So Right With You (21 page)

As they were discussing a menu for the caterer, Leighton, Ree, and Harper arrived together.

“Are we too late for the party?” Leighton asked.

“I’m feeling a little outnumbered here. I see the gorgeous women, but where are the gorgeous men?” He approached each of the ladies, giving them each a hug and air-kisses.

“You are such a charmer, Carter. It’s a tragedy you don’t like to play with us girls. I could definitely get into playing Barbie for your Ken,” Harper remarked as he leaned in to hug her.

“If I did, you would be in terrible trouble, you naughty girl.” He beamed widely.

Once again, everyone got back to the business of planning the event. Harper had brought drawings of the decorations she had in mind. Ree brought the dresses for Chloe and Kali. And finally, Leighton brought not only her willing hands to pitch in with whatever was needed but a promise from her parents for a large donation, as well as a commitment from a prominent state representative to attend the gala. Leighton was also doing her best to use her connections to raise awareness of and additional funding for the organization. The gala would be an all-day affair with activities during the day for the younger crowd and a dinner dance at night for the teens and adults. So far, everything seemed to be slipping into place.

Chloe looked at the clock. Kali should be here. She wondered what was taking her so long.

When Kali burst through the door, breathless and a little flushed, Chloe had the feeling young love had played a part in delaying the teen. Oh, well, at least she was finally here. “Sorry I’m late. I lost track of the time.” Glancing at Chloe, she noticed her hair. “What happened to your hair?”

“I heard about this young girl who needed a wig in order to attend a big party. She seemed to like my hair, so I figured why not cut it and make a wig for her?” Chloe touched her own shortened locks. “What do you think? You like?”

Kali’s eyes clouded with unshed tears. “It looks wonderful, but I can’t believe you did it for me.”

“Of course I did. Why not for you?”

“It’s just that nobody outside my family has ever done anything that nice for me,” she said in stunned surprise.

“It’s really not that big of a deal. Just hair,” Chloe responded flippantly.

“No. It’s a big deal.” She rushed over to Chloe and wrapped her arms around her tightly. “Thank you.” A tear slipped down her cheek.

Chloe gently gripped her chin and raised her face, wiping the tear away with her finger. “Hey, none of that. This was supposed to make you happy, not sad. Now there is no excuse for you missing the gala.”

“Okay.”

All the women were affected by Kali’s display of emotion and were wiping tears from their own eyes. A loud sniffle sounded from Carter’s direction.

“Sorry, that was just so touching,” he said, wiping his own eyes.

“Okay, enough tears, everybody. This is a happy occasion. Kali, Ree brought your dress. Would you like to see?”

“You bet,” Kali said with excitement.

Ree pulled out a pale blue mini dress that seemed to shimmer. “What do you think?”

“Oh, it’s so pretty. Do you think I could try it on?” Kali asked in awe.

“Of course. How else are we going to know if it fits?” Ree asked, smiling.

Chloe showed Kali into the guest bathroom.

Ree had also provided Chloe with a plum-colored jersey dress that belted at the waist. It looked great in contrast to her copper locks.

The dresses fit each of them perfectly. Today had been a huge success.

It was a few days before Christmas, and Garrett and Chloe were traveling to Edgewater, a town near the coast close to Galveston, to spend the holidays with his family. His family had moved there a few years ago when his father had retired. They’d wanted to live closer to the water but also have access to horse property, the best of both worlds according to him. Josh had promised to keep an eye on Patches and the cats while they were gone.

It was a good thing Garrett had the SUV. With all the presents and their luggage, they needed all the room they could get. For all intents and purposes, Garrett had closed Nolan Enterprises for the next two weeks, leaving only a skeleton crew to keep an eye on things. Because his own family was important to him, he made sure his employees were able to spend the holidays with their families if they so chose. It was one of the reasons she had originally planned a holiday wedding. She had known she would have the time off.

Garrett climbed into the driver’s seat, pulled the door shut, and asked, “Do we have everything?”

“I hope so. I don’t think anything else will fit! I can’t believe how much we’re taking for one week.” She eyed the overstuffed backseat and cargo hold with incredulity. How had they managed to get it all in?

Reaching for her knee, he asked, “You ready to spend the holidays with my family?”

“I’m actually kind of looking forward to it. Your family’s great, especially your mother. I just hope she doesn’t try any more matchmaking.”

He smiled. “I’m sure she’ll try to behave, but you know she really wants to be a grandma. She might slip up here or there.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“She wants what’s best for me.”

“I just don’t want her to be disappointed.”

He hoped that someday Chloe could see a future with him in it. Garrett started the car and drove off the property.

After they’d been on the road a while, he asked, “What did you get me for Christmas? I noticed the box you tried to hide.”

“You weren’t supposed to see it,” she said, exasperated.

“So what did you get me?” he teased.

“You’ll have to wait until Christmas. I bet you shook all your presents when you were little.”

“Actually, I opened them all up and rewrapped them, using the same paper.”

“You truly are incorrigible.”

“I would prefer to think of it as being inventive. When Mom caught on, she started leaving the name tags off. That kind of ruined things for a while.”

