Page 39 of Doctor Holliday

Lucy cleared her throat and turned her attention back to dinner. She plated the sandwiches, disgusted that she had let them burn just slightly.

“How can I possibly love someone I just met?”

“You didn’t, though.”

Callie shook her head when Lucy peeked at her.

“Your first date was only five days ago, but you knew him before that.”

“I’ve known him for thirteen days, Cal,” Lucy reminded her daughter. “Do you think you could fall in love with someone in thirteen days?”

“But we’re talking about you,” Callie said simply. “Smart. Book smart, but you understand people. You deal with people. Youbringpeople into the world.”

Lucy sliced both sandwiches and pushed a plate over the counter to Callie.

“That has nothing to do with how I feel about Keaton.” She shook her head, anxious to put the conversation to rest.

“It has everything to do with who you are, and that has everything to do with how you feel about Keaton.” Callie rolled her eyes. “You know yourself, Mom. And you are completely wonderful all by yourself. But he makes you laugh. He makes you smile. He makes you sing.”

Lucy snapped her gaze up to meet Callie’s again. Was she referring to last Sunday when Keaton had come over for pizza? And they had snuck into the laundry room? She thought she had been quiet?—

“I heard you singing the Mariah Carey song yesterday,” Callie told her. “The Christmas one.”

Finally ready to eat, Lucy sat down on a stool next to Callie. She took a drink of her water, feeling the heat in her face as her daughter continued to stare at her.

“I don’t know if you think you need my blessing.” Callie took a bite of her sandwich. “But I just want you to know it’s okay.”

Lucy, feeling schooled by her daughter, and a little bit foolish because of that, simply nodded and turned her attention to her own sandwich.

Chapter 18

Friday,December 22nd

Keaton

He didn’t realize he was singing along with Darlene Love until the customer browsing the Christmas ornaments at the front of the store looked his way for the third or fourth time. Keaton knew he wasn’t a good singer, but he thought the holiday season would give anyone a free pass. Apparently not.

Lucy had called earlier. They planned to take Callie and Ruby out for dinner tomorrow night and then take a drive through the Eastport Lights. Part of him wondered if Callie was too old for it, if she would be bored. But then, again, it was the holiday season, and most people enjoyed the festive things.

“Find everything you were looking for?” he asked the woman as she set two intricate glass ornaments on the counter. With her chin tipped down, all Keaton could see of the woman was her dark hair, the way it fell forward around her face. She seemed to hesitate, her hands stilling as she dug through her purse. Finally,when he was just about to ask her if everything was okay, she tipped her head up to look at him.

She stared at him silently for a moment. Keaton wasn’t sure if she was angry or sad or a miserable mixed-up bit of both. But her face certainly didn’t reflect the holiday season. He cleared his throat. Lucy had invited him to dinner at her brother and sister-in-law’s house for Christmas Day. If he were going to have Ruby, he would have said no. But Ruby would be spending Christmas Day with Alyssa and her husband. And Keaton had no interest in being alone, not after Lucy’s invite.

Funny. Hard to remember not everyone was happy like he was. Not everyone enjoyed the holidays. In fact, depression was common around Christmastime, and the winter blues were real. He knew that from his own experience at the end of his marriage to Alyssa.

Not everyone was floating around on cloud nine either. Not like him. Damned if he would admit that to Alyssa or Ruby, but Keaton was high on Lucy. He loved the idea of spending Christmas Day with her. Even the thought of meeting her family didn’t bother him. Actually, he looked forward to it.

But, he reminded himself again as the woman continued to stare, not everyone was happy, in love, and ready to spend the holidays with friends and family.

“Are you the owner?”

“I am.” He nodded, wondering if something had soured the woman during her visit here at his store this afternoon. “Can I help you with something?”

“I’m Logan Klein’s stepmother.”

“Oh.” He flinched. The disapproving frown on her face made him feel guilty, probably digging the flinch into his face even deeper. “How’s she doing?”

“You don’t know?”