In the back pew next to Rachel, Max listened to the choir sing. Taylor’s face, full of joy, kept his attention riveted. He loved to sing, too. He’d even fancied himself being in a band when he was a teenager. Had she gotten her musical ability from him? The thought made him smile.
He knew the DNA test would come back a match. And when it did, he had decisions to make. Should he try to take Rachel to court over Taylor or work something out with Rachel? He knew realistically and legally she had a strong case of retaining full custody of Taylor. But knowing that hadn’t stopped him from searching for his daughter and trying to become part of her life.
The music swelled to its end. Max looked sideways at the woman sitting next to him. She had so much to offer a man. She made him want to see if a relationship beyond friendship could work for him. He certainly wasn’t blind to her attractive qualities, and yet becoming involved with her might complicate an already complicated situation.
He needed to keep focused on developing a relationship with his daughter not her mother—no matter how beautiful she was on the inside and outside.
At the end, Rachel rose, taking Will’s hand while Sam fit his in Max’s grasp. “What did you think?”
“I think Taylor loves to sing.”
“Well, yes, but about the service?”
“Your pastor is good. He’s given me something to think about.” Remembering the sermon on putting trust in the Lord even during the tough times caused Max to pause. Had he given up on God when he should have leaned on Him? Was Pastor John right that the Lord didn’t give people more than they could handle?
“I’m glad. You can come anytime you want with us.” Rachel filed out of the pew and waited for him.
The invitation gave him hope that somehow they could work out the situation with Taylor. He wouldn’t stop until he had explored every option available to him. Being around Rachel’s family emphasized how much he had missed over the years. “I may take you up on that.”
He stood in line with Rachel to greet Pastor John. Jordan, Zachary and Nicholas were behind them. Soon Granny, Doug, Eileen and Kevin joined them, quickly followed by Taylor. Surrounded by the members of Rachel’s family further heightened the hope he suddenly felt. Was it the place or the people or both?
“Pastor John, I’d like you to meet a—” a slight pause from Rachel before she finished with “—a friend. Dr. Max Connors. He’s Kevin’s new partner.”
The pastor pumped Max’s arm with a firm handshake. “It’s good to see you here. We sorely needed another doctor.”
“I know. I thought I would ease into the job, but instead I’ve plunged headfirst. I’ve been busier here than a Saturday night in the emergency room in New York City.”
“I can imagine. No matter what precautions we make, the flu seems to make its rounds. I hope to see you here often.” Pastor John bent down and passed a lollipop to each of the twins, then greeted Taylor with a big smile. “I enjoyed seeing you in the choir. Such talent is always welcomed.”
As Max moved toward the foyer, Taylor beamed, her shoulders thrust back, her stance tall. Her self-esteem had taken a hit with her struggles in school, especially with reading. But in the past month with Rachel working with her on phonetics and flash cards of common words, Taylor’s fluency had increased, her confidence had grown. The occasional times he’d worked with her on science she didn’t get as frustrated as she had at first.
Rachel came up to his side, her hand brushing his arm before it fell away as though she suddenly realized she was touching him. “Do you mind if we go to the rec hall for refreshments before we leave?”
“I’m just along for the ride. Whatever you want to do.”
“If I could only get my kids to say that, I’d have it made.” She started for the double doors that led to the reception after the service. “I noticed you had a big blow-up snowman out in front of your house. Do you plan on doing anything else?”
“Mr. Olson didn’t say anything last night about my house being the only one without decorations, so I’m thinking that’s all I need.”
“You do? Then you don’t know Mr. Olson well enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you know those Christmas movies that show neighbors having wars over decorating their yards? Well, no doubt they use Mr. Olson as the model for the character who started them in the first place.”
When they reached the rec hall, Max released Sam’s hand and the child raced toward the refreshment table. “That doesn’t surprise me. I think I should have been warned when I bought my house.”
“The Realtor saw you were from out of town. She isn’t dumb,” Rachel said with a chuckle and let go of Will, who quickly followed his brother. “Mr. Olson has quite a reputation in Tallgrass. Every year he adds to his yard. I’m just glad he lives at the other end of the block. I know the people around him have gotten black-out curtains because the lights are so bright. He wants our street to be the place people come during December to see the Christmas decorations. The only reason I have any to put out at all is because Lawrence got wrapped up in trying to outdo Mr. Olson. He never could.”
As Max moved through the line, he picked up some cookies, chips and dip and half a turkey sandwich. “In New York, I never had to worry about decorations. I didn’t even put up a tree. I wasn’t there enough to justify the time and expense.”
“And now?”
“I want to start some holiday traditions.”
“Any thoughts which ones?”
“No, but I have a feeling you’re an expert. Didn’t you tell me once you really get into the Christmas season?”
“Yes, but probably not quite like you think.”
“What?”
“Oh, no, I don’t want to tell you. I’d rather show you. My lips are sealed.” She did a twisting motion in front of her mouth as though she were locking it.
