that the sun went down.” She shivered.
Turning the key, he cranked the engine and pulled slowly out into the lane, Sadie trotting along beside them. “Yeah, but those stars are worth it.”
They were. With no city lights to dim them, the stars weren’t simply tiny twinkling lights in the sky—they were mysterious and vast, stretching for what seemed like infinity. “It’s so beautiful.”
When they reached the cottage, Tanner came around to pick Alice up again and followed Eve up the steps. “I’ll put her in bed.”
Eve followed him down the hall to Alice’s tiny bedroom, watching as Tanner laid her gently on the bed, his movements as careful as if he were dealing with dynamite or delicate china.
He retreated, and Eve slid Alice out of her dirty clothes and into some pj’s. Grumbling, Alice burrowed into her covers as Sadie jumped up beside her and made her own nest.
When she returned to the living room, Tanner had turned on the lights on the tree and had his back to the fireplace, where a fire was burning merrily. She walked over to stand beside him, facing the fire, and wished she knew what was going on in his mind. “Still no Christmas spirit?”
“Maybe a little,” he admitted. He looked down at her, wry amusement in his dark brown eyes.
She laughed softly. “Still holding out. Well, you still have a few more days to find it.”
“Will Alice go to the party on Saturday?”
“Good question. I don’t know. I’ll talk to her about it in the morning, but I think there’s a good chance she’ll want to go to her grandparents’ instead. She just isn’t ready for a big crowd with a lot of noise.”
“The library’s right next to the park. Maybe she could come for a little while and leave if it gets overwhelming for her. Or she could watch from the library and join in if she feels like it.”
“That’s such a good idea. She’s a quirky kid, especially after all she’s been through, but you seem to have a knack for figuring out what she needs. I’m grateful.”
“Eve...” His eyes were on hers and her breath hitched as she realized he was maybe, finally, going to kiss her.
He slid one hand into her hair and pulled her toward him. As she moved closer to him, she lifted her chin, letting their lips meet, her eyes drifting closed.
When he pulled away, he didn’t go far. “You have me in your life, Eve, if you want me. I’m not sure what it means, but I’m here.”
She let her head fall against his chest and stood there, his arms surrounding her. She felt so at peace and so...safe, here, with the crackle of the fireplace and the glow of the lights from the tree surrounding them.
Eve didn’t want to move, to break the moment with him, but soon he eased back. “I’m not an easy person, Eve. I’m moody and private and, according to reputable sources, very opinionated.”
“I’m not afraid.” She touched his face with her hand, rubbing her thumb across that crease in his cheek that deepened when he was amused. “You have me in your life, too. If you want me.”
“If I—” He laughed softly as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground to hold her in a tight embrace. “I haven’t been able to think about anything else all day.”
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if he’d thought through all the complicated aspects of her life, and his, but she didn’t say anything. Not now. Tonight she was content just to be.
He wasn’t making any promises.
She didn’t know if she wanted them. But if he was willing to take a chance on the two of them, she was in.
Because if she’d learned anything from loving Brent, from loving Alice and Maribeth and Henry, too...it was that love was worth it.
Even when it hurt.
Chapter Fifteen
Eve stood off to the side watching, like a general overseeing a battle, as her plan unfolded. The kids were rotating from ornament painting to cookie decorating to lunch to the bouncy houses with their group leaders. Even the parents were having fun as they followed their kids around, taking pictures and chatting.
“It’s going well,” Wynn Grant said, standing next to her.
There was the occasional screamer, of course. These were children, after all. She’d planned for that, too, assigning one of the volunteers to swoop in to deliver a candy cane and a sticker in case of emergency. There had been a lot of emergencies.
She grinned, glancing at Wynn. “So far, so good.”
Tanner was picking up trash as each group left their station to move to the next. She studied his easy smile as one of the parents spoke to him. You’d never know he’d rather be anywhere but here.
Wynn leaned in. “He’s a heartbreaker.”
“I’ll say.” Wynn’s sister, Jules, stood nearby, a baby on her hip. “Can’t tell you how many women over the years have had their cap set for that handsome cowboy.”
“There’re gonna be even more hearts broken now that he’s off the market,” Wynn said, a wry tone to her voice.
“Off the market?” Eve looked at Wynn in surprise. “What makes you say that?”
“Just intuition. But I’m curious about you. How do you feel about him?”
A sweaty toddler did a face-plant coming out of a bouncy house and let out a high-pitched wail.
“Oh no. That’s one of mine. Here, Wynn, take her.” Jules handed the baby to Wynn and jogged toward the crying child.
