“Very funny,” Jordan said, picking the child up and tossing her in the air. “I set the timer,” he said, looking over at Theo. “The lights will go off at midnight.”
“Not only does he string the lights, but he puts them on a timer?” Ashley teased.
“He’s kinda perfect,” Theo said proudly. Jordan gave her a wink.
“Come on, Jupiter,” Indigo called as Jordan carried her down the stairs. The border collie ran after them, and Theo followed.
“See you in the morning?” Theo asked Ashley as she pulled on her coat.
“I’ll be here. This was great,” she said. “I’ll be sure the front is all locked up.”
“And I’ll get the back. Goodnight, Ash.”
“Yeah. Goodnight.”
Ashley opened the front door and stood on her tiptoes to hook the hanger over the top. She hung the wreath, realized it was a bit crooked, then reached up to straighten it. She smoothed the bright red tails of the bow with her fingers before shutting and locking the door. She surveyed the wreath for a moment, her breath billowing in front of her face like a white plume of smoke. Satisfied, she turned and walked toward her car.
She might have noticed that there were cars parked along Sage Street, but nothing about any of them aroused any suspicion. That might have been different, however, if she’d seen the man sitting in his truck across the street and two storefronts down scrolling through the photos on a phone that didn’t belong to him.
He watched Ashley as she unlocked the door of her 2010 black Acura and tossed a pizza box into the passenger seat. He swiped his finger across the screen and studied a photo he’d seen countless times before. It was Mina Harper and Ashley Burgess. Both of them had their arms wrapped around each other. Their cheeks were squashed together in their hug, and both women were grinning from ear to ear. The man didn’t think the photo had been taken that long ago. Mina’s dark brown hair was cut the same way it had been the last time he’d seen her just a few days earlier.
He looked up to see Ashley pull her sedan onto the street. He watched until he could no longer see the shape of the dark car and all that was left was a pair of taillights. When Ashley turned left and headed toward Main Street, the man clicked the phone off and dropped it into the center console of his truck.
“See you soon,” he said quietly into the cold night.
10. HOME AGAIN
When Caleb called Odette telling her that he was flying out of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport that afternoon, she sent out a group text informing her family that they all had to be in attendance for dinner at the farm that evening. Caleb came home from time to time, but neither one of his parents had any idea he’d planned on spending Christmas in Whisper Creek. The moment Odette knew he was on his way home, she began planning a celebration.
Normally, Theo was very selective about the calls she took while she was visiting with Patty, but when Odette’s number flashed on the screen, she took it. Birdie had taken Patty into the gym that morning, and they hadn’t returned by the time Mamie, Theo and Indigo arrived for their weekly visit to Abbey Heights Hospital.
“You and Indigo will be here, right?” Odette asked when Theo picked up the phone.
Theo thought about what a normal Thursday afternoon would be like. Eating lunch in the car, then an hour inside Dr. Gardner’s office, but because the psychiatrist was taking time off for the holiday, their afternoon was totally free.
“Of course. What can we bring?”
“The boys have decided to grill steaks and corn on the cob. I was going to bake potatoes, but I decided on potatoes au gratin instead.”
“That sounds delicious.”
“I don’t suppose you have any of those flavored butters you make on hand, do you?”
Theo made all kinds of butter. There were sweet butters like honey, pumpkin spice, strawberry and maple, but she also made garlic and herb, red wine, lemon and chive and mustard. She mixed them all up, rolled them in saran wrap and stored them in the freezer.
“Sweet or savory?”
“Savory.”
“I’ve got you covered. What else can I do?”
“I’m making my raspberry cake with lemon buttercream frosting, but I might need some vanilla ice cream.”
“We can grab some of that. I ran across a recipe the other day I’ve been dying to try. It’s for blackberry hot chocolate. It might be good with your cake.”
“That sounds delicious. I’ve got mini marshmallows and whipped cream. I’ll let you go. Please tell Cleopatra I said hello. What time can I expect you here?”
“Indie and I will grab the ingredients for hot cocoa here in the Springs, then we’ll swing by the barn to get the butter and Jupiter. We’ll head over after that, probably about four.”
“Fantastic. Oh, no, not that one, Max … Theo? I’ve got help in the kitchen. I need to go.” Odette hung up without saying goodbye and Theo smiled.
“Butter and blackberry hot chocolate,” Mamie said. “Sounds like an interesting combination.”
“Odie got a phone call from Caleb this morning. He’s decided to fly in for the holiday. She’s putting together a big dinner tonight. She requested the butter. The hot chocolate was my idea.”
“Hot chocolate?” Patty said as her wheelchair rounded the wide doorframe. “Tell me you didn’t bring something warm. I’ve been thinking about that milkshake since PT started.”
“Here it is, Mama,” Indigo told her, carrying Patty’s peanut butter milkshake toward her.
“Thank you, sugar.”
“And we have one for you, too, Birdie.”
“Well, I appreciate that, Goldilocks.” She took a pull on her straw. “Banana,” she smiled. “Just what I was hoping for. Delicious.”
Indigo gave her a wide grin.
