Page 45 of Candy Cane Dreams
"I don't want to take you away from your work."
"I think we both could use a break."
"You definitely need a break. Tomorrow is fine."
"Then if it's okay with you, I'll get Mrs. Abernathy to come watch Lilly at seven, and you and I will plan on going out for a nice treat, celebration, and... I guess I have a few things I'd like to talk to you about."
"Really?" She tilted her head, as though she had no idea what he might want to say to her.
He nodded. "Yeah. I do." Maybe she'd forgotten that Lilly had said that she wanted Kate to be her new mom and thought God had done it, or maybe she was just brushing that aside. Or maybe that's what she wanted to do.
Hopefully, he would find out tomorrow.
Chapter Eighteen
So, was it a date? Or was it just that he wanted to talk to her, so he was taking her out?
Kate wasn't sure as she looked in the mirror and made sure her hair wasn't sticking out in weird directions. She was running a little late because she had gone to Marjorie McBride's house to help with the Christmas baking and to chat about the Christmas festival. Marjorie seemed to be doing well, although she also seemed tired and admitted as much.
Kate had stayed longer than she should have and had swung by the farmhouse to quickly change her clothes and check her hair before Jack arrived to pick her up.
Jack said that he was getting Mrs. Abernathy to watch Lilly and had asked her if there was anywhere in particular she would like to go.
There was a new restaurant opening in Mistletoe Meadows, but it hadn't opened yet, so they were going to the next town over.
That seemed like a date, right?
She didn't have time to think about that anymore, because the sound of gravel crunching reached her, and she gave her hairone last pat before she flipped the light switch off and hurried out of the bathroom.
Sticking her shoes on, she was able to grab the door before Jack knocked.
The bouquet of flowers he held shocked her.
"My goodness, they're beautiful." She put a hand to her throat. Maybe this really was a date.
"Almost as beautiful as you are," he said, and she couldn't help it—she laughed.
"That's a line."
He grinned. "Actually, I'd pick you over the flowers, but that's probably a line too."
She lifted a shoulder. She really didn't know and didn't care. It was sweet for him to say, although she hardly thought it was true, because the flowers were gorgeous.
"Let me get those in some water," she said, opening the door a little further so he could step in. It felt odd inviting him into his own house.
He looked around. "It looks a little different from the last time I was in here."
"I've been adding a few little touches, but I haven't wanted to spend too much money on decorations or that type of thing. I really am saving so I can get a place of my own, whether I'm renting or buying."
"There's no rush. I'm going to talk to my brother early tomorrow morning, and I'll see if he has any issues. I don't think he does, and if not, you can stay here indefinitely."
"But you said you wouldn't have work for me since your shop wouldn't be busy after the holidays."
She led him to the kitchen, where she didn't have a vase, but she pulled a mason jar out of the cupboard.
"That's true, but if things go through with my brother, I'm hoping to ramp up production, and I will definitely need some help."
"You might need full-time help," she said, casually, as she put the jar under the water spigot and filled it half full.
