by Terri DuLong
Saxton followed behind me as we wove our way through groups of people chatting and laughing, nodding and smiling as we went.
“Ah, more food,” Sydney said. “We’ll find a spot here on the counter.”
I saw casseroles, sliced ham and turkey, various salads, and a separate table for desserts filling the kitchen.
“Thanks,” Sydney told me. “The bar is outside on the patio, so go help yourselves to a drink.”
I followed Saxton out the French doors to a large flagstone patio where more couples and groups milled around. We made our way to the bar, and Saxton poured us each a glass of red wine.
“Here’s to our first Christmas together,” he said, touching my glass.
“Cheers,” I replied, and looked around. I spied Chloe, Grace, Lucas, and Maude in one group and headed toward them.
“I think congratulations are in order for the father-to-be,” I told Lucas, holding up my glass.
“Yes, I must say, I think fatherhood will agree with you,” Saxton said, and I saw the embarrassed look on his face as he quickly realized this would not be Lucas’s first time becoming a father.
But Lucas brushed it off, accepting Saxton’s handshake. “Yes, I think we have an exciting time ahead,” he said, placing a kiss on Grace’s cheek.
Strains of Christmas carols drifted out from the house where a group had gathered around Dora’s piano, and I saw her heading toward us followed by a woman and two young men who appeared to be early to midtwenties.
“Berkley, I want you to meet my daughter, Marin, and her sons, Jason and John. And all of you know Saxton.”
Marin extended her hand to greet me with a smile. “Oh, yes. We’re all quite familiar with Cedar Key’s popular author. And I’ve heard all about your chocolate shop, Berkley. I’m anxious to get down there tomorrow.”
Dora’s grandsons extended their greetings and then excused themselves.
“I’d love to have you stop by,” I told her. Marin looked to be in her late fifties, and I saw a striking resemblance between her and her cousin, Sydney. I recalled the story that Grace had told me about Sydney finding her biological mother a few years before. Sybile Bowden was Dora’s sister, and Sydney and Monica had welcomed the newfound family that had come into their lives. I briefly wondered if this was the sort of thing I might discover in Brunswick. Did I have extended family that I wasn’t aware of?
“Is your husband here?” I asked.
Marin shook her head. “No, I’m afraid Andrew has been under the weather. He really hated to miss this gathering.”
“Be right back,” Saxton said. “There’s Rob, and I want to speak with him about the reading program with the dogs.”
I saw Suellen talking to a group and wandered over to join them.
“Hey,” she said. “I don’t think you’ve met Mitchell. This is my friend, Mitchell Thomas.”
I shook hands with a tall, distinguished-looking man about Suellen’s age. We chatted for a few minutes before being joined by Chloe, holding the hand of a man who looked vaguely familiar.
“This is Cameron. He owns the jewelry shop downtown, but I’m not sure you’ve ever met.”
“No,” I said. “But I’ve heard about you from Chloe. Nice to meet you.”
Conversation flowed, and I saw that Saxton was now chatting with another group near the French doors. That was when I spotted Doyle. Standing by himself at the end of the patio, looking out toward the water.
I walked over to join him. “Can I intrude?” I asked.
“Berkley,” he said, a smile lighting up his face. “You look great.”
Doyle wasn’t as formal as Saxton and a few of the other men, but gone were his normal cutoffs and tee shirt. He was wearing a black turtleneck and dress slacks, and with his silver ponytail he looked more bohemian than hippie.
“Thanks. Nice party.”
He nodded. “I take it you’re not upset with me?”
“For being with my mother one entire summer or for not telling me before now?”
He chuckled before saying, “Both.”
“No, how could I be upset with you? I’m glad that my mother had somebody like you in her life, even if it was only briefly. And as far as not telling me—well, you promised that you wouldn’t. But I still have a few more questions that you can answer. That night that you first met me at the Black Dog—did you know I was Jeanette’s daughter?”
