Sara's Gift (Small-Town Christmas Wishes Book 4)

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  Gabe stuffed a star-shaped sugar cookie into his mouth then helped clean off the table. “How’d it go tonight?”

  “The best ever. On the spur of the moment, I offered everyone who came to the class a ten-percent discount and sold about seven-hundred-dollars’ worth of stuff in a matter of minutes. It was insane. April and her mom came too, and I was able to sneak a peek at their sizes. My only regret is I didn’t have enough time to sit and visit with them. The class was full, and there wasn’t enough of me to go around.”

  “You’ll find a way to wiggle into their lives.” He grabbed another cookie. “I was thinking you and I could work on your secret angel project together.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know. Whatever you need.”

  “Okay, but why? I know we’ve talked a lot about this, but I didn’t get the impression you wanted to be hands-on with it.” Not that he was a scrooge, but this was highly unusual.

  “A little birdie told me about the family today. I want to do something nice for them.”

  She grasped his arm. “What do you know?”

  “I’m not a gossip.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re not. I just want to know their story so I can put the money Charity saved to its best use.”

  “Fine. But you can’t repeat this.”

  She nodded, annoyance filling her that he would think he needed to warn her not to gossip.

  “Her husband died of cancer about a year ago. Even with insurance, the medical bills were overwhelming, and he didn’t have life insurance. According to my source, she brought her family here for a fresh start away from the memories and the looks of pity.”

  She blew out a long and slow breath. “That’s not what I expected. How sad.”

  “You can’t let on that you know, and get that look off your face. If she sees how sorry you feel for her, you’ll chase her away.”

  “If April didn’t want anyone to know about her past, why did she tell your source?”

  “She didn’t. One of April’s kids told my source’s son.”

  “Now I understand. I promise I won’t treat them any differently than before.”

  “Good.” He stood to his full height, resting both hands at his waist. “Looks like we’re done here.”

  “That went much faster with both of us cleaning. You’re the best.” She opened Annabelle’s crate and attached her leash. “I bet you’re ready to go home, huh, girl.”

  Annabelle barked a single response.

  Gabe chuckled. “Has she eaten yet?”

  “I fed her before the class. There was no way she’d have sat quietly if she hadn’t been fed.” She’d closed the shop a little early and taken Annabelle for a walk up and down the block. One thing she’d learned was if she spent a few extra minutes with her dog, then the lab would be quiet and content while she taught her workshops.

  Sara slipped her arm around the back of Gabe’s waist and gave him a side hug.

  “What was that for?”

  “For being such a great friend.” She wouldn’t know what to do without him, even if he did annoy her from time to time. Which was why he could never know the depths of her feelings for him.

  He tucked her close to his side. “Back at you.” He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

  She sucked in a sharp breath, praying he hadn’t noticed how his innocent kiss affected her. He didn’t let go as they walked side-by-side to her Jeep. She pressed the unlock button on the toggle. The rear lights flashed yellow. “That’s me.”

  He chuckled. “You think I forgot what your Jeep looks like?” He removed his arm from around her shoulder and tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. “Do you still want to set up your Christmas tree tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Absolutely.” She opened the door for Annabelle. Her dog hopped in and settled onto the backseat. “I’ll dig out the decorations and the stand tonight. You want to help me choose the tree?”

  “That goes without saying. I’ll pick you up at one, and we can go to the tree lot together.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “It’s a date.” He turned and strode away without a backward glance.

  “A date?” she mumbled. What had come over Gabe? He wasn’t himself tonight. Maybe he’d had too many cookies and it had affected his brain. Whatever it was, he’d better snap out of it, or she would wind up falling in love with him all over again, and that wasn’t an option.

  “One step at a time. Don’t look back,” Gabe said under his breath as he walked away from Sara. Had he seriously said it was a date? Maybe he’d imagined it.

  No. The look on Sara’s face indicated he’d said exactly that. And what was with kissing her? Granted, it wasn’t even close to the kind of kiss he wanted to give her, but it had shocked them both. Thankfully, she hadn’t questioned him, because if she had, he might have spilled his heart right there on the sidewalk for the world and Sara, to trample on.

  How was he supposed to see her tomorrow and act like tonight hadn’t happened? Maybe he should face it head on and admit the romance of Christmas had addled his brain. He blew out a breath as he reached his pickup and got behind the wheel. Romance of Christmas? He’d officially lost good sense.

  Chapter Six

  The next morning, Sara spotted Emily on the sidewalk outside the door that led up to her apartment. She beeped her horn, pulled over, and lowered the window. “Good morning.”

  Emily walked up to the window. “Hi. I thought you were closed on Sundays.”

  “I am. I’m on my way to church.”

  “Oh.” Emily’s shoulders sagged slightly. “We used to go to church.”

  Sara had a good idea why they’d stopped. “Would you like to come with me? I have a few extra minutes if you want to run up and ask your mom.”

  Her face lit. “Really?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Emily spun around and disappeared through the door. Sara grinned. She’d always been afraid to invite people to church or share her faith with others, but for some reason, inviting Emily had been as natural as breathing.

