by Robyn Neeley
“He’s quite a fox,” Grandma Turner interjected.
“Grandma!” Amanda feigned surprise. She was never really shocked by their grandmother’s candid remarks.
“Well, he is,” Grandma Turner said defensively.
Quinn laughed, egging her on. “Tell me more, Grandma. What does he look like? Does he have a cute butt?”
“Maybe ‘fox’ isn’t how you kids describe handsome men these days. Well, it was when you were teenagers. He’s tall, dark, and handsome.” She looked at Amanda for approval. “Is that better?”
“Yes, he’s handsome,” Amanda acquiesced. “In a broadcast-anchor kind of way.”
She turned and faced her grandmother. “And fine, he has a cute butt. There—are you happy?”
Quinn smoothed her short blonde hair around her face. “Really? Then maybe you should bring him by later . . . to meet the baby, of course.” She winked.
“Okay. Enough, you two.” The less she talked about Tate being her boyfriend, the better. She hated all the lies. Although his having a cute butt was certainly not one of them.
“So what are you and Mark going to call this little angel?” Amanda gently handed the sleeping baby back to Quinn.
“We’ve actually given that a lot of thought. We have a couple of names we’re considering, but we’d like to call her Noel if that is okay with you?”
Amanda’s eyes welled up. “You want to give her my middle name?” She smiled down at the baby now nestled in Quinn’s arms. “I don’t know what to say.”
“We just thought it was the perfect name since she was born on Christmas Eve. If you would like us to consider another name, we can,” Quinn said.
Her sister’s expression told Amanda that she hoped otherwise. “No, I think it’s a beautiful first name. I would be honored.”
“Thank you, sis.” Quinn reached out and squeezed her hand.
“However . . .” Amanda paused. “This means I forever have a say in everything from prom dresses to college choices.”
“Deal,” Quinn agreed.
Amanda glanced down at her watch. “Grandma, we should probably get going. I need to purchase a gift for Tate and then check in with Dad. Is there a gift shop in this place?” she asked, anxiously reaching for her coat and purse.
“You want to buy a present for your boyfriend from the hospital gift shop?” Quinn asked. “Geez, I thought Mark was bad at picking out Christmas gifts for me. Why didn’t you buy him something in Wilmington?”
Amanda tried to think of a plausible excuse for not having brought Tate’s gifts with her. “Well, we were in such a rush yesterday morning coming to see you that we accidentally left all of our Christmas presents under my tree.” She crossed her fingers behind her back. “So it’s kinda your fault for going into labor,” she teased.
“Sorry, couldn’t help that one.” Quinn laughed.
“I just want to pick him up something small to open up tomorrow before dinner. You know how Mom is about opening presents and all. She’s stopping by the mall to pick him up something, too.”
She sighed, looking out the window. “The problem is I’m running out of time. I’m supposed to take over for Dad this afternoon.”
Quinn must have detected the anxiety in her voice. “Grandma, why don’t you stay here with Noel and me?” She smiled down at her baby. “We can have Mark bring us something yummy for lunch, and then he can take you home this afternoon. I’m tired of hospital food.”
“That’s fine with me.” Grandma Turner settled further into her chair.
“Terrific. And Amanda, you’re going to need a sweater if you are doing deliveries. Didn’t Mom give you one?”
“Yes, but I left it back at the house.”
“Well, take mine then. I won’t be wearing it. That way you can save time.” Quinn pointed to a large green bag lying on a table next to the window. “It will be a little big on you. Mom thought I’d still be pregnant when she made it.” She chuckled. “I guess we all did.”
Amanda rummaged through the bag and pulled out the red sweater. “Fabulous,” she said. She lifted her sweater over her head and replaced it with the regulation Christmas garment, tugging it over her waist and readjusting her ponytail. “Now I feel . . .”
“Complete?” Quinn asked.
“More like ridiculous.” She checked out her reflection in the window.
“Is Tate wearing one, too? You’ll look so cute together. I know what you should do!” Quinn shrieked with excitement.
