“Sounds good. Movie night?”
“Fine by me. Miracle on 34thStreet?”
“No Christmas, if you don’t mind. I’m more in a grinch mood at the moment.”
Concerned at his expression, she touched his sleeve, then took his hand. “Oh, that’s not good. What happened?”
“Santa thief.”
Confused, she frowned. “Santa thief?”
“Yeah, Slade’s had an over-sized Santa on display. Somebody stole the Santa.”
Summer’s eyes widened. “Crime in Echo Falls. Who knew?”
Tom huffed. “Somebody being stupid more like it. I’m visiting the deli for lunch. Want to join me?”
She nodded. “Sure, for a minute. But I have to get home and get this in so we can eat dinner at a good time.”
He grabbed her hand when she went to turn the cart around. “You don’t have to do this for me.”
“Do what?”
His fingers tightened on hers. “Cook for me, stay here to work. I’ll support you in every way.” His blue eyes were intense and sincere. She swallowed a rush of hot emotion.
But the hesitation in his voice made her chest ache. He constantly stayed braced for her to leave again, though he’d never admit that. The weight of the disconnect lay heavy between them, but now wasn’t the moment to expose those turbulent feelings.
So she spoke from her heart. “It’s simple. I want to. I’m staying now for us, but more for me. I deserve you. We deserve some time together and winter sucks up north.” She smiled and kissed his mouth, determined to chase away these shadows. “Let’s go, Sergeant. You gotta find Santa.”
“We serve the people,” Tom muttered and followed her to the deli. Potato soup and thick hoagies settled both their moods. Plus, she managed to snap a few pictures when he wasn’t watching so she could study how his gear moved when he did.
Whew, a man in uniform, throw in a few muscles and the deference many of the others in the deli showed toward him, and the drawing she had in her head shifted and changed. She’d been crazy in puppy love with Tom in high school when she’d drawn him in his baseball uniform and shyly given him the drawing. She’d left home shortly after, and years passed before she met him again to discover he’d framed the drawing and kept it on the wall in his home. Crazy how besotted she’d been, and the emotion had not dissipated one bit for the woman who became his wife.
“Why are you staring at me?”
A small smile formed on her lips. “Studying how the town treats you. I’m so glad I made you not give this up.”
Instead, she’d followed him home.
But had she?
She’d let her art drag her all over the world while Tom existed here alone – a lip service to their marriage she was determined to fix. Guilt pricked sharp. This time, she would stay.
He put a hand on the table and leaned in to lightly kiss her. His fingers tightened, as if he needed to anchor her here. “I followed you and would have stayed, too. You know that, right?”
Not used to seeing vulnerability in his eyes, she touched his hand and gave him a second kiss to ease away those worries. “Yes, but it’s my turn to show you. I love being with you. I do miss Jonathan’s chef, but Olivia is a great teacher and substitute.”
“Yes, she is. I’ve got to get back on duty.”
“Yes, go find Santa. I’m going home to cook and draw. Remind me to discuss some time at the nursing home for caroling. I need to talk to Adelina.”
“Why?”
“I presented my idea for a mural to your mother. She directed me to Adelina for town history to help form the project. It’s nebulous in my brain at the moment.”
Tom stared blankly at her. “Okay. We can arrange a time.”
“I needed to tell you before I forgot. Might be days before I remember again.”
