Sweet Christmas Kisses (11 page)

“Wait!” Ashley spouted. “Don’t go anywhere! We’ve got something for you.”

She returned with a couple of boxes. Jim opened hers first, extracting a handmade tree ornament. “It’s beautiful. Real special, sugarplum.”

Ashley beamed while Will shifted uneasily on his feet. How Carol hated this for her children, the way Jim just popped in and out of their lives. If only she could figure a way to give them a better, more consistent one, she would.

Jim opened Will’s gift and hooted, holding up the expensive, patterned tie. “Well, I’ll be! I sure as heck won’t be wearing
this
down in St. John!”

Carol shot him a look, and he self-corrected.

“Oh, right. Right,” he said, softening his tone toward his son. “Very nice, Will. Ultra sharp. I’ll be using it a bunch, I’m certain.”

Carol followed Jim onto the porch as thunder boomed. “You can’t keep doing this,” she said as rain poured down all around them. “It’s been two months—
two months
—since you’ve seen them.”

He averted her gaze. “Brenda and I’ve been busy. We’re building the new house and—”

“So busy you missed your own son’s birthday? Again?” She felt fire welling in her throat but spoke past it. “He sat around all day, jumped up every time the telephone rang…” The memory of that day haunted her still. Though he was a young teen now, in his heart, Will was still that tender little boy his dad had walked out on. For Jim hadn’t just left her; in many ways, in his midlife rush to find himself, he’d abandoned all of them.

Jim pursed his lips and turned toward her, rain splattering the back of his coat. There was a look in his eyes she hadn’t seen there before, something akin to remorse. “I’m sorry, Carol,” he said hoarsely. “Sorry about a lot of things.”

Then he turned toward the car and walked away through the drowning rain.

In a faraway corner of northwestern Maine, Paul Love steadied the ladder in front of the Christmas tree and directed his son. “A little more that way. Yeah.”

Daniel leaned back, appraising his handiwork. “I think the star’s straight now.”

Paul tried to deflect the deep sadness taking hold. Something about this time of year always left a raw ache in his heart. “Somehow this doesn’t seem right without your mom here.”

Daniel stepped down from the ladder and stood beside him. “I know it’s still hard, Dad.”

Paul thoughtfully studied his son. Though he was only seventeen, he looked just like Nancy in so many ways. He clearly had her bright blue eyes, but they were offset by Paul’s dark hair. “When did you get to be so old?”

“I’m almost eighteen now. I know a thing or two.”

“Let’s just hope you don’t know too much,” Paul teased.

Daniel draped an affectionate arm around his father. It struck Paul that Daniel was nearly as tall as he was, six foot one. He’d likely surpass him in height by this time next year. “I’m going to college in the fall, you know.”

Paul met his son’s gaze with a mixture of pride and melancholy. Daniel had been accepted to Brown, Paul’s alma mater, and would be leaving the nest soon. “I know, and I’m going to miss you.”

Daniel tugged his dad toward him in a one-armed hug. “Maybe you should, you know?” He lifted his brow.

“What?” Paul asked, perplexed.

“Think about getting a life of your own.”

“I have a life.”

“No. You have a business.”

“And business is good. So good that I’m thinking of giving it up, in fact.”

Daniel removed his arm with a start. “What are you saying?”

Paul walked to the window beside the huge stone fireplace crowned with an enormous moose head. Snow beat down furiously outdoors, coating the pines surrounding a frozen lake. Snowmobilers blazed trails across its glassy surface, while ice skaters pirouetted in the rink abutting Pruett’s Barn. “I’m selling the inn.”

“
Selling?
But, Dad, you can’t!”

Paul faced his son, who ran a hand through his hair.

“Found a nice little place up in Montreal. Nice and peaceful, overlooking the water.”

“Canada? You must be joking. Things are tough enough for Amy and me as it is with me going off to Rhode Island. How do you think it will work with me gone summers and breaks too?”

“I’ll fly you—and Amy—up whenever you want. Besides, your grandma’s still in Greenville. I’m sure she’ll make a place for you if ever you get the hankering to visit.”

Daniel set his hands on his hips, then hung his head. “I can’t believe you’d sell this place, after all this time.”

“Aren’t you the one who was just telling me to get a life?”

Daniel looked up. “I meant, in
America
.”

