Page 38 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“That’s good,” River said.
“Well, tonight he said he wants to go,” Nora said. “He says he’s ready.”
“Wow,” River said. “It was the bird feeders, wasn’t it? They were super cool. That would probably make me want to go too.”
“Itwasthe bird feeders,” Nora chuckled. “But I think it was more than that, too.”
“I’m glad he’s ready,” River said. “Areyouready?”
“I know it’s for the best,” she said. “But I’m a little sad. How did you guess?”
“I can see how close he is with you,” River said. “You’re going to miss your little shadow.”
“If I can even get him into a good preschool in the middle of the year,” Nora said, nodding. “It’s tough in the city. But I can only worry about one thing at a time, I guess.”
“If it’s too much to think about staying out here when you’re working on that, I completely understand,” River said. “I know you’re probably pulled in a hundred directions at once.”
“Actually, I was thinking that it might be really good to stay,” she told him. “Being here seems to have both of them feeling better. John-John says he’s ready for preschool. And Pixie… well, she worries about her brother. And I haven’t really seen her get worried since we got here. Maybe more time here would be good for both of them—if it’s still okay with you?”
“I love having you here,” River said simply, placing his hand over hers.
His deep voice was gentle and his dark eyes seemed to penetrate her heart. She felt a wave of something good washing over her. It was so nice to be around someone who reallysawher and cared what happened to the kids.
“River,” she whispered.
His hand squeezed hers in response.
But it wasn’t right to feel this way—she knew it wasn’t. She pulled her hand back slowly, breaking their gaze.
“Hey, do you want a snack?” he asked, pulling his chair out. “I was thinking about popping some popcorn.”
When he turned back to her, there was no resentment in his eyes. And his handsome face was as calm as always, except for the tiniest tension in his jaw.
“Yes,” she realized out loud. “Idowant some popcorn.”
“Great,” he told her. “I was thinking we might go over to Cassidy Farm with the kids tomorrow to cut a tree. What do you think?”
They passed the rest of the evening making plans for the kids, and Nora was more sure than ever that she was making the right decision by staying.
She just couldn’t let herself be distracted, no matter how warm River’s hands were, or how much he smelled like spice and woodsmoke, no matter how his smile made her stomach feel.
10
RIVER
The next morning, River walked up the path toward the house with the scent of snow in the air.
He was pretty sure the horses could taste it too. They had been more playful than usual this morning as he led them out to the field to enjoy their day.
When the farmhouse came into sight, he found himself smiling. The lights were on inside, creating a cozy glow and telling him that Nora and the kids were awake.
They’re already getting used to farm life,he thought to himself with satisfaction.
He always made a point to turn in early so that he could be up before the sun with the horses. When he was tending to the fields in the spring, he would be glad that his schedule allowed him the advantage of every moment of daylight.
Kicking the snow and mud off his boots on the back porch, he heard the faint sound of the radio playing “Frosty the Snowman” in the kitchen, and Pixie’s delighted laughter.
He pictured them as they had been yesterday, watching the birds visit their homemade feeders, and he wondered how excited they would be to visit the Christmas trees on Cassidy Farm today.
