Joy. J. O. Y. That’s today’s Advent theme,” Teddy said.
He’d slid into the pew beside Mallory despite his grandparents and father whisper-shouting for him to sit with them. Instead, Gabe, his in-laws, and the twins moved to the pew behind where Mallory and the boys were sitting, and she swore she could feel their eyes drilling holes in the back of her skull.
Gabe had gone to Atlanta buoyed by his support from Marsha and Kayla, but in the end, he’d caved to pressure from his father-in-law and didn’t play the lawyer card. He’d been worried about the drama leaving a lasting effect on his sons. He’d arrived home yesterday afternoon with the boys—and his in-laws.
He’d been avoiding Mallory since he’d gotten home. So had the twins. But it was possible it hadn’t been their choice. Diane had tried to stop Teddy from delivering Oliver’s birthday present with the excuse that they had things to do. Like just a few moments ago, Teddy wouldn’t be deterred.
“Good job.” She patted his hand, then lifted hers to look at it when it practically stuck to his. He smiled and smoothed his hair back. “I couldn’t find any gel so I used Vaseline.”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “It looks wonderful.” She didn’t envy Gabe trying to get it out. Beside her, Oliver and Brooks weren’t successful holding back their laughter and were loudly shushed from the rows behind and in front of them.
“Battle-ax. B. A. T. T. L. E.-A. X,” Teddy said, and Mallory heard a choking sound that she suspected was coming from Gabe, behind her. This time Oliver and Brooks did a better job containing their laughter, although the bench shook with their silent mirth. Mallory had to work not to join in.
Perhaps emboldened by the boys’ amusement, Teddy looked over his shoulder at his grandmother and father. “Grinch. G. R. I. N. C. H. Sad. S. A. D. Those are my words of the day.”
Mallory glanced at Gabe. He avoided meeting her eyes, looking instead at his hands in his lap. She followed his gaze, blinking at the sight of the gold band on his wedding finger. This was the first time she’d seen him wear his wedding ring. He couldn’t have made it clearer to her where they stood if he’d said the words out loud. Which he had, she reminded herself.
“I think I’d stick with joy, sweetie.” She didn’t know how she got the words past the emotion clogging her throat.
He leaned his head against her arm. “I want to but my house is sad like my dad.” He gestured for her to bend her head. She did, and he whispered, “When Dad came to get us after Grandma scolded us, she told him it was his fault our mom died. She said he loved his job more than he loved our mom and didn’t have time for us.”
Mallory wasn’t a vengeful or violent person, but at that moment, she wanted to shake the bitter woman in the pew behind her. She now had a better understanding as to why Gabe had backed down and why he now wore his ring. Diane had known exactly what to say to him.
Lifting her arm to tuck Teddy close, she kissed the top of his greasy head. “Your mommy died in an accident, sweetie. It was no one’s fault. Least of all your daddy’s. He loves you and your brothers to the moon and back.”
He grinned up at her. “To infinity and beyond.”
“Indubitably.”
“I like that word. How do you spell it?”
“I’ll tell you after church. Let’s listen to Pastor James’s sermon now.”
Behind her, Diane said in a fierce whisper, “I expect you to put a stop to this, Gabriel.”
Mallory turned to look at the older woman, holding Diane’s gaze until she lowered hers. Gabe caught Mallory’s eye and gave his head a slight shake as if telling her not to make a scene. As if she would in front of the children and in church. But that didn’t mean she was letting this go.
As soon as church was over and people started to file out of the pews, she said to Gabe, “I need to speak to you.”
“Gabriel, we’ll meet you in the car. Come on, boys. Theodore, that means you too.”
“Diane, Marsha says hello.”
Gabe’s mother-in-law turned, frowning at her. “Harry’s Marsha?”
“Yes. It was a shame you decided to…take off with the boys. She was hoping to see you. She came for Oliver’s birthday.”
