Page 18 of Darla's Christmas Knight
“That, brother dear, is something you have to figure out yourself.”
*
After a night of tossing and turning, his mind refusing to switch off as it sought a plan to win Darla’s heart, Bobby stumbled down the narrow stairs of his childhood home and into the kitchen, surprised to find his mum already up and about. He moved across the room and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Tall and lithe, she almost equaled his six feet. Of Swedish descent, her hair was as fair as his, but held more silver, and pulled back in a low bun.
“Thought you’d sleep in after the shindig last night,” he said. “It’s not like you have to rush out to work anymore.” Both his parents had worked way beyond the recommended retirement age, but called it quits last year.
She smiled warmly. “Wanted to spend the last full day with my firstborn. Still making up for the lost time.”
A bolt of guilt slashed through him at the not-so-subtle reminder of his long absence. “Mum—”
She shook her head. “I understand, Bear. When you took up your position in the Royal Protection Services, we knew your focus had shifted. I won’t lie that it wasn’t hard, but I’m just glad to be able to have regular contact again.” She tilted her head. “I don’t suppose you’d consider—”
“My life is in Texas, Mum,” he interrupted.
She sighed. “Figured as much.”
“But you’re welcome to visit.” He’d issued the invitation last year, but his folks were homebodies. To his knowledge, they had never left the islands. Of course, that might change with a grandchild in the mix.
Would Darla allow him to bring their child here to visit?
His mother placed a mug of tea in front of him, as well as a colorful square card, a number eight in the corner. It took him a moment to recognize what it was. “I forgot about these,” hemurmured.
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without our Advent cards. I’m grateful that you can write yours in person this year.”
On the last day of November, their family came together for a meal and wrote what they were thankful for on a card (twenty-four cards in total) and his father strung them above the mantel. When they were little, starting on the first of December, his mum or dad read the corresponding card over breakfast, but as they grew and moved out of the house, that was no longer viable, so reading all twenty-four cards took place on Christmas morning when the family gathered to open gifts.
Bobby’s throat thickened with emotion. He had missed out on so damned much.
Reaching for a pen, the idea took hold.
He knew exactly how to woo Darla.
And by Christmas, he would own her heart again.
I hope.
6
Bulwark, Texas, First of December
He’d been back from Andraste for four days, and she’d seen neither hide nor hair of him. And that annoyed her. Which was absurd. It wasn’t as if she had seen him on a daily basisbeforehe left, so why would she expect it to be different now?
Darla slammed her car door. “Becauseeverything’sdifferent now,” she muttered, “and you need to tell him. Before Tuesday.”
Because Tuesday was the start of Bobby’s next seven-day baby-making obligation.
And he wasn’t needed anymore.
She placed a hand on her midriff, her mind conflicted. Her wish for Christmas was granted. So why did she feel so … hollow?
Gah!
Darla hurried into the clinic and went about her normal arrive-at-work routine. Minus the coffee — she’d had her new one-cup-a-day allocation at home.
Mindy was behind the reception desk as usual and about to greet the woman, Darla instead stared at the small Christmas tree with its blinking lights on the corner of the desk. The tree always came out on the first of December.
Be careful what you wish for.
