To Catch a Thief

by Nan Dixon

  Mamá was with Lila and Lila’s husband, playing cards.

  “How are you feeling?” Carolina brushed a kiss on her mother’s hair.

  “I’m good. And I’m ahead!” Mamá pointed at a small pile of pennies.

  “Can I get you anything?” Carolina asked.

  Mamá shook her head, her focus on her cards.

  Lila winked at Carolina. “We’re having fun.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Carolina was smiling as she left the library. Then she noticed the Fitzgerald sisters hovering around the coffee table in the front parlor.

  Dolley spotted her and guilt crossed her face. She stood and slid the parlor’s pocket door closed, shutting Carolina out.

  Pain ripped through her chest. Nothing had changed. She’d been a fool to think anything could.

  * * *

  CAROLINA GOT THROUGH the afternoon and helped clear the downed trees. Then they pulled out all the restaurant chairs and tables that she’d put away a few days ago.

  “You’re exhausted.” Sage handed her a towel as they washed their hands in the Fitzgerald House kitchen.

  “I am.” But it wasn’t just physical exhaustion. Not trusting Sage and having her sisters shut her out after lunch had gutted her. “I’m going to find Mamá.”

  Her mother was in the library. Only now, it was lit by candles and the fire. “Mamá, how are you doing?”

  “I’m meeting such nice people.” Mamá sipped her wine.

  “Do you want to go back to the apartment?” Carolina did.

  “The power isn’t back on yet. I’m going to eat with...” Her mother’s face went blank.

  “It’s Lila. And we already planned to eat dinner with her.”

  “Yes.” Mamá’s smile was bright. She looked tired but happy. “Lila.”

  “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” Carolina said.

  Sage waited outside the library. He’d hardly left her side all day.

  “Everything good with your mother?” he asked.

  “She’s happy,” Carolina said.

  She headed back to the kitchen, but stopped. “What happened? Why did you decide what I’d done wasn’t as horrible as you said it was?”

  Sage blinked and didn’t answer.

  “Something changed your mind,” she prompted.

  “My mother.”

  She waited.

  He took her hand and led her to the dimly lit front parlor. The same one where Abby had interviewed her and where Dolley had shut the door in her face.

  “I barely remember my father,” he began after they sat down. “He died when I was five.”

  She nodded.

  “My family told me stories about him. About his bravery. I’ve used his life as my guidepost. What would my father do? How can I live up to his honorable life?”

  “That’s wonderful.” It’s too bad her father hadn’t led an honorable life. But if he had, she wouldn’t have been born.

  “In my mind, I built him up to be better than he was.”

  She frowned.

  “I worshipped him,” he explained.

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  He took a deep breath. “He had an affair with an interpreter. She was one of the people he saved when he died. Is that living honorably?”

  Carolina covered her mouth. “How did your mother find out?”

  “The woman came to my dad’s memorial service. And when they shipped back his things, there were letters.”

  “I’m sorry.” But how could he have judged her own mother so harshly?

  “My mother forgave him. She never tarnished his image.” He took both her hands. His green eyes were so solemn. “My mother could have ruined our father’s...legacy. Instead she chose to remember the love. You love your mother. You didn’t want to hurt people. I understand how difficult a position you were in. I understand. And I respect the hard choices you had to make.”

  Her heart skip entire measures of beats. “You understand why I did what I did?”

  He nodded. “I love you even more for the tough choices you’ve made.”

  Kaden knocked on the door frame. “Abby says dinner is ready.”

  “We should...eat.” She scrambled to her feet. Was this real?

  Sage’s words haunted her as they sat down to another delicious meal. She assumed it was delicious. Everyone said so. Her hand shook each time she brought her fork to her mouth. And her stomach churned so hard, she worried what she swallowed would come back up.

  Sage loved her. Hope simmered in her heart. Could they really find happiness?

  “We’re heading to the library for a Jameson,” Gray said to Sage. “Care to join us?”

  “I can help with the dishes,” Sage suggested.

  Gray looked at Abby.

  “Go.” Abby smiled. “Carolina, can you stay and help?”

  Carolina looked at the three sisters. They were all smiling. So were Kaden, Gray, Daniel and Liam. “Um, sure.”

  “I’ll just check on the kids.” Courtney winked at Carolina and headed out of the kitchen with the men.

  “What was that about?” Carolina asked.

  “We asked them to let us have some time with you.” Dolley rubbed her hands together, headed out the door and came back with a tray of wineglasses and a bottle of prosecco chilling in an ice bucket.

  “What’s going on?” Carolina asked. “I thought we were doing dishes.”

  “Not yet.” Abby cleared her throat. “I think we’ve been way too harsh to you.”

  Carolina stared at their three smiling faces. “I... I don’t understand.”

  “We’re family.” Abby took her hand.

  A shiver tore through Carolina’s body.

  “Family.” Bess took her other hand.

  Dolley worked the cork out of the bottle with a pop that had them all jumping. “Sisters.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “But...your mother.” She nodded at Dolley. “You shut the door on me after lunch.”

