A Country Christmas Read online

  “She was a teller at the bank.”

  “When?”

  “Oh, my.” Dovie had to think about that one. “Quite a few years ago now...nine, maybe ten. She and Jennifer Healy were roommates.”

  “Healy. Healy. Why do I know that name.”

  Dovie whirled around, sighing loudly. “Frank, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten Jennifer Healy!”

  He stared back at her, his expression blank.

  “She’s the one who dumped Cal two days before their wedding. It nearly destroyed the poor boy. I still remember how upset Mary was, having to call everyone and tell them the wedding had been canceled.” She shook her head. “Nicole was supposed to be Jennifer’s maid of honor.”

  Frank’s gaze followed the other woman as she pushed her cart toward the vegetables. “When Jennifer left town, did Nicole go with her?”

  Dovie didn’t know, but it seemed to her the two girls had moved at about the same time.

  “Cal was pretty broken up when Jennifer dumped him,” Frank said. “Good thing she left Promise. Wonder why this one came back...”

  “Mary was worried sick about Cal,” Dovie murmured, missing her dearest friend more than ever. Cal’s mother had died almost three years ago, and not a day passed that Dovie didn’t think of her.

  “I know it was painful when it happened, but Jennifer’s leaving was probably a lucky break for Cal.”

  Dovie agreed with him. “I’m sure Jane thinks so, too.”

  Frank generally didn’t pay much attention to other women—unless they were potential or probable felons. His noticing Nicole was unusual enough, but it was the intensity of his focus that perturbed her.

  She studied Nicole. Dovie had to admit that the years had been kind to Jennifer’s friend. Nicole had been lovely before, but immature. Time had seasoned her beauty and given her an air of casual sophistication. Even the way she dressed had changed. Her hair, too.

  Dovie saw that her husband wasn’t the only man with his eye on this woman; half the men in the store had noticed her—and Nicole was well aware of it.

  “I’ll admit she looks attractive,” Dovie said with a certain reluctance.

  When Frank turned back to her, he was frowning. “What is it?” she asked.

  “What she looks like to me,” he said, ushering her down the aisle, “is trouble.”

  Two

  Cal had lived in this ranch house his entire life, and the place had never seemed as big or as empty as it did now. Jane hadn’t been gone a week but he couldn’t stand the silence, wandering aimlessly from room to room. Exhausted from a day that had started before dawn, he’d come home and once again experienced a sharp pang of loneliness.

  Normally when Cal got back to the house, Paul rushed outside to greet him. The little boy always launched himself off the porch steps into his father’s arms as if he’d waited for this moment all day. Later, after Cal had showered and Jane got dinner on the table, he spent time with his daughter. As young as Mary Ann was, she had a dynamic personality and persuasive powers to match. Cal knew she was going to be a beauty when she grew up—and he’d be warding off the boys. Mary Ann was like her mother in her loveliness, her energy...and her stubborn nature.

  Cal’s life had changed forever the day he married Jane. Marriage wasn’t just the smartest move of his life, it was the most comfortable. Being temporarily on his own made him appreciate what he had. He’d gotten used to a great many things, most of which he hadn’t stopped to consider for quite a while: shared passion, the companionship of the woman he loved, a family that gave him a sense of purpose and belonging. In addition, Jane ran their household with efficiency and competence, and he’d grown used to the work she did for her family—meals, laundry, cleaning. He sighed. To say he missed Jane and the kids was an understatement.

  He showered, changed clothes and dragged himself into the kitchen. His lunch had been skimpy and his stomach felt hollow, but he wasn’t in the mood to cook. Had there been time before she left, Jane would have filled the freezer with precooked dinners he could pop into the microwave. When they heard he was a temporary bachelor, Frank and Dovie had dropped off a meal, but that was long gone. The cupboards were full, the refrigerator, too, but nothing seemed simple or appealing. Because he didn’t want to bother with anything more complicated, he reached for a bag of microwave popcorn. That would take the edge off his hunger, he decided. Maybe later he’d feel like putting together a proper meal.