  A couple of minutes later, Emily charged out the door and hopped into the front seat. “My mom wants to talk to you.”

  April followed sedately. “Hi, Sara. Thanks for offering to take Emily to church.”

  “Of course. You and the rest of your kids are welcome any time. We have a great children’s program.”

  “I appreciate that. Maybe some Sunday soon we’ll check it out. I forgot to thank you for the class last night. We both had a good time.”

  “I’m glad.” Sara’s insides warmed. She glanced at the dashboard clock. “We should probably get going so we’re not late.”

  April grinned. “We can’t have that. For Emily, being late is a fate worse than death.”

  “Mom.” Emily rolled her eyes.

  “That’s my cue to get a move on. I’ll have her home by eleven.”

  April stepped back, allowing Sara to pull away from the curb.

  “Your mom’s in a good mood.”

  “I think the workshop last night was exactly what she needed. She works so hard that I think she forgot how to have fun.”

  “It’s easy to do. I’m glad I could have a part in bringing a smile to her face.”

  “The best thing was my little brothers and sister loved the sitter. If my mom has someone they all like to watch them, then we might be able to get out and do more fun things.”

  Sara couldn’t stop the grin that had taken over her face. “That’s wonderful. I’m really happy for all of you.”

  Emily giggled. “Thanks.” She tilted her head. “I didn’t want to move here, but now I’m really glad we did.”

  “Me too. How about your brothers and sister? Do they like it here too?”

  “I think so. They’ve all made friends. Nolan wants to have a sleepover next weekend.”

  “That’s a good sign.”

  “Yep.”

  Sara pulled into the parking lot
of Snowflake Chapel where she attended church. “You’re welcome to sit with me, but if you spot a friend you’d rather be with, I won’t be offended.”

  “Thanks.” Emily opened the door and got out. “What’s your church like? Are the people here nice like you or more standoffish?”

  Sara joined her at the front of the Jeep. “We have some of each.”

  Emily’s mouth opened, and her eyes widened.

  “What?”

  “You. I can’t believe you’re so…”

  “Honest? You asked a specific question, which deserved a truthful answer.”

  “But I was kind of joking when I asked.”

  “Oh. Well, regardless, we are all human with idiosyncrasies. Not one of us is perfect, and some of us try the patience of others more than we ought.”

  Emily laughed. “I like you.”

  “I like you too.” Sara led the way inside and found a seat right as the worship leader began the first song. Talk about calling it close. Emily sang out with confidence, clearly familiar with the song. The service flowed right along and ended fifteen minutes late. How was that possible? No matter, she’d still be able to get Emily home before eleven. She turned to the teen. “What’d you think?”

  “Not bad. The worship was my favorite. It’s been a long time.” A faraway look filled her eyes before she focused again. “If my mom doesn’t come next time, do you think you could pick me up again?”

  “Of course. I need to give you my number so you can text me and let me know when you need a ride.”

  “My mom just got me a phone. After what happened with the twins the other day, she said I needed one. It’s only a cheap one from the drug store, but I’m happy to have it.” Emily handed her a phone opened on the Contacts page. Sara added her information then handed it back.

  “I need to get you home.” Sara led the way out of the sanctuary and then on outside. If service hadn’t run over, they would have had time to stop and visit, but she didn’t want to do anything to upset April or cause her to worry.

  “I see someone from school.” Emily motioned toward a girl in the parking lot about fifty feet away. The girl looked their way, and Emily waved.

  Sara’s heart soared at the look of happiness on the teen’s face. Pulling over and inviting her to come along had definitely been the right thing to do. “Did you want to say hi?”

  “No. We told Mom I would be home soon, and I don’t want to be late.”

  “Being late really bugs you.”

  “It’s a pet peeve. I hate to be late, and it drives me nuts when others are. It’s rude.”

  Sara pressed the unlock button on the toggle and got behind the wheel. She buckled up and waited for Emily to do the same before pulling out. “Tell me about the twins. They’re the only ones I haven’t met.”

  “Ian and Stephanie are six. Ian is older by two minutes.”

  Sara chuckled. “It sounds like he’s proud of that.”

  “Oh yeah. They’re both pretty cute though.”

  “What do they like to do for fun?”

  “Watch TV, play games, but I’d say arts and crafts are their favorite. Basically anything that makes a mess.”

  “Funny. I take it you get stuck cleaning up after them a lot.”

  “Not so much lately since they’re low on supplies, but I make them help clean up now.”

  “Good for you. I imagine craft stuff and games are on their Christmas list.”

  Emily shrugged. “We haven’t done Christmas since my dad died.”

  Sara sucked in a sharp breath. “Why not?”

  “I think it’s too painful for my mom, and money’s been tight.”

  “I’m sorry about your dad. If there’s anything I can do to help your mom, will you let me know?”

  “Honestly, I think she needs a friend. She seems so lonely. I try, but she needs someone her age, not mine.”

  Sara glanced at Emily before signaling and pulling over. “You’re wise beyond your years. What’s your mom’s work schedule?”

  “She does home loans. So, she mostly works business hours unless she misses for some reason and has to make up her hours.”

