Even Charlie sat with his mouth agape. “For goodness’ sakes . . . I hardly recognized you. You ought to wear your hair back like that more. I can see your face,” he said briskly.
That was the closest to a compliment Charlie was going to get, Lucy knew. But she could tell he was impressed.
“You look beautiful. You do look like a model,” Lucy said. She walked over to Zoey and cupped her cheek with her hand. “And your hair does look very pretty pulled back like that.”
“Stop saying that. I do not look like a model. No way,” Zoey complained quietly. But Lucy could see she enjoyed the compliment.
Lucy just smiled at her, feeling happy that—just for today—this beautiful girl was part of their family.
Lucy was a bit nervous for the candle-lighting ceremony. She didn’t often get up at church and stand in front of the entire congregation. She was glad that they had practiced a few times. It all went by in the blink of an eye and went very smoothly. Even Zoey read her part well, though she kept her head down the entire time and practically whispered.
Lucy felt so relieved afterward, the rest of the service was a bit of a blur. Reverend Ben was suddenly standing at the back of the sanctuary, saying a final blessing. Then the choir sang their last closing hymn. Zoey leaned closer. “It’s over now, right?”
“Yes, it’s done. We can go. Right after this hymn,” Lucy whispered back.
The congregation left the pews, and Lucy steered Zoey to the line that filed past the Reverend. “Let’s just say hello to Reverend Ben,” Lucy told her. “You remember him from the diner, right?”
“Sure I do. He was the first person I waited on. He comes in a lot, too.”
Reverend Ben did like the food at the diner. Or maybe it was just the chance to meet up with members of his congregation and friends in town and relax with them outside of the church setting. She couldn’t count the times he had invited her to sit with him for some coffee, and he ended up listening to her worries and offering sage advice.
“Good morning, Reverend,” Lucy said when it was their turn to greet him. “Thank you for inviting us to light the Advent candles this morning.”
“Thank you for taking part in the service, Lucy. You all did a splendid job up there.” His gaze turned to Zoey. “And thank you very much, Zoey. It’s nice of you to come to worship today and help Lucy and her family.”
Zoey smiled and shrugged. “It was fun. Sort of. I got some new clothes out of the deal.”
He laughed. “You look very lovely, both of you.” He included Lucy with a glance. “Are you coming to the party this afternoon, for the food pantry? It starts at three and I think they could still use a few more volunteers.”
“Yes, we are. Charlie is donating some chowder and clam rolls—and some money. The boys are going to help me bring it over later.”
“I’ll see you later then. Have a good day.”
“I’d like to help, too,” Zoey said as they walked away. “But I promised Charlie I’d work this afternoon. I don’t think he’ll let me go with you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll speak to him about it.” Lucy put her arm around Zoey’s shoulder and gave her a quick hug. “Trudy will be there, and I’m sure the diner will be very slow this afternoon. Everyone in town is going to be over here at the church,” she said with a grin.
BETTY HAD WANTED TO HELP SET UP FOR THE FOOD PANTRY’S CHRISTMAS party, but it was a workday for her, which had started at eight in the morning, and was one of the busiest days of the year. The catering company had four parties to run, two in Cape Light, one in Essex, and one in Hamilton. Even though Molly had agreed that Betty could take a few hours off for the church party, Betty felt too guilty about leaving her and Sonia to oversee the madness on their own.
She didn’t feel good about it at three o’clock and not even at four. By five o’clock, with one party finished and another at the halfway point, she felt ready to go. But it wasn’t until nearly six that she actually made it to the church and walked into the Fellowship Hall.
Her eyes opened in sheer wonder at the way the space had been transformed. Decorations covered the walls and windows, and large glittering stars hung from the ceiling. The overhead lights had been dimmed and softly sparkling Christmas lights added to the festive mood.
There were so many guests and volunteers that the long buffet tables had been set up in the long hallway that led to the church office and sanctuary. But, even with the food in another room, the hall was filled with adults and children.
