Page 14 of Promise Me This Christmas
Guests began trickling down to the dining room at quarter to eight.First was her brother.Like their father, Carson was a big man, but in his jeans and T-shirt, it was clear his size was down to a large frame and lots of muscle.She couldn’t see an ounce of fat on him.
“Can I help with anything?”
“We’re good,” Amy said.“How was dinner at the Graff?”
“Great.Thanks again for letting me borrow your car.Ethel was really thrilled.”
And what about her granddaughter?Amy wondered.“Yesterday Ethel told me that you and Larkin used to be good friends.”
“That’s true.”Carson was turned away from her as he helped himself to coffee, but Amy heard something in those two words.Carson was trying too hard to sound casual.
Coffee in hand, Carson went to Robin’s high chair and tousled his nephew’s hair.“How are you this morning, bud?Think you’d like to go sledding with your uncle Carson?”
“It’s the perfect morning for it,” Amy said.“Sunny and mild.There’s a nice gentle hill in Bramble Park.”
“Awesome.We’ll go right after breakfast.After that I’m going to start some minor renovations at Ethel Carrillo’s house.Her contractor didn’t show up as promised, and she needs some work done before she can move back home after Christmas.”
“That’s good of you,” Chet said.“Feel free to borrow any tools you need.In fact, I’ve got time later today if you want help.”
“Thanks, Chet.I travel with a basic toolkit, but that’s it.”
“Check out the garage.You should find everything you need there.If not, you can borrow from my partner, Craig.He owns Denton Garage.Have you seen it?”
Carson nodded.“Good to know.This Craig must be a busy man if he has his own garage plus works with you at the rodeo school.”
“He enjoys interacting with the kids, same as me.The ones who already love rodeo are great to work with.But we get the most satisfaction when we see a moody, unhappy teenager really connecting with the animals.”
“A good horse can touch the hardest heart,” Carson agreed.
Through the open doorway Amy noticed Larkin and Ethel enter the dining room.Right away Carson hurried out to talk to them.Amy could hear the rumble of their voices as she cleaned Robin’s face and hands.
“Dough, dough!”
As soon as she set her son on the floor, he went straight for the box of toys they kept in the adjoining laundry room.Meanwhile more guests were arriving.First Kris, then the Kettles, who ordered nonfat lattes.At eight on the nose Gibson Adlington showed up, neatly dressed in a plaid shirt and dark-brown trousers.Amy smiled as she filled his water glass, hoping to get a smile in return, but he merely nodded and requested an Americano.
Jo came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.“Good morning, everyone.Today we’re serving early-riser gooey cinnamon buns and apple cinnamon muesli to start, followed by a cheddar broccoli frittata and cranberry chicken sausages.”
“Num,” Larkin said.“Everything sounds wonderful.”
“Doesn’t it?”Marjorie Kettles agreed.“If those cinnamon buns taste as good as they smell my waistline is in trouble.”
“Holiday calories don’t count,” her husband reminded her.
Instantly Amy decided she loved the man.
“Sounds far too rich for me,” Gibson said.
He would have to complain, thought Amy.“If you’re avoiding sugar, I’d skip the cinnamon buns.But everything else is quite healthy.We source the sausages locally and besides being delicious, they’re an excellent source of low-fat protein.”
“Is there no fresh fruit on the menu?”Gibson asked.
Amy held back a sigh.“We have freshly grated apple in the muesli and there are slices of oranges and grapefruits on the sideboard.”
Did Gibson thank her?No.Again he just nodded, leaving her—and probably the rest of the guests—with the impression that this was barely adequate.
About fifteen minutes after the main course had been served, Amy came out of the kitchen again.In her experience this was when guests liked to ask questions as they made their plans for the day.“So what is everyone up to today?”
“Peter and I are going skating at Miracle Lake,” Marjorie said.“Then we’ll have hot chocolate at that wonderful place on Main Street.”