  The scent of popped corn enticed him, but just as he was about to start eating it, the phone rang. Cal grabbed the receiver, thinking it might be Jane.

  “Pattersons’,” he said eagerly.

  “Cal, it’s Annie.”

  Annie. Cal couldn’t squelch the letdown feeling that came over him. Annie Porter was his wife’s best friend and a woman he liked very much. She’d moved to Promise a few years back and had quickly become part of the community. The town had needed a bookstore and Annie had needed Promise. It wasn’t long before she’d married the local vet. Cal suddenly remembered that Jane had asked him to phone Annie. He’d forgotten.

  “I just heard about Jane’s dad. What happened? Dovie was in and said Jane went to stay with her parents—she assumed I knew. I wish someone had told me.”

  “That’s my fault,” Cal said. “I’m sorry, Annie. On the way to the airport, Jane asked me to call....” He let his words drift off.

  “What happened?” Annie asked again, clearly upset. Cal knew she was close to Jane’s parents and considered them a second family.

  Cal told her everything he could and apologized a second time for not contacting her earlier. He hoped Annie would see that the slight hadn’t been intentional; the fact was, he hated making phone calls. Always had.

  “I can’t imagine why Jane hasn’t called me herself,” she said in a worried voice.

  Cal had figured she would, too, which only went to show how hectic Jane’s days must be with her parents and the children.

  “Jane will be home in a week,” Cal said, trying to sound hopeful and reassuring—although a week seemed like an eternity. He pushed the thought from his mind and forced himself to focus on their reunion. “Why don’t you give her a call?” he suggested, knowing Annie was going to want more details. “I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Great... Well, it’s been good talking to you,” he said, anxious to get off the phone.

  “Before we hang up, I want to ask you about Nicole Nelson.”

  “Who?” Cal had no idea who she was talking about.

  “You don’t know Nicole? She came into the bookstore this afternoon and applied for a job. She put you and the bank down as references.”

  “Nicole Nelson.” The name sounded vaguely familiar.

  “I saw you talking to her at the rodeo,” Annie said, obviously surprised that he didn’t remember the other woman.

  “Oh, yeah—her,” he said, finally recalling the incident. Then he realized how he knew Nicole. She’d been a good friend of Jennifer’s. In fact, they’d been roommates when he and Jennifer were engaged. “She put my name down as a job reference?” He found that hard to believe.

  “She said she’s known you for quite a while,” Annie added.

  “Really?” To be fair, Cal’s problem hadn’t been with Nicole but with Jennifer, who’d played him for a fool. He’d been too blinded by his first encounter with love to recognize the kind of woman she was.

  “Nicole said if I had any questions I should ask you.”

  “It’s been years since I saw her—other than at the rodeo last week.” He did remember talking to her briefly. She’d said something about how good it was to be back in Promise, how nice to see him, that sort of thing. At the time Cal had been distracted. He’d been more interested in watching the rodeo and cheering on his friends than in having a conversat
ion with a woman he’d had trouble recognizing. Besides, Jane was upset with him, and appeasing her had been paramount. He’d barely noticed Nicole.

  “Did she list any other personal references?” he asked.

  “No, I told her you and the bank were the only ones I needed,” Annie said. “So can you vouch for her?”

  “I guess so. It’s just that I haven’t seen her in a long time. We—”

  “You went out with her?”

  Leave it to Annie to ask a question like that. “No, with her best friend. We almost got married.” No need to go into details. Jennifer had taught him one of the most valuable lessons of his life. The worth of that experience could be measured in the pain and embarrassment that resulted when she’d callously canceled the wedding. He could’ve lived with her breaking their engagement—but why did she have to wait until they were practically at the altar?

  “I talked with Janice over at Promise First National about her job history,” Annie said, interrupting his thoughts. “She doesn’t have anything negative to say about Nicole, but if you’re uncomfortable giving her a recommendation...”

