The house was full of the scent of spices as Valerie stood in her kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. She’d let Hailey sleep in again, but the little girl was now in the kitchen with her, rolling out pastry dough on the counter. A smudge of flour was on her nose and she wore one of Valerie’s large aprons.
“I love baking,” Hailey said to Valerie. “Mom never baked.”
“I know.” Valerie smiled as she pared an apple into small pieces. “I had to teach myself when I was about your age. Mom didn’t do a lot of cooking. When I was ten, I was making most of our meals.”
Hailey glanced up at Valerie and gave her an odd look.
“What?” Valerie asked as she stopped paring the apple.
“It’s weird that she is your mom, too.”
“She was young when she had me. Eighteen—just like I was when you were born. She was only thirty-six when you came along. For a long time, it was just the two of us—kind of like how it was just the two of you and now it’s just the two of us.”
Hailey continued to roll the dough, but she seemed deep in thought. “Did you ever want a dad? Or brothers and sisters?”
“All the time.”
“Me too.” She shrugged. “Lyle was kind of like a dad for a little while, but he was so old, he didn’t like to do anything fun. He wanted to play board games and cards all the time. I want a dad like—” She paused.
“Like?” Valerie asked.
“Like Issy’s dad. Lyle would never get on the roof of a tree house or go sledding or play baseball. Issy said her dad likes to do a lot of fun things. In the summer, they even go swimming behind their house.”
Valerie finished paring the apple and began to measure out the sugar into the bowl. “Mr. Griffin seems like a really good dad.” She had been looking for an opportunity to tell Hailey that she need not get her hopes up about Wade—but she needed to be careful and wise, so Hailey wouldn’t get upset.
“I’ve never spent Thanksgiving with a family before,” Hailey said.
Pain sliced through Valerie’s heart as she placed her hand on Hailey’s cheek. “I wish I could have given you a family—but both of us need to be happy with the family we have. This one. You and me. I know you and Issy are hopeful that Mr. Griffin and I will start to date—or even get married—but I have no interest in doing either. I’m sorry.”
Hailey looked up at Valerie and blinked a couple of times before she moved away from Valerie’s touch.
“Can I call Mom?” Hailey asked.
The little girl hadn’t asked to talk to her mom before now—and her mom hadn’t made an effort to call. But it was Thanksgiving—a perfect time to reach out.
“Of course.”
Hailey jumped up and down with excitement as Valerie took her cell phone off the counter and found her mom’s phone number. She put it on speakerphone as they waited for an answer.
“Hello,” her mom said a couple seconds later.
“Hi, Mom,” Valerie said.
“Hi, Mom!” Hailey chimed in.
“This is a nice surprise,” her mom said. “How are you two doing?”
“Great.” Valerie leaned against the counter. “We’re making pies.”
“To take to my friend’s house,” Hailey added. “She has a dad and a little brother.”
“That sounds nice.”
“What are you doing today?” Hailey asked.
“Lyle and I are going to a Thanksgiving meal at the community center in our retirement complex. It’s so beautiful here. Nice and warm with lots of sun.” Her mom told them all about the home they were living in and the activities that kept them busy, from pickleball to water aerobics, karaoke night and bingo.
The more she spoke, the sadder Hailey’s face became.
“Things are going well here,” Valerie said, needing to remind Hailey that her life was full, too. “Hailey is making a lot of great friends and doing well in school.”
“I’m so happy to hear that. It’s good to hear from both of you. I’ve been quiet on my end, trying to give you two time to get to know one another.”
“I miss you,” Hailey said as she began to cry. “Can I come live with you in Arizona?”
Valerie’s heart twisted as she put her hand on Hailey’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” her mom said. “Living with your real mom is the best thing for you. We shouldn’t have let it go on as long as we did. But it sounds like you’re doing well there, and you’re making friends. That’s what I hoped.”
Hailey continued to cry as she begged her mom to let her move in with her and Lyle.
“Hailey,” her mom said in a firm voice, “this is why I didn’t call before now. It’s best for you to stay in Timber Falls with Valerie. I know it’s hard, but one day, you’ll thank me. I promise. Keep your chin up and look for all the good in your life.”
