Journey of the Magi (7 page)

The fire chief directed the men to hook up hoses and spray the building. The freezing air turned the water to ice, quickly coating the scorched exterior.

Noel couldn’t stop watching until the entire building was engulfed. The ice-encased shell had a surreal beauty, reflecting the darting flames and blue lights. People crowded around, patting her arm and then going over to Dan.

“Don’t worry about this mite. I’ll take care of her,” the vet said before he picked up Harriet.

Noel gave him an absent nod and kept her gaze on Dan.

He’d joined the volunteers in their efforts. His shoulders strained while he helped lay hose. She prayed everything would be all right.

Her emotions finally caught up to Noel. She kept Nicholas close to her chest and held on to Holly’s hand like an anchor as she stumbled to the car.

Her jacket and purse had been in her room. Thank goodness she had a spare key tucked under the wheel well and a light coat in the backseat. She shifted the children inside and collapsed in the driver’s seat. Her wallet lay where she’d forgotten it after filling the tank with gas.

“Do you need anything?” Dan leaned in the open door. He touched her cheek with sooty fingers.

“No. Don’t worry about me,” Noel murmured.

Blue light painted his face a haggard gray and his voice was rough. Someone had loaned him a heavy coat that fit too tightly over his wide shoulders and revealed his tired slump. Dirt streaked his cheeks.

She eased from the car. Her legs were still wobbly, and she joined Dan where he slumped against the fender. His stare fixed on the dying fire. His clothes stank of burned wood.

Noel ached to soothe away the heart-sickening pain cutting lines on his face. She wound her arms around his waist.

“It’s a total loss,” he said. “Everything I worked for is destroyed. I’ll have to start all over again.”

“Oh, Dan. I’m so sorry. What can I do?” She clutched him tighter, her throat raw and her eyes burning. A deep sigh lifted his chest under her cheek before she burrowed against him. Her eyes burned, but she’d run out of tears.

He eased his hand free and stroked it over her hair. “There’s nothing here for you. Please. Be safe. Go home.”

“No,” she protested. Everything in her begged to help him. “I’ll stay.”

His dark eyes filled with shadows when he held her away from him, his hands firmly gripping her shoulders. His jaw set like granite.

“It’s a total loss, Noel. I don’t even know where I’m going to sleep. There’s no place at the farm, unless I use a stall in the barn. At least you’ll have a house,” he said. His voice was so hoarse she had to strain to understand.

“But...” She gulped. If she started to cry, she wouldn’t be able to stop. Dan didn’t need to worry about her, and she cared too much to demand it. She shivered before she swallowed her tears.

Her lips parted to tell him she loved him, but she kept the words inside. Dan didn’t need another burden. He was right. Her heart cracked before she nodded. She longed to straighten his tangled hair, but her arms dropped to her sides.

“Keep your promise to Holly. Go home for Christmas.” He pressed a tired kiss to her chapped lips. “You turn that phone on. I’ll let you know what happens.”

“I can stay,” she whispered. She fumbled to remove the cell phone from her pocket, her fingers unsteady when she complied.

“Please. Go. I can’t deal with all this until I know you’re safely on your way.”

****

Dan’s world lay in charred and broken pieces. The old frame structure had fallen in on itself and the remains lay beneath his boots. Fatigue settled on his shoulders and dragged him down. The rising sun cast long shadows across the wreckage of his business. He bent to move a scorched two-by-four aside. Blackened bits crumbled under his fingers and he stared at the flakes.

This was his life. All he had left after years of hard work. His neighbors and friends had done their best, but it wasn’t enough.

There was nothing left of his plans to provide a life with Noel except ashes.

He rubbed his hands over his bristled cheeks and groaned aloud. Noel was gone. Loneliness cut his gut like glass shards. It was for the best. The kids needed stability, not the train wreck his life had become.

She’d offered to stay, but for what?

“We found the cause.” The fire chief caught him by the arm and helped him to his feet. “Looks like an electrical fire in the exhaust fan. Tom says you were already planning to replace it, so the insurance company won’t be a problem.”

Dan had thought he’d reached bottom but he felt the earth crumble under his boots.

“I didn’t pay the premium,” he admitted, his tongue numb. He thought of the tires he’d bought for Noel’s car. At least she was safe. He swayed as his bones turned to gelatin.

