The Christmas Journey (24 page)

R
y strode down the sidewalk to his grandfather’s house, ignoring the cold wind that tried to snatch at his hat. He’d been looking forward to this outing ever since he awakened this morning. He’d finally have the chance to show Josie and Viola some of
his
favorite places in the city.

The memory of how sweet, how wistful she’d looked last night had kept a smile on his face most of the day. She was coming ’round, he could feel it. His patience was finally beginning to bear fruit.

He took the steps up to the front door two at a time and tossed his hat on the hall table, shrugged out of his coat and headed for the nursery wing.

When he pushed open the door to the playroom, Viola bounced up and ran to greet him. Her greetings were becoming less reserved, more enthusiastic as each day passed. Something squeezed at his heart when he thought of the reliance and affection she’d entrusted to him.

“Hello, Uncle Ry.” She gave him a hug as he stooped to greet her. “Aunt Josie told me all about the play you went to last night. It sounded wonderful.”

“That it was.” Ry met Josie’s gaze over the child’s head. “I especially liked the ending.”

Josie blushed and broke eye contact as she stood. “Come along, Viola. Let’s get you bundled up for our outing. We’ll meet Uncle Ry downstairs.”

Ry rubbed his chin as he watched the two of them hurry off to Viola’s bedchamber. Was it his imagination or was Josie a bit stiff, evasive? Was it just embarrassment over last night’s kiss? Or something else?

As he made his way to his own rooms to change clothes, some of the optimism he’d felt earlier slipped away.

The outing that afternoon only slightly lessened his sense of unease. He took them ice skating at Eastwick Park, a novel activity for the Texas-born-and-raised pair. Viola took to it with the quickness of a child, ready to try it on her own after only a few turns around the ice. Within a short time, Ry was ready to hand her over to Nichols while he turned his attentions to Josie.

It took Josie a bit more time to get the hang of it. Not that Ry minded. Having the opportunity to hold her while they glided across the ice was pure enjoyment. Helping her up when she lost her footing, hearing her laughter and seeing the elation on her face when she gained enough confidence for him to take her flying across the ice, his arm at her waist, was exhilarating.

And the cups of hot cocoa afterward were a definite hit.

Viola chattered excitedly about their excursion during the carriage ride back. Josie smiled and nodded and added her own enthusiastic observations, remarking how much her family would have enjoyed the outing, too. But Ry sensed a returning tension in her, a brittleness, that while subtle, was threaded through every glance, every overly bright smile she cast his way.

He bided his time, planning to take her aside for a quiet talk after supper, but she pled a headache and excused herself early.

The next day was no different—Josie was pleasant but distant and deftly avoided every attempt he made to get her alone for a few moments.

By the next morning, Ry rose determined to get to the bottom of whatever had made Josie so skittish. He wasn’t going to let her put him off any longer. He’d leave the office early today and be back in time to have lunch with his two girls. Then, once Viola settled down for her nap, he’d corner the evasive Miss Wylie, and find out just what was going on.

Dear Lord, whatever problem Josie’s conjured up in that wonderfully fertile mind of hers, please let me find the words to help her see that, with Your help, the two of us can handle anything together.

Ry marched into the nursery wing at noon to find Brigit setting out Viola’s lunch. Josie was nowhere in sight.

“Uncle Ry!”

The way Viola’s face lit up at the sight of him gave Ry’s mood a boost. He couldn’t imagine life without her now. “Hello, Button.” He stooped down to accept and return her hug. “I thought I’d have lunch with you and Josie today.”

“Aunt Josie went out with Grandfather Wallace this morning.”

Ry tried to hide his disappointment. “Well, then, I’ll have lunch with you, if that’s okay.”

“I’ll fetch another plate right away.” And with a quick bob, Brigit hurried from the room.

Ry let Viola chatter about her morning while the meal was brought in and set up. He tried to give her his full attention, but his mind kept turning impatiently to thoughts of how soon Josie would return.

Once Brigit left them to their meal, Viola quieted down. It took Ry a few minutes to notice the pensive edge to her expression.

“Something the matter, Button?”

She pushed the peas around on her plate. “I was just wondering if you decided where we would live yet?”

Now she had his undivided attention. “If I recall correctly, I promised you we’d make that decision together.” And lately he’d hoped that Josie would have a part in making that decision as well. “I take it you’ve been giving this some thought.”

She nodded, looking at him with large, somber eyes.

He reached over, placing his hand on hers. “Well, let’s hear what you’re thinking. And keep in mind, whether it’s Philadelphia or Hawk’s Creek, I want us to have our own house.”

Her face brightened. “I’ve never had my own house before.”

Ry leaned back, struck by the poignancy of her words. “Well, you’re going to have one now.” He cleared his throat, pushing the gruffness away.

She smiled, then cocked her head to one side. “But can we still go back to Knotty Pine for Christmas?”

He smiled, and made a cross-my-heart sign. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he leaned forward. “I promised we would, remember? And if I give you my word about something, I will always,
always
do my very best to keep it, no matter what. Do you believe me?”

That earned him a solemn nod. “And I promise to do my very best, too.”

Her earnestness touched something deep inside him. Then he straightened, returning to the matter at hand. “Let’s talk about Philadelphia first, since that’s where we are. You’ve had a good time here, meeting Grandfather Wallace and seeing some of the sights and shops of the city, haven’t you?”

She nodded.

“And there are plenty of other things to see and do. Like museums and markets and parks. Then there’s a fine school where you could be with lots of children your own age. And of
course, if we stayed here we would get to see Grandfather on a regular basis.”

He watched her carefully for some sign of what she was thinking, but for once he couldn’t read her expression.

