Kimmy lifted her gaze, the concern gliding from her face. “I can be there. Are you sure that’s all?”
“I’m sure.” His prayer rose that Roseanne hadn’t forgotten that Kimmy was only seven. “I want to take you someplace special before you go back home, so I’ll check with your mom. How’s that?”
“Where?”
Her eyes lit up brighter than he’d seen them since the conversation had begun. “It’s a surprise.”
“But—”
“No buts. You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Can Nina go, too?” She searched his face.
“Would I go to a fun place without Nina?”
Her head swung back and forth in a flurry. “It’s more fun with Nina.”
A chuckle rose from his throat. “I agree. She’s terrific.”
“And you like her a lot, don’t you. A real lot.”
His pulse skipped. If Kimmy read his feelings, who else realized how much he cared? Heat burned in his chest and climbed upward. “I do like her a lot...a real lot.”
“I know. I think you love her, Uncle Doug. Do you think so?”
She’d cornered him. The longer he remained quiet the more she probed with her eyes. “I think I do, Kimmy. What do you think about that?”
“I think...yippee. I love her, too.”
He released a deep breath as he watched her expressive face. Kids came up with too many truths at times. Honesty was on the tip of their tongues and sometimes it needed to be. He knew how he felt, but saying it made it real. Real and amazing.
A soft knock punctuated the moment, and he hurried to the door with Kimmy on his heels.
When he opened the door, Kimmy threw herself into Nina’s arms. “Uncle Doug wants to take us to a surprise.” She studied Nina’s face as she tried to get inside with Kimmy clinging to her. “Do you know the surprise?”
Nina’s questioning eyes captured his. “I don’t. So it’s a surprise for both of us.” She grasped Kimmy’s hand and they closed the distance. “What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.” He motioned for her to sit. “But not today. We’ll go tomorrow in the late morning. It’s supposed to be pleasant weather, but I have to make sure that’s okay with Roseanne.”
Her expression told him she understood. She wandered across the room and sank onto the sofa. “Do you want to hear my surprise?”
Kimmy plopped beside her. “You have a surprise, too?” Her intent gaze clung to Nina’s.
Nina tousled her hair. “It won’t be after I tell you.” She lifted her eyes to his. “I’ve decided to have everyone for Thanksgiving if that works for Roseanne.”
“My mom?” Kimmy’s eyes widened. “Is my mom coming to your house for Thanksgiving?”
“I hope so, and you’ll meet my mom then, too.”
“Yours?” Her eyes widened more.
Nina grinned. “I have a mom and a dad, Kimmy, just like you.” Her mouth snapped closed as if she realized Kimmy had no father, only a father she’d never known and one she thought had died.
She held her breath, waiting for Kimmy to ask a question or make a comment.
“I hope Mommy can come to Thanksgiving ’cuz otherwise we’ll be home alone.”
Doug’s tense shoulders lowered, relieved she’d let the reference to a father pass without a thought. “We’ll work out something, sweetheart. Don’t worry.”
She thought a moment, and then bounded from the sofa to his side. “Call Mom, and see if I can stay here until after the surprise.”
He drew her into his arms and gave her a squeeze. “I’m sure she’ll agree but I’ll call so you don’t worry.” He sent her to sit with Nina, knowing he’d have to explain and went into the kitchen to call his sister, praying she would agree.
When he returned, he tried to keep his expression serious. “I talked with your mom.”
Kimmy leaped from the sofa into his arms. “What did she say?”
“She said...yes!”
Kimmy shot from his arms, piping her happiness as she twirled around the room and dive-bombed onto the sofa beside Nina.
He and Nina roared while Kimmy sent them a smile that warmed his heart.
Chapter Ten
On Saturday afternoon, as Doug drove away from town, Nina watched the signs as they passed and wasn’t surprised when they approached a large barn with a Country Corn Maze placard on the side. Cars dotted the parking lot, as it was late in the season, but the weather had allowed the maze to remain open until the first frost would end the fun-filled event.
Kimmy began to squirm behind her, her shoes kicking against the seat back as she leaned in every direction, trying to figure out where they were going. “This is a barn. Are we seeing animals?”
“Read the sign, Kimmy.” Nina pointed to the red-and-white sign in the peak of the red barn.
She squinted through the side window. “What’s a corn maze?”
Doug flashed her a grin. “Wait and see.”
When the car stopped, Kimmy flung open the door and slipped out, but Nina wasn’t far behind. “Kimmy, don’t forget to watch for cars. This is a parking lot and cars might pull into this space. You know what could happen?”
She looked at the open door and frowned. “The car could hit Uncle Doug’s car.”
“Worse than that, it could hit you.”
Her eyes widened. “I’ll be careful next time.”
Nina gave her a pat. “Good. I won’t worry then.”
Kimmy studied the huge corn patch. “What do we do here?”
“Have you ever worked on a puzzle?”
Kimmy nodded with questions in her eyes.
“A maze is sort of like that. You start down a path and try to find your way out the other end.”
