When we stood among the holiday debris, she clapped her hands to her chest and sighed.
“This has been the best Christmas in a long, long time,” she chirped.
Before he knew what she was doing, she’d grabbed John in a bear hug.
“Thank you so much for the cookbook!”
The look he shot me over his shoulder screamed that I’d better get her off him now. Before I could act, she let him go and took a step back, one arm still around him.
“Thank you for being so wonderful,” she told him as if Ricky and I weren’t there. “You’ve been good for my son.”
She gave him a shy kiss on the cheek and an extra squeeze before she let him go. As she turned, she wiped a tear from her cheek.
John’s eyes registered shock when he looked at me.
I was about to give him a reassuring hug when she turned and eyed all of us.
“All right, boys. We have our work cut out for us before Beth and her wife get here. Ricky and Fen, your job is to get this living room picked up and the plants watered. John, you and I are the only ones qualified to put the kitchen in order.”
Not giving us time to argue, she turned and marched into the kitchen, where the dirty dishes and unconsumed food were stacked on every available surface. After giving me an amused glare, John followed.
Beth and Kate arrived seconds after we’d finally finished cleaning up. Mother had heated some wassail, so the apartment smelled heavenly. She’d put a plate of Christmas cookies and a dish of red-and-green striped candy on the coffee table, as well as two wrapped gifts.
I hadn’t thought to get either Beth or Kate something, so I felt like a fool when they handed me their gifts.
“Oh, Fen! You want me to get their presents?” John asked.
He didn’t wait for my answer, but disappeared downstairs, coming back after Beth and Kate had taken off their coats, greeted me and my mother, and had cups of hot wassail in hand. I couldn’t imagine where he found the presents, but I owed him big-time when Beth and Kate unwrapped new-looking cookbooks. Adding Elegance to Your Everyday Meals by someone I’d never heard of for Beth, and Supper on the Run, again by an unknown author, for Kate.
The choices were perfect. I probably looked as stunned as they did but accepted their thanks as graciously as I could. My mother smirked at me. John seemed to be holding back a laugh. Only Ricky and the women looked pleased.
Before she and Kate left with their cookbooks and knitted hats and mufflers, Beth said, “Be at the shop at least an hour early. It’s going to be awful with the after-Christmas sale. Be ready to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life.”
She turned to Ricky. “It’s going to be really, really busy. Be prepared for lots of kids.”
Ricky grinned. “No problem. I love playing with the kids.”
No one doubted him.
To finish up the night, Sheriff Campbell knocked on the door shortly after John and I finally found a second to ourselves. Mother was getting ready to go to bed early in my guest room, and Ricky was watching another Christmas special on John’s television.
John and I were sitting on the floor in his part of the turret.
“What do I owe you for the cookbooks?” I asked with a sigh.
He laughed. “Your firstborn child. Or maybe a back rub.” He stopped and put a finger to my lips as if to shush me. “Yeah, back rubs sound good.”
“Can I ask where they came from so suddenly?”
He shrugged. “People give me stuff. No, actually, chefs give me stuff. Mostly they want me to mention them to Adam.” He turned and gave me a quick kiss. “Those were holiday gifts from a couple of guys who work in the Bay Area and who want me to get Adam to eat in their restaurants and give them rave reviews.” He grinned at me. “Now I have two less books to donate to the library.”
“Wait. So you got rid of a couple of unwanted books, and you’ll get some back rubs out of this deal?”
He giggled and nodded, then started laughing. Funny guy. Here he was making me feel bad that maybe he’d made a huge sacrifice. I laughed.
That’s when Sheriff Campbell showed up.
“Had a little problem at the Limelight Bar, so I thought while I was in the neighborhood, I’d stop by and see if Leo Waterson has shown up lately.”
The sheriff looked tired, as if the holiday spirit had passed him by.
“No, I haven’t seen him. Have you?” John asked me.
“Nope.”
“Well, keep an eye out for him. There’s an armed-and-dangerous warning out for him.” He turned to go, but I stopped him.
“C’mon in a second. We’ve got something for your kids—and you too if you like cookies.”
“Nah, guys…” He wavered.
John had turned and was walking back toward the kitchen where my mom’s decorated goodie bags were.
“We’ve got people looking for Leo all over the state,” the sheriff told me. “He’s dangerous and doesn’t give up ground easily, so be careful. Be sure to tell your…”
“Boyfriend,” I supplied.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Mr. Waterson really wants your boyfriend and Ricky. Don’t fool yourselves that he’s given up and dropped them.” The sheriff shifted from one foot to the other. “Just be careful. And if you do see him, get in touch with my office immediately.”
John was back with one of my mom’s decorated bags of cookies, which he handed to the sheriff. With a tired “Merry Christmas,” the sheriff walked through the snow toward the department office across the street.
Chapter 11
The nursery doors opened at
