Trouble Under the Tree (A Nina Quinn Mystery) (22 page)

It had seemed a waste to cancel my and
Bobby’s nonrefundable reservation so I had given it to them. They’d
been thrilled.

Also added to our honorary family member list
was Kit. He would be there, along with Ana, and her new tattoo. I’d
gone with her last night to finish the job—the tattoo was tiny but
very pretty. The sedative plus a little numbing cream had done the
trick—the cream had been the suggestion of a nurse at the hospital
where I’d been treated and released after the fire.

The fire.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, trying
not to think of what could have happened.

Trying not to think of what had actually
happened.

I stuck a piece of tape on the present I was
wrapping and cursed when I noticed my hair stuck to it. No one
wanted my DNA as a present, I was sure. I carefully peeled the tape
off and tried again.

I looked at the empty fireplace and thought a
fire right now sounded nice, to chase the chill out the air. But I
could still smell smoke on my skin—phantom smoke certainly since
I’d showered about twenty times in two days—and shuddered at the
thought of flames. Even if they were safely contained in a
hearth.

The aftermath of what had happened was still
a little fuzzy, but Kevin had filled in the details while I was at
the hospital. Of how Glory had been found, alive, in the backyard.
She had suffered burns but would be just fine in time.

Of how Benny was found, dead, his car crashed
not very far from a little white cross along the side of the road.
It was believed to have been an accident...black ice.

I wasn’t sure I believed that it had been an
accident, and not Benny’s way of finally admitting guilt.

We would never know.

Of how Emily’s farmhouse had been nearly
destroyed. It would take months to renovate. Months she would stay
at Maria’s house—after Emily was released from the hospital.
Meanwhile, the goats and chickens were being cared for by Kit.

He was a man of many talents apparently.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the
doorbell rang. It was early, barely seven, and I wasn’t expecting
anyone. I carefully stood up as to not step on my mother’s new
robe. She would forgive me, especially after she found the gift
certificate to the Ink Bottle in the robe’s pocket and the complete
DVD set of the
Sopranos
underneath it. I walked to the front
window and peeked out to see who stood on the porch and felt my
eyes widen.

I unlatched the locks and opened the
door.

“Nice sheep,” he said, referring to my
sheep-printed pajamas.

Tears immediately filled my eyes.

Bobby pulled me into his arms. “I missed
you.”

All I could do was nod and breathe in his
scent. Only, it didn’t smell as familiar anymore.

When he let me go, I spotted the U-haul truck
parked in his driveway.

He followed my gaze, then said softly, “I
came back to pack some things up. A quick trip.”

I motioned him inside and closed the door
behind him. Wiping my tears away, I looked him up and down. Other
than his blue eyes seeming a little tired, he looked good. His
blond hair was a little blonder, he had a nice tan going, and he
was as fit as ever. My gaze dropped to his feet. He wore my
favorite pair of snakeskin boots.

I spoke around the huge lump in my throat.
“How quick? When do you head back?”

“A few minutes.”

“What?”

“I got in late yesterday and have been
packing all night. I need to get back. I left Mac in charge.”

He’d got in last night and was just now
coming to see me?

I sat on the edge of the sofa and tried to
blame the ache in my chest on the residual effect of the smoke
inhalation I suffered. But the ache quickly spread throughout my
whole body—even my nerves tingled from it.

I hadn’t told him about the fire. About
almost being killed. Maybe I should have—maybe it would have made
him realize how close he’d come to losing me for good. Maybe it
would make him realize how much he wanted me in his life, no matter
what.

But he had to realize that on his own.

He had to want to make a long-distance
relationship work.

We both did.

And right now, after seeing that U-haul, I
began to think that he’d been right. That staying in this
relationship wasn’t fair to either of us.

But letting go was so very hard.

“Coffee?” I asked.

“No. Thanks.” He stepped toward me. “I just
wanted to see you before I left.”

I nodded.

He cupped my cheek with his hand and tilted
my head so I’d look at him. There were tears in his eyes, too. And
that made me ache so much worse.

“This isn’t goodbye forever,” he said softly.
“It’s just goodbye for now.”

