“Thank you thank you thank you!” Jessica squealed, enveloping Meredith in a big, enthusiastic hug.
“You’re welcome,” Meredith said, laughing. “But I’m still not so sure about this.”
“They’re kids. Most of them are used to coming here, and they’re fine once Mommy and Daddy leave. But there are a couple of children who aren’t too happy to be separated from their parents.” Jessica looked up. “Speaking of the devil, here’s one now,” she said out of the side of her mouth before turning to greet the mother and her little boy.
“Good morning, Mrs. Keene. How are you? And how’s Matthew today?” Jessica gave them a big smile, which Mrs. Keene returned but Matthew did not. He had one thumb stuck in his mouth and clutched a thermal blanket close to his chest. He gazed at Meredith and Jessica with wary eyes.
“We’re just fine,” Mrs. Keene said. “Aren’t we, Matthew?” She jostled the little boy, but his expression didn’t change. “I know I’m a little early,” she said to Jessica, “but I need to go over the readings. I’m the lector this morning.”
“It’s fine,” Jessica replied. “Mrs. Keene, this is Meredith Clark. She works with me at the high school.”
“Nice to meet you, Meredith.”
“Likewise,” Meredith said.
“Okay, well, I’ve got to get going.” Jessica slid a diaper bag off her shoulder. “Everything you’ll need is in here,” she said. Matthew began to whimper. His mother hugged him close. “You’ll be fine,” she told him. “You remember Jessica, don’t you? Mommy will be back in a little while.”
Matthew let go of his thumb, and a high-pitched shriek rent the air. Meredith was certain she’d temporarily lost her hearing. Mrs. Keene attempted to hand the child to Jessica, but he put up a fight, clinging to his mother’s hair and sweater, nearly yanking her necklace off. He kicked his legs and resisted Jessica once she had him in her arms. He put his head back and howled, while fat tears rolled down his cheeks.
Mrs. Keene beat a hasty retreat to the door and waved good-bye. “Bye-bye, sweetheart. Mommy will be back in a little while. Be a good boy.”
Matthew didn’t hear her. He was too busy fighting Jessica’s hold and kicking her. She finally lowered him to the floor. “Can you?” she said to Meredith, and gestured to Matthew. “Just keep an eye on him. He’ll calm down in a minute.”
A set of parents arrived with twin girls in tow, and Jessica went to greet them. Meredith hunkered down next to Matthew at a total loss as to what to do to comfort him. His face was red, and he hugged his blanket in a ball close to his chest. He tried to suck his thumb, but it was impossible to do as he continued to sob.
Meredith tried to think what she would like if she were Matthew’s age and upset about something. She’d want a hug and a shoulder to cry on, she thought. But Jessica had tried, and that hadn’t worked. She saw a stuffed animal peeking out of the side pocket of the diaper bag Mrs. Keene had set on the counter, and it gave her an idea.
She brought it back and sat on the floor in front of Matthew. His little shoulders were heaving, and he looked absolutely miserable. Meredith held the lamb in front of her face and, manufacturing a silly voice, said, “What’s the matter, Mr. Matthew? Do you miss your mommy?”
Matthew hiccuped and stared at Meredith and the lamb. “I miss my mommy, too,” she said, staying in character. “I got stuffed in a box when I was littler than you, and I sat on a store shelf all by myself until I came to live at your house. But I still miss my mommy.”
Matthew stuck his thumb back in his mouth and concentrated on his lamb. “Your mommy always comes back to pick you up, doesn’t she?”
Matthew spoke a garbled reply around his thumb. He had dark hair and blue eyes. For some reason, the little boy reminded Meredith of Noah. She wondered what he’d looked like as a child. She’d be willing to bet he was just as cute as Matthew Keene.