Kimmy’s eyes lit up. “I have puzzles like that in a book. I try to draw a line to the end but I keep running into paths that stop.”
“That’s it. Same idea.” As they followed Doug, she slipped her arm around Kimmy’s shoulders, too aware that these special moments would soon end.
“Do they find us if we get lost?”
The concern in Kimmy’s voice made Nina grin. “No, they give you clues along the way so we can get back. Anyway, your uncle Doug wouldn’t let us get lost.”
She agreed and skipped on ahead to slip in next to Doug. Nina stood back and watched the two, anticipating the loss they would feel when Kimmy was gone. Though he’d planned the special day for them, the corn maze couldn’t stop the ache in her heart.
As she neared, she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Angie, I had no idea you guys would be here.”
Angie tilted her head toward Rick. “He wanted to come earlier but things got in the way so today he announced do or die we were coming to the corn maze. His excuse was Carly had never been to one. But the truth is Rick’s more excited than we are.”
Nina chuckled, suspecting Doug edged out Kimmy and her, too. “This will be great for the girls.”
“Carly whined on the way here about not having a friend along. She’ll be happy now.”
When Doug and Rick approached them with a map, they had already turned the maze into a contest with the loser paying for dinner.
She shook her head and grinned, forgetting how competitive men were at times. Angie caught on and gave her an “I understand” look. The group headed off to the entrance, and after deciding which path to follow, Rick darted ahead with Angie running along beside him. Carly begged Doug to let Kimmy be on their team, and he finally agreed, hurrying ahead to make sure the girls caught up.
Nina ambled along, assuming Doug would wait for her. When she turned the next bend and realized she had choices, she stopped and looked around, trying to guess which way they had gone.
Before she panicked, Doug ret
urned, a grin plastered on his face. “I thought you’d followed me.”
She raised her shoulders and let them drop. “No, I thought this was a fun outing and not a race to the finish.”
From his expression, he got her point and slipped his hand into hers. “I’ve got you.”
His warm hand pressed hers, and the heat rose up her arm and to her heart. After a few false turns and no sign of Rick and the others, they found one of the checkpoints. Doug picked up the paper punch and made a hole in the map.
“What’s that for?”
“It’s another contest. If you find all the checkpoints on your part of the maze, you turn it in. Later they’ll do a draw for the large pumpkin.” He chuckled. “You’ve always wanted one of those, haven’t you?”
The expression on his face made her laugh, a feeling she’d learned to cherish. Thoughts of her past soared through her. Days that passed without laughter. There had been some pleasant days, but after the miscarriages. the darker days had overshadowed the bright ones.
Doug squeezed her hand again and heat rushed to her heart. When he stopped and looked at her, she lifted her free hand to touch her cheek for a flush, but it was cool. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you’re beautiful.”
Her breathing became shallow. “I’m what?” She shook her head. “If you said beautiful, you need to have your—”
He moved in front of her and captured her cheeks between his hands. “I have perfect vision. No need to have them checked. We see differently. I see a woman with a generous heart and a loving spirit. A woman with brown, glowing eyes and dark hair with highlights of sunshine.” He brushed his hand along her hairline to the nape of her neck.
Chills ran down her back, but his eyes wrapped her in a kindled glow.
“Nina, I’ve been single all my life without any regrets until now.”
A frown tugged at her face. “Why now? Because you’ve enjoyed Kimmy and now you want to have—”
“Because I’ve met you, and I feel whole for the first time in my life.”
“Whole? I—I don’t understand.”
“You live alone, Nina, but once you lived with someone...when you were married. Doesn’t life seem different now than it did when you had someone in your life?”
She had someone in her life. Doug...and Kimmy until she moved back home with her mother. “I had to adjust, but sometimes alone is better than together in misery.”
“But I’m not in misery anymore. In the past year, I felt lonely at times, but mostly I didn’t realize what I was missing. Now I do. I don’t like the feeling of coming home from work to no one.”
She drew in a breath, her chest tightening with an awareness she didn’t recognize. Doug’s expression, the way his eyes searched hers, the closeness of his face left her weak and longing for him to hold her close.
“Nina, I’ll miss Kimmy. There’s no doubt about that, but what I would miss even more is you if you walked away. Sometimes I fear that’s what you will do.”
Reality washed over her. “I’m not going anywhere, Doug. I enjoy your company too much. I care about you.”
He lowered his hands to her shoulders and drew her closer. His tenderness spread through her, and when his lips lowered, she raised hers to meet him. All fears, all concerns sailed away on the breeze and the rustle of dried cornstalks became the music of her heart. His kiss deepened, and she yielded to feelings she had blocked. Today they soared, caught in the rush of longing and hope that had escaped her for too long.
Voices rippled over the dried stalks, and Kimmy’s giggle crackled in her ears. Doug eased back and looked toward the sound. “I think we have visitors.” He slipped his hand into hers as the girls darted around the corner.
“Where have you been?” Kimmy’s fist rested on her waist but this time she looked concerned. “We waited for you.”
Nina gathered her wits and managed a guilt-ridden smile she hoped Kimmy didn’t recognize. “Maybe we were waiting for you.”
