One Special Christmas & Home for the Holidays (30 page)

By Friday, when Nick still hadn't contacted her, Laura began to think that maybe he'd gotten the message, after all. But instead of feeling relieved, she was filled with despair. Which made no sense at all.

As Laura left her office Friday night, she was determined to put Nick out of her mind. She'd been looking forward to this rare long weekend at home for months, and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it. Once she got there, she wouldn't have time to think about him, anyway. The Anderson Fourth of July gathering was legendary, drawing family from far and wide for what had become an annual family reunion. Laura had missed several during her marriage to Joe, but none since.

She climbed into her car, depositing a portfolio on the seat beside her. Lately she'd been swamped, but she wasn't going to complain. The lean years were still too vivid in her memory. If she had to work a little more tonight at home before calling it a day, so be it. She'd have four glorious days of freedom after that.

Suddenly her stomach rumbled, and Laura grinned at the message. She'd worked through lunch, and now she was ravenous. With any luck she could have a simple
meal on the table within an hour, she thought, placing her key in the ignition.

But luck was against her. When she turned the key, the engine sputtered but didn't catch. She tried again, with the same result. A third attempt was equally futile.

Laura stared at the dashboard in disbelief. Her little compact car might be old, but it had always been reliable. How could it pick tonight to act up? Without much hope, Laura climbed out of the car and lifted the hood. She had some rudimentary knowledge of mechanics, but nothing appeared to be out of order. Which meant that the car would have to be towed to the shop, she thought resignedly.

Two hours later, the mechanic emerged from the garage, wiping his hands on a greasy rag. Larry had been working on her car for several years, mostly doing routine maintenance, and Laura trusted him implicitly. He'd gone out of his way for her more than once, including tonight, staying well beyond quitting time to help her out.

“Well?” she asked hopefully.

“Sorry, Laura,” he said, shaking his head regretfully. “There's nothing I can do tonight. She's got a problem, all right, but it'll take me a while to figure it out. I'd come in tomorrow, but I'm taking the family down to Silver Dollar City for the holiday. We've had the reservations for months,” he said apologetically.

Laura's spirits sank. “I understand, Larry.”

“I'll work on it first thing Tuesday, though,” he offered.

“I guess that's the best we can do,” she said, suddenly weary.

“Can I give you a lift somewhere?” Larry asked.

“Well…” Laura hesitated, loath to put him to any more trouble. But she only lived a couple of miles from the garage. “If you're sure it's not a problem…”

“Not at all. Just let me turn off the lights.”

By the time Larry dropped her off at her apartment, it was nearly eight o'clock. She let herself in, too tired now to even consider making dinner. Besides, she'd lost her appetite.

 

Dejectedly, Laura sank into one of her overstuffed chairs and weighed her options. Sam would have been the logical one to turn to for help. But Sam had left today for a week's vacation in Chicago. Besides, asking for a ride to the office was one thing. Asking for a ride halfway across the state was another. Even if Sam was here she doubted whether she could bring herself to impose to that extent.

On a holiday weekend like this one she'd never find a rental car—at least not one she could afford. She could take a bus, but with all the stops and time spent waiting for connections it hardly seemed worth the effort. Besides, long bus rides inevitably made her feel carsick.

The apartment gradually grew dark, but Laura made no move to turn on any lights. The gloom suited her mood. She'd been looking forward to this family weekend for so long. This just wasn't fair. But then, life wasn't, as she well knew.

Laura thought ahead to the weekend stretching emptily before her. She ought to call and let her mom know she wouldn't be coming. But she knew how disappointed her mother would be, and she couldn't bring
herself to do it quite yet. Maybe her fairy godmother would appear with a coach, she fantasized. There were plenty of mice in this building to turn into footmen, she thought ruefully.

Laura rested her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes. She desperately needed some R and R. There had to be a solution to this dilemma, but at the moment she was too tired to figure it out. So she put it in the hands of the Lord.
Please help me find a way to get home,
she prayed silently.
I need to be with my family this weekend. Please.

She must have dozed slightly, because the sudden ringing of the phone jolted her upright. Sleepily she fumbled for the light, squinting against its sudden brightness, and made her way to the phone.

