I had worked off of my own stores of wood, but they’d been depleted pretty quickly, and not in my memory had we had an ice storm that killed the power for this long.
“Hugo! Your mama is here.” Father Bastien crossed the room and flung open the door, ushering her into the house and covering himself in another layer of angel’s dust.
The godliness of this man was ridiculous.
“Mommy!” Hugo ran full tilt across the room to greet his mother, wrapping his arms around her legs.
“Oh, Hugo, I missed you today.” Exhaustion laced her words.
“We had fun. Hugo even helped me cook and store some meals for parishioners,” I offered positively.
Her smile widened before she pulled the little boy into her arms. “I’m so proud of you, my beautiful boy.”
Bastien had already gathered Hugo’s snowsuit, boots, and backpack, helping it on the little boy’s arms as his mom picked up the few toys he’d played with. “Thank you again a million times, Tressa. I don’t know what I would do without you. All these additional shifts are almost killing me, but the extra money can’t be beat. And Hugo loves you so much.”
A smile lit my face. “I love him.”
I meant it.
I did.
I had no idea I loved kids so much, as a matter of fact. That was another thing that St. Michael’s had given me—my passion.
“You have my number. Text anytime you or Hugo need me.”
Hugo’s mom, Tracey, mouthed the words thank you again, before locking hands with the little toddler and guiding him out of the side door and to the car.
The way Bastien guided the tiny family to the safe warmth of the idling four-door sedan made deep corners of my heart swell.
I tipped my head to the side, watching intently as he opened the back door for Hugo, helping the seat belt around his little body in the car seat.
The thought struck me that it was too bad a man like Father Bastien would never have children—forbidden from the very dream, when he had so much love to give.
Maybe that was the thing about a man like Bastien—called to fulfill something greater with all that love and patience overflowing.
Bastien turned then, catching my eye in the frost-laced window of the kitchen. Wet snowflakes melted into his eyelashes, the quirk of a quick grin appearing before he bowed his head and ducked from my vision.
He entered the tiny space a moment later.
I felt him.
The warmth surrounded him like an invisible curtain, enveloping everyone without really touching them as he crossed their path.
I pressed my lips closed, containing the sigh on my lips.
“I can show you the rooms. Each is ready for a guest, with beds made and everything.” His eyes cut across the room to hover on mine.
“Sure.” I forced a small smile, locking my hands together in front of me as he gestured me out the kitchen door and up the stairs.
A wave of cold air nearly took the breath out of my lungs when we reached the top landing.
“Oh.” Bastien pushed a hand through his cropped dark hair, a frown gracing his features.
“This feels colder than my house.” I scrunched my nose from the extreme chill.
“It does, doesn’t it?” He breathed a small chuckle, turning and heading back down the stairs. “Unless you want to lose some toes to frostbite, maybe camping out next to the fire would be best.”
“I don’t really find much use for them, but who am I to argue with evolution,” I teased.
