Snow Angel Cove

by RaeAnne Thayne

  “We’ll watch for it.”

  “And on the very last boat,” Barbara informed her, “you just might see a special visitor.”

  “Who is it?” Maddie asked, eyes wide.

  “I’ll give you a hint. He likes to dress in red and hang around with reindeer.”

  “Santa Claus?” Maddie breathed.

  “Bingo,” Barbara beamed at her.

  “Barbie, where’s the hot chocolate?” her husband called.

  “Check my bag. I know it’s there.”

  “I did. I can’t find it. I bet you left it on the kitchen counter.”

  “I didn’t leave it on the kitchen counter.” She sighed. “I better go before he dumps my whole bag in the snow. Enjoy the parade.”

  “Thanks. You, too,” Eliza said.

  After she walked away, Aidan pointed toward the lakeshore, where waves licked at the rocks. “Looks like there’s a bench open over there.”

  With all these people around, nobody had claimed the perfect spot, with a great view of the lake and even one of those portable propane heaters nearby? Had people deliberately left it available for him?

  “What are the odds that you would find an empty bench tonight, amid all this chaos? I’m telling you, that kind of luck is unnatural.”

  He chuckled a little but his expression grew quickly serious again. “I’ll remind you, you’re speaking of luck to a man who just had surgery to remove a brain tumor. Plenty of things have gone my way in this life. But not everything.”

  It would be easy to think his world was perfect, without stress or challenge, but she definitely knew better. “Point taken. But tonight, you have to admit, you’re lucky.”

  He smiled at her and Maddie, a warm light in those eyes that seemed to match the lake, glowing silver now in the dying rays of the sun. “Right now, I feel like the luckiest man in town.”

  She had expected him to use one of the blankets and give the other one to her and Maddie. Instead, he folded one for them to sit on and wrapped the other blanket around all three of them, enfolding them in a cozy little nest.

  Oh, this was dangerous, for a woman already in danger of falling hard for him.

  Easy, girl.

  She tried to ignore the heat coming from him and the delicious scent that reminded her forcefully of that kiss.

  “Tell me this,” he said as they waited for the boat parade to start. “How is it you’ve spent less time in Haven Point than I have but you seem to have made friends with half the town?”

  “That’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’ve only met the people I told you about, at the mayor’s store yesterday. Everyone has been very kind.”

  “Not to me. I’m getting the skunk-eye from half the people here.”

  She looked around and saw he was right. People obviously knew exactly who he was. What would they think of her snuggling in a blanket with him?

  She didn’t have time to worry about it.

  “Look, Mama!” Maddie, sandwiched between them, suddenly pointed. “Can you see the boats way down there? I think it’s starting!”

  She looked in the direction Maddie indicated and saw a glitter of lights on the horizon, growing larger by the moment.

  “I do. Look at that!”

  Maddie clasped her hands together. “Here they come! Here they come!”

  By the time the boats actually approached their spot on the bench, Maddie was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

  “Oh. Oh, they’re so beautiful! It’s like a fairy lake! Like Rapunzel and the lights in the sky on her birthday,” she exclaimed, citing one of her favorite Disney animated movies.

  Eliza’s gaze met Aidan’s and they shared a smile. She couldn’t seem to look away and after a moment she could feel her smile slide away. She wanted him to kiss her again. Right now, even with Maddie squished between them.

  She jerked her gaze back to the lake, horrified at herself, and tried to focus on the progression of boats, large and small, all bedecked with lights and ornaments. Some were humble-looking fishing boats, others were grand cabin cruisers. A few regal-looking sailboats cruised along, too.

  The light display was elaborate, with animated snowmen, fish wearing beanies, even a couple of surfing reindeer. It wasn’t long, perhaps only twenty boats, which was probably a good thing, given the cold Idaho winter night.

  On the last boat, Santa stood on the deck waving to the cheering crowd as he sailed off out of sight.

  “Oh,” Maddie said. “That must be the last one. I can’t see any other lights.”

  “That was wonderful, wasn’t it?”

  Maddie nodded vigorously. “That was the best parade I ever saw,” she declared. “I didn’t want it to end. Can we come back next year and see the boats again?”

  Aidan seemed to tense beside her. She didn’t know how to answer her daughter without casting a pall on the delightful evening.

  She hated all over again that she hadn’t figured out a way to give her daughter the stability and roots she wanted for her.

  “I don’t know where we will be next year, honey,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “If we’re close enough to this area, we certainly will try.”

  A muscle seemed to flex in Aidan’s jaw. “Wherever you might end up after you leave Haven Point, I want you to know, you’re more than welcome to come back for Christmas next year and stay at Snow Angel Cove. I hope you do. Even if I’m in California, the house is open to you. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Yay! I want to see that parade again. I loved, loved, loved it.”

  “You know, I did, too,” Aidan said, smiling down at her. “Thanks for keeping me warm, you two.”

  He looked around. “Looks like everybody is leaving. I guess the show really is over. Should we head over to the booths and grab some of that chili your friend was talking about?”

