Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel (11 page)

“Everyone who’s reported in said there are cars spinning
off the road left and right. And, well, there’re parts of the corridor from Louisville to Cincinnati that are notoriously bad. Every time there’s ice, we can bank on accidents. I would hate for anything to happen to you.” After meeting her gaze for a moment, he looked back at his plate, suddenly shy. “Of course, it’s your call. I’m just sayin’ …”

“That me and my rental car might have a time of it,” Leah finished with a smile.

Of course, she couldn’t help but smile at a lot of things about Officer Zack Littleton. First of all, he was fla-out handsome. Today, he wore jeans, a flannel shirt, and Timberlands. He looked more his age and less imposing than in his uniform.

The light of day also illuminated his square jaw and hazel-colored eyes. And his dark blond hair. He really was cute.

Leah knew she should have been cursing her luck, and be out of sorts. She knew she should be feeling more frustrated than ever. After all, so far nothing had gone right on the trip. But even though she did feel some of that, she also was feeling a little bit lucky.

Something about Zack felt right. Really right.

“Do you do this often?” she blurted. “Do you have breakfast with people you meet while working?”

He looked horrified. “Never.”

“Then, why me?” She hated to be so forward, but she wanted to know.

To her amazement, a faint sheen of red stained his cheeks. “Because I think you’re pretty,” he mumbled. “And because I thought you were easy to talk to. And … I don’t
know. I thought there was something that clicked between us.” He closed his eyes for a second. “Wow. I sound really cheesy.” Tossing his paper napkin on the table, he looked ready to bolt. “Would you like me to leave? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

To her surprise, his awkwardness made her feel even more at ease. “No. I mean, no, you don’t. And thank you for the compliment.”

“Is it a compliment if it’s true? You are really pretty. Nice, too.”

“Thank you. I think you’re nice, too.”

“Are you dating anyone?”

“No. You?”

“No. So, since it’s snowing, and the roads are icy, and since I have the day off, will you wait until tomorrow to leave?”

It was almost like he was asking her out on a date. But she’d been burned before. Did he want more from her than she was willing to give? “Zack, what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

She didn’t appreciate it that he was playing dumb. “Come on, please tell me the truth. Why are you going out of your way for me? Why are you being so nice?”

A flicker of doubt—and hurt?—appeared in his gaze. “I don’t have an agenda, Leah. I promise you that. Fact is, I just want to see you some more.”

Relief made her knees weak, but valiantly, she hardened her heart. If she’d ever learned anything in her twenty years, it was to be careful. Especially with her heart.

Carefully putting on the brakes before things sped up
between them, she said, “You know, we don’t know each other at all.”

“I’m a police officer.”

The way he puffed up his chest when he said that, so full of righteous indignation, made her smile. “And I work at a coffeehouse. But knowing someone’s job doesn’t mean we know them. Right?”

“Point taken.” He sighed; ran a hand through his dark blond hair, messing it up just enough for Leah to see that there were darker streaks hiding underneath.

“Leah, I should have just answered you right away instead of getting my feelings hurt. You are exactly right to not trust me. So, here we go. No, I don’t do this often. Actually, I’ve never asked a stranded girl out before.”

The way he characterized her made Leah smile. “Ever?”

“Ever. I like my job, Leah. I like helping people. And being a patrol officer is demanding.” He paused again—seemed to struggle to find the right words. “Until I met you, I never once considered dating someone I’ve met while working. But then, again, I’d never met you before.”

His honest words melted her heart more than any polished flirtatious line ever could have. She began to feel trusting of him.

And even more surprising … well, she, too, didn’t want to say goodbye to him. Not yet.

Even though she knew Melody was alone at the inn.

“You know, the roads do look bad,” she said slowly. “And, I’m still a little shaken from the accident.”

“That’s a common consequence.”

“So, Officer Littleton, if it’s okay with you, I think I
better stay here another day. You know, just to be on the safe side.”

“That’s a smart decision, miss,” he said before his solemn demeanor melted into pure pleasure. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you say that.”

“So what would you like to do?”

