A Texas Christmas Wish Page 21

  “Extended family, but family is family,” Annie amended. “Sister! Perhaps you should ask our guests if they are finished before taking their meal away from them.” Annie looked pointedly at the little boy, who was wolfing down his second sandwich with a great deal of relish.

  “Family?” Luke asked, wondering about this mysterious tenant. “Is it someone I know?” He wasn’t related to the sisters, but they’d adopted him so thoroughly into their lives and their hearts ever since he’d moved to town that he felt like part of their family. Given his own troubled background, it was a feeling he relished.

  “No, dear, you haven’t met her,” Katie answered. “Tess is Livie’s sister-in-law.”

  Luke nodded in understanding. Livie was the sisters’ grandniece—a sweet girl who Luke had known for the past few years, along with her husband, Adam, and her adorable twin daughters, named after the Salter sisters. “This Tess is Adam’s sister?” he asked.

  “That’s right. We love Livie and Adam, and by extension, we love Tess. Just like we love you, Luke. And now we have Caleb to love.” She flashed the boy a warm, grandmotherly smile.

  Caleb stopped eating, looking at Katie curiously. “How can you love me if you don’t really know me?” The question was honest and straightforward, but neither of the sisters was taken aback. Katie’s answer was honest and straightforward in return.

  “We chose to love you and we have plenty to go around. No sense in letting it just sit there and go to waste.”

  “Yep.” Annie nodded. “Don’t fight it, kid. Just go with the flow.”

  God bless both of you, Luke thought. He watched his son closely, gauging his reaction to their words. Caleb seemed to be considering what they had said, then shrugged his shoulders, accepting it without question.

  “Okay. Thank you for choosing to love me.” Then he went back to finishing his lunch, the conversation obviously over for him. But not for Katie, who had been watching him carefully.

  “You’re quite welcome. Would you like some more shrimp salad, Caleb? I don’t think your daddy feeds you enough.”

  “No thank you, ma’am. I’m full now. And my dad feeds me good. I just get really hungry sometimes.” He hesitated before adding, “Dad, can I go sit on the dock and watch the dolphins?”

  “Yes, you can. Remember the rules, though. No touching the boat, got it?”

  “Got it,” Caleb affirmed as he grabbed the chocolate chip cookies that Annie handed him, then raced across the yard to the long weathered dock that jutted into the sound. “Thanks for lunch!” he yelled back over his shoulder.

  “Ladies, that was the best lunch we’ve had since you made us lunch last weekend.” Looking at Annie, Luke winked, and she blushed to the roots of her shiny blue-gray hair.

  “I declare, Luke Barrett, you are a pure scamp!” she twittered happily.

  Katie scowled at her twin sister, shaking her head as she tossed the empty paper plates into a plastic bag she had taken out of the hamper.

  “Annie, you are far too old to twitter and simper,” she declared. “Besides which, we have places to go, people to see and many things to accomplish in the next few hours. And what’s this about the boat?” She turned her attention back to Luke.

  “It appears that he and Joey Mason have been taking a boat and going over to Shackleford Island without permission. Joey’s dad caught them yesterday, tying up at the dock in front of his house, and read them the riot act. Seems this wasn’t the first time. Caleb and I had a long talk last night.”

  Or at least, they’d spent a long time in the same room with Luke doing a lot of talking. Caleb hadn’t had much to say—which was par for the course. Luke just didn’t know how to connect with the boy. He felt as if he was still searching for his footing when it came to being a father. Maybe because he’d never really had a father of his own. At least Caleb seemed to have bonded with Joey Mason. Caleb needed someone he could talk to—someone who could make him laugh and relax and enjoy life in North Carolina.

  Luke just wished that someone could be him.

  “Just being boys. Besides, Joey knows how to handle a boat. He was raised in a fishing village, for goodness’ sake.”

