Starlight in Her Eyes (12 page)

“Mind your manners and let's hope she doesn't.”

“Hey, Colin.” In the background, Nikki's husband sounded groggy with sleep. As if to punctuate his point, he yawned loudly. “What's up, dude?”

“My apologies, Alex. You forget that I have never been—nor shall I ever be—a dude. I'm calling to share my good news.”

“Congrats,” Alex said. “Nicole will tell me in the morning. Good night, sport.”

Colin chuckled at the nickname. After his initial misgivings about the former network executive, he now considered Alex his brother in more ways than one.

“Forgive me, Nikki. Tell you what. When I marry Serena, you can interrupt us some evening with an impromptu phone call. No matter what, I'll be sure to speak with you.”

“Don't be fresh. I'm just thankful we're not on video chat at the moment. Get on with it. Details, please.”

Colin proceeded to fill her in on what had recently transpired. “Although I haven't known her long in terms of time, as cliché as it sounds, my soul has known Serena much longer.”

“Wow,” she said as he finished. “Soul mates, huh?” She laughed quietly. “I thought you hated her glasses. You called them heinous and masculine.”

“True enough, but behind those glasses is the most incredible pair of sparkling blue eyes I've ever seen. Present company excluded, of course. Her smile is a thing of pure beauty, and beneath it all is a genuine heart that's been deeply wounded but is finally beginning to heal.”

He wouldn't mention Graham's betrayal. As much as he loved Nikki and shared more of the details of his life with her than anyone else on the planet, she didn't need to be privy to that most private part of Serena's life. As it was, he was touched that Serena had trusted him enough to open up to him.

“I don't want to keep you much longer, love, but Serena has a daughter.” Colin smiled at the thought of Lily. “Lily is six. She has Serena's eyes, wit, and impish grin, and she resembles Graham in several ways, as well. Smart as a whip, Lily can—and does—carry on a conversation better than most adults I know. Again, present company excepted.”

“The plot thickens.” He could hear Nikki's smile through the phone. “You said Serena's eyes sparkled. That alone tells me so much. Colin, honey, I couldn't be more thrilled for you, but I have to ask. Does Serena know the Lord?”

“She does.”

“Tell me this. Do Serena and Lily have a place to go for Christmas? Are they visiting with her folks, do you know?”

“I think she mentioned something about her parents going on a cruise this year.”

“What about Graham's parents? Is she close with them?”

“Serena mentioned they have a lot going on at this time of the year, and Serena told me that she and Lily usually spend Easter with them. They have a place in the Hamptons, and they meet up there for a week.”

Nikki whistled under her breath. “Not surprising, but it sounds like Serena and Lily are down-to-earth in spite of the privileges that Graham Preston's family can provide for his widow and child.”

“They are, they do, and trust me,” he said, “I fully understand the man who marries Serena will need to be strong and secure enough to allow them time with Graham's family.”

“Well, that's a very mature attitude. I'm proud of you, my friend. I have to admit, you sound very on-target with this relationship.”

He chuckled and checked the time. “Don't sound so surprised.”

“Here's what you do,” Nikki said. “I know you've just started at the station, but if you can get away at Christmas, we'd love for you to come to Starlight for a few days. Invite Serena and Lily. Alex and I have finally moved into our own house and we have plenty of room. There's only so long we could take advantage of Dante and Amanda's generosity.”

“Fabulous news! Congratulations, Nikki. Yes, I'm sure living in an international soccer star's mansion was a hardship for you. But now you can set to work on filling your new abode with little Kingsfield tykes running about underfoot.”

She laughed. “Listen, you haven't visited us in a few months, and I need a healthy dose of your British-isms. You know how much you amuse the men and charm the ladies here. Caroline even added something new to the menu at Barney's Diner that you have to see to believe. It's become her newest popular novelty dish. I think you'll appreciate it.”

That made Colin smile. “Is that a fact? You've got my curiosity piqued, love. I'll promise to think about it.”