“Can I call you again?” Hailey asked.
“If your mom says it’s okay.” She paused and then said, “Valerie?”
“Yes?” Valerie asked.
“Can you take me off speakerphone so I can talk to you in private?”
“Of course.”
“Goodbye, Hailey,” her mom said. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Hailey wiped at her tears as she watched Valerie take the phone off speakerphone.
“Okay,” Valerie said to her mom. “You’re off speaker.”
“Good.” Her mom sighed. “I’m sorry Hailey is struggling. I imagine you are, too. But I raised two very strong and brave girls. I know you two can do this.”
“It hasn’t been easy, but we’re figuring things out.”
“I had a feeling you were. Now, I don’t mind if Hailey calls me—but I don’t think it’s a good idea if she calls all the time. She needs to learn how to go to you with her problems, as well as her highs and lows. I miss her very much, but I’m trying to give you both space.”
“I know.”
“I want you to use your best judgment when she calls. If it’s just to say hi and catch up, that’s one thing. If she’s relying too heavily on me, that’s another thing.”
“I agree.”
“Good. It was nice hearing from both of you today. I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving.”
“You too. Bye, Mom.”
“Bye, Valerie. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Valerie hung up the phone and met Hailey’s sad gaze.
“Can I hug you?” Valerie asked her daughter. “I need a hug.”
It took Hailey a moment, but she finally nodded.
Valerie opened her arms and Hailey walked into her embrace.
Warmth filled Valerie as Hailey’s arms folded around her and held her tight.
They stood that way for several seconds, and then Hailey pulled away.
“Can we make another pie?” she asked. “A pumpkin one now?”
“Let’s finish up the apple one,” Valerie said, “and then we’ll make a pumpkin and a peanut butter one, too.”
“That’s a lot of pie.”
“It’s the best part of Thanksgiving—and it makes good leftovers, too.”
Hailey smiled and wiped at her tears again. “I like baking with you.”
“I like baking with you, too.”
They put the apple pie together and Valerie showed Hailey how to create a latticework of pastry across the top before putting it into the oven.
“We’ll bake it for about thirty-five minutes and then we’ll let it cool to take to the Griffins’.”
As Valerie pulled together all the ingredients they’d need for the pumpkin pie, Hailey cleaned up the mess they’d made with the apple pie. They worked in quiet companionship as the scent of apple, cinnamon and nutmeg filled the air.
When everything was ready to start the pumpkin pie, Hailey glanced up at Valerie again, looking a little shy.
“Can I tell you something?”
“You can tell me anything, Hailey.”
“Issy does want you to marry her dad. And so do I. She told me she wants you to marry her dad so that you can be her mom and I can be her sister. But you don’t want to marry her dad?”
“No—I mean, I don’t know.” She shook her head, feeling flustered and embarrassed, even though they’d already discussed this. She should have known Hailey wouldn’t let it go so easily. “I mean, no. I have no intentions of marrying anyone.”
“But if you did want to get married, would you want to marry Mr. Griffin?”
“Hailey,” Valerie warned, yet, as she thought about the question, she couldn’t help but wonder. If she was in a position to get married—would Wade be the kind of man she might fall in love with? He was easy to talk to, kind, thoughtful, hardworking. He was well-respected in the community and never failed to follow through with his commitments. He did an admirable job raising his children as a single dad and he was handsome, as well. If she had ever wanted to get married, Wade would be the kind of man she’d look for.
“Why don’t you want to marry him?” Hailey asked, frowning.
“It’s complicated, Hailey. And, besides, I don’t know how he feels about me.” She thought back to their conversation in the tree house. She had been blunt when she told him they had to keep things on a friendly level—but it had been necessary. He had seemed surprised—but had he been disappointed? It was hard to tell. Had she wanted him to be disappointed?
“I think he likes you. Issy says he likes you. And he invited us to have Thanksgiving with them. Issy said no woman has ever had Thanksgiving with them.”
“I think he felt obligated to invite us.”
“What does that mean?”