  Luke knew that Annie was trying to make light of the incident, but he had been scared out of his mind when Joe had called him. Anything could happen on the water.

  “I respect what you’re saying, Miss Annie, but I disagree. Joey may know what he’s doing, but he just isn’t big enough to handle the boat by himself if something goes wrong, and Caleb doesn’t know enough to be able to help. Joey isn’t allowed to take the boat out without an adult, and now Caleb knows the ground rules, as well. They’re only ten years old.”

  “He’s right, sister,” Katie agreed. “Now come, we need to get moving.”

  Not for the first time Luke marveled at the energy the sisters exuded. They were all light and motion, rarely slowing down even for an instant. Well into their seventies, they had more vim and vigor than most women thirty years younger. He blessed the day he had met them, after he had attended his first church service in town over four years ago. They had taken to him immediately and had drawn him into the fellowship of the church and the easy pace of life in the quaint fishing village that he had come to love. He felt a sense of family with them, something he had sorely missed, first in his troubled childhood, then later in his vagabond life as a marine. Something he was desperate to give to his newfound son.

  Each time he had deployed, they welcomed him back with open arms and home-cooked meals. Home. Yes, Swansboro was home now, as close to home as any place he had known, and he was determined that this was where he would raise his boy. And he was more than happy to take on any little task he could to show his appreciation for his home, and the family that had all but adopted him.

  “Miss Katie, do you have that list for me?” he asked as he jumped to his feet to help clear the last of the containers from the table.

  Katie handed him a sheet of note paper, where she’d jotted things that they had asked him to do before the end of the day.

  “Luke, if you wouldn’t mind stocking the pantry we would greatly appreciate it. I’ve added a small number of items you can pick up at the Piggly Wiggly. Here’s the money,” she said, reaching into the pocket of her flowered pedal pushers and pulling out several large bills. Luke waved the money away, shaking his head.

  “I’ve got it,” he assured her. “You and Miss Annie just take care of what you have to do. If you can think of anything else you need, just give me a call on my cell phone. Caleb and I are free for the rest of the day.”

  “Are you sure?” Annie squinted slightly, the sun in her eyes as she looked up at him. “Luke, you need to let us pay you for all you’ve done this past week, helping us get Moon Gate Cottage ready for Tess.”

  After picking up the wicker hamper, he walked the ladies to the cheerful golf cart and stowed the basket safely in the back. “Yes, ma’am, I’m positive, and please don’t mention money again. It’s my pleasure to help. We’ll get the chairs and tables moved onto the screened porch and run up to the market to get provisions for your guest,” he assured them. “Where are you off to next?”

  “First stop is Praise Bee to pick up a gift for Tess, then off to the mayor’s office to put in our two cents’ worth about the Fourth of July festival.” Katie neatly positioned a pair of black-and-white zebra-striped sunglasses on the bridge of her nose as she spoke, looking at Luke over the rims.

  “You have a wonderful child there, Luke. I’m so glad you found each other.” Annie climbed into the cart as she spoke.

  Luke looked across the yard to his son, who was lying on the dock, munching cookies and watching the dolphins, which were putting on quite a show today.

  “Thank you, Miss Annie. He’s a good kid. Things have been a little rocky here and there, but like a creek going downhill,
we’ll find our way. I just wish his mother had told me about him years ago.”

  “Well, you know now and that’s all that counts. I’m glad that she stipulated in her will that he was to go to you if anything happened to her. And she named him Caleb Barrett, using your last name. I think in the end, she tried to do the right thing.” Annie reached out and touched Luke’s cheek as she spoke, her brown eyes filled with compassion for the tragic death of a young woman she had never met.

  “She did. I regret not having him in my life sooner, though.”

  Katie shook her head. “You can’t live with regrets, Luke. You take the hand God deals and make the most of it. You have him now, and what a wonderful gift your child is.”

  Luke nodded, a lump forming in his throat at their kind words.