“Hello.”

“Laura?”

“Nick!” She was suddenly awake. “Hi.”

“Hi. You didn't sound like yourself for a minute there.”

“I was half-asleep,” she admitted.

“At nine-thirty? That doesn't fit your normal pattern. Are you sick?”

“No. Just tired.”

“It's a good thing you're taking a few days off,” he said. “You need a break.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn't look like I'm going to get one, after all,” she said tiredly.

“What do you mean?”

“My car gave out. It's in the shop, and they won't be able to get to it until Tuesday.”

“Laura, I'm sorry.” The deep, mellow tones of his voice stroked her soothingly. “I know how much you've
been looking forward to this. Is there any other way for you to get there?”

“Actually, I was sitting around waiting for my fairy godmother to come and conjure up a coach,” she said, trying to keep her voice light.

“What?” He sounded puzzled, and she had to laugh.

“Nothing. You obviously didn't read fairy tales when you were growing up.”

“Oh.” She heard the glimmer of understanding dawn in his voice. “Cinderella.”

“Very good. The only problem is, my fairy godmother seems to have taken off for the weekend, too.” There was silence on the other end of the line, and Laura frowned. “Nick? Are you still there?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking. Listen, Laura, I may not be a fairy godmother, and my car may not be a coach, but why don't you let me give you a ride?”

There was a moment of silence while she absorbed this offer. “Are you serious?” she said at last, her voice incredulous.

“Absolutely.”

“But…that's really generous of you… My family lives three hours from here,” she stumbled over her words, too taken aback by the offer to be coherent. “And besides, I don't want to disrupt your plans for the holiday,” she added more lucidly.

“You won't be. As a matter of fact, I was just going to go over to Jack's on the Fourth for a barbecue. I didn't have anything else scheduled. And, to be honest, I'd much rather spend the time with you.”

Laura bit her lip. The temptation to accept was strong, given her desperate desire to go south and the
lack of any other options. But how could she accept his offer, knowing she was planning to end their relationship? It wouldn't be honest, or fair.

“Look, Laura, I'm not inviting myself to your party. There must be a motel in town, and I'll settle for whatever time you can spare during the holiday,” he said quietly.

“Nick, it's too much to ask.”

“You didn't ask. I offered.”

“No,” she said firmly. “If you come, you come as my guest. There's always plenty of room at the house, even with all the relatives there. Mom loves company. It's no problem, and she'd never forgive me if I let you stay at the motel.”

“I don't want to impose,” he said firmly.

“I think you've got it backward. I'm the one who's imposing. Giving you a place to sleep is small compensation in return for the favor.”

“Oh, there may be other compensations,” he said lightly.

Laura stiffened. “Look, Nick. Your offer is generous. But I can't accept it if there are strings attached.”

“You mean you won't even feed me?” he said disappointedly. “Man, I was hoping to at least get a good, home-cooked meal out of this.”

“Oh.” Laura was confused. Had she read too much into that last comment? Besides, what made her think he was that interested in her? Sure, they'd kissed a time or two. But that was probably the way he said good-night to every woman he dated. She took a deep breath. “Well, of course we'll feed you. Mom puts on quite a spread on the Fourth. In fact, it's sort of like a Norman Rockwell scene—long tables covered with
checkered cloths and loaded down with every kind of all-American food you can imagine.”

“Now you're talking,” he said enthusiastically. “What time do we leave?”

“Well, I have a Christian Youth Outreach board meeting at eight-thirty. It should be over by eleven. I could be ready by noon,” she replied. Somehow the conversation had gotten out of hand. She didn't remember ever saying she'd go with him, and now they were making departure plans.

“Do you need a ride to the meeting?”

“No, but thank you,” she said, touched by the offer. “There's another board member I can call.”

“Okay. Then your coach will be there at twelve o'clock sharp, Cinderella. We'll grab some lunch on the way. Now go to bed and stop worrying. We're going to have a great weekend,” he said confidently.