“I didn’t know you and Marsha spoke after—”
Mallory cut her off before she said anything embarrassing in front of the boys. “Yes, we’re dear friends now.” Mallory thought she heard Oliver snort behind her but ignored him. Now was when she’d give Diane a message she hoped Gabe’s mother-in-law would understand. “Marsha had a lovely visit with Gabe before he was forced to leave. He made quite an impression. She said if he ever needed anything from her, anything at all, all he had to do was—”
“Karl, Diane, we better get going. The diner fills up fast after church. I’ll meet you out there.” Gabe took Mallory by the arm and steered her into a quiet corner at the back of the sanctuary.
Mallory mouthed It’s okay to a concerned-looking Oliver and Brooks, who nodded and followed Teddy and the twins out of the church.
“Okay, look. I know what you’re doing, and I know why you’re doing it.”
“I don’t think you do.” She crossed her arms. “Teddy told me what Diane said to you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She repeated what Teddy had said, and Gabe cursed under his breath. “I thought he was asleep.”
“Well, he wasn’t.” She touched his arm. “Gabe, don’t you see what she’s doing? By making you feel guilty for something that was absolutely not your fault, she ensures that she’ll get her way.”
“You’re wrong. It was my fault. Lauren had asked me a few days before the accident to have snow tires put on her car. I had a big case and it slipped my mind. She was a social worker. She was on the road after visiting with a client when the snowstorm blew up.”
“Were there more cars involved in the accident than hers?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Did they have snow tires on? Did they check the weather before they went out? Did they lose control of their car first or did Lauren? Don’t you see, Gabe? No one can predict these kinds of things. It was horrible, and it was unfair, but it was not your fault. And while I didn’t know your wife, I’m almost a hundred percent positive that the last thing she’d want is for you to blame yourself.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do but—”
“I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Teddy. Dylan and Cody, too, but mostly Teddy. You promised, Gabe. You promised that you weren’t going to let the anniversary of Lauren’s death get in the way of you celebrating Christmas.”
“You don’t understand.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Come on, Doc. It’s not the same. You don’t have kids. You didn’t love Harry like I loved—”
“Wow. I didn’t expect that.” Hurt, she turned to walk away.
He reached for her. “Wait. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said—”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but I don’t know why I’m surprised. Not after what you said to me last summer when you were interrogating me. Enjoy your brunch.”
“Don’t do this. Don’t walk away angry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m taking my frustration at the situation with Diane out on you, and that’s not fair. Yesterday was the anniversary of Lauren’s death.” He held up a hand. “I know what you said about celebrating her life instead, but it’s Diane. They’ll be here for a few more days and then they’ll be gone and we’ll get into the Christmas spirit for Teddy.”
“Maybe you should try getting into the spirit for yourself instead of faking it for Teddy. He’s pretty smart, you know. He can see through you.”
“Yeah, he is. I’ll talk to him.”
Cody stuck his head in the sanctuary. “Dad, Grandma says to hurry up.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there. Thank you for what you tried to do, Doc. It probably doesn’t seem like it, but I do appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you guys have a better week. We’ll see you on Friday for Teddy’s birthday. I ordered his cake, and I picked up…” She searched his face, stunned, and really, really hurt. “You don’t want us to come.”
“It’s not that I don’t want you there but I’m not sure when Diane and Karl are leaving or if they’ll be coming back for Teddy’s birthday. They’re being vague.”
“Then maybe you should just ask them or maybe you should tell them, seeing as it is your house, and they are your sons.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I think I do. Better than you, actually. And I’m sorry, but I promised Teddy I’d be at his party and so did the boys, and we don’t intend to miss it.”
* * *
When Mallory pulled into her driveway after church, Abby was waiting for her. “Would someone like to explain this to me?” Abby waved her hand around. “I’ve never been on a less Christmassy or more depressing street than this. What the heck has happened to Christmas on Reindeer Road?”
