Page 124

Rhett appeared carrying two small coats.

Getting the twins dressed required more cooperation than either was willing to provide. The sleeping one woke just long enough to object to his sleeve. The other wanted to know whether Rhett would need help counting desserts tomorrow.

“I’ll let you know,” Rhett told him.

The boy hugged him around the neck.

At the next table, Rosie was gathering her things. Matt put on his coat while Sophia checked her doll.

Grant came over with their bag of leftovers.

“Got everything?”

“My gloves,” Matt said, searching his pockets.

Rosie handed them to him.

He took them, then looked up at Grant.

“I got a soccer ball for Christmas.”

“Yeah?”

“And cleats. Grandma says I can’t wear them in the house.”

“I like my floors,” Rosie said.

“I only tried them once.”

Grant nodded seriously.

“Something to look forward to when the snow’s gone.”

Matt seemed pleased that someone understood.

Mama helped Rosie into her coat.

“Next time, you’ll have to finish telling me about that teacher,” she said.

“Oh, there’s more.”

“I suspected there might be.”

They laughed, and Rosie squeezed Mama’s hand before turning toward the door.

Sophia tried to maneuver the stroller while holding her doll.

“May I?” Grant asked.

She let him take the handle.

He pushed the stroller to the door while she followed, carrying the doll carefully against her chest. Outside, he lifted it over the snowy threshold.

I stayed where I was and watched them go.

Rafferty brought the car close to the entrance for Arabella. While she waited, I handed her a container of food.

“For later.”