A Holiday Proposal (11 page)

“Too bad.” John took a gulp of sparkling cider. “There anything between the two of you?”

Matthew reached for his glass and tried to keep his voice neutral. “What makes you ask?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, something put the idea in your head.” Matthew couldn’t imagine how John had leaped to such a conclusion.

“She seemed pretty friendly, as if you knew each other well.” He shrugged. “I saw her hand on your arm. Guess I assumed there was more to it than there was.”

April’s soft laugh startled Matthew. “I told you there’s something there. He probably noticed the same spark I did.” April’s eyes glinted with mischief. “It seems the two of you are the only ones who can’t see it.”

Matthew shook his head and stood. “I have an early morning and a full day of baking. See you tomorrow evening.” He couldn’t sit around and pretend he didn’t feel anything for Holly. His brother and sister knew him too well.

John chucked a couch pillow at him. “Not if I see you first.”

Matthew grinned at their dad’s favorite saying. “Sleep well.” He softly closed the door to his room and readied for bed. Why couldn’t April get over the idea of him and Holly? They had no future together. Not that he wasn’t interested, but Todd was right—her job came first. He sat on the edge of his bed, reached for his Bible and randomly opened to Romans chapter fifteen. Verse thirteen in particular stood out to him.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

He laid the Bible on the nightstand, then rested his head back and sank into the pillow. Joy and peace, that’s what this time of year was supposed to be filled with, yet he felt anything but peace in regard to Holly. Why couldn’t he get that woman out of his mind?

He scrunched his brows. Did he really want more than friendship with Holly? He was being pulled in several directions and his bakery required a lot of him. He tucked away the thought and closed his eyes. He’d let God deal with it.

Lord, please fill me with Your joy and peace. And if it works into Your plan, could Holly be a part of it? Amen.

Chapter 13

W
ednesday afternoon, as Holly strolled toward the hospital exit, she hummed a tune she’d heard on the radio. The front doors slid open and cold air buffeted her. She loved winter, but this cold was ridiculous and it wasn’t even technically winter yet. Hawaii sounded nice about now.

Since it was a slow day and the hospital was only keeping essential staff in order to cut operating costs, her boss had let her off early. She didn’t mind, but hoped it wouldn’t happen too often.

She ambled across the street and jumped over a mound of icy snow before landing on the sidewalk. She slid a few inches and stuck out her arms to catch her balance. Okay, that was probably a bad idea. She took a tentative step and relaxed when her foot didn’t slide out from under her.

A familiar form headed in her direction. What was Matthew doing out and about the day before Thanksgiving? She figured a baker would be stuck in the kitchen. She stopped and waited for him to get closer. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He started. “Hi, Holly. I didn’t see you. My mind was running through orders.” His eyes drooped slightly, as if he was in need of a good night’s sleep.

“I figured you’d be swamped at the bakery today.”

He sighed. “We are—or rather, were. I started baking at three-thirty this morning and needed to get away for an hour. I figured a walk in the cold air would wake me up. George and my new hire have everything under control.”

“So you found someone. That’s great.” The cold seeped through her scrubs and she shivered.

“You cold?” He nodded past her. “I’m heading to The Gingerbread House. Join me? Looks like you could use a cup of coffee to warm up, and I need one to wake up my brain.”

She hesitated. Those weren’t the words of someone trying to avoid her. Maybe she
had
misunderstood his comment at church and he wasn’t giving her the brush-off, after all. “Okay. I’d like that.” She walked beside him with her hands stuffed deep into her pockets. “How’s your brother enjoying his vacation?”

“From what I’ve heard he’s having a blast. April loves having him around to entertain Ava. He took her up to Ski Hill yesterday.”

“I imagine it’s nice to get a break.” Holly stomped the snow off her shoes and followed Matthew into the building. The aroma of ginger and coffee soothed, and the heat from the oven thawed her. “I think I’m beginning to like this place as much as you do.”

Matthew’s eyes twinkled. “Ah. A convert.”

She snickered. He must truly enjoy coming here.

“Next.”

They stepped forward and Matthew ordered coffees and gingersnaps. “Have you ever tried their gingersnaps?”

She shook her head.

“You must. Add two more, please.” He paid and they found a table by the window that looked out onto the snow-covered lawn.

“Thanks. I could’ve paid for my own, though.” She added cream and sugar to her coffee and reached for a cookie.

“You can get it next time.” He cleared his throat. “I’m glad we ran into each other again because I feel bad about something.”

She furrowed her brow and stilled.

