Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (74 page)

The
disappointed
sniff
in
Kenzie’s
voice
as
she
emphasized
Luke’s
name
was
nearly
Aggie’s
undoing.
She
stifled
a
snicker
and
sent
the
girl
to
her
room.
“I’ll
be
up
there
in
a
few
minutes.”

Just
at
the
door,
Kenzie
turned
and
gave
them
a
weak
smile.
“I’m
sorry.
I
won’t
do
it
again.”

“Darn
tootin’
she
won’t,”
Aggie
said
as
the
door
shut.
She
covered
her
mouth,
trying
not
to
laugh
loudly
enough
for
others
to
hear.
“Can
you
believe
that?
Poor
Luke.”

“I
knew
she
wanted
me
to
marry
you,
but
I
never
realized
how
much
or
for
how
long
she’s
wanted
it.
She
said
she
got
the
idea
from
the
first
call.
I
don’t
know
if
any
others
were
Ian’s
doing,
but
most
were
hers.”

“All
this
time,
I’ve
thought
that
baby
was
a
Houdini
and
it
was
Kenzie
playing
matchmaker?”

“Yeah.”
William’s
eyes
seemed
to
be
laughing.
“Can
you
imagine
what
Sullivan
will
have
to
say
about
that.”

“I
think
you
should
be
the
one
to
tell
him.
I’ve
got
to
get
to
Rockland.
I
have
a
guitar
on
hold
at
a
music
store.
If
I’m
late,
they’ll
let
it
go.”

“For
who?”

“Laird.
I
overheard
him
mention
it
a
few
weeks
ago
and
forgot
all
about
it.”

“Speaking
of
Laird,
I
think
something’s
wrong
with
him.”

Her
eyes
flew
to
search
his.
“Do
you
think
so?
I
keep
noticing
little
things
that
make me
wonder
,
but
then
it’s
gone
and
he’s
normal
again.
I
can’t
decide
what
to
think!”

“Watch
him.
If
you
need
help,
let
me
know,
but
I’m
sure
you
and
Luke
can
handle
it.”

Aggie
gave
one
last
sorrowful
glance
back
at
William
before
she
left
the
room.
“I’m
not
sure
of
that
anymore.”

Wednesday,
December
24

Aggie’s
bedroom
looked
like
a
wrapping
center
at
a
department
store.
Stacks
of
pres
ents
stood
about
her
and
rolls
of
wrapping
paper
littered
the
floor.
Bows
and
ribbons
seemed
flung
ev
erywhere
,
in an apparent attempt
t
o make
everything
be
as
festive
as
humanly
possible.

A
knock
at
her
door
sent
a
wave
of
panic
over
her.
“Who—”

“It’s
me,”
Luke’s
head
peeked
in
the
door.
“Am
I
safe
or
are
you
still
wrapping
mine?”

“Very
funny.
I’m
swallowed
up
by
kids
right
now,
thank-you-very-much.”

He
whistled.
“Santa’s
workshop
never
looked
this
full!”

“I
have
so
many—too
many.
I
kept
buying
like
Mom
said,
but
now
I
can’t
decide
what
to
do.
I
evened
out
the
gifts
so
that
there
aren’t
ten
for
one
and
two
for
another,
but
now
we
have
a
pile
for
each
one
and
a
pile
to
go
back.
The
whole
bac
k
of
the
van
is
full
of
returns
,
assuming
I
ever
have
the
time
to
go
back
to
all
those
places.
”