A Family Under the Christmas Tree (16 page)

In the kitchen, Sophie began dishing out ice cream onto small plates and added three warm, round persimmon cookies to each. David rinsed the dirty dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.

She handed a plate to Troy. “Can you give this to Grandma?”

The boy nodded solemnly and carefully carried the plate into the dining room.

“You're so good with him,” David commented.

That was the second time he'd made the observation. Sophie was pleased he thought so. “He's really a great kid, you know.”

“He's so
much like my brother.” David shut the dishwasher door and leaned against the counter. “Daniel loved to help people. He loved and lived with enthusiasm and without fear.”

“You admired him,” she said softly.

“I did. He was a much better person than I am.”

She moved toward him and placed her hand on his forearm. “Don't sell yourself short. You're a good man, David. You have a lot of love to give and Troy needs that.”

He covered her hand with his. “What do you need?”

She slipped her hand from beneath his but didn't move away. “Me?”

She gave a nervous laugh. Was he asking her if she needed love? How did she respond to that? “I'm good.” She cringed at the squeak in her voice.

“Here.” She shoved two plates with the dessert from the counter into his hands, then grabbed the other two plates and hightailed it out of the kitchen with David's soft chuckle chasing her.

David lifted a sleeping Troy from the couch in Louise's living room. It was time for them to go home and let the ladies get their beauty sleep. Not that either Louise or Sophie had a problem in that department. Okay, maybe he was a bit biased. He'd come to care for the Griffith women.

The evening had turned out very well. David approved of Simon. The man was intelligent and genuine and his devotion to Louise was unmistakable. And there was no denying the affection in Louise's gaze when she looked at Simon.

It stirred envy within David. He wanted that. He wanted to be
devoted to a woman and have that devotion returned. But there wasn't room for a woman in his life. With his work and Troy, how could he make room for more? His gaze strayed from Troy in his arms to Sophie, who was tucking Troy's coat around the sleeping child.

David wanted Sophie. The thought rocked him back a step. But it would never work between them. They were two speeding trains headed in opposite directions.

Her eyebrows rose in concern. “Everything okay?”

He regained his balance. “Yes. We'll see you in the morning.” He strode toward the front door. She hurried ahead of him to open the door.

He paused in the doorway. “Thank you for dinner. This was a really nice evening.”

The hall light spilled over her hair. The strands looked soft and silky. He was glad he had his arms full or he might have reached out to slide his fingers through her pretty hair. And draw her closer to place a kiss on her lips.

“You're welcome, David.” She went on tiptoe and leaned in.

His breath stalled. For a moment he thought she was going to kiss his cheek, but then she kissed Troy's forehead. A ribbon of jealousy wound through him and he mentally chastised himself for the ridiculous emotion. How could he be jealous of his nephew? Just because Troy received the affection David craved was no reason for the awful feeling making his stomach roil.

“Good night.” Sophie stepped back. “We'll see you in the morning.”

“In the morning,” he repeated.

He couldn't wait for the sun to rise so he could see Sophie again. How crazy was that?

Saturday morning dawned bright, with a winter sun that glistened on the dew left from the past few days of rain. A nice break but the sun in the Pacific Northwest was a fickle thing. Clouds could roll in without warning and rain was always expected.

Excitement fluttered through Sophie as she dressed in layers for the trip to the tree farm. She found Grandma in the kitchen, pouring coffee. She was getting around better on the crutches the past day or so.

Sophie never ceased to be amazed by her grandmother's strength and energy. Sophie couldn't say she was glad Grandma had pulled the ruse of needing help as a disguise for her matchmaking, but she could honestly say she was thankful for this time with her grandma. Today Grandma was dressed in a pair of slimming black waterproof pants and a pretty light blue sweater that matched the color of her eyes. Her silver hair had been brushed to a nice sheen. She looked younger than her age and Sophie hoped that she'd age as well.

“Don't you look nice,” Grandma said, sliding a cup of coffee across the counter to Sophie. “That peach color is perfect for your complexion and makes your eyes even bluer.”

“Between the base layer beneath my weatherproof walking pants, this sweater, and all the good food we've been eating”—­Sophie put her arms out to her sides—“I feel like the little boy in
A Christmas Story
who can't put his arms down.”

“Nonsense; you're beautiful.” Grandma chuckled. “Well, maybe I can see it a little. Only you're taller than Ralph. We should watch that movie tonight. Troy will love it.”

Would David think she was beautiful?

Oh, bother. Where did that thought come from? She needed to think about something other than David. “Are you happy that Simon is coming with us today?”

Grandma leaned on the crutches. Her smile was dreamy and made Sophie grin.

“Yes,” Grandma admitted. “I really like him.”

“And it's obvious he likes you.” Sophie buttered the toast, set them on plates, and took them to the dining room table.

“But at our age?” Grandma hobbled to a chair and sat.

“Yes, at your age.” Sophie took her hand. “You deserve to be happy, Grams. There is nothing wrong with you finding love.”

Grandma patted her hand. “Maybe. We'll see.”

Just as they finished their toast, the doorbell rang. Sophie wiped her mouth to make sure there were no crumbs and hurried to open the door. Simon stood there with two bouquets of flowers: red roses and Gerbera daisies. He was dressed for the outdoors with a rain hat, a shearling-lined jacket, and heavy-duty pants tucked into rain boots.

