The Pastor's Christmas Courtship Read online

“Thanks. I’d like to think the past twelve months haven’t been in vain.”

  “They weren’t. Which leaves me puzzled as to why you’re being let go.”

  He grinned. “Believe me, Jodi, it’s no mystery to me. There’s a lot that’s gone on behind the scenes that you know nothing about. Not all can look beyond my teen years—the drinking, the pranks, the attitude.”

  “Randall Moppert?”

  “Among others. But for my part, coming under leadership authority has been a struggle at times. I’m learning, but admit I do have a mind of my own. I haven’t always done things by the book. Haven’t exactly been a poster-child pastor. It hasn’t come as a surprise that there’s been no talk of a contract renewal.”

  “But I think a lot of people are expecting you to stay on.”

  “Which is all the more reason, if you wouldn’t mind, to keep this to yourself for the time being. I don’t want this parting of ways to cause a division in the church between those who might want me to stay and those who can’t get rid of me fast enough. I haven’t mentioned it to many, and right now I’d like to focus on what lies ahead and not look back.”

  “I understand.”

  All too well, in fact. God had a plan for Garrett’s life that clearly didn’t include her.

  Each lost in thought, they crossed the snowy ground leading to the old shed and put away the toboggans. Then she left Garrett to weed out the sports equipment as she headed back to the cabin and Dolly, her heart heavy.

  What if she took Brooke’s advice, though, and sought out a position with a new company, decided to work from home—could she perhaps work from Grandma’s cabin in Hunter Ridge? There would be no worries about Garrett being her pastor. No reason to confess her relationship with Kel or about the pregnancy or her waffling faith. While Garrett wouldn’t hold the former two issues against her, what would a minister do with an old friend whose faith had long ago hiked into the sunset?

  * * *

  Back in his office late that afternoon, Garrett stared out the window at the lightly falling snowflakes, unable to focus on his Sunday message preparation.

  He’d almost kissed Jodi.

  But this time she’d seen it coming and gotten herself out of the way. What was wrong with him? Jodi didn’t want her “big brother” kissing her. She hadn’t twelve years ago, and she didn’t now. Which is why he’d blurted out his plans to leave Hunter Ridge to set her fears at rest.

  She seemed taken aback by that news, but it eased the tension-filled atmosphere and diverted his thoughts from how good it had felt to hold her for those brief moments. To gaze into the depths of her eyes, remembering their first kiss and wanting from the very depths of his being to bring about a second.

  Fortunately, Jodi’s brain had still been functioning even if his hadn’t been.

  “Hey, Garrett, have a minute?”

  He looked up to see Sofia standing in the open doorway, Tiana and Leon in the background crowded around Melody’s desk, which was currently occupied by Marisela Palmer.

  “Come on in.” He rose and moved to the seating area, motioning her to sit down. “What’s on your mind?”

  “I need a man’s point of view,” she said, lowering her voice as she glanced almost furtively in the direction of Marisela and the kids.

  “What’s up?”

  “Drew.”

  “Ah.” With Sofia, it always had something to do with Drew. He eased himself down into the chair opposite her.

  “I learned from Mel Benito, who sometimes serves as an aide to Drew, that Drew’s parents will be in Hawaii of all places on Christmas Day. It’s a spur-of-the-moment thing—his mom’s well-to-do best friend from college lives there now and sent them airline tickets.”

  “And?”

  “I’d like to invite Drew to my folks’ place for Christmas dinner.” She took a deep breath, then rushed on. “Has your family already invited him?”

  “At Hunter's Hideaway, it will be business as usual in the inn’s main dining room midday and enjoying a more private affair in the evening. You’d both be welcome to come to that.”

  “I’m not saying your family needs to invite him. Or me. I was merely wondering if—”

  “If he already has plans? His folks being gone is news to me, but I know they’re his only family hereabouts since his brother and sister moved away. So all I can say, Sofia, is if you’d like to invite him to your parents’ place, do it. Now. Once word gets out that he’s on his own for the holiday, he’ll be inundated with invitations.”

