Nora leaped into the air. “I know where they are.” Like a missile finding its target, she zeroed in on the two gifts leaning against the trunk of the Christmas tree.
With two hands, she picked up the closest one. “This is for you, Uncle Caleb. It isn’t from Santa. It’s from Aunty Megan and me. We made it ’specially for you.”
“Thank you.” He sniffed the wrapper before giving the box a quick shake. “It doesn’t smell or sound like cake or cookies.” His hands gently squeezed the side of the present. “And it’s hard, like a big book.”
Nora’s gaze shot to Megan. “He nearly guessed,” she whispered.
Megan held her finger to her lips. “Shh. It will give the surprise away.”
Caleb leaned toward Nora. “Should I tear the paper off the present?”
Nora nodded. “But not too quick. You might—”
Megan cleared her throat.
With eyes wide open, Nora slapped her hand over her mouth. “I nearly told you.”
Caleb grinned. “In that case, I’ll be extra careful.” With the speed of a snail, he took the tape off the wrapping paper.
Even Sam looked as though she was falling asleep while he meticulously unwrapped his gift.
When he’d peeled the last piece of tape away, he stared at the album.
Nora wiggled closer. “We took lots of photos for you.”
Caleb turned to the first page and looked at Megan. “This is wonderful.”
“It was a joint effort. Nora took most of the recent photos and we found the others in my albums. I wanted you to know about my childhood and the people who are important to us. We wrote captions under each photo so you’d know everyone.”
“That’s my mommy.” Nora pointed to a picture of Christine. “Isn’t she pretty?”
“She is. You look a lot like her.”
“That’s what Aunty Megan says. I want to be just like Mommy. Did you know she liked horses? One day I’m going to ride a horse.”
“Lots of people in Sapphire Bay own horses,” Caleb said. “I bet we could find someone who would let you ride their horse.”
Nora’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”
Caleb nodded. “Even though it’s winter, there’s probably an indoor arena we could use.”
“That would be amazing.”
Nora’s smile was so big that Megan wondered if it would ever go away. She handed Sam her present. “I hope you like this.”
Sam ripped the paper off the box and grinned. “It’s wonderful. How did you know I have a sweet tooth?”
“Brooke mentioned that you like her candy.” Megan was glad Sam liked the cookies, fudge, and rock candy she’d carefully wrapped.
“We made the gingerbread men ’specially for you,” Nora added. “The ‘S’ on their tummies means you’re special.”
Sam hugged Nora and Megan. “They’re lovely. Thank you.”
“Now can we call William?” Nora asked.
Megan sighed. “Okay, but we’ll only speak to him for a little while.”
“William will be so surprised.”
He wouldn’t be as excited as Nora. She was jumping up and down so fast that Megan was getting dizzy. Hopefully, his phone was turned on. Otherwise, they could be calling his number all afternoon.
William stacked another plate in the dishwasher. So far, the day had gone well.
The last Christmas he’d had with his dad was when Lacey was alive. The house had been decorated from top to bottom in tinsel and balloons. They’d enjoyed time in front of the fireplace, reminiscing about the Christmases they’d shared with other family members.
But, even then, Vanessa had been distant. She was so busy making sure every last detail was perfect, that she’d missed the most important part of Christmas. Spending time with her family.
William’s father walked into the kitchen. “I’ve checked the living room for dirty dishes. This is the last of them.” James rinsed two cups and added them to the dishwasher.
“What would you like to do this afternoon?” William asked. “We could go to the Museum of the Rockies. They’ve got a special Christmas exhibition in the planetarium.”
James looked over the rim of his glasses. “Do you really want to go to a museum on Christmas Day?”
“There’s not much else to do.”
“What about a movie? There must be something on TV.”
William laughed. “We sound like a couple of ninety-year-olds. I’ll bring the popcorn.”
“If you swap the popcorn for the Christmas cake we had yesterday, I won’t remind you about your birthday.”
He was surprised his dad had remembered. “It’s still a couple of weeks away.”
“It will come around quick enough.” James turned on the coffeepot. “If you don’t want to talk about your birthday, you can tell me about Megan.”
A heavy weight settled in William’s stomach. “We’re not seeing each other anymore.”
“That was quick. What happened?”
“We had a difference of opinion.”
His dad snorted. “Happens to all of us. Your mom and I had a difference of opinion most days, but we got through it.”
“Megan wants to stay in Sapphire Bay.”
“Must be a nice town.”
“It is, but it’s not Bozeman.”
“Do you think she’ll change her mind?”
William took two mugs out of the cupboard. “I don’t know. She owns a fantasy cake company and wants to concentrate on building her business.”
“That makes sense. How long have you been dating?”
“We haven’t, not officially.” William ran his hand through his hair. “I was sent to Milwaukee to protect Megan and Nora from a terrorist threat. The only reason I brought them to Sapphire Bay was because their lives were in danger.”
James pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. “Are you sure you aren’t confusing your feelings about Lacey with Megan and Nora?”
That was the only thing William was sure about. “Nothing will ever bring Lacey back. If anything, Nora has taught me there’s more to life than my memories. Lacey will always have a special place in my heart, but I can’t keep living in the past.”
“Do you care about them?”
William dropped his head to his chest. “I do.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know.” William’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned at the number. “It’s Megan.”
“Well, don’t sit there staring at your phone. Answer it.”
Before William changed his mind, he answered the call.
“Hi, William. It’s Nora. Merry Christmas!”
Despite his uneasiness, he smiled. “Merry Christmas to you, too. Are you having a good time at Caleb’s house?”
“It’s been the best day ever,” Nora said excitedly. “Uncle Caleb might know someone who owns a horse. He’s going to take me for a ride. And Sam made roast turkey for lunch. It was yummy. Do you like my picture?”
“I do. It looks exactly like Zac’s house.” William had found Nora and Megan’s gifts when he was unpacking the Christmas cake and cookies they’d given him.
“Did you see the mouse beside the barn? That was Snowy.”
“Snowy?”
“The mouse I found in Zac’s house. When are you coming back?”
William rubbed his forehead. “I’m not coming back for a while. But you can still draw pictures for me. Megan will mail them to Bozeman.”
There was silence on Nora’s end of the phone.
“I miss you, William.”
“I know you do. What else are you doing today?”
“Umm…we’re having ice cream soon and then Aunty Megan is driving us home. Uncle Caleb is going to see Sam’s family. Did you know they’re getting married?”
William’s eyebrows rose. “No, I didn’t. That’s exciting news.”
“And Aunty Megan said she’ll make them a wedding c
ake. I hope they want pink roses on the top. They look so pretty. What are you doing?”
He looked across the table. “I’m about to have a cup of coffee with my dad before we watch some movies.”
“Are you going to watch Shrek?”
“I’m not sure. We haven’t looked at what’s on the TV.” William had spent more than one afternoon watching Nora’s favorite movie with her. Whenever Shrek, Fiona, or Donkey sang a song, Nora stood in front of the television, singing and dancing with them.
“If Shrek’s on, you should watch that. Can you take me to school on my first day?”
William’s mouth dropped open. He didn’t want to disappoint Nora, but he wasn’t her dad. “Megan will want to take you.”
“She’ll come, too. I’ll show you my classroom and you could say hello to my teacher. Please. It wouldn’t take too long and I’ll be able to see you again.”
William’s heart was pounding. Nora had told him she was worried about starting school, but there was nothing he could do to help her. “I live too far away now, Nora. But you could tell me all about your first day at school when you get home.”
“I guess that would be okay.”
He heard the disappointment in her voice and felt like the meanest person in the world.
“Do you want to speak to Aunty Megan?”
“Sure,” William murmured. “Enjoy the rest of the day.”
“I will. Bye, William.”
By the time Nora handed the phone to Megan, William was a nervous wreck. It had only been a day since he’d last seen her. Twenty-four hours of second-guessing himself and not knowing if he’d made the right decision.
“William? Are you still there?”
“I’m here. Merry Christmas.”
Megan sighed. “Merry Christmas to you, too. I’ve moved into the kitchen to give us some privacy. I heard what Nora said. You don’t have to come to Sapphire Bay for her first day of school.”
“It’s okay. I told her I couldn’t make it. If she remembers, she’ll call me when she gets home.”
“I don’t think there’s much chance of her forgetting. How’s your dad?”
William glanced at his father. He’d poured two cups of coffee and was about to cut into the Christmas cake Megan had made. “He’s fine.”
James held the knife over the plate. “Tell Megan the cake is wonderful. If she sends them to Chicago, I’ll order two from her.”
William smiled as his dad bit into a big slice of cake. “Did you hear that?”
“I did. Send me your dad’s address and I’ll bake them for him this afternoon.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
His dad placed the cup of coffee and some cake in front of William. “If you’re talking about the cakes, yes she does.”
William frowned.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake. Give me the phone and I’ll speak to her myself.”
There was no way he wanted his dad to speak to Megan. “Your coffee will get cold.”
“So will a lot of things if you don’t hand over the phone.”
William reluctantly placed the phone in his dad’s hand. “Be nice.”
“I’m always nice. All you have to do is ask the ladies at the bowling club.” James held the phone against his ear. “Hello, Megan. This is James, William’s dad. Your cake is delicious.”
William had no idea what Megan said, but James’ dry chuckle surprised him.
“Don’t let my son distract you from getting your business up and running. Can you send two cakes to me in Chicago?”
William picked up his cup of coffee and listened to the one-sided conversation. His dad wasn’t much of a talker, especially on the phone, but Megan seemed to be prodding sentences out of him.
James smiled. “No one’s perfect. But if you want a keeper, you’d go a long way to beat my son.”
