Carlisle accepted the backpack and was about to ask about the ball, when she shivered involuntarily. In the middle of a snowstorm wasn’t the time to ask her to go to a formal affair with him.
“Thank you again. You’d best hurry inside before you catch your death.”
“Nah, I’m a Huckleberry Falls girl, born and bred. This is nothing.” She grinned, but another involuntary shudder put the lie to her words.
“Good night.” Carlisle hurried to get inside his car, grateful that he’d started the car to warm it. Most of the snow on the windshields was already melting.
Despite the cold, Merry continued to dance on the driveway until he’d pulled away. Carlisle smiled. It’d been a long time since anyone had seen him off like that.
6
Carlisle found himself distracted the next day, mentally debating when the best time would be to ask Merry to be his plus-one.
“Boss,” his assistant Nia began tentatively, “you’re kind of out of it today. Do you think maybe you just need a break? I’ve told you before you work too hard. My grandmother was always fond of saying that you have to fill your own vessel sometimes, or you won’t have anything to give to others. How long has it been since you did something fun?”
Carlisle had been about to protest, but the memory of the night before stopped him
“Before my trip to New York, my daughter and I helped make some scarecrows. And last night we had quite a lovely evening helping to decorate a tree for the festival.”
“Tell me more.” Nia set down her tablet and leaned back in her chair, looking like she was settling in for a story.
A few years older than Carlisle, she was happily married with a child and had taken on herself the job of mothering him as well. They’d first met some years ago, when he’d visited New York and needed an assistant. When he’d suggested she uproot her family and do the same work in Wyoming, he’d been thrilled she’d accepted.
“There’s not a great deal to tell.” Carlisle couldn’t help feeling defensive. “You know the newest nanny didn’t work out. I inquired of my host at the B&B if he had any recommendations for possible after-hours daycare arrangements. He suggested Linda Jackson—”
“Linda Jackson, thedesigner?” Nia’s eyes practically bugged out.
“Her daughter did mention her making dresses.”
Nia leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Linda Jackson is the current queen of retro dress design. Huckleberry Falls has a lot of influential visitors, many of whom are regulars to the area. Who do you think designed Gretchen and her mother’s gowns last year that they wore to the Oscars?”
Carlisle frowned, trying to remember. He and Grace had still been mourning at his grandfather’s estate. The only thing he could recall was Gretchen’s excitement at wearing complementary dresses with her mother that year. Their classic gowns had put them both on the top ten best-dressed list.
“Are you sure there’s not another Linda Jackson?” He couldn’t bring his mind to connect the homey grandmother who rolled on the floor with young children with the designers he’d met.
“I’m sure,” Nia said. “I only know because I overheard Gretchen talking about it before meeting with you one day. Evidently, Linda’s daughter helps a lot with the designs, but she never gets involved with the actual business. She lives here in Huckleberry Falls, but I haven’t met her.”
“I’ve met Merry Hurst.” Carlisle hadn’t expected the tone of his voice to shift when he spoke her name. Nia didn’t miss it.
“Oh, ho.” Her tone had turned almost gleeful. “So, her name is Merry Hurst. How did you meet her?”
“Her son attends the same daycare center as Grace.” He could tell by Nia’s heavy sigh that she was assuming Merry’s husband was still in the picture. Carlisle chose not to correct her. “Grace and Alex have become great chums. That was how we came to be invited to help decorate the Christmas tree Linda is donating to the festival.”
“Oh, speaking of the festival,” Nia said, waking her tablet. “Gretchen called. She said she always has a booth at the festival. Her regular guy who talks about avalanches had a family emergency and needed to leave town. She wants you to take a shift at the booth on Saturday.” Nia held up her hands at his expression. “I’m just the messenger. Gretchen said she knows it’s an inconvenience, but you know your stuff.”
“I’d have thought someone on her staff who deals with avalanche control would have been a better choice.”
“She said you’d say that, but they have some dicey snow right now they need to tend to, so that’s not an option.”
What would he do with Grace? He’d allowed himself to become distracted with work and hadn’t yet contacted the agency about another nanny. His daughter had enjoyed staying at Linda’s house, and he hadn’t wanted to disrupt that with a new woman again so quickly.
* * *
Only when hearrived at the daycare center and didn’t see Merry picking up Alex did Carlisle realize how much he’d been looking forward to seeing her again. Grace looked as dejected as he felt.
“Was Alex not here today?” he asked his daughter as they walked out to his car.
“He left early.Hegot to help take the tree to the Festival.”
