Page 16 of Christmas On Anchor Island

Henri felt queasy herself thinking about her sweet nephew getting hurt like that. “Is that why you were looking for a nanny?”

“Partly. Even if we hired one, they couldn’t be with us around the clock, which would also be the case if you moved here. We thought that if Conner was with the twins all day that he’d grow more attached to them. I know he’s going to be a great big brother, but he still treats them like two goldfish we brought home instead of his baby sisters.”

Henri had an outside perspective on this budding family, and she’d been observing them for nearly a week. There were many times that Conner checked on the twins, just as he had the day they’d returned from picking up his grandmother in Norfolk. He may not ask to hold them or even take the time to play with them, but he always knew where they were. Callie clearly hadn’t noticed the look of concern that crossed her son’s face whenever one of the girls cried.

Though Conner was happy to hug those he loved, he wasn’t an effusive kid. He wasn’t touchy-feely or overly affectionate even with his parents. In her line of work, Henri had studied—and written—every aspect of body language and physical cues. The little boy cared about his sisters. He just didn’t show it in the obvious ways.

“Did you notice how he checked on them when he and Sam came back with Eugenia?” Henri asked.

“Yes,” Cal said with a sigh. “He barely even looked at them.”

Catching Rachel’s chubby little hand before it wrapped around her necklace, Henri said, “The point isn’t howlong he checked on them, it’s that he did it. He needed to know they were still there and that they were okay, then he could go about his business. Conner cares about the girls, Cal. He’s attached to them more than you think.”

“Then why doesn’t he talk to them or play with them?”

Henri had never been a parent, but the answer seemed obvious to her. “He’s four. What is a four-year-old interested in dinosaurs and building Lego forts going to do with two nine-month-olds?”

Callie touched her forehead to Roxanne’s. “I guess you’re right. They’d try to eat the bricks, and then we’d really be in trouble.”

“Welcome to Dempsey’s,” said the hostess, and Henri glanced up to find Mia and Nota just inside the doors.

“Hello, Ivy,” Mia said. “Can we get a table for two, please?”

Before the girl could answer, Nota said, “There’s Henri.” The excitement in her voice was both childlike and unexpected. “I need to talk to her.”

Sam breezed in the door behind them as the older woman shuffled toward the bench. Conner sprinted around her, nearly knocking her over and forcing Henri to leap to her feet to steady her, which wasn’t easy with Rachel in her arms. Luckily, Sam was quicker and kept the older woman upright.

“Are you okay?” he said once the danger had passed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Conner, you nearly knocked Ms. Nota over,” Callie scolded. “You can’t run by people like that, honey.”

“I’m fine,” Nota said. “Just not as steady as I used to be. Henri… can I call you Henri?”

They’d met, at least casually, on more than one occasion, so the question took her by surprise. “That’s my name, so sure.”

“Since I’m talking to you as a fan, I thought maybe I should call you Henrietta. Or Ms. Bloom.”

A fan? “You’ve read my books?”

Nota’s smile widened. “I have. Mia left one at my house this summer and I loved it. I found a few more in her cottage and read those, too.”

“You took books from my cottage?” Mia said, stepping up beside her.

“Not now, Mia. I’m talking to Henri. That one with the young woman trying to build a hotel in downtown Nashville was so good I felt like I was right there with her. I didn’t like that man you gave her at first, but he won me over by the end.”

“Thank you,” Henri said, genuinely flattered. Description wasn’t her greatest strength so she appreciated such comments. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. If I’d known, I’d have brought you some signed books. I’ll ship you some when I get home.”

“That would be lovely,” Nota said.

“Mr. Edwards, your table is ready,” said the hostess.

“Why don’t we all eat together?” Callie suggested. To the teenager, she said, “Can you switch us to a table for five adults instead of three?”

Ivy looked at her table chart and then around the room. “We can do that. Let me grab two more menus.”

“We don’t want to impose,” Mia said.

“Nonsense.” Callie rose to her feet while Sam collected the hundred-pound diaper bag. “We’re all here together anyway, so why not?”

Mia looked as if she wanted to argue further, but she couldn’t exactly say they didn’t want to eat with them. Not without being rude or making Nota question her objection. The older woman looked quite happy to join them, sticking close to Henri as they followed the young girl to their table.

When they each took a seat, Nota chose the one beside Henri, and Mia ended up on the other side of the table. There was panic in her eyes, striking a protective chord in Henri’s chest. She may not have agreed with her decision to keep her grandmother in the dark, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t maintain the facade on her behalf.

At the same time, this might be an opportunity to test the waters. Nothing that would expose Mia in any way. Just a little recon mission to see how Nota really felt about those people, as she once called them. With luck, she’d prove to be more open-minded than Mia thought.

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