Page 40 of Unexpected Gifts

After a careful application of makeup, Abby deemed herself ready. She’d already emailed her résumé to Doc Ford’s office. One last look in the mirror assured her that she looked as good as she could, and she went downstairs to collect the kids.

They were waiting for her in the kitchen when she came down. Jack had done a good job. His hair was neatly combed, and all traces of dried milk above his upper lip had vanished. Abby, wearing sweats and a leotard, held a plastic bag full of bobby pins. “I need you to put my hair in a high bun, please.”

“Okay, well, I’ll do my best.”

Abby had Sophie sit on one of the stools. She frowned, trying to force the silky, slippery strands into a bun. But Sophie’s hair was stubborn, sliding free each time Abby thought she’d finallydone it. On the third attempt, she managed to get it into the right shape and stuck several pins into the mass of blond hair.

“Hold still for just one more second.” Abby pursed her lips and reached for another bobby pin. “There.” She stepped away to get a better look. “Oh dear.” The bun was tilted to the left side instead of in the middle of the child’s scalp.

“What’s wrong?” Sophie looked up at her.

“It’s a little lopsided,” Abby said.

“My teacher won’t like it. She insists on perfect buns.” Sophie spoke quietly, clearly disappointed.

“I’m sorry. I’ll talk to her and let her know I’m a novice.”

“Novice?”

“Someone new to a task,” Abby said.

“You’re a novice at a lot of things.”

Abby flinched. It was true. “I know. Give me a little time. I’ll figure it out.”

“Sure. Right,” Sophie said, sounding more than a little passive-aggressive.

A knock on the mudroom door drew Abby’s attention before she could think of a reply. Jack hurried to open the door. Luke stood there, his hair damp and slightly disheveled. He wore his classic thick flannel jacket and jeans paired with his scuffed work boots. How could anyone wear anything so simple and make it look that good?

“Luke, what brings you by?” Darn her heart, leaping at the sight of him.

“Mom told me you have an interview. The roads are super icy, so I thought I better take you into town in my dad’s SUV.”

“It’s nice of you, but I’ll be fine.” Abby couldn’t just have him showing up all the time, acting out the part of a boyfriend. After her talk with Sophie about all the change, her unease about her date with Luke had her near panic. She had to talk to him. Sethim straight about what she could and could not do. But not now.

Now, she needed to get to her interview with her mind focused only on getting the job. The stakes felt higher than they ever had in her life. Even as ambitious as she’d been since losing her mother, this felt like a new and dangerous game—one she could not afford to lose.

“Please, let me do this,” Luke said. “Otherwise, I’ll be in trouble with my mother.”

“Yes, fine.”

“You’ll have to think about getting a new vehicle at some point. One made for Vermont instead of California.”

In truthfulness, she didn’t want to drive there by herself if the roads were icy. Plus, he was correct in his assessment of her vehicle. She’d been afraid to get stuck in the muddy parking lot at the tree farm yesterday. How she was going to pay for a new, Vermont-ready car, she could not say. Like everything else, she had to put her faith in God.

“You look very nice,” Luke said. “Very professional.”

“Not too much like a high-tech wannabe?”

Luke laughed. “You’re prettier than any of the ones I’ve seen.”

She couldn’t help but smile back at him, her stomach full of winged creatures.

“Where’s Lily?” Jack asked Luke.

“She’s waiting in the car,” Luke said.

“We’re going to see Santa after my sister’s dance class, and she should come with us,” Jack said.

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