Chapter 14

 

“Santa is gone!”

“Joe, are you serious?”

“I’m afraid so, Laura. Savannah is working on finding another Santa, but it may be hard at the last minute.”

“Don’t worry,” Laura told him. “Savannah will find one. Have you seen the way she works? She’s amazing. In the last few days every single thing that could go wrong has gone wrong. Olivia is working hard in the kitchen and was about to pull her hair out when she found out several orders were wrong. Savannah hopped in her car, drove to the shop that messed up the order and bought the right stuff.”

“Good. She’s thinking straight. After all she’s been through, you are right, that is amazing.”

Laura nodded. “Not only that, the tablecloths we wanted for the wedding tables were wrong. They sent green and red. She gathered them up, drove back to the shop and ordered them to get the right ones. They were about to close and she barged in and demanded they make it right. That girl is formidable.”

Joe was paying attention. “Maybe I should hire her to work for my company.”

“Don’t you dare, Joe. She’s almost made a commitment to start her own shop. Olivia told me they discussed it the other day. When Olivia moves into the apartments here, the studio will be available.”

“I think they are getting plenty of use out of it already. They’re just waiting on Chad Peterson to inspect it. One of the guards told me he saw them sneaking up to the hot tub last night.”

“That sounds like something Olivia would do. Chad needs to hustle and get that inspection done. Maybe I need to cook him a delicious meal for his mother again. I don’t want Savannah to change her mind.”

They were in Joe’s office while he finished up some work. She was sitting on a chair beside him, waiting to go to the family dinner. Her heart skipped a beat when she gazed at him working so hard to get done.

He looked handsome tonight, Laura thought. He wore a dinner coat and a tie. She was glad she wore her black Marlow Maxi dress for tonight’s family dinner. He shut down his laptop and cleared his desk, a habit she noticed he always did before leaving his office.

Joe turned in his chair, ready to get up when he noticed her twisting her hands together. She was so nervous. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I’m so scared.”

“Why? We’re only having dinner. My family won’t bite you.”

“It’s not that.” Laura let out a deep sigh. “This is a huge step for me. I feel like I want to jump in the car and run far away and take you along with me.”

“Laura. We don’t need to go through this. I just thought a family dinner would be nice since everyone is here. Tomorrow will be so busy with the grand opening and the wedding. I’d like to spend some time with my siblings so you can get to know them better. If you are nervous, we can cancel it.”

“You would do that for me?”

“Of course. Every single person would understand.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “No, I don’t want to cancel it. Joe, what if you get tired of Hideaway Lake? You’ve jet-setted all over the world. I’ve spent my whole life here in this area, charming my ex-husband’s guests and helping him build his business. I’m ordinary, Joe.”

“Stop it right now. You are not ordinary. Laura Myer, you are the most amazing person I know. If I never step foot on a jet again, I’ll be happy. This is my home now, too. I love Hideaway Lake. I promise you that I won’t want to leave and if I do, you will be by my side no matter what.”

Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and took in the subtle smell of his cologne. “This is why I love you, Joe.”

“I am trying to be patient with you, Laura and I know you have to work through a lot even though you say you are fine. I’m a patient man, but I want you to knock it off. Right now. Tonight. Get any negative thoughts out of your head and trust me. There is no other place on earth where I’d rather be than right here.”

Her tears slid down her face. “Aw, Joe, you are ruining my make-up.” She swiped at her face.

“You look lovely.” He stood, held out his arm. “Are you ready to have dinner, my love?”

“I am,” she told him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I act like a baby sometimes.”

“It’s understandable. But, no more. You are wanted, loved and needed right by my side.”

Joe switched off the lights and turned her towards him. He leaned in and kissed her slowly. “I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

She smiled through her tears. “Don’t say anything more, Joe. You will make me cry.”

“Only if they are tears of joy.”

“Believe me, they are.”

 

*****

 

Savannah spent the last three hours hunting down the Santa that ran off with the costume and half payment. She found him at a small bar about a mile and a half from Hideaway Lake. This whole thing had been her fault because she didn’t trust her instinct and hired him from an agency that she never worked with before.

She wore a pair of her black slacks and black boots, along with her white blouse and long coat. She’d keep the scarf around her at the dinner table since she knew they’d take her coat at the door.

She spotted the man sitting at the far end of the bar as if he were hiding there. Savannah marched right up to the bar and confronted him. She slapped a hand on the counter top and caught his attention. When he saw it was her, he tried to turn away but she was having none of that.

“Craig Gifford, I know where you live and I will go to your home and tell your wife you are not working. Instead you are drinking. Do you want your wife to know?”

He puckered his mouth and shook his head. “I can’t be Santa. It was her idea. We needed to buy some stuff for the kids. I just can’t do it.”

“You skipped out on me. Why didn’t you just tell me? I’d have hired someone else by now?”

“I needed the cash.”

“You are drinking the cash away.”

He shook his head. “I’m not. I am using these bar chips I found in the Santa suit.”