  “Oh, I’m sure Nicole will do a great job for you.”

  The length of Annie’s hesitation told him he hadn’t been very convincing.

  “Nicole’s fine, really,” he said. He didn’t actually remember that much about her. She always seemed to be there whenever he picked up Jennifer, but he couldn’t say he knew her. Years ago she’d been a sweet kid, but that was the extent of his recollection. He certainly couldn’t dredge up anything that would prevent her from selling books. He’d never heard that she was dishonest or rude to customers, and those were things that would definitely have stuck in his mind. It was difficult enough to attract good employees; Cal didn’t want to be responsible for Annie’s turning someone down simply because he had negative feelings about that person’s friends.

  “I was thinking of hiring her for the bookstore.”

  “Do it,” Cal said.

  “She seems friendly and helpful.”

  “Yeah, she is,” Cal said, and glanced longingly at the popcorn.

  “Thanks, Cal, I appreciate the input.”

  “No problem.” He didn’t know what it was about women and the telephone. Even Jane, who had a sensible approach to everything and hated wasting time, could spend hours chatting with her friends. He sighed. Thinking about his wife produced a powerful yearning. Nothing seemed right without her.

  “I’ll call Jane tomorrow,” Annie was saying.

  “Good plan.” He checked his watch, wondering how much longer this would take.

  “Thanks again.”

  “Give Nicole my best,” he said, thinking this was how to signal that he was ready to get off the phone.

  “I will,” Annie promised. “Bye, now.”

  Ah, success. Cal replaced the receiver, then frowned as he attempted to picture Nicole Nelson. Brown hair—or blond? He hadn’t paid much attention to her at the rodeo. And he couldn’t imagine what would bring her back to Promise. Not that she needed to justify the move, at least to him. His one hope was that Annie wouldn’t regret hiring her.

  * * *

  Mary Ann’s squeal of delight woke Jane from a deep sleep. She rolled over and looked bleary-eyed at the clock radio and gasped. Ten o’clock. She hadn’t slept this late since she was in high school. Tossing back the covers, she grabbed her robe and headed out of the bedroom, yawning as she went.

  “Mom!” she called.

  “In here, sweetheart,” her mother said from the kitchen.

  Jane found the children and her mother busily playing on the tile floor. Mary Ann toddled gleefully, chasing a beach ball, intent on getting to it before her brother. Because he loved his little sister, Paul was letting her reach it first, then clapping and encouraging her to throw it to him.

  “You should’ve woken me up,” Jane said.

  “Why? The children are fine.”

  “But, Mom, I’m supposed to be here to help you,” she protested. The last week had been difficult. Taking Paul and Mary Ann away from home and the comfort of their normal routines had made both children irritable. The first night, Mary Ann hadn’t slept more than a few hours, then whined all the next day. Paul had grown quiet and refused to talk to either grandparent. The children had required several days to adjust to the time change, and with the stress of her father’s condition, Jane was completely exhausted.

  “You needed the sleep,” her mother said.

  Jane couldn’t argue with that. “But I didn’t come all this way to spend the whole morning in bed.”

  “Stop fussing. Paul, Mary Ann and I are having a wonderful visit. If you intend to spoil it, then I suggest you go back to bed.”

  “Mother!”

  “I’m the only grandma they have. Now, why don’t you let us play and get yourself some breakfast?”

  “But—”

  “You heard me.” Stephanie crawled over to the lower cupboards, then held on to the counter, using that as leverage to get up off the floor. “I’m not as limber as I once was,” she joked.

  “Oh, Mom...” Watching her, Jane felt guilty. She gathered Mary Ann into her arms, although the child immediately wanted to get down. Paul frowned up at her, disgruntled by the interruption.

  “I called your father, and he’s resting comfortably,” her mother informed her. “He wants us to take the day for ourselves.”

  “Dad said that?” He’d been demanding and impatient ever since Jane had arrived.

  “He did indeed, and I intend to take him up on his offer. I promised the kids lunch at McDonald’s.”

