Page 9 of Unexpected Gifts

“I have already apologized.” Her blue eyes hardened and glittered like the sun on snow. “And Lily doesn’t seem to mind.”

“I don’t mind, Daddy.” Lily now sat in the snow with Rufus beside her, acting as nice as could be. Typical.

“That’s neither here nor there,” Luke said. “This dog needs to learn some manners. Maybe take him to school?”

Abby winced and flushed a deeper pink. A very pretty flush. Darn. Her skin was luminescent, like an actress in a commercial for skin cream or something.

“Rufus hasbeento school. Like I said, he has a weakness for children. He sees them as puppies, I think.” Abby’s expression was now as chilly as the air.

“He likes me a lot, that’s why.” Lily giggled, patting Rufus’s head before wrapping her arm around his neck. “Can he come play at our house?”

Luke’s irritation wavered at Lily’s innocent request. A smile tugged at his mouth, but he resisted it, stuffing any generosity back inside himself. This woman had jeopardized Lily’s safety. Just because she was pretty, and Lily had obviously fallen hard for the unruly Rufus didn’t mean he should go all soft. “Maybe he can visit once he learns not to bowl people over.” Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “Anyway, welcome to Sugarville Grove.”

Abby stuck out her hand. “Thank you. You’re Luke, right?”

“That’s right.” He hesitated for a split second before shaking her hand. Her grip was firm, and her eyes glittered with obvious feistiness. This was no wilting rose. “And this is my daughter, Lily.”

“It’s nice to see you again. And to meet Lily. Hi, Lily. I’m sorry about Rufus.”

“Hi.” Lily flashed a smile. The girl never met a stranger. “I love Rufus, and he loves me.”

Had Abby said nice toseeyou again? “Have we met before?”

“I used to visit Ramona during the summer. But you may not remember. You were older and probably didn’t even know I was alive. Ramona and I were very close. Back then.” Abby wrappedher arms around her own waist. “I haven’t been here since my aunt’s funeral ten years ago.”

For a moment, it was as if Luke traveled back in time. He had an image of Ramona and this Abby at the lake. It had been summertime, and Abby had worn a polka-dot bikini. But she was right. He’d thought of them as children and himself as a mature college boy. “I do remember you.”

“Ramona and I had crushes on you and Max.”

“Really?” Luke rubbed his face with both gloved hands. “I don’t remember you looking like this.” Why had he said that?

“What does that mean?” Abby lifted that adorable, pointed chin and glared at him.

Luke swallowed. “I mean, you’re beautiful. Now, that is. You were a kid back then.”

She laughed, low and rumbly. “I wasn’t the cutest teenager ever. Kind of awkward with braces and pimples.”

“Not everyone’s best period,” Luke said.

“In your case? I’d have to disagree. Like I said, Ramona and I had big crushes on all of you Hayes boys.”

“I was very sorry about Ramona.” Luke’s voice cracked. “She was well loved in this town.”

“Thank you. It’s a difficult time for her kids, and I’m woefully inadequate as a substitute mother. I’m in way over my head.”

Her husky tone disarmed him. It wasn’t hard to conjure those months after Lily’s mother had left town. He’d been bereft. Utterly shattered. And quite sure he was completely inadequate as a father. The baby had only been a few weeks old, and suddenly, he had to raise an infant without her mother. Thank God for his own. He lowered his voice, so Lily wouldn’t hear, although she and Rufus were back to playing in the snow. “I felt that way after Lily’s mother left us. Lily was only a few weeks old.”

She gasped in obvious surprise and sympathy. “I’m so sorry. That must have been terrifying.”

“It was. But I got through it. You will, too. Pretty soon, you’ll feel like you have everything figured out. Sort of, anyway. You never quite feel like you’re a good enough parent. Being Lily’s dad is harder than anything I’ve ever done.”

She stared at him, looking rather like a startled animal.

“But I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Luke hastened to add.

“I’m not so sure of that. Not at all.” She squinted up toward the sky as if there were answers there. “The loss of both their parents—I don’t know how they can get through that kind of grief.”

“I’ve been wondering that too. My whole family’s been praying for them.” Luke had been devastated to hear John had been killed over in Afghanistan. After his death, Ramona moved back from Boston and had remained on her family’s farm since then. His mother and father had made it a point to look after them.

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