Page 109 of Mistletoe and Mischief

A question hovered on the end of Beth’s tongue but she refused to ask it. If Kent was looking for a second wife who was completely her opposite, he’d found that woman in Danielle. She and Beth were about as dissimilar as any two women could be. Perhaps that was what he wanted. The thought depressed her.... Unless he was telling the truth and Danielle reallywasjust a friend. But in that case, why did she stick to Kent like glue? Why had he even brought her to Cedar Cove?

“Mom?” Bailey asked. “My birthday’s in September—when did you get pregnant with me?”

“Bailey!” Beth was shocked that her daughter would ask such a question, especially in front of Danielle.

“Christmas Eve,” Kent answered.

“Really? Wow. You’re sure?”

“Yup.”

“So tonight’s more of a celebration than I realized.”

“What about me?” Sophie wanted to know.

“Easter,” Beth said. “It was an early Easter that year. We were at your parents’. Remember, Kent?”

His eyes widened as the memory drifted back. He caught her eye and they both struggled to contain their amusement. They’d slept in the guest bedroom, which was just down the hall from his parents’ room. Their bed squeaked...so they’d rolled onto the floor and Kent’s foot had become tangled in the lamp cord and the lamp came crashing down on him. On hearing the crash, his mother had knocked on the door to make sure everything was all right. It’d been a comedy of errors.

“What’s so funny?” Danielle demanded.

Beth felt guilty for being so rude as to exclude everyone else from their private conversation. “I apologize, Danielle,” she said, turning around. “Kent and I were...just remembering something that happened years ago.”

“I was the result,” Sophie announced proudly.

“Can we talk about something different?” Danielle said, clearly not amused.

“Of course,” Beth assured her.

“I always wanted a brother,” Bailey said. “An older brother.”

“You got your sister instead.”

“Yeah. And not only that, she’s younger.”

“I never had a sister,” Danielle said. “Andmybrother was younger and a real nuisance. He used to spy on me and my friends.”

“Sophie used to spy on me.”

“Did not.”

“Did, too.”

“Girls,” Beth said, annoyed by their behavior. “You’re out of grade school. Please act like it.”

They broke into peals of laughter.

“What?” Beth turned again to see what her daughters were laughing about now.

“Mom, you’re so predictable. That’s exactly what we told Danielle you’d say.”

Kent pulled the sleigh over to the shed and handed the reins to Beth while he jumped down. He helped Sophie out first, then Danielle and Bailey.

“I’ll take the sled over to the Nelsons’,” Beth said, but before she could set off, Kent leaped back into place beside her.

“I’ll go with you.”

“That isn’t necessary,” she told him, thinking he’d want to be inside with the others.

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