Page 140 of Mistletoe and Mischief

After a few minutes, Troy returned to the kitchen. The Beldons had gathered there. Danielle sat in the living room next to her suitcase, crying quietly. He did feel sorry for her. This couldn’t be easy; no broken relationship was.

Kent wanted to pay for the damages, but the Beldons refused. And at their insistence, no charges would be laid. They, too, sympathized with Danielle, despite their exasperation with her out-of-control behavior.

To be on the safe side Troy and Faith remained at the B and B until Logan arrived and Danielle departed.

They left a few minutes later. Faith sighed as Troy turned out of the driveway.

“Well, that was an unexpected interlude,” she said in a good-humored voice. “I don’t know what would’ve happened to that poor girl—and Kent—if we hadn’t got there when we did. You’re my hero, Troy Davis.”

“And you’re my sweetheart,” he returned, smiling in her direction.

20

“Now what?” Will Jefferson asked. He held his gloved hands upright like a surgeon about to enter the operating theater.

“It’s a turkey,” Miranda Sullivan teased, “not an appendectomy.”

Will lowered his arms.

“We’re going to stuff it,” Miranda said.

“You mean I’m actually going to put my handsinsidethat bird?” His look was incredulous.

“Yes.” It was difficult to keep a straight face when Will took everything so seriously.

“I’ve never done this before.”

Miranda rolled her eyes. “Really? You could’ve fooled me.”

“Are you making fun of me?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“I’m doing my best not to.”

Will grinned. “Well, this is hard work. First time in my life that I’ve cooked a turkey.”

“We’ll do fine.”

“I’m glad you’re with me,” he said, “and not just because of the turkey.”

“I’m happy to be here.”

Quite unexpectedly, Will had invited Miranda to spend Christmas Day with him. They’d worked together at the Harbor Street Art Gallery for the past several months. She’d started as part-time help, working a couple of days a week. Gradually, Will had increased her hours.

In the beginning they hadn’t gotten along. He thought she was too opinionated; she thought he was stubborn and dictatorial. But as the weeks progressed they’d formed a strong friendship. She’d taken a step toward compromise and he’d taken one, too, and they’d met in the middle.

Recently...well,veryrecently, that friendship took another turn. Miranda wasn’t ready to put a name to it; she wasn’t sure it was safe for her heart to define it. Not yet. But...there was definitely a sense of excitement that sizzled between them.

They’d kissed. She’d kissed him once, shocking herself far more than she’d shocked Will. And he’d kissed her. More than once.

Will had moved into his childhood home a few weeks earlier, purchasing the residence on Eagle Crest Avenue from his mother. This made it possible for Charlotte and Ben to move into the Sanford assisted-living complex without the additional worry of what would happen to their home.

Will and his sister, Olivia, had come up with the idea and coincidentally the move had benefited Miranda, too. She lived near Gig Harbor, a twenty-minute drive from Cedar Cove. The lease on her apartment was up, and she’d been hoping to move closer to the art gallery when Will approached her about living in his apartment on the premises. He’d had it remodeled and she could move in whenever she wished.

It was an offer too good to refuse. Her best friend, Shirley Bliss, had urged her to accept. Miranda grew a bit sad as she thought about Shirley. They’d become close after they’d both lost their husbands. Miranda had been married to an artist and Shirley was one herself. They’d helped each other adjust to widowhood.

Shirley had remarried a couple of months ago, and as soon as Tanni, her daughter, graduated from high school, Shirley planned to move to California with her new husband, Larry Knight, who was a nationally known and highly respected artist.

It would be hard to see Shirley leave the area and yet Miranda couldn’t begrudge her friend this happiness. They’d stay in touch, of course, but...it wasn’t the same.

---