Once Upon a Christmas (7 page)

“I don’t do tinsel. Hides the ornaments.” She reached across the branch to hand him the lights and at his touch nearly dropped the loops of lights. They could well have been hot for all she could think. He looked as shocked as she felt. Warmth flowed from the top of her head to her toes. “Ah, do you—” she huffed out a sigh. “Ah, I mean you could wrap that branch if you would.”

“Sure.” His gaze never left her face.

They finished the lights and stood back as he flipped the switch on the cord. “No crawling under the tree to turn on the lights, never again.”

Matty sniffed the tree branches, picked up a broken twig and laid down to chew on it.

“No, Matty, sorry, that’s not for you.” Her gaze followed him as he took it to the kitchen and dumped it in the trash.

Blythe brought her attention back to the tree, which kept her from following his progress, as his dog was doing. The seven foot noble fir could have been a ten-foot
one in this room, but even so, the symmetry was perfect. She opened the boxes of ornaments and hung the first one on an upper branch.

“My grandmother made these for me.” She held one of the ribbon-and-beaded creations up for him to see. “We’ll be careful and put the prettiest and most fragile above where little fingers and doggy noses can’t reach. My sister taught me that.”

“How does Harley manage with the tree?”

“His tail can be lethal, so I do the same at home. The first year he ate a couple of ornaments so I make sure no glass ones are near the bottom. You’ll see that there are felt and painted wooden ones I put down there.” She hung another of her treasures and looked up to find him staring at her. “What?”

“Thank you for bringing all these. I probably would have gone down to a store, seen a tree that looked okay and told the clerk, ‘I want all of those boxed and shipped.’ Or even the entire tree if I thought a fake one would work.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“One year when I had a company party at my house, I hired a florist to do the entire thing.”

Blythe shook her head. “Christmas has always been my favorite season. I started early so I could enjoy every minute of it.”

“So this year has been doubly hard.”

“Yes.” She sniffed. Surely she hadn’t missed it enough to cry over it.

Thane set the star on top and they stepped back to admire their handiwork.

“I have cider in the fridge, can you stay long enough for a cup? Of course, heated in the microwave is not like homemade but…”

She smiled up at him. “It’s the thought that counts.”

“Sit down and I’ll get it.”

“I’ll clean this up.”

“No, I’ll do that later. You sit.” He pointed to the corner of the sofa.

“All right.” She sank into the leather with a sigh. I better not sit too long or I’ll fall asleep. Matty came over and laid her chin on Blythe’s knee. “You are such a sweet dog.” Rubbing the dog’s ears and watching the tree made her feel like she was floating in peace.

“Here you go.” He handed her a mug of cider, redolent with spices and a cinnamon stick to stir with.

“Thank you.” She breathed in the fragrance. “I haven’t done any baking or anything.” So many beloved traditions gone by the way side. All because she took on too much work.

Thane set his mug on the table and sat down beside her, not quite touching but close enough she could smell his aftershave.

She turned and her knee brushed his.

He leaned forward and picked up his mug, lifting it in a toast. “To the best Christmas ever.”

She clinked her mug to his but almost shook her head. No way could this become the best Christmas ever. They sipped their cider, watching each other over the rims. What mouths failed to say, eyes shouted loud and clear. He took her cider mug and set it on the table beside his.

“Blythe, I…”

A languid river lapped at her senses. Time slowed as they leaned closer to each other. With one hand, he cupped her cheek and drew her closer. Their lips touched, brushed.

A tinkle of ornaments. A dog yip.

“Matty, no!” Thane leaped from the sofa and grabbed the tree just before it crashed to the floor. Matty scooted over to her crate and disappeared inside. He made sure the tree was standing straight again. “Silly dog.”

“On that note, I’m heading home.” Blythe made sure her knees would hold her before she took a step. “Talk about a smashing finale.”

He shrugged, his ten-volt smile saddened around the edges. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

T
o go to church or not go to church, that is the question.

Harley jumped up on the bed beside her and planted both front paws on her chest, staring into her eyes, doggy grin firmly in place.

“Ugh, get off you monster. How can a sixty-pound dog weigh a ton?”

He swiped her chin with his tongue and flopped beside her, his sigh saying this was pure heaven. A soft bed, the light of his life and—he lifted her hand with his nose. And petting. He sighed again.

If I get going now, I could go to the early service again and be home in time to hit the computer before anyone calls. Unless it was Thane, of course. He seemed to call at any time and though she tried to not want him to, it wasn’t happening. In her case, matter won over mind without a real battle.

Or I could work for awhile, go to regular service and sneak out before Mom insists I come for dinner. I should
have invited Thane to family dinner. That would either scare him away or…

“Or nothing. Mind, you must remember that since Amie came into his life, we will be nothing but friends. I cannot, will not, take on little kids. If only they came in older packages, like the girls.” She always referred to her two nieces as “the girls.” She closed her eyes against the memory, the fear grabbing her like a lion shaking its kill. She rolled over and buried her face in Harley’s soft ears. I can’t go through something like that again. I can’t.