She smiled. She wondered what it had been like growing up in the Nolan household. Although they had experienced more than their share of hardship, there had also been plenty of love to go around. She had kind of missed out on having a family. It had just been her and her mom for so many years. Sometimes, she felt like she was still playing catch up since Dave had married her mom. She wished she could have afforded to go home this year, but there wasn’t enough money to do that, even with her Christmas bonus. Instead, she had had to settle for sending home a few gifts.

The trip passed quickly. They had so many things in common, but they also had some differences. They both liked country music but Garrett also liked classic rock and, of all things, rap. Chloe, on the other hand, preferred alternative rock and pop. They ended up compromising and listening to country. Garrett actually had a pretty good voice. She found this out when he sang along with Keith Urban’s
“
You Gonna Fly.” With the looks he was sending her way, she really did feel as if she could fly straight into his arms.

*~*

Finally, they arrived at Garrett’s parents’ home. The house was a three-story yellow Victorian with white trim and plantation shutters. It was decorated with white icicle lights hanging from the eaves, lawn ornaments on the yard, and a traditional wreath on the door, giving the house a festive look. As soon as they pulled into the driveway, his family rushed out to greet them.

“You’re here.” His mother hugged them both tightly. Taking Chloe’s hand, she said, “You cut your hair. I like it. It looks stunning on you. Okay, so I decided to put you both in the guesthouse. That way you can still have your privacy, but you’re close enough to the rest of the family.”

Chloe noticed the questioning look Garrett sent to his mother. From the surprised expression on his face, this was obviously not the norm when Garrett brought someone home.

“Close your mouth, dear. I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m trying to respect your needs. The guesthouse allows for greater privacy.”

“Mom!” Garrett said, embarrassed.

Chloe was torn between laughing and dying of mortification. They hadn’t even entered the house, and already his mother had started.

“Don’t ‘Mom’ me. It’s not easy to admit your children are growing up. You’ll understand one day when you have children of your own.” She glanced over at Chloe expectantly, like she expected her to provide one of those little darlings any minute. “Now, let’s see about getting you settled.”

Looking uncomfortable, his dad cleared his throat. “I’ll just start taking your luggage to the guesthouse.” He released a heavy sigh. “Come on, Cam. Kate. Grab some luggage.” He walked off with several pieces, shaking his head. Cam followed at a more sedate pace. From the fake coughing he was doing, he was no doubt laughing his ass off at their expense. Kate shoved her ever-present cell phone into her back pocket, grabbed a few presents, smiled at Chloe, and left.

Chloe hoped she hadn’t text-messaged her friends about this. Knowing Kate, she probably had.

Looking at his mother disbelievingly, Garrett asked, “But what about Kate? Aren’t you always saying we need to set a better example for her?”

“Honey, Kate is almost seventeen years old. We already had the birds and bees talk. I’m afraid she already knows. What do you think she was typing into her cell phone?”

Garrett’s face drained of all color before red infused first his neck, then his face. “You’ve got to be kidding. Don’t you have any control over her? Can’t you confiscate that thing or something?”

His mother said in a resigned voice, “Yeah, right. She’s a teenager. What do you expect?”

If Chloe hadn’t been feeling a little overwhelmed by everything herself, she might have actually felt a little sorry for him. They had just arrived and things were already complicated. What could she expect after a full week?

“Ah, hell!” Garrett swore.

“Now, Garrett, watch your mouth. There will be no swearing in this house,” his mother scolded. She grabbed a few packages herself and headed in.

Finally, Chloe couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. It was okay for them to sleep together but absolutely no swearing? Now,
that
was funny.

Garrett looked at her and smiled. “You know, if she wasn’t so determined that you were perfect for me, you’d be on the other side of the house.” Leaning into her, he placed his hands into the back pockets of her jeans and pulled her toward him. “Of course, there are some benefits to this arrangement, come to think of it.” He kissed her gently at first, then proceeded to turn up the heat.

Just as he deepened the kiss, his mother flung open the front door and asked, “Are you two coming or what?”

“And some drawbacks,” he groaned.

*~*

His mother held the door open for them as they carried in the remaining packages.

“The presents can go under the tree in the family room,” she told them as they passed her.

“Come on, Red. Let me show you the way.” Garrett led her into a large room at the back of the house with a large sectional sofa facing a fireplace and a plasma TV above it. In a corner was a beautiful pine tree that was decked out with an array of both homemade decorations and cheap store-bought ones.

Chloe was surprised at the simplicity of it. She had expected something grander, coming from his mother. “I was afraid your mother would be much more formal,” Chloe observed.

“With a house full of kids, Mom figured it made more sense to use ornaments that were kid friendly and wouldn’t matter if they got broke. Don’t let her fool you, though, she has a collection that she paid a fortune for that she hasn’t put out yet. Apparently, we’re not old enough. Dad complains about it every year. Truthfully, I think she prefers it this way, but then, so do the rest of us. Dad included.”

