“I might have a solution,” said Natalie. “They could stay at my cabin.”
“No, and being right on the water would be a nightmare for Diane to keep an eye on those kids.”
“You’re right,” Natalie agreed. “Or?”
“What are you thinking?” Sheila glanced over at Randy. “Or, I could take stay there, and maybe you could stay at Randy’s. Then the Jacob family could stay at Orene’s.”
Natalie held up a finger. “I’m going to ask Paul if he’ll put them up.”
Orene’s mouth dropped. “I don’t—”
“I know.” Natalie closed her eyes. “People think he’s a recluse, and because he’s never let anyone up on that hillside, they think he’s not going to help, but they don’t understand why. He’s a good man, with a huge heart.”
“Yes, he is,” Orene said. “It’s been very nice getting to know him again since you’ve come to town, but I don’t see him being able to handle those kids rousting about his place.”
“I’m not thinking of him putting them up in the castle. The chapel up on the hill is empty. It’s got a bathroom and a small kitchen area. We could set up a regular Christmas camp there for them, and there wouldn’t be a big hurry to get them moved along. We could decorate it, and it might be a little tight, but that could make it fun if we do it up right. I bet we could put some bunk beds in there. It’s got heat and everything they’d need.”
“I’ll be really surprised if he says yes,” Orene said.
“It sounds like a perfect solution to me.” Sheila clicked on her phone, scrolled through something, then said, “I can get two sets of kids’ bunk beds, that would sleep the three older children and provide room for stuffed toys, for less than six hundred dollars, delivered four days from now. I’ll pay for them. And if someone willdrive to Richmond to get them, we can have them tomorrow. We’ll need a crib as well. I bet someone has a spare or two in this town.”
“I’ll pick them up,” Randy said. “I have a couple of things to drop off for the guys at the police station back in Richmond, anyway. We can put them together when I get back.”
“If Paul says no, then my place might just have to do,” Natalie said. “We’d have to put some kind of fence up to be sure the kids couldn’t get to the water. That really scares me, but it could work in a pinch.” She pressed her hand on top of Randy’s. “I can stay with this guy through the holidays, or over here with you and Sheila.”
“You’re going to make us fight over you,” Randy said. “Don’t hurt my feelings right here at the holidays, babe.”
“Stop. You know I love you more than anything.” Natalie kissed him on the cheek.
He smiled, blushing slightly. “Yeah.”
Sheila shook her head. “I don’t think the cabin is an option. Don’t share this with anyone, but Diane told me that she and Jack have a twenty-thousand-dollar deductible on their homeowner’s. They don’t have that kind of money. It could take a long while before they are in a position to get that house into livable shape.”
“Oh dear.” Orene’s face blanched. “That’s terrible.”
“With the price of homes going up, we’re seeing more and more people opting for high deductibles to keep the rates down. It can become a problem, though, like in this situation.” Sheila got up and helped Orene with the juice carafe and glasses. They all ate and then Natalie cleared the table.
“I’m going to go talk to Paul. Sheila, do you want to come?”
“Absolutely. I’ll drive.”
Natalie got up and kissed Randy on the forehead and hugged Orene. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” they said, but Sheila doubted they’d need it.
An hour later, Sheila and Natalie were walking out of Paul’s castle house with the keys to the little chapel on the hill.
“He didn’t hesitate one second,” Sheila said. “That man would do anything for you. He really is your family.”
“I know. He’s so good to me. I wish I’d known him when Jeremy was still alive.”
“That would have been special. I bet it was hard for Jeremy to have to leave that part of his life behind.”
“Had to have been. I can’t imagine, but that’s the past, and I try not to ponder over things I don’t control,” Natalie said.
Sheila was pretty sure Natalie wasn’t only thinking about Jeremy and Paul, but putting the past behind her after being conned by that louse too. Then again, if that hadn’t happened, she might never have met Randy.
“Besides, we have plenty to solve without going down a rabbit hole,” Natalie said.