“I had a pretty good idea when I first saw you, yes. You may not see it, but there’s a definite resemblance to Jenna. And when you told me you were from Salem and owned a chocolate shop, then I knew for sure.”
“And yet you waited months before telling me there was a connection? Why?”
Doyle let out a deep sigh and then took a sip of wine. “It was one of the things that Jenna and I had discussed last year before she passed away. She felt pretty certain that somehow you would make your way here. But she wanted to be sure that you were ready to begin getting your answers. So she told me to wait awhile, get to know you, see if maybe you’d give up trying to piece together why she came here. Although I’ve never been a father, she said she trusted that when I felt the time was right, she wanted me to tell you about us and to give you the letter.”
“What made you think the time was right now?”
“When you reconnected with your aunt. Having her come here. You were still searching for those answers. You hadn’t given up at all, and I knew you weren’t going to. So I did what Jenna asked. When you showed me those photos, I knew the time had come for you to learn the entire story.”
“And yet, you can’t tell it to me now?”
“I can’t,” he said softly. “Saxton told me you have a flight booked to New England on New Year’s Day. You’ll have your answers soon enough, Berkley.”
“And after I do, will you answer any further questions that I might have?”
“I will.”
We were both silent for a few minutes, gazing out at the water as the night air filled with the scent of lantana.
“My mother liked it here, didn’t she?”
“Very much. I think when she came here, it was the one time in her life she felt complete.”
I glanced up at him. “And you loved her very much, didn’t you?”
Doyle nodded.
“Then why did you let her go?”
“Sometimes loving somebody means that you have to let go. When you fall in love with that one special person, there are no guarantees, Berkley. Sometimes the circumstances just won’t allow it. It doesn’t mean you ever stop loving them. It just means you’re not able to be together.”
I felt his sadness. Sadness for what never was.
Saxton came up behind me, slipping his arm around my waist. “Hey, sweetheart, I wondered where you disappeared to. How’re you doing, Doyle?”
Doyle nodded. “Fine. I’m okay,” he said, and I watched him walk back toward the house alone.
In that moment, I felt a surge of love for Saxton. For the person that he was to me. For the person I was when I was with him. But most of all, because not only had we found each other, we were able to be together and share that love. Unlike my mother and Doyle.
35
I awoke Christmas morning, turned over, saw Saxton’s face, and smiled. We had decided to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at his house because he had more room for a small tree and our wrapped presents.
Almost as if he felt my gaze on him, he opened his eyes. A smile covered his face as he said, “Good morning, beautiful. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you,” I said, snuggling into the crook of his arm.
“So have you been a good girl? Think Santa was good to you?”
I laughed. “Oh, I’m not sure about that. I have a tendency toward being naughty.”
I felt Saxton’s hand slip down my body. “I like it when you’re naughty.”
“That was delicious,” Saxton said as he took another sip of coffee.
“I’m glad yo
u enjoyed it. I thought omelets and grits would hold us till dinner later at the Island Hotel. I’m glad you booked there for us, rather than cook here.”
“I thought it might be a good idea since you want to drive around visiting and dropping off your chocolate.”
I had put together my signature clams in gold boxes tied with red ribbon and bows. Just a little gesture for my friends.
“Now, let me help you clear this table and we’ll go inside to see what Santa’s left for us under the tree.”
It was a fun time and brought back memories of my childhood Christmases. The excitement and surprise with each gift unwrapped.
Saxton was pleased with the books and hand-knit sweater, scarf, and hat that I’d made for him. He had also gotten me newly released novels that he thought I’d enjoy, along with a new bottle of Chanel No 5 and some wonderfully fragranced shower gel and lotion.
I jumped to give him a kiss. “Thank you so much. You’ve made Christmas very special.”
“Well, it’s not over yet,” he said, producing a small box wrapped in silver paper with a red bow on top.
My surprise must have shown on my face as I reached for it.