  Sara nodded. At least April had a good paying job. It sounded like those medical bills were what kept her buried. Too bad she didn’t have enough money to pay off the bills. “I think I’ll walk up with you.”

  “Okay.” Emily hopped out.

  Sara met her at the door that led up to the apartment and prayed April wouldn’t mind another surprise visit. She trotted up the stairs behind the teen.

  Emily flung open the door. “Mom, I’m home, and Sara’s with me.”

  Sara followed her inside, noting the sparse furnishings: a sofa, small TV and stand, and a round kitchen table with six chairs. At least there were enough seats for all of them. She wondered what had happened to all their stuff. Had they sold it to pay bills? Or had they simply not wanted to move everything?

  April stood at the kitchen counter chopping vegetables. “How’d it go?”

  “I liked it.” Emily plucked a carrot from the counter.

  “Hey, I need that.” April pointed the knife tip toward the carrot.

  Emily frowned and broke off the tip of the carrot then put the rest back onto the counter. “I saw a friend from school there. We should all go next week. I think you’d like it.”

  April focused on chopping. “We’ll see.”

  Sara suddenly felt like an intruder. “I just wanted to say thanks for letting Emily join me.”

  “Sure.”

  At a loss for words, Sara turned back to the door. “I’ll let myself out.” She had hoped to find a way to connect with April, but the woman had clearly been distracted with lunch preparations. She’d have to find another time to become acquainted with her. Right now, she needed to swing by the grocery store to make snacks for when Gabe came over. Maybe she’d even pick up something for dinner. That would surprise him for sure.

  Forty-five minutes later she stood in her kitchen along with a bag filled with crackers, cheeses, fruit, and veggies—seeing April’s lunch prep had inspired her. She’d even bought the makings for a spinach dip.

  An hour later, everything was prepped and ready to devour, which she planned to do as soon as she changed into her favorite pair of sweats and took Annabelle outside to play.

  After changing, she opened the front door, and Annabelle bounded outside. Gabe’s pickup rattled over the rutted private drive to her home. He parked in his usual spot and killed the engine. Annabelle raced to his rig, making it impossible for him to get out.

  “Annabelle, heel.”

  Sara’s dog looked at her, dropped her head, and trotted to Sara’s side.

  “Good.” She rubbed Annabelle’s ears—her favorite place to have rubbed—while Gabe got out and walked over to them.

  “She sure has a lot of energy.” He squatted down and scratched the dog’s back.

  “I should’ve let her out when I got home, but I got distracted.”

  He raised a brow. “By what?”

  She explained her morning and the inspiration for the spread on her kitchen counter. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “Always.”

  Sara laughed but suspected that wasn’t far from the truth. She’d never known him to turn down a meal. After letting Annabelle romp around for a while, they went inside. “Do you mind if we eat before we get the tree? I’m starving.”

  “Nope. Actually, I took the liberty of picking out your tree. It’s in the bed of my truck.” He scooped dip onto a plate then filled the rest with carrots, celery sticks, and crackers.

  “Why would you do that?” Her heart raced. She took a breath, trying to calm herself.

  He shrugged. “I was driving right past the lot and figured it’d save us time.”

  “But a tree is a personal thing.” How could he not have known she’d want to pick it out herself? They’d been doing this together since forever.

  Gabe stopped eating, suddenly aware of the emot
ion in Sara’s voice. “Are you upset?” He’d thought saving time made the most sense. Besides, he knew exactly which tree she would pick out as soon as he saw it. She was as predictable as the clock on the wall.

  “A little. I like picking it out with you.”

  “Oh. I didn’t realize. I’m sorry. We could take it back and you could pick out a different one.”

  “No.” She shook her head and reached for a plate. “I’m sure your choice is beautiful.”

  “You sound like you lost your best friend.” His eyes widened. “Are we okay?”

  “Yes. It’d take a lot more than a little tree drama to get rid of me.” She motioned to the food. “What do you think?”

  “It’s good. Want to grab real food after we’re done with the tree? My treat.”

  “Real food? I’m insulted.” She chuckled. “But, if you’re treating, count me in.”

  He laughed and brushed his hands together, knocking the crumbs from the crackers onto his plate.

  Sara stared off into space. Clearly, her thoughts were a million miles away. He took the opportunity to admire her. Today, she wore soft looking black sweats with an oversized red plaid top. Somehow, she made it look good.

  Her eyes cleared and met his. “Gabe?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I have an idea. You know how April is buried under medical bills? I want to raise the money to pay them off and provide Christmas for her family.”

  “Do you have any idea how much money you’d need to raise?”

  “Not a clue, but maybe I could find out.”

  “How? And how would you raise that kind of money before Christmas?”

  “I could donate a percentage of my sales.”

  “Is business that good?”

  “I’m doing all right.”

  Based on the guilty look on her face, he’d say she wasn’t doing well enough to cover what she suspected the family needed. “Tell you what. I’ll match whatever you do, and I’ll tell a couple of my friends who also enjoy helping people.”

  “You don’t have to do that. You said yourself you’re not a philanthropist.”