  “Dad must be feeling better.”

  “He is,” her mother said. “By the way, Annie phoned earlier.”

  “Annie?” Jane echoed. “Is everything all right at home?”

  “Everything’s just fine. She wanted to know how your father’s doing. Apparently no one told her—”

  “I asked Cal to tell her. I meant to phone her myself, but...you know how crazy it’s been this week.”

  “I explained it all, so don’t you worry. She’d already talked to Cal, who apologized profusely for not phoning her. She sounds well and has some news herself.”

  Jane paused, waiting, although she had her suspicions.

  “Annie’s pregnant again. She says they’re all thrilled—Annie, Lucas and the children. She’s reducing her hours at work, hiring extra help. It was great to chat with her.”

  “A baby. That’s wonderful.” Annie was such a good mother, patient and intuitive. And such a good friend. Her move to Texas had been a real blessing to Jane.

  Thinking about Promise made Jane’s heart hunger for home. A smile came as she recalled how out of place she’d once felt in the small Texas town. She’d accepted a job in the medical clinic soon after she’d qualified. It wasn’t where she’d wanted to settle, and she’d only taken the assignment so she could pay off a portion of her huge college loans. The first few months had been dreadful—until she’d become friends with Dovie, who’d introduced her to Ellie.

  This was networking at its finest. Soon afterward, Ellie and Glen had arranged Jane’s first date with Cal. What a disaster that had been! Cal wasn’t the least bit interested in a blind date. Things had changed, however, when Cal and his brother and Ellie had started to teach her how to act like a real Texan. When she’d decided to take riding lessons, Cal had volunteered to be her teacher.

  Jane had never meant to fall in love with him. But they were a good match, bringing out the best in each other, and they’d both realized that. Because of Cal, she was a better person, even a better physician, and he reminded her often how her love had enriched his life. They were married within a year of meeting.

  After the children were born, Jane felt it necessary to make her career less of a priority, but she didn’t begrudge a moment
of this new experience. In fact, she enjoyed being a full-time wife and mother—for a while—and managed to keep up her medical skills with a few weekend shifts.

  Annie, too, had found love and happiness in their small town. The news of her latest pregnancy pleased Jane.

  “Have you connected with Julie and Megan yet?” her mother asked.

  Along with Annie, Julie and Megan had been Jane’s best friends all through high school. Julie was married and lived ten minutes away. Megan was a divorced single mother. Jane hadn’t seen either woman in three years—make that four. How quickly time got away from her.

  “Not yet,” Jane told her.

  “I want you to have lunch with your friends while you’re home.”

  “Mom, that isn’t necessary. I’m not here to be entertained.”

  “I don’t want you to argue with me, either.”

  Jane grinned, tempted to follow her mother’s suggestion. Why not? She’d love to see her friends. “I’ll try to set something up with Julie and Megan this week.”

  “Good.” Her mother gently stroked Jane’s cheek. “You’re so pale and exhausted.”

  The comment brought tears to her eyes. She wasn’t the one suffering pain and trauma, like her father, who’d broken his hip, or her mother who’d had to deal with the paramedics, the hospital, the surgeon and all the stress.

  “I came here to help you,” Jane reiterated.

  “You have, don’t you see?” Her mother hugged Paul. “It’s time with my precious grandbabies that’s helping me cope with all this. I don’t see nearly enough of them. Having the grandkids with me is such a treat, and I fully intend to take advantage of it.”

  Jane went to take a shower, looking forward to visiting with her friends. She missed Cal and Promise, but it was good to be in California, too.

  * * *

  The metallic whine of the can opener made Cal grit his teeth. This was the third night in a row that he’d eaten soup and crackers for dinner. The one night he’d fried himself a steak, he’d overcooked it. A few years back he’d been a pretty decent cook, but his skills had gotten rusty since his marriage. He dumped the ready-to-heat soup into the pan and stared at it, finding it utterly unappetizing.