“Do you want to come and tell me about how much you miss your mommy?” Meredith made the lamb ask. “You can sit right here by me.” Meredith patted her knee. “And tell me all about it. And I bet by then, your mommy will be here to pick you up.” The idea of writing a children’s book with talking farm animals was becoming more and more appealing. Seeing Matthew’s reaction to her speaking in her “lamb voice” made the idea even more exciting.
Matthew stared suspiciously at the knee Meredith patted. She made the lamb sit on her other knee. Meredith started to talk to the lamb, using her own voice. “I think he’s a little shy,” she said to the lamb.
“I know,” she said in the lamb’s voice, making the lamb look like it was shaking its head. “I’m shy, too. But you’re so nice. I like you.”
Matthew took the couple of steps necessary, reached for the lamb, and plopped down on Meredith’s other knee. He wrapped one arm around the lamb and his blanket and stuck his thumb back in his mouth.
Jessica looked over from the table where she had the twin girls coloring pictures along with another little boy who had just arrived. “Don’t tell me you don’t have experience with children. That’s the fastest he’s ever calmed down.”
“He just needed someone to talk to,” Meredith told Jessica. “Isn’t that right, Matthew?” She hugged him gently, liking the way it felt when he relaxed against her body. Maybe, she thought, someday she’d have a little boy of her own with dark hair and blue eyes.
Then she remembered the dream she’d had her first night in Nashville. Maybe, she mused, she’d have a little girl with dark hair and blue eyes. As long as she was dreaming, why not one of each? And a certain man with the same coloring who’d push them on the swings.
* * *
Meredith popped over to visit Julia later in the day. They chatted over Christmas sugar cookies Julia had baked the day before and a pot of tea that tasted like orange and cinnamon. Meredith told Julia about the party later.
“Oh yes, George and Mary Beth Macabee. Two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They go to my church. Both their families have been in this town since before it was a town, I think. Those two have done a lot for the community over the years.”
“Noah says they throw this big party for everyone who works in the school system every year around Christmastime.”
Julia nodded. “Education is important to them. Mary Beth was a schoolteacher for a time. They also fund a scholarship. Any of the graduating seniors in the county can apply for it. I imagine it’s helped quite a few of them get through college.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
“I imagine Noah will be at the party. You’re probably looking forward to that as well,” Julia said slyly but without malice. She was obviously fishing.
Meredith saw no reason not to be completely honest with her new friend. “I am. I really like him.”
“Of course you do.”
Meredith didn’t realize it, but the Macabee house was only a few blocks from her own. It was in the opposite direction from the one she usually traveled and on a side street she’d never been down. Even though it was cold out, it seemed silly to drive such a short distance. And not that she planned to drink very much, but she never liked to drive after even one cocktail. So there was no reason not to walk.
She looked through her wardrobe and decided on a creamy sweater dress she rarely got a chance to wear even though she loved it. It was easy to accent with a red belt and shoes and a pair of silver snowflake earrings she’d bought on a whim just because she liked them.
Snow was predicted for later in the evening. After much debate with herself in front of the mirror, Meredith decided to wear her black over-the-knee boots instead of her red high heels. The heels were simply impractical for the weather, especially if she had to walk home in snow. Of course, she could drive her car, but that seemed even more impractical. Besides, the boots looked very good with the dress. She switched to a narrow black belt and decided she looked quite stylish from head to toe.
The party was more of an open house, so Meredith decided to arrive an
hour after it began. She hated being an early arrival in an unfamiliar situation and with people she didn’t know well or possibly at all. She should have touched base with Janet or Jessica to see when they planned to arrive, but she hadn’t. Surely, someone she knew would be there by now, she thought, as she approached the Macabee place. Maybe Noah. She could have asked him when he planned to be there, too, but she hadn’t thought of it yesterday. And he could have offered to pick her up, but he hadn’t. Why hadn’t he?
The Macabee home lit up the night, and Meredith had to pause when she caught sight of it, because it was simply stunning. White lights outlined every window and ran along the eaves. The bare tree limbs of four trees in the front yard were lit up as well, with a different color on each tree. Red, blue, green, and violet. And on one side of the front walk was a sweet nativity scene; on the other, those pretty, carved, white deer. Spotlights highlighted both.