  Dolley winced. “We had to call Mamma.”

  “We explained how great you are.” Abby squeezed her fingers. “She regrets how she reacted. Or overreacted. She knows you’re not to blame for our father’s decisions.”

  “I understand why she did.” Carolina’s heart pounded like a bass drum. Family.

  “Would you consider continuing to sing at the restaurant? I know I was...mean. But please come back. And not just because you up the gross receipts.”

  “What Abby’s trying to say is—” Bess grinned “—come back because we love working with our sisters.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t see, because tears filled her eyes. Sisters.

  “Let her think.” Dolley poured the bubbling wine into the glasses. “Here. Drink.”

  Carolina picked up the glass in front of her. “Yes. I want to work with my...” She couldn’t talk for the tears.

  “Sisters,” Dolley added.

  “Sisters,” Carolina whispered.

  “To us.” The glasses pealed a lovely note as they toasted each other.

  “Wait!” Carolina set down her glass. They didn’t know. “I stole a bird. A cardinal. From the parlor. During the interview.”

  Abby blinked. Then laughed.

  “I’m so sorry. Mamá. She wanted something.” Her words ran together. “I’ll bring it back. I promise. But it has to be—after.”

  Abby pulled her into a hug. “I don’t care.”

  “I...” Carolina sank back in her seat and sobbed into her hands.

  Male laughter echoed in the hall. The men returned with tumblers of amber liquid, Courtney trailing behind them.

  Sage rushed over, pointing at her sisters. “What did you do?” He wrapped his arm around her like he would carry her away. “What d
id you say? Why is Carolina crying?”

  Another flood of tears gushed down her cheeks. How could she not give her heart to Sage?

  “It’s good,” she gasped. “I’m fine.”

  “What happened?” Sage glared at the Fitzgeralds.

  “It’s...these are happy tears.” She pulled his face so he looked her in the eyes. He was the person she wanted to grow old with. She kissed him. “I love you.”

  “Get a room!” Kaden called. Courtney elbowed him.

  Sage pulled her out of her chair. “Say it again.”

  “I love you.” She didn’t care if her sisters heard her.

  Sage hugged her so hard, she couldn’t breathe—again.

  “Wait,” Abby said. “What are your intentions with our sister?”

  Laughter rang out. Kaden warned, “You’re in for it now, Cornell.”

  “I intend to make her happy for the rest of her life.” Sage cupped her face. “If she’ll let me.”

  “Oh, my God, did he just propose?” Dolley squeaked.

  Liam pulled Dolley away. “Let’s give them some privacy, shall we?”

  “I want to hear this.” Dolley complained, but Liam tugged her into the sitting area.

  The kitchen door swung open and closed, but Carolina didn’t care who was coming or going. She stared into Sage’s eyes, seeing all her dreams come true.

  “Did you mean that?” she whispered.

  “Louder please,” Dolley called.

  “Marry me,” he whispered. “Let me be your family.”

  She was overflowing with family. “Yes.”

  “What did she say?” Bess asked.

  The door swung open again. “What’s going on?” Mamá asked, hanging on Kaden’s arm.

  “Mamá,” Carolina called. “Sage asked me to marry him.”

  “Of course he did,” her mother said. “Sage knows a gem when he sees one.”

  “What was your answer?” Dolley moved to the table, even while Liam tried to hold her back.

  “I said yes!” Carolina started to add more, but Sage reeled her back into his arms.

  His mouth covered hers. Their kiss had a new sweetness. A promise for the future.

  “I love you,” Sage whispered.

  Her heart was overflowing. “I love you, too.”

  Kaden helped Mamá to their side and she hugged them both. Then her sisters joined in.

  More prosecco bottles were opened. Everyone raised their glasses. “To Carolina and Sage.”

  Sage grinned. “To my sweet Carolina.”

  Groans rolled through the room.

  “To my spicy Sage.” She touched her glass to his. And held up her glass to the rest of the room. “And my family.”

  Because somehow, through everything, she was no longer alone. She’d found her family.

  EPILOGUE

  “IS EVERYTHING READY?” Carolina asked Bess and Dolley. “Can I go get her?”

  Bess and Dolley looked at the guests gathered in the Fitzgerald House ballroom. Christmas trees twinkled in each corner of the room even though tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. Carolina had even helped decorate some of the dozens of trees in the B and B.

  Courtney hung one final banner. Cheryl had sneaked in food and a bright pink cake without the guest of honor knowing.

  “Go get her.” Bess pushed her to the door.

  She sent a text to Sage. We’re a go.

  I’ll round up the guys, Sage answered. They were at Gray’s watching some football bowl game.

  Carolina headed down the stairs. She’d spent a lot of time in the ballroom over the last two years. First Dolley’s wedding. Then she and Sage had gotten married here. Her mother had walked her down the aisle, or at least wheeled her down the aisle. But Mamá had witnessed Carolina and Sage’s wedding. That was what mattered. Two months later they’d held her mother’s memorial service in the ballroom, too.