“Things will all work out, you’ll see.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“In the meantime,” Paul said, jerking a thumb toward the window, “the powder’s looking awfully good out there.”

Daniel cocked his chin in a challenge. “Don’t make me embarrass you, now.”

Paul chuckled aloud. “I wouldn’t go counting any chickens before they hatch, if I were you.”

One hour later, they were all suited up and on the ice, mounting matching snowmobiles. “Ready to ride?” Daniel asked as snow streaked down hard.

“More ready than you know!” Paul revved his engine, then took off, gunning it across the lake.

Daniel flipped down his goggles and raced after him. “Hey!”

“Whoo-hoo! Yes, sir!” Paul whooped, zipping along. He glanced over his shoulder to see Daniel in hot pursuit.

Daniel gritted his teeth and lowered his shoulders, leaning into the wind. “You asked for it, old man!” He unleashed his machine’s full force, zooming past his dad and kicking up a blast of powder.

He skidded to a halt at the edge of the lake and waited, panting.

Paul pulled up beside him and cut his engine with a big, bold grin.

“What are you so happy about?” Daniel asked, surprised. “I just kicked your tail.”

Paul wryly twisted his lips. “Just proves I’m a good teacher.” He flipped his vehicle around. “Best two out of three?”

“All ri—”

Paul lowered his goggles and took off again before Daniel was ready.

“Argh!” Daniel cried, chasing after him through the blasting snow.

The following week, Ashley used her sweater sleeve to wipe the fog off the airplane window. Icy snow slapped against it as the buildings of Boston below came into hazy focus.

“I hope we got a four-wheel drive,” Will said, looking up from his smart phone.

Carol gripped the metal armrests framing her airline seat. She’d never liked flying, especially in bad weather. “We’ll upgrade.”

“You think we’ll see any moose there?” Ashley asked her mom with a hopeful look.

Will shook his head and replaced his earbuds.

“What?” Ashley said. “There are moose in Maine. Right, Mom?”

“Of course there are, honey. Loads of them. Especially up in the North Woods, where we’re going.”

“Might even see a couple of reindeer,” Will added with a twinkle in his eye. “Big, gigantic ones with flashing red noses.”

Ashley huffed because she knew he was teasing her. Maybe if her daughter didn’t invent such fantastic stories, folks would cut her more slack. But she had a knack for exaggeration that put the
tall
in tall tale.

“I thought you were listening to music?” Carol said sternly.

Will turned up the volume on his handheld device.

“If I saw one, I wouldn’t tell
you
,” Ashley told her brother.

Carol drew a breath, hoping she’d made the right decision. Her kids didn’t always get along swimmingly, and here she was about to confine them to the four walls of some rustic country inn for ten days. Suddenly, the notion of a good, old-fashioned family Christmas seemed farfetched. Could she really count on Will and Ashley to get along—and not drive her crazy—for that extended period of time? She glanced out the window at the driving snow, thinking it was good they were flying in today. This Nor’easter blowing through was predicted to get worse, so travel within the next day or so could get iffy.

At least she and the kids would be cozy inside their historic New England getaway by then. And, when the winds weren’t too biting, they could bundle up and go play outdoors, just as she’d imagined them doing while mooning over that picturesque brochure. She’d budgeted carefully to allow for a least one day of skiing. Lessons and equipment rental were included in the Holiday Hills package she’d purchased for the three of them. Dog sledding, unfortunately, was not. That was part of the all-inclusive Winter Wonderland deal she figured only well-heeled individuals could afford. And boy, did it offer a cool slew of events, all the way down to a real horse-drawn sleigh ride through the scenic, snow-covered town.

Carol sighed, realizing she was letting her
wants
get the best of her. Here she was going to Maine!
Maine!
How exciting. It was the farthest she’d traveled north in her entire lifetime. It would be a terrific family vacation, and they’d savor the memories for months to come. Just because Jim had left her alone, that didn’t mean he’d made her incapable. Carol was plenty prepared to deliver an awesome holiday experience for her kids. Even if she had to teach summer school next year to pay it off, it would be worth it. Every dime. She felt lucky the inn had received a cancellation shortly before she’d called. Normally they couldn’t have accommodated her so last-minute. As it stood, an attorney couple that had reserved a few rooms for themselves and two of their children had been caught up in an ongoing court case and forced to postpone their trip.

