She sighed quietly and frowned at her hot chocolate, then at me. “The heart wants what it wants.” Then she smirked. “And apparently there’s a Christmas Cupid in this town? What’s up with that?”
I snorted, grateful for her ability to make me smile. “Weird, huh? I guess this town couldn’t be too perfect.”
“I don’t know about that.” She was quiet for a moment. “They’re predicting snow.”
“I’m actually looking forward to snow this year,” I admitted. At my old job, at my old apartment, it meant wet and gray slush. “Being in my bookstore, all warm and cozy while it snows quietly outside the front window...” I sighed wistfully. “It’s one hundred percent the aesthetic I’m going for.”
She chuckled just as there was a small squeak from the basket by the fire. I stood up and began to get the first bottle of milk ready. “Duty calls.”
CHAPTER SIX
DEACON
“How was last night?”Mom asked over breakfast. “You got home late.”
“It was good. Winter said he got more done with me than he does with his aunt Ro.” I liked that too. “I met her. She’s very nice, but she left and took the kittens home. I think he gets more done with me, not because of his aunt Ro but because of the kittens.”
“What about the kittens?” Dad asked as he walked into the kitchen. He poured himself a coffee. “Did you see them last night? Are they feeding okay?”
“Yes, I saw them, but not for long,” I answered. “And they are feeding well. They looked brighter already.”
Mom smiled at me. “Amazing what some TLC can do for someone, isn’t it?”
I wasn’t sure the kittens qualified as asomeone, given they weren’t a singular person, and I was going to say that but decided against it. My tendency to ruin the flow of conversation was something I tried to work on. Not always successfully either. Learning when not to speak wasn’t easy.
I decided to change the topic. “I told Winter I’d helptonight also. He still has the non-fiction to organize. He would get them all done today if he didn’t have to stop so often because of Merry and Bright.”
“He kept the names, huh?” Dad asked.
I nodded, smiling. “He did. He said Bright is a mean big brother, and Merry needs more time to feed. I liked that he recognized the difference and adjusted to suit them, not himself, even if it took longer. Especially given how busy he is.”
Dad and Mom exchanged a look that I pretended not to see.
“Well, he sounds very nice,” Mom said. “And I’m sure he appreciates you helping.”
“He said he did, yes.”
“Do you think he’ll have the store ready for Saturday?” she asked. “I think he’ll be busy, given it’ll be the first of December, and Main Street is always busy then. The Hendersons will put the Christmas trees up and down the sidewalks; the Christmas lights go up. It’s always so pretty. And of course, the lighting of the Christmas tree in the park.” She sighed. “Oh, how I love this time of year.”
Dad stood up, kissed the top of her head, and put his plate on the sink. He almost tripped over Mildred, gave her a pat and told her to be good. “Come on, Deac. We’ve got a busy day ahead. Gotta make a house call first to see Col Jenkins’ horses before we get to the clinic.”
Oh, that’s right.I’d forgotten. I shoved the last of the toast into my mouth and stood up. “Thank you for breakfast, Mom.”
“You’re most welcome, darling,” she said. “Don’t forget to take your lunch today.”
“I won’t,” I said, taking Dad’s lunch as well.
A few minutes later, Dad drove the truck out on Cottonwood Road toward the Jenkins’ ranch. He hadn’tsaid much, as he knew I preferred silence, but he was happy, smiling as he drove.
“Did I miss a good episode last night?” I asked.
“Nah, it was a repeat. I still watched it though.” He grinned at me. “I guessed every price correctly.”
I rolled my eyes. “I think you meanrememberedevery price correctly.”
He laughed, then he pointed out the windshield, up on the left. “Oh, is that Winter’s car?”
There was a small, blue SUV parked at the side of a house, steam billowing out from the exhaust. “Ah,” Dad said, as if something made sense. “That’s the Morgan’s old place. I did hear that it sold.”