“Today, I thought maybe we could just go to a movie or something. The storm is supposed to get worse before it gets better. But tomorrow morning, I’d like to take you by my parents’ place. It’s on the way to I-71. They have beagle puppies. Any chance you want to see a litter of six five-week-old pups?”

All feelings of unease dissipated in an instant. This was why he was so special. He wanted to show her puppies?

But just to be sure things were on the safe side, Leah took care to look at him sideways. “Will your parents be there?”

He held up a hand. “Of course.”

“Then, yes, Zack, I’d love to go to the movies today and see those puppies tomorrow before I take off.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Leah Dillon.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all,” he said with a grin. Which, of course, made her smile, too.

December 22, 11:00
A.M.

As the icy pellets turned into fluffy flakes, Katie turned her attention to the girls and one of their favorite snowy-day treats: pretzels.

“How come we only make pretzels when it’s cold outside, Katie?” Mary asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe because it’s what your
grossmammi
did with me. It’s a snowy day tradition,” she mused as she carefully measured three quarters of a cup of warm water, then added it to the bowl filled with yeast, sugar, and salt. As Mary and Hannah stood by, she next measured out bread flour, then handed a wooden spoon to her oldest stepdaughter. “Stir, dear.”

Mary did, easily, and Hannah was already preparing for her favorite part—kneading. Her little fingers flexed, eager to grab at the dough. Little by little, they crept forward, ready to snatch it from the bowl and begin to make it elastic. “Now, Mamma?”

“Not quite. Patience, Hannah,” she murmured, feeling her whole being smile with contentment. She’d been married to Jonathan over a year; and while Mary would most likely never call her anything but “Katie,” already Hannah had adopted her as her own—and she was “Mamma,” too.

Just as Katie felt in her heart “Mother” to Hannah and Mary, Jonathan’s sweet daughters.

“Are we ready now?” Mary asked.

Katie peeked into the bowl. The dough was mixed together as well as could be done with a wooden spoon. After lightly flouring the countertop, she nodded. “Ready.”

Eagerly Mary plopped the dough on the counter, and neatly divided it in half. Then she and Hannah got to work kneading the dough.

Katie stood to the side, watching in amusement as Hannah lasted all of four minutes before her arms and
hands grew tired. Without a word, she stepped to Hannah’s side and continued the chore.

When the dough looked almost shiny, Katie neatly divided it into six sections, then helped the girls form the clumps into long ropes.

Anna came in just as Katie was helping Hannah form her second pretzel. “Oh, yum. What a perfect day for pretzels.”

Katie chuckled. “Mary and I were just discussing how snow seems to make baking much more tempting.”

With a fierce look of concentration, Mary set her third pretzel on the greased baking sheet. “All of mine are done, Katie.”

“Crack the egg, then. We’ll need to make an egg wash,
jah?”

“An egg wash?” Hannah giggled.

“It’s what it is called.”

“Like they’re taking a bath!”

Katie played along. “Even pretzels need to bathe,
jah?”

Mary grinned and carefully dipped the pastry brush into the egg-and-water mixture, then brushed the first pretzel. Beside her, Hannah looked like she couldn’t seem to do more than giggle.

Anna looked fondly at Hannah. “Though I had been worried about what the holidays would be like with all the family and guests, I have to say I’m enjoying the company so much.”

“I, as well. It’s times like this that I think the Lord is reminding me to concentrate on the moment instead of the plans that fall through.”

“So, things are better?”

“Perhaps.” Katie shrugged. “It was wrong of me to want to hold on to our traditions so tightly. I should have known sharing our family activities wouldn’t make them less special. Actually, they seem to make them seem more special, seen through another’s eyes.”

“I can vouch for that,” Anna said, a dreamy look in her eyes. “When I first stayed here, I found a lot of comfort in your home. Even dusting furniture seemed different because I felt like I was important. Like I belonged. Everyone likes to feel that way, I think.”

“You are right.” Looking toward the door, a lump grew in Katie’s throat. “I need to apologize to our guests.”

“Maybe not.”