Rather than allowing the memories to haunt her, she ordered her dog off the bed, threw back the covers and snagged her robe before heading to the kitchen. Dog out first, fix coffeepot second. As she poured the water in the container, she thought back to the almost kiss the night before. Foiled by a dog and a falling tree. The irony of it made her laugh.

“God, you sure do have a good sense of humor. If this is not the man for me, I should not be kissing him anyway, right?”

The only thing she heard was Harley yipping at the back door.

The music team had already started to play by the time Blythe made it to church. Good thing she’d dressed before she’d hit the computer. The hour and a half had flown by. She found a seat and greeted the older couple sitting in the middle of the pew. She’d known them for years. Closing her eyes, she let the music seep in and her haste leak out.
Thank You, Father that You come to greet me, that
You are here, that I am here in spite of all that is piling up on me. Fill me and everyone here with Your Holy Spirit.

She felt someone take the empty seat on her left, but kept her eyes closed, the better to focus on worship. When the opening chords of “Now is the Time” flowed through her, she opened her eyes and stood along with everyone else. As if pulled by an unseen string, her gaze turned to the person beside her. “Thane.”

He smiled down at her, Amie on his left arm. “We made it.”

While her heart had been singing worship before, now the praise poured forth, the words and music lifting her higher and higher. Thane came to church. He was standing right beside her. They were singing together. He’d said he only sang in the shower. Then how come his voice turned her insides to jelly and made her want to sing with all her might?

While Amie was restless at first, she soon fell asleep on Thane’s lap. The warmth of his shoulder melted into Blythe’s, drawing her closer as if being by his side was right where she belonged. After the pastor pronounced the blessing and everyone stood to sing the final hymn, Amie whimpered and rubbed her eyes.

“I’m glad you came.” Talk about an understatement.

Thane set Amie on the pew seat and helped her into her jacket. “Me, too. This service is different from what I’m used to but—but this was good.”

“Surely this is the Thane we’ve been hearing about.” Blythe’s sister held out her hand.

Suzanne, I might have to do you serious bodily harm.
Like I’ve been raving about him or something. Blythe glanced up to see Thane’s eyes sparkling with laughter. “Thane, meet my sister, Suzanne.”

“After our phone conversations, I feel like I already know you. How’s the ad coming?”

“If you would read it over, I’d appreciate it.”

“Gladly.” She turned to the couple who’d come up behind her. “Thane, this is our mom and dad, Elsa and Arne.”

“We’ve already met.” Thane shook Arne’s hand. “I’m glad to meet you, Mrs. Stensrude. And this is my niece, Amie.”

“Call me Elsa, please. Has Suzanne invited you to come with us for dinner yet?”

“No, but…” Thane glanced down at Blythe.

“Sorry, but I won’t be coming. Mom, I just can’t. I have to turn this project in to the company tomorrow morning without fail.”

“You’re working too hard, dear.”

“I’ve learned my lesson, I’m not booking this much again.” There, she’d made the commitment. “I’m really sorry.” Sunday was family day in the Stensrude clan and Blythe hated missing it.

Elsa turned to Thane. “You are welcome to come anyway. Amie will have a good time with our granddaughters.”

“That’s a bit of an imposition, isn’t it?”

“Not at all—Mom invites strangers home all the time.” Suzanne laughed. “Not that you’re a stranger, or
strange,
that is.”

Blythe smiled over the glare she sent her sister.
Knock it off.

“You can follow us home then.” Arne touched Thane’s arm. “We always have room for two more at our table.”

Blythe hugged her family goodbye and walked with Thane out to the parking lot.

“I wish you were coming.”

“Me, too. You’ll have fun, just don’t believe everything you hear.”

All afternoon she gritted her teeth and forced thoughts of them all having a good time without her to run away and leave her alone.
Thank You, God, for such intense powers of concentration,
was her heartfelt prayer.

“It’s nothing fancy,” Elsa said as everyone sat down at the table. “Does that high chair work for Amie?”

“Sure does, thank you.” Thane gave Suzanne a smile of relief and thanks when she got the tray to snap in place.

The two nieces sat together on Thane’s other side, peeking around him to wave at Amie and make her giggle.

“Alison, Brittany.” Suzanne set a bowl of mashed potatoes in the center of the table and took her chair.

“I hope everyone can settle down so we can have grace.” Arne looked over his glasses at the two girls.

They grinned back at him and folded their hands.

Out of the corner of his eye, Thane watched Amie copy the other girls, but with an ease that said his sister had taught her some manners. Maybe Linnie hadn’t given up praying, either. The thought opened the door to the last time he saw her at the jail.
LynnEllen, God help you, for I no longer can.
The amen brought him
back to the table. What if she were telling the truth? He relegated the thought to the impossible bin and let his anger at her tighten his jaw.