Laura replaced the receiver slowly, wishing she felt half as confident as Nick sounded. Being in his presence for four days was more apt to be nerve-racking and unsettling than relaxing, she thought. But as long as they stayed around the family she should be safe, she told herself. Besides, instead of focusing on the pitfalls, she should be grateful for his offer. Without Nick, she'd spend the holiday weekend sitting alone in her apartment. She'd asked the Lord for help, and He had come through for her. Okay, so it was a two-edged sword. She was going home, but she also had to deal with Nick. She'd just have to make sure they were never alone, she thought resolutely. Considering the size of the group, that wouldn't be too hard to
arrange. Or would it? she wondered, suddenly sure that if Nick wanted to get her alone, he would find a way. And worse, she would let him.

L
aura was waiting when Nick arrived the next morning, still unsure how this had all come about, still uncertain about the wisdom of it. But Nick seemed to be on top of the world, reaching over to smooth away her frown lines with gentle fingers when he greeted her.

“What's this? Worried? Did you think your coach wouldn't materialize?” he teased.

“No, I knew you'd come. You're a pretty reliable guy.”

“Thank you. Then why the frown?”

Laura crossed her arms over her chest in a self-protective hug. She'd wrestled with this problem all night. She knew she should have told him earlier in the week that she didn't want to see him socially anymore, and she should never have agreed to this arrangement. But she wanted to go home so badly, and the offer of a ride had been too tempting to refuse last night. Now she had second thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, she faced him. “Nick, I'm just not sure this is right. I feel like I'm misleading you at best and using you at worst.”

“Why?”

“Because…because I…I really don't think that getting involved with each other is a good idea.”

Nick felt a knot forming in his stomach. He wasn't surprised. He'd sensed earlier in the week that she was backing off. But he hadn't expected to confront it now.

“No? Why not? Don't you like me?” He grinned at her engagingly, his easy manner giving away nothing of his inner turmoil. He'd been planning to put off this discussion until after the holiday, but as long as he was going with her—and he
was
going with her, no matter what she said—they might as well get it out in the open now.

Laura found herself smiling at his teasing tone. “Of course I like you.”

“Well, that's a start.”

“Nick,” she said reprovingly. “Will you be serious?”

“On a beautiful day like this? Mmm…that's asking a lot.”

“Well, could you try for just a minute?”

“Sure. I'll give it my best effort.” He settled himself on the arm of her sofa. “Shoot.”

Laura moved restlessly over to the window, double-checking the lock she knew was in place. Now that she had his attention, how could she explain her reluctance? “Nick, you remember two weekends ago, in the parking lot?” she asked tentatively.

“You better believe it. It's been on my mind all week.”

Laura gave him a startled look, then glanced away, nervously tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well, do you remember what I said about being scared?”

“Yes.” Now his tone was more serious.

“I still am. Maybe more than ever. I'm just not ready for any kind of…” She stopped, fumbling for the right word, reluctant to make him think she was jumping to conclusions about his interest in her.

“Intimacy?”

She flushed. “Yes. And I have the feeling that's what you may be after.”

“Guilty,” he admitted readily.

She stared at him, taken aback at his unexpected honesty. The words she'd been about to say evaporated.

Nick stood and moved in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders as his eyes locked on hers compellingly. “So now you know,” he said quietly. “I like you a lot, Laura Taylor. I think something could develop here. I think you feel the same, and that's why you're scared. I've been completely honest about my feelings and my intentions, because some instinct tells me that you respect total honesty. No games. And I'm also being honest when I say that I realize you have some problems that prevent you from moving as quickly as I might want to. I also respect that. You can set the pace in this relationship.”

Laura hadn't expected such a direct approach, and she was momentarily confused. Nick cared about her. He'd made that clear. Cared enough not to rush her. All he was asking her to do was give it a chance. “Nick, I—I'm not sure what to say. You may be wasting your time. I can't make any promises.”

“I'm not asking you to. I'm willing to take my chances. Who knows? Maybe my charms will win you
over,” he said with a grin, his tone suddenly lighter. “Now, is the serious discussion over for the day?” he asked, casually draping an arm around her shoulders.

“Yes, I guess so.”

“Good. Then your coach awaits.”