There were huge wreaths suspended beneath the carriage lights on the pillars of the front porch, and two more adorned each of the double front doors. Meredith couldn’t wait to take the tour of the inside.
She knocked, and the door opened immediately. “Come in, come in,” boomed an older gentleman with white hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. “I’m George Macabee. This is my wife, Mary Beth.”
“Hello, I’m Meredith Clark. I’m an aide at the high school.”
“Glad to meet you, Meredith,” George said, shaking her hand. He signaled for someone to take her coat.
“We’re keeping the coats right here near the door,” Mary Beth said, as the assistant handed her a ticket. He hung her coat on one of two long, portable racks that had been set up in what looked like a parlor off the wide entry hall.
“The main buffet is set up in the dining room on the left.” Mary Beth pointed in that direction. “Drinks are available on the back veranda. Thank you for coming. We’re delighted you’re here,” she said before more guests arrived, and she turned to greet them.
Meredith decided to check everything out before getting anything to eat or drink. The music she’d heard at a distance before became louder as she approached the rear of the house. There were a few people milling around the buffet table but no one she recognized.
She opened the door to the back and stepped out onto a wide porch. Drink stations were set up on either side of the door, manned by professionals in tuxedo uniforms. Portable heaters fought the chill in the air. Meredith was glad she’d chosen a sweater dress but surprised to find the outdoors not as uncomfortable as she had expected.
A giant tent was set up just beyond the porch steps and was obviously the biggest draw for the crowd. A live band played from an elevated stage at the far end. A portable dance floor covered the space in front of it, and it was currently crowded with guests rocking out to a lively rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock.” Portable heaters rimmed the perimeter of the tent. Tables and chairs were available at the back, and mini buffets were set up along each side.
Meredith looked for anyone she knew but there was so much to take in, it was hard to differentiate all the faces in the crowd. The tent was lit from inside, with lots of low-wattage bulbs crisscrossed from pole to pole, and more tiny white lights had been wound around each of the support poles as well. There was light, but it wasn’t enough to completely dispel the gloom of darkness. She wondered if she’d be able to find anyone she knew.
She circled around behind the tables and chairs, many of which were occupied. People were eating and drinking and chatting loudly to make themselves heard over the music. The buffet dishes sent out tantalizing smells. Meredith knew she’d have to sample the offerings later. She reached the edge of the dance floor and spied Noah. He looked divine, but when didn’t he? He wore a gray sports jacket over a dress shirt and a V-necked navy blue sweater vest and dark-washed jeans. He had that preppie casual thing down cold.
She smiled watching him dance because he looked like he was having such a good time making the steps up as he went along. His dancing had no finesse or style, but his enthusiasm made up for it. Or maybe his enthusiasm was because of whom he was dancing with. Meredith’s smile faded as she studied the pretty blonde who held Noah’s hand while he twirled her in a circle. She looked like she was having the time of her life, and Meredith’s heart sank.
Why had she thought Noah was interested in her all this time? She’d been planning on making a move on him tonight, but had he really given her any indication that he was interested in her as anything other than a friend? Maybe she’d allowed herself to get entirely the wrong impression from all those invitations he’d issued for coffee. Maybe Noah was just being friendly to the newcomer in town. Because, clearly, she wasn’t the only female he spent time with.
The song ended while Meredith was lost in thought, and she didn’t register that he’d seen her and was heading her way with the blonde in tow. She forced a smile onto her face and warned herself to be cool. So what if she’d been wrong about Noah? It certainly wasn’t the first time a man had given off mixed signals. And it wasn’t the first time she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion about his intentions, either. In fact, it was a recurring theme in her life. She was glad now that she’d put him off, that she’d looked before she’d leapt. She’d saved herself a lot of disappointment this time. She was learning.
“Hi,” Noah said. “Did you just get here?”