I wasn’t sure I believed him. A tear slid
down my cheek. Then another and another. He pulled me up into his
arms and kissed me.

A goodbye kiss.

Whether “for now” or “forever” remained to be
seen.

“You’ll keep in touch?” he said as he pulled
away.

I nodded. “You?”

He nodded, too. He kissed me one more time
and looked at me long and hard. “Don’t put my pictures in the
garbage disposal, okay?”

I wanted to smile but couldn’t. Right before
I’d met Bobby, I’d clogged my sink by stuffing pictures of Kevin
down the drain. “I promise,” I said, my voice cracking.

Standing in the doorway, I watched him walk
away. He crossed the street, climbed into the U-haul, and backed
out of his driveway.

He stopped for a moment, in the middle of the
street, and looked at me, holding my gaze.

I silently begged him not to go.

He lifted his hand in a final goodbye and
drove away.

Through my tears, I barely made out the
taillights of the truck as it turned the corner and
disappeared.

He was gone.

***

Santa was still on the roof.

My mother handed me a glass of champagne and
sat down beside me on the loveseat. Gracie was tucked next to me on
the other side, sound asleep. I could feel her rhythmic breathing
patterns against my leg. I pet her head. BeBe, Kit’s huge mastiff,
wandered around the house, sniffing to her heart’s content.
Thankfully, my mother had put her good crystal pieces up, out of
the way of BeBe’s destructive tail.

“Do not tell your father,” Mom said, “but I
kind of like that Santa on the roof so I didn’t put up much of a
fuss about taking it down.”

“Will you put it up again next year?” I
asked, watching my father watch us. I winked at him. Beads of sweat
popped up on his bald head.

My mother smiled. “We’ll see. It certainly
makes your father happy. And after the present he bought me, I can
be a little less Scroogey about his choice in holiday decor.”

“Mom!” Maria whined. “Can you bring me a
cannoli?”

“Coming!” my mother said, jumping to
attention.

Maria had finally revealed her big news. And
was milking it for all it was worth.

Nate played Christmas carols on the piano as
my father came over to me. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

I patted his cheek. “We had a deal,
remember?”

My silence in exchange for him buying my
mother a vacation to Fiji.

I added, “I always keep my end of a
bargain.”

“Bargain. Ha! I’ll be paying for that trip
for years.”

I leaned in and whispered, “It’ll be worth
it. She actually likes the Santa.”

It had been my father all along. The snow
globe. The Santa and reindeer. The candles. When I confronted him,
he said it was his way of taking back Christmas. I couldn’t say I
agreed with his methods, but I certainly couldn’t blame him for
resorting to them in the first place.

In addition to the Fiji tickets, I’d elicited
his promise that he’d tell Mom how he felt left out during the
holidays.

He said he would.

Next year.

Smart man. Maybe by then Mom would forget how
mad she was.

My father wandered off to watch Riley and Kit
play a game of chess. Ana curled up next to me on the loveseat and
took my hand in hers. “You’re breaking my heart.”

“I’m okay.”

“You’re a big honkin’ liar.”

I smiled. “I know.”

She squeezed my hand. “Do you want me to blow
up a life-sized picture of him so we can throw darts at it?”

I blinked away sudden tears and wondered when
that would stop happening. I’d been a puddle most of the day.
“Thanks, but I’m not mad at him. I’m just sad.”

“I know,” Ana said, putting her head on my
shoulder. “I know.” She sighed. We sat there for a while listening
to Nate’s carols before she said, “It’s nice that Kevin let you
bring Riley over.”

“Yeah.” I watched him ponder a chess move.
I’d been so glad when Riley had wanted to come with me tonight,
even though it was Kevin’s weekend to have him. It was a tradition
I wasn’t ready to lose just yet.

“Kit and I are ordering in Chinese food
tomorrow. Why don’t you come over?”

“Thanks, but I have plans.”

“With?”

“Swiss Miss and Jimmy Stewart.”

“Really, come over.”

I shook my head.

