Page 11 of A Little Thankful

It was at that very moment when my eye-rolling niece stepped into the room, a wide smirk on her adorable face as she said, “Look who’s here? And he brought cake.”

Mace walked in, carrying not only a pink box with a cake, but also a handled bag that bulged with goodies. I could only imagine the yumminess inside that bag. Enough to add at least five more pounds to my already round figure.

“Hey, everyone!” he said showing off his best smile. Mace had one of those faces that made you happy whenever you saw him gaze your way. Anyone could tell he had a kind heart and was as generous as Santa with his outstanding desserts. “I saw you drive by, Sage, so I wanted to drop by in person to deliver the cake your mom ordered, plus I added some of your favorites, along with a few of mine.”

Autumn cooed, and turned her head as if she understood him. “Who do we have here?” Mace asked as my mother took the baked goods from him and he walked over to get a better look at his potential daughter.

This was rapidly turning into a circus, and just when I thought it couldn’t get any more entertaining, Forrest walked in carrying two pie boxes from Sweetie Pies. “The front door was open. Am I in time for the party?”

By now my grandparents had returned to the kitchen, my mother had put on the coffeepot, the tea kettle whistled, whileeveryone else stood around Autumn who couldn’t seem to stop giggling.

I took it as my cue to slip out the back for a moment so I could breathe. I also snitched a screw top bottle of white wine from the wine fridge on the way out the back door.

Hunter 4

I couldn’t help but spot Sage as she drove through town. I still had a crush on her a mile wide. Ever since her last visit, when our rivalry moved onto the next level, I couldn’t shake her from my mind. I’d called her several times, and we’d had some nice conversations, but then about eight months ago all communication stopped. I’d had some vacation days coming, and wanted to see her. I hinted at driving down to spend some time with her, even asked if she’d like to hop on over to Maui for a week, my treat, but she declined. She said she couldn’t afford to take the time off from work, but I’d gotten the impression she just hadn’t wanted to take the time off with me.

After that, I’d waited for her to call and tell me that she’d changed her mind, but she never did.

Time passed, and I decided to move on. I dated a couple other women, but nothing stuck. I couldn’t shake Sage from my mind, or from my heart.

And now here she was, with a baby. I was hoping she’d come for Thanksgiving, now that her folks were back in town, but I wasn’t expecting the cold shoulder. Hell, I didn’t know what to expect… it certainly wasn’t a drive-by.

I spotted Sage sneak out the back door, carrying a bottle of wine, so I snitched a couple glasses and joined her.

She sat on a chair at a wooden table. The expanse of the pool was covered, and bright orange and yellow leaves rained from the trees that surrounded the terrace.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked as I approached. She struggled to get the bottle open.

“Sure, but only if you’ll open this thing. I was never good with these kinds of wine bottles.”

I took the bottle and it opened easily for me, then I poured the wine into the two glasses.

“My mother would throw a fit if she knew we had glass out on her deck.”

“Your mother is busy with the giggling baby. I take it she’s yours?”

I had no idea what was going on, but I would respect anything she had to say. At least it explained her keeping her distance from me.

She nodded. “Yes, she’s my daughter. Her name is Autumn and she’s six months old.”

There was something in the way she spit out the words, as if they should mean something to me.

“Pretty name. Where’s her dad?”

She took several gulps of her wine, then she said, “That’s why I’m here.”

“Her dad lives in town? Or are you running away from him?”

“He lives in town.”

“Do I know him?”

“Very well.”

“This is Cricket where everyone knows everyone’s business. How could Autumn’s dad live here and I don’t know about him?”

She sipped more wine. “Because I haven’t told him yet.”

---