“What?”

“It’s true. Look.”

She stared at the small black chips sitting alongside the bottle of beer he was drinking. “I can’t believe they were in a Santa suit!”

He shrugged. “Could be the last guy who wore it felt the same way I do and was passing on a gift to the next fool dressing up as Santa.”

“You have a terrible attitude.”

“I have not been able to work for the last six months.”

“Look, Mr. Gifford, that makes no sense. You haven’t worked and you get a job that will pay quite well and you run away?”

“It’s humiliating.”

That angered her even more. “I’ve taken three jobs to pay my bills and I don’t have any children. I had a grandmother who needed medicine and in order to be able to pay the bills, I had to do things I did not want to do. What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m a man. It’s different for a woman.”

Savannah shook her head. “It’s your attitude that stinks, sir. Give me back my Santa suit. I’ll find someone else to wear it and do the job. At this late stage, I’ll wind up having to pay triple to someone else.”

“I’ll do it for triple.”

She spotted the suit on the stool beside him. She reached over and picked it up. “No thank you. Keep what I paid you for your children.” She left the bar, disgusted. Nine chances out of ten the man would drink the money away and those poor children would have nothing.

After stuffing the suit in the back seat, she made a few phone calls to see if anyone was able to do the job. No one was available, as she assumed.

Checking the time, Savannah gunned the gas pedal across the mountains to get to the mansion in time for dinner. She had to hire a Santa tonight. An idea came to mind and she giggled at the thought but knew it was the only other option she had.

Twenty minutes later, she was about ten minutes late for dinner when she pulled into the parking lot at the mansion. The front was lit up brightly. Two huge pine trees in silver buckets sat on either side of the main entrance, lit up with sparkling white lights. It was so beautiful it took her breath away.

A doorman stood at the entrance, moving back to let her in. “They are waiting for you,” he told her, and looked back several times to make sure she was following him. Her black boots clicked on the immaculate shiny floors. Everything was perfect this evening. They passed through the lobby towards the dining room where the dinner was taking place.

The huge double doors were closed. A doorman with white gloves nodded at her escort and opened the door. The dining room looked so inviting. Several long tables were pushed together to accommodate the Russel family and guests. Savannah was quite taken aback when all the men rose as she walked in. She felt frumpy at first as she took off her coat and scarf. Her white blouse and black slacks were so plain compared to the expensive dresses the others wore. Even with the dimmed lighting, everyone looked so glamorous.

Savannah looked plain. But she wasn’t going to let it get to her. She needed a Santa. It was the last thing she had to do before she sat down for dinner. As she walked up to the table, she looked at the two men who may possibly be her father. She gave a long stare at Jonathan, who looked so serious most of the time. Then she tilted her head and stared at Joshua, who would make a better Santa than his twin.

One of them was going to volunteer, or else. “I need a Santa. Which one of you two will help me out?”

Everyone in the room stopped talking. They all turned to hear.

“I, uh, you need a Santa?” Jonathan was so confused.

“In order for the events to run smoothly tomorrow, I need a Santa. I found the one I hired sitting at a bar, whining about his sorry life. I took back the suit and it needs to be filled. I can’t possibly sit here and have dinner with any of you unless I finish the job I was hired to do.”

“Marvelous,” she heard Julia say.

They both looked at her, stunned and speechless.

“Well, which one of you will do it?”

Jonathan shook his head. “Why one of us? Can’t you ask one of the staff?”

“No. Everyone here has a job. Their own job. One of the two of you is my father. Think of it as a favor to your possible new daughter.” Savannah amazed herself. She held her chin up and waited. She wasn’t going to move from the spot until someone agreed.

Joshua shrugged. “I’ll do it.”

Savannah smiled. “Thank you. Now I can have dinner.” She marched over to the empty chair beside Julia and sat down.

Julia began to slow clap. “That was absolutely the best show I’ve seen in a long time.”

Joe nodded. “Well done, Savannah. If you were not opening your own shop, I’d hire you on the spot.” He picked up his glass of wine. “I’d like to propose a toast to each one of you who accepted the invitation to be with us this evening. It means so much to me and Laura that my family is here tonight. I’d also like to thank Olivia, Cole and Bailey for your kindness and friendship in making me feel at home here in Hideaway Lake and accepting me as your mother’s fiancé. I promise to honor her at all times. James, you are the best partner I’ve ever had and I have not regretted that decision.”

Everyone cheered and took a sip of wine.

Savannah clapped with the rest of them. Now that she had her Santa, she’d be able to enjoy the evening. James stood and lifted his glass. “Joe, I echo your words about a best partner. This was the smartest and best move I’ve ever made. I wish you the best with Laura and know that I will continue to do my best to run this operation no matter where you are.”

Everyone cheered again. Olivia stood and held up her glass. At this rate, everyone would be drunk before they ate. Savannah glanced at Julia’s glass. It would be rude to not cheer the speaker but she didn’t want to get sick or drunk.