“He wasn’t given a choice. But it doesn’t matter. You don’t need to worry about me getting married.”
“I’m not worried. I want you to get married. And I want Issy to live with us.”
Valerie needed to get the conversation back to safe waters, so she steered it in a different direction. “We need to focus on getting used to each other before we talk about bringing anyone else into our family. Okay?”
Hailey’s shoulders fell. “Okay.”
“I love having you in my life, Hailey. At first, it felt scary, but now it feels like we’re right where we belong. Together.”
She nodded, but looked down at the ingredients on the counter. “I’m still sad—but I like that you make breakfast for me every morning and that the house is always clean and that you teach me how to bake things.”
It was the first good thing Hailey had said about living with her, and she wasn’t going to take it for granted. “I love all those things, too. I love having someone to make breakfast for, and someone to clean up after, and someone to bake with. Although, I wouldn’t mind if you did a little more cleaning up after yourself.”
Hailey’s smile was bright as she began to giggle.
“And I love Annabelle,” Hailey said, which caused the dog to perk up from her bed in the corner of the kitchen, near the warm heater vent. “And the tree house, and my teacher and my favorite friend, Issy.”
“It sounds like you’ve found some wonderful things to be thankful for.”
“Mom said I should look for the good things,” Hailey said. “So I am.”
“Mom was right.” Valerie was happy they had called her mom—even if it had been hard. “And now,” Valerie added, “we have something else to look forward to.”
“Going to Issy’s house!” Hailey said.
“Exactly.” Valerie wasn’t sure how things would go at the Griffins’ house—but she had a feeling they were going to have a great time.
Wade looked at the clock on the microwave for the fifth time in the past thirty minutes. The house smelled like roasting turkey, sage dressing and baked yams. He’d been up since five that morning, making sure that everything was on track to be ready by suppertime. They’d left for a little while to have brunch at his parents’ house, and then they had come back home.
As the turkey roasted, Wade had put his kids to work helping him clean the house. They had vacuumed, dusted, picked up toys, wiped down walls and swept. It was easy to get them to help when they were excited that they’d have guests. Wade couldn’t remember the last time they’d had people over who weren’t family.
They were also helpful in the kitchen, when able, and they had happily set the table for the five of them.
“Should I set a place for Annabelle?” Brayden asked Wade as he put a plate on the table.
“No.” Wade shook his head. “I don’t even know if she’s bringing Annabelle—but if she does, Annabelle will stay on the ground.”
“She might not bring Annabelle?” Brayden asked, his eyes growing wide. “But we invited Annabelle to come!”
Wade saw a meltdown coming, and since he didn’t mind if the dog joined Valerie and Hailey, he picked up his phone to send Valerie a quick text.
Brayden wants me to remind you that Annabelle is invited to come to supper.
“There,” Wade said, “I sent Miss Wilmington a reminder that Annabelle is invited.”
Brayden’s frown disappeared and he grinned.
Wade hadn’t felt this nervous in years.
“Hello!” a woman said as she entered the foyer. “Wade?”
“Mom?” Wade frowned as he left the kitchen and entered the foyer. “What are you doing here?”
His dad walked through the door next and closed it behind him.
“Bingo was canceled,” his mom said with a frown. “Apparently, there was a small fire in the American Legion’s kitchen.”
“Tom already called me,” his dad said as he took his coat off and hung it on the coat-tree, referencing the Legion’s manager. “I’ll send a crew there tomorrow morning and look at the damage. We’ll have another job.”
“Grammy!” Brayden said as he came into the foyer. He threw himself into her arms, even though he had just been at her house a couple hours ago.
“Hey, buddy,” his mom said. “Happy Thanksgiving again.”
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Brayden said. “We have a dog coming for supper.”
“A dog?” His mom frowned and looked from Brayden to Wade. “What kind of dog?”
“A little white one,” Brayden said.
“You have company coming?” his dad asked.
“Yes—I do.” He hadn’t told his parents about Valerie and Hailey’s plans to come. He wasn’t sure why, although he was certain his mom would make too big a deal about it.