“Naw, George said he’ll make sure you get a check as quick as possible.” The chief turned and shouted for the insurance man to join them.

Dan blinked to clear his eyes. George’s fancy suit and boots had been replaced by the same fire gear as the rest of the volunteers. He ignored the soot on his manicured fingers while he shook Dan’s hand.

“Quite a loss, Dan. Good thing you have coverage.”

“But I don’t,” Dan protested, bewildered by his friend’s assurance.

“Well, Noel made me promise not to tell you, but she paid for December’s premium with her tips.”

Dan sat abruptly, his legs folding like paper under him. Luckily he landed on a crusted snowbank.

Noel paid it? He remembered her bitterness about her husband’s lapse and closed his eyes. She’d helped him when she had so little for herself and her children. A tear leaked from under his lids.

How stupid he’d been. He wanted to kick himself. When he refused her offer to stay and help, the pain in her eyes had almost shattered him.

He needed to tell her it was the shock that made him push her out, that and his pride. He was the one others depended on. Molly and Ella, Ernie and Noel were the latest in a long line. He had to admit he’d avoided being in anyone’s debt until Noel arrived and turned his feelings upside down.

He’d been a fool to send her away, but that was something he could fix.

Chapter Six

Noel’s hands shook from the combination of excitement and fear. Tonight was Christmas Eve. The long drive was over. Luckily she’d found motels along the way that included breakfast and stretched her funds. Carols whispered from the radio. Stopping every few hours to feed Nicholas and let Holly run had eaten away the time. Holly had fallen asleep during the last long hour so her pestering was silenced.

Every day she had called Dan and assured him they were doing fine, but their brief exchanges weren’t enough. The Nash’s cold steering wheel squealed reluctantly as she turned into the gravel driveway.

Home. After all these years, she was home. She blinked away happy tears before she peered through the windshield for her first glimpse. The big old house hunkered under protective snow-laden pines. Frost coated the windshield glass and kept her from seeing details.

Noel held her breath as her heart thumped. No. She’d finally admitted “home is where the heart is” and her heart was with a man in a tiny town in Minnesota. She’d missed Dan every minute of every mile they traveled. Tonight she’d tell him she loved him and wanted to be with him.

Noel grinned when she pictured his reaction. Her foot lifted from the accelerator and her eyes widened. Lights blazed in every window of the two-story farmhouse. A full moon rose from behind the trees and spread a glistening path before them over the deep snow.

She pressed her hand over her quivering lips. It looked so welcoming. Her neighbor had the power turned on and the drive plowed and sanded. The tires spun and hummed over the packed surface until she parked close to the front steps. Noel’s thoughts raced as she opened the car door.

Her boots crunched in the snow, and she wound her green scarf around her neck to keep out the wind. From here she could see a wreath, red bow and all, hung on the front door.

The cell phone waited to call Dan, but first she’d get a fire going for heat, and feed the children. She couldn’t wait to let him know she was heading back to Minnesota.

Bending to wake Holly, she thought she heard his deep voice.

“Noel! Noel!” His repeated shout jerked her upright.

Surprise locked her in place when Dan leaped down the steps toward her. Laughter bubbled free before she flung herself into his embrace. Harriet bounced around their feet like a rubber ball on steroids.

“Dan! What are you doing here?” Her heart raced with joy.

His warm lips smothered her questions, and Noel forgot everything but being in his arms.

“I’ll explain everything, but first we’ll get the kids inside,” he finally whispered, slowly releasing her.

Noel nodded. After kicking off their snowy boots outside the door, they carried the sleeping children into the house.

She was rocked with memories of Christmas. Just as during her childhood holidays, a blazing fire filled the stone hearth of the living-room fireplace and the smell of homemade beef stew filled the air.

A huge Christmas tree decorated with strings of lights sat in the corner of the living room. Her grandparents’ old-fashioned ornaments overflowed from boxes on the floor.

Dan waved at the tree. “After we eat, you and Holly can hang the ornaments.”

Her mouth curved with happiness at his thoughtfulness. Her weariness slipped away after she relaxed.

Gaily wrapped gifts crowded a table against the wall, but the best present was his being here. Noel trembled after they settled Holly and Nicholas on the couch.

