Sleigh Bells in Valentine Valley (3 page)

“No,” Kate said quickly, firmly. “I work for a great firm. We'll find a middle ground and compromise. That's what we do.” But she felt a renewed stab of disappointment that the partners hadn't seen her side, hadn't
wanted
to see her side. And the thought of doing all the compromising frustrated her. “Now really, what can I do to help?”

“Well . . . I'll let you in on a little secret, but you can't tell anyone,” her mom said conspiratorially, sharing a wink with her dad. “We're not baking pies—I ordered them from Sugar and Spice.”

Kate gasped with appropriate melodrama before repeating, “Sugar and Spice?”

“The new bakery in town,” Christina answered. “Well, not so new—two years old now. The owner, Emily, moved to town, fell in love with Nate Thalberg, opened the bakery, and now they're married.”

“I'm really happy for Nate,” Kate said. She remembered him from school, a big, handsome cowboy from the Silver Creek Ranch family. “If I can't bake pies, and I confess I'm not too disappointed, can I pick them up for you?”

“That would be great,” her mother said, beaming. “Let's eat a quick meal so you can get over there before she closes at seven. The bakery is right on Main Street.”

When Christina wasn't looking, Kate studied her face, wondering if she was imagining that her mom looked more tired than usual. Of course her mom was tired—she helped run a busy restaurant, and tomorrow was Thanksgiving. But to give up baking the pies, when she'd always been so proud of her homemade crusts? It was a little strange . . .

Kate's brother, Joe, came home in time for dinner, and the four of them enjoyed a good meal and lots of laughs, the tension Kate had anticipated being mostly absent except for her brother's occasional curious glances, which she ignored. Joe was blond like her, a guard on the high school team, since he was only a little taller than their dad, and beginning to fill out from the gangly stage that Ethan was just now entering. The two boys were only four years apart in age, and toddler Joe used to pipe up that Ethan wasn't his brother but his nephew, shocking and delighting everyone who'd asked.

Kate silently admitted to herself that she was a little disappointed Ethan hadn't called to see if he could join her for dinner. But this was Tony's holiday, not hers, and she would never dream of interfering.

Christina wouldn't let Kate help with dishes, sending her off to the bakery and even trying to slip her money to pay for the pies.

“Mom!” Kate protested, firmly handing the money back. “I may not be working at the moment, but I'm still getting paid. I can afford some pies. And I'm happy to contribute to Thanksgiving.”

Christina kissed her cheek. “And we're so happy to have you—for as long as you want. You know that, right?”

Kate nodded, slipping into her coat and heading out into the falling snow before she could embarrass herself by tearing up again. She would have walked the few blocks to Main Street, but she needed her car to carry the pies. Still, parking was difficult, and she ended up around the corner from the bakery. Standing just outside the colorfully decorated front door, she took a moment to enjoy the beauty of her hometown. Now that she'd crossed some of the initial hurdles of her return, she was more able to appreciate the twinkling lights outlining the buildings and the wreaths on so many doors. No town did Christmas like Valentine Valley.

At last she entered Sugar and Spice, and the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla wafted over her in a wave that made her mouth water. Unlike the Christmas-focused Main Street, Emily Thalberg had decorated for Thanksgiving, with stalks of hay in the corners and little lights that looked like turkeys strung along the front windows. Ten people stood in line along the glass-fronted display case. Kate slipped in line behind the last person and examined the brownies, cookies, and cakes, trying not to salivate.

“Kate Fenelli?”

Kate looked up to see Mrs. Thalberg, one of the three widows she'd just been thinking about earlier. She still had unnaturally red hair, and her makeup made her look years younger. Her jeans and turtleneck were covered by a Sugar and Spice apron that read,
WE PUT THE HEAT IN SWEET
. Behind her crowded her two housemates, Mrs. Ludlow and Mrs. Palmer. Mrs. Ludlow was your typical grandma, with her white hair and walker, blouse and slacks, but Mrs. Palmer had only gotten wackier as far as Kate was concerned, her blond wig towering above her forehead, her makeup exaggerated, her dress patterned with tiny Pilgrims.