“Oh?” His mom stood straight, tilting her head in curiosity. “Someone I know?”
“It’s Miss Wilmington!” Brayden said. “And her dog, Annabelle.”
“Valerie Wilmington?” His mom’s eyebrows rose high. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“It’s not a big deal.” Wade shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Her sister, Hailey, has become good friends with Issy and Issy asked if they could come over.”
“Not a big deal?” His mom took off her coat and handed it to his dad. “This is a huge deal.”
“What are you doing?” Wade asked.
“We’re staying for Thanksgiving supper.” His mom left the foyer and walked into the kitchen. “And now that I know who is coming, I’m actually happy bingo was canceled.”
“Ruth,” Wade’s dad said, “do you want me to bring in the pies you brought?”
“Valerie is bringing pies,” Wade said.
“You better bring them in,” his mom told his dad. “Who knows how her pies will taste. I don’t want Thanksgiving ruined because the pies are bad.”
“Mom,” Wade said with a warning in his voice. “Valerie is an excellent cook. We don’t need your pies.”
His mom gave him a look, but then lifted her hands and said, “Fine. We’ll take our chances.”
“Grammy!” Issy said as she ran down the hallway from her bedroom. “You’re here.”
“Surprise.” His mom gave Issy a hug and turned to Wade. “Now—let’s see what needs to be done. When is Valerie coming?”
“Any minute. Supper’s almost ready.”
“I got here just in time then.” His mom went to the stove and lifted the lids to look at each dish. “Your potatoes could use a little more butter and your stuffing needs some chicken stock. It looks too dry. How is the turkey?”
“It’s fine, Mom.” Wade was feeling nervous before—but now, he was panicked. His parents rarely used a filter when they spoke to people. They said what they wanted, when they wanted and how they wanted. What if they said something inappropriate to Valerie or Hailey? He couldn’t ask his parents to leave—but he wished they had called before coming.
“Just give me a few minutes and I’ll get everything whipped into shape.” She frowned. “Where is your gravy?”
“Gravy?” Wade palmed his forehead. “I forgot the gravy.”
“It looks like I did get here just in time.” She rolled up her sleeves and then took over Wade’s kitchen, chatting nonstop as she worked.
His dad took a seat in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen, and turned on the TV to the Vikings game.
“Dad,” Wade said. “I was hoping to keep the television off today.”
“Don’t worry about me,” his dad said. “I don’t need to be gossiping in the kitchen with your mom.”
“Oh, Fred,” his mom said as she rolled her eyes. “I’m not a gossiper.”
“At least turn down the volume,” Wade protested.
His dad grumbled and then turned down the volume.
The doorbell rang and Wade’s pulse escalated. “It’s Valerie.”
“They’re here!” Issy said as she ran through the kitchen and into the foyer.
“Annabelle!” Brayden rushed into the foyer to see if the Wilmingtons had brought their dog. “Annabelle, Annabelle, Annabelle!”
“Please,” Wade said to his parents, wishing his house didn’t feel so chaotic. “Don’t embarrass me.”
His mom rolled her eyes, as if that was a preposterous statement, and his dad ignored him.
Wade took a deep breath and then left the kitchen to enter the foyer.
Brayden was already on the ground with Annabelle, who was wagging her tail. Valerie was holding a double-pie carrier and Hailey had a single one in her hands. Valerie’s smile was brilliant as she said, “Happy Thanksgiving.” She looked beautiful in a long wool coat, her blond hair slightly curled and she wore pearl earrings.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Wade said. “Can I take that?”
She handed him the double-pie carrier. “We went a little overboard and made three pies. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s great.” He took the single pie from Hailey, who immediately took off her coat with Issy’s help. “You could have brought six and I would have been happy.”
Valerie also began to remove her coat. She was wearing a green dress with an oversize scarf around her neck and shoulders. Wade wished his parents hadn’t come—because then he could enjoy Valerie’s attention. Now, he’d have to share it with his mom, who loved nothing more than to talk. “My parents’ plans changed, and they were able to join us. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind?” Valerie smiled. “Of course not.”