“Go ahead,” he told me. “Open it.”
My heart skipped a beat because I knew it was a ring box. I loved Saxton. I did. But engaged? An engagement led to marriage. Marriage was great for some people, but Saxton knew my feelings on this topic.
I removed the paper and flipped open the blue velvet box to see an incredible ring staring back at me. An oval-shaped garnet stone, surrounded by diamonds in an antique setting.
“My birthstone,” I whispered with surprise. “It’s gorgeous.”
“You like it?”
“I love it, Saxton. Thank you so much.”
He removed the ring from the box and reached for my left hand. “I’d like to think this is a promise ring. Wearing it will mean that we’ve made a promise to each other to always be together. The ring makes it official.”
He slipped it onto my third finger, and I held my hand out in front of me to admire the beauty.
“I accept,” I said, as I felt moisture stinging my eyes. “I absolutely accept. I love you, Saxton, and I’ll always love you.” But even more important than the ring was the fact that he did know me. Really know me.
He pulled me into an embrace as his lips found mine. “And I will love you all the days of my life.”
After we had showered and dressed I was placing my candy boxes into a shopping bag when Saxton came up behind me. He placed a kiss on my neck.
“Are we about ready to begin our Santa run?”
“Yup, I’m all set. We’ll hit Monica’s house first. I have another bag with gifts for the kids, and then we’ll head to Maude’s house. Next stop will be Dora’s, and then on to the Lighthouse to drop off chocolates for Sydney and Noah. Oh, and we need to make a stop at Doyle’s house too. I have chocolates for him.”
“Oh, we’re definitely stopping at Doyle’s, but we’ll make his place our last stop.”
I saw a twinkle in his eye and laughed. “What’s this about? I have a feeling it’s more than me just dropping off chocolate.”
“Be patient,” he told me, a grin covering his face. “You’ll see.”
Monica’s home was the epitome of Christmas afternoon with children. Cardboard boxes were strewn about, with wrapping paper, ribbons, multiple toys, and in the midst of it were Monica and Adam looking happier than I’d ever seen them.
Adam laughed and said, “If you can make your way through, come on in. As you can see, mayhem descended here this morning.”
The triplets were tottering around grabbing toys from each other, laughing and displaying the excitement and delight of Christmas.
Monica looked up from the sofa where she was sitting beside Clarissa Jo. “Ah, welcome to the madhouse. Merry Christmas.”
I laughed and shook my head. “My goodness, it looks like Santa was very good to this house.”
Clarissa ran over to me, opening a tote bag for me to peek inside. “He was. Look at the new circular needles and yarn he brought me.”
I fingered the various fibers and colors. “Oh, I think you’ll be quite busy over the next year with such a great stash.”
Adam brought a tray of coffee, and we managed to find a seat not occupied by toys or gift wrap.
“Oh, what’s that?” Monica said, jumping up to come over and grab my hand. “It’s gorgeous, Berkley.”
“Thank you. It’s a promise ring from Saxton. It seals a promise that we’ll always be together.”
“How romantic. Congratulations,” she said.
After we finished our coffee, we were on our way to Maude’s house. Everybody was gathered in her kitchen when we walked in. I distributed my candy and then Saxton and I joined them for a glass of wine.
Chloe was the first to spy my ring, and I received more congratulations.
“I’m so happy for both of you,” Grace said. “And thank you so much for the chocolate. It seems since I got pregnant, I crave it even more.”
“You’re booked for dinner at the Hotel, right?” Maude asked.
“Yes, four o’clock, so we’d better get going. We have a few more stops to make.”
We arrived at Dora’s to find Maybelle, Marin, and Dora’s grandsons. I was surprised that Marin’s husband wasn’t there.
“I hope your husband is feeling better,” I told her.
A worried expression crossed her face. “No, he really isn’t. He’s scheduled for some tests next week.”
After coffee and one of Dora’s delicious blueberry scones we were on our way to Sydney’s.