“Hello, ladies!” Kate answered cheerfully, for regardless of what had happened in her marriage, these women still treated her fairly, rather than as the selfish “career woman” who'd broken Tony De Luca's heart.

“How wonderful that you're in town for Thanksgiving!” Mrs. Thalberg said.

“It's kind of a last-minute thing,” Kate admitted. People ahead of her in line frowned as she distracted the employees, so she said, “You go ahead and work. We'll talk afterward.”

For the next ten minutes, Kate enjoyed watching the ladies work. They knew everyone's name and asked questions about relatives and friends. How could anyone mind chattiness, even on the eve of a busy holiday? Every so often, a pretty woman roughly Kate's age came out of the kitchen, her strawberry blond hair bouncing in a ponytail, her apron matching the ones worn by the widows. Kate wondered if this was Emily Thalberg, who'd been the one to snare the most eligible bachelor in Valentine Valley.

When it was Kate's turn to be waited on, the widows fussed over her, asking about her job (she changed the subject) and Ethan, whom she was happy to gush over. These ladies had taken care of him as if he'd been their grandson, and Kate could never repay their generous gifts of time and love. Her five pies were produced from the kitchen by a blond teenage girl who looked Kate over with a frown, as if she recognized her. Come to think of it, she did look familiar.

Mrs. Thalberg saw Kate glance a second time at the girl. The widow leaned over the cash register and said quietly, “Don't mind Stephanie. She's young and only hears old rumors.”

“Stephanie Sweet,” Kate said as the lightbulb went on in her head. “Her brothers are good friends of Tony's. Makes sense. She's all grown up, isn't she?”

“She's home from college,” Mrs. Palmer added, eavesdropping, her Western twang pronounced. “Business and pastry arts. She wants to work with her sister here.”

“Sister?” Kate said blankly. “Last I knew, she only had brothers.”

“The bakery owner, Emily, is her long-lost half sister,” Mrs. Palmer eagerly explained.

Mrs. Ludlow frowned. “No need to speak of such personal things at work, Renee.”

Mrs. Palmer stuck out her tongue. Kate bit her lip to keep from laughing at their antics. She always loved running into these women.

“Have some coffee, dear,” Mrs. Thalberg said. “We'll introduce you to Emily when the line shortens.”

Much as Kate didn't look forward to answering more questions, it was good to just sit and people-watch. The coffee was excellent, the décor relaxing, and for the first time, Kate let go of her worries and just vegged.

Twenty minutes later, Emily turned over the
CLOSED
sign in the window and breathed a sigh of relief. Kate wasn't the only customer still sipping her coffee, but she felt guilty regardless and slipped her purse onto her shoulder.

“Don't go running off,” Mrs. Thalberg said, leading Emily to Kate's table. “Kate Fenelli, this is Emily Thalberg.”

Kate stood up, and they shook hands. She figured that Emily knew Tony, who was good friends with Emily's husband. Usually people who knew Tony first looked at Kate like she was the Wicked Witch of the West, but Emily only seemed politely curious. People's hostile attitudes weren't Tony's fault, Kate knew—he'd never speak unkindly about her. But when a man was a single father, sharing custody, women just felt sorry for him.

“It's so good to meet you, Kate,” Emily said, pulling up two chairs, one to rest her feet on. “Ethan is such a wonderful boy. You and Tony have done a great job with him.”

“Why, thanks,” Kate said. “Now that he's a teenager, we'll see if it's still smooth sailing, but so far, so good, thanks in large part to these ladies.”

Mrs. Thalberg waved a hand dismissively and walked briskly back to the display counter.

Emily smiled as Stephanie brought her a coffee, but after a brief nod at Kate, Stephanie left in a hurry.

Emily frowned. “I'm sorry, that was really rude. I haven't seen that side of her since . . . well, since she first heard about me!”

“It's okay, I'm sort of used to it. I'm the ambitious lawyer who divorced wonderful Tony De Luca.”

Emily winced, though her smile didn't dim. “And I was the new sister coming in to take some of Daddy's attention. Don't worry, Steph's pretty open-minded, even if it takes a little while.”

