The Single Dad's Holiday Wish by Susan Carlisle

Author:Susan Carlisle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Medical
Published: 2020-09-22T14:23:25+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

CARTER RETURNED DOWNSTAIRS to find Liz in the kitchen cleaning up the mess from making decorations that he and Ryan had left on the table. Their dessert plates were already in the dish drainer. Efficiency must be her middle name.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I don’t mind. I helped make the mess.” She kept working, not looking at him. “I’ll finish up and then go.”

He went to the sink and filled a large glass with water. “I need to make sure the fire’s out. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

When he returned, Liz was moving the place mats back into place.

“Leave that.” He took her hand and led her to the living room where all the lights were off except for the tree. “Let’s sit and enjoy the lights for a few minutes. I’d like to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”

“Nothing.”

They settled on the couch but not too close and not touching. He didn’t want to scare her off. He huffed. “I can’t believe a woman as intelligent as you has nothing on her mind.”

“I was just thinking how pretty the tree is. You guys did a great job.”

Why he pushed her so, he didn’t know. Something about Liz made him think she needed a friend, needed to feel needed, wanted someone to share her thoughts with. Why he believed he should be that person he had no idea, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“It wasn’t us that made it look great. We just followed your lead. By the way, I saw those tears you were holding back when you saw it. What was that about?”

“I think you need to have your sight checked.”

Carter cupped her chin and turned her face toward him. “You aren’t a good liar, Liz Poole.”

She sighed. “I enjoyed making the ornaments with you and Ryan. It was special. For me, Christmas has already come. Today was a real gift.” She nodded toward the tree. “To be included.”

“Included?” What could she be talking about? She had been included all day.

“Y’all hung my hand along with yours.”

“Sure, we did.” Why did she think they wouldn’t? “You showed us how to make them. We wouldn’t leave you out.”

Her gaze met his. “Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome.” He continued to hold her gaze. “You don’t like feeling left out, do you?”

She looked down, picking at a fingernail. “Who does?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true, but something tells me you feel it more acutely than most.”

“I got over that a long time ago.”

Carter knew that wasn’t true. Her behavior at the community party and the expression on her face when she’d arrived at the Mooresville Christmas event said something different. “How’s that?”

He feared that she might not answer by the look of apprehension on her face, but she said, “Let’s just say I wasn’t the party animal growing up. If it hadn’t been for my sister seeing that I was invited, I might never have gone to anything.”

“That was nice of her.” Much more so than the ornament story. “Would you tell me what happened to her?” He really wanted to know, to understand Liz.

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