Kimmy shook her head. “You got lost, didn’t you?”
Lost in each other’s arms, but that wasn’t the answer she could give Kimmy. “No, we’re just being slow.”
“You’re supposed to be fast and win the race.” She flagged them forward.
Doug gave her an “I surrender” look.
Nina trotted off behind the girls, not caring who bought who dinner. She’d opened her heart and with that came a cavern of worries she would resolve. Doug needed to know the truth before he met her mother, who had never spent time with her without reminding her that she couldn’t have children.
Doug deserved more than getting smacked that way. She’d opened her heart to him when they were alone, and now she had to not only open her heart but also her past.
The truth would set her free one way or another. She prayed it wasn’t the other—being alone again without Doug.
But she had to take a chance.
* * *
Doug stood in Kimmy’s bedroom, once again a guest room, and watched her pack the last of her belongings. He’d helped her assemble a boxful of toys and books she’d collected during her stay. His gaze swept the room, which looked empty already, exactly as he felt.
His reaction to Kimmy’s return home was not only about his feelings. He was also concerned about the situation Kimmy was going home to. Roseanne seemed to think she was well enough to handle the bundle of energy he’d lived with—and loved—the past months. He had more than second thoughts.
Kimmy’s move had drawn his mind from Nina and the amazing kiss in the corn maze. He longed to know where she stood with her feelings. If the kiss was the barometer, she cared as much as he did, but sometimes his instinct failed. Today he teetered with that concern.
Instinct about Kimmy’s return home flailed in the same way. His emotions tangled with his own desire. Maybe he wasn’t thinking about what was best for her and Roseanne.
“I think I have all my clothes, Uncle Doug.” Kimmy scrutinized her luggage and turned to face him. Though excitement had bounced around her the night before, today when she began packing her eyes had a moist glow.
He strolled next to her as if to check the contents of her bag, but instead, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. Her reaction startled him. “I don’t feel good.”
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“My head hurts and my tummy is sick.” She swung around and buried her face in his hip, tears flowing.
Doug crouched down and cuddled her in his arms, his own heart torn by her response to the hug. “Kimmy, you’ll feel better when you get home. Making changes is hard for us, but I know you want to be with your mom, and I’m still going to see you a lot. And so is Nina.”
“I want to help my mom, but I want to be here, too.” She choked on the comment and sobs broke free.
Doug wasn’t sure if she felt guilty balancing her two emotions or if it was the leaving itself that really made her so sad.
“Kimmy, I’ll miss you, too. I’ve loved having you here, and if your mom decides you’d be better staying here a little longer, she’ll let you come back. But I know she’s so anxious to have you home. You’re an angel, Kimmy, and I know you’ll love being home once you’ve been there a couple of days.”
She pulled her head up and nodded, but her expression revealed her struggle.
“Where’s Nina? I thought she was going with us.”
“She’s on her way over.”
He closed her suitcase, gave a last look at the room and slipped his arm around Kimmy’s shoulders. “If you forget something, I’ll bring it over for you. Okay?”
“Okay.”
The doorbell rang, and Kimmy broke free of his arm and rushed to the door. When she saw Nina, she reached up and gave her a hug, and again
tears rimmed her eyes.
Nina knelt beside her and talked so softly he couldn’t make out the words. Kimmy clung to what she said as if her words were gold. When her tears faded, he carried the luggage out to the car.
In moments, Kimmy and Nina came from the house, deep in conversation, but this time, Kimmy had a faint smile on her lips. Doug grasped the image and prayed it would get him through the final steps of the trek to Roseanne’s.
* * *
While Doug made coffee, Nina sat in the living room reliving the difficult goodbyes. Though Kimmy had whispered she was sick, her reaction when she saw her mother eased the pain of saying goodbye. Though Kimmy longed to be in two places at once, her mother’s presence added a surety to her move back home.
She had clung to them during the goodbyes, but Doug promised to visit often and she guaranteed she’d make the Christmas pinecone ornaments with Kimmy. Those promises eased the difficult parting. But outside, tears had blurred her vision, too. She turned back to the doorway, where Kimmy watched them climb into the car. Nina had waved and blew a kiss and Kimmy returned it and eased the door closed. As they pulled away, she spotted Doug brushing away the emotion from his eyes. And now she sat in his living room, anticipating the silence.
Doug returned with two mugs of coffee, and she grasped one, warming her icy hands, too aware of where the conversation had to lead.
The corn maze had been her undoing. Doug’s gentle touch, the vulnerable look in his eyes, the nearness of his lips to hers had broken the barrier of her full emotions. Love poured out in the kiss they’d shared, and she’d revealed herself to him. It was too late to put on the brakes. She’d driven full speed ahead, and now she had to face either walking away or telling the truth. At Thanksgiving dinner, she knew her mother would reveal the truth if Nina hadn’t already. But how should she begin?
She took a sip of the hot coffee and fell into silence, her thoughts writhing with all she had to say.
A Husband for Christmas Page 13