“No more food for me,” I told Saxton as we drove down Rye Key Drive. “I won’t be able to eat dinner later.”
The Lighthouse came into view and I marveled, as I always did, at the unique structure. Built from the plans of the Hooper Strait Lighthouse in Chesapeake Bay, it stood majestically against a background of sky and water. The house sat atop stilts with a full set of stairs leading to the deck that surrounded it, enclosed with a railing.
Saxton pulled the golf cart into the gravel drive, and as we climbed the stairs, I stopped halfway to admire the view over the water, with sandbars peeking out and pelicans swooping to grab their daily rations.
“Merry Christmas,” Sydney greeted us.
“Hey, good to see you guys,” Noah said, joining Sydney.
“It’s such a gorgeous day,” she said. “Why don’t we sit out here on the deck. Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
I put my hand in the air and laughed. “Thanks, but no thank you. I think we’ve just eaten and drunk our way around the island, and we’re due at the Hotel for dinner at four. I just wanted to drop off some chocolate for you.”
“Oh, that was so nice. You know I’m addicted to it,” Sydney said. “Yeah, we’re due at Dora’s for dinner at three.”
“And don’t you leave a week from today for Maine?” Noah asked.
“Yes.” I nodded. “I’m just not sure what I’ll find when I get there.”
“My story of finding Sybile was astonishing, but yours is proving to be quite a mystery. Any ideas why your mother came here?”
“Nope. And Doyle is sworn to secrecy for the rest of the story until I go up to Maine and check those newspaper microfilms. I can’t even imagine what I’ll find out.”
“Nervous?” Sydney asked.
“I am.” I let out a deep sigh. “I mean, of course I want to know... but . . .”
I felt Saxton’s hand on my knee.
“Right,” Sydney said. “Fear of the unknown.”
After chatting awhile longer, we made our way to Doyle’s house. He opened the door with a huge smile on his face. “Come on in.” We followed him into the living room, where I saw a crate in the corner containing the most adorable puppy I’d ever seen.
Rushing over to it, I knelt down and stuck my finger between the wire bars. “Oh! Doyle! You got a puppy for Christmas?”
<
br /> Saxton laughed as he came over, opened the door of the crate, and said, “No. You got a puppy for Christmas.” He picked up the little black fur ball and put it in my arms as he leaned over to place a kiss on my lips. “Merry Christmas, Berkley. I hope you’ll like her.”
I looked down into the most soulful dark eyes and then up at Saxton. “Really? For me?”
He nodded. “Yes, for you. I know how you like Lola, and you had hinted that you might like a dog. We know Sigmund gets along fine with my dog. So I wanted you to have your own.”
My eyes filled with tears as I snuggled her close to me. “It’s a girl?”
“Yes. I got her at the Levy County Humane Society. She’s only about ten pounds but is full grown, and she’s eight months old. She’s part poodle, part Maltese and God knows what else. A sad story—her owner passed away and the niece brought her to the pound.”
“Aww, you lost your owner?” I kissed her forehead and cuddled her tighter. “Well, I’ll be your new mama. Oh, Saxton, thank you so much.”
“We have to thank Doyle too. He’s the one that helped me by hiding her for a couple days here at his house.”
I walked over and placed a kiss on his cheek. “That’s going above and beyond friendship,” I said. “Thank you for keeping her here.”
“If you didn’t come soon, I was thinking about keeping her myself,” he joked.
“Any names in mind for her?” Saxton came over to pat her.
“Yes,” I said. “Yes. I’m going to call her Brit. For British. Your heritage.”
He put his arm around me. “I like that. Very much.”
I held her away from me so I could see her better. “She’s such a pretty pup. And she seems like a good girl.”
“Oh, she is,” Doyle said. “Sleeps well. All housebroken. I think you’ll enjoy her a lot.”
“And Uncle Doyle here has even offered to keep her while we’re in Maine.”
