AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Another direct hit to his heart. Not so much from the question but the hint of sadness shadowing his niece’s eyes. “Of course. Let me do that right now.” Chace tapped the necessary sequence on his screen and hit send. He smiled down at Wren. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“No problem,” she replied with a smile he was relieved to see.
“You want a cookie now?” Emme asked, holding her box up for him to make a selection.
“Hmm,” Chace murmured as he leaned forward, tapping his lips with his forefinger, and debated which cookie he wanted to try. “How about…this one.” He plucked a Santa where some of the red frosting had bled into the white, which meant it wasn’t one of the prize-winning trio.
Wren thrust her box at him next. “Take one of mine too.”
Chace went through the same decision-making process he had with Emme. “Definitely this one.” He pointed to a crooked Christmas tree.
“But it broke. I tried to fix it with some icing, but it didn’t work so good.”
“I think it looks perfect,” Chace assured her, because it did. To him anyway. “Besides, you used your noggin’ to figure out a way to try and mend it. Not everyone would have thought of that.” He paused. “On second thought, maybe we should preserve it in case you become a famous structural engineer or something.”
Her little brow wrinkled. “What the heck is a structural engineer?”
“Well, an engineer is like a problem solver, so a structural engineer keeps things from falling apart. Like you did with the Christmas tree.”
Wren considered his explanation for a few seconds, then shook her head. “Nah. You can go ahead and eat it because I’m gonna be a doctor when I grow up.”
Color him impressed. “If you’re sure.”
“Positive.”
“Okay.” Chace bit into each cookie. “Delicious. Just like I expected.”
Both girls giggled. “We didn’t bake them, Uncle Chace,” Emme informed him. “We only decorated them.”
“That’s what makes them taste so good.” To validate his claim, Chace shifted his attention to Holly and was rendered totally speechless when he found her looking at him in a way she hadn’t in eight long years. As if his interactions with the twins truly warmed her heart.
Had he impressed her? For some reason, Chace hoped so. Not because it was his intention but because, once upon a time, impressing Holly McCade had been his number one priority.
But like she’d said when they arrived for the parade, that had been a long time ago.
“Can we go to the petting zoo?” Wren broke into his thoughts.
Holly nodded. “First, go ask if you can have a bag for your cookie boxes. They’ll be easier to carry that way.”
“Good idea,” came the response from one of the twins as they raced toward the counter where a dark-haired younger version of Gigi Cavaletti waited on customers.
“Is that Ashton?” Chace asked.
“Yeah. She came back after her grandfather’s second mini-stroke to help out. From what her mother told mine, the plan is for Ash to assume the management responsibilities of the shop while easing her grandparents into more of a semi-retirement role.”
“How’s that working out?” Chace imagined it was no easy feat.
“Ironically enough, not as challenging as everyone expected. Though both Michael and Gigi will continue working in some capacity, like today with the cookie decorating contest or during the morning rush, it’ll give them more freedom and time to enjoy life without being tied to a set schedule day in and day out.”
“They’ve definitely put in their time.” For longer than his thirty-four years, that was for sure.
“Got ‘em,” Emme declared as both girls deposited their cookie boxes into the bags and put on their coats. “Ready?”
“We’re right behind you,” Chace replied, gesturing for the twins to lead the way.
The petting zoo was set up behind the Episcopal church on the next corner. Handing off their bags, Emme and Wren quickly scampered to the makeshift pens holding a variety of farm and domestic animals. There was also a tented area where wildlife specialists had set up various birds and owls for display.
“They’ve expanded since I was here last.” Impressed, Chace took in the usual array of calves, sheep, pigs, and goats, along with the added menagerie of donkeys, miniature horses, ducks, kittens, puppies, and rabbits. He was sure there was more, but that’s what he could see from where he stood.