Time to discuss the other option. “As for Hawk’s Creek, if we lived there we wouldn’t be so crowded, there’s lots of room to spread out and do whatever we want, a place to keep a horse of your very own, and Sadie and Griff would be close by so we’d get to see them whenever we wanted.” It was the choice he was leaning toward. But again, there was no obvious reaction from Viola. What was she thinking?

She finally looked up and met his gaze. “Are those our only two choices?”

Her question caught him off guard. Didn’t she like either place? “The thing is,” he said slowly, “Philadelphia and Hawk’s Creek is where my,
our
, family is. And I think it’s important to be close to family.” The Wylies had taught him that. He wanted that kind of closeness, that sense of acceptance and nurturing and belonging, for Viola. And for himself too.

Viola traced a circle on the table with her fingertip, not looking up at him. “Once, when I was sad about not having any family left, Audrey told me that family isn’t just the folks who are blood kin to you. It can include others, too. Like the way Danny and Uncle Grover are part of her family.”

Ry covered her hand with his, hurting for the sense of aloneness she’d felt. “Audrey was absolutely right. You are part of my family now, just as sure as if you were my own daughter. And that makes all of my family—Sadie and Griff and Grandfather Wallace—yours as well.”

She nodded, still not looking up. “The other thing Audrey told me is that, if we wanted to, she and I could call ourselves sisters. Or at least cousins.”

Yep, Audrey was very much like her Aunt Josie. “I think that’s wonderful.”

This time she did look up. “Then, aren’t they part of our family, too? Couldn’t we move to Knotty Pine?” She spoke all in a rush now. “I like it there, Uncle Ry, a whole lot. I miss Audrey and Mrs. Collins. And I liked going to school there and the Thanksgiving Celebration. There’s going to be a Christmas program too.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Couldn’t we at least think about living
there
?”

Ry leaned back as her words sunk in. Move to Knotty Pine? A place where he could set his own path without constantly bumping into reminders of his grandfather’s and siblings’ expectations? And they’d still have “family” around to give Viola the support and sense of belonging she needed.

Setting up a law practice in Knotty Pine wouldn’t be much more challenging than doing so at Hawk’s Creek. And as Josie had pointed out once before, Knotty Pine was growing. If they didn’t already need a lawyer, they would someday. In the interim, he’d have time to focus on building a home for Viola and perhaps establishing a horse ranch.

The one fly in the ointment would be Josie’s reaction. He knew she wanted to travel, but surely she’d had enough to hold her for a while. And he’d seen some signs that she missed her family. Perhaps she was finally coming around to realizing what a great life she’d left behind in Knotty Pine. And it wasn’t as if they couldn’t travel from time to time.

The more he thought about the idea, the more he wondered why he hadn’t seen it himself. “Viola,” he said, tapping her nose, “you’re a genius.”

Her face brightened immediately. “Does that mean we can live in Knotty Pine?”

“I’ll need to work out some things, but I do believe you’ve hit on the perfect plan.”

“Oh, Uncle Ry, thank you.” She ran around the table and hugged his neck for all he was worth.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing this child into my life.

Josie could hardly contain her excitement. With the help of Ry’s grandfather, she’d found the answer she’d been praying for. Having both her dream and a life with Ry and Viola actually seemed possible now.

Ry crossed the room and took her hands in each of his, smiling softly into her eyes. “Looks like someone had a fine time this morning.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

“So tell me.”

She laughed and pulled her hands away, savoring his attention yet too excited to hold still. She set her gloves down and twirled around to face him, eager to share her news. “Your grandfather had the most wonderful idea.”

“And what was that?”

She heard the caution in his tone but brushed it aside. “We were talking about our favorite foods, and he mentioned how much he’d enjoyed Cora Beth’s fruitcake. Then he suggested Cora Beth and I start our own business,
selling
her fruitcakes. Isn’t that the most wonderful thing you ever heard?” The words burst from her like a spark from a flint.

Ry’s reaction, however, was more puzzled than enthusiastic. “Sell fruitcakes? But you both already have businesses—the livery and the boardinghouse. Why start another?”

Didn’t he understand what this meant? “This is different—it’s something she and I can do together. She’ll make them and I’ll handle the business end. Your grandfather knows the right
people to help us get started. He says folks will pay good money to buy them.”

She paused, giving in to the one nagging worry she had about the scheme. “Do you really think that’s true? He wasn’t just being nice, was he?”

“Your sister’s cakes are fabulous. I think people will line up to buy as many as she can produce.”

It was going to work! Impulsively Josie threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in an enthusiastic hug. “Oh Ry, this is so exciting. Everything is finally coming together.”

He held her, his warm breath tickling her neck, his arms a safe harbor. A moment later Josie pulled away, her cheeks warming. “I’m sorry, I—”

He touched her face with the back of his hand, smiling that crooked smile she found so endearing. “Don’t you dare spoil a perfectly good hug with an apology. I’ve been wanting to do that myself for some time now.”

He took her hand and drew her to the sofa. “And there’s something else I’ve wanted to do for a while—something I need to ask you.”

Josie’s heart fluttered. There was a banked intensity in his gaze, a promise shining there that sent an anticipatory shiver through her.

He angled his body toward her, their knees nearly touching. “I realize we haven’t known each other very long, but it’s been more than enough time for me to know my heart. And lately I’ve had reason to hope you return some portion of my affection.”

More than “some portion.” Much more.

“I know you’ve always had your heart set on traveling the world, but—”

She touched a finger to his lips. “I don’t need to see it all right away.” The past few days, contemplating her life without
Ry in it, had taught her that dreams could change, evolve. It wouldn’t be such a sacrifice to make Philadelphia her world, at least for now. She could take time to explore it in detail, to truly savor each experience, experiences made all the sweeter by having Ry and Viola at her side.