Page 63 of Home for Christmas in July

“Be on the lookout,” several people explain at once.

“That’s good, right?” she wants to know.

“It can’t be bad,” Rosemary tells her.

“Thanks for getting that information,” Nick says. “I’ll pass it along to Deputy Wells.”

She wrinkles her nose. “Dave already did. Hope youdon’t mind. He said the sheriff’s department might take it more seriously coming from another law enforcement officer.”

“Of course we don’t mind. Thank you, and thank him for me,” I say. I finish my wine and shake my head. “I’m not surprised he has a criminal record. But Iamsurprised he turned up here. I can’t imagine how he found me.”

“I can,” Sage says.

We turn to look at her.

“You can?”

“Yeah. That article in the library lobby about the children’s wing said you garnered international industry attention for the design and the program. If he’s still in library sciences or whatever, he probably saw it.”

My heart skips a beat. Of course. AndThe Journal of Library Innovationran a long, glowing piece, complete with a stupid picture of my stupid face.

“I’m sure that’s it,” I tell her. “I got careless.”

Nick lowers his chin and gives me a ‘you’ve got to be kidding’ look. “You didn’t get careless. You were living your life. There was no reason to think some creep would see the article and travel across the globe to terrorize you.”

He’s right. Intellectually, I know he’s right. But I can’t help feeling like I brought this on myself.

Rosemary leans across the table. “Hey, not to change the subject. But what was that box you had when we picked you up? Did you finish the scavenger hunt?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you. Yes, we did.” I smile at Nick.

“Dad helped?” Ivy asks.

“He did.”

“Well, what was the surprise? And did you figure out who set it up?”

I look at Nick. This is his story as much as mine.

He refills his wineglass and says, “Your mother did, last August. Apparently, she got Griselda to hide the clues for her.”

“That’s just like Mom,” Merry says.

“The surprise was two things,” I tell them. “Your mom’s Mrs. Claus dress was in the box along with a note asking me to play the role this weekend.”

Ivy claps her hands together and squeals. “You’re gonna do it, right?”

I nod. “I am.”

“Yesssss.”

“What was the second surprise?” Thyme wants to know.

“Carol wrote me a letter. She wrote one for Nick, too. I don’t know exactly what his says, but, um, she wanted me to know it would make her happy if your father and I … dated.”

“In broad strokes, that’s what my letter said, too,” Nick confirms.

Holly shakes her head and says fondly, “Isn’t that just like Mom? She’s a control freak even from beyond the grave.”

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