But what lured Max was the sight of her full, red lips. Beckoning him to kiss them. Her gaze connected with his and bound him to her. The image of her in his embrace, their mouths joined together, no space between them, filled his mind.
“Hey, you two, you’re holding up the line. Some of us are hungry.”
Jordan tapped him on the shoulder and pulled him back to the present in the middle of the church’s rec hall with a room full of people milling about. Heat flushed Max’s cheeks. He inched forward, trying to rid his mind of the picture that kept haunting him.
To cover his embarrassment, Max latched on to the first thing he saw as he looked away from Rachel. “Is that the quilt you told me that you made depicting Christ’s life?”
“Yes. The group at church I belong to finished it right before Thanksgiving. Our gift to the congregation. Now we’re working on something else.”
Max again fixed his full attention on Rachel. “Beautiful.” And that word wasn’t just referring to the quilt although it was expertly done.
“Where’s my snowman? It’s not in my yard.” Max hopped out of Rachel’s car the second she stopped in her driveway. He strode toward the sidewalk, noticing his stakes still planted in the ground in front.
Wind whipping her hair, Rachel approached him, pointing down the street. “Isn’t that it? It’s in Mom’s yard.”
At that moment, her mother pulled up to her house and got out of her car, her hands planted on her waist. She stared at the big white round bottom of the snowman on its side. It had flattened part of her manger scene. Mary and Joseph lay on their side, baby Jesus somewhere in the white folds of Max’s decoration that was losing its air. Part of the top hat flapped in the wind, but the majority of the body was snagged on the edge of the manger.
Her mom turned and cupped her hands to her mouth, shouting, “Do something before it ruins everything.”
Max jogged toward her while Rachel trailed at a more sedate pace in her high heels. The snowman finally broke loose from the manger and tumbled toward the stand of lighted circular pine trees with fake deer grazing among them in Mr. Olson’s side
yard. Max dove the last couple of feet and grabbed for a handful of that snowman to keep it from invading the property of the man who had started it all.
Max landed in the middle of a sea of white. Clutching the material, he struggled to his feet. The snowman’s arms flailed in the brisk breeze and knocked into him, sending him back down in an attempt to swallow him in a cocoon of snow. This time he snatched fistfuls of the decoration until it was deflated like a limp balloon.
Rachel stood with her mother near the chaos at the manger and watched Max fight for control of his snowman. “Do you think I should help?”
“Nah. Let him. Maybe then he’d appreciate a more subtle touch in decorating and let you help him with it. Even I thought it was a bit much.”
“You mean huge. It sort of reminded me of the Pillsbury Doughboy about to annihilate New York City.”
Her mother tossed back her head and laughed.
Max glared at them. “I could use some help.”
“Are you sure?” Rachel pressed her lips together to keep from joining her mom in merriment.
He dragged some more white material into his arms, fighting the decoration as much as the wind. “Yes.”
Rachel skirted the ballooning decoration and started with the top hat. Moving toward Max on the ground, she gathered as much as she could until she reached Max, who sat on a good portion of his errant display to harness it.
“Do you have a Plan B?”
“For the yard?” He peered toward his now barren lawn with four stakes still sticking up out of the brown grass. “Maybe I could go back and get a smaller snowman or something.”
“How about ‘or something’?”
“What do you suggest?”
“I have leftover some green and red lights from my husband’s stash of outdoor decorations. Just something simple will be enough. Bigger isn’t better.”
Max pushed off the ground and stood. “I want to know how this got away.” After folding as much of the material as possible, he tramped toward his house with some of it trailing behind him.
Taylor, Will and Sam ran across the street to join Max. Rachel paused next to her mother.
“He doesn’t understand about Christmas, does he?”
Rachel shook her head. “But he’s asked me to help him.”
“That’s a good start. It was nice seeing him in church today. I’ve got the feeling he’s here in Tallgrass for a reason beyond working with Kevin.”
“You do?” Rachel studied her mother’s face, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.
“I think we can help him. Or at least you can. He’s hurting. I see it sometimes when he doesn’t think anyone is looking.”
If her mother only knew. She didn’t want to say anything to anyone until after the DNA test results came back. No sense alarming her family if there was no reason to. “I’ll try to do my best.”
“I noticed you took off your wedding ring. Does this mean you’re interested in him?”
“No.” Yes, but his revelation changed everything. “Don’t you think it’s time I said goodbye to Lawrence?”
“It’s only time when you’re ready. I do think Will and Sam could use a father figure.”
“You didn’t think that when Jordan and I were growing up. What’s changed your view?”
At that moment, Kevin’s Cadillac pulled into her mother’s driveway.
She smiled. “He has.”
“Oh, no. First Granny, then Jordan and now you. Am I going to have to suffer through you all trying to fix me up with a man?”
“Nope, dear. I would never do that to you.” Her mom sauntered toward Kevin, who climbed from his sedan and greeted her with a light kiss on the mouth.
Rachel strolled toward Max’s house, where her children circled him, all staring down at a stake. Max held one of the tethers in his hand.
“Did you find out what happened?” she asked as she crossed his yard.