Laura still wasn't comfortable. She respected Nick's honesty, and she'd made her position clear, so the guilt was gone. But in its place was a knot of tension so real it made breathing difficult. Because now there was no question about Nick's interest. He wanted to date her; he wanted to see where their relationship might lead. Only God knew why, considering how messed up she was emotionally, but he did. And what was worse, she was beginning to want the same thing. Nick was a handsome, intelligent man with an engaging manner and an easy charm. But beyond that, he was also considerate and caring and gentle. Or at least he seemed to be. And there lay the problem. Laura no longer trusted her judgment when it came to men. She'd made one mistake, and the price had been high. More than she was willing to pay a second time. So where did that leave her with Nick?

Maybe, she thought, she should just take this one day at a time. And perhaps this weekend she should try to forget about heavy issues and just enjoy herself. After all, she'd been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Why ruin it by worrying about her relationship with Nick for the next few days? She needed to unwind, and that wasn't the way to do it.

Nick also seemed eager to relax, she thought as they headed south, through rolling wooded hills and farmland. He kept the conversation light, chatting about inconsequential things, and even made her laugh now
and then. Without even realizing it, she began to relax, her pressures and worries slowly easing as they drove through the restful, green countryside.

“So…are you getting hungry?” he said, turning to her with a smile.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” she admitted.

“Well, considering that I haven't spent a lot of time down in this area, Bennie's Burgers is about the extent of my suggestions,” he said, nodding to a drive-though hamburger spot off the interstate.

She laughed. “Not exactly gourmet fare, I bet. Actually, there is one place I've been wanting to try. But it's a little out of our way,” she said hesitantly.

“Are we on a schedule?”

“No.”

“Then let's give it a shot. Where is it?”

“St. Genevieve. It's just a few miles off the interstate.”

“Ah, St. Genevieve. The old French settlement,” he said. “I was there a couple of times on class assignments when I was getting my degree.”

“Isn't it charming?” she said enthusiastically. “My minister's sister opened a tea room there a year ago, and it's gotten some good press in St. Louis. I've been wanting to try it, but I just never seem to find the time to drive down there. Plus, I haven't seen her in a long time, and it would be nice to say hello. We all grew up together in Jersey,” she explained.

“Sounds great to me,” he said agreeably.

They found the restaurant with little trouble, right in the heart of the historic district. Laura's eyes roamed appreciatively over the charming country French decor as they were led to their table, and after they were seated
she turned to the hostess, a slightly plump, white-haired woman with a pleasant round face. “Is Rebecca here today?” she asked.

The woman chuckled. “Rebecca is
always
here,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Would you like me to ask her to come out?”

“If you would. Tell her it's Laura Taylor.”

“Mmm, this all sounds great!” Nick said, perusing the menu appreciatively. “And very imaginative.”

“Rebecca studied at the Culinary Institute of America and did internships with a couple of the best restaurants in St. Louis,” Laura told him, debating her own selection before finally settling on an unusual quiche.

Just as they finished placing their order, a slender, attractive woman appeared at the kitchen door. Her delicate facial structure and high cheekbones were accented by the simple but elegant French-twist style of her russet-colored hair. But her large, eloquent hazel eyes were her most striking feature. She scanned the room, and when her glance came to rest on Laura she smiled broadly and moved quickly in their direction.

Nick rose as she approached, and Laura stood up as well.

“Laura! It's so good to see you!” Rebecca said, giving the other woman a hug.

“Thanks, Becka,” Laura said, reverting to her friend's childhood nickname. “I've been meaning to come down, but what with trying to get the business established…” Her voice trailed off apologetically.

The other woman smiled ruefully. “Tell me about it.”

“Becka, this is Nick Sinclair. Nick, Rebecca Matthews.”

Nick smiled and held out his hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Rebecca.”

“Thanks. It's mutual,” she said, returning his firm handshake. Then she turned to Laura. “I'm so glad you stopped in. May I join you for a minute?”

“Please,” Nick said, retrieving a chair from an empty table nearby.

“What brings you to St. Genevieve?” Rebecca asked as she sat down.