  “And don’t forget about the breakfast after church tomorrow. You will be there, Luke? Sarah is making that delicious breakfast casserole that you so love.” Katie paused, taking a breath as if considering her next words carefully. “She’s been asking about you. Since Caleb has been here, she says she rarely sees you. Is there something going on there that we should know about?”

  Luke was caught off guard by the question. “Not that I know of. But I appreciate your interest.”

  He had gone out with Sarah Fulcher a few times, long before Caleb had come on the scene, but nothing in any way that was serious. Since Jen, he had always felt that his life was too unsettled for a wife and family. That was, after all, why his wife had left him all those years ago, not even telling him that she was pregnant at the time.

  After Jen’s death, when Caleb came into his life, Luke’s perspective had taken a radical shift. Now he actively sought stability, where there had been none before. On the surface, Sarah could provide some of that stability. She was the minister’s daughter, she was well respected in town and she’d had the sort of idyllic childhood that he wanted to give his son. But there was something about Sarah that made him not want to rush into anything with her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was there. He enjoyed her company, but not enough for the serious relationship she was looking for. At least not right now.

  Both ladies nodded as if they totally understood, taking his words at face value.

  Katie pushed her sunglasses up with purpose. “Well, we’re off. I honestly do not know how this village would function without us. Three thousand people and half of them don’t have a clue!” Skillfully, she put the cart in Reverse as Annie blew a kiss to Luke, her eyes sparkling playfully behind her leopard-print sunglasses.

  “Good thing they have us.” Annie patted her sister’s hand soothingly before the golf cart bounced away from Moon Gate Cottage down the shady, sandy lane.

  Luke shook his head, smiling as he watched their departure. It’s a good thing we do have you, he thought. Looking at the list in his hand, he called for Caleb to come with him before making his way to his truck to do the shopping.

  * * *

  Tess drank in the view as she crossed the bridge that led into the charming hamlet of Swansboro. Large brown pelicans flew in lazy circles near the bridge before veering off toward a sun-bleached wooden dock to her right. Several men sat on benches in front of the boats, mending nets and throwing small silver fish to the birds from buckets sitting near their feet. To her left a number of miniature lush green islands dotted the water. She turned off the air conditioner in the car and rolled down the windows, her senses delightfully assaulted by the scent of fresh salty air combined with the vibrant perfume of the white, pink and red oleander that lined the narrow street she had just turned onto.

  She could easily see gentle, kind Livie growing up in this beautiful seaside town. The place was storybook perfect, and for the first time in months, Tess genuinely smiled, feeling innumerable layers of stress and pain begin to dissolve, at least a little. Her experiences overseas had wounded her in body and spirit. Both sets of injuries were slow to heal. But coming to this town to rest and recover was helping her already. It was a beginning and she would take what she could get.

  Her first order of business was to get directions to the house. She had told Livie she would call the aunts when she got to Swansboro, but she wanted to do this on her own. She was glad that Livie had given her a key. There was no need to bother anyone. Besides, there had been too much fussing over her and doing for her lately, and she wanted to establish her independence again—something she had sorely missed the past eight months.

  Spying the police station on a nearby corner, she pulled into an empty parking spot and reached for the aluminum cane that had been her constant companion since she had finished rehab. With some difficulty she stood up, leaning heavily on it. Her left leg was sore and stiff from the three hour drive, but she managed to keep her balance as she made her way slowly into the building.

  “Can I help you?” The bald, portly man behind the outsize oak desk seemed distracted by something on the floor as he glanced up quickly at Tess, then back to the vicinity of his feet. She couldn’t see what the distraction was, but the man seemed very anxious about something down there.

  “Yes, I’m looking for this address.” As Tess tried to hand him the paper, the man yelped and jumped to his feet. Startled, she moved back a few steps, wobbling as she grasped the cane firmly to keep from falling.

  “Are you all right?” Surprise mingled with concern in her voice.

