Page 24 of Christmas in Paradise

But Charly starts crying the minute he takes her, so he quickly passes her back.

“You’ll be back in six weeks?” Derek says to me. “I’d like her to know me better.”

Dad—who’s not a confrontational person, but he is protective—lays a heavy hand on Derek’s shoulder. “You’re the one who gave up custody when she was born. The decision is Hope’s now.”

“She’ll be back in six weeks. Charly’s got doctors’ appointments,” Mom answers for me.

I press my lips together. If things go the way I’m hoping they will, maybe Carson will offer me a full-time job and I can make a new life for Charly and me in our own place. Maybe in Wichita. Maybe in Paradise. Maybe somewhere else.

Now isn’t the time to bring up the possibility of not returning to Wichita, let alone this house, with Mom. First, because it might not happen and second because I can’t imagine raising Charly without her and Dad’s help. They have been here every step of the way, even before Derek signed away custody and any responsibility for Charly.

“We’d better get her in the car,” Mom says, nudging Derek out of the way. “She’s starting to shiver.”

While Mom buckles Charly in, I hug Dad goodbye.

“You take care. Tell Evie I love her.” When he pulls away, he glances at Mom who’s covering Charly with kisses. “I know this is a big deal. Your mom does too. Make this the start of everything you want, even if it means not coming back here,” he says soft enough that Mom won’t hear, but loud enough for Derek.

“Thanks, Dad.” I open my car door, and Mom pulls herself away from Charly to hug me.

“Be sure to FaceTime me every night before bedtime so I can sing to her,” she says while squeezing me too tight. “And don’t be afraid to come home sooner if you need to. Or I can come get her… if it turns out she’ll do better here with the doctors and therapists she knows and her Gigi.”

There’s no doubt in Mom’sif. She’s certain I’m making the wrong choice taking Charly away from her. Which is one more reason why I need this job to work out. If I’m ever going to be Charly’s one and only mom, I need space from my own mom.

I extract myself from Mom’s hug and look her in the eyes. “We’ll be okay. I’ve got help there, and we’ll see you when you come for the wedding.”

Dad pulls Mom gently to his side. “She’s got Evie there.”

Mom shoots Dad a glare. She and Evie have never had the best relationship.

With a final wave to Derek who looks as anxious to leave as I am, I climb into my old Honda. Mom and Dad wave as I back out of the driveway. Derek waits long enough for me to get to the end before jogging to his truck.

I look back one time as I drive away to see Mom and Dad still standing there waving at us as Derek turns down the street in the opposite direction.

I let out a long, only slightly staggered, breath. “Ready for our adventure, baby?”

“I want Booey,” she answers, her lip quivering.

I quickly pull over and get out her iPad. Within seconds I’ve pulled up enough downloaded episodes of Bluey to keep her occupied for at least an hour. I hand it to her, along with the Fruit Loops. She smiles, and we’re on the road again.

We’re halfway to Denver when my phone rings and Carson’s number appears on my car dashboard.

“Hi! We’re on the road!” I say as soon as I answer. “We’ve only had to stop twice, so we’re making good time.”

“Girl, that’s good news, because I need you here yesterday!” Carson exclaims.

“I know, but we’re on schedule for the wedding. Even with me not working today and tomorrow.” I turn down the heat. Even though it’s getting colder as we gain elevation, I’m sweating thinking about the pressure I’m already under.

I love working for Carson. He’s been so good about letting me work from Kansas, even though he’s said a million times we’d be more efficient if I were in Paradise. But he runs at full speed all the time, and sometimes I can’t keep up.

“I’m not talking about the wedding anymore. Our workload just doubled. No tripled!” He lets out a harried sigh, and I can almost picture him fanning himself.

“What are you talking about?”

“Yulefest! The mayor just gave me the final schedule, and it’s ridiculous! She wants a Christmas market,nisse,Syvspring,Ris a l’Amande—”

“—Whoa! Slow down, Carson! I don’t know what most of those words mean.” I glance at Charly, asleep in the back seat. Luckily, she has her headphones on and can’t hear Carson’s near-shrieks.

Carson inhales, then exhales and continues in a slower voice, but not necessarily calmer. “Mayor Voglmeyer wants an Advent Yulefest—twenty-four days of Danish-inspired activities, ending with people dancing around the Christmas trees lining Main Street on December twenty-fourth.”

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