“We're on our way to the Anderson Fourth of July reunion,” Laura replied.

“Oh, yes. I should have remembered,” Rebecca said with a smile. “Those gatherings are legendary in Jersey.”

“See,” Laura said, glancing at Nick with a smile. Then she turned her attention back to Rebecca. “So how is it going here? I've read about this place in the papers.”

“The publicity has definitely helped,” she admitted. “And it's going well. Just a lot of hard work and long hours. It doesn't leave much time for anything else. But it's very gratifying to see the business grow.”

“I know what you mean,” Laura concurred.

“Brad tells me you're doing well, too.”

“Brad's her brother—my minister,” Laura informed Nick before responding to Rebecca. “Yes. I can't complain. The Lord has been good to me. Hard work really does pay.”

“But too much work isn't a good thing, either,” Nick interjected smoothly. “Remember that old saying about all work and no play.” He turned to Rebecca. “Laura is a hard sell, but I'm trying.”

Rebecca smiled at Nick. “Well, keep trying. I've
known Laura all my life, and she's always pushed herself too hard.”

“Look who's talking,” Laura chided teasingly.

Rebecca grinned and gave a rueful shrug. “What can I say?”

“I'm sorry to interrupt, Rebecca.” The white-haired woman paused at their table, her voice apologetic. “But the repairman is here.”

“Thanks, Rose. I'll be right there.” She turned back to Nick and Laura. “Sorry to run. Although I suspect that three's a crowd anyway,” she said, smiling as a flush rose to Laura's cheeks. She reached across and took her friend's hand. “It was so good to see you,” she said warmly. “Stop by again, okay? And let me know in advance the next time. We do very romantic dinners here on Friday and Saturday nights,” she said, directing her remark to Nick.

“I'll keep that in mind,” he promised, rising to pull out her chair.

“It was nice meeting you,” she said. “And take care, Laura. Don't work too hard.”

“I'll try not to. But remember your own advice,” she replied with a grin.

As Rebecca disappeared, Nick sat back down and turned to Laura with a smile. “She seems very nice.”

“She's wonderful. Brad says she's making quite a go of it here. But he worries about her being alone. And about how hard she works.”

“I feel that way about somebody myself,” Nick said quietly.

Laura flushed and glanced down, playing with the edge of her napkin. The conversation was getting too serious—and too personal. Fortunately the timely
arrival of their food kept Nick from pursuing the topic, and when the waitress left Laura deliberately turned the conversation to lighter subject matter. He followed her lead, and by the time a delicious and decadently rich chocolate torte arrived, compliments of the house, she was starting to relax again. Maybe this weekend would turn out all right after all, she thought hopefully, as they left the restaurant and resumed their drive.

Conversation flowed easily during the remainder of the trip, and as they approached her hometown, Nick turned to her with a smile. “How about a rundown on the agenda and the cast of characters?” he said.

“Okay,” she agreed. “Let's start with the agenda. Today and tomorrow will be pretty low-key. We'll have dinner at Aunt Gladys's tomorrow. That's about the only real planned activity, but there will be lots of impromptu visiting going on. On the Fourth Mom has everyone over for a cookout, and then we play horseshoes or croquet and shoot off fireworks in the field after dark. Tuesday we can head back whenever we want. Now, as for the cast, there'll be my brother, John, and his family. They live in town. And my brother, Dennis, who lives in Memphis, will be up for the weekend and staying at the house. Aunt Gladys and Uncle George have five kids, most of whom are married, and a lot of them will come back for the Fourth.” She paused and took a deep breath after her rapid-fire briefing. “Those are the main players, but you'll find that a lot of other relatives show up, too,” she added.

“Sounds like quite a gathering. What about your dad, Laura? You didn't mention him.”

Some of the brightness faded from her face and she
turned to look out the window. “He died eleven years ago,” she said quietly.

“I'm sorry. You two were close, I take it.”

“Yes, very. I was the only girl in the family, and Dad spoiled me, I guess. He was a real special man, you know? Sometimes even now it's hard to believe he's gone. He died right after Fourth of July—one of the few I didn't spend with the family,” she said, her voice edged with sadness and regret.