Heat scorched William’s face. “Dad! Don’t say things like that.” It was just as well Megan wasn’t in the same room. As well as being incredibly embarrassed, he’d want to disappear as fast as he could.
“What was that?” James asked Megan. “I couldn’t hear what you said over the top of William’s mutterings.”
It was time for William to eat cake. So he did. A great big slab of rich fruitcake that was easily the best he’d ever tasted. He was about to cut a second slice when his dad cleared his throat.
“I’d better rescue the cake,” James said as he moved away from the table. “There won’t be much left after William’s finished eating his next slice.”
His dad wasn’t much of an exaggerator, either. But the conversation with Megan was bringing out the worst in William. Before his dad could say anything else, he grabbed the phone out of his hand.
“It’s William. I apologize for anything offensive my dad might have said. He’s not usually like that.”
“Your dad seems nice.”
William heard the smile in her voice and some of his nerves disappeared. “Send Caleb and Sam my congratulations. Nora told me they’re engaged.”
“It’s going to be an exciting year. Are you looking forward to working in an office again?”
“I haven’t given it much thought.” That was a lie, but Megan didn’t need to know he was dreading the next few weeks. “It will be good catching up with the rest of my team.”
“I’m sure they’ve missed you.”
William heard some voices in the background.
“I have to go,” Megan said. “Some of Caleb’s friends have arrived. I hope you enjoy the rest of the day.”
“You, too.”
“Remember to send me your dad’s address. And tell him I won’t be charging him.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. Call it a thank you present for everything you did for Nora and me.”
There was no point arguing with Megan. Even if he didn’t give her his dad’s address, she would still manage to get the cakes to him. “Dad will look forward to seeing them. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Bye.”
And before he could stop his dad from eating another slice of cake, Megan ended the call.
James licked royal icing off the end of his fingers. “That went well.”
“You think?”
His dad smiled. “Take it from a man who’s had more differences of opinion with other people than anyone you know. It went well.”
William hoped so because, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was still in love with Megan.
Chapter 15
Megan peered through the glass door of the oven. The two lemon cakes were looking good. If everything went to plan, she should have enough time to mix the ingredients for a chocolate cake before the timer went off.
She couldn’t believe it was the beginning of January. On Boxing Day, she’d moved into Brooke’s old house, renting it from her while Brooke lived in the apartment above her candy store.
It hadn’t taken long for everyone to discover that she was working from Sweet Treats. Two of the people who had ordered Christmas cakes had asked Megan to make cakes for upcoming birthdays. If you counted another three wedding cakes that were booked for February and March, and the cakes and cookies she was making for the store, it had been a busy few days.
One of the kitchen doors opened and Brooke came inside. “Do you have time to talk to a customer? They want to order a cake.”
Megan wiped her hands on her apron. “Of course, I do.” She picked up a brochure before glancing at the timer on the oven. She couldn’t afford to burn the cakes, especially when they had to be decorated by tomorrow afternoon.
Stepping into the store was like dodging bumper cars at a county fair. People of all ages moved between the glass counters and display shelves, looking for something sweet to take home.
Brooke was convinced that having two businesses working out of the same building was having a positive effect on their cash flow. Sweet Treats usually had a lot of customers, but even Megan had to agree that som
ething was happening.
A man wearing a bright orange ski hat and blue jacket turned around.
Megan’s heart dropped to her feet. “William?”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d still be in Bozeman.”
He took off his hat and held it in his hands. “I was. I am.” He cleared his throat. “I’d better start again. I’m still working from Bozeman, but I had some work to do in Polson. I thought I’d drive a little farther north and say hello to you and Nora.”
“Nora is at the library. They had an arts and craft day that she wanted to go to.”
“Is she still starting school tomorrow?”
Megan nodded. “She is. Nora bought a new backpack and lunchbox. She’s looking forward to meeting the other children in her class.”
“It will be a big day for her.”
For the first time since she’d seen William, Megan sent him a genuine smile. “I don’t know who’s more nervous. I keep having nightmares about her not making friends or finding it hard to fit in.”
“She’ll be okay.”
“That’s what Brooke keeps telling me. Three of her nieces have started school in the last twelve months. Each of them was nervous, but they quickly settled into the school routine.”
Some of the tension in William’s face disappeared. “There you go. It won’t be as bad as you think.”
“I hope not.” Megan looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s nearly lunchtime. Can I get you something to eat?”
William’s gaze didn’t leave her face. “I’m okay. I think I gained ten pounds while we were at Zac’s house.”
Megan couldn’t tell if he’d gained weight. He still looked perfect to her. “I need to go back into the kitchen soon. Two cakes need to come out of the oven.”
“I won’t keep you long. I was wondering if it’s okay for me to go to school with you and Nora tomorrow?”
“She’d love that. But don’t you have to work?”
He shook his head. “I’m taking a couple of days off work.”
A Christmas Wish Page 16
