A Christmas Star

by Judith Keim

  An easy silence filled the car as she made the short trip to his house. When she pulled into the driveway of Althea’s house, a powder-blue convertible was sitting there.

  Jake let out a groan. “Guess I’m going to have to deal with her. Thanks for the ride. See you later.”

  “Good luck.” Noelle waited until Jake was out of the car and then quickly drove away. She had no desire to deal with Alicia or have reason to question her own feelings regarding Jake.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Following her evening with Jake, Noelle made a firmer commitment to helping Silas with his Christmas project. The reason behind his enthusiasm was touching. He missed his mother and needed to remember happy times with her. For him, she’d play along.

  Each day when they grew tired of shelling or gluing, they did other things. Noelle had never had time for online games, but with Silas’s encouragement soon found herself competing with him.

  She remained aware of the need for Silas to understand she would be leaving in a few weeks, so she often talked about her family and the women at the assisted-living community. In return, he shared that he didn’t like his school in New York. And when he talked about other kids being mean, she understood and decided to speak to Jake about it.

  One day when Noelle and Silas were walking on the beach, a little girl who looked about Silas’s age rushed over to them. “What are you doing?”

  “Looking for seashells,” said Silas importantly.

  “Can I come too?” she asked.

  Noelle smiled at her. “What’s your name?”

  “Grathie Thmith.”

  A woman strolled over to them. “Hello. I’m Sylvia Smith. Is Gracie bothering you?”

  “Not at all,” said Noelle. “I’m Noelle North and this is Silas Bellingham. I was about to ask if Gracie would like to come with us to look for shells. We won’t be long and we won’t go far.”

  Gracie tugged on her mother’s hand. “Mom, pleathe let me go with them.”

  “How about I come too?” said her mother. “I need the exercise.”

  Noelle smiled at her. “That would be lovely. Then we can get to know one another.”

  As Gracie and her mother moved forward looking for shells, Silas stayed in place, frowning.

  “What’s the matter?” Noelle asked.

  “She’s a girl and she talks funny,” Silas said in a loud whisper.

  “Gracie seems like a very nice little girl. You need to give her a chance to prove it,” Noelle said sternly. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Noelle sent a look of apology to Gracie’s mother as she and Silas approached.

  “You can go ahead Gracie,” said Sylvia. “But don’t go too far.”

  “And I’ll hold onto anything you find,” Noelle offered, showing Gracie the big pocket in her coverup.

  Silas hesitated for just a moment, then rushed forward. “Don’t take all the good ones.”

  Noelle and Sylvia looked at one another and laughed.

  “Kids. How many do you have?” Sylvia asked.

  “None,” Noelle replied, feeling a pang of disappointment. “I’m just helping out a family by spending time with Silas. Though, honestly, he’s wormed his way into my heart.”

  “He’s a darling little boy. I’m glad to see Gracie has found a friend. She’s been having problems at school because of her lisp. We have her in speech therapy but it takes time to learn to speak differently.”

  “I don’t understand where all the meanness is coming from,” said Noelle. “I don’t see it in the older people I’m working with, but some of their young visitors can be downright cruel. I don’t get it.”

  “They’ve started a kindness program at Gracie’s school, but it still hurts to be marked differently.” Sylvia shook her head. “There’s a little girl in Gracie’s class who imitates her. It’s very hurtful. But it’s important that Gracie is able to stand up for herself. I can’t be running into the school to defend my daughter all the time.”

  “Yes, I understand,” said Noelle.

  As the kids collected shells, Noelle and Sylvia were becoming acquainted. From outside New York City, Sylvia was a stay-at-home mom with Gracie and twin brothers who were just ten months old. She listened eagerly as Noelle told her about her job at the assisted-living community.

  “Sounds interesting,” said Sylvia. “I thought about being a nurse once, but then life and a guy named Rob happened.”

  At that moment, Silas came running to Noelle, holding his bag in the air. “I’ve got enough shells for today. Can we go home now?”

