Nicole put her arm around Cody’s shoulder. “You know something, I think I have the perfect place to put a little tree, that’s if your uncle Garrett thinks it’s okay.”

“You do?” Cody asked.

Garrett gave her a curious look. She might have just saved the day. “Where?”

“Not telling, but it’s someplace Santa is sure to find. Hey, Cody, have you ever played 123Math before?”

Cody shook his head. “What’s that?”

“I’ll show you. Come on over to my desk. You can play it while I make dinner.” She sat him down in the other corner of the living room and showed him the basics on her computer, insisting he give it a try. It didn’t take but a minute for the boy to be totally immersed in the game. And he was doingmath.

A little bit later, Garrett was standing beside Nicole in the kitchen, cutting up lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers for a salad. She’d put on a white apron, trimmed in lime green and dotted with shining red apples that readNo Matter How You Slice It, Teachers Are The Best. Before she’d started cooking, she’d put her blonde hair up a wispy bun at the top of her head. She was busy, intent on making fresh rolls, the scent of flour and yeast making his stomach growl. If she heard, she didn’t mention it. It was true, Garrett had a healthy appetite and lately, due to remodeling the kitchen, they hadn’t eaten properly. Which was why Cody jumped at the chance for a home-cooked meal.

“So, what do you do when you’re not teaching?” Suddenly he was anxious to find out more about her.

“I, uh.” Her shoulders slumped and she immediately transformed her face from somber to perky. But he’d caught her in a sad moment. “I’ve been focused on the fundraiser lately.”

“Before that?” he asked. He got that she’d had a rough few months. “Do you have family close by?”

“I do. My mom and dad live just about thirty miles from here. They’re retired, and travel some. You know, I think they’re really enjoying their retirement.”

“That’s good. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“I have a big brother. He’s in the military. He’s a sergeant in the army. He should be back in the States soon.” She bit her lip, and nodded her head. “Sam’s a really good guy.”

“You miss him?”

“I just want him safe, you know?” She met his eyes for a second. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to… here I am going on and on about my brother when you—”

“It’s okay. Can’t be helped.” He lowered his voice so Cody wouldn’t overhear. “That’s all I wanted for my sister, for her and Cody to be safe.”

She began shaking her head. “I can’t imagine.”

He spoke softly, “I don’t want Cody to ever forget his mom, but there’s a fine line that I’m not sure I’m walking correctly.”

She wiped her hands on a dish towel. “You don’t want to bring her up too much, fearing he’ll miss her even more, but you don’t want his memories of her to be blurred, either.”

He stared at her for a long moment. Her ability to read a situation stunned him. “How do you know—” He sighed and looked away for a moment.

Nicole’s perception was too keen, too insightful and, right at the moment, he didn’t want her to see how much she affected him.

“Cody seems to be doing okay.”

“He prays every night for the snow to fall. He wants to catch snowflakes just like he and Carrie would do. I think he has this notion that if it snows, it’ll be a sign from his mother.”

“Ah. That makes sense. He wants a reminder of something special they used to do together.”

“I think his heart’s going to be broken. That’s why I’m going along with all this.” He made a sweeping gesture with his arms. “To keep him busy and distract him.”

“To make this Christmas the best it can be for him,” she added, reminding him of their deal.

“That too.”

She took hold of his hand and plopped a whisk in it. “Hey, how are you at mashing potatoes?”

Mentally, he thanked her for changing the subject. It was far too heavy a conversation for a woman who’d just wanted to feed them a good meal. “I can mash with the best of them.”

“Good, you whip and I’ll add butter and bacon.”