“The Buchanans have leached it out of us. And the Rollinses. Not Teddy though.” Then, thinking of him in church, Mallory stared at Abby and slapped the hood of the car. “What am I saying? They’ve leached the Christmas spirit out of him too.”
Abby sighed. “We’re supposed to be filming our outdoor segment today, and the way it’s looking, that’s not going to happen.”
Thinking of Teddy made Mallory realize that she’d dropped the ball on her Christmas plan. Things might be better with Oliver and Brooks. She didn’t have to worry about anyone taking them away from her anymore, and they certainly didn’t hate her like they used to. But thanks to Dirk and his football buddies—and to Gabe’s boys not being around as much as they used to because of Diane—Mallory’s stepsons had seemed down in the dumps lately. It was past time she reinstated the Christmas plan.
“We’ll make it happen, won’t we, boys? And I know who to call for reinforcements: Boyd and Owen.” She glanced at her watch. “We have to hurry though. The Buchanans will be back soon from brunch.”
“I heard Gabe tell Teddy they were going to the tree farm to cut down their Christmas tree. But the grandma didn’t look happy about it so maybe she’ll kibosh the plan.”
“When did you hear Gabe tell Teddy?” Mallory asked Oliver.
“Right after you guys finished talking.”
Mallory smiled, pleased at the thought that she may have gotten through to him. “I don’t think Gabe will let her kibosh the plan this time.” Later in the week, maybe. But she thought they were safe for today.
Abby held up her phone. “Boyd and Owen are on their way. They’ve got a ton of volunteers at the tree farm, and they’ve told everyone to stall Gabe and his family. They’d planned to get your lights done Friday but Marsha sidetracked them so they already have everything they need. Supposedly they have enough lights to light up the entire town. So we should have enough to do the Buchanans’ too.”
They had more than enough. What they didn’t have enough of was time. “Abs, help me get Gabe’s porch finished while Boyd, Owen, and the boys put the last of the lights on the shrubs and trees.”
Mallory had thrown a red-and-black-plaid blanket over the swing at the end of Gabe’s porch, added a pillow, and right now she was wrapping a swag of evergreen around a pair of old, red cross-country skis and leaning them in a corner. All she had left to do was get the evergreen wreath on the door and put a red lantern on the table.
“Look.” Abby walked across the yard with a wooden deer in her arms. It was identical to the ones Hunter had been carving at the tree farm last weekend. “Hunter just reminded me I had them in the truck. Gabe bought you a family of three, but you have those cute reindeer lights leaping across your yard, so I think these would be overkill. We’ll use them in Gabe’s yard instead.”
“He bought them for me on his own or did you suggest he buy them for me?”
“Well…” Abby grinned. “It doesn’t matter whose suggestion it was. He bought them or, in this case, donated to Aunt Liz’s foundation. And he bought them for you.”
“They’ll look great right there,” she said as Abby placed the deer near the evergreen in the front yard. Mallory wasn’t about to get sucked into a conversation about her nonexistent relationship with Gabe. Or so she thought until she blurted “He’s wearing his wedding ring” when her best friend joined her on the porch.
“It’s the anniversary of his wife’s death this week, isn’t it? I’m sure that’s all it is, sweetie.”
“I don’t know why I said anything or why I let it bother me. He made it pretty clear there’s no future for us.”
“But you want there to be, don’t you?” Abby said, holding the wreath while Mallory centered the nail on the doorframe just above the frosted-glass windowpane and lifted the hammer.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. I’m just going to focus on making this the best Christmas the—”
“Mallory, don’t hammer—” Owen began.
She looked over her shoulder as she hit the nail with the hammer, and the frosted windowpane shattered into a million pieces. “It’s not like a mirror, is it? I won’t have seven years of bad luck?”
“I’d say your luck is pretty bad, honey. Gabe’s just turned onto Reindeer Road,” Boyd informed her. Then he jogged across the lawn and onto the porch to remove the hammer from her hand. “I’ll take the rap.”