“I’ll meet you by the entrance at two.”
“Perfect. I’m looking forward to it, Doc. Well, I better let you get back to it.” He holds up the ornament. “And thanks again for this.”
“See you tomorrow,” I say with a wave.
Once the door closes, Kayla clears her throat from behind the reception desk where she’s leafing through our next patient’s file.
“Do my ears deceive me or did you justmeddlein your mother’s love life?” She lifts her eyes from the manila folder. “The very same thing you were upset with her for doing toyou.”
“Um.” I press my lips together. “Maybe.”
She narrows her eyes at me and slaps the file onto the counter.
“What can I say? I guess I get it from my mama.”
A grin tugs at the corner of her mouth, and she rubs her hands together.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about the extra caramel popcorn I’m going to get at the festival.” She gives me a little smirk. “I want to make sure I have plenty of snacks for the show.”
“I still can’t believeMom went out with the baby dragon’s dad,” Ben says with a laugh at Mistletoe Fest Saturday afternoon. I’m standing off to the side with my brother and Kayla, watching Ellie, Noah, and Emily get their faces painted by someone dressed as Buddy the Elf outside Santa’s Workshop. “And that youinvitedhim. Isn’t this exactly what you got mad at Mom for?”
“That’s whatIsaid.” Kayla pops a piece of popcorn into her mouth from the bag clutched in her gloved hands and gives me a smug grin.
“It’s notexactlythe same. It’s…similar.” I shove my hands in the pockets of my tweed coat. A familiar ache is scratching at my bones, but I’m determined not to let it ruin this day.
Kayla raises an brow at me.
“Okay, fine.” I huff out a breath. “You’re right. I meddled, but I had a good reason. You should’ve seen Ron. He looked like a kid with his first crush. He was giddy over her.”
Kayla nods. “He was. I was eavesdropping on the entire conversation.”
“I think that’s why Mom didn’t mention it,” I continue. “I think she likes him too, and that probably scares her.”
Ben narrows his eyes at me. “And you thought the best way to handle that would be to invite him today?”
“Can’t help you out of that one, Linds,” Kayla says.
I shrug. “Honestly, I didn’t think that far ahead. I saw a wonderful man who appreciates how amazing Mom is, and I think she needs that. Maybe I shouldn’t have done it.”
“I’m sorry,” Ben says, touching my arm. “I don’t mean to give you a hard time. I guess it’s a little strange for me to think about Mom dating, but we want her to move forward, and this is part of it, right?”
I swipe my hair from my face. “Look, if this goes south, I’m willing to admit defeat and beg for forgiveness. But I just have a feeling, Ben. I think this could be a good thing.”
“I believe you,” he says. “What time is he getting here, anyway?”
“Two. Oliver’s bringing him since he lives next door.” I pull my phone from my pocket and glance at the time. “Oh, shoot. That’s right now. I have to go meet them out front.”
“When are Lucy and Willow getting here with MJ and Rose?” Kayla asks.
“Any minute now. They’re supposed to meet us in time for theDo You Want To Build A Snowmancontest at two thirty,” I answer.
“Good,” she says with a smirk. “Gives me time to grab more popcorn.”
I roll my eyes as I back away. “I’ll meet you guys over by the activity tent.”
“Thanks again for inviting me,”Ron says as we weave through the bustling crowd. “This is nice.”
