North Country Mom

“No, the train left before our big blowup,” he told her.

“Then she’s around town somewhere.”

“She’s on her way to Laurel’s, and she says she’s not coming back.” He raked a hand through his hair, feeling helpless and a bit foolish. “I can’t have her living out there, Alicia. There are six boys there. I don’t care how sweet my sister says they are. My daughter is not staying at Lives with them. Anyway, even if I’d allow it, there’s no room.” He groaned. “This is a nightmare.”

“Hardly.” Alicia leaned back in her chair and studied him. “What was the argument about?”

“Her room.” He couldn’t look at her, wouldn’t let her see how much Giselle’s rejection of his surprise hurt.

“Her bedroom?” Alicia’s dark eyebrows lifted. “What’s wrong with it?”

“According to her, everything.” Jack shrugged helplessly. “I had it professionally decorated as a surprise. I wanted to make it feel like home.” He gave in to defeat. “Giselle hates it. She says I’m treating her like an infant, acts like I deliberately tried to offend her. I was trying to show how much I love her, how much I want her to be happy here.”

Alicia studied him with that dark impenetrable stare for so long that frustration nipped at him. He should never have listened to Laurel’s suggestion that he ask for Alicia’s help. He accepted that his sister couldn’t rush to his rescue. Besides, he wanted her there to meet Giselle when she arrived. But he suspected this was the first of Laurel’s attempts at matchmaking.

“Never mind,” he said, pushing his chair back and rising. “I shouldn’t have bothered you. I’ll figure out something.” Like what? his brain demanded. You can’t even figure out what the issue is with Giselle. Ignoring the inner voice, he turned to leave.

“I think you have the right idea.” Alicia rose, asked the server for two take-out cups and a paper bag for their doughnuts.

“What are you doing?” Females. Jack had never felt more at a loss.

“Going with you to the scene of the crime. Maybe if I see the room, I can understand Giselle’s anger. At the moment I’m at a total loss.” Alicia held the cups and the bag. “Shall we?” she asked.

“I guess.” Jack took the cups from her and followed her out of the café.

When they reached his hotel he led her inside, wondering why he held his breath as she studied the lobby where workmen were putting together the finishing touches. Was her approval so important?

“It’s lovely, Jack. Rustic but not overdone. Very comfortable. Homey. Your guests will enjoy this.” She smiled at him as she slid her fingertips over the rough stone of the fireplace.

“I used the same interior designer for Giselle’s room,” he complained.

“Maybe girls’ bedrooms aren’t her forte,” Alicia murmured. “But hotel lobbies certainly are. Which way?”

“Follow me.” Jack led the way to their private quarters, set their take-out cups down on a hall table, then opened the door to Giselle’s room. When Alicia didn’t immediately comment, he turned to study her.

His heart sank as Alicia’s mouth formed a perfect O.

“What?” Jack shifted uncomfortably. All he could see was sweetness and love for his baby girl. What was so terrible about that?

“Oh, dear.” Alicia set down the bag with the doughnuts, grabbed one of the cups and sank into a puffy pink chair inside the bedroom door. After another moment of looking around she took a long drink and sighed. “Oh, my.”

“Will you stop saying that and tell me what I did wrong?” Jack bellowed. “Sorry,” he said when he realized the harshness of his tone. “I didn’t mean to bark at you, but what’s wrong with this?”

“Where to start?” Alicia leaned back in the chair. “It’s so...pink.”

“Giselle’s a girl,” he said in his own defense. “And she likes pink.”

“So do I. At least I used to.” Alicia took another drink.

“Say what you need to,” he growled, knowing he wouldn’t like it.

“It’s—it’s like a pink fuzzy nest, for a baby chick or a bunny,” she sputtered, then leaned back, as if she was afraid he’d explode.

And Jack felt like it. All the time he’d wasted, all the work, all the money—none of which mattered a whit if his daughter hated being here.

He’d failed her. The lump in his throat grew.

“These stuffed toys.” Alicia flicked a finger over the bunnies and elephants and giraffes.

“Giselle likes stuffed toys,” he defended.

“Yes, but the floor, the bedspread, the lamp, the ceiling light—” She cleared her throat. “It’s a room for a very young girl, Jack,” she said quietly. “I doubt it’s the kind of room a girl Giselle’s age dreams of and I’m guessing that’s what you want.”

“It’s a lot like her room was in Vancouver.” Jack hated being on the defensive. He’d done this because of Giselle’s complaints about having to relocate to a new, unfamiliar room in Churchill. How had he got it so wrong? “You mean she wants something more grown-up?”

“In my humble opinion, yes.” Alicia looked relieved that he understood. “Did you tell your designer Giselle’s age?”

“I can’t remember.” He frowned, trying to recall. “There were so many details with the hotel, so many things I never even thought of. I’m clueless about hotel management, but Laurel convinced me I could run this place with Teddy’s instruction.” He closed his eyes, pushed away the irritation and frustration and thought about it. “I think I said I wanted a special room for my little girl.” He glanced around. “I guess that’s what I got.”

“You did. But Giselle isn’t a little girl anymore.” Alicia’s gentle voice soothed his hurt feelings. “Part of the process of losing her mom has pushed Giselle to grow up. She’s trying to figure out how to become an adult.”

“And this room can’t help her do that?” Deflated, he scanned the fripperies he’d been so sure Giselle would love.

“Let’s just say it’s not an almost-teen room.” He could hear how carefully she chose her words and appreciated her gentleness.

“Okay.” Jack let go of his disappointment. “How do I get it that way? Because my daughter is not going to live at Lives Under Construction.”

“You want my help?” Alicia’s brown eyes widened. Jack nodded, his brain noting in passing how pretty she was. She glanced around, then swiveled her gaze back to him. “This might hurt.”

Did she think he was a wimp?

“I’m tough,” he said, straightening his spine. “Go for it.”

Jack kept his face stoic when she asked him to fetch two garbage bags. He remained resolute when she loaded all but two of the soft velvet toys and stuffed animals into the bags. He didn’t even wince when Alicia carefully removed the frilly lace-edged lamps or asked his help to get down the flouncy curtains that blocked the view of Hudson Bay. But when she lifted the ruffled pink spread from the bed, he choked.

“That cost a fortune,” he muttered.

Alicia simply raised one eyebrow.

“Go ahead,” he groaned, holding the bag while she stuffed it inside. The room looked bare and unwelcoming. “Now what?” he demanded.

“Can I look around your lodge?” Alicia caught her long glossy hair in her hand and twisted it into some kind of knot on her head. She pinned it in place, then said thoughtfully, “There may be some things that we could use to help this room. Otherwise, you’ll have to order stuff in and that could take days.”

He didn’t have days. He wanted his daughter home where he could keep her safe.

“Take whatever you need,” Jack told her. He followed her through the hotel. A picture of wildflowers by a local artist graced the area behind the front desk. “Giselle helped me pick that out. She’s got a thing about wildflowers.” His heart took a dive as Alicia studied the painting, then looked at him. “You want that for her room. What do I put in its place?”

“Something else,” she said quietly. Her gaze met his unflinchingly. This was not a woman who gave up easily. Actually, Jack appreciated that.