Leaning over, Donovan whispered in her ear. “Did you see that man in the last slide? That’s Earl Dymock on the day he came home from World War II.”
“From church? I thought he looked familiar. He was quite handsome in his younger days.”
“Is he going to give me competition?”
Her heart flip-flopped, and she tried to play it cool. “If he were five decades younger, perhaps.”
Donovan’s smile of approval said it all. “Good to know.”
When the slideshow ended, a score of special guests was introduced and presented with plaques for years of service and other distinguished accomplishments. A round of applause circled the room when Mr. Edwin Talbot, the current Talbot in charge, announced a company-wide Christmas bonus triple the normal amount.
The aroma of savory foods drifted into the room as the caterers prepared to deliver meals to all the guests.
Salads came first, and Zoe took a bite filled with mixed greens, beets, and pecans. “Is this a pecan dressing?”
“I don’t know. It does have a nutty aftertaste. Different, but I like it.”
“Me, too.” She ate the rest, deciding definitively that it did have pecans in it. The dressing reminded her of a deli she’d often frequent when she went into the city.
The entrees arrived, and a member of the waitstaff laid a plate of chicken Provencal in front of her. When she smelled the rosemary and thyme, her taste buds tingled. Donovan’s pork tenderloin smelled delicious as well, but she was content with her meal.
The conversation around the table quieted while everyone ate. The school orchestra began playing, easy-listening numbers to add to the ambiance but not intrude in the meal.
“I can’t get over how well they play,” Donovan commented after he finished his dessert of crème Brulee. “I had nowhere near that level of talent for anything at that age.”
“I’m sure you did.” She furrowed her brows, gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Me on the other hand—it’s safe to say no musical abilities run through my veins. My parents believed every child should play an instrument proficiently, but after two years of violin lessons, they pulled me out and declared me hopeless.”
Donovan raised a dubious brow. “I’m sure you weren’t that horrible.”
“Have you ever heard two cats screeching in a fight?”
He cringed. “That bad?”
She nodded. “I tried the flute after that, and then the piano. I managedTwinkle Twinkle Little Star, but beyond that, I have no musical coordination.”
“But you can sing.” His smiled warmed her. “I’ve heard you singing along in the car.”
“Thanks. Singing is the only musical ability I can lay any claim on, but even then, Tori was the vocalist of the family. She received training from the top teachers in the world.”
The conversation drifted away when Mr. Talbot officially introduced the orchestra and the entertainment portion of the evening began. Zoe got lost in the sounds of the Christmas Canon and too soon, the gala ended.
In no hurry to leave, she and Donovan sat at the table, talking with the Greenes while the room cleared out. Only once the lights dimmed, signaling a request to exit, did they stand and make their way to the lobby.
“Stay here where it’s warm while I deal with the valet.” Donovan stepped outside to start the process of getting his car.
She watched him from her vantage point, contentment welling in her soul. He walked with purpose, spoke with conviction, and dealt with integrity in all that he did. When she saw his car driven to the pickup spot, she walked outside in time to see Donovan hand a generous tip to the valet.
As far as he knew, no one saw the action. It wasn’t a gesture to impress, but given from a generous heart. It was one of the traits that attracted her to him. He also happened to be the anonymous donor of the new bedding at the shelter. The store that delivered it hadn’t removed his contact information. She’d thrown away the slip of paper so his secret would stay safe. Goodness knew he’d done enough of that for her.
Once they’d left the parking lot, Donovan laid a hand over hers, tentatively at first as if afraid she’d pull away.
She had no intention of denying his touch. With his warm hand wrapped around hers, she felt safe from the troubles the world held. She’d been alone a long time with no one to lean on—albeit by choice—but she wanted a new beginning.
With Donovan.
A light snow blew down from the gray clouds covering the night sky, visible in the headlight’s path. If she closed her eyes, she could picture herself in the middle of a Christmas movie, starring her as the heroine and Donovan as the hero.
Christmas movies always had happy endings, didn’t they? They had to—it was their prerequisite. She didn’t know her story’s ending, and the directions of her thoughts should have scared her, but they only filled her with a sense of joyful anticipation. Tonight only confirmed what she’d suspected, that she’d fallen for Donovan. Love hadn’t struck suddenly, but had developed over the many hours they’d spent together.
