Sugar Plum Serenade (Seawolf Beach #2)

Chapter 18

Tuck had done his best to avoid running into his neighbor for the past few days. Coward . She was gone when he went to work and sleeping when he got home. If he occasionally glanced toward the blue house and wondered what she was doing, if she was sleeping soundly, if she dreamed of him. He quickly shook those thoughts off.

He should’ve made himself clear Friday night. He could’ve told her they were too different, that he wanted more, that she terrified him because when he allowed it he was certain he could have more with her.

When a man looked at a woman like Olive, he shouldn’t feel fear.

Christmas Eve had finally arrived. The elder Carsons had settled in. They’d be here for the next several days, doting on their grandchildren and their daughters, celebrating the holiday with family. The rest of this week and next, with the busy season over, the boutique would be closed. After that it would be Dawn’s problem, he supposed. She could hire part-time help or go back to work herself, though it seemed too soon to him. What did he know about new mothers ?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

He’d agreed to stop by the Woodward house for their annual Christmas Eve shindig weeks ago. Before he’d gotten involved with Olive, before he’d delivered Dawn’s baby, before he’d found out about Maude. He could just skip the thing, come up with an excuse, and spend the night at The Magnolia with all the other losers.

The problem was, he didn’t feel like a loser. It didn’t make any sense at all, but he wanted to see Olive before she left town. He needed to be sure that whatever they had was well and truly done.

It should be. But for some odd reason he had hope .

With so many people at the party, there wouldn’t be much parking. He walked from his house, taking slow, long strides, wondering with each step if he’d change his mind and turn back before he got to Mike’s house. He didn’t turn back; he didn’t stop. He continued to move forward, one steady step after another.

He wanted to see Olive one last time. He needed to be sure. Something perverse inside him wanted that glimmer of hope to survive, maybe even to grow.

He stopped on the sidewalk in front of the Woodward house. Even though he’d made it this far, turning back remained an option. The street was crowded with cars, as he’d known it would be. Through the big front window a huge Christmas tree with colorful lights twinkled. Beyond that tree were people, standing and talking, walking past, laughing. Even with his limited view he saw more than one ugly holiday sweater.

He’d been a soldier, years ago. He’d fought fires and delivered not one but two babies in stressful situations. But this… this was terrifying.

The front door opened, and Olive stepped onto the front porch. She closed the door behind her. “I thought that was you.”

Too late to run .

Tuck took a deep breath and walked to the porch. “Just catching my breath before I joined the chaos.”

She laughed. It was nice. “Well, come on in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

We?

Inside the chaos was real. Some of Mike and Dawn’s friends also had children, and they all seemed to be of an age where running and screeching was their default. All four grandparents were gathered around baby Nathaniel at the moment. The kid slept through the noise and background Christmas music, something old and mellow that sounded like Andy Williams, without a care in the world.

The last time he’d seen the kid, Nathaniel hadn’t been so clean and comfortable.

As he surveyed the crowd, Olive slipped away. Great. She didn’t want to be near him. He couldn’t blame her, not after the way he’d acted Friday night. Tuck said hello to a couple of guys he knew from the volunteer fire department, already wondering how long he had to stay, wondering even harder why he’d bothered to come.

Before he could come up with an excuse to leave, Olive, standing at the foot of the stairway, cleared her throat. At her direction, Mike stopped Andy Williams. He removed one record and replaced it with another, pausing with the turntable arm grasped between two fingers, waiting before starting the new music.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Olive began. “I give you the Sugar Plum Fairies.” She nodded and stepped down and out of the way.

Mike lowered the arm to play classical music Tuck recognized but could not name. Ava and Willow, dressed in colorful fairy costumes, danced down the stairs to a small section of floor space Olive had cleared for them .

They danced. Not well, but with enthusiasm and vigor. There were a few ballet moves in there, he recognized that much. Olive stood nearby and occasionally offered silent direction. Waving her hands, squaring her shoulders, reminding the girls of their steps when they forgot. The dance was sloppy, imperfect, and utterly charming.

Twice during the performance Olive looked his way and caught his eye. To make sure he hadn’t bolted? Would she chase him down if he did?

