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God was punishing her, that’s what it was. She was being punished for the sin she’d committed and then compounded by the lie she had told.
* * *
Bobby Joe found the doll on Ebay, and rather than trusting overnight shipping this close to the holiday, decided to make the drive to get it himself, right then. Vidalia had the saloon to run and had already lost a night’s business by helping him with his, so he took her home first and made the drive on his own.
And as he drove, he kept putting Selene’s pretty face in his mind, and searching it for similarities to his own and to his sons. Remarkably, he saw plenty, at least in his imagination. In fact, that baby photo he’d glimpsed in the ornament the night they’d decorated the tree had looked an awful lot like one of Joey’s baby pictures.
While he was out, he would use the opportunity to find gifts for Selene and her sisters as well. And for Vidalia’s grandkids. And for Vidalia.
What could he possibly give to her?
Oh, he had a solid idea about that. But what he had in mind was something it would be unfair to give her until he’d told her the truth. Because it came with a question she could not possibly answer until she had all the information at hand. And yet, he bought it anyway. Took him the better part of an hour to pick it out, too. But as soon as he saw it, he knew it was right.
The small golden hued diamond formed the center of a daisy that was surrounded by brilliant white diamonds in the shape of its petals. Daisies had always been Vidalia’s favorite flower.
Now all he needed to do was figure out how and when to tell her the truth. And how to ask her to be his wife for whatever time he had left.
CHAPTEREIGHT
“Hello, Bobby?” Why Vidalia’s throat felt full of sand, she could only guess. Nervous as a prom date. At her age.
“Hey, Vidalia. Happy Christmas Eve.” He sounded...off. Tired or something. “Didn’t expect to hear from you this morning.”
“I hope I’m not calling too early.”
“If I could start every day hearing that sultry voice of yours, I’d be a happy man. And it can never be too early. Or too late. I hope.”
His flattery could’ve distracted her and might have, had she been a twenty-year-old. But she was old enough and wise enough and paying enough attention to hear behind the words. “Are you all right, Bobby? You sound odd. You’re not sick or anything–”
“It would be pretty lousy of me to get sick on Christmas Eve, wouldn’t it now?” He laughed and forced–she thought–more lightness into his voice. “Don’t you worry about me, Vidalia. I’m gonna have the holiday of a lifetime. Now why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind.”
She smiled a little, despite the nagging worry that wouldn’t quite go away. “I was thinking that Christmas Day is gonna be bustling with your boys, my girls, their kids and their hubbies and whoever else shows up. Your boys have any women in their lives, Bobby Joe?”
“Besides their mother, no. Joey’s determined to stay free and easy as long as possible. Jason seems to be waiting for the perfect female to just fall into his arms, but isn’t very proactive about finding her. And Rob’s been burned badly and hasn’t healed enough to try again just yet. Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “I was just thinking about the Haggerty sisters.”
“Why is that name familiar?”
“It’s the restaurant where we had lunch, over in Tucker Lake. It’s owned by five gorgeous sisters, all of whom are still single, and their grandmother, a woman I’ve always admired.”
“Betty Jean. I remember you talking with her.”
“Should I invite them to join us for something over the holidays? Maybe take Rob’s mind off his wounded heart?
“No. I mean...just no. I don’t think my boys would be even a little bit appreciative. And if they acted ungrateful I’d have to show them I could still kick their keisters. Not something I really want to do at holiday time.”
She smiled. He was sounding more like himself. Teasing and light. She could hear his smile in his voice, see the sparkle in his blue, blue eyes. “Well, that’s not what I was calling about anyway. I’m gonna be shockingly forward with you here, Bobby Joe, but um...I think we should have a Christmas for just the two of us.”
“Instead of–”
“No. I don’t ever do anything instead of my family. I was thinking in addition to. And I was thinking tonight would be the perfect time. Everyone else is busy with their last minute planning and baking and wrapping. The night before Christmas has been the quietest night of the year around my house since the last of those girls got married and moved out.”
His breath whispered into the phone. She imagined she felt its warmth caressing her ear. “That sounds a little sad, Vidalia.”
“Oh, no. Not sad at all. I turn off all the lights except for the ones on my Christmas tree. I put on soft holiday music and light candles. I pour myself a special drink and sit in the living room breathing in the pine and I kind of...reflect on the year gone by. Sometimes on the whole lifetime gone by. And to tell you the truth, Bobby Joe, there hasn’t been a single Christmas Eve that you haven’t been a part of that reflection.”
“You don’t say.” His voice sounded a little softer, maybe a little gruff too.