  “Let’s see what you have.” Noelle peered into his bag. “Looks like you found some very nice ones.”

  “It’s time for us to go back, anyway,” said Sylvia. “We have a nanny, but it’s not fair to leave her alone with the twins for too long.”

  Silas looked up at Gracie’s mother and took Noelle’s hand. “Noelle is my nanny.”

  At Sylvia’s look of surprise, Noelle said, “It’s complicated.”

  Sylvia laughed. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m so glad we met. See you later.” She turned to Gracie. “Say goodbye to Silas.”

  Gracie waved. “’Bye, Thilath.”

  “’Bye,” Silas said. He didn’t look at her as he rubbed a bare foot back and forth in the sand.

  After they’d walked away, Noelle said to Silas, “Let’s sit a moment.”

  When they were both settled on the ground, Noelle turned to Silas. “I know you didn’t want to be with Gracie, but I think you should remember to be kind. Playing with a girl shouldn’t matter and neither should how she talks matter to you. She was polite and kind to you. Why couldn’t you be kind to her?”

  Silas shrugged.

  “Remember the kids at your school who are sometimes mean to you?”

  Silas made a face and nodded.

  “How did that make you feel? Good?”

  “Unh-unh.”

  “Remember that, Silas. Now, I’d better walk you home. It’s getting late.”

  On the walk home, Silas was quiet. Noelle let him be, hoping he was thinking about Gracie.

  She saw that Silas was safely inside the house and went to visit Althea. With more activity around her and the exercises her new physical therapist was doing with her, Althea seemed much more alert and happier.

  Noelle was sitting and holding Althea’s hand, chatting, when Jake came into the room.

  “May I talk to you, Noelle?” he said in a commanding voice.

  “Sure. I’ll be right there,” she replied.

  “Now,” Jake said.

  Stiffening at the way he’d spoken to her, Noelle rose and faced him. “What is the problem?”

  “I need to talk to you about something,” he said, glancing at his grandmother.

  Noelle leaned down and gave Althea a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

  Outside, Althea’s room, Noelle turned to Jake. “You were rude to me. I don’t appreciate it.”

  Jake’s mouth dropped. “You work for me. Remember?”

  “I’m a friend to Silas and Althea. That’s it.” She glared at him. “And I do it for free. So, no, I don’t work for you.”

  Jake held up both hands and backed away. “Sorry. Sorry. It’s just that Silas is crying and I need to find out why. He says it’s your fault.”

  “Yes, if teaching him to be kind is my fault, so be it. I talked to him about treating a little girl with a lisp kindly. That’s it. I’m going now before I say something I may regret.”

  She moved past him, out of the house, and onto the beach, as angry as she’d ever been. Breaking into a run, her feet pounded the sand in a steady beat until she finally slowed.

  “Jake Bellingham is the most frustrating man I’ve ever met,” she declared to the sandpipers scurrying along the sand, sending them rushing to get away from the anger in her voice.

  Noelle laughed at their antics, releasing the feelings that battled inside her. She couldn’t deny she was attracted to Jake at the same time
he annoyed the crap out of her. Boston seemed so safe, so boring.

  Back at the cottage, Noelle looked up a recipe online for a chicken dish. As she’d told Jake, she was determined to become a better cook. And she’d found that once she was into making something new, she enjoyed it.

  She decided on a lemon chicken recipe and made a list of things she’d need to buy. As she was driving to the store, she thought about her life choices and why she’d be careful in the future. She’d been young and foolish about so many things—boyfriends, wanting material things, being swayed by the opinion of others. Some women didn’t like being in their thirties, but Noelle was finding it liberating.

  Feeling better about her day, she parked the car and entered the Seaside Gourmet market with a spring in her step.

  She’d just picked up a couple of lemons in the produce department when she heard a familiar voice behind her. “You going to add any sugar to those lemons?”

  Noelle whipped around to find Brett grinning at her.

