Page 99 of The Holiday Gift

At the sudden deep voice, she and both of her sisters-in-law gave a collective gasp and turned to the doorway. Every single molecule inside her wanted to cringe at the sight of Ben standing there, watching the three of them, his face void of expression.

“My son spilled a glass of water,” he explained. “I came in looking for a towel to clean it up. Unless you think that’s too rude of a request.”

Becca reached almost blindly into the drawer where Caidy kept the dish towels, pulled one out and handed it to him.

“Thanks,” he answered, then left without another word. Caidy wanted to bury her face in the gravy.

“Wow. I guess the two of you haven’t exactly hit it off,” Becca said.

Caidy thought of that sizzling kiss, apparently mostly one-sided. “You could say that,” she answered.

Her mother would have yanked her earlobe and sent her to her bedroom for being so unconscionably rude to a guest in their home. She couldn’t face him again. How could she sit at the table beside him after what he had heard her say? The worst of it was, none of it was true. She was just being petty and small, embarrassed that she was so fiercely attracted to a man who regretted ever touching her.

How could she figure out a way to stay here in the kitchen all evening?

She let out a heavy breath. She was going to have to find a way to apologize to him, but how on earth could she manage that without giving him some kind of explanation? She couldn’t tell him the truth. That would only add another layer of mortification onto her humiliation.

“Um, I think I’ll just take these rolls out,” Becca said into the sudden painful silence.

After she hurried out of the kitchen, Laura placed a hand on Caidy’s arm. “Okay, what was that about? Did something happen between the two of you?”

Her dear friend had known her for many years—long before her parents were killed, when everything in her world changed. She didn’t want to tell her. She didn’t want to talk toanyone—she just wanted to hide out in her room with Luke. He, at least, was one male she didn’t feel awkward and stupid around.

She sighed. “I called him to come over last night. One of those frantic, middle-of-the-night emergencies. Luke was having trouble breathing and I was upset and didn’t know what else to do. He... Before he left, he... We kissed. It was...great. Really great. But today he told me what a mistake it was. He acted like it was this horrible experience that we should both pretend never happened. I guess I was more hurt than I realized by his reaction. I lashed out, which wasn’t fair. I don’t believe any of those things. Well, I did at first. He was quite rude to me after Luke’s accident and treated me like it was my fault. I guess it was, in some ways, but he really twisted the knife. He’s been... We’ve been fine since then, except just now in my room.”

Laura was silent for a moment, apparently digesting that barrage of information. Finally she spoke with that calm common sense Caidy loved about her.

“I’ve had the chance over the past few weeks while he’s been staying at the inn to talk with Mrs. Michaels,” she said. “She’s told me a few things about Ben’s situation. More than she probably should have, probably. Take it easy on the man, okay? He’s been through a rough few years. His wife’s death was horrible apparently.”

“He told me she died of complications from diabetes.”

“Did he also tell you she was pregnant at the time?”

“No. Oh, no.”

Laura nodded. “Apparently she went into a diabetic coma while she was driving and crashed into a tree. Their baby died along with her. It was a miracle Ava and Jack weren’t in the car too. They were with their grandparents.”

Those poor children. And poor Ben. If she felt bad before about what she had said, now she felt about a zillion times worse.

“According to Mrs. Michaels, his late wife’s parents blame him for their daughter and grandchild’s death and have done all they can to drive Ava and Jack away from him. That’s the main reason he came here, I believe. To put some distance between them and try salvaging his family.”

She paused and squeezed Caidy’s arm. “I think he could really use a friend.”

She had never considered herself a petty person before but she was beginning to discover otherwise. So what if the man regretted kissing her? So her pride was bruised. She tried to be a good person most of the time. Couldn’t she look past that and be that friend Laura was talking about?

“Thanks for telling me. I’ll...figure out a way to apologize. But not right now, okay? Right now I have a dozen people to feed.”

Laura hugged her. “I know you will. Apologize, I mean. You’re a good person, Caidy. Someone I’m pleased to call my sister. I just have one more question and it’s an important one. I want you to think long and hard before you answer me.”

She felt more than a little trepidation. “What’s that?”

“Besides being arrogant and rude, how is our Dr. Caldwell in the kissing department?”

Despite everything, she gave a strained laugh. “Let me put it this way. Luke wasn’t the only one having trouble breathing last night.”

Laura grinned at her, which gave her a little burst of courage. Enough, at least, that she could draw in a deep breath, pick up the platter with the roast beef slices and head out into the other room with squared shoulders to face what just might be the most embarrassing meal of her life.

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