“Do more than that. Ask Serena at the next available opportunity and get back to me. Colin, it would be such fun to have you here with us for Christmas. Since Alex's big proposal to me in the sleigh on Christmas Day last year, they've started giving sleigh rides around town from the first snowfall until the last. You could take Serena on a romantic ride and we'll watch Lily for you. On Christmas Day, we're having a huge feast at Dante and Amanda's and then ice skating on their pond after dinner—”

“Starlight sounds like a dream come true.”

He heard her deep sigh. “It really is.” Nikki lowered her voice. “I've found my place in Starlight. You know I worried about Alex since he was used to such a fast-paced lifestyle with the network, but he's fit in beautifully here. You know how much I loved working with you in Des Moines, but it's almost like it was a stepping stone to the solid work we're doing here with Dante's soccer facility. Who could have known that a World Cup goalie would settle in tiny Starlight, Iowa? His camps are a God-send for a lot of kids and it's a ministry as well as a great career opportunity for both Alex and me. And it'll be a great place to raise our own children.”

“God always knows, Nikki.”

“Yes, He does. And we're all the better for it.”

“Amen.” They talked a few more minutes and then Colin bid her good night. As always when he talked with his good friend, he ended the conversation with a contented smile.

11

Thursday, the Same Week

In her mailbox at work, Serena found a plain white envelope with her name scrawled on the front. The “S” was unique and distinctive. Colin's penmanship. Turning the envelope over, she spied his initials CSY which she knew stood for
COLIN STEPHEN YOUNG
. A smile tipped her lips.

After opening the envelope, she pulled out a handwritten note in large capital letters:
SERENA, THE HONOR OF YOUR AND LILY'S PRESENCE IS REQUESTED AT SEVEN P.M. SHARP TONIGHT. ANSWER YOUR DOOR WHEN I COME CALLING
.
P.S. WEAR WARM CLOTHING AND BRING AN EXTRA PAIR OF SOCKS
.

Tapping the envelope against her chin, Serena smiled all the way back to her office. The faint whiff of Colin's cologne—light, yet musky and masculine—teased her senses.

Promptly at two minutes before seven that evening, a knock sounded on her front door.

“Good evening, Miss Monroe.” Colin swept in a low bow.

She didn't know whether the gesture was more a British thing or simply a unique Colin mannerism, but Serena loved it.

He looked great in a navy down jacket with a red sweater peeking out from beneath it, jeans, a red knit scarf, gloves, and a matching cap sitting low on his forehead. The man looked like he'd stepped out of a menswear advertisement for an outdoorsmen catalog. Tall and rugged. Quite a different image than he presented on a daily basis at the television station but equally appealing. Maybe even more so.

“Hi, Colin.” Serena swung the door wide. “Come in. You know, it's a good thing I check my mailbox at work every day or I might not have known to expect you tonight.”

He stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him. “Ah, love. You don't know me as well as you think. Surely you know I have my spies at the station. I made certain you'd received my note.”

Serena grinned. “Why am I not surprised?”

Colin pulled off his gloves and then rubbed his hands together. “It's a brisk night, but a beautiful one, and the stars are out. Not too much wind, thankfully.”

Lily came running down the steps and skidded to a stop beside them. “Where are you taking us, Mr. Colin?”

“Well, hello to you, too, Miss Lily.” He swept Lily in a quick hug.

Serena frowned. “Young lady, you know better than that. Please give Mr. Colin a proper greeting. Be respectful.”

Without a word, Lily ran halfway back up the stairs, turned around, and then walked down them again, one at a time. Crossing the room to where Colin waited, Lily nodded. “How do you do, Mr. Colin? Thank you for coming. May I ask where you're taking my mother and me this evening?”

Shaking her head, Serena crossed her arms and twisted her lips in an effort not to laugh. Her daughter could definitely be a little drama queen when she wanted.

Colin gave Serena a wink. “Ah, that's for me to know and—”

“You to find out. Grandma Preston says that, too,” Lily said. “You're too young to say that.”

Lily and Colin both burst out laughing. How wonderful to hear Colin's deep laughter paired with Lily's girlish giggles. This man was good for her daughter. His sense of fun and ready humor was soothing to her soul as well as Lily's. Besides her father and Graham's dad, Colin was also the only man with whom Lily had spent quality time with since Graham's accident. A few men had tried to date Serena, but she'd never been interested.