“What?” Amanda asked.
“Go snap a picture with him. Then tonight you can make an ‘our first Turner Family Christmas’ ornament.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Leave it to her sentimental sister to suggest something so corny. Making a keepsake ornament for Tate was not going to happen.
“I’m sure Mom has extra ornament balls, and Brenda can help you. She’s good at arts and crafts. Now that would be a sentimental gift.”
Amanda laughed. “I think I’ll stick with a nice bottle of Dr. Frank wine or perhaps a book on Upstate New York history. He lived here when he was a kid. He seems to love this area.”
“Honestly, Amanda. A bottle of wine? You know romance is key to any new relationship.” Quinn eyed her suspiciously. “Oh, wait. This relationship isn’t new to you. It’s only new to us. Right, Grandma?”
Their grandmother nodded in agreement.
“Funny, funny. All right, you two. I’m off.” She bent down to kiss Quinn and then turned and gave her grandmother a quick peck on the cheek. “Ho, ho, ho.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Amanda walked aimlessly through the hospital’s gift shop, having no clue what she should get Tate for Christmas. The shop’s holiday music filled her head.
How hard is this really? It’s just one silly little gift. Just pick something out, for crying out loud. Maybe she should call Tate and ask him if there was anything he needed. She had to agree with her sister—it was pretty lame that she was purchasing his gift here.
“Can I help you?” a frail old woman with curly grey hair behind the counter asked. She was wearing a festive green sweater with a giant snowman on the front. Her name badge read, Mary.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m looking for a gift for my pretend boyfriend that I nearly had sex with last night and now think I might be developing feelings for—although we hate each other. Can you help?” she asked, sarcasm overtaking her tone.
“How about a tie?” Mary pointed to a table filled with ties and scarves. “We have some nice ones over there.”
“Maybe. Thanks.” Amanda turned to look at some Christmas globes nearby. It was funny how being miles away from the news studio made her life back in North Carolina seem a little insignificant. It’s not like anyone here would care about Wilmington’s mayor or that she had embarrassed herself two days ago on live TV.
“Oh, this is just hopeless.” She picked up a snow globe and shook it. She watched the tiny snowflakes gently fall, blanketing the little ice rink inside. Cute. How nice would it be to live inside the tiny glass ball without a care in the world . . .
She laughed. “Until some idiot comes around and shakes your universe upside down.”
Her phone rang inside her purse. She recognized the assigned ringtone immediately.
“Hey, Lacy. What’s up? Is something wrong?”
“Hi, Amanda!” Lacy’s voice boomed through the phone. “How is your visit going? Did your sister have her baby yet?”
Amanda pulled her phone away from her ear. “It’s great. Yes, she had a girl last night. She and the baby are doing just fine. I’m at the hospital now.” She returned the snow globe to its spot on the shelf.
“Awesome! I won’t keep you, but I wanted to let you know that the producers would like tonight’s anchors to do a short segment on this year’s toy drive. They just wanted to run it by Tate and you since you both were so involved with promoting the event on air this month.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” She grabbed a tie
. Wrapping it around her wrist, she couldn’t help but think back to two nights ago when she’d had Tate’s tie coiled around her wrist. He’d never explained that.
“Amanda, you still there?”
“Yep.” She pulled the tie off. “I’m sure Tate will be fine with it. I can ask him later.”
“So Tate’s with you?”
Dammit. Why did she just say that? “Um . . . He is. He’s helping me out this weekend. Long story.” Amanda thought back to yesterday when she caught her assistant and Tate deep in conversation on the front steps of Lacy’s apartment building. She had a sinking suspicion that it didn’t matter that she’d admitted it and Lacy had already known he was in New York with her. She still wondered why Lacy had told her this was going to be the best Christmas yet. Having your ex and his fiancée under the same roof with their kid and one on the way was far from it.
“I’m sure you and Tate are having a great time.”
“We are. Hey, Lacy. Let’s keep it between us that Tate’s with me.”
