Page 59 of Unexpected Gifts

16

ABBY

It didn’t take long before Abby felt fully integrated at Doc Ford’s practice, accompanying him out to farms to cure sick goats one day and diagnosing minor ailments in dogs and cats that were brought into the office the next. The staff had embraced her presence, and Doc Ford was a dream boss. Mariah, as quirky as she was, had worked her way into Abby’s heart. They’d already gone to lunch twice, where they’d laughed through the entire meal.

Abby was able to get home in time to make the children dinner without feeling any guilt. Best of all, Luke and Lily had come for dinner a time or two, making it all the more festive. Not to say her meals were a culinary delight or anything, but at least she hadn’t poisoned anyone. In fact, Abby had not realized how much fun it could be to cook with someone for a family.

While she was at work, Walter and Luke continued the repairs at the house. Luke had helped her pick out cabinets and countertops, as well as new appliances for the kitchen, all of which would arrive in late January. She’d never imagined choosing items for a home could be so much fun and give her a sense of satisfaction. Luke spent the entire day helping her paintthe main bedroom a sage green. Paired with a new comforter and pillows, the room started to feel more like her own. She hung some of her own artwork and displayed photographs of her friends on the dresser. Most of the framed photos Ramona had left were now in the children’s rooms, although Abby had kept a few for herself.

In between all this living and working and overseeing her little family, she and Luke had managed to find some alone time, sneaking kisses and sharing more and more of their lives with each other. He’d asked, again, if her could take her out for a special night, and she’d agreed. In fact, she could hardly wait to be alone with him. He wouldn’t tell her where he was taking her, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to spend time with him. Mariah had asked if she could take care of the kids while she and Luke were out, and Abby had jumped at the chance.

Abby had never experienced a relationship that felt so easy. And fun. She’d not had enough fun in her adulthood, she’d decided one night as she watched Luke and Lily get into his truck and pull out of her driveway. Luke Hayes brought the fun wherever he went. She loved spending time with him. She adored Lily.

Her heart was full.

Sophie and Jack, too, seemed to be falling for Luke. Jack followed the poor man around like a three-foot-five-inch stalker.

One slow afternoon at work, Doc Ford told her to take the rest of the day off. She gladly accepted. She wanted to do a little Christmas shopping in town, including picking out a bike for Jack and stopping in at the dance studio to ask for advice on the ballet items Sophie had asked for. The owner was a former ballerina named Reese Monroe, a gorgeous woman in her mid-twenties with dark hair and warm brown eyes. Reese immediately won Abby’s affection when she praised Sophie. “She’s done extremely well, even after losing her mother sosuddenly. And she’s a very talented dancer. I’m grateful you’ve been able to continue paying for her classes. Dance means everything to Sophie.”

Abby appreciated the feedback and was happy to meet the dance teacher Sophie spoke of so often at home. “Sophie adores you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for her.”

“It’s my pleasure. In fact, it’s not often I’ve had a student as dedicated or hardworking.”

Reese then advised Abby about what to order, including sizes and color, promising they’d be here by the twentieth of December. The bike shop manager agreed to deliver the bicycle the following Monday while the children were at Grace’s. “Just have your guy leave it on the back patio. I’ll sneak it into the garage while they’re out.” She had the perfect spot to hide it under a tarp in the neatly organized garage.

With the holiday break starting Monday, Abby had no choice but to ask Grace for help. Of course, the older woman assured her it was no problem and that they were always welcome. “They play with Lily, so really, it’s a help for me.”

The Hayes family had this way of taking their charity and making it feel as if you were the one doing the favor for them. Abby knew this wasn’t really the case, but it was nice all the same.

In addition, she wanted to pick out gifts for Luke, Lily, Grace, and Walter. Now was as good a time as any to do so. Grace had mentioned an expensive cast-iron Dutch oven she’d long coveted but would never buy for herself. Abby had seen the exact one in the display window at the kitchen shop just two doors up from the animal hospital. She’d not had a chance to visit Hungry Bunny Kitchen Shop but enjoyed their delightful window displays every time she walked by on her way to pick up Sophie from dance class.

The Hungry Bunny, with its cheerful red door and large paned windows framed by vintage shutters, basically begged a person to come inside and explore. If only her friends could see her charging into a kitchen store. They’d hardly recognize her.

A chime jingled overhead as she walked into the crowded shop. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one Christmas shopping this afternoon, she thought, breathing in the scent of cinnamon and sugar cookies. Old wooden floors groaned underfoot as she passed a table of handcrafted ceramic bowls, a stack of colorful aprons, and a display of mason jars filled with herbs and spices, alongside stoneware measuring cups and bins in all shapes and sizes. She located the Dutch oven right away but hesitated over the color. What would Grace choose? Her kitchen was mostly white with blue accents, so Abby decided the cobalt blue would do the trick. Grace could always exchange it later if she wanted.

Abby almost stopped to look through a section devoted to cookbooks but decided she didn’t have time to dillydally. Outside, it was growing dark, and she still had to get home to make dinner. However, on the way to the register, a long, rustic farmhouse table in the middle of the store caught her attention. Her gaze traveled over the seasonal goodies—local honey, artisanal jams, and freshly ground coffee beans—until she found the bottles of Hayes Maple Syrup. A surge of pride warmed her chest. It wasn’t her farm, of course. Yes, she almost felt like part of the family. She admired Luke and Walter for all the hard work they poured into their family business without complaint.

Next, she stopped in at the toy store to pick up some stocking stuffers for Sophie and Jack, plus she wanted to find something for Lily. Luke had told her Lily might like some accessories for her dollhouse. She stood for a moment, looking over all the accessories, but wasn’t sure which to choose.

A young man dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt that read Stay Stoked over the chest ambled over to her. “Hey, I’m Travis Stone. New owner of this fine establishment.”

His sun-bleached disheveled hair and laid-back attitude evoked images of the surfers she’d seen at the beaches in Southern California. He grinned, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. “You’re the new vet, right?”

“That’s correct.” Abby introduced herself.

“This is for Lily Hayes, am I right?” Travis asked.

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Luke mentioned you might be in when he picked up the dollhouse. He wanted to make sure I didn’t sell you anything he’d already gotten.”

With that, he helped her pick dollhouse-sized patio furniture, miniature garden tools, fences, birdhouses, and swings. A package with tiny pets caught her eye, and she just had to get that too. Could anything be cuter than miniature dogs, cats, corresponding beds, food bowls, and toys?

She grabbed a few things for Jack—some Matchbox cars, a small flashlight, a container of slime, and a few squirt toys for the bath. He wasn’t overly fond of baths, so she hoped they might encourage him to bathe without protest. For Sophie, she picked out some glitter pens, a craft kit to make friendship bracelets (she’d had no idea how popular they were), stickers, and several notebooks for journaling or doodling. Abby figured she could get Sophie a few new hair clips, nail polish, and bath bombs from the drugstore.

For Lily, she found just the right thing without intending to—a stuffed yellow dog that looked a little like Rufus. Only the toy was fluffier and smelled much better than Rufus did after a romp in the snow.

At the hardware store, she found a pair of binoculars for Walter. If it were up to her, he’d never have to question whether he’d seen a snowy owl or not.

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