Page 23 of Christmas in July

CHAPTER 13

LEILANI

As I walk through snowy Snowflake Creek to the bakery marked on my tourist map, there is an extra bounce in my step this morning. Teddy is off taking photograph of the townsfolk again, so I thought I would take a moment to visit Stella’s shop. I brush the fake snow out of my hair before entering.

A tired looking woman is sweeping up the floor, but she turns to me with a big smile anyway. “Hello, and welcome,” she says brightly. “Let me know if I can help you find anything. It’s all freshly baked.”

“Are you Skye Valentine?” I ask her. “Sam’s mom?”

Her eyes show a bit of surprise at this description. “Why, yes. I had a son named Sam, years ago. He was a wonderful young man. But he died tragically in an accident…”

“Actually, he didn’t,” I tell her with a smile. “I dated him just a few weeks ago.”

“Oh,” she says with surprise. “Well, I don’t know who you think you met, but it wasn’t my Sam…”

“Does this look like your son?” I ask her, pulling out my cell phone, and handing her a picture of Sam and Kailani.

“Yes. Yes, it does… but he’s older than the last time I saw him.” She looks up at me with shock in her face. “Please don’t mess with an old woman’s head. Is this real? Are you his girlfriend?”

“No, no, that’s my twin sister,” I say with a bright smile. “They’re actually engaged. And Stella and Jack are visiting them right now in Hawaii. Sam’s just in Witness Protection, so they didn’t want to bring their cell phones and risk getting tracked, or anything like that. But they asked me to tell you, since I was coming here. Well, Stella wanted to tell you herself, but she decided not to wait. Sam didn’t want to wait either.”

Sam’s mother has tears pouring down her face. She drops the broom she has been using, and sinks to the floor, crying into her hands. “Oh, is this really true? Can this really be true? My Sam…”

I crouch down to touch her shoulder and comfort her. “He’s a wonderful man. And he’s so good to my sister. I mean, he accidentally thought I was her, and asked me out on a date instead of her—it’s a long story, but mostly a funny one. He’s part of my family now. He’s going to be my brother-in-law, and I’m really happy about that.”

“I have to go to Hawaii to see him,” Skye says softly, wiping tears away. “I have to hug him. And maybe kill him for lying to me all these years.”

I laugh softly. “That’s exactly what Stella said.”

“He nearly gave an old woman a heart attack with that disappearing act of his. But excuse me. Oh my gosh, I’m being so rude. I don’t even know your name! You’ve got to come in and sit with me for a cup of tea. Tell me all about my Sam, and your sister.”

“I would be happy to,” I tell her.

* * *

When I get backto our posh hotel suite, I am humming happily after the wonderful talk with Sam’s mother. It’s a great feeling to be able to give someone good news. She was also such a sweet woman, as with everyone we’ve met in Snowflake Creek.

A ringing noise startles me, and I realize that Teddy forgot his cell phone at the hotel. When I see that it’s his boss/mother, I decided to brave the beast and answer the phone.

“This is Teddy’s phone,” I respond.

“Oh, it’s you,” Henrietta comments. “Is my son around?”

“He is just out taking pictures for the article, but he should be back soon.”

“That’s okay—I’m actually grateful for the chance to speak directly to you,” Henrietta says sweetly. Alarm bells start ringing in my head, but I brush them off. I can handle the dragon lady. Whatever she has to say to me… I can take it.

“Teddy isn’t really capable of having a real relationship,” Henrietta says. “He might think he is, but take it from me, a mother knows best.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, frowning.

“He’s just broken—he’s always struggled with ADHD, so good luck getting him to focus on anything for more than five minutes. Since he was little, he couldn’t even concentrate on finishing dinner if we didn’t keep constantly medicated.”

I am about to respond with skepticism that she was even around enough to know this much about Teddy, but I hold my tongue. I am not sure why such a powerful woman is so eager to influence my opinion of her son to be negative. “Well, I think he’s grown up a lot since then—” I begin, but she cuts me off.

“And then the whole situation with Ashley… well, he never really recovered from that.”

“Ashley?” I ask softly.

“Yes. Hasn’t he told you about Ashley?”

“No,” I say, feeling the alarm bells rising in my chest again. “Who’s Ashley?”

“His wife.”

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