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“It’s occurred to me,” Lance said, grasping my shoulders from behind, which made me jump. “But I think that’s best left to us to decide, eh?”
Audrey bit her lip to keep from smiling while she nodded. “I couldn’t agree more, as long as you both decide to stop acting like middle schoolers at their first school dance.”
Mel and Ivy were the next two to bite their lips. Mel stood up and jiggled Noel in her arms. “I’d better get this guy home for a nap before we go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for dinner.” She patted Lance on the shoulder on her way by and gave me a wink.
Ivy stood next and glanced at Lance and then me twice before she put her hand on her hip. “I mean, she’s not wrong.” That was all she said, then she walked away like the boss we knew so well.
Audrey stood too and patted down her bouffant hair. “I’m glad we had this chat, Indigo,” she said, giving me a hug. I didn’t mind, it forced Lance to drop his hands from my shoulders, which I was enjoying way too much for my own good. “I’ll run interference on Brenda for as long as I can, but this is Bells Pass. Eventually, she will figure out where you live or work.”
“I know,” I agreed, patting her back. “It’s fine. I know I have to deal with her, and I will, after the tree lighting tomorrow. I don’t want to put anyone else in an awkward situation because of my inaction. I would never want that.” I turned so I could make eye contact with Lance too. “That goes for you too. If Brenda gets in either of your faces, just tell her the truth. You don’t have to defend my honor or keep my secrets. Okay?”
They both nodded and Audrey gave my hand one last squeeze before she walked away.
“Ready to go home?” Lance asked, helping me off the chair and leading me to the coatroom. “You’ve worked a lot of hours today and tomorrow is another busy day. Also, we were invited to Thanksgiving dinner at Stan and Loretta’s.”
I groaned while I slipped my arms into my sleeves. “I don’t think I can deal with another round of meddling from Mel.”
“And Mason,” he added ruefully with a roll of his eyes. “I already passed with gratitude for the invite. I need some time to decompress.”
We walked out into the chilly air and I inhaled a deep breath. Someone somewhere was burning wood in their furnace and it filled the town with the scent of yesteryear. “I knew you would, but I’m proud of you,” I said, holding his arm as we walked to the car.
“For what?” he asked as he opened my door and held it for me. I might be the one driving, but he was still a gentleman.
Once he was in the car and I had Coop running, I answered. “For still showing up and cooking on a day you had every right to stay at home in bed.”
His snort of laughter was loud inside the car. “You met Michelle Garland, right? If I had used her as an excuse not to show up and do my part for the community, she would have haunted me for the rest of my life. I don’t need that kind of bad juju.”
I couldn’t hold in my laughter and let it out, the drive through the deserted town short since everyone was still at the community center. “You’re probably right,” I agreed, parking in the driveway. I shut the engine off and turned to him. “Listen, about what you overheard with the girl—”
He grabbed my coat and pulled me to him, planting his lips on mine until I relented and opened my mouth, letting his tongue in to dance with mine. He was controlling the kiss, and no matter how much I tried to take over, he wasn’t giving in until he was good and ready. When he released my lips, he didn’t release my coat.
“What I overheard made a whole lot of sense to me, Gumdrop. We have been dancing around each other like middle schoolers, well, since middle school. I think it’s time to stop pretending we don’t like each other as more than friends. We may not know what will happen or what the future holds, but I’m tired of pretending that I stopped liking you in the fifth grade. That wasn’t true then and it’s not true now.”
“I feel the same, but Lance—”
He didn’t let me finish. He just put his lips back on mine and spoke to me in a way I couldn’t resist.
Chapter Thirteen
The day was overcast and the clouds were heavy with snow. The weatherman had predicted at least four inches, if not more, by tomorrow morning. That meant the Bells Pass Christmas tree would be flocked tonight when Gumdrop flipped the switch to light it up.
I was not looking forward to tonight. When I was little, even if my mom was working, I always knew she was still looking down at that tree from the hospital and sharing the moment with me. I suppose you could say the same will be true tonight, but it won’t be the same. Nothing will be the same ever again when it comes to the holiday season. Living without her was hard, but living without her during her favorite time of the year was a gut punch every morning and tears every night. It was smiling at the memories of years gone by and crying for the years she would miss. The years she worked so hard to enjoy when the time came.
I straightened Mary on the floor of the creche and ran my hand down her pink dress. She did look good sitting there gazing down at baby Jesus. I worried people wouldn’t understand why there was no Joseph, but Indie assured me they would. She assured me of a lot of things in life right now. Assurance that life goes on and we can choose to participate in the joy and the pain of it or we can wallow in just the pain. My brain must be wired to participate because no matter how much I didn’t want to go tonight, I was still going. I would be there to support Gumdrop and to show the rest of the town that Lance Garland wasn’t a chicken.
Except I am. At least where Gumdrop is concerned. She was right when she said I was hot and then cold. Mostly, I was scared. Scared she wanted to be with me only because she doesn’t know the truth about me. Scared she wouldn’t want to be with me once she did know the truth. Neither was conducive to committing to her in any way.
Sometimes you have to take a chance, Lance.
Those words brought a tremulous smile to my lips. Mom used to say that all the time after my accident.Sometimes you have to take a chance, Lance, she’d tease because it rhymed. She was right, but it was never easy to put yourself out there. Sometimes taking a risk was easy, but not this time. I’d been in love with Indigo since kindergarten. There. I said it. I admit that even when I was mad at her, I was still in love with her. The whole thing sucks because if my accident hadn’t happened, maybe we’d already be a couple.
My gaze drifted to the star hanging on the creche and then to her nervousness when she showed it to me. Indie was just the sweetest person I’d ever known. She cared about others feelings more than her own and would help anyone out at any time with anything. Indie wasn’t always that way, though. She was sweet and kind all the way through elementary school, and then in the fifth grade she started acting out. She was hostile and angry with everyone. In hindsight, I understood that was the year her parents told her the truth about Bruce not being her father. She probably felt lost and alone with no one to talk to about it. Maybe, if my accident hadn’t happened, I could have been that person.
I blew out a breath and shook my head. This wasn’t getting me anywhere. I still had to decide if the risk was worth taking.
Stop and think, Lance, that voice said.What did you just say about being that person for Indie?
My hand froze on the cord I was adjusting. The voice was right. I could be the person that Indie needs right now. She was here for me when I lost my mom, and I could do the same for her now. Granted, there was no love lost between her and her parents, but she was incredibly torn up about having to cut them out of her life. Essentially, it makes her an orphan. She needs someone to protect her from her mother, and I can be that person. Maybe, if I focus on her needs more than my wants, a relationship will happen naturally and she won’t care about what the accident took away from me.