  “Great idea. We should try to find Sue and Jim, too.”

  If they found the other couple, perhaps she would be able to remember Aidan was her boss and that this wasn’t a memory-making family outing.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE, Aidan had never been the recipient of so many charged glances.

  It seemed as if every time he looked up from the cleared path ahead of them, he would meet the gaze of someone who would quickly look away again. Sometimes they appeared simply curious and a few were even friendly but others wore expressions of anxiousness and even outright anger.

  When he made the deal to assume ownership of the land and property from Ben, he hadn’t even considered how that decision would ripple through the small town as if a meteorite had plummeted into Lake Haven.

  This was their town. He was an outsider. No wonder they were concerned about what his plans might be. Eliza was right. He needed to do something with the property he owned. The town meeting should probably take place sooner, rather than later.

  He wasn’t used to being accountable to anyone except his board of directors and stockholders. Even then, he owned the outright majority of stock in his own company and could usually make his own decisions about most things.

  This was different. These people were invested in Haven Point and its surrounding communities. They had a stake in whatever he decided to do.

  A tired-looking young woman with a bundled-up baby in her arms gave him a tentative smile as the man walking beside her picked up a boy who looked to be about three and hefted him onto his shoulders before he took the hand of a girl about Maddie’s age.

  The father wore a John Deere cap and his ranch coat had a grease stain on the arm. The little boy’s coat was too big and his boots were bright yellow, probably passed down from his older sister.

  As the fourth boy in a family of seven, Aidan had known his share of hand-me-downs. He hadn’t had
a brand-new, never-been-worn coat until he bought his own as a teenager, with money from working at Pop’s café. His family hadn’t been poor but they hadn’t been wealthy, either, not with all those mouths to feed—and a father known for his openhanded generosity.

  Aidan wasn’t Dermot’s son for nothing. His father had taught all of his children that each had an obligation to leave the world a little better than he—or she, in Charlotte’s case—had found it.

  He had the ability to make a huge difference in Haven Point, for good or for ill. It was a humbling realization.

  Ben Kilpatrick was a good friend and someone Aidan respected and liked, but his inaction here had hurt the community’s economy and morale.

  If Aidan could help this little family somehow, along with all the others who were watching him so carefully, he had to try. It wasn’t right for him to do nothing with the resources he now owned. Aidan had taken over Ben’s properties and therefore also his responsibility. Like it or not.

  “Oh, look.” Eliza burst into his mental discussion. “There’s the Serrano’s chili booth.”

  This, at least, was something he could make a decision about. “Let’s eat first and then we can spend a little time shopping, if you want.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He settled her and Maddie near one of the propane heaters then headed over to grab some food for them. He stood in line for only a few moments before he reached the counter, just as Barbara arrived to help take orders.

  “Well? What did you think of our little celebration?” she asked.

  “Very festive. Maddie and Eliza had a great time.”

  “She’s a cute one, that girl.”

  “She is.” With more courage than most adults, he thought.

  “Too bad the two of them can’t stick around town a little longer. Eliza seems like a woman who could use a friend or two.”

  Whenever he thought about Eliza and Maddie moving on and out of his life, he felt a weird little tug in his chest.

  Before he could answer, he was jostled from behind. He turned around to find one of the men who had given him a less-than-welcoming look earlier.

  “Sorry,” the man said, with no trace of apology in his eyes. A strong whiff of alcohol wafted from him. “Didn’t notice you there.”

  Tension rippled through Aidan. Thanks to his brothers, he had plenty of experience with barroom brawlers. Though they weren’t anywhere close to a barroom, he sensed the man was half drunk and just stupid enough to think he could piss Aidan off enough to take a swing at him.

  “No worries,” he answered. He could certainly take care of himself—again, thanks to his brothers—but he didn’t want to cause trouble with Eliza and Maddie a few yards away.

  “What do you want, Jimmy?” Barbara asked, with enough wary impatience in her voice to make Aidan quite sure this was the town rabble-rouser

  “What the hell you think I want? Chili! I want chili and some of that fry bread. Otherwise I’d a gone to another booth, right? Put some hustle in it, would you? I’m starving and I’ve got to get back to work.”

  “You’ll have to wait your turn. It will be a few minutes before we have a new batch of fry bread.”

  “What about that one?” He pointed to the fluffy pieces of golden bread draining on a rack.

  “Those are for Mr. Caine and his party.”

  “The rich bastard can wait. Some of us who actually have to work for a living ought to have first dibs.”

  Barbara glared at him. “Two more minutes. That’s all, then the new batch will be done.”

  “I don’t want to wait. I want one of them that are already finished. Let him wait.”

  “He was here first. Don’t be a jerk, Jimmy. You want me to tell your ma you were harassing Mr. Caine here?”

  “Go ahead. She won’t care. She hates his guts, too, thinking he owns the whole town just because he has a fancy house and a big old airplane.”

