Christmas in Kings Grove: Kings Grove, Book 5 by Stewart Delancey

Author:Stewart, Delancey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

9

Tuck

I didn't see Annie the next day, but I thought about her almost every moment. I thought about the way she'd looked at me at the diner—like a woman caught in some kind of trap. And I spent a little time thinking about her brother's malevolent gaze, too. It was clear he didn't like me, but I couldn't put my finger on why.

That said, I wasn't about to let Annie's brother determine what would happen between us. And I was more sure than ever that I wanted there to be something between us. I wanted there to be an "us," no matter how great the risk of things not working out.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

But Johnny seemed determined to keep me away from his sister, judging by his behavior at the cookie-decorating event.

I showed up at five, as requested, to find Annie and Johnny both there already, along with an older man who had the same glowing, almond eyes as Annie and her brother.

"Tuck," Annie said, smiling at me in a way that made my insides feel melty and warm. "This is my dad, Amos."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," I said, shaking his hand.

"You're an Aussie!" The older man seemed delighted by this realization, and he grinned at me.

"A foreigner," Johnny said, spitting the word out between us.

"True enough," I said, trying not to take offense. "But I've been in the States almost a decade now."

Johnny took his sister's elbow and steered her into the clubhouse, leaving me outside with Amos.

"I had a good friend from Brisbane when I was younger," he told me. "We met overseas when I was doing some traveling after my time in the military."

I liked this man immediately—his open warmth was so much like Annie's. "Where did you serve, sir?"

"I was a Marine,” he said. "Did one tour during the eighties. Served in Panama, but ended up traveling for a while after that. Met my Aussie friend in Brazil on holiday."

"Sounds like an adventure," I told him.

He pointed at my camera. "You make movies?"

"Used to," I said. "But I'd like to stay here for a bit, and there aren't a lot of big budget films going on up here, you know? I’m just helping Annie out for now."

He nodded, and a little smile flickered over his lips. "That's good, I think." He lifted his head and looked around. "Guess we're supposed to get these games set up out here."

I helped him set up a couple ring toss pits and put together the bungees for the three-legged race. The air had turned cold during the afternoon, and by the time families began arriving at six, there were far more people inside decorating cookies than there were outside playing games.

I filmed everything, from a tiny toddler smearing himself with frosting to Dot and Annie laughing over cups of cider as they took a quick break. I managed to get Johnny smiling with his dad, and got plenty of great shots of the few folks who ventured out into the cold to play some games.

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