Page 20 of A Secret Chance
“That’s Tabitha,” Charlotte said. “And yes, you do look resemble a snowman.”
“Hi, Tabitha.” He turned to smile at the young girl. “My name is Baxter.”
“I’ve never met anyone named Baxter before, except a dog,” she said.
Baxter laughed. He was always amazed at the honesty of children. “Well, if you must know, Baxter is my middle name, my first name is Brock.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrow while she was driving. “Brock Baxter?” she said.
“The second,” he laughed.
“How come you go by your middle name?” Tabitha’s squeaky voice rang out from the back seat.
“I was tired of everyone mixing me up with my dad,” he replied honestly.
The tires of Charlotte’s car hummed on the wooden planks and the world went dark as they entered the covered bridge.
“Will your son be number three?” Tabitha inquired.
As the SUV emerged from the bridge back into the muted gray of the snowstorm, Baxter could feel the dampness seeping through his coat as the layer of snow started to melt. A drip from his hat landed on his cheek and startled him, but not as much as the young girl’s question.
My son.
There are guys who have always pictured throwing a ball for their son, teaching them how to ski or skate, passing on the family name, but that guy wasn’t Baxter.
“I guess if I have a son, I might...” He hesitated. “You know what? I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”
He caught Charlotte’s smirk as he shifted in his seat with the interrogation.
“Where are you headed?” she asked.
“I have a meeting at the Sugar Peaks Café,” he replied. He checked his watch. He would be a little early but could get situated with a coffee and catch up with the news while he waited.
“Is it alright with you if I drop Tabitha off at school first?” she asked.
“That’s fine with me,” Baxter replied.
When Tabitha hopped out of the car in front of her busy school, she yelled, “Bye, Charlotte. Bye, Brock Baxter the Second.” Then she giggled and headed towards the school, her pink backpack bouncing as she ran.
“Charlotte?”
“I’m progressive,” Charlotte laughed. “She’s wise beyond her years, that one.” As she pulled the car onto the main street, the snow eased up and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. “How are your meetings going? Or is that confidential?”
“They’re going great,” Baxter lied before he could stop himself.
“Really?” Charlotte raised her eyebrows at him.
“Well, there might be a few hiccups, but nothing we can’t handle.”
“Hiccups, right.” Her smile was wry, and she looked at him from the corner of her eye. “Well, remember what I said. Get the Conservation Authority on your side, and then I can help you out.”
“I’m working on it.”
Charlotte pulled up in front of the Sugar Peaks Café.
“As a matter of fact, that’s what I’m doing right now.” He brushed the melted snow off of his briefcase and paused with his hand on the door handle, “Thanks for the ride.”
“Are you going to need a lift home, or were you planning to snowshoe?”