“A little while ago, yes,” Meredith said.
The blonde eyed her curiously. “Oh, sorry,” Noah said, as if he suddenly remembered she was there. “Charlotte Taylor, meet Meredith Clark. Meredith’s an aide at the high school.”
Charlotte nodded and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Meredith replied.
“Charlotte teaches third grade,” Noah said. “She won Teacher of the Year last year.”
“Oh, Noah, stop.” She patted his shoulder. “You’re embarrassing me, and I’m sure Meredith doesn’t want to hear about it.”
Meredith barely heard what Charlotte said. She was too busy staring at the sparkling solitaire diamond ring on Charlotte’s left hand. There was a roaring in her ears that seemed to drown out all of the party noise, including the band, which was announcing its next song. “Excuse me,” she said. “Are you engaged?” Her gaze moved between Noah and Charlotte before it held on Charlotte.
“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Charlotte gazed down at her ring. “I still can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I,” Meredith quickly said, stunned beyond belief. Why hadn’t Noah asked Charlotte to Christmas shop with him yesterday? Did she know about their coffee date? If she didn’t, she soon would. Meredith strongly suspected there were no secrets in a town this size. But if that was true, how come no one had said anything about Noah’s girlfriend/fiancée before now? “Have you set a date?” Meredith asked, feigning polite interest.
Charlotte patted Noah’s shoulder again. “We were just talking about that. I’m kind of thinking I’d like to have a Christmas wedding, so maybe around this time next year. It will give me plenty of time to plan.”
Meredith’s gaze flickered to Noah. He was looking at her, and darn it all, he was still smiling. “Oh. How. Lovely.” Meredith had to get away from the happy couple. Right now. “Would you excuse me? I think I need a glass of wine.” Or two or three. Maybe the entire bottle.
Meredith pivoted and made her way through the crowd to the bar, where one of the tuxedoed waiters was more than happy to supply her with a glass of merlot. Meredith stepped away to the railing and sipped, trying to wrap her head around the fact that Noah was engaged. She’d spent all this time wondering how things might be between them next year, but she’d never considered that by the end of the year, he would be married to someone else !
Great imagination you’ve got, she chided herself. Making up stories and believing in dreams. Apparently, she needed a great big dose of reality, and the universe had been more than willing to supply it tonight.
She shrank back behind the pi
llar when she saw Noah come bounding out of the tent and up the stairs to the porch, but apparently he’d already seen her.
“There you are,” he said as he approached. “Why’d you take off like that? I was going to ask you to dance.”
“Were you?” She sipped her wine, not looking at him.
“I was hoping you could give me a couple of pointers,” he said. He nudged her shoulder. “You being a professional and all. I love to dance, but I’ve been told I’m not very good at it.”
“Seems like there are a lot of things you’re not very good at,” she murmured.
He frowned at her. “Is something the matter?”
“Apparently not,” she said, sipping more of the wine. Sadness seeped into her. She wished she didn’t like Noah so much. She wished she hadn’t let her imagination run wild, hadn’t assumed they were moving beyond friendship. She felt rather foolish now, and it wasn’t a good feeling. It also wasn’t a good feeling learning that he planned to marry someone else.
“You’re not in a very good mood, are you? Would it help at all if I told you you look beautiful?”
Meredith’s eyes flashed. “I don’t believe you.”
“Well, that’s my opinion whether you believe me or not.”
She straightened away from the pillar, her fingers so tight on her wineglass she was afraid she might crush it. “No. I don’t believe you’re standing here telling me you think I’m beautiful when your fiancée is . . .” She gestured wildly in the direction of the tent, forcing Noah to step back quickly to avoid being splashed by what was left in her glass. “Right there somewhere,” she finished.
“My fiancée? What are you talking about?”
“What do you mean, what am I talking about? You just introduced me to her!” Meredith was beside herself. It was all she could do not to throw her glass at him.
Winter Wishes Page 8
