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“Oh.” She’d been so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t heard the doorbell.

She moved to the front door and opened it. The sleigh bell wreath jingled. Paul stood on the porch. He was studying the mat in front of the door. He lifted his head. And even though he smiled, there was a look in his blue eyes—eyes that were the same shade as her own.

“Hi.” She sent him a smile, even though her stomach shivered with nerves. “How are the lights coming?”

“Uh, good.” He turned to the side so he could look out at the driveway where there were two bucket trucks. “We’re about three-quarters of the way done.” He turned back to her. “My wife wanted to know if you’d like to come over for dinner. Well, uh...not just my wife but me too. We, huh, wanted to know if you’d have dinner with us.”

Just then Shaun stepped up next to her. “Hi. Looks like the lights are going well.”

Paul nodded. “We have years of practice. Miriam had us doing the lights since I started the company.”

Leah found that intriguing. “So, my grandmother kept in contact with you even after my mother left town.”

He nodded. “We’ve always gotten along.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “About that dinner, feel free to bring someone.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Dinner is at six. And I’ll send you the directions.” He started down the steps, and then he turned back. “I was supposed to ask if you like pizza and Christmas cookies.”

“Sure.”

“Good. I’ll let my wife know. She’s really excited about meeting you.” And then he continued down the steps and out the sidewalk.

Leah closed the front door. “Did he seem nervous to you?”

“Oh. Yeah. He might be even more nervous about things than you are.”

“But why? Is he afraid that I’ll complicate his life? What if his family doesn’t like me?”

“Stop.” Shaun reached out and took her hands into his own. “Did you ever think that he’s nervous about making a good impression on you?”

She stopped her rambling thoughts. She honestly hadn’t considered that option. “Do you really think so?”

Shaun pulled her closer. “Yes, I do. I know I would be wasting my time telling you to quit worrying, but at least give the guy the benefit of the doubt until you know otherwise. Can you do that?”

She nodded. “I can. My grandmother must have liked him if she kept up their relationship. I just don’t know what kind of woman my grandmother was.”

“Just take it slowly.”

She drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled it. “I’m trying.” She worried her bottom lip. “But I can’t set myself up for disappointment.”

“That’s fair. But don’t go to dinner expecting the worst either.”

Her stomach was nothing but a ball of nerves. “I don’t think I can do this.”

He stared into her eyes. “You’ve been waiting your whole life for this moment. You owe it to yourself to go to this dinner. Get to know your father. See if he’s a good guy. Get to know his wife and kids. You might learn something about yourself in the process.”

She hated that he was right. Even though going to this dinner made her stomach quiver to the point that she was nauseous.

Then a thought came to her. “Will you come to dinner with me?”

He hesitated, but then he shook his head. “I would love to have dinner with you but not tonight.”

“But Paul said you’re invited.” She sent him a pleading look.

“I tell you what. You go to dinner tonight, and I’ll take you to dinner tomorrow night.”

She liked the thought of them going out, but she was still really nervous about going to dinner with Paul and his family. Then she had another thought. “I can’t go. I have guests that will be checking in.”