He couldn’t tell if she was disappointed or uncomfortable—or if she really didn’t mind. Her smile never faltered.
Wade would have been happy to just stand in the foyer and not bring his parents into the conversation—but that would be impossible.
“Come on in,” Wade said.
Valerie hung up her coat and then took the single pie back from Wade.
Their hands brushed and he met her gaze. She glanced at him, her cheeks turning pink, and smiled.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Issy said to Hailey. “I can’t wait to show you my room.”
The two little girls ran off together and Brayden took Annabelle into his arms and disappeared into the kitchen.
For a split second, it was just Wade and Valerie in the foyer and Wade said, “I’m sorry if my parents make you feel uncomfortable. My mom’s really excited you’re here—I think she might think there’s something going on between us. I tried telling her there’s nothing—but she can be pretty stubborn when she wants to be. And my dad is—just my dad.”
Valerie nodded and chuckled. “Enough said. I understand.”
His relief was momentary—because as soon as they entered the kitchen, he saw the look his mom gave Valerie.
She had that matchmaking gleam in her eyes—the one he’d seen many times as she tried to pair unsuspecting singles in their church.
“Hello, Valerie!” his mom said as she pulled Valerie into a hug without asking.
Valerie had to balance the pie in her hand as she accepted the hug like a long-lost daughter. “Hello, Mrs. Griffin.”
“Oh, call me Ruth.” She pulled back but put her hands on Valerie’s upper arms. “Once we share a holiday together, we’re practically family.”
Wade tried not to groan.
“Hello,” his dad called from the couch.
“Hello,” Valerie replied.
“I hope Wade didn’t force you here against your will.”
“Dad.” Wade shook his head. “That’s not even funny.”
Valerie bit her bottom lip, as if she was trying not to smile.
“What?” his dad asked. “She’s the first woman you’ve brought into your house since your wife left. I thought you might be getting desperate.”
“Oh, Fred.” His mom waved his comment aside and then said to Valerie, “Don’t listen to him. Besides, you’re not the kind of girl Wade would invite over if he was desperate.” She took the pie out of Valerie’s hand. “Wade told me you were bringing the pies. Let’s just have a peek, shall we?”
Valerie’s eyes were wide at his parents’ comments—and when she looked at Wade, he shrugged and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”
His mom set the pie on the counter and lifted the lid. Her eyes started to shine. “What a pretty pie. Where did you buy it?”
“I made it,” Valerie said. “With Hailey’s help. We made all three pies.”
“My oh my.” His mom lifted an eyebrow and said in a mock-tease, “Aren’t we an overachiever. Perhaps trying to impress Wade?”
“It looks delicious,” Wade said quickly. “I think supper is about ready. I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving,” Valerie said, just as quickly. “What can I do to help?”
“Nothing, dear,” his mom said. “I have it all under control. I just need to finish up the gravy and then we’ll be ready to go.”
“At least let me help carry the food to the table,” Valerie protested.
“That’s a perfect idea.” His mom grabbed the bread basket and handed it to Valerie. “I’ll look after the rest of the meal, and you and Wade can take it to the dining room.”
Wade grabbed the cranberries and the yams and said to Valerie, “I’ll show you where to take cover—I mean, where the dining room is.”
She giggled and he was relieved to see she was finding his parents funny—and not insulting. But the night was young.
His house had been added on to many times over the years, so the dining room faced the river, on the other side of the living room. It offered Wade a few seconds to apologize to Valerie.
“I’m sorry for my parents,” he said. “There’s really no excuse for them.”
Valerie laid her hand on Wade’s arm—and he stilled instantly.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ve had my fair share of difficult parents in my career. I know how to handle them.”
The touch of her hand felt like fire against his skin, and he had to focus hard to concentrate on her words. “Thanks for understanding.”
She smiled and looked down at her hand before removing it.
As she walked back to the kitchen, she clasped her hands together—and he wondered if she had felt what he had felt.
Despite the fact that his parents were there, he was looking forward to the rest of the evening.
He just hoped his mom and dad wouldn’t embarrass him even more.