“No, I think I do. Christmas is a time of sharing, and joy and Grace. There’s no better time to entertain family and friends than now. It was wrong of me to forget.”

As the girls continued to giggle and
bathe
pretzels, Anna nodded to the door. “Why don’t you go do that now, then?”

“Now?”

“I have things under control here, and Eli is sleeping. Go apologize, then come back and we’ll work on a project or two.”

“All right, I will.” She turned away and strode to the dining room before she could change her mind.

December 22, 3:00
P.M.

“Excuse me,” Katie said as she entered the dining room. “Melody, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Levi watched Melody turn to Katie in surprise. “Of course.” When she stayed seated, Levi felt his admiration for her continue to grow. At first glance, Melody had seemed a fragile thing. But now he was learning she was far stronger than he’d realized. Whatever had brought her here had to have been difficult, but she wasn’t dwelling on her problems.

In fact, she seemed more eager to push her problems away than to dwell on disappointments. Her fortitude drew him to her in a way he never imagined.

Katie paused next to the table. “So, may we go into another room, where we can talk privately?”

After glancing Levi’s way, Melody shook her head. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d just as soon as talk here. I’m comfortable.” She patted her belly. “And comfortable with Levi here, too.”

When she looked at him for reassurance, he nodded. “We’ve become
gut
friends.”

Katie swallowed. “Oh. Well, then, all right.” She darted a glance his way as she sat.

“I know I’ve given you every cause to believe that is how I think, but it isn’t true. Usually I never think of this place as my own.”

Melody frowned. “I’m confused.”

Levi was as well, but he held his tongue. He was interested in what Katie Lundy had to say … and how Melody would react to it.

“Fact is, this isn’t my home, not really.”

“But you grew up here …”

“I grew up in an inn. We are used to having visitors. In fact, we’ve welcomed the company. A little more than a year ago, I married and moved away. Now I have a new home.”

Melody raised her eyebrows. Levi felt just as confused. When she continued to seem tongue-tied, he spoke. “Is that what you wanted to tell her?”

“No. I wanted to apologize. For my behavior,” she sputtered, her voice shaky. “When you first arrived, I was unforgivably rude. I want you to know that I am truly sorry for it.”

Katie’s apology embarrassed Levi. Surely it would have been better to have just not said anything at all?

“Please don’t worry,” Melody responded.

“I will. Melody, this won’t make up for my attitude, but I will share that over the last year, our family has had a lot of changes. I married, so did Anna. So did Jonathan’s sister Winnie. We’ve gone from being three single girls to three married women. And all during the fall, we’ve looked forward to these two weeks to be together again.”

“Without guests.”

“Jah.”

Though Levi appreciated the apology, he didn’t necessarily feel Katie was making things better. He also didn’t like how ill at ease Melody looked.

Surely she had enough on her plate without the burden of being Katie’s uninvited guest. “If it was so important to you, you should have made note of that on your reservation schedule,” he said more gruffly than he’d intended.

“You’re right. However, we never hosted guests over Christmas before. Not ever. So, I guess Anna and Henry didn’t think to do that. Anyway, I’ve come to realize that I’ve been unfair and I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry I’m ruining your week,” Melody said.

New pain and chagrin entered her expression. “Please don’t say that. Please don’t even think that. In the short time you’ve been here, you both have become more like friends than mere guests. Now, why … I couldn’t imagine you leaving.”

Levi didn’t doubt Katie’s sincerity. There was something in her eyes that spoke of an inner turmoil that had been put to rest.

Melody must have felt the same way, because she smiled. “I’m thankful for that. I don’t know where else I’d go.”

“I don’t know what has happened between you and your man, but, for now, please just relax and be glad here.”

Levi blinked as Melody turned white. “My man?”

Katie’s blue eyes flashed with pain. “Oh, for heaven’s sakes. There I go again, saying things I shouldn’t. I’ve really messed this up, haven’t I? Just ignore me.”

For a moment, Melody felt frozen as Katie’s words slammed into her. “Are you speaking of my baby’s father?” she said slowly, though the question was an unnecessary one. There was no doubt what—and who—Katie was speaking about.