  “What are you doing here in Florida? I thought you had to be in New York.”

  “I came home for a break. New York is exhausting. I need a couple days of sunshine and sea air. Right now, I’m picking up some of Nana’s favorite treats for her.”

  “Understandable,” Noelle said.

  “What are you making?” Brett asked. “Anything interesting?”

  She laughed and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you hinting for an invitation to dinner?”

  “I thought of it,” he admitted sheepishly.

  “Come to Seashell Cottage at six thirty. I’m trying something new.”

  His look of surprise brought another soft laugh out of her. “I’ve decided to learn how to cook more adventuresome things.”

  “Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks, huh?”

  She swatted him. “Are you sure you’re not one of my brothers incognito?”

  He laughed. “Just keeping you on your toes. I’ll see you at six thirty.”

  She watched him leave, thinking it would be nice to have a pleasant evening with a man who had no interest in her beyond being a friend. Though she hadn’t intended to do so, she realized she’d been stuck in an emotional limbo for the past two years, wondering if she’d ever find a decent man. Now she was thinking of other things—improving her cooking skills, perhaps following through on requests to speak to various groups and classes about elder abuse, and learning to enjoy simple things like reading novels, walking the beach, and discovering quiet moments. But her main focus at the moment was helping a little boy celebrate Christmas—the one thing she’d hoped to avoid.

  ###

  She’d just finished putting the casserole together and was about to clean up the mess she’d made when her cell phone rang. She checked Caller ID. Brett.

  “Don’t tell me you’re backing out of dinner,” she teased. “I’ve just finished making it.”

  “Uh ... actually, that’s why I’m calling. There’s an emergency in New York, and I’m flying up there this evening. Can we make it for another time?”

  “Sure, I understand,” she said, unable to hide her disappointment.

  “I’ve spoken to Jake and he said he’d love to take my place. He’s been stuck in the office here all day. I’m sure he’d like to get away for a while.”

  She hesitated.

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that. I’ll tell him to forget it,” said Brett. “I do hope, though, we can make it another time. I’m a very competent test taster of homecooked meals.”

  Noelle smiled. He sounded just like her brother Mike. And what harm would it be to have an evening with Jake? Maybe they could make it through dinner without getting on each other’s nerves. “Brett? Tell Jake I’ll see him at six thirty. Have a safe trip.”

  “Thanks.”

  Noelle clicked off the call, hoping her new recipe turned out well. Brett would be easily satisfied, but Jake was a good cook and would know right away if she messed up. She didn’t like the idea of disappointing him or herself.

  After cleaning up the kitchen, Noelle went into her bedroom to change her clothes. With Brett, she might’ve stayed in her jeans. But Jake was always so properly dressed, she decided to put on a clean pair of slacks and a blue sweater that everyone had told her matched the blue in her eyes. Her mother always told her it never hurt to look nice.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Noelle tried not to feel nervous as she went to answer the knock on the door. But cooking for other people was new to her. She told herself that, and not seeing Jake, was the reason for the flutter in her stomach.

  When she opened the door and saw Jake standing there in a crisp, plaid shirt and pressed, khaki pants, she was glad she’d taken a little extra time with herself. Her hair, normally a curly mess, was nicely brushed and her eyes enhanced with mascara and eye shadow.

  “Thanks for having me for dinner,” Jake said, and handed her a bottle of white wine. “Thought this might go with whatever lemony thing you’re cooking.”

  Noelle smiled and accepted the bottle from him. “Come on in. Guess Brett filled you in on what I am attempting to do.”

  Jake chuckled quietly. “Cooking isn’t as hard as some people think. If you’re good at math, can figure out what works, and change it up a bit, you have a chance of making something tasty.”

  “It’s the changing it up thing that worries me. My mother just seems to throw things in a bowl, mix it up, and bake it, and it comes out perfect.”

  “Ah, my mother was the same way when she was home long enough to prepare dinner.”

