Page 36 of Savoring Christmas
He stepped into the hallway, only to find Matilda sprawled in the middle of it like a troll guarding a bridge. Her tail flicked in slow, deliberate arcs, eyes narrowed in pure feline judgment. When he tried to step past, she let out a low, warning hiss, as if to remind him that she ruled this house, and breakfast privileges were granted at her discretion.
Logan sighed. “Try to be nice.” He sidestepped the ginger menace and headed toward the scent of coffee. He found Mia at the stove, sleeves pushed up, hair loosely pulled back, wearing his flannel shirt that came to her mid-thighs. Bare thighs. Bare feet. It was way too early in the morning for all the thoughts those legs evoked. She moved easily in the space, as though she’d always belonged there. Cannoli greeted him enthusiastically. Logan crouched to give her some love. “Good morning, Miss Cannoli. How much more pleasant you are than Matilda.”
Mia glanced over her shoulder, a small smile touching her lips. “Good morning. Coffee’s on the counter.”
He crossed the room, the scent of butter and cinnamon mingling with the warmth of coffee. “You’re up early.” He really wanted to say:Don’t ever stop being here.
“I’m an early riser. And I promised you breakfast.” She slid an omelet onto a plate. “I have coffee cake in the oven for Patty and the kids. But I made you an omelette worthy of Julia Child.”
He accepted the plate, their fingers brushing briefly. It was a small thing, but it made his heart beat faster.
As he sat at the island, she reached for a pan from the cabinet, then a spatula from the drawer. Without hesitation, without asking where anything was. His brow lifted, a smile tugging at his mouth. “How do you know where everything is?”
She looked over, shrugging as if it was nothing. “Because you keep everything exactly where I would.”
Had there ever been a sentence uttered that had the power to move him in this way? He was certain there had not been thus far in his life. They were meant to be together. He was sure of it.
Cannoli gave a soft whine of protest that she was not receiving an omelette too. “Don’t worry, buddy,” Mia said. “I’ve got something for you too.”
Logan took a bite of the creamy dish and groaned. “Mia, this is heaven.”
“Thanks for letting me take over your kitchen.”
“Baby, you can take over my kitchen any time.”
She grinned back at him. “I just might do that.”
An hour or so later,Logan turned onto the long driveway to Patty’s rental house, its surface pocked with potholes and scattered rocks that rattled beneath the tires. Bare trees lined the way, their twisted branches stark against the gray winter sky. At the far end, tucked away from the world with no neighbors in sight, stood the old house, chimney smoke drifting gently into the cold air. It had weathered too many winters—the paint faded and peeling, the front porch sagging, and dark patches of water damage marking the roof. Christmas lights drooped across the porch in tired loops, half of them dark, the others winking stubbornly as if refusing to give up the fight. Through the front window, a small tree glowed with paper snowflakes and a handful of mismatched ornaments that caught the afternoon light. A faded blue sedan sat crookedly at the curb, its hood propped open.
“I bet she’s having car trouble,” Logan murmured.
Mia leaned forward, her breath fogging the passenger window. “That’s got to be the reason she missed work.”
Cannoli gave a soft bark from the back seat, tail thumping against the upholstery.
Logan cut the engine and climbed out, the cold air biting through his jacket. Mia took the coffee cake she’d made for the family out of the back. He followed as Mia hurried ahead, coffee cake in hand, already reaching for the porch railing. Cannoli ran around the yard, sniffing everything.
The front door opened before they could knock. Patty stood there, dish towel clutched in hands that trembled slightly despite her composed expression. Her eyes went wide, then darted past them to the driveway as if checking who might be watching. “Logan. Mia. What are you doing here?”
“We were worried when you didn’t make it to work last night,” Mia said. “We’re sorry to show up unannounced but neither of us thought to get your phone number before now.” She held out the cake. “I brought breakfast.”
“Oh, that’s so kind of you,” Patty said, taking it in hand and drawing in a breath through her nose. “That smells amazing. The kids will love it.”
“Are you guys okay?” Logan asked. “What happened to you last night?”
Patty’s shoulders drew up almost imperceptibly. “My car wouldn’t start.”
Logan nodded toward the sedan. “I had a feeling when I saw the hood up.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with it and I don’t have the money to get it fixed.” Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper, and Logan had to lean forward to catch it. “My boss said I’d missed too many shifts already. He fired me from the cleaning position.” Her voice wavered. “I don’t know how I’m going to make my rent.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mia said. “You can’t get to a job without a reliable car.”
“I’ll figure something out. I always do.” But Patty’s knuckles were white where she gripped the towel, and Logan could see dark circles under her red eyes.
Before he could respond, the thunder of small feet followed by Benji’s voice sounded from behind Patty. “Logan and Mia are here.” Then Daisy’s higher pitch: “You brought Cannoli!”
The three kids slipped around their mother and spilled onto the porch. Daisy made a beeline for Cannoli, but Molly hung back near the doorway, her dark eyes moving between her mother’s face and their unexpected visitors with the careful attention of a child who’d seen too much in her short life.