Everyone seemed so happy, in such a joyful mood. Sheet music had been handed around, and most of the guests were singing “Deck the Halls.” Reverend Ben’s wife, Carolyn, sat at a piano near the Christmas tree, playing the lively tune.
Emily Warwick, her old friend from high school—and the woman who had held the mayor’s seat for the longest term in the town’s long history—beckoned her over. “Betty, come and sing with us.” Emily stood beside her husband, Dan, who was holding their little girl Jane up so she could see the song sheet. Emily gave Betty a quick hug. “Everyone’s been looking for you,” Emily whispered. “They all want to thank you.”
“I didn’t do that much,” Betty whispered back. “It took a lot of people to put this together.”
Emily grinned. “You weren’t nearly as modest in high school. That must be a trait of maturity.”
Betty laughed. “I guess so. Time does make us humble, doesn’t it?”
“If we’re lucky,” Emily whispered back. She held her song sheet so Betty could see it, and they sang side by side.
Betty suddenly realized that the elusive Christmas spirit she had been lacking all these weeks had finally come to her. She smiled as she sang out loud, feeling almost silly.
Then her gaze found the one person she had been looking for—he was already dressed in his red velvet suit and long white beard. Decked out in full Santa attire, Nathan came out from behind the Christmas tree just as the group finished singing the carol.
The kids—especially the little ones—screamed with excitement. Jane Forbes practically jumped out of her father’s arms and ran to see Santa.
Emily chased after her. “See you later, Betty,” she called over her shoulder.
“Hello, everyone,” Nathan called out. “Thanks for inviting me to your party. I can only stay a few minutes but I do have some presents for all the children who are here. Why don’t you all come a bit closer and sit down on the floor near me?”
Any child who had been hanging back now raced up closer to Santa. Betty was glad that she stood out of the way. It was practically a stampede.
There were so many children and so many gifts—most bought by her and Nathan on their shopping spree. Santa needed a few helpers to distribute the bounty. Reverend Ben, dressed in a bright red vest over a white shirt and black pants, helped give out presents. He looked a little Santa-like, too, Betty thought, with his long beard and gold-rimmed glasses. Even his reddish-brown hair had gone mostly gray over the recent years. Another couple helped, too. Betty recognized Michael and Eve Piper, who ran the pantry. They both looked very happy, giving radiant smiles as they handed each child a gift.
Standing near the tree, looking on eagerly, Betty noticed Digger Hegman and his daughter Grace. Digger, who was in his eighties and had always worn a long white beard, also looked like another version of Santa—or at least a very tall elf.
The Hegmans had given Betty a very large cash donation toward the party and toward restocking the pantry, with strict orders that she keep their generosity a secret. Betty had been shocked at the sum. Grace ran a small antique shop in town, the Bramble, and lived above the store with her father, who had once been a fisherman. They appeared to be comfortable but by no means wealthy. Now she knew differently. There was a nest egg somewhere in that tiny, cluttered shop, that was for sure.
Betty tried to catch Nathan’s eye. But he was focused on the long line of children who came up to him, one by one.
Finally, all the gifts were given out and a
ll the carols sung and the last gingerbread man eaten. Parents rounded up their children and headed for home. Only a handful of volunteers lingered, taking down the decorations and sweeping up wrapping paper and ribbons. Santa had disappeared behind the Christmas tree and then, into some private hideaway—like a classroom downstairs, Betty guessed—to transform himself back into good old Nathan Daley.
As Betty waited for him to reappear, she grabbed a trash bag and joined the cleaning effort.
“There you are,” Nathan greeted her, sounding as if he had been waiting all afternoon to see her. Betty was stuffing wrapping paper into the bag and turned at the sound of his voice. “Don’t tell me you came just in time to clean up?”
“I got here during the carols. I guess you didn’t see me.” Betty smiled into his eyes. She had the strangest urge to give him a hug hello but held herself back. It was just so good to be with him again. She felt both happy and peaceful inside at the same time.
