As always during the holidays, Holly and Gabe had gone all-out with the decorating. A huge tree loaded with lights and ornaments held court in the living room. On the fireplace mantel, Christmas stockings were hung with care. The staircase banister was wrapped in green-and-silver tinsel. On the sturdy oak sideboard near the front door, a trio of potted poinsettia offered bursts of red.
Gabe and Daniel followed them inside with Daniel’s luggage. “Penny,” Gabe said, “feel free to drop your coat on the couch in the study.”
Penny shrugged out of her winter coat and unwound her red scarf as she stepped into the room. A true bibliophile’s delight, the study boasted floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves on every wall, an antique oak desk, and a brown leather sofa that no doubt was perfect for afternoon reading. Aside from Gabe’s laptop computer on the desk, everything in the room looked like it belonged in an English country manor.
Daniel followed her into the room and immediately zeroed in on the bookshelves. “Still big on the thrillers, I see,” he said, leaning in for a closer look.
“Now and always,” Gabe said as he followed them in. He knelt down and helped Joshua out of his winter coat.
“Though your reading tastes have expanded.” Daniel gestured to a shelf and read out loud, “Orchard Growers Almanac.Essentials of Apple Harvesting.New England Agriculture for the Twenty-First Century.Business Management for Farmers. Quite a collection.”
“Every one of which I’ve read multiple times.”
“I still can’t believe you chucked everything in New York to become an apple farmer.”
“Best decision I’ve ever made.” He glanced at his watch. “Okay, time for the publisher call. We can do it from the living room.”
They followed him into the living room. Penny settled into one of the facing sofas across from Daniel.
“I have fresh coffee,” Gabe said. “Any takers?”
“Me,” Daniel said.
“Yes, please,” Penny added.
“Sugar? Cream?”
“Both for me,” Penny said.
“Black for me,” Daniel said.
“How about apple pie? Got one fresh out of the oven.”
Penny’s stomach rumbled. “Oh, gosh.”
Gabe chuckled. “In Penny-speak, I’m pretty sure ‘gosh’ means ‘yes.’” To Daniel, he added, “Penny has a well-known weakness for Holly’s apple pie.”
“Zero resistance,” Penny agreed. “Pie would be lovely, thank you.”
What might have been a smile flickered across Daniel’s lips. “I’ll remember that.”
Penny turned toward him. “You will?”
He held her gaze. “In case I end up needing to apologize to you.”
Her eyes widened. He actually seemed serious. “Is apologizing to me something you anticipate needing to do?”
“No, not at all,” he said right away. “But according to some folks —and most of the Internet, apparently —I’m fully capable of doing things I need to apologize for.” Emotion of some sort flashed through his eyes. “After all, isn’t that why we’re here right now? For my ‘apology tour?’”
Little Joshua climbed onto the sofa and crawled toward Daniel with an intent look.
Daniel gave the boy his full attention. “Glad you’re here, little man. If my publisher gets tough on me during this call, can I ask you to chime in and tell him to back off?”
Joshua didn’t reply at first, but then said, his voice filled with eagerness, “One two three!”
From the kitchen, Gabe said, “We’ll play more after the call, okay, buddy?”
“I tell you what,” Daniel said to Joshua. “As soon as the call ends, we’ll play One Two Three, okay?”