“I can’t stop thinking about my comment to you on Sunday. I know I’ve apologized, but I sense that it’s—”

She waved a hand and relaxed. “Don’t give it another thought. You didn’t say anything wrong. I’ll admit I was miffed.” She gave him a shy smile. “But after thinking about it for a while, I realized Todd is the one who said it, not you.” She sipped her coffee. “The only thing you did was clear the air and let me know you weren’t interested in anything other than friendship.” She looked down into her cup.

“That wasn’t exactly what I meant. I was trying to say I trust you where my heart is concerned. I know you aren’t interested in a relationship.”

Holly nearly choked on her coffee when it went down wrong. Matthew’s admission was beyond shocking, but made sense in retrospect, given the statement he’d made. “Thanks. I really jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

“Yeah, but my blunt lack of tact was inexcusable. I should’ve realized how my words sounded.”

She briefly touched his hand. “I appreciate your honesty and apology. Truth is, your words did hurt a little. But now I understand where you were coming from. I’ve made it abundantly clear I’m only open for friendship, and you are respecting that, so I thank you. Now let’s talk about something else.”

He nodded and swallowed a gulp of coffee. “Okay, thanks.” His eyebrows scrunched together. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Yes, but it’s slow today. I was sent home early.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Both, I guess, but I really don’t mind as long as it doesn’t happen often.” The next hour flew as they talked.

Matthew glanced at his wristwatch. “Whoa. George probably thinks I abandoned him.”

Holly slipped her arms into her jacket and stood. “Thanks for the coffee and cookies, but I have to say—” she lowered her voice and spoke near his ear “—I like your snickerdoodles a smidgen better than these gingersnaps.”

His face lit as he pulled the door open. “Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving, Holly.”

“Same to you. ’Bye.” Matthew went one way and Holly the other. Her feet barely touched the sidewalk as she practically skipped home. Their conversation had lifted a weight she hadn’t realized was there. A smile stretched her lips. Had Matthew taken the long way around hoping to run into her? Probably not, since he asked why she wasn’t working, but she wanted to think so nonetheless. She may be focused on her job, but he was a handsome man whose attention she enjoyed. There—she’d admitted it.

Unease settled over her as she pushed into her apartment. The more she got to know Matthew the more she liked him. An alarm in the back of her mind warned her of danger ahead.

* * *

Matthew drew in a long breath, savoring the scent of turkey and all the trimmings. If his nose could be believed, this would be a delicious meal. He tossed Ava above his head and caught her.

Ava giggled. “Again!”

Matthew set her down. “I’m tired, kiddo. See if Uncle John will play.”

Ava turned to his younger brother with puppy-dog eyes. “Please play.”

John shot Matthew a look and quickly returned his attention to the football game on television. “At halftime.”

Ava’s lower lip protruded.

“How about you go get your coloring book and crayons?” Matthew had entertained his niece all morning, to give April uninterrupted time to make dinner. He was ready to trade places with his sister. How could such a little girl wear a grown man out so easily? He couldn’t imagine what April was doing. It didn’t take two hours to put the turkey in the oven, but every time he walked into the kitchen she booted him out, claiming today was her day to thank him for letting them stay with him. At least she didn’t need to worry about the rolls.

He cringed, thinking about all the baking he’d done yesterday. His arms were actually sore from rolling so much dough. Maybe his current state of exhaustion had more to do with his schedule than with little Ava. Good thing the bakery was closed today and tomorrow so everyone could recover. He’d given his staff the extra day off—they’d earned it.

Ava trotted into the room and parked herself on the floor in front of the fireplace with her crayons. “Look, Unca Matt. Mommy bought me a Christmas book.” She held it up, revealing an oversize holly stem colored blue.

Holly.
What was she doing right now? Probably poking someone with a needle, making their holiday even more miserable. “Very nice, Ava. Do you know what you are coloring?”

She shook her head.

“It’s called holly. It’s a plant people decorate with at Christmastime.” He walked to the mantel and pulled a sprig of holly from the wreath his sister must have purchased yesterday. “See.”

“It’s green.”

“Sure is.”

She frowned and scribbled all over the holly in her coloring book. “I do another one.”

He chuckled and stood. “Be back in a minute.” He peeked into the kitchen. “What time are we eating?”

April turned from the sink with a dripping spoon in her hand. “Soon. The turkey will be done shortly, and then all I have to do is carve it and make gravy.”

“May I come in now?”

“Sure, but don’t think you can lift a finger. I won’t allow it.”

“You didn’t have to do all of this by yourself. John could’ve helped.”

“Actually, he helped with the bird this morning, but have you ever seen him in the kitchen? I don’t know what happened, but somehow he missed out on the cooking and baking gene. He’s a disaster in the culinary department.”

“Now that you mention it...”

April emptied the sink and dried her hands. “Would you mind pulling out the turkey?”

“Oh, April I forgot about your arm. Are you sure you’re not overdoing it?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a little weak.”