He took the trash bag out of her hand. “Put that down. You’ve done enough. I want you to meet some friends of mine.”
Before Betty could argue with him, he pulled her over to a group that was standing nearby. The only person she recognized at first was Reverend Ben. Then the couple the Reverend was speaking with turned, and Betty guessed they were the Pipers, whom she had never actually met in person. “Michael, Eve . . . this is Betty Bowman. Otherwise known around town as Super-Fund-Raiser,” Nathan said.
Betty felt her cheeks color at the exuberant compliment.
“We’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Betty. Nathan’s told us so much about you.” Eve extended her hand and shook Betty’s, then impulsively gave her a hug. “Thank you so much for everything you did. We could never have held this event without your help.”
“The donations are still coming in. Whenever we ask how they found out about us or who asked them to donate, practically everyone says ‘Betty Bowman,’” Michael reported.
“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Nathan beamed at her and slung his arm around her shoulder.
Betty felt her breath catch and couldn’t answer for a moment.
“I just know a lot of people in town,” she tried to explain. “Most are happy to support a good cause. You just have to ask.”
“Well, thank you for asking them on our behalf,” Eve said.
“Betty has some really great ideas for fund-raising,” Nathan said. “Events you could hold in the spring, to keep the support coming in.”
“That would be a big help,” Eve said. “Let’s get together to talk sometime. We’d love to have you and Nathan over for dinner after the holidays.”
Betty smiled graciously but felt a jolt. Did the Pipers think that she and Nathan were a couple? Betty felt a little awkward—but couldn’t say that she objected to the idea.
Hold on, Betty. Just chill. Don’t make a big deal out of this, she coached herself.
“I’d love to get together. You can call the catering shop anytime,” she said.
“Great, we will,” Michael said. “And have a very Merry Christmas, Betty,” he added.
“You, too,” Betty replied.
“We will now,” Eve assured her. “Bless you, Betty. See you soon.”
Others were walking over to say good-bye to the Pipers and Reverend Ben. Betty was suddenly alone with Nathan again. The party was just about cleaned up. Tables and chairs were being folded up and the floor swept clean with wide brooms.
“Come with me. I need to pack up,” Nathan told her. They walked down the hallway and went into the church conference room, which was filled with leftover wrapping paper and ribbon. Betty spotted Nathan’s Santa suit in a heap on the table. He lifted it carefully and put it on a hanger, then slipped it into a garment bag.
She picked up the beard and held it to her face. “Ho-ho-ho. How do I look?”
“Your delivery could use some work. But you look very pretty. No help needed in that department.” He smiled at her briefly but sounded almost sad about his observation.
Betty handed the beard to him. He did seem a little low-key tonight, she thought. Not quite in his usual, upbeat mood. “You must be tired. All these parties and performing.”
“I am a bit burnt out. But it’s almost over. This was the big one.”
“Five more days until Christmas,” she observed. “Then you’re off for eleven months. Even schoolteachers don’t have it that good.”
“No, they don’t. And freelance writers don’t have it good at all,” he added. “I’m really behind with my work. This year seems worse than usual, for some reason. I’m going to chain myself to the desk on December twenty-sixth and stay there until the first thaw.”
Betty didn’t like the sound of that. Did that mean she wouldn’t see him again until . . . the spring?
Calm down. He’s just venting. That doesn’t have anything to do with you.
“Sounds pretty gruesome,” Betty said, trying to keep her reply on the light side. “If you need a few meals left on your doorstep, just let me know. There are always some tasty leftovers hanging around the shop.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. There are some leftovers in my office, too, but even the dog won’t go near those,” Nathan said with a quick grin. He turned away, packing up his boots and wide black belt in a knapsack. Despite their banter, Betty had an odd feeling he wasn’t being entirely honest with her.