  She stopped on the first floor, just to take a breath. She missed Mamá, but she’d been in so much pain at the end. And the seizures had been back. Carolina didn’t know what she would have done without Sage to hold her.

  She put a frown on her face and pushed into the kitchen. “Oh, good, I found you.”

  “What’s up?” Abby flipped through a recipe book Gray had given her for Christmas.

  “There’s a problem with the ballroom grand piano. Can you come up?”

  “A problem?” Abby frowned.

  “Yes.” She wasn’t sure if she could come up with a different reason to get Abby up to the ballroom, but she didn’t want her sister to think too much about it. “Let me carry Hannah.”

  She picked up Abby’s one-month-old daughter. Hannah had arrived early, but was thriving now. “How are you, sweetheart?”

  “Not letting Mom and Dad sleep. And now look at her, snoring away.” Abby frowned. “Are you sure you just don’t want to play with Hannah?”

  “You paid a lot for the piano, so I wanted to make sure you saw the damage.”

  “I knew I should have waited for Ella to come back to have the piano delivered.” Abby pushed hair back into her ponytail.

  “She’s visiting her family for Christmas.”

  “We’re her family,” Abby grumbled as she climbed the stairs.

  Carolina kept talking to Hannah, just in case the people in the ballroom were too loud. But it wasn’t necessary. When Abby pushed her way through the doors, the ballroom was dark.

  “Surprise!” The lights flashed on and women converged on Abby.

  “What?” Abby looked around and spotted the banner that said, Welcome Baby Hannah. “Oooh. You didn’t have to. Hannah’s a month old.”

  “And because you delivered early, we missed your baby shower.” Carolina bumped her sister’s shoulder. “We know how you like a good party.”

  “I can’t believe this.” Abby burst into tears.

  Bess ran over and Dolley did her pregnant-woman waddle. She was due in another six weeks. Courtney and Cheryl followed right behind them.

  “Abby?” Bess asked. “What’s wrong?”

  Abby sobbed. “I can’t believe this. I have the best sisters and friends.”

  And the four of them hugged, Hannah caught in the middle of the bodies. Then Abby grabbed Courtney and Cheryl. “You’re my sisters, too.”

  Dolley wiped away her tears. “Lord, save us from baby hormones.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Let me have my granddaughter before you smother her.” Mamie, the Fitzgeralds’ mother, stole Hannah from Carolina’s arms. “You can have her later.”

  Somehow Mamie had accepted Carolina and Sage into the family. On the day Mamá died, it was Sage and Mamie holding Carolina’s hand. And during the funeral, she’d cried on Mamie’s shoulder.

  Heavy footsteps echoed outside the ballroom, announcing the men.

  Carolina couldn’t stop grinning as Sage came toward her.

  He brushed a kiss on her lips. “Was she surprised?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  He wrapped his arms around her as Abby and Gray opened gifts.

  This was perfect. She had her husband and her family. Days ago, they’d had a fabulous Christmas.

  “You still look tired,” he said. “Are you feeling any better?”

  “I’m fine.” More than fine.

  It was hard to believe how much she’d been welcomed into the Fitzgerald family. And Sage, too. The men had gotten him hooked on having a Jameson each night. And the Forester brothers had found a home they’d wanted to remodel just off the next square, so she and Sage would be within walking distance of the B and B.

  “Are you happy?” Sage whispered in her ear.

  She couldn’t stop smiling. “Extremely.”

  She turned in his arms, unable to keep her secret. Standing on her
toes, she whispered, “Don’t tell anyone because this is Abby, Gray and Hannah’s day, but I’m pregnant.”

  His face lost all his color. “You’re what?”

  She grinned. “You heard me.”

  He lifted her off her feet and spun her around.

  “Get a room,” Kaden called over.

  “I love you,” Sage whispered.

  She whispered back, “I love you, too.”

  Hannah started to fuss. Abby went to take her daughter from Mamie, but the grandmother waved her off. “We’ve got this.”

  Mamie checked her diaper and then bounced her. Finally she carried her over to Carolina. “I think Hannah is looking for a song from her auntie.”

  Carolina grinned. She headed for the door.

  “No, stay.” Abby’s eyes were filling again. “We want to hear you sing.”

  Her family echoed Abby’s wish.

  “Please, love,” Sage encouraged.

  She took a breath and, rocking Hannah in her arms, she sang, “‘A dormir va la rosa de los rosales...’” To sleep goes the rose of the roses.

  And Rosa, her mother, was there with her. Along with Sage, their growing baby, and her entire family.

  Life didn’t get any better than this.

  * * * * *

  Read more in the FITZGERALD HOUSE

  miniseries to learn how Courtney, Cheryl and the three Fitzgerald sisters find their happy endings!

  SOUTHERN COMFORTS

  A SAVANNAH CHRISTMAS WISH

  THROUGH A MAGNOLIA FILTER

  THE OTHER TWIN

  UNDERCOVER WITH THE HEIRESS

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