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Ah, the irony. The place that bothers me so much is actually coming in handy for a change.
Still, nothing was purchased for the Flemings. In past years, the donations reached in the tens of thousands of dollars. Barely any of it actually made it to the families.
Even so, this year’s smaller amount feels like a failure. It stings. I’d really hoped my pounding the pavement and all the efforts of everyone involved would have pushed us over the edge. But the families that Santa’s Helpers had agreed to help previously got first priority. Makes perfect sense, but what’s the Flemings’ Christmas going to look like? Will their own stockings be empty?
Santa’s Helpers will be making the deliveries to the families tomorrow, while Theo and I spend the last day at the festival. A rush of heat hits me as I think of Theo in his Victorian wear. Who would have ever thought this modern young professional would look so stunning in a cravat and frock coat?
And more than that, my heart softens as I think of Theo himself, how he worked with the prosecuting attorney to convince the judge to give Marty Fleming bench probation instead of prison time, which means he’s not even required to have a probation officer.
Seeing Theo in that courtroom? Everything in me hummed with love for him as I saw him defend Marty Fleming with power and compassion.
He also got Elijah the custodial job at the firm.
His work co-hosting a Christmas festival when his own memories of Christmas haunt him has been selfless.
And the way he looks out for me and takes care of me makes my stomach flutter.
When my cup of cocoa is nearly gone, I hear it. A rustle through the wall. It could either be Elijah doing his custodial job or Theo. I wait, and when I hear someone clearing his throat exactly like Theo does, I hazard a light knock and press my ear to the wall.
“Aria.” He says it in soft surprise. I love the way my name sounds on his lips, even through the muffle of an old wall.
“Hey.”
“Hello.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “How did the shopping with the committee go tonight?”
“It was a lot of fun.” I swallow hard. “I missed you.”
He breathes a grunt of happiness. “I missed you, too. I wish I could have been there. I had to drive over to Denver today, and then I met up with Elijah at the rec. Now I’m finishing up some things so I can enjoy the holidays.”
“Enjoythe holidays? That hasn’t happened before, has it?” My tone is soft. Where once my tone might have been dismissive or even frustrated about him not liking Christmas, I get it now.
“No. It’s amazing what being in love can do to one’s perspective.”
I inhale, soaking it all in.
Theo Carter is in love with me.
“Can I sledgehammer this wall right now?” I laugh. “Theo? I love you, too.” Now I’m plastered to the wall like a starfish, or those gummy toy sticky hands that kids throw at hard surfaces. Must be as close to him as possible. I’m about to be a mess on the floor, so dizzy in love I can’t stand up anymore.
“Why is it kind of cool that we first said those words through a wall?” he asks.
“It’s certainly unique. I kinda like that.”
My phone dings with a text. An ALL-CAPS message to the entire committee from Liz Langer, complete with asterisks and exclamation points. Several of them.
I gasp when I read it. “Theo, did you see the text from Liz?”
A moment later, he gasps, too. “A tree smashed through the roof of the Barrie Mansion?”
Tomorrow is the last day of the festival and for this to happen now, at nearly eleven o’clock the night before, is awful.
Okay, enough talking through the wall, I’m dying to see him. We have to discuss this tragic event in person.
But he beats me to it.
“Want to go check it out with me?”
Chapter 34