  “I know.” Her mouth took a downward turn. “Every unmarried woman within miles will be calling him. Their mothers and grandmothers, too.”

  “Make yourself one of them, then. The first.”

  Her forehead creased. “But what if he says yes to my invitation, then someone he’d rather spend the day with calls later? He’d be stuck with me.”

  Garrett frowned. “Sofia Ramos, no man in his right mind would consider spending time with you as being stuck. Trust me on this.”

  “I don’t want to look pushy like a few of the other women.”

  “He won’t think it’s pushy. I imagine he’ll appreciate joining a family for the day. I’ve seen him around your kids, and he seems to enjoy them.”

  She rose to her feet, a determined look on her face. “Okay, then, I’ll do it.”

  “Don’t delay.”

  When she and her children departed, he moved again to stare out the window. Open Drew’s eyes, Lord. When had his buddy gotten so thickheaded about women that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him?

  Of course, he should talk. Except for a short-lived relationship with river-running cohort Bena Darden that ended disappointingly when she couldn’t deal with the U-turn his life took after Drew’s accident, few women he’d dated since the night he’d kissed Jodi measured up. He’d gotten himself stuck, for whatever reason, in some teenage time warp. Probably, just like Drew, he’d obliviously passed up a dozen women who’d have made exceptional life partners.

  After coming close to kissing Jodi today, it was definitely time to get a grip and move on.

  Chapter Ten

  “Your family arrives when, Jodi?” At the conclusion of Sunday’s worship service, Marisela rose from the pew beside her. “Christmas Eve?”

  “Actually, the day before that, although my sisters’ husbands will drive up on Christmas Eve.”

  “I know you’re looking forward to seeing all of them.”

  She was—and she wasn’t.

  She’d been in Hunter Ridge a week now, and she’d accomplished so little that she’d intended to get done. Even with Dolly pitching in and with Garrett’s occasional assistance, the place was in no way ready to put on the market. This week, too, she needed to make further headway on the Christmas project, submit an online application to Brooke’s new company, and somehow get the house readied for a family gathering—one that would make a lasting memory for her nieces and nephew.

  “It’s been a year since I’ve seen them,” Jodi couldn’t help adding wistfully. “It’s a good thing my sisters send photos or I probably wouldn’t even recognize the kids.”

  “Your grandmother certainly would have loved that you’re all getting together. Just like old times.”

  “She would.”

  Marisela nodded toward the front of the church as chatting people secured coats and headed toward the doors, eager to get to a noontime meal. “Wasn’t Garrett’s message good this morning? That young man is exactly what this stagnating congregation needed. I foresee a bright future for Christ’s Church.”

  Obviously it hadn’t crossed her mind that church leaders were thinking otherwise.

  “Yes, a very good message.” And it had been. Given that he hadn’t even started on it when he’d left following th
eir toboggan run, it was especially amazing. Another clear indicator to her that Garrett’s God-given gifts were being put to good use here. But who was she to say God didn’t have a plan for him elsewhere?

  Marisela’s husband, Bert, leaned in. “Would you like to join some of us for lunch again? We’ll be heading to the Log Cabin Café.”

  “Thanks. I’d love to, but there are quite a few things I need to see to. Time is flying by so quickly.”

  “Don’t drive yourself too hard. That’s one of the dangers of our modern holiday season. No time to stop and smell the Christmas tree. You don’t want to overdo and come down with one of those colds that are going around.”

  She sure couldn’t afford to get sick. Although, if she came down with a cold, that might keep her sisters and their offspring at bay...

  When she stepped out into the bright sunshine, amazed at how quickly the snow was melting from the sidewalks and parking lot, she couldn’t help but notice the chatting cluster of people surrounding Garrett. His cousin Grady with a woman Jodi presumed to be his fiancée, Sunshine. A couple she remembered as his Uncle Dave and Aunt Elaine, the latter whom she’d heard was battling breast cancer. Drew, too. And Sofia, of course.

