Miracle on I-40 by Curtiss Ann Matlock

Author:Curtiss Ann Matlock [Matlock, Curtiss Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christmas Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1988-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

Hearts Revealed

Lacey decided whatever had transpired between Jon and Cooper was definitely welcome. It had served to bring about a mellow atmosphere in the truck cab. Cooper no longer turned off the Christmas carols when they came on the radio, and he didn’t even scowl when Jon and Anna began singing along with Jingle Bells. Lacey dared to join in, and lo and behold, Cooper shot them all what could have passed for a grin—at least for him.

The next song was Joy to the World, and they sang that, too, then listened attentively to the weather report. A winter storm was pushing down from the north. Although the weather forecasters did not think it would make it far into Arkansas and Tennessee, there was a chance.

“We’ll get to Grandpa’s and Grandma’s by Christmas Eve, won’t we?” asked Anna, who poked forward from the sleeper. “I have to be there to get the puppy Santa is bringin’ me,” she said, directing her words at Cooper.

“We’ll get there for Christmas Eve, honey,” Lacey said quickly.

“Santa’s bringin’ me a puppy,” Anna told Cooper. When he didn’t reply, she leaned toward him and peered at his face. “Cooper, didn’t Santa bring you presents when you were a kid?”

Lacey sucked in a breath. He glanced quickly at Anna by way of his rearview mirror, then focused on the road.

“I guess he did...I can’t remember.”

“You said you didn’t believe in him,” Anna said.

Cooper looked at a loss—and quite annoyed. “I guess I don’t.”

“Maybe that’s why you never got anything,” Anna said.

Lacey unsnapped her seatbelt. “Anna, honey, let’s get in the back and take a nap. I’m really tired.”

* * * *

Lacey awoke and carefully extricated herself from the bed and the two sleeping children, and moved up front to the passenger seat. She may have imagined it, but she thought Cooper’s expression a welcoming one. He instantly put out his cigarette, and the next moment he said, “I’ve got some coffee left, if you want some. There’s a clean cup in there.”

“Oh, thank you.” She poured them each coffee, then pulled the last of the pecan pie from the tote bag and passed the piece to him.

“I don’t want to take the last piece,” he said.

“Go ahead. The kids have had plenty of sugar.”

“Thanks.” His expression was uncharacteristically and amusingly boyish.

Turning from this, she gazed out the window and watched the scenery roll past, taking note of the darkening skies. She felt tired all of a sudden, in the way one often did in the middle of some great expectation— the great expectation being for a special Christmas with her family, but now added to it was this trip with Cooper. She had not expected any of this with him and had not had enough time to sort or even give name to her myriad of contradictory feelings.

She was sorting through a few of them, or trying to, at that moment, when Cooper said, “Guess your parents are anxious about you comin’.”

“Oh...” She was a little startled by the fact that he had actually said something of a conversational nature.

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