Page 55 of The Forever Christmas Tree

“They need to meet Gabe Conti, owner of the house where the party is being held. You remember him. He’s the owner of Bell Forge now.”

Wendy tilted her head to the side as she began to understand the direction of Ethan’s thoughts. Laura must have explained some of Bell Cove’s current worry over the future of the forge building. “Is it possible?”

“Who knows? Worth exploring, though, wouldn’t you think?” Before Ethan left, he called Laura and filled her in on his idea. She promised to come up with a plan before this evening, one they could broach with Gabe. The question was: Was Gabe Conti a gambler?

All the way back home, Cassie chattered away, happier than he’d seen her in a long while. He wasn’t sure what it was about the day that had pleased her so. Maybe it was the Patterson house itself. The atmosphere there was so loud and cheerful. Something that had been missing in their home for a long time. Oh, it wasn’t that they were gloomy. It was just that Beth Anne had been sick for so long, and Cassie had been warned on more than one occasion to tiptoe, not stomp around, and to keep her voice down. Then, after Beth Anne’s death, sadness had prevailed, with him off working most of the time, and, frankly, he realized now, becoming somewhat of a grinch.

Oh, Lord! For a brief moment, he’d forgotten about that stupid grinch contest. Served him right if he won the damn thing.

Cassie was talking excitedly now about the possibility of a trip to the pool with Wendy to get diving and swimming instructions. He kept warning her that the club might be closed over the holidays and that even if it was open some days, it might not be convenient for Wendy. There was no holding down Cassie’s enthusiasm.

Everything was moving too fast, and not fast enough. He feared for Cassie getting disappointed. He feared for his rising hopes. There was a perfect reminder of why the best-laid plans often went awry sitting between him and Cassie on the bench seat . . . the high school yearbook that Wendy had handed him on the way out. He wondered if Wendy had looked inside the book at all that day after Cassie brought it there, other than the one page with the diving picture. Would she have seen the inscription on the inside cover?

Good luck, Ethan! Love you forever!

Wendy

Yeah, right!

There was a flash to the past if he ever saw one, not one Wendy would appreciate.

A novena for sex? . . .

Mildred went upstairs to her bedroom and closed the door before taking out her cell phone and calling Eliza at the Christmas Shoppe.

“Ethan was here today,” she said right off.

“He was?”

Mildred explained the circumstances of Eliza’s great-granddaughter and then her grandson showing up at her house today and everything else that had happened.

“They actually danced together?”

“Yes. Nothing mushy like a slow dance. Just the shag.”

“Still. The very fact they could hold hands for a dance is something.”

“I agree, but the clock is ticking. We need to push this thing along.”

“How?”

“Well, the biggest problem as I see it is that there’s no place for the two of them to be together. Together together, if you get my meaning. Not here with all these people. It’s like a zoo, if I must say so myself.”

“And there’s no hotel or motel nearby since the Bell Breakers Motel closed for the winter,” Eliza pointed out.

“How about your place?”

“Cassie could have a sudden sleepover come up at one of her friend’s, but what excuse could I have for being out of here?”

“Hmmm. Too bad you don’t have a boyfriend!”

“Yeah. Maybe you could fix me up.”

Mildred laughed. “Maybe, but not this quickly.”

“I was just kidding. Listen, I’ll think of some reason why I have to be away overnight. What else?”

“They’ll both be at The Bell Christmas party tonight. The rest is up to them.”