  It seemed every time she turned around, a smiling Sofia was at Garrett’s side. Which made her imaginings of Garrett’s intention to kiss her a few days ago seem even more absurd. Of course he hadn’t been about to kiss her after they’d collided on the snowy slope. Why would he settle for his tomboy childhood playmate when a perfect pastor’s—or missionary’s—wife always appeared to be hovering at his elbow?

  Petite. Feminine. Soft-spoken. She was a musically gifted and culinarily talented woman with two sweet children who would tug at any man’s heartstrings.

  Jodi altered her course to give the grouping a wide berth, but had just reached her pickup when Garrett jogged up.

  “Hey, Jode. Have a minute?”

  She held up an index finger. “One.”

  “Then let me make good use of it.”

  He glanced back at family and friends who were still visiting with each other, and Jodi caught Sofia’s lingering look in their direction before she turned again to Drew.

  “What’s up?”

  “That load of wood I promised? Sorry I haven’t gotten back with it yet. My sermon prep wasn’t coming easy yesterday and time got away from me. I figured you wouldn’t appreciate me banging around out back at eleven o’clock at night.”

  “No, I wouldn’t have. But the time you took for the morning’s message paid off. So no complaints here.”

  “You liked it?”

  “I did.” But once again, the words of his message had hit their unintended target. Or at least unintended by Garrett. God might have had a hand in hitting the bull’s-eye painted on her heart, though. Why was it so hard to believe, as Garrett had shared, that God wanted His children to forgive themselves, just as He had forgiven them?

  “Anyway,” Garrett continued, “if it’s okay with you, I’ll swing by this afternoon and drop off the firewood.”

  “Whatever’s convenient, but you may want to bring someone along to help unload and stack.” Sofia, maybe? “I’ll be out most of the afternoon.”

  He raised a brow in query, but she didn’t feel inclined to explain her planned run to Canyon Springs while the roads were clear. She’d thoroughly explored Hunter Ridge last week, trying to find a replacement for Grandma’s missing baby Jesus, but to no avail. A few phone calls to the neighboring town, however, turned up a possibility at a little gift shop that was part of a hotel and restaurant there. Kit’s Lodge.

  “I can do that.” He scuffed the toe of his shoe in a crusty patch of snow. “So...do you have your tom all picked out?”

  “Tom?”

  “Tom turkey. For Christmas dinner. Grandma always says one day of refrigerator thawing for every four pounds, so keep that in mind. A twenty or twenty-five pounder for that crew you’re expecting could take five or six days—or more.”

  She laughed. Who did he think he was talking with here, Rachael Ray? “I’m not cooking a turkey. You know me better than that.”

  He clasped his hand to his heart. “I thought you were supposed to be delivering a Christmas just like your grandma used to give you and your sisters.”

  “I did come across her roasted butternut squash recipe. One for corn-bread dressing, too. And ginger apple cranberry sauce. But if I’m not messing with a home-cooked turkey, I don’t see any point in burning the kitchen down trying to make side dishes or risk an ER run for family-wide food poisoning. My sisters can live with catering from Diamond’s grocery store. After all, when I was back for Christmas last year, we all went out to a nice restaurant. The kids won’t know the difference.”

  “Are you kidding me? That kind of substitution borders on sacrilegious.”

  She shrugged. No doubt Sofia could fix a turkey with one hand tied behind her back. Probably homemade rolls, too. And mashed potatoes without lumps. “Christmas dinner is all about people, right? And Jesus, of course. You know what the Bible has to say about those whose god is their stomach. Road to destruction and all that.”

  “I think you’re taking that out of context.”

  “So sue me.” She opened the driver’s-side door and slid in behind the steering wheel.

  “This isn’t over, Jodi. You owe it to those kids to give them a real taste of old-fashioned Christmas.”

  “Not. Going. To. Happen.” She pulled the door closed and started up the engine, unable to keep a straight face at Garrett’s look of dismay. With a cheerful wave, she backed out of the parking space and headed off for lunch and a bit of shopping in Canyon Springs.