Wynn didn’t flinch, just hitched the baby up on her hip. “So?”
Eve squinted her eyes and scrunched her nose. “Let’s just say he’s got me all tied up in knots.”
Wynn laughed. “Sounds like love to me.”
“Eve!” Pastor Jake hustled over. “We ran out of chips. I’m not sure how that happened. I thought we had one in each lunch basket.”
“There are some extras under the check-in table in the blue plastic tub, just in case.”
“Okay, thanks, whew.” Pastor Jake grinned. “Crisis averted.”
As he walked away, Wynn turned to Eve, swaying sli
ghtly with the baby in her arms. “On another subject, I know you’ve just started your graphic design business, but I’d be interested in talking to you about coordinating the Spring Fling. It wouldn’t pay much, but enough maybe to supplement your income until you get on your feet. You really are good at this.”
Pleased and surprised, Eve didn’t hesitate. “I’d love to. I don’t even have to think about it. Event planning is my passion, but I knew Alice needed time with me, so I started the T-shirt business as a way to work from home.”
“If you can do what you did today on a shoestring budget and in such a short time—from home—I think you’ll have all the business you can handle.” As someone called her, the mayor lifted her hand and waved. “Duty calls. I’ll see you later. Here.”
She passed the baby to Eve and walked away. Eve looked down at the little one all decked out in a red-and-green Christmas dress and a bow that had to be twice the size of her head. Wide blue eyes blinked back at her. “Hi there, munchkin. Guess what? I think I got a job.”
“Mama!” A little voice called Eve’s name just as that little body hit her legs.
Her father-in-law, Henry, breathing fast, arrived right behind Alice. “She’s been watching how much fun the kids are having. She wanted to come down and play a little bit, if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course it’s okay.” Eve smiled down at Alice, who’d agreed to wear her own Christmas outfit—a green sweatshirt made by Eve and ruffled red leggings—instead of her typical princess dress.
“Whose baby is that?” Before Eve could answer, Alice said, “There’s Mr. Tanner! Can I go see him?”
“Sure.” Eve laughed and turned to her mother-in-law as she caught up to Henry. “She’s certainly found her voice.”
Maribeth put her arm around Eve as Alice reached Tanner, who lifted her up into his arms and pretended to drop her. “She’s doing so well. You were right—the farm life suits her. She’s thriving.”
“Yes, she is, but it’s not just farm life. Part of the reason she’s doing so well is that she has both of you in her life.” The baby in Eve’s arms rubbed her eyes, and Eve patted her tiny back, bouncing up and down.
Maribeth glanced at Henry and back to Eve. “We need to apologize. You have your own life, you and Alice, and we want to support you, not try to make decisions for you.”
“I appreciate that.” Eve turned toward her mother-in-law, reaching for her hand. “But you and Henry have nothing to apologize for. You’ve supported me every step of the way.”
Maribeth looked toward the playground, her eyes filling. “We want you to be happy, Eve. Whatever that means for you.”
Eve followed Maribeth’s eyes to where Tanner had swung Alice over his head. Her squeals of laughter were clear, even over all of the hubbub surrounding them. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say that.”
“We’re gonna head home if you’ve got things covered here.” Henry put his arm around his wife then pulled a small figure out of his pocket and handed it to Eve. “Alice really wanted to bring the baby Jesus from our nativity home with her, and we told her she could have it.”
“Are you sure?” When he nodded, she hugged them both. “I love you. We’ll see you bright and early Christmas morning.”
“Bye, sweetie.” Maribeth smiled through her tears and quickly walked away with Henry at her side.
The baby girl’s eyes were bobbing closed, so Eve shifted her to her shoulder as she made her way to the table at the entrance. Families were beginning to trickle out, and Eve wanted to stand by the table at the exit where Lacey had been printing out Santa photos as fast as the photographer was taking them.
Claire, one of the foster moms, stood nearby as her eight kids found their pictures. “This was wonderful. Even my teenagers had a blast.”
“Hearing that makes our day. Thank you!”
Jules rushed up, gripping one small child by the hand and carrying the toddler on her hip. Another child trailed behind her. “Oh good, you’ve got the baby. I was starting to think I’d lost her.”
Eve laughed. “Can we help you get to the car?”
“My husband is around here somewhere.” Jules scanned the park. “There he is. Cam, over here!”
Her husband strolled up with more kids—two girls who looked like they were in early elementary school. “Is that my baby?”
With a grin, Eve said, “Maybe? I’m not sure.”
