“I agree,” Rory said.“I’m deputized.And you and Frank are retired FBI agents, so we should be good for just the day.”
“Granddad taught me how to shoot at the firing range.I just need a spare gun,” Lacy said.
“I’ll bring two guns with me,” Rory said.
When they finished eating, they cleaned up, and then Lacy set up a hot cocoa bar, complete with mugs of hot chocolate, candy canes, whipped cream, marshmallows, and sprinkles, so everyone could make their own to go with their slices of chocolate cake.
Then Wyatt and Blaze returned to the bunkhouse to have dessert and cocoa with them.
“Man, that rib-eye roast sure smells good,” Wyatt said.
“Yeah, maybe we can have one for New Year’s Day,” Blaze said.
“Oh, speaking of that, we’ll be going to a New Year's Eve party,” Florence said to Frank.
“More dancing?I’ll be ready for it,” Frank said.
After that, everyone agreed to watch a Christmas movie, and they startedA Christmas Story.
When they finally finished the movie, they all said their goodnights, though Lacy was going to give some of the leftovers to Florence and Frank.
“Oh, no, just keep it.Wyatt and Blaze can snack on it.We’ll have food tomorrow with leftovers,” Florence said.
Wyatt and Blaze smiled, looking glad they were going to have some of the rib-eye roast after all.
“We’ll escort you home,” Wyatt said.
“Okay, sounds good.”Florence grabbed her purse.
“You could stay here the night, and we could all go together,” Lacy said.
“Yeah, Hal and Tracey or Ted and Stella would put you up,” Blaze said.
Florence wanted to go home for the night so she could get things ready for Christmas tomorrow.But she looked at Frank to see what he wanted to do.
As if he knew what she was thinking, he took her hand and squeezed.“We need to prepare meals for Christmas.”
She squeezed his hand back, telling him he had said the right thing, but she had been leaving it up to him.He would have done anything she wanted.
They hugged Rory and Lacy, Frank helped Florence into her coat, and he put his on.Then they left with their escort.
“It’s more relaxing at the house with you,” Florence said.
“I was thinking the same thing.And we still have someone watching the house, no matter if we are there or not.”The car slipped on the ice, and Frank tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“Exactly.”
“Christmas Eve was a success.”
“It was.I had such a nice time with Lacy and Rory,” she said.
“Yeah.I’m so glad that Lacy is speaking with me again, and I really like Rory.I can tell they are really into each other.”
“They are.Just like us.”
Frank smiled.“Yeah.”Florence was so charismatic and made him feel like he was everything.He hoped he made her feel like that’s how he thought about her too.
All the way to Florence’s house, Frank and Florence watched the mirrors for any sign of Timothy or his brother following them, but they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