He pivoted, his face crumpled into an angry expression. “The lines were cut. At least three of them. One snapped, I guess in the wind. I’ve been sabotaged!”
“Mom, who would do something like that?” With one hand on her hip, her daughter scanned the houses on the street, upset as if it had happened to her.
At that moment, Rachel saw Mr. Olson park his black truck in his driveway and get out of it. He glanced toward them, smiling, and waved, then headed toward his porch. She thought she saw a skip to his walk.
Max came up to her and whispered, “He wouldn’t, would he?”
She shrugged. “No way to tell, but I wouldn’t let it bother you. I’ve got a solution. My offer of lights still stands.”
“You don’t think I should go out and buy something?”
“I’ve got more than enough for you. Remember, we’re neighbors and neighbors help each other in Tallgrass.”
“I’m not sure Mr. Olson got the memo.”
“If he’s responsible for this, he has to live with that.”
“Forgive and forget?”
“Much easier on your stress level.” Rachel shifted toward Taylor. “Hon, you know where we keep our extra outdoor lights in the garage. Will you get the red and green ones for me? We’re going to help Max fix his yard up.”
“Can we help?” Sam asked, hopping up and down as though they hadn’t been sick a few days ago.
“I thought you were going to help Granny bake Christmas cookies this afternoon.”
“Oh, yeah. She needs a taster.” Will grabbed hold of Sam’s arm and tugged him toward Granny’s house. “We’ll see when she wants us.”
“Now that we’re alone, what should I really do about Mr. Olson?” Max asked, glaring at the man’s place as though his look could burn it down.
“Exactly what I said. Let it go. I actually feel sorry for Mr. Olson, who thinks Christmas is about how big his decorations are. He doesn’t understand Christmas is a time to welcome Jesus into our lives. To reaffirm what Christ wants us to do, love our neighbors as ourselves.”
“Does this mean you forgive me for keeping the reason I came to Tallgrass a secret for a month?”
“Being angry at you won’t change the facts. If it could, I would. Instead, we’ll have to figure out what to do when we know for sure. I don’t want a court battle if possible. But I won’t lose Taylor, either. I’ll do what I need to.”
“So will I.” A grim twist to his mouth whipped through her like the chill to the wind blowing.
The progress they’d made the past few days suddenly slipped away. She glimpsed Taylor coming back across the street carrying a box with the word lights in big, black letters on its side.
“Please for our sakes and Taylor’s, let’s agree to forget about it until after the holidays and we get the results back.”
He swung his attention toward Taylor, grinning. “A deal. Believe or not, I don’t want to fight, either.”
Rachel blew out a breath slowly as if she were defusing herself.
“Mom, there’s another box in the garage.”
“I’ll get it.” Max loped toward her house.
“Where are we gonna start?” Taylor placed the carton on the ground.
“Let’s alternate red and green lights and string them along the sidewalk that leads to his porch. Then we can put some along the porch. After that, we’ll see what we have left.”
“I’m gonna miss the Jolly White Snowman.”
“Not me. It was an eyesore.”
Taylor stared at her. “You didn’t cut the lines, did ya?”
“If only I had thought of it.” Rachel chuckled.
A few days later, Max mounted the steps to Rachel’s porch, but instead of ringing the doorbell, he swiveled around and looked across the street at his place. He never dreamed he would be living in a house in a small town with red and green lights hanging from it, blazing in the night. He had to admit it gave his home a festive look. The best part of decorating his lawn had been spending time with Rachel and Taylor and even Will and Sam when they’d brought out
some of Granny’s cookies for them to sample.
“Admiring our handiwork?” Rachel asked from the other end by the swing.
He spun around, making out her form in the shadows. “What are you doing out here?” Moving toward her, he saw her bundled in a blanket.
“I’m giving Taylor some time to finish her schoolwork. I thought if I came out here I wouldn’t be tempted to lose my patience with her again today.” Scooting over, she made room for him on the swing.
“Bad day?”
“Oh, you could say that. She decided this morning after working an hour she was finished for the day.”
“She said that.”
“Well, not in those words but she might as well have. Every time I went to do something like pick up Will and Sam from the church I would come back to find her playing on the computer, listening to music. Anything not to work.” She twisted toward him, huddled in the warmth offered by the blanket.
The urge to embrace her and warm her inundated him. He locked his arms to his sides.
“She’s complaining all I do is make her work. That she can’t have any fun. It’s close to the winter break for the Tallgrass public schools, and she demanded to know if she was going to get a vacation like all of her friends. She’s doing so well with her reading program and today she decided she didn’t want to do it anymore. She—”
He laid his fingers over her mouth to still her words, the caress of her lips tingling a path down his length. Quickly, he dropped his hand away. “Shh. It’ll work out. Everyone gets tired of what they’re doing and needs a break. And that includes you. You’ve been putting in a lot of time with Taylor. I could help this evening and check on her progress.”
“But you came over to help with the food packages.”
“Yeah, and I’m going to help, but I thought this project was for everyone. That includes Taylor.”
A Daughter for Christmas Page 13