He donned oven mitts and rescued the bird from the oven. A wonderful aroma drifted up from the roasting pan. “It looks perfect.” He placed the golden-brown, perfectly roasted bird on a large cutting board, then took the pan to the stove so April could whip up the gravy. “John may not be handy in the kitchen, but he can certainly help set out the food.”

“No, don’t bother him. He’s helped enough. Besides, it’s his break, and he’s watching the game.”

“Listen to
you
. Since when do you care if someone is watching football?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been entertaining Ava all week, and I’d like for him to be able to watch the game without me asking for more help.”

“We’re your brothers. It’s our job to pick up the slack when you need a little help. That’s what families do.”

She sniffled. “Thanks.”

He cleared his throat. “When was the last time you spoke with Rick?”

“Last week. He warned me he probably wouldn’t be able to Skype or anything this week.” She sniffled again and swiped at her eyes. “I miss him. Especially today.”

“Ah, April.” His gut wrenched for his sister and her husband. He drew her into a tight hug. “Only six more months to go. You’re halfway there.”

“I know. Thanks.” She pulled away and sprinkled flour into the drippings while whisking it all together. “Ava’s so young, she barely remembers him. I want her to know her daddy.”

“She will.” Time to change the subject before his sister fell apart. He’d been impressed by how strong she was, but obviously she struggled with her husband being away. “I’m glad you can spend a couple months with me. It’s been fun getting to know my niece.”

“You’re a good uncle, Matthew. Ava adores you. Plus, it’s good for her to have a male role model with her dad gone.”

“She has John, too.”

“Of course.” April laughed. “Did you know he took her skiing?”

“I heard.” Matthew noticed the electric chafing dish for the first time. “Smart. That’s a great way to keep everything warm.”

“Yep. It’s made today a breeze.”

Twenty minutes later they all gathered around the kitchen table and Matthew offered a blessing over the meal. They dug in and, too soon, the meal ended. Wonder of wonders—John offered to load the dishwasher.

Matthew noted the abundant leftovers and pulled a heavy-duty paper plate from the cupboard. He placed a large piece of white meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberry Jell-O, two rolls and some green bean casserole onto the plate, then covered it with tinfoil.

“What are you doing? Afraid you won’t get leftovers later?” April rested a hand on her hip.

“Nope. I’m taking it down to the hospital for Holly. She has to work, so I thought she’d enjoy this.”

“That’s sweet of you.” She pulled open a bakery bag and drew out two cookies. “A little birdie told me these are her favorites.”

Matthew placed the snickerdoodles in a baggie. “Thanks. Be back in a bit. Feel free to have dessert without me.” After testing a plethora of sweets at the bakery yesterday, he had no desire for dessert. He should know better than to sample his own wares, but George had suggested a few new items, and he couldn’t resist tasting them. On top of that, he’d been so busy he hadn’t had time for a real meal. Of course, the gingersnaps he’d eaten probably hadn’t been wise, either, but when he’d spotted Holly and she looked so cold, all he’d wanted to do was make sure she was taken care of. It was the best he could come up with under the circumstances.

Matthew trudged to his SUV and set out for the hospital with a wide grin. Holly would be so surprised. Over coffee yesterday she’d mentioned possibly missing out on the meal with her family if things got too crazy at the hospital. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she saw what he’d brought.

* * *

“I’m going to take my break, Leslie.” Holly signed off her computer and stood. The quiet halls made her yawn. The place was virtually dead and had been for the past hour. At this rate, she’d make dinner at her mother’s for certain. A smile tugged at her lips. She’d been looking forward to Thanksgiving ever since she’d talked with Jessica about their mom, and she was determined to have a good time, even if her mom tried to set her up with the guy from church.

Leslie waved her off. “Have a good one. I’ll page if you’re needed.”

Holly nodded. Hopefully she would have a quiet break to put her feet up and take a catnap. Two more hours, barring an emergency, and she’d be out of there for three days. Her bag for the weekend was already packed and sitting by her apartment door. She was excited about the trip. She prayed Mom wouldn’t go off on her again. Somehow she’d have to figure out what strange hold the holidays had over her mother.

“Holly.”

Her heart skidded as she turned and spotted Matthew striding toward her.

“Glad I found you. The nurse at the desk said you went this way.” Matthew grinned and held out a foil-covered plate. “I thought since you had to work you might enjoy turkey with all the trimmings.”

Holly took the plate. “How nice.” She lifted the cover and inhaled the aroma of turkey and gravy. “I was just heading into the break room. Join me?”

He hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” She poked her head into the room. “No one is here. Come on in.”

He followed. “My sister insisted on cooking everything herself. Of course, I made the rolls and cookies, but April made the pumpkin pie.”