Chloe smiled. His mother was quite a character. It was great to see that Garrett came from a nice, well-rounded family, even if they did tend to have larger-than-life personalities.

They placed the gifts they had brought in under the tree. Garrett picked up the one she had bought him and shook it. “You’re still not going to tell me what it is?”

“Nope. And don’t you dare peek. I’ll know.”

He just smiled.

He took her on a tour of the rest of the house. Although the house was spacious, it gave off a welcoming feeling with oversized furniture, plenty of family photos, and an open floor plan, including a state-of-the-art kitchen with marble countertops, dual ovens, and every other modern convenience imaginable. When they reached the kitchen, his mother offered them a light lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. She served it to them at the center island. Chloe was starving, and the meal hit the spot.

Afterward, Garrett took them to the guesthouse that was really the pool house. It had been enlarged and outfitted with a small kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bath. Chloe was impressed by both the opulence and comfort of his family’s home. Feeling a little lethargic after the long car ride and the warm food, Chloe went into the restroom and freshened up.

When she emerged, Garrett walked over to where she was standing. “Are you tired?” He reached for her and began stroking her arms up and down. From his smoky gaze, Chloe knew what he really wanted to know was if she wanted to try out the bed. As she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and lean into him, a knock sounded on the door.

It was his mother. “Garrett. Chloe, honey. I hate to interrupt, but we really do need to get started on the preparations for Christmas. I need to get at least three hundred cookies baked for the carolers we expect, the church bazaar, and the local theater. Meet me in the kitchen in five or ten minutes, will you?”

At least she had had the sense not to open the door in case she really was interrupting something. But it was pretty obvious they were not going to have much time alone.

“Sorry about that. I should have warned you. After Lauren died, all the local charity groups showed up to make sure we were doing okay. Somehow they realized they had struck gold with my mother and got her to help out with a number of charity events. When my parents moved here a few years ago, it continued. Truthfully, I think she volunteers her services. Anyway, every year, Mom is hooked into every charity in the area. The problem is she doesn’t know how to say ‘No.’” I think she secretly loves it. It makes her feel needed, especially now that we’re all getting older and don’t need her as much. Our job is to try to keep up with her and make sure she doesn’t overdo it. It’s a good thing my father learned how to deep-fry a turkey or else Christmas dinner would be a bust.”

Coming back to make sure they were on their way, his mother added, “Oh, and tomorrow, we will be making tamales for the homeless shelter, and sandwiches and scones for the ‘Woman of the Year’ tea luncheon at the Ladies Auxiliary Club.”

Chloe giggled softly. “I thought my mom was bad. She’s in the minor leagues compared to your mother.”

Grinning, Garrett said, “Let’s go. I have a feeling we’re going need that nap later.” He sighed heavily.

*~*

When they entered the kitchen, it looked like a bustling cook station. Garret’s dad, Cam, and Kate were already on duty. His mom was busy multitasking, mixing a batch of cookie dough while barking directions at her three helpers. Suzanne could easily compete with the best drill sergeant. Chloe felt a little intimidated by the scene before her.

Noticing her hesitancy, Garrett smiled at her reassuringly. “It will be okay. It looks worse than it actually is. Mom, how about if Chloe and I make the sugar cookies?” Garrett offered.

“That would be great. Your dad’s in charge of the lemon bars, Cam’s making two kinds of fudge, and Kate’s doing the gingerbread cookie dough. I’m working on the trio thumbprint cookies and the cardamom crescents. If I have time, I might even make some peppermint biscotti. They went over so well last year at the Ladies Auxiliary Club. They would be a perfect complement to the cranberry scones I plan to make. Kate and I will bake our cookies over at the Mathisons’. Lynette gave us permission to use their stove. Thank God, she has double ovens, too. Kate, be sure to pack the jams, icing, food colorings, and sprinkles.”

Chloe watched Kate roll her eyes and make faces behind her mother’s back before placing the necessary ingredients into the designated bag. She smiled at the very teenage behavior. She had seen her twin brothers make some of the same faces at their mom.

Glancing around the kitchen to make sure all was proceeding well in her domestic domain, Suzanne warned, “Cam, don’t let it sit there too long. It will burn on the stove. You’ve got to keep stirring it.”

“Yes, Mother,” Cam said with a touch of sarcasm.

Ignoring him, she said, “Anyway, make the sugar cookies and use the stove in the guesthouse to bake them. Here’s a copy of the recipe.” She handed him an index card.

“Sounds good.” Garrett said and pulled Chloe over to the only work surface available. He began pulling out everything they would need to make cinnamon sugar cookies. Chloe looked on in awe at how efficiently everyone worked together. Seeing Chloe’s expression, he smiled. “It’s taken us years to get this good. The first few years there were plenty of disasters and a lot of burnt cookies.”

His mother continued her whirlwind of activity, checking to make sure everything was running smoothly. When she was convinced everything was under control, she and Kate departed for the neighbors’. Chloe could see what Garrett meant when he said they would need a nap after all this. Suzanne was amazing, the way she whipped from one station to the next, providing necessary direction. It would take a remarkable person to ever fill her shoes.