  But she couldn’t help but look in her rearview mirror as he stood there starting after her, then abruptly turned away and strode back to Drew...and Sofia.

  * * *

  Jodi was having Christmas dinner catered.

  Garrett stacked a final armful of split, seasoned wood in an iron rack located not too far from the back porch of her grandparents’ place. Close enough to bring a few logs inside as needed, but not close enough to harbor bugs and critters that might like to slip inside the cozy cabin.

  Catered. That was almost blasphemous in small-town America, wasn’t it? She’d made reference to a kitchen burning and food poisoning, but surely she was underrating her culinary skills. She’d been living on her own for years back in Philly. Surely she hadn’t existed solely on cream cheese, pretzels and cheesesteak.

  Jodi was messing with him. That’s all.

  He returned to the back of his SUV a few more times, hauling the remaining armfuls of wood to the side porch to get things started when Jodi’s family arrived. Generously donated by his folks, the entire load was a bit more than needed for the following week. He covered the larger stacked pile with a canvas tarp to keep the wood dry, then, back at the SUV, he shook wood chips out of the heavy plastic sheet with which he’d lined the back interior, rearranged things neatly, and secured the tailgate.

  He glanced at his watch. Four thirty. Not too much longer and the sun would set, but no sign of Jodi. Where’d she gotten off to? Not that it was any of his business. But the temperature was dropping, and from the looks of the sky, another snow system might be moving in. Big brothers had to look out for little sisters.

  He bit back a groan. Little sister. Right.

  As he opened the driver’s-side door, he glanced back at the cabin. A lot of good memories had been made here. He could see why Star and Ronda wanted to share them with their kids before the place sold. Why they counted on Aunt Jodi to make it happen.

  Yeah, Jodi was just messing with him with all that talk of catering Christmas dinner. She had every intention of pulling out all the stops for her nieces and nephew but, Jodi-like, was giving him a hard time.

  Shaking his head, he
climbed into his vehicle and fastened his seat belt, unable to suppress a grin at how she’d had him going.

  But just in case it wasn’t all talk, he’d better come up with a backup plan...

  * * *

  Jodi came home empty-handed.

  The baby Jesus of a size similar to her grandma’s set sold out before she got there. When she’d called on Saturday, the person she’d talked to hadn’t been inclined to sell any of the nativity pieces separately. After all, what other customer would want to purchase a crèche without the star of the show? She’d have had to buy the entire set, which she’d been prepared to do. But with three still in stock, she hadn’t had the foresight to ask them to hold one for her.

  At least Kit’s Lodge offered a fabulous Sunday menu and, when a very pregnant Kara Kenton and her husband, Trey, saw her coming out of the adjoining gift shop, they invited her to join them for lunch. Kara said their church was still receiving generous donations, so hopefully—even if Christ’s Church fell short—there would be more than enough when they combined their projects.

  But now on Monday morning, Jodi was back to searching the cabin for the missing baby Jesus. She couldn’t have the kids racing down the stairs on Christmas Day to an empty manger. That would give them a memorable Christmas, all right. Jesus a no-show.

  But where had He gotten off to?

  Once again she emptied out the box that held the crèche and figurines, the pieces now arranged on the console table, but with no success. Maybe she’d find Him in one of the other decoration boxes. But even though she and Dolly had thoroughly cleaned the bedrooms and main room, she wasn’t ready to drag out all the holiday trappings to look. She didn’t even have a Christmas tree for the kids yet. Star and Ronda wanted a live tree like Grandma always had—one with a root ball that could be planted on the property in the spring, which meant a trip to the local landscape nursery.

  Wandering into the kitchen, she looked down at her lengthy to-do list on the countertop and shook her head. She’d known she’d be busy getting the cabin ready to put on the market, but where were the hours she’d hoped to fill with quiet contemplation? Time to weigh the pros and cons of relocating overseas or leaving SmithSmith altogether. Time to finally come to terms with the impact Kel, Anton and her unborn child were having on her life.