  Noelle heard the sadness in his voice and said, “It will be interesting to see how this comes out. If it’s too awful to eat, we can always have cereal or scrambled eggs.”

  Jake pretended to shudder. “I’m sure it won’t come to that.”

  Noelle remained quiet. There’d been plenty of evenings when cereal or an egg was exactly what she’d fixed for dinner.

  “Would you like me to pour the wine?” Jake said.

  “Yes, that would be nice. I’ve set out two glasses on the counter along with an opener.”

  Jake grinned. “You’re well-prepared, I see.”

  “Be prepared is one of my mottos from way back when. And in my business, it’s important to be ready for anything.”

  Jake’s expression grew serious. “I’m sorry about snapping at you earlier. It’s been a tough few weeks at work, and something’s happening with Silas that I don’t understand. He’s talking more about his mother, arguing with me, and crying over stuff that never used to bother him.”

  “Hmmm. I’m sorry to hear that. Gracie is a little girl Silas and I met on the beach. When she asked to join us looking for shells, Silas told me he didn’t want to be with her because she’s a girl and talked funny. I spoke to him about being kind. He might have been ashamed but that’s all. As I mentioned earlier, some of the kids at school have bullied him. It could have something to do with not having a mother. I don’t know the details, but I think you should be aware of it. I wanted to tell you this earlier, but never had the chance.”

  Jake let out a long sigh. “I know he’s missing his mother, but I’m not about to plunge into another serious relationship right away. I can’t do that. Someone who might make a great mother for Silas might not make a suitable wife for me. I’m sure you understand.”

  “I do indeed,” she answered.

  They exchanged smiles.

  “Now that we have an understanding of our futures, how about some wine?” Noelle said in an attempt to lighten up the conversation.

  Jake poured the wine and raised his glass to hers. “Here’s to us! May we never rush into a relationship!”

  Laughing, they clicked glasses.

  “Let’s sit in the living room,” Noelle said after taking a sip of the wine. “I think we’ll be more comfortable there.”

  “Sounds great. I’ve been studying numbers all day, and staring at a lovely woman will be a very nic
e change.” He winked at her.

  Knowing the compliment didn’t mean anything, Noelle smiled. She’d have a very nice view too.

  As she sat in a chair facing him on the couch, Noelle was curious about the man whose son she loved. “You talked about your mother cooking whenever she could. Is that how you learned? With her?”

  Jake shook his head. “No, I hung around the kitchen of the New York hotel. One of the sous chefs worked with me from time to time, and then I took a couple of cooking classes thinking I might like to own a restaurant one day. But if you want to have success, owning a restaurant can be even more time consuming than owning a hotel. And, besides, I knew Brett and I would end up running a hotel one day. I just didn’t think it would be like this—with my parents missing and overseeing three hotels, not one.”

  “And now, I suppose, you expect Silas to come into the business when he’s older.”

  “I hope so.” Jake shrugged. “But only if that’s what he wants. At one time, I thought I’d have a large family and those of my children who wanted to be a part of the hotel world would be. But life got in the way.”

  “So, you have other people manage them for you?”

  “Oh, yes. We’ve found capable people to manage the hotels, but we still must oversee the operations. So many things can go wrong or get off track. I’m finding that as my father aged, he didn’t pay attention to some things that should have been turned over to Brett or me.”

  “You’re the numbers guy and Brett more the PR guy?”

  Jake smiled. “Yeah, I’m the boring brother.”

  Noelle’s lips curved. She was well aware that most women would consider him anything but boring.

  “Tell me about your family,” said Jake, leaning forward with interest.

  Noelle found it easy to talk about the people she loved and how she was considered the spoiled baby sister by her three rowdy, older brothers. By the time the oven buzzer rang, Jake was laughing at the stories of how the four of them had caused such havoc for the parents who loved them equally.

  Warmed by the memories, Noelle left the living room to finish dinner preparation in the kitchen.