Page 30 of The Holiday Gift

Celeste rose and followed her up the stairs. As she helped Faith out of the dress, her sister talked of the children and what they had done that evening and about the latest controversy at the library.

Beneath the light conversation, she sensed Celeste had something more to say. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it but she couldn’t stand the charged subtext either.

After she changed into her favorite comfy pajamas, she sat on the edge of her bed and finally braced herself. “Okay. Out with it.”

Celeste deliberately avoided her gaze, confirming Faith’s suspicions. “Out with what?” she asked, her tone vague.

“Whatever is lurking there on your tongue, dying to spill out. I can tell you have something to say. You might as well get it over with, for both our sakes. What did I do wrong?”

After a pause, Celeste sat down next to her on the bed.

“I’m trying to figure out if you’re being deliberately obtuse or if you honestly don’t know—all while I’m debating whether it’s any of my business anyway.”

“Remember what mom used to say? Better to keep your nose in a book than in someone else’s business. Most of your life, you’ve had a pretty good track record in that department. Don’t ruin it now.”

Celeste sighed. “Fine. Deliberately obtuse it is, then.”

She pulled her favorite sweatshirt over her head. This was more like it, in her favorite soft pajama bottoms and a comfortable hoodie. She felt much more at ease dressed like this than she ever would in the fancy clothes she had been wearing all evening.

“I don’t know aboutdeliberatebut I’ll admit I must be obtuse, since I have no idea what you’re trying to dance around here.”

“Really? No idea?”

The skepticism in her sister’s voice burned. “None. What did I do wrong? I was careful with your coat, I promise.”

“For heaven’s sake, this isn’t about the stupid coat.”

“I’m not in the mood to play twenty questions with you. If you don’t want to tell me, don’t.”

Celeste’s mouth tightened. “Fine. I’ll come out and say it, then. Can you honestly tell me you have no idea Chase is in love with you?”

At her sister’s blunt words, all the blood seemed to rush away from her brain and she was very glad she was sitting down. Her skin felt hot for an instant and then icy, icy cold.

“Shut up. He is not.”

Celeste made a disgusted sound. “Of course he is, Faith! Open your eyes! He’s been in love with youforever. You had to have known!”

Whatever might be left of the apple pie and the small amount she had eaten at dinner seemed to congeal into a hard, greasy lump in her stomach.

She didn’t know whether to laugh at the ridiculous joke that wasn’t really funny at all or to tell her sister she was absolutely insane to make such an outrageous accusation. Underneath both those reactions was a tangled surge of emotion and the sudden burn of tears.

“He’s not. Hecan’tbe,” she whispered.

It couldn’t be true. Could it?

Celeste squeezed her fingers gently, looking as if she regretted saying anything. “Use your head, honey. He’s a good neighbor, yes, and a true friend. But can you really not see that his concern for you goes way beyond simple friendship?”

Chase was always there, a true and loyal friend. The one constant, unshakable force in her world.

“I don’t want him to be.” Her chest felt tight now and she could feel one of those tears slip free. “What am I going to do?”

Celeste squeezed her fingers. “You could try being honest with yourself and admit that you have feelings for him, too.”

“As a friend. That’s all,” she insisted.

Celeste’s eyes were full of compassion and exasperation in equal measures. “I love you dearly, Faith. You know I do. You’ve been my second mother since the day I was born, and from the time I was twelve years old you helped Aunt Mary and Uncle Claude raise me. You’re kind and loving, a fantastic mom to Barrett and Lou, a ferociously hard worker. You’ve taught me so much about what it is to be a good person.”

She tugged her hand away, sensing her sister had plenty more to say, and steeled herself to hear the rest.

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