She’d hidden from Christmas for years, she’d been hurt. But this year she had a ballerina ornament on her little tree. She’d taught her nieces a dance. And she smiled through it all.

How could he let her go? How could he allow Olive to walk away? She was special. She was his . He’d known it all along.

When the show was over to tremendous applause, Olive hugged the girls, then headed his way. “They wanted to wait for you,” she said.

“You taught them, I guess,” he said.

“I did. It was more fun than I expected. I honestly didn’t think I had any love for ballet left in me, but… I do.” She took his hand and led him away from the tree, toward the kitchen.

When they passed Dawn, who sat in an easy chair, the new mother glared at them. “I told you…” she whispered.

“Too late, sister,” Olive said with a smile.

Dawn rolled her eyes, but she also grinned. Sister stuff?

“What was that about?” Tuck asked.

“It’s not important. She’ll get over it.” The kitchen was deserted, which seemed to be what Olive was looking for. She turned to face him. “I have something for you.”

She reached into the pocket of her Christmasy dress and pulled out a folded envelope.

“You can open this if you want to, or not. That’s your choice. But I couldn’t help myself. I had to do a little digging online. ”

He knew what was in that envelope. Relatives. Maybe an uncle with his nose or a cousin who also couldn’t stand cilantro.

His simple life was about to change, in so many ways. “If I decide to contact them, will you…”

“Hold your hand? You bet I will.”

He stuffed the envelope into his jeans pocket. “I was an ass Friday,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m not great at handling so much coming at me so fast.”

“Maude? Relatives?”

“And you.”

In a matter of weeks his entire life had changed. Not to most observers, but inside, in his heart and mind, everything had shifted. Between Maude and Olive, he hadn’t had a chance.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small gray bag.

“Are those…”

“Yes. Maude’s earrings. The ones she wants me to give to the woman I love.” He leaned in and kissed her. Damn, he’d wanted to do this for days. Since their night together had ended, since he’d realized how important she was to him and backed away because backing away was easier than sticking around and getting the shaft.

Take a chance. Put it all on the line.

“These are for you,” he said. “My grandmother wants me to give them to the woman I love, and that’s you, Olive. It will always be you. Take them.”

Her response was to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him again. She laughed lightly against his lips, held on tight, and when she pulled away, he saw that her eyes glistened with tears.

“Are those tears of joy or…”

She took the earrings from his hand. “I love you, too.”

This was all well and good, but there were still obstacles in their way. For the first time in his life, he was certain there were no obstacles they couldn’t overcome.

“When do you go back to Birmingham?” he asked. “I can leave The Magnolia in good hands and be out of here in a couple of weeks.”

“That won’t be necessary,” she said.

His heart dropped until she continued. “I’m not going back. Well, I’ll have to make a trip to finish up some business and get my stuff, but I’m about to become a Seawolf Beach resident. By mid-year the Sugar Plum Dance Academy should be up and running.”

But she didn’t dance .

Before he could respond Ava, still in her fairy costume, ran into the room. “Stop yelling!” she said.

Olive responded gently. “We’re not yelling.”

“Not you,” Ava said, lifting one arm to point to one side. “Her! She says her name is Granny Maude.”

“I thought she never left the depot,” Tuck whispered.

Olive nodded. “That’s what Anna said.”

“Granny Maude wants to say bye, and she wants you to dance.”

“Now?” Olive asked.

Ava nodded vigorously.

Andy Williams was back on the record player. The crooner’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” drifted into the kitchen. Tuck took Olive in his arms, and they began to move. “Sorry. I know you don’t dance.”

She smiled at him. “I can dance now. I want to dance. With you.”

He lifted Olive off her feet and swung her around. She laughed; he laughed.

Ava left the room, running as always. He couldn’t see her, but somehow he knew Maude was gone, too. She was no longer trapped, no longer caught between worlds.

His grandmother was where she was meant to be, and so was he.

The dance continued. He leaned in to brush his lips against a tempting earlobe, to kiss the neck just below, as he whispered,

“Olive, love, I will never drop you.”