Jules shook her head. “It really is hard to keep up. Cameron, this is Eve. She and her daughter are renting the cottage where Garrett used to live. Eve, Cameron.”
“Nice to meet you.” Eve handed the sleeping baby over to her dad. And around thirty minutes later, as the last family picked up their photos and wound their way to the parking lot, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The cleanup crew had already started breaking things down. Pastor Jake was hauling big tubs out of the church van and into the park, where they were quickly filled with the decorations.
“This was great. I’m exhausted.” Lacey stacked up a few straggling photos that hadn’t been picked up. “I think I’m gonna head home. Devin snagged some box lunches and stashed them in the car, if you and Alice want to stop by on your way home.”
“We’ll do that. Thank you so much for your help.”
Devin pushed the double stroller ahead of him, but still managed to put his arm around Lacey as they headed to the truck. The strap of the diaper bag started to slide off his shoulder, and Lacey nudged it back into place. Eve sighed. They were so cute.
She picked up the photos and stuck them to her clipboard as a couple of men from the church tipped the table over and broke it down to haul back to the church. “Thanks so much, guys.”
Within about twenty minutes, all that remained in the park were the deflated bouncy houses, and those would be picked up by the various vendors by late afternoon.
Tanner walked over to her as the last table was being carried out of the park and into the church van. “I can’t believe we actually pulled it off.”
“We couldn’t have done it without all the volunteers from the church, but it turned out great. Thanks for being such a good sport. I know hordes of children—and adults—in various stages of euphoria and meltdown are not exactly your thing.”
Tanner bumped her with his shoulder. “It wasn’t even too bad, especially once the peanut arrived. She’s on the playground. Want me to take her home while you finish up here?”
“Sure. It shouldn’t be long, and I’ll be finishing up soon.”
She was doing the final run-through of her postparty checklist when she heard a little voice call out, “Bye, Mama!”
Alice had Tanner’s cowboy hat on as she rode his shoulders to the parking lot, her hands in the air with no fear that Tanner would let her go.
Eve had fallen for Tanner almost as fast as Alice had. Was it any wonder? Despite all he’d lost, his heart was so big and so generous.
One big question mark remained in her mind. Was he ready to move on? Was she?
She packed up her stuff and waved goodbye to the few remaining volunteers. And when she got in her van, she sat in silence for a minute.
She’d taken some huge risks in her life. Starting her own business and moving to Alabama topped the list. But falling in love with Tanner?
That might be the biggest risk of all.
* * *
Tanner sat on the front porch at the farmhouse with his legs stretched out in front of him, the bottle-feeding piglet dribbling milk all over his legs. The weather had warmed up nicely, a pleasant sixty-eight degrees. It was supposed to get even warmer at the beginning of the week. It wasn’t very Christmassy weather, but the cows liked it, and he’d take it.
Alice was digging with a stick in the driveway, twin babies toddling around her, with Devin sitting on the bottom step keeping watch. “E
li, no-no. Rocks don’t go in your mouth.”
Eli opened his mouth, and a shower of pebbles fell to the ground.
Devin got up and wiped Eli’s mouth with his shirttail. “I thought newborns were hard. Toddlers are constantly doing things that could land you in the ER.”
“They’re cute, though.” Abby had stuck Charlotte into one of those baby seats that rocked and bounced and was handing her animal crackers one at a time. Garrett was half-asleep sitting in one of the porch chairs beside her.
Tanner leaned his head back against the rail. This had been one wild month, but he was here with his brothers and their families and, while he would always regret that his parents and his wife and son weren’t here, he could also be...grateful.
He was grateful. He’d watched Eve at the party today, how effortlessly she connected with people and managed the minor crises that popped up. He’d never expected to have someone like her in his life. Getting to know her, being in her life... For the first time in a long time, he was considering what the future could look like as a family of three.
Alice and Eve were good for him. They were good together.
Eve pulled up in her van, parked beside the house and walked over to join them on the porch. She threw her arms up in the air. “Whew! We did it!”
Garrett laughed. “I still can’t believe the party came together like that.”
“Me, either.” Lacey was in the swing, one leg dangling over the edge to keep it moving. “You did a fantastic job organizing everything, Eve.”
Charlotte squealed, and Abby handed her another cracker. “I think people like doing things like this. I see it all the time during disasters. What should be the worst of times brings out the best in people.”
“Well, it was amazing.” Eve flopped on the floor next to Tanner, smiling up at him as he put his arm around her. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He grinned as, out of the corner of his eye, he caught his brothers sharing a wide-eyed look between them.
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