Christmas Wishes (14 page)

M
itch paced back
and forth across the kitchen after checking the driveway for the tenth time in five minutes. Angie had told him Sophie wanted to come and talk to him, but she didn’t know when. With each lap, his nerves became more frayed. Was she coming to say goodbye forever? How would he bear that? Did he dare ask her to stay? Should he offer to follow her out there? Would she want him to?

What puzzled him was that Angie didn
’t seem worried. She’d said she’d be willing to move to be near Sophie, but she probably didn’t realize what a move like that would mean for her. Maybe it was because she didn’t really have a concept of how far away California was from Michigan. She’d have to find all new friends and get used to a new town. She wouldn’t be able to see her cousins regularly.

Just when he thought he
’d worn a hole through the floor, Sophie knocked. He hadn’t heard her pull into the drive, so she must have skied over. He let her in, took her coat and hung it on a peg in the mud room, then offered her a cup of coffee. Just like any friendly, neighborly visit.
So why are my hands so clammy?

She stirred creamer into her coffee and put her hands around the mug, warming them. He sat across the table from her, cradling his own mug, wondering what to say. Wondering if he needed to say anything.
Please don’t leave
were the only words that came to mind.

Finally, she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes.
“I owe you an apology. You were right about Jonas Mack. He’s a total fraud. I made some calls and checked with some legitimate agencies and they all agreed he was bad news. I’m sorry I acted so childishly that day.”

He shrugged.
“I’m sorry it worked out that way for you. There are lots of good agents, and I’m sure one of them will call you soon.”

“
Maybe. But I’m not going to wait. Yesterday I signed the lease on an apartment, and I’m going to work on my new career.”

His hand went to his gut. The pain
couldn’t have been any worse if she had stabbed him.

He forced the air back into his lungs.
“So, when are you moving?”

“
Probably in a week or so.”

That soon?
His heart plunged to his feet. “You’re probably packing already.”

“
Not really. There’s no hurry. It’s not like I have all that much stuff.”

“
Oh. So, you won’t need help?”

“
I could probably use some help. Are you offering?”

“
Yeah. Sure. Business is going to be slow until spring. Then it’ll be engagement pictures and passport pictures. But January is a pretty slow month. I’ll have time to drive to — wherever you’re going.” Aware of his rambling, he closed his mouth.

“
Okay. That’s perfect. I don’t get the keys until next week, and the apartment isn’t mine until the first. That gives me some time to find furniture and stuff before the job starts. Joanie’s giving me a few items, and I’ve got some things in storage.”

“
You found a job already? That’s… great.” He’d put a smile on his face and be happy for her, if that’s what she wanted.

“
Yes, and the apartment is only two blocks away from the theater. That way I don’t have to drive far if there’s a big snow storm.”

“
Snow storms, in LA?”

She laughed, and he thought about how much he would miss the way her nose crinkled when she giggled.
“No. In Grand Rapids.”

“
Grand — you’re moving into town?”

“
Yes. I’m the new stage manager of the River City Dinner Theater. And if things go well there, the owners want to expand and open another one in Holland in a few years. If they do that, I’d be able to move back closer to Zutphen.”

Mitch
gripped his mug tighter as his mind spun, trying to absorb the change of events. His spirits lifted as tiny seeds of hope took root. She wasn’t going to LA. She was moving, but only twenty miles away to downtown Grand Rapids. She was going to—

“
Dinner theater? Will you write scripts for them too?”

“
Maybe, after I’ve proved myself. The owners were impressed with my credentials — I’ve studied culinary arts for a while and I have a degree in theater. So when I saw an ad for the new dinner theater downtown, I—”

“
Dinner theater?” Why couldn’t he stop repeating himself?

“
Yeah. At night. It’s not a full time thing yet, so during the day I’ll be working in the Community College cafeteria. That’s only a few blocks in the other direction. I won’t even need a car. Except to come and visit Zutphen from time to time. The city is nice, but there’s no place to ski or hike.”

“
Grand Rapids? You’re — you’re not moving to Hollywood?”

“
No. I thought that’s what I wanted. I thought I needed to be a big name scriptwriter to feel like a success. But not anymore. I’ve got family here. I want to be here.” She watched him closely as she spoke.

“
I’m — glad.” Glad didn’t begin to describe his emotions. He wanted to jump up and down, scream, pump his fists in the air, all that stuff people do at the end of a feel-good movie. Especially the romantic ones. He wanted to kiss her senseless. But his hands and feet wouldn’t move.

“
You’re glad I want to be here?” she asked.

“
Yes. I’m really, really glad.”

She tilted her head and fixed him with those enticing green eyes.
“Why?”

She wants me to say the words
. “I’m glad because — that means Angie and I don’t have to move.”

Her
eyes widened. “You were going to move, too?”

“
Yes. Well, we talked about it.” He took a deep breath and plunged in. “Because we don’t want to be away from you. You’re too important to us now. We need you.” He took another breath and put his hands over hers. “
I
need you.”

She turned her hands so that her fingers gripped his.
“That makes me really, really glad. Because I discovered I need you, too.”

He tugged, pulling her out of her chair and onto his lap. She fit perfectly there, in his arms. For several moments he simply held her tight, almost afraid she would disappear. And then he leaned back and cupped her face.
“So, the guy that went to Hollywood without you—”

“
Nate came back home, but he’s not important anymore. He’s the one who made me see that I’ve been chasing an old dream, the one I had simply because I thought I needed to be part of his plans. But I found out I don’t need that. I’m basically a small-town girl, and Grand Rapids is big city enough for me. I want to be here, with people who are important to me.”

He brought her face to his and showed her how important she was to him. Gently, he traced a path with his lips from her eyelids, down her nose, and then around the outline of her lips before settling there with a hungry kiss. His hands tangled in her hair, and her arms tighten
ed around his shoulders.

He didn
’t hear the phone ring, but he heard Angie talking.

“
Hi, Grandma. Yes, Daddy’s here, but he’s busy. No, he’s not working. He’s kissing Sophie. I guess he got his Christmas Wish.”

After a pause, she continued.
“
My
Christmas Wish? I want a little brother.”

In a previous life,
Patricia Kiyono
taught elementary school students by day and changed diapers at night. Now she teaches college students part time and changes diapers only when she’s taking care of grandkids. She loves to do anything that doesn’t involve exercise. Right now her favorite activities, in addition to writing, include scrapbooking, sewing, and making music. She and her husband live in southwest Michigan, near their five children and nine grandchildren.

You can contact Patricia at her
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,
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,
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, and
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