Her Christmas Hero. Lorraine Beatty

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СКАЧАТЬ creative juices were already flowing. She’d come up with a dozen ideas, and with the budget she’d been given she shouldn’t have any trouble seeing them through. She and Evan had made a tour of downtown yesterday and explored some of the neighborhoods. If she could get enough of the business owners on the square motivated, she could make Christmas in Dover an event people flocked to each year. She could see it growing steadily and someday being named in the top ten attractions in the South. Maybe even a feature article in Southern Living magazine.

      She chuckled softly. She was getting ahead of herself. First she had to get her ideas approved.

      “Hey, Mom. What’cha doing?”

      Gemma smiled as her son joined her on the porch. “Looking over some work for tomorrow. Did you run out of time on your video game?” She’d set strict limits on the amount of time Evan could spend on his games.

      “Yes, ma’am. Can I play under those trees until dark?”

      “Sure.”

      Refocusing on the file, her confidence wavered. She had a lot to accomplish between now and December 1. Thankfully the Chamber heads were eager for her to succeed. And she needed to succeed. Failure meant accepting help from her parents. She’d imposed on Caroline long enough, and moving back home would be emotional suicide. But with a mountain of debt, working as a low-level accountant would barely provide a living for her and Evan.

      Gemma ran her hands through her hair, staring up at the passing clouds. As long as she could remember her parents had pressured her and her older sister, Beatrice, to achieve greatness. Nothing less would do. Her father, a well-known professor of political science, and her mother, head of a large private foundation, had expected even more from their daughters. Bea had done her part by earning her doctorate.

      Gemma was the black sheep. Her creative bent had been a puzzlement to her parents, something they didn’t understand or condone. To them it was a waste of time to draw or paint. She’d fought them her whole life, even down to taking piano lessons. If she wasn’t going to be a concert pianist, what was the point?

      She’d compromised by getting a second degree in accounting, but she had no intension of getting her CPA—an achievement her parents ceaselessly pressured her to attain. Accounting was a handy skill to have to fall back on, but event planning was her passion.

      Determined to prove herself and carve out her own life, she’d started Fine Day Events with her good friend Darren. Their business had been a huge success, fulfilling all of Gemma’s hopes. Until Darren had betrayed her and destroyed her dream.

      But she’d learned her lesson. This time she would rely only on her own skills and abilities. She was an exceptional event planner, and she would turn Dover’s holiday celebrations into something everyone in south Mississippi would flock to see.

      Nothing would stand in her way.

      * * *

      Linc’s cell phone rang the moment he changed the channel to ESPN and settled back for a distracting game on Monday Night Football. He groaned and picked up his phone. Mom. Maybe she was coming home. Finally. “Mom. How’s it going?”

      “Fine. I was just calling to ask you if you’d made our new tenant comfortable. I want her to feel welcomed so I hope you’re going by and checking on her.”

      “I’m not the welcoming committee, Mom. I’m sure if she needs anything she’ll ask.”

      “Does she have your number?”

      “I don’t know.”

      “John Lincoln, you make yourself available to that young woman. She’s taking on a big job and we need to be there for her.”

      “Mom, I have my hands full trying to run the business. I don’t have time to play host.”

      “Do you know if she’s met with the Chamber folks yet?”

      Linc rubbed his forehead. “No. I’ve only spoken to her once.”

      “Son, I’ve dumped a big project in her lap and I’m not there to guide her. I want you to attend those meetings and make sure she has all she needs. You’ve helped me with Christmas events several times and you know what to do.”

      “Mom, maybe it’s time you came home. We miss you. Especially now. Tori’s not doing well. If you were here you could help this woman yourself. It would keep you busy and your mind off...things.”

      “You think keeping busy will make me forget I lost the man I’ve loved for nearly forty years?”

      His mother’s harsh tone humbled him. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

      “I’ll be home soon. I promise. And I’ve been talking to your sister. She just needs to work through this in her own way. In the meantime, you watch over Gemma. She’s a good friend and I want her to know we’re supporting her.”

      “Friend? Mom, how do you know this woman?”

      “Remember the retirement party for Harvey Morgan? She’s the one who planned that whole thing. It was amazing. I went to tell her what a splendid job she’d done and we connected right away. I think she’s exactly what Dover needs to spark up the Christmas events.”

      What was going on? “The events are just fine the way they are.”

      “Be that as it may, will you do as I ask and look out for her?”

      “Fine. I’ll pay her a visit tonight.”

      “Thank you, dear. I love you.”

      “Love you, too, Mom.”

      Linc hung up, then lay his head on the back of the recliner. So much for the football game. He needed downtime, a few hours of mindless distraction from the pressure at the office. The last thing he wanted to do was play gracious host to the new tenant. In fact, he’d like to avoid the woman altogether. Something about her disturbed him, but he wasn’t sure what or why. He’d even dreamed about her last night. Not a good thing.

      He didn’t understand why his mother was so concerned about the woman handling the job. Mom had the decorations and celebrations down to a science. All that Gemma had to do was follow the plan from the previous years and it would be a breeze. But, as he’d promised his mom, first he’d make her feel welcomed.

      Leveraging himself from the recliner, he went to the freezer in the utility room and pulled out one of his mom’s frozen pecan pies. Her standard welcome-to-the-area offering.

      Slipping on his athletic shoes, he didn’t bother to tie the laces. This would be a quick howdy-do. He’d hand her the pie, offer her his assistance, then get back to the game. The Saints had the ball.

      All the lights in the cottage were blazing when he knocked on the door. He shifted impatiently as he waited. He’d reached out to knock again when the door opened and Gemma appeared. The lights from inside framed her in a soft glow, making her skin translucent and her reddish-blond hair spark with light. She was stunning. His mouth went dry and he forgot why he was here. “Uh. My mom, I mean, I brought you a pie. Pecan pie.” He went warm all over. What was wrong with him? He never had trouble talking to women, but for some reason he was as tongue-tied and awkward СКАЧАТЬ