“Of course. Mum is the word.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, if you are home tonight, check us out online. We’re live streaming the show and tracking Santa. Jeff is planning to have the entire crew on camera for the close saying ‘Merry Christmas.’”
“Fun! We definitely will. Thanks for calling, Lacy.”
“Thanks, Boss. Merry Christmas.”
“You, too. See you on the news tonight. Wear something pretty.”
“Oh, I have the perfect dress. Anyways, talk to you later.”
“Talk to you later,” Amanda repeated and clicked off her phone. Maybe if she left now she could swing by the mall for Tate’s present.
She left the gift shop and headed toward the entrance. Her mouth dropped. Tate and Alex were headed into the hospital. Tate appeared to be in pain and was holding onto her brother for support.
She raced over. “Oh my God, what happened?”
“Hi, love.” Tate smiled and then grimaced.
Alex continued to hold Tate up. “Mandy, before you overreact—”
“Alex, what did you do?” She grabbed Tate’s other arm. “Here, lean on me.”
Tate whispered to her. “I think your brother is trying to kill me.” His breath tickled her ear.
“I heard that,” Alex retorted. “Let’s get you to the ER.”
They checked Tate in and a nurse whisked him away.
Amanda paced in the waiting room. She stopped and pushed her brother with both hands. “You know you’re a jerk.”
“Mandy, it was an accident,” Alex said in defense.
“Was it?” She crossed her arms.
“Of course it was. He was clearing my tire and the truck slid. I barely hit him. I’m sure nothing’s broken.”
Amanda shook her head. “Why are you being so mean to him?”
“I’m not being mean.”
“Yes, you are. Even if this was an accident that stunt earlier making him rope trees without gloves was just cruel.”
Alex shrugged. “How well do you know Tate?”
She threw her hands up in the air. “Not this again. I know everything there is to know about him.”
“And you know about the kiss?”
“Oh for crying out loud.” This was about Melanie? “They were just kids, and it was once at summer camp. It’s not a big deal, and certainly not a reason for you to run him over.”
“A. I didn’t do it on purpose, and B. I’m just looking out for you. You’re the one who couldn’t stand him for most of the year, and now you’re suddenly in love.” Alex’s phone rang. “Hey, Dad. I’m at the hospital with Amanda. Yeah, yeah. Everything’s okay. Tate had a little accident.”
“That you caused,” Amanda muttered and rolled her eyes. A pretty young nurse came over with an update.
“Tate’s going to be fine. It’s just a sprain. We’re filling a prescription of painkillers and getting him some crutches to use if he needs them. He’ll be out soon.”
“Thanks,” Amanda said and swatted Alex. “You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“For the umpteenth time, I’m sorry. Look, I’ve got to go help Dad. Can you take Tate home?”
“Yep. I have his Jeep.” She pulled out his keys from her purse and jingled them in the air.
“Great, I’ll see you back home.” He tugged Amanda’s ponytail. “I really am sorry.” He rushed away.
“You’re not off the hook,” she called out.
She needed to figure out how to get her brother to warm up to Tate. Otherwise Christmas dinner was going to be a disaster if Tate did do something over-the-top romantic, like he said he was. At that point, his brother might pull out a shotgun and chase him back to Wilmington.
“I really need a Christmas miracle to get through this weekend,” she mumbled and sat down on an empty bench. She buried her head in her hands.
“Are you all right?” An elderly grey-haired man with a matching beard stood in front of her. He peered down at her through thick brown glasses.
She shuffled on the bench, sitting up straight. “I’m fine. Just waiting for a friend.” There was no sense in lying about her relationship status to a complete stranger.
“Mind if I sit down?”
“No, not at all.” She smiled at the man. With his grey beard, she wondered if he was here for a Santa gig. He certainly looked the part.
“Is it good news or bad news?”
“Not sure. My co-worker was injured, but it’s not too serious.” She pointed to the ER. “He’s going to be okay so I guess it’s good news.”
“Forgive me for being nosy, but by the look on your face, I’m guessing he’s more than your co-worker.”