She smiled softly at Will and then at Ashley, who gazed out the window, enchanted by the drifting snow. Yes, a white Christmas would be just the right thing for all of them.

A little while later, Carol stood with her kids outside an enormous SUV, second-guessing her decision to drive north in this weather. Will shifted the backpack on his shoulder, gaping at the bright red vehicle.

“Are you sure you can drive this thing?”

“Of course!” Carol said with more confidence than she felt.

Will and Ashley exchanged doubtful glances as their caps became dusted with flakes. Carol hit the Unlock button on her key and slapped a road atlas against Will’s down parka. “You navigate.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Good thing we got the built-in GPS.”

Carol popped the hatchback, and they tossed their things inside.

“Can we strap her to the luggage rack?” Will asked, referencing his sister.

“Both of you in the car—now!” Carol commanded, wondering if this nice, family vacation was really such a hot idea.

A few hours later, she decided maybe it hadn’t been. Trapping herself in this SUV with two bickering kids was driving her nuts. They’d made it through New Hampshire and into Maine, but once they’d hit the North Woods in the impending blizzard, the entire landscape had become one big blur. There was nothing along this desolate logging road but a tall stretch of pines and the creeping late-afternoon darkness. There wasn’t another vehicle in sight. Fierce winds howled, and Carol gripped the steering wheel, wondering if they’d accidentally veered off course.

“Are you sure we’re on the right road?” she asked Will.

“Yes, Mom, I see it right here! Route 16. It’s a shortcut over to 15 North from 201.”

The GPS chimed in with its annoying mechanical voice. “
Bleep, bleep.
When possible, make a legal U-turn.
Bleep, bleep.
When possible, make a legal U-turn.”

Ashley gripped the back of her mom’s seat. “We’re lost! I knew it! We’re lost!”

Carol felt her panic build as she glanced at Will.

“I said, keep going!”

Carol strained to see through the windshield that was piling up with snow. The furiously beating wiper blades could barely keep up.

Suddenly, Ashley shrieked. “Mom, stop!”

Carol instinctively hit the brakes, sending the SUV into a skid. She wrestled to correct it, maneuvering the vehicle onto the side of the road. She turned to her child in the backseat, fearing she was sick. “Ashley, what is it?” she asked, breathless, her heart pounding. “Are you all right?”

Her face was ruddy with excitement, her eyes big and wide. “I saw it, Mom! I really saw it!”

Will turned toward her as well.

“Saw what?” Carol asked.

“A moose! A real live Christmas moose!”

Will turned back around. “O…M…G.”

“Will, no cursing!” Carol said.

“I wasn’t cursing, just abbreviating.”

Ashley pouted in the backseat. “It’s true! Why won’t you believe me?”

Carol sighed and scanned the woods hedging the road. “Okay, Ashley,” she said kindly. “Where’s your moose?”

“It was right over…” Ashley stared out her window, pointing. “Well, it was there! Just a second ago!”

“Yeah right,” Will spouted without looking at her. “Bet it was pulling Santa’s sleigh too.”

Ashley huffed, and Carol pursed her lips, thinking. She had to get them out of this wilderness and to their destination ASAP. From the look of the increasingly gloomy sky, the sooner the better. “Let me see that map,” she said to Will.

Daniel cradled logs in his arms as his dad stoked the fire. Embers leapt into flames, filling the rustic room with a warm glow.

“I’m sorry we’ve got a smaller crowd this year,” he told his dad. “I know you like a full house at Christmas.”

“The weather and people’s commitments can’t be helped,” Paul said congenially. “At least we were able to fit that new family in.”

“The mom and her two kids from Virginia?”

Paul nodded as a loud pounding came at the door. “Bet that’s them now.”

“Why don’t I finish up so you can go answer?”

Paul stood, dusting off his jeans. “Thanks, son.”

The knocking sounded again, this time accompanied by the ringing doorbell.

“Coming!” Paul called, headed that way.

He pulled back the heavy door, and the attached sleigh bells jangled.

Redheaded Velma threw her arms wide and beamed up at him from beneath her knitted cap sporting reindeer antlers. “Pauly!”

“Mom!” he cried in shock. Behind his compact sixty-something mother, a much younger man trudged up the walk in snowshoes and wearing a matching antlered hat. He carted several pieces of luggage as a long blond ponytail draped down his back.