Kate shrugged. “It's okay. I live in Vail now, so I don't run into it too often.”

“Home for the holiday?”

Kate nodded, but she only sipped her coffee rather than explain more. She was going to have to come up with a better explanation of her extended time off. She felt rootless and uncertain, things she
never
experienced.

“We've got to be close to the same age,” Emily said ruefully. “It's so weird that you have a teenage son, and I'm only just getting started.”

“Having kids soon?” Kate asked politely.

“We've started the adoption process.” Emily leaned forward, blue eyes shining. “It's very exciting!”

Kate grinned. “I bet it is. We were young and scared when we had Ethan. It must be very different to plan and prepare.”

“Both paths have their advantages, I bet. Do you think—” Emily stopped and blushed. “Oh, never mind.”

“Go ahead,” Kate said. “I don't offend easily—I'm a lawyer.”

“It's just that . . . I find myself more and more worried about how adding the strain of adoption and a child will change our marriage.”

“Do you worry because having a child changed things for Tony and me?” Kate asked.

“Well . . . gosh, it's not my place to even assume . . . I can't believe I'm asking you such personal questions.”

“No, it's okay, really. Sure, a baby changes things, but in the end, having Ethan didn't cause our divorce. We just . . . didn't talk enough, both too busy to think beyond our own noses.”

“That's good to remember, thanks.”

In Kate's mind she saw the little apartment with baby toys everywhere, the way she and Tony passed each other in a hurry as one came through the door and one went out. She used to think back a lot and wonder what she should have done differently, but she was trying to concentrate on the future now rather than mull over what couldn't be changed.

The door jingled as it opened, and Emily glanced at it, her eyes alight with expectation. In walked her husband, Nate, cowboy hat perched on his wavy black hair, dimples revealed as he spotted his wife and smiled with his whole face. Kate withheld a sigh. It had been a long, long time since a man had looked at her that way, and the only one who ever had was—

Tony. He followed Nate into the bakery even as she thought his name. When he saw her, his brown eyes widened only a fraction. His naturally friendly expression remained the same, though, and she found herself releasing a breath she hadn't known she was holding. They'd worked hard to be at ease with each other for Ethan's sake, and she didn't want that to change just because she might be hanging out in Valentine for a while—and just because she'd automatically gone to Tony with her problems, as if she still had that right. It made her uneasy.

The last in line, Ethan closed the door behind him. “Hey, Mom,” he said in surprise. “Thought you'd be with Grandma.”

“She sent me on an errand,” Kate said, resisting the urge to hug her son in public. “Where are you guys off to?”

“Tony and I are playing hockey tonight,” Nate said. “Our team's called the Valentine Massacre.” He gave Kate a hug. “Good to see you.”

That was nice of him to say, but she never quite believed it. He was Tony's staunch friend, though they'd all gone to school together. She wondered what Nate would tell Emily about her later. Emily might not be so friendly the next time they met. Kate felt sad, before mentally kicking herself for worrying about something that hadn't even happened. It was one of her flaws—she overthought everything. Of course, it worked in her job, or it had until she'd overthought too much for the partners' comfort.

She found herself watching Tony as he strolled to the counter to greet the widows. He had the same irrepressible smile he'd had since childhood—maybe since birth—one that made a person feel the center of his thoughts. He bantered with ease, making the ladies blush and chuckle. He had such a way with people.

Nate turned to Emily. “You sure you still want to come the night before Thanksgiving? You've been having such long days this week leading into the holiday.”

“You couldn't win without my cheerleading,” Emily insisted. “Just let me get my coat. Steph said she'd lock up.”

After Emily hurried into the kitchen, there was an awkward pause, as if Nate and Tony didn't know what to say to Kate. Ethan just looked at his phone. Maybe it would just have to be up to her to make things easier.

“I remember when you guys used to play on the pond at the Silver Creek Ranch,” she said.

Nate and Tony exchanged an amused glance, and she was glad to see Tony think about the past in a happy way. But his expression faded to politeness when he looked at her.

Nate said, “Yeah, I seem to remember you insisting you could play, too. Sprained your arm good from a simple fall.”

“You bodied me out of the way,” she protested.