Julia smiled and leaned over. “Don’t worry. I had our wine watered down. You learn over the years to do this. I’m almost certain every single person in this room has done the same thing. Except for Joy, who has a glass of water with lemon.”

“I’d like to thank you, Joe, for coming into my mother’s life at the perfect time. She’s my best friend and I want the best for her. I believe you are the best guy ever. Thank you.”

The cheers went on as each person raised a glass. Next, it was Julia’s turn. She stood slowly and raised her glass. She looked at Savannah and asked her to stand up with her. Savannah was confused.

“Please, Savannah, stand beside me.”

Savannah slowly stood, not knowing what she would say or do. She picked up her glass and held it out, a smile frozen on her face.

Julia reached for a small envelope she had set alongside her plate. “Joe, I’m proud to be your sister. It’s been a long road and you sacrificed everything to give us a good life. Each one of us has hopefully made you proud. No matter what, and I believe I can speak for all of us, we’ve always had the Russel family and company’s best interest at heart. Thank you for giving us a part of you and now I want to say that I wish you complete happiness and a long, wonderful life with the woman beside you. Laura, welcome to the family.”

Everyone cheered and drank from their glass. Savannah didn’t hesitate now that she knew there was hardly any wine in her glass.

Instead of sitting down politely to allow the next person to rise, she held up the envelope in her hand. “I thought this would be more appropriate this evening since tomorrow’s events will take up most of the day. The DNA report is complete.”

Savannah almost dropped back down on her chair.. The glass in her hand visibly shook. Julia reached over and took it out of her hand and set it on the table. “Deep breath,” she told Savannah. “You do want to know, don’t you?”

Savannah looked at the two men who were possibly her father. They hadn’t reached out to her at all in the last few weeks since they knew there was a chance they may be her blood. Did she really want things to change? Jonathan, who was more nervous than Joshua, gave her a reassuring look. Joshua did the same. Even if one of them were her father, nothing was going to change in her world.

“I’d like to say something before you read that. Nothing will change. I’m working hard to make my own way and I don’t expect anything out of this. I’m not my mother.”

Joshua stood then, and cleared his throat. “Julia, you always choose the worst times for things. The timing was off. This is Joe’s evening.”

Joe held up a hand. “I understand Julia more than any of you. She actually does make sense. Knowing if Savannah is my niece will make my wedding even more special having a lost family member here. Am I right, Julia.”

She nodded. “Can we get on with this? I’m hungry.”

Jonathan stood too. “Yes, please do, Julia.”

Julia gave Savannah one last look. “You ready?”

She nodded. Was Julia being dramatic? It was hardly her style. “I’d like to know, if you want the truth.”

“I have not opened this before now. And I am not going to. Joe, as the head of our family since our parents have been gone, I’d like you to have the honors.” She passed the envelope to Savannah, who almost kept it to tear the envelope herself, then passed it to the person beside her until it got into Joe’s hands.

Joe looked at Savannah. “No matter what, even if you are not my niece, I feel as if you are a part of my family. That won’t change.”

She nodded, unable to speak at this point. Open the envelope!

Joe opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He unfolded it carefully. The room was completely silent. Savannah’s heart raced. She knew she was holding her breath.

“Savannah, all the markers indicate that you are my niece.” He looked up, his eyes wet. “But, I already knew it because I felt it in here.” His hand went to his heart.

She swallowed, her throat dry. “Who is my father?”

He nodded. “Joshua.”

Joshua’s knuckles had been white from clutching his fists together. He moved so quickly it surprised Savannah as he came around the table to her. She fell into his open arms and he held her for the longest time. Tears fell down her cheeks. She was so happy that she didn’t wear tons of make-up. Her lashes were so long that mascara was never needed. Besides, all that make-up was costly and Savannah had to always pinch pennies.

Her father, his voice choked up, took her hands and held onto them, looking her in the eye. “I want to get to know you, Savannah. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I am now.”

She nodded. “I am feeling quite awkward with all this attention pointed our way. Can we talk later?”

“Yeah.”

Julia picked up her things and walked around to the setting where Joshua had been sitting. “Sit,” she ordered her brother.

Savannah looked at everyone through a cloud of tears. “Thank you and I’m sorry about all this.”

They all laughed.

“Welcome to the family, dear. It’s always crazy like this, but you’ll grow to love us.” It was Joy, who was usually quiet, who spoke up. She gave Savannah a reassuring smile.

“Thank you.”

“Let’s eat!” Joe announced. Then he put his hands in the air and shouted across the room. “I’m getting married tomorrow to the most beautiful woman in the world!”

Laura blushed. Joe dipped down and gave her the sweetest kiss in front of everyone.

As the crew came in with trays of food, the family made Savannah feel right at home. Her father was attentive and polite, and after the initial shock wore off, Jonathan began to join in the conversation, even offering to wear the Santa suit so Joshua could spend time with her.

Maybe things were about to change, Savannah thought, remembering Julia’s words of wisdom. She hoped it was for the better and had a feeling it was.