  As he moved to the center of the room, shaking his leg, Tess spied the problem. A small turtle had attached itself to the police officer’s pant leg. Determination glinted in the turtle’s beady black eyes as the beak-like mouth maintained its firm grip, unwilling to release its prey until it had brought him down.

  “Snapping turtle,” the officer puffed, continuing his awkward dance around the little room.

  “Are you hurt?” For the life of her, Tess could not figure out how to help the poor man.

  “No, just has the pant leg, not the skin.”

  “Maybe if you tried to pull it off with your hands?” she ventured, on the verge of laughter as the dance became more comical by the second. For a big man he certainly could move.

  “Not a good idea. Don’t want to rip the uniform.”

  “Of course not,” Tess murmured, as she watched the duel between the man and the little snapping turtle continue.

  This was just too funny and she worked hard to keep her face free of any expression other than polite concern. She had to admit she had smiled more since she had arrived in this picturesque town than she had in the past eight months combined. Maybe Livie was right.

  With one more mighty shake of his leg the officer managed to dislodge the gray-green turtle, which landed with a thud next to a shiny metal bench. He immediately went over to check the reptile to make sure it was not hurt. The turtle stared at them both accusingly and snapped its powerful little jaws once more, as if to make a point.

  “Aw, he’s just fine. Good thing he’s a baby or I’d have never gotten the little critter off me. Fierce animals.”

  “Is he a pet?”

  “Well, now, I suppose you could say he was for about twelve hours or so. My wife found him in my son’s room this morning in a box, with a whole head of lettuce sitting next to him. Boy brings home every creature he finds.” The policeman shook his head, smiling broadly. “The wife threw out the lettuce, I got the turtle and the kid got another lecture on appropriate pets. It’s all good. Just can’t figure out how he got out of the box.”

  “Are you sure he didn’t bite you?” Tess asked with concern. Animal bites could become easily infected.

  “A small nip on the leg. No big deal.”

  “I can look at it if you like,” she offered.

  “You a doc?” He glanced at her with interest as he sat down behind the desk.

  “No, physician assistant.”

  “Close.” He seemed impressed. “A
re you in town to apply for a position at the clinic? It’d be nice to finally get someone qualified in there. Real shame it’s only open every other Monday.”

  Tess felt a brief stab of panic at the thought of working again. She was not sure she could ever go back to practicing medicine, no matter how much she loved what she did. She just didn’t have the heart for it any longer. She only wanted to forget, and that was an exercise in futility when the pain in her leg and the heavier pain in her heart reminded her each day. She used to believe that God had a plan for everyone. Not anymore. God hadn’t been there on that awful day, and if that was His plan, she could well do without it. She cleared the lump that had formed in her throat, before speaking.

  “Sorry, but no. I do hope you find someone, though. Actually, I’m looking for directions to this address. Can you help me?” She handed the paper to the officer again. The dull ache in her leg reminded her that she had been standing on it a little too long.

  “Sure can.” Taking the sheet, he glanced at it briefly. “You’re almost there. Just make a right at the next block and follow the road all the way to the end. Take the dirt road to your left and you’ll be there. It’s right on the water.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “Beautiful place, Moon Gate Cottage. You must be renting?”

  “Something like that.” The cottage was actually Livie and Adam’s. From what her sister-in-law had told her, it was part of a cluster of cottages built by Livie’s great-grandparents as rental properties in the 1930s. Apparently, everyone in the family owned one of them now, but they were frequently rented out during the summer.

  The policeman probably knew Livie—and definitely knew the aunts—so if Tess was going to have peace and quiet for the next few hours, she’d likely be best served by keeping her personal business private for now. Otherwise, if what she’d heard about Annie and Katie Salter was true, they’d be rushing over to make a fuss about her arrival.

  “Well, my name is Joe Mason. If you need any help just call the station.” He quickly scribbled a number on the paper, slanting a quick glance at her cane.