Page 46 of Sugar Plum Serenade

CHAPTER 18

Tuck had done his best to avoid running into his neighbor for the past few days. Coward. She was gone when he went to work and sleeping when he got home. If he occasionally glanced toward the blue house and wondered what she was doing, if she was sleeping soundly, if she dreamed of him. He quickly shook those thoughts off.

He should’ve made himself clear Friday night. He could’ve told her they were too different, that he wanted more, that she terrified him because when he allowed it he was certain he could have more with her.

When a man looked at a woman like Olive, he shouldn’t feel fear.

Christmas Eve had finally arrived. The elder Carsons had settled in. They’d be here for the next several days, doting on their grandchildren and their daughters, celebrating the holiday with family. The rest of this week and next, with the busy season over, the boutique would be closed. After that it would be Dawn’s problem, he supposed. She could hire part-time help or go back to work herself, though it seemed too soon to him. What did he know about new mothers?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

He’d agreed to stop by the Woodward house for their annual Christmas Eve shindig weeks ago. Before he’d gotten involved with Olive, before he’d delivered Dawn’s baby, before he’d found out about Maude. He could just skip the thing, come up with an excuse, and spend the night at The Magnolia with all the other losers.

The problem was, he didn’t feel like a loser. It didn’t make any sense at all, but he wanted to see Olive before she left town. He needed to be sure that whatever they had was well and truly done.

It should be. But for some odd reason he had hope.

With so many people at the party, there wouldn’t be much parking. He walked from his house, taking slow, long strides, wondering with each step if he’d change his mind and turn back before he got to Mike’s house. He didn’t turn back; he didn’t stop. He continued to move forward, one steady step after another.

He wanted to see Olive one last time. He needed to be sure. Something perverse inside him wanted that glimmer of hope to survive, maybe even to grow.

He stopped on the sidewalk in front of the Woodward house. Even though he’d made it this far, turning back remained an option. The street was crowded with cars, as he’d known it would be. Through the big front window a huge Christmas tree with colorful lights twinkled. Beyond that tree were people, standing and talking, walking past, laughing. Even with his limited view he saw more than one ugly holiday sweater.

He’d been a soldier, years ago. He’d fought fires and delivered not one but two babies in stressful situations. But this… this was terrifying.

The front door opened, and Olive stepped onto the front porch. She closed the door behind her. “I thought that was you.”

Too late to run.

Tuck took a deep breath and walked to the porch. “Just catching my breath before I joined the chaos.”

She laughed. It was nice. “Well, come on in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

We?

Inside the chaos was real. Some of Mike and Dawn’s friends also had children, and they all seemed to be of an age where running and screeching was their default. All four grandparents were gathered around baby Nathaniel at the moment. The kid slept through the noise and background Christmas music, something old and mellow that sounded like Andy Williams, without a care in the world.

The last time he’d seen the kid, Nathaniel hadn’t been so clean and comfortable.

As he surveyed the crowd, Olive slipped away. Great. She didn’t want to be near him. He couldn’t blame her, not after the way he’d acted Friday night. Tuck said hello to a couple of guys he knew from the volunteer fire department, already wondering how long he had to stay, wondering even harder why he’d bothered to come.

Before he could come up with an excuse to leave, Olive, standing at the foot of the stairway, cleared her throat. At her direction, Mike stopped Andy Williams. He removed one record and replaced it with another, pausing with the turntable arm grasped between two fingers, waiting before starting the new music.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Olive began. “I give you the Sugar Plum Fairies.” She nodded and stepped down and out of the way.

Mike lowered the arm to play classical music Tuck recognized but could not name. Ava and Willow, dressed in colorful fairy costumes, danced down the stairs to a small section of floor space Olive had cleared for them.

They danced. Not well, but with enthusiasm and vigor. There were a few ballet moves in there, he recognized that much. Olive stood nearby and occasionally offered silent direction. Waving her hands, squaring her shoulders, reminding the girls of their steps when they forgot. The dance was sloppy, imperfect, and utterly charming.

Twice during the performance Olive looked his way and caught his eye. To make sure he hadn’t bolted? Would she chase him down if he did?

She’d hidden from Christmas for years, she’d been hurt. But this year she had a ballerina ornament on her little tree. She’d taught her nieces a dance. And she smiled through it all.

How could he let her go? How could he allow Olive to walk away? She was special. She was his. He’d known it all along.

When the show was over to tremendous applause, Olive hugged the girls, then headed his way. “They wanted to wait for you,” she said.

“You taught them, I guess,” he said.