  Aidan managed to rein in his temper. “Don’t forget the ninja security force that follows me around specifically to deal with assholes.”

  The guy looked around as if he didn’t know whether to believe him or not. “I’m just kidding.” Aidan forced a smile. He had figured out early in the game that confusing and disarming opponents was a far more effective strategy than outright warfare. “Here. Your lunch is on me. Barbara, give the working man here one of those pieces of fry bread over there. We only need two.”

  Jimmy looked like he didn’t know how to respond as Barbara quickly complied and served up a bowl for him and then three more for Aidan, obviously anxious to defuse the tension.

  “What was that about?” Eliza asked when he carried over their tray.

  “Just meeting a few of the locals,” he answered.

  “It’s a nice town, don’t you think? Everybody is so friendly.”

  Not quite everybody. “Yes. And the food looks good, too.”

  They finished eating and then walked through the booths for a little while. He bought several things he didn’t need or want, especially from booths whose proprietors were friendly to Eliza or Maddie.

  A short distance from the gift show, the town council had set up a little Christmas village filled with animatronic elf figures hammering, sawing or nailing Christmas toys.

  Aidan paid the dollar admission for each of them and then they wandered through. It was worth the dollar and more, the way Maddie’s eyes lit up with excitement at each new animatronic figure. They spent a good twenty minutes inside the little village but as they passed the last elf, he saw Maddie yawn for the second time in as many minutes.

  “It’s getting late. We should probably head back to Snow Angel Cove.”

  “No! We haven’t seen the petting zoo yet.”

  “We might have to catch that another night, honey,” Eliza said gently.

  Her patience and love for her daughter warmed him. He was coming to admire so many things about Ms. Eliza Hayward. Her resilience in the face of adversity, the wry sense of humor she tried to hide, but especially the loving care she took of her child.

  “I don’t want to go back.” Maddie’s lower lip trembled enough to turn even the hardest heart into dough.

  “I know.” Eliza smiled sympathetically. “That must be so disappointing for you.”

  She was a genius of a mother, with a real knack for showing compassion for her daughter’s perspective without giving an inch.

  “It is!” Maddie declared.

  “It’s been a big day and I’m pretty tired. I’m a little cold, too. Some hot cocoa by the fire and the Christmas tree back at Snow Angel Cove sure sounds nice,” Aidan said. The second part, at least, was the truth.

  “I am a little cold, too, I guess.” She yawned again, a huge, wide, ear-popping stretch of her mouth, and he had to smile. At this rate, she wasn’t going to make it home, forget about hot cocoa.

  “Let’s go find our warm car.”

  As he expected, Maddie fell asleep in her booster seat before they even hit the outskirts of Haven Point. One minute, she was chattering away about the parade and about seeing Santa Claus and the cute doll with the curly hair like hers she had seen at one of the booths—which he had sneaked back and purchased, though neither she nor her mother knew. In the middle of a sentence once again extolling her favorite boat in the parade, her eyelids drooped and her words trailed off.

  He glanced in the rearview mirror at the sudden silence. Her head lolled to the side and her mouth was slightly open. She was completely adorable and he would have to possess a heart of tungsten carbide not to be crazy about her.

  “Looks like she’s out,” he murmured.

  Eliza shifted around to look behind the seat. He loved the way her eyes turned soft at the sight of her child.

  “She runs hard all day, then usually collapses
. She’s always been that way.”

  “Her medical condition doesn’t seem to get in the way of her energy level.”

  “She’s usually pretty good at pacing herself. I think it must be some natural-born instinct. She knows when something is too much for her to handle—a talent I sometimes wish I shared.”

  She added the last slightly cryptic comment in a bit of an undertone and he had to wonder what she meant.

  “I wonder where Sue and Jim ended up,” she said after a moment. “We never did run into them.”

  “There was quite a crowd tonight. I guess we missed them somehow.”

  “I’m glad we came,” she admitted. “Thank you for the invitation. Maddie enjoyed herself immensely.”

  He shifted his gaze from the road briefly, just long enough to wish he could pull over and kiss her.

  How had this woman and her child become so important to him after only a week in his life, especially when he had been gone for half of that?

  “What about you? Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked.

  “Yes.” When she finally answered, her voice was small, as if she didn’t want to admit it.

  “You’re allowed to have fun, you know.”

  “I have plenty of fun,” she said, bristling a little.

  “How?” he asked, genuinely curious. He wanted to follow and tug and unravel all the tangled little pieces of her. “What brings you joy, besides Maddie?”

  She made a small sound of amusement. “That’s like asking someone how he breathes without air. She’s everything to me.”

  “But you’re a woman first, before you’re a mother. What does the non-maternal side of you enjoy?”

  “You don’t ask the easy questions, do you?”

  He shrugged and waited for her to think through her answer.

  “I love to run, when the weather is good,” she finally said. “It’s tough to do that with Maddie. It was easier with a regular jogger when she was smaller. Last summer I bought an oversize one and we still go, though I don’t know how much longer she’ll fit.”