She sighed again. “The offer stands. Well,
until BeBe steals all the Chinese food leftovers.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Kit threw his hands up in defeat and Riley
beamed in satisfaction. Ana left me to take him on, and Kit took
her place at my side.

“Are you going to get mushy gushy on me,
too?” I asked.

“I don’t do mush and gush.”

I smiled. A genuine smile. I really hoped
things worked out between him and Ana. “Liar.”

“Fine. Just don’t let it get around. I have a
reputation to uphold.” Reaching into his fleece pullover, he pulled
out a disc with a bow stuck to it. “Watch it when you get home.
It’s bound to cheer you up.”

“What’s on it?”

“You’ll see.” He pushed forward to lever off
the loveseat, then froze and looked back at me. His eyes were shiny
and bright. “If you want me to track him down and kick his ass, I
will. Just let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You have my cell number.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Oh, and thanks again for the camera.” His
gaze landed on Ana. “I plan to try it out tonight.” He wiggled his
eyebrows.

Ugh
. “Please don’t make me regret the
purchase.” I thanked my lucky stars that I decided against a video
camera for him.

He laughed and headed for the kitchen.

As soon as he left, Maria sat down next to
me.

“I sense a conspiracy,” I said.

She licked the cream out of one end of a
cannoli. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I haven’t had a moment alone since I walked
in the door.”

She shrugged. “Maybe you shouldn’t be alone
right now. Come stay at my house tonight.”

“Gracie.”

“Understood. Then stay here at Mom’s.”

“I’ll be fine,” I insisted. And I would be.
Some time alone wasn’t a bad idea.

I hoped.

“I heard Jenny Christmas is going to try and
keep Christmastowne open.”

“I heard that, too,” I said.

In the aftermath of what happened, Jenny had
played the role of grieving widow perfectly. Benny’s death had
ensured Christmastowne’s success. Jenny finally got what she
wanted. But at what cost? I wondered.

True, she’d paid a hefty price over the years
for her allegiance to her husband. It should have been punishment
enough, but I couldn’t help feeling she deserved something harsher.
Many people had been hurt because of her choice to keep quiet.

“Emily should be released sometime tomorrow,”
Maria said.

“It was very nice of you to offer to let her
stay at your house.”

“Nice and a little self-serving,” she
admitted. “She’s going to teach me how to cook and make soap from
goat’s milk!”

I smiled. Maria would always be Maria. I
leaned into her. “Have I said thank you yet?”

“For what?”

“Saving my life.”

“Oh, that. No, you haven’t. And I’ve been
waiting.” She pouted.

I smiled, recalling our conversation in my
kitchen the other day. “Thanks for not letting me die.”

“Aren’t you glad I never listen to you?”

“Yes, yes I am.” I laughed. “You have good
aim.”

“I know. Was Flash happy to get his ball
back?”

“He didn’t even mind the soot marks.”

“All’s well,” Maria said. “Do you want a
cannoli?”

“Sure.”

“Mom! Nina wants a cannoli!”

“Coming right up!” my mother yelled back.

“This pregnancy thing has some benefits,”
Maria said.

“Personally, I can’t wait to see what it does
to your hips.”

Maria frowned and dropped what little was
left of her cannoli on her plate. “Thanks a lot, Nina. After I went
and saved your life, too.”

I put my arm around her and hugged. “Merry
Christmas, Maria.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She gave me a noisy kiss on my
cheek. “To you, too.”

***

Later that night, I’d plugged in the tree,
changed into the new silk pajamas my parents had given me for
Christmas (I would never be able to wear the sheep ones again), and
stood staring at the fireplace.

I wasn’t going to let Glory win. I cringed
only a little bit when I lit the match and dropped it into the
hearth. The kindling caught and soon the logs started to burn.

Feeling a sense of pride, I wiped my hands
and watched the flames for a few minutes, trying to convince myself
they didn’t bother me.

My gaze shifted to the coffee table, to the
Almond Joy bar Bobby had sent. I picked it up, my eyes watering. I
didn’t think I’d ever be able to eat Almond Joys again. Sighing, I
brought the candy bar into the kitchen and shoved it into the
nether regions of the freezer. I just couldn’t bring myself to
throw it away.