When he was all packed, he slipped on his leather jacket and they headed outside. Nathan left his bags in his truck, which was parked in the lot behind the church, and then walked Betty to her car, which was on the far side of the green. There had been so many cars in the lot when she arrived, she hadn’t been able to find a space.
They walked across the green side by side, not touching at all. Betty thought Nathan might put his arm around her shoulders again, as he had at the party, but he walked along with his hands in his pockets, seeming deep in thought. The village green faced the harbor and the open water was a lovely sight at night, despite the cold wind. It felt good to get outside, into the brisk air and the quiet night.
She thought of the night they met, when Nathan fixed the van for her. That seemed so long ago for some reason, though it had been just a month. But they had spent a lot of time together since and had been in close touch with calls and e-mails about the party nearly every day. Now that the party was over, she wondered where their relationship would go.
He might have been wondering the same thing, she thought. He seemed in such a thoughtful, even serious mood.
“Well, here I am,” she said, when they reached her car.
“I’m glad you were able to stop by for a little while. I know how busy you were today,” Nathan said.
“I wanted to come sooner, but I couldn’t get away,” she confessed. “At least I got to see Santa, the highlight.”
“Santa is okay. But I think the way people in this town came together and pitched in to get the pantry back on its feet again is the best part,” he said. “It wasn’t Santa who made that happen, Betty. It was mostly you.”
Then he leaned down and kissed her, gently holding her around the waist. Betty was surprised at first, then kissed him back. The feeling of his lips on hers was indescribably wonderful and, for a moment, time stopped and she felt lost in the sensations of his nearness.
When he gently pulled away, she felt a little dazed. The sparkling stars above seemed to be spinning in space. He held her for a moment and pressed his cheek to her hair.
Then he stepped back and smiled. “I’m not sure when I’m going to see you again,” he said quietly. He sighed. “I have all this work and . . . well, it’s just hard right now. You have a great Christmas and a great visit with your son, okay?”
Betty nodded. She felt as though he was trying to tell her something. There was some message hidden between the lines here, but she couldn’t quite figure it out yet.
“Yes, I will. You have a great Christmas, too,” she said quickly.
He just nodded. “I�
�ll call you.”
Betty didn’t say anything. She felt a cold knot of dread in her stomach at those words.
“Good night, Nathan. Merry Christmas,” she said again. She forced a smile and got into her car, then started the engine and drove away.
She saw him in her rearview mirror, still standing there, watching her car disappear. He looked so sad, so forlorn. Maybe he just gave so much of himself at this time of year that it emptied him out, and he didn’t have anyone close to take care of him. To help him fill the well again. Was that what this “I’ll call you” business was all about? He was just tired and worn out right now?
Would he really call her or was that actually a good-bye kiss for some reason that she couldn’t quite figure out. Maybe he’s just not into you, Betty, chided a little voice.
Oh, shut up. He’s definitely into me. That is clearly not the problem.
Maybe he likes me so much, he’s just scared himself. Men were like that. She knew better than most women how that part of the story went.
Betty sighed. She wished she didn’t care so much, but she knew she did.
She had bought Nathan a present and had been hoping he would mention getting together again sometime before New Year’s Day. She couldn’t give it to him now. He seemed to have drawn some sort of line between them tonight, and she didn’t want to cross it. She didn’t want to look foolish.
She checked her watch. It was only seven thirty. She was due to meet Alex at eight for a late dinner in town, at the Beanery. She didn’t really feel like going out tonight. She was very tired and all stirred up about Nathan. But she knew it was too late to cancel on Alex. That wouldn’t be right. He had made a generous donation to the food pantry. He had even wanted to volunteer at the party but had to be at the hospital this afternoon.
And to be perfectly honest with herself, it was some comfort to realize that Alex was still waiting for her. He was a great guy and she liked him a lot. Maybe she didn’t feel that special chemistry she had with Nathan. But Betty wondered now how seriously she should take that element. It certainly wasn’t that reliable a factor, was it?
On Christmas Eve Page 20
