Page 8 of Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat
‘You can sit back and enjoy the drive instead of frettin’ where to turn and watchin’ out for our curvy roads,’ Tom quipped.
‘Thanks.’ She managed a tentative smile. Fee was soon drawn in by the kaleidoscope of autumn colours shimmering in the late afternoon sun. She always appreciated timeless stretches of land and this was one, altered by man but still intrinsicallythe way it’d been created.
Although they didn’t speak there was nothing awkward about the silence. Once Tom glanced in his rear view mirror and slid Fee a sideways smile, pointing back across his shoulder at the sleeping little girl. Maybe this was what parents felt like enjoying a smattering of quiet moments in the middle of a hectic day.
As they entered Pine Ridge she straightenedand stared out of the car window. When she drove through this morning she’d hadn’t taken much notice of the small town. Most of the buildings were made of the local red bricks and all looked neat and well cared for. Several had colourful wooden signs indicating a shop or office and people strolled along the pavements going about their business. Fee couldn’t imagine it’d changed much in decades.
‘This is Main Street,’ Tom announced with a touch of irony. ‘I’m not sure why it’s called that because it’s the only business area we’ve got.’
‘Perhaps to give it delusions of grandeur,’ she teased. His instant warm laughter ran through her and she couldn’t help smiling back.Watch it. ‘Oh, goodness.’ Fee startled as Tom pulled the truck to a stop in front of the one shop whichstood out from all the others.
‘This one has delusions all right courtesy of Mary-Jo, our sweet Lulu’s Mama.’
Fee gaped, open-mouthed, at the array of Halloween decorations swamping the tiny building. ‘Dare I ask what it looks like at Christmas?’
‘When we’ve got through the trick or treatin’ season in a couple of weeks, Mary-Jo will replace this little lot with pumpkinsand scarecrows for Thanksgiving. After that’s over it’ll be the turn of Santa Claus, reindeer and candy canes. Maybe you’ll hang around and find out what it all looks like. I, um…’ Tom paled and stumbled over his words. Luckily at that moment Lulu wailed from the back seat and Fee suppressed a smile as he leapt out of the car to rescue the tearful child.
Tom hung back by the cash registerand left them to it. He’d intended to stay at Fee’s side and protect her from his exuberant family but after her smirk when he’d stuck his size thirteen feet in a metaphorical pile of shit earlier she could manage on her own. He sipped a cup of coffee and wondered how soon he could suggest leaving.
‘Your friend’s an interesting woman.’ Mary-Jo appeared by his elbow, balancing Lulu on herhip and nodding in Fee’s direction.
‘She’s a guest, that’s all.’
‘Yeah, right.’ His cousin sniggered. It must be his day for women finding him funny in the wrong sort of way. ‘I wonder how she ended up here?’
He shrugged. ‘She mentioned a friend telling her about Black Cherry Retreat but didn’t give me any name so I’m not sure.’
‘Are you as dumb as you look, Tom?’
What had he said now?
‘When Fee told me her full name I knew who she was right away.’
Tom had noticed she wrote Freebird on her registration form but hadn’t questioned it. ‘She’s got a weird name, so what?’
Mary-Jo rolled her eyes. ‘I guess I picked up on it because of this semester’s photography course I’m taking but you’re always glued to the news so didn’t yourecognise it?’
‘Get on with it, kid. I don’t have a goddamn clue what you’re on about.’
She wagged her finger in his face and her eyes danced with mischief. ‘Language. If my mama hears you she’ll bat you from one end of the cafe to the other. Don’t you remember the story about six months ago of a French photojournalist being blown up in Kabul?’
‘Maybe.’
‘The photosended up on the front of every newspaper in the world. And the woman who took them as it happened right in front of her?’ Mary-Jo persisted. ‘That was none other than Freebird Winter, winner of three Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other prestigious awards for her work in hotspots around the world. She’s a legend in the photographic community.’
Tom cursed, well under his breath this time.‘Did you tell Fee you’d recognised her name?’ Mary-Jo shook her head. ‘Good. Don’t.’
‘Why not? I bet if my media professor knew she was here he’d give anything to have her come talk to us.’
‘I’m serious.’ He grabbed Mary-Jo’s elbow. ‘Don’t you dare say a word. If she wants to tell us that’s one thing. Otherwise she’s a guest and we respect her privacy.’
She jerked out ofhis grasp, rubbing at her arm. ‘All right, don’t be a bully. I can keep a secret if I have to.’
‘Good. I…’
Mary-Jo flashed him a warning smile and he shut up as Fee came over to stand next to them. ‘Next time you come to town we’ll get ice cream at Suzy-Beth’s.’
‘What is it with your family trying to stuff ice cream into me?’ Fee joked. He struggled not to overreact asher cool blue eyes, the mesmerising colour of the sky on a cold December day, rested on him. ‘Would you mind if we went back to the Retreat?’
‘No problem,’ he said. ‘I’ll say goodbye to everyone and we’ll be off.’
Five minutes and they were back in his truck heading out of town complete with a chicken and rice casserole and apple pie his aunt foisted on him on the way out of thedoor.
‘You’re a lucky man.’
Fee’s quiet, steady words touched him. At a wild guess he’d say she either didn’t have family or wasn’t close to them; neither of which he could imagine in his worst nightmares and he’d had plenty of those. ‘Yeah, I know.’
They made the rest of the drive in silence and as he turned off the main road Tom’s brain raced. Should he drop Fee off ather cabin or invite her in for coffee? When the resort came into sight he was no nearer to making a decision.
