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I’m embarrassed that one of my credit cards didn’t go through as part of the payment for January, and now I’m a delinquent because of one hundred thirty-three dollars.
But, I’m in beautiful Maine. I had a movie tour at a Christmas tree farm. I ran on a beach on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. I made friends with my soon-to-be in-laws. My secret fiancé made the effort to surprise me with his presence at abarn,and now he’s sitting next to me in avan.
Different is good.
Chapter Sixteen
LAYLA
I wakeup Christmas Eve morning wishing for another few hours of sleep. I stayed up late knitting gifts. Spencer may have insisted I not make gifts for his family, and that they wouldn’t enjoy something homemade, but after getting to know some of them, I disagree.
I spent hours’ last night watching the 1995Pride and Prejudicewhile knitting a horse for Sadie and mittens for Tori. It’s a Norwegian style pattern that I love and they rival anything she could find at Saks Fifth Avenue. I still need to make three scarves, one each for Owen, Brady, and Miles. I brought the last of the shawls Nana made a few years ago and that I couldn’t bear to sell. I’ll give one to Rheta and the other to Marianne. As for the rest of the family, I would have to agree with Spencer: they won’t appreciate anything handmade from me.
I blearily look at the time on my phone as I stretch. Nine o’clock. Breakfast time. I’ve been awake most of the last twelve hours since dinner, and my stomach is empty and unhappy about it. I better go before there’s a full-on revolt.
I told Owen I wouldn’t go running with him this morning. A wise decision since we’ve spent too much time alone together, but now I feel sluggish and a bit out of sorts. Seeing Owen before breakfast is like having a morning cup of coffee; it puts me in a good mood. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. I don’t need an Owen addiction in my life.
Since Rheta expects everyone who isn’t a lawyer to help decorate today, I pull on my favorite pair of jeans and a red University of Utah t-shirt I’ve spent years breaking in until it’s soft. It’s an outfit I didn’t send back with the rest of my clothes, knowing I’d want to wear them if I ended up spending all day knitting in my room. I braid my hair and wear minimal makeup. Today isn’t about looking sophisticated; it’s about decorating for Christmas. I can’t wait to transform the cabin into a Christmas wonderland.
I’m the last one down to breakfast. Everyone is involved in a heated discussion about Boxing Day and they don’t notice my entrance, except for Spencer and Owen. The two cousins both smile at me from different sides of the table, then when they notice the other’s attention, they glare at each other. I turn to the sideboard, fill my plate, and I pretend that didn’t just happen.
Tori and Sadie sit at the end of the table opposite Rheta this morning. It gives them more room to spread out. Theoretically, I could take Tori’s seat on the other side of Spencer and not have to sit across from Owen, but I don’twant to draw attention and have anyone ask me why I changed my assigned seat.
The moment I sit, Spencer takes my hand and kisses the back of it. For Owen’s benefit more than mine, I’d guess.
“Good morning,” he says quietly so only I can hear. “How did you sleep?”
“I stayed up knitting.” I cover my mouth as I yawn. “When I finally turned out the light, I slept well. How late did you stay up?”
He does a shrug-nod combo. “Only midnight. The documents Salt Lake sent were helpful.”
“I’m glad. Does that mean you’ll help decorate today?”
“I have a few things to do on the case, but yes, I will. Prepare yourself; I’ve never decorated before. I may be horrible at it.”
It’s sweet how the tips of his ears turn pink from the confession.
“It’s something you can’t really mess up.”
He looks me up and down. His nose wrinkles. “Where did you get the clothes? I’ve never seen you in a t-shirt before.”
Dorian calls out Spencer’s name “Spencer, don’t you agree?”
Spencer gets pulled into their conversation, and I get distracted by Sadie as she pushes her almost full plate away with a clatter and takes two of her animal ornaments out of her pocket. A pig and a cow.
“We put them on the tree last night before she went to bed,” Tori tells me. “When I woke her this morning, she had all fifteen in bed with her. She’s started naming them. Thepig is BB because he’s her favorite animal.” She tilts her head and frowns. “I see many farm and zoo visits in my future.”
I grin. “I’m sorry, but it’s very cute.”
Tori rolls her eyes and leans close. “Just don’t tell her where bacon comes from. That’s one thing I’m not willing to sacrifice for my daughter.”
Sadie stops playing and looks at her mom. “Where does bacon come from?”
“The store,” Tori quickly answers before taking the cow ornament and prancing it around while neighing.
“That’s a horse sound!” Sadie says around her laughter. “A cow says, ‘moo!’ Only horses say ‘neigh!’”
“Are you sure?”