“Mommy, did you hear that? I made a funny because his last name is Young.”

“Yes, you sure did.” Lily's adoration of Colin was apparent and Serena suspected her daughter was experiencing her first crush. “Lily, honey, did you put your extra pair of socks in your coat pocket?”

In response, Lily pulled out a pair of Irish woolen socks, one of the thickest pairs she owned. “These will work, right?” She smirked and glanced at Colin with an eye roll. “Mommy thinks I forget things.”

“She's only doing what a good mum should do, Lily-Love.”

Serena hoped the smile she gave Colin conveyed her appreciation for his supportive words. She'd speak to Lily later about not rolling her eyes.

Within twenty minutes, they were on the freeway in Colin's car and headed into Philadelphia.

Lily started singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Colin joined in, but he sang nonsensical lyrics about an ostrich, a parakeet, and an eagle instead of partridges, turtle doves, and geese.

Lily collapsed against the backseat in a fit of giggles.

She'd never win any music awards, but Serena began a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells” and smiled when Colin and Lily began to do a hip-hop backup accompaniment. Their silliness made Serena laugh.

After stopping at a traffic light as they entered the city, Colin twisted in his seat and gave Lily a high five across the seat. “Excellent singing, Lily-Love.”

“Right back at ya.” Lily darted a quick glance at Serena. “Sorry, Mommy. Was that disrepectsful? Wait. That wasn't right. Disrespectful,” she said slowly in an effort to pronounce the word correctly.

“You're fine, sweetie,” Serena said as Colin pulled through the light. “Just sit back in your seat until we get…wherever we're going. Colin, you didn't have to come all the way out to get us, you know. I could have driven us into the city to meet you.” She'd had a reserved spot in the television station's parking garage for years. Her own space, separate from Graham's spot.

“That's true, but by so doing, it would have denied me the pleasure of your company both coming and going.” Colin reached across the console for her hand and lifted it to his lips.

“Mr. Colin, was it hard to learn to drive on the right side of the road?” Lily called to him.

Colin glanced at Lily in the rearview mirror. “Are you saying we drive on the wrong side of the road in Britain?”

“Yes!” Lily giggled again.

“That's a very good question, actually, and quite perceptive for a girl your age,” Colin said. “As a matter of fact, for the first few weeks in America, I had to stop and think every time I made a turn.”

“I'm glad you figured it out.” Lily pointed to a sign and bounced up and down as best she could in the confines of the seat belt. “Are we going ice skating?”

“You guessed it!” Colin smiled.

“Yay!” Lily clapped her hands, muffled by her mittens.

“Oh, are we going to the Rothman Ice Rink at Dilworth Park?” Serena said. “I've heard wonderful things about it.”

When Colin nodded, Serena turned in her seat to see her daughter. “Lily, honey, that's the ice rink in the middle of the city. It's on the west side of City Hall, and the tall office buildings will be all around us as we skate.”

“I can't wait! Mr. Colin, can you ice skate?”

“I'll try my best, Lily, but I'm quite sure my pride will be humbled tonight.”

“What's that mean?”

“It means I might fall on my bottom. And I might need you to hold my hand.” Colin gave Serena an exaggerated wink. “Your mum might need to do the same.”

Lily burst out in more giggles. “If you fall, we'll pick you up again, but you're really big.”

Colin chuckled quietly at Lily's comment. He made a left turn and pulled the car into the parking garage of the building that housed his loft apartment, closer to the rink than the television station.

Serena was thankful it wasn't the same apartment the station had rented for Graham. Perhaps she should have insisted that he return home to her every night. Not that it would have mattered in the long run.
Go away.
Turning her head and staring out the passenger window, Serena dismissed those thoughts. They served no worthwhile purpose.

Tonight was about Colin, Lily, and the three of them having fun together. In some ways, being with Colin felt more like family than it ever had with Graham.

As he pulled into his space and parked, Colin put his hand over hers. “Is everything all right?”