“Hello. Come in,” Sophie said, moving back so he could enter.

“Good morning.” He held out the bouquet of brightly colored Gerbera daisies to her. “For you.”

She took the flowers. “They're beautiful. Thank you.”

He nodded to Sophie, but he was already heading to Grandma with the bouquet of red roses.

Sophie ached with joy as she watched the delight lighting up Grandma's face. Simon bent and kissed her cheek in greeting.

“Are those for us?” a deep voice said behind Sophie. Startled, she whipped around to the still-open door and found David and Troy standing there looking so handsome and sweet that her heart sighed with its own special kind of joy. They both had on jeans and warm sweaters beneath their rain gear.

She laughed. “These are from Simon.” Gathering herself, she gestured for them to come in. “We'll be ready to leave in a moment.”

While they all greeted each other, she took the two bouquets of flowers and put them in vases, then set them on the dining room table.

“You're prettier than the flowers,” David said as he joined her in the dining room.

A blush worked its way up her neck and settled in her cheeks. “Thank you.”

Troy ran into the room. “Can we go now?”

David ruffled his hair. “Yep. Time to go.”

Sophie grabbed Riggs's leash and attached it to his collar, grabbed her camera, and followed everyone outside.

They ended up taking two cars—Simon and Grandma in Simon's sedan, while Sophie and Riggs joined David and Troy in David's truck.

When they arrived at the farm, they met up at the front gate. Sleigh Bells Christmas tree farm was north of Bellevue on ninety acres. The sea of green trees was a beautiful contrast to the urban high-rise skyline in the distance. The air was heavy with the scent of pine. Hidden speakers played cheery Christmas music.

Simon pushed Grandma's wheelchair, since she'd elected to leave the crutches in the car. Riggs's attention was divided between smelling the ground, trees, and bushes and watching over her. He would trot to the end of the leash and then back to Grandma's side, which meant Sophie stayed close to Grandma.

Grams took the brochure the gate attendant handed her. “Where to first?”

“The animals.” Troy pulled at David's hand. “There they are.” He pointed toward a fenced pen beneath a tented roof. The petting zoo had goats, sheep, and a baby llama.

“
Okay, buddy, hold on,” David told him. “Let's see what everyone else would like to do.”

They all looked up as they heard the jingle of the wagon drawn by two beautiful roans coming down the dirt lane through the rows of Christmas trees. Riggs barked at the strange sight. Sophie put her hand on his head to calm him. The horses didn't seem to care about the dog, and the wagon drew to a halt near the front gate.

“That looks like my speed,” Grandma quipped. “A nice hay ride.”

Simon put his hand on Grandma's shoulder. “Shall we?”

“Please.” Grandma looked to Sophie. “You don't mind picking out the tree without us, do you?”

Sophie laughed, glad to see Grandma enjoying herself. “Not at all. We'll meet you back here for donuts and coffee a little later.”

Simon wheeled Grandma toward the sleigh. Riggs followed, but Sophie reined him in. “You're staying with me, boy.”

“I guess it's just the four of us,” David said softly, drawing her focus to him.

The four of them. For now. She felt a pang because she'd be leaving soon. That was what she wanted, right?

Yes, it was. She wanted the job in the Alps and what it could mean for her career. But until she left she'd enjoy this time with David and Troy. She smiled brightly. “Looks like it.”

“Can we please go see the animals now?” Impatience threaded through Troy's voice.

Sophie and David shared a laugh and hurried with Troy to the petting zoo. Sophie tightened her hold on the leash, expecting Riggs to raise a fuss at the other creatures, but he was content to sniff the ground, totally ignoring the cry of the goats and the bleating of the sheep.

She and David leaned against the railing of the pen as Troy
went inside to pet the animals. He was tentative at first but then he grew more comfortable. One of the farm's workers handed him a brush, and Troy used it on a cute black lamb that seemed to like the attention.

“How tall of a tree do you want?” David asked. He had the brochure out and was looking at the map of where the various types of trees the farm grew were located.

“Not quite ceiling height,” she answered, picturing how a tree would look in Grandma's living room.

“That's what I was thinking, too. What type? They have a dozen different varieties.”

“Hmmm. Normal type?” Her parents put up the same kind of tree every year in their entryway. The tree towered above them at nearly twelve feet tall. Though the tree always looked lovely, Sophie had never felt much excitement at the prospect of a Christmas tree.

Probably because her parents hired someone else to decorate it. It had never been a family event. But this year, Sophie and Grandma would decorate the tree together, and that was worthy of Sophie's excitement.

Glancing up, he said, “Well, do you like fuller limbs, or do you like the kind that looks like layers of limbs?”

“Fuller.”

“Me, too. I prefer the Douglas fir. But the spruce is popular, too.”

“I'm fine with Douglas.” Not that she knew the difference.

“Great.” He pointed to a section on the map near the back of the farm. “It says these Douglas fir trees are under seven feet but over five feet. That's where we should head.”

“Sounds good.” Sophie had to admit she was content just being here with David, watching the delight on Troy's face.