Just For Christmas

The fierce resolution in her voice stunned Drake. Since he’d moved out of the house, he’d almost resigned himself to the fact that he was losing her. But to hear her speak the words sent a chill right through to his bones.

“And what about after this month is over and Stevie is gone?” he asked stiffly.

Hope couldn’t let him know there were tears clawing at the back of her eyes. She was through letting him see just how much pain he was causing. She was finished with the arguing and cajoling.

“I’m going to move on with my life, Drake. With or without you.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“HOPE! IS THAT YOU?”

Hope turned to find a young woman with short, curly red-blond hair and a wide smile standing directly behind her in the checkout aisle. Katie Topper was a pediatric nurse at Maitland Maternity and one of Hope’s best friends. Since Katie had been staying in Houston while taking a medical course, she hadn’t had an opportunity to talk to the other woman except for a few brief phone conversations. Katie was going to be shocked when Hope gave her the news that Drake had moved home.

“Katie! How wonderful to see you! Are you home early for the weekend?”

Grinning happily, Katie pointed at her jeans and T-shirt. “I got lucky and finished classes yesterday. I’m on my way to the farm to see Papa. I just stopped in here to pick up a pair of new work shoes.”

“How are things going in Houston? Are you about to wrap things up? We’ve really been missing you around here.”

“I’ll be finished by the end of the month. What about you? How are things going?”

Suddenly remembering Stevie, Hope glanced down to check that he was still standing close by her side.

Katie followed her line of vision and spotted the boy standing quietly next to Hope. Tilting her head in Stevie’s direction, Katie asked, “Who’s your little friend?”

Hope’s hand instinctively came to rest on Stevie’s small shoulder. “This is my nephew, Stevie. We picked him up at the airport this morning. Tess is kindly handling things in the gift shop for me today.” Then, noticing the man in front of her was finished at the checkout counter, she pushed forward. As she began to place the items from her cart in front of the cashier, she glanced at Katie. “Stevie’s going to be staying all through Christmas. His parents have gone to Europe.”

Katie was clearly surprised by Hope’s news, but didn’t say anything. Instead she quickly glanced at her wristwatch. “How about stopping by the diner for a cup of coffee? I have a few minutes before I head out of town and I’d love to catch up on the news around here.”

Hope darted another glance at Stevie. So far the boy hadn’t given her any sort of trouble. In fact, he was so quiet it worried her. Most children loved to chatter about anything and everything. But Stevie didn’t seem to be interested in making conversation or taking notice of anything around him. He had chosen a few pieces of clothing for himself, but only because Hope had practically forced him to. Maybe having him in a casual social setting like the diner would be good for him.

“I’d love to. We’ll meet you there,” Hope told her.

A few minutes later Hope parked outside the Austin Eats Diner. By the time they were out of the car, Katie had joined them.

“Now do I get to meet this new guy in your life?” she asked Hope, while slanting Stevie a teasing smile.

Stevie sidled closer to Hope’s leg as he warily eyed the stranger with bouncy red hair, cowboy boots and jeans.

“This is Stevie,” Hope said to Katie. “His mother is Drake’s sister, Denise.”

Katie’s brows flew up with speculation, but instead of expressing any questions, she gave the stern-faced child an impish grin.

“Hello, Stevie. My name is Katie.”

Stevie’s dark eyes took their time assessing Katie’s face. Then finally, as though he’d decided she was an ally rather than a foe, he politely extended his hand to her.

“How do you do?”

Katie was quick to shake his hand, but Hope could see the other woman was a little taken aback by the formal greeting. And Hope could understand why. Katie had grown up with her father and two brothers in a loving but rowdy household where kids sometimes forgot their manners unless an adult was around to remind them.

“It’s nice to meet you, Stevie,” Katie told him, then glanced at Hope. “Ready to go in?”

Hope nodded and gently nudged Stevie’s shoulder toward the entrance of the diner.

Inside the busy restaurant place, Katie suggested, “Let’s sit at the counter. I’ll bet Stevie would rather sit on a stool.”

The child didn’t voice his preference one way or the other. Under her breath, Hope said to Katie, “I doubt he’s ever been in a place like this.”

Katie glanced around at the odd mixture of people sitting in the booths and at the long curved counter. Along with the Maitland Maternity staff who frequented the diner, there were usually a few cowboys, truck drivers, businessmen and manual laborers who drifted in and out during the day. To an isolated child like Stevie, Hope thought, it must seem like a wild, noisy place.

“Why?” Katie asked, her features wrinkling with bewilderment. “What’s the matter with the diner? The food is good and so is the company.”

Hope chuckled softly. “It is to you and me. Stevie’s parents would have other ideas. People of their money and social standing don’t frequent diners. You understand.”

Katie’s lips formed a perfect O. “Only too well.”

Like Hope, Katie had not come from a wealthy background. At twenty-nine, the nurse was still single, but Hope considered her friend blessed to have a loving father and brothers living close by. It was far more than she had. Especially now that Drake was more like a stranger than a husband.

Hope helped Stevie onto a stool between her and Katie. He seemed shocked that the seats would turn, but he didn’t test them out the way most kids his age would enjoy doing. Instead, he sat rigid and still, his hands folded primly in his lap.

Sara came to take their orders. The two women quickly opted for coffee. Stevie didn’t seem to realize he could order anything he wanted on the menu until Hope assured him he could. Eventually he chose orange juice, and as they waited for the pretty blond waitress to return with the drinks, Katie said to him, “I have some friends who have kids just about your age. Maybe you’d like to get together with them while you’re here and play soccer or something.”

The boy’s dull expression didn’t change as he lifted his brown gaze to Katie. “I don’t know how to play soccer,” he mumbled.

With arched brows Katie glanced over Stevie’s head to Hope. Then to Stevie, she said, “Oh. Well, that’s okay. I’m sure they would teach you. Or you could play army. Bet you like that,” she added with a wink that included both Hope and Stevie. “All little boys do.”

He frowned with a mixture of curiosity and defiance. “I don’t know how to play army, either.”

This time Katie couldn’t hold back her disbelief. She groaned loudly. “Where has this kid been, Hope? Mars?” To Stevie, she said, “Sure you do. That’s where you act like you’re a soldier and you fight the enemy and save the world. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

Stevie obstinately shook his head, and the two women exchanged wary glances.

Deciding it was her turn to try with the boy, Hope asked, “What do you like to do, Stevie?”

“Read books.”

“Well, that’s great!” Katie praised him.

Sara appeared with their drinks, and while the waitress placed them on the counter, Hope pressed him further. “Reading is wonderful, Stevie. But what do you like to do outside?”

One frail shoulder rose and fell as though he couldn’t be more bored with the two women or life in general. “I don’t go outside much. Only when the teachers at the boarding school make me.”

“Why is that?” Katie prodded.

His bottom lip inched ever so slightly forward. “I don’t like it. The other boys push me and call me a sissy.”

Katie decided she’d better leave things at that, and Stevie turned his attention to the glass of juice in front of him.