“Tell me,” she demanded. Her hand reached to touch him. She bit her lip to keep from shouting with joy—he was real. “What happened?”

“Mommy, are we home?” Holly interrupted.

“I guess this discussion will have to wait,” Noel said with a helpless shrug. Dan grinned.

Holly sat up and yawned widely. She scrubbed her eyes with her fists before she pointed at the fireplace. “Look, we have a place to hang stockings.”

“In one of these boxes is the one that was mine when I was little,” Noel said before she smiled at Dan. “She’s so excited.”

“Since I knew you’d be here tonight, I found one for Holly and one for Nicholas, too.”

“And what about you?” Noel questioned as his eyes gleamed with humor.

“One for me, too,” he assured her. His wide grin increased her joy.

Holly slipped from the couch to examine the colorful tree decorations. In a few minutes she noticed the tiny manger in its place of honor under the tree. After carefully studying the shepherds and three Magi, she pushed the Kings closer.

“Look, Mommy, they have gifts, too,” Holly exclaimed.

“Remember? The gifts are why they journeyed to see the holy family,” Dan said softly. “Giving gifts shows love.”

Holly nodded and bent to pet Harriet, and Noel turned to Dan.

“Tell me everything,” Noel murmured.

After he took her hand and kissed her fingers, his eyes shone like warm chocolate. “The building is gone, but my insurance man tells me a Christmas angel paid the premium. So I have a check coming, and I decided to see if that angel wants to be with me.”

“I want you more than I can say,” she whispered. All her longing burst like a huge bubble. “I love you, Dan.”

Suddenly, she was in his arms, home at last. She pressed her face into his chest and inhaled his familiar scent. She hadn’t known how much she needed him, until they were apart.

“And I love you. We’ll do whatever you want. This is a nice house, Noel. It wouldn’t take much to fix it up. That insurance check would be more than enough.” He stroked her hair, his hand gentle. “Rita let me inside when I explained who I am. She’s a romantic at heart.”

She lifted her head. “Did Rita also tell you she sells real estate? I talked to her earlier. A developer made an offer to buy the surrounding acreage, leaving ten acres and the house. I’ll have enough money to help you rebuild the café.”

“What? What did you say?” he asked, stunned with surprise.

“I don’t care where I live as long as it’s with you,” she murmured while she put her hand over his rapidly beating heart.

He gathered her close. “We don’t need to make a decision tonight. Just tell me you’ll marry me!”

He fumbled in his shirt pocket and removed a diamond solitaire. When she nodded, he slipped the gold band on her finger. It fit perfectly. She hadn’t thought she could be happier but felt a glowing haze surround them as they kissed.

“Where’s the cookies? And milk for Santa?” Holly shouted when she noticed a small table set with a plate and a glass. “You remembered we have to leave him a gift!”

“Have to bake fresh cookies after we eat, since he’ll be here later,” Dan agreed before he swung her into the air and gave her a noisy buss on the cheek. She giggled and he set her on the floor.

Nicholas stirred, and Noel sat with him in the kitchen while Dan served dinner. No longer shy, she fed the baby before consuming a bowl of stew. Holly impatiently wiggled while she waited.

“Can we make the cookies now? We have to hang the stockings, too. And Mommy is going to help me put stuff on the tree,” she huffed as if she’d been running.

“Our first Christmas together,” Noel said as they shared the moment. Dan leaned forward to press a kiss to her mouth before he tied an apron around Holly’s waist.

“Time to bake those chocolate chip cookies. Santa’s favorite,” he added with a wink at Noel.

Since he’d planned ahead, everything went smoothly despite Holly jumping from cookie mixing to hanging an ornament to petting Harriet. Noel laughed so much her ribs hurt.

She put Nicholas to bed and rejoined Dan and Holly in time to assist him when he placed an angel on top of the tree.

“It’s time for bed, Holly. You need to be asleep before Santa arrives,” Noel said before she hugged her.

“In a minute, Mommy,” she protested.

Dan returned from the kitchen. The filled milk glass already waited when he slid two cookies from the baking sheet to cool on the plate. Holly impatiently tugged on his pant leg.

“I’m going to open Santa’s gift now,” she declared. In her hand was the small gift from the Thanksgiving party. Frowning in concentration she untied the red and white ribbon before she carefully opened the box.