Page 71 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“Don’t answer me now,” he said gently. “I want you to sleep on it.”
Her gaze flicked up to his and he smiled at her, a sad smile, before lifting her hand to his lips and placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles.
“I’m going to make it an early night,” he told her. “You enjoy your tea and have a good think.”
She didn’t dare to look up at him as he stood and headed upstairs.
And once he was gone, she sat at the table until the tea went cold, but she still couldn’t say what was holding her back.
19
RIVER
River opened his eyes just before dawn on the morning of Christmas Eve, surprised to wake before his alarm after he had tossed and turned all night.
Seeing Nora in tears last night over his words had his hands practically shaking with the need to hold her. He’d been forced to walk away from her, or there was no doubt that he would have found himself at her feet, shamelessly begging for a decision that should be hers to make without any pressure from him or anyone else.
She obviously cared for him. Some deep-seated instinct told him that much, at least. But would she trust him with her happiness? And maybe more importantly, with the children’s happiness?
He dressed quickly, then headed downstairs and out onto the back porch. The wind outside was cold enough to cut right to his bones, but at least the snow had finally stopped, and he could already hear the rumble of a snowplow somewhere in the distance.
Today we face reality again.
He was grateful for the long walk through the beautiful snowy farm, and for the company of the big animals that provided a welcome distraction as he worked to care for them.
Despite the cold, Peter snorted with happiness as River led the two horses down the path to the pasture to spend the day. And Tinkerbell danced with impatience while River opened up the gate.
Once inside, the two animals took off through the snow, nosing and kicking at it playfully, looking as happy as the kids had been yesterday when they were out making their snow bears.
River stood by the gate and watched them for a long time, as the rising sun turned the sky a deep pink like the blush of Nora’s cheeks when he caught her looking at him.
Even out here, every thought goes back to her.
By the time he returned to the house, the street outside had been plowed. He grabbed a shovel from the garage and got to work on the drive, carving out a generous path for the truck.
I’ll be seeing Edward today,he thought to himself.
Somehow, he’d lost the desire to punch his brother in the nose for abandoning Nora. It was partly because he loved him and because they had grown up together.
But he realized now that it was also because he felt sorry for the man, for anyone who’d had the chance to love Nora and given it up.
Myself included.
He thought back to the young man he’d been allthose years ago, how he’d convinced himself that once his time in the Army was up, he could find another woman who made him feel like the sweet girl at that fundraiser. That foolish young man had actually thought to himself that Edward would be better for her anyway.
I know better now. I can see it all so clearly. But it’s up to her.
Once the driveway was clear, he put the shovel away and headed into the house, jogging up the stairs to shower and dress for the day.
His family was pretty casual, but he grabbed a brand-new green and red flannel that Edward had given him last Christmas and popped the tags off it. It was only a gesture, and his brother might not even remember the shirt. But maybe it would bring him good luck with whatever happened today.
By the timehe got back downstairs, Nora was up with both kids, and they were all in the kitchen, where she was pulling something that smelled incredible out of the oven.
“I thought I would make cinnamon rolls to bring over,” she said with a shy smile. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“That was really nice of you,” he told her. “They’ll love it.”
Don’t try to interpret that sweet smile. Don’t let her see you’re dying for answers…
