“Yes, sir,” she said. “And since I know your birthday is in February, you’ll be getting a few more things from me that go with it. They might be boring, and I apologize for that, but again, you’re quite difficult to buy for.”
“I can’t believe this,” he said, awe spiraling through him. “Whose idea was this?”
“Mine,” Lark said simply.
He blinked, trying to keep up. “When did you talk to my daddy?”
“Last week.” She swallowed. “I may have snuck into the master bedroom while you were asleep and got his number off your phone.”
Cash’s eyebrows went up. “You did what now?”
“I didn’t do anything else,” she said quickly. “But I texted him and we talked about it, and I’m hoping it will make up for me kicking you out of the house.”
“Lark, you didn’t kick me out of the house.”
She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a card. “I called Carmen at the cement factory,” she said. “She’s going to send a guy out to Cousins Creek in the New Year so you can pick a place for your hot tub pad.”
He took the card from her and looked back at the chemical cleaning kit. “This is unbelievable,” he said. Hehadmourned the loss of the hot tub here at the McClellans’, but he hadn’t even thought about putting one at Cousins Creek. “Thank you so much.”
“I just know how much you love the hot tub,” she said. “And well, I can’t afford to get you one. Your Daddy was more than willing, though.”
Cash’s emotion surged, and he reached for Lark and drew her into his chest. “You are my favorite person,” he said, because he wanted her to know the depth of his feelings, but he wasn’t quite brave enough to sayI love youyet.
Lark held him for several long seconds, and then she said, “All right, let’s get wrapped up what you need for your siblings so we’re ready to go when the time comes.”
Cash parkedin his Daddy’s driveway and got out quickly to get the door for Helen. “Hold onto me, ma’am,” he said. “It’s a little bit icy right here in the driveway.” His father had cleared the rest of the walkway, but Cash steadied Helen as she got out of his tall truck.
“You’re here!” Celeste called from the front porch, and Cash smiled over to her.
“We’re comin’ in,” he said. “Did you close the door?”
Cash turned toward the front door just as he heard his Daddy growl, “Why is this door always open?” He too appeared on the front porch. He wore a dark pair of jeans just like Cash’s and a Christmas sweater in red and green checkers.
“Wow,” Cash said, laughing. “Look how festive you are.”
“Oh, you know how Faith is,” Daddy said with a smile. “She wants us to be nicely dressed on Christmas.”
Cash did know, which was why he currently wore a navy blue button-down shirt with long sleeves and a front pocket. Lark had showered, and she wore jeans and a light blue sweater with a white puffy cat on the front.
“Daddy, this is Lark’s grandmother, Helen,” Cash said as he waited patiently for Helen to go up the front steps one at a time.
“It’s so great to meet you, ma’am,” Daddy said, easily adopting his charming rodeo cowboy persona. “We’re glad you could join us this year.”
“Thank you so much for having me,” Helen said, and Cash passed her to Daddy when they reached the porch. Daddy started talking to her about where she lived and her cats before they’d even made it through the wide front door.
Lark joined him at the top of the steps, and he sighed. “I don’t see my grandmother’s car.”
“Maybe they went and picked her up,” Lark suggested.
“Maybe,” Cash said, though he’d never known his parents to do that before.
“Can someone close the door, please?” Daddy called, and Cash smiled as he took Lark’s hand and entered the house.
Inside, it smelled like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a real wood fire. Cash entered the back of the house toroaring flames in the hearth and two racks of cookies sitting on the counter.
“Wow. You guys have been busy,” he said, taking in Celeste and Grace in their cute little aprons.
“Look at the aprons Momma sewed for us,” Celeste said, and she struck a pose just like a model on a catwalk.