She smirked. “No, no. Just a colleague.” She began to fiddle with her hands.
“Okay. Well, I’m here for my weekly blood test.”
“I’m sorry.” She glanced over at the old man. He was wearing a long red flannel that covered a round belly. Apparently he wasn’t here to play Santa. He certainly could if the hospital wanted him to.
“Nothing to be sorry about,” he said. “Just a necessary part of getting older.” He tugged on his shirt. “Next month, I’ll be twenty-nine.”
She laughed and nodded in agreement. “Me too. Hi, I’m Amanda.”
“Nice to meet you, Amanda. I’m George. That’s a festive sweater you’re wearing.”
She looked down at the tree, dead center on her chest. “Courtesy of my mother’s hands.”
“She has good taste.” George winked. He began to fiddle with a red shopping bag next to him, pulling out a small robin egg blue box and placing it on his lap.
“That’s a pretty box,” she said.
“Thank you. My wife, Mary, gave it to me years ago. Not sure where she got it. I usually keep my pills in it, but guess what?” He opened the lid. “I forgot them today. Promise you won’t tell her. She’s right in there.” He pointed to the woman behind the counter in the gift shop.
Amanda laughed. “Your secret is safe with me, George.”
“I met her fifty years ago in that very spot.”
“Really?” She pointed at the gift shop. “Is that Mary over there?”
He nodded.
“Wow.” Amanda wasn’t sure which she was more impressed with, the fact they’d been together for fifty years or that his wife had worked at the same place all that time.
“Still as pretty as the first day I met her. I had broken my leg, but that didn’t stop me from hobbling down to the gift shop every day so I could see her. I knew she was the one.”
“One hundred percent sure?”
“One hundred percent. Now, it took some time for Mary to reciprocate my feelings. She didn’t care for me at first . . . thought I was too jolly.”
She laughed. Talking to George was a welcome distraction. He reminded her of her grandfather. “I don’t think jolly is a bad thing. Are you both from Bath?”
He shook his head. “Hammondsport. About five miles aw
ay. We have a cottage on Keuka Lake.”
“That’s a lovely town. Maybe you knew my grandparents. Bruce and Betty T—” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Tate hobbling over on crutches. He was talking to the nurse who checked him in.
“Excuse me, George.” She walked over to Tate, glancing down at his ankle. “You okay?”
“Hey, Ace. Never better.” He continued talking to the nurse. “Thanks for the pain killers, Erin.” He reached for Amanda’s arm. “And thanks for the other thing.”
Amanda narrowed her eyes. He was on a first name basis with the nurse? What other thing was he talking about? The nurse seemed to be blushing. “Okay, I’ll take it from here, Nurse Erin,” Amanda said firmly. She impulsively kissed Tate on the lips, and the nurse disappeared.
“Hmmm.” He smiled. “Maybe I should ask Alex to run over my other leg.”
“Let’s go.” She glanced back at the bench. It was empty. George was walking slowly to the gift shop. She noticed he had left his box.
“I’ll be right back,” she said to Tate and went over and fetched the box. “George, you left this,” she called out.
The old man turned around and grinned. “You keep it. When the time is right, you’ll know what to put into it.”
“What to put into it?” Amanda stared down at the box.
“Open your eyes. When the time comes, you’ll know exactly what needs to go in it.” He turned to enter the gift shop but hesitated. “Oh, please tell Bruce and Betty, Mary and I say hello.”
Amanda watched George greet his wife who beamed at the sight of her husband. Well, that was strange. If he knew her grandparents, he must know they were . . .
“Everything okay, Ace?” Tate had come up behind her.
“Open your eyes,” she repeated. What a strange coincidence—her grandmother had given her the same advice earlier. Come to think about it, so did Lacy yesterday. How odd.
“Friends of yours?”
“Yes.” Amanda turned and faced Tate. “I mean no, not really. I just met them today. You ready?”
They drove the short ride home in silence. The painkillers appeared to be working, making Tate groggy. Amanda pulled into her parents’ driveway and shut off the engine.
