Page 57 of When Cardinals Appear

“What did it look like?” I could barely breathe. If the cardinal was a messenger, then what message did it convey by visiting Nate?

Nate’s lips twitched as he fought back a grin. “Like a red bird.”

I rolled my eyes. “I mean, was there anything about it that stuck out to you? The one I’ve seen has weird black dots by its beak, almost like freckles.”

“I didn’t get that close of a look,” Nate said. “You saw it this morning too?”

I nodded. “It was the sign I was looking for to call you.” We gazed at each other, both digesting the revelations, then I grinned. “My mom is still meddling, even from beyond the grave.”

Nate threw back his head and laughed, which was music to my ears. I couldn’t remember the last time I had heard him laugh like that, so joyous and carefree. Certainly not since I’d been home.

“Did you tell James about the cardinal?” he asked, and the light in his eyes dimmed.

I shook my head, turning away. “I didn’t see the point. Besides, he wouldn’t understand.”

“Why do you think that?”

“James is... practical... rational. He would explain it away as being coincidental.” While I’d once loved James for his directness, he could be harsh, even when he didn’t mean to be.

“Well, I appreciate you sharing it with me,” Nate said, and his face was sincere.

I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, and I fell back against the couch. The conversation and all the anxiety leading up to it had drained me. Frankly, I could use a nap, but I didn’t want to leave him, not yet.

“I don’t know about you,” Nate said, “but I’m going to need something stronger than water if I have any hope of staying awake for the rest of the day.”

We went to the kitchen, and Nate put on a pot of coffee. His house was small but adequate for his needs. The kitchen had all the essentials, but I could tell that the microwave saw the most action. Some of the labels on the buttons were worn down from use. A small window overlooked his postage-stamp yard.

And there on the back deck stood my cardinal. It chirped at me before fluttering closer to the window, peering in at both of us.

“Look! Do you see? I told you I was being stalked by a cardinal!” I pointed.

“I saw, and you’re not going to believe this, but I swear when it came this morning, that bird winked at me,” Nate replied, handing me a mug of coffee.

“Oh, I believe it.” I shook my head.

“I think your theory about it being your mother is sound. I can’t imagine anyone else being this persistent.”

I gazed at him thoughtfully. Making up my mind, I set down my mug and went toward him, biting back a smile at the apprehension on his face. As I wrapped my arms around his neck, I tilted my face toward his, licking my lips. Nate froze, and as I pressed against him, I could feel his heart pounding in his chest. I angled my head closer, but at the last moment, I turned my face away and gazed out the window.

The cardinal perched precariously on the windowsill, staring right at us through the glass. I started giggling, and Nate joined me, though his body sagged against mine, and I wasn’t sure if it was from relief or disappointment. But then he leaned down and kissed the top of my head. I sighed and pressed my face to his chest, breathing in his distinct scent of Old Spice and Ivory soap.

“I missed this,” I whispered.

His arms tightened around me. “Me too.”

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, I woke to the sound of my phone buzzing beside me. Bleary-eyed, I picked it up and tapped the screen.

The house is under contract.

I blinked. Already? While John had said he’d expected we would get offers soon, I’d thought we’d have to wait a few weeks at least. I sat up in bed and stared at my empty room. Steven said the closing date was to be determined, but I assumed it would be sometime in March. Things were happening a lot faster than I’d anticipated, and it made my head spin.

That also meant I would be moving out soon. I hadn’t seen much of my father since the estate sale. Perhaps it was time to fix things with him. I didn’t know how long I would be stuck there, and I didn’t want us to spend that time at each other’s throats.

As tired as I was, I knew I wouldn’t be able to fall back to sleep. I stumbled down the stairs and started my usual routine. While I’d cleaned before the open house, I decided to spend the day shampooing the carpets. With most of the furniture gone, it would be easier to do a thorough job.

A few hours later, my phone rang, interrupting one of my favorite songs. When I recognized the number, my eyes widened, and my irritation melted away. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I answered in my most professional-sounding voice.

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