Home for Christmas by Kathryn Shay

Author:Kathryn Shay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christmas romance, second chance at love, single parent romance, fathers and sons in books, books about twins, holiday romance in books, secret identitiy
Publisher: Kathryn Shay

CHAPTER NINE

WHEN KATE ENTERED the bookstore Monday morning, Ruth turned from the register to greet her. “Good morning.” Quickly, she frowned. “You look tired, dear. Didn’t you sleep well?”

Smoothing her hands down her plain navy slacks and tugging at the matching sweater, Kate offered a slight smile. “Yes, of course I slept.”

The girl was a terrible liar. Even yesterday, she and Rachel had known something was bothering Katie. And Ruth was sure their long-lost nephew was responsible.

Shrugging out of her coat, Kate walked toward Ruth. Up close, her pretty hazel eyes were bloodshot, her face was pale and her freckles stood out in stark relief. “Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, no, Rachel and I were too excited to sleep. We talked all night.”

As if on cue, Rachel bustled into the store, her step light, her eyes sparkling. Like Ruth, she’d dressed in a smart Chanel suit, hers of green wool, Ruth’s dark rose. They had much to celebrate today.

“Good morning, Katie,” Rachel said. “My dear, are you all right?”

“Yes, of course.” Again, Kate struggled to smile. “Especially if you two are.”

“Oh, we’re wonderful.” As she reached Kate and Ruth, Rachel asked, “Shall I pour you some coffee?”

Kate looked around the store. “Is, um, is Jacob here?”

“No, he’s still asleep. And we’re glad.” Rachel set down the mugs of coffee she’d poured for them and reached out to squeeze Kate’s arm. “We need to talk to you before he gets up.”

Kate swallowed hard and sank onto an overstuffed chair.

Ruth and Rachel exchanged a quick look, then Ruth spoke. “We know it must be a shock to discover that Abraham owned the bookstore.” She hesitated. “We never told you.”

“You didn’t owe me an explanation like that, Ruth. The store wasn’t mine.” Her voice trembled at the admission. “It doesn’t matter who it belonged to.”

A quick flash of temper came and went in Rachel’s eyes. “In every way that mattered this store was yours, Katie. You should expect more in life.”

“It’s not good to expect too much,” Kate said, averting her gaze.

“In any case,” Ruth went on, “we didn’t tell you about the store and the farmhouse because Abraham asked us not to. We never knew why.”

“Truthfully,” Rachel added, “we just assumed he’d left it to you when he died.”

Kate didn’t comment, just sipped from her mug. Ruth was alarmed by her docility.

“And in a way, he did,” Rachel said gently. “If Jacob hadn’t returned to claim it, the store would have gone to you.”

Color suffused her cheeks. “Jay told you that?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t he?”

Sinking back into the chair, Kate shrugged. “Why did Abraham do that, do you think’?”

A motherly gentleness was evident Rachel’s face. “He loved you, dear.”

“I cared about him, too.”

“He loved you like a daughter, Katie.” Ruth’s tone was impassioned. “As do we. And now we’re worried about you financially, even more than we were before. We’re hoping, of course, that you’ll stay on at the store, but we don’t know Jacob’s plans, and we don’t want to pressure him when we’ve just gotten him back.

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