“Here, sweetie, how about some potatoes?” Elsa spooned a dab unto Amie’s plate, then added gravy. “Here you go, Thane. Help yourself.”

When everyone was served, Elsa jumped up. “Oh, the rolls. They’re probably burned to a crisp.”

“I was supposed to remember the rolls—sorry everyone.” Suzanne shook her head. Her husband, Jason, nudged her in the ribs.

“Just because you’re not eating bread, you want us all to suffer.”

“Right. And if you don’t behave you won’t get any pie and ice cream, either.”

Jason looked across at Thane. “You got to watch these Stensrude women, they’ll threaten you with no dessert at the slightest offense.”

Suzanne rolled her eyes. “Like you look as if you’ve missed a lot of desserts.”

Thane laughed with the rest of them. He caught Jason’s wink, commented on the rolls which, though browned a bit, were still delicious. “Homemade rolls?”

“Mom wouldn’t be caught dead serving store-bought.” Suzanne smiled at her mother. “Not like her two daughters. That’s why we eat Sunday dinner here.”

“So we can get a good meal at least once a week.” Jason tried to look pathetic, which set his daughters giggling.

How I wish Blythe were here to enjoy this. The ten years since his parents died had dimmed his memories of
a happy family dinner. But they returned in a swarm. He and his sister teasing each other. His father making his mother laugh. Thane paused, hoping to hear again his mother’s laughter, his sister’s giggles. But while the pictures came, the sound was too dim to register. Too much sadness buried the song.

“Drink your milk, that’s good, Amie.” He wiped her face with a napkin.

“She cleaned her plate all up, what a good girl.” Elsa patted Amie’s hand. “You want some pie and ice cream?”

Amie nodded. “Ice cream.”

“Pie, too?”

She shook her head. “Ice cream.”

“Looks like she knows her own mind,” Arne said as he passed the chair with a stack of plates to carry to the kitchen.

“That she does.”
How much do they know about us?
Thane picked up his plate and started to rise, but Elsa shook her head. “You’re company, you get to be waited on.”

“That’s for today, after that you’re considered family and we all pitch in.” Jason passed by carrying two serving dishes.

After dessert, Amie followed the two girls back to a bedroom that had been turned into a children’s sleepover and playroom with a dollhouse, dolls, and all kinds of games and craft things.

“So, how’s the house hunting going?” Suzanne asked as she poured him a second cup of coffee.

“I made an offer on one this morning, that’s why I was almost late to church.”

“Where?” Jason held up his cup.

“Out off Alhambra Valley Road.”

“Good for you.” Arne picked up the trash to take out, but Jason smiled.

“I’ll do that.”

“So, did you get the tree up?” Arne led the way into the family room where a larger tree filled the bay window.

“Last night. Blythe brought over her ornaments and tree stand.”

“You didn’t have any ornaments?” Suzanne turned from adjusting one of the red glass balls on the tree.

“I haven’t had a tree since…well, a lot of years. It never seemed necessary and what with getting my business off the ground, I just didn’t take the time.”

“How sad. Don’t you ever go home for Christmas?”

Suzanne’s question made Thane sigh. “After my parents died, there’s been no home to go back to.”

“Leave it to me to stick my foot in my mouth. I’m sorry.” Suzanne sat down on the arm of the chair Jason had leaned back in. “Guess we take a lot for granted, don’t we?”

“So, tell us about your house.” Jason slid his arm around his wife’s waist.

Thane told them about the houses he’d looked at and why he chose the one he did. After the discussion, he turned to Suzanne. “I have my ad here, you want to look at it?”

“Of course.” She crossed the room to get it and read it standing by Thane. “Will driving be important?”

“Of course.”

“Then you need to add that. And English speaking.”

He nodded. “Thanks. Anything else?”

“You’ll want to run it in both the
Contra Costa Times
and the
San Francisco Chronicle.
”

“And the
Oakland Tribune?
”

“Wouldn’t hurt.”

Amie came and leaned up against his knee.

“You tired, sweetheart?”

She shook her head, but the eyes told the story.

“Think we better get on home. Thank you for the delicious dinner and good visit. You all have a gift of making a stranger feel welcome.”

“You’re not a stranger, son. You’re welcome anytime.” Arne stood and shook Thane’s hand.

Elsa pressed a package in his hand. “For later.”

“That’s one thing you’ll learn about our family. You never go home without something to snack on later.”

“Thank you, all.”

Alison helped Amie into her coat. “Here, you take this one.” She pressed a tiny baby doll into Amie’s hands.

“Thank you, Alison. That was most generous.” Thane picked Amie up and with the package under his other arm, headed for the car, the family goodbyes and come again’s ringing like the bells of Christmas.

When they returned home, for the first time, in spite of the tree and the scattered toys and Matty yipping her joy, the condo seemed lifeless. He put the sleeping little girl in her bed and tiptoed from the room. Four o’clock. Time to get back to work.
Ah, Blythe, it’s a shame we can’t work in the same office.