He chuckled as he looked at his friend, who was grinning at the hand-holding. “We’ll just grab drinks and be on our way.”
“No need to rush.” Ruby waved good-bye as she headed down the stairs. “Nighty-night.”
Trey watched as Temple got up, leisurely stretched, and ran ahead of Ruby so he could lead her into the suite. She quietly shut the door behind them.
He turned back to Misty. Finally, they were alone. It had taken all day, but they’d managed it.
She picked up their mugs from the table. “I’ll pour us fresh cider and turn off the stove.”
He glanced around to make sure all was in order. Everybody had pretty much cleaned up after themselves. He snatched the last bite of gingerbread, ate it, and set the Santa Claus plate in the sink. No doubt about it, Christmastime had the best goodies to eat.
“One last plate.” She picked it up, rinsed it off, put it in the dishwasher, and started the wash cycle.
“I’m sure Ruby will appreciate all the cleanup in the morning.”
“Least we can do for her wonderful hospitality.” Misty poured cider into their mugs, then handed him one and picked up the other.
“Need anything else?” He made one last glance around the kitchen and was satisfied nothing was left undone.
“I’ll keep notes in my head.” She turned out the lights except for the one over the stove. She walked down the stairs to the living room now lit only by the purple, fuchsia, and apple-green lights of the peacock tree.
“That’s some tree, isn’t it?” He joined her downstairs.
“Sure is. I heard you had a little something to do with getting it set up.”
“Followed orders. Can’t take credit for anything else.”
She glanced up at him, almost glowing in the colorful lights of the tree. “I think you can take credit for a lot. That’s a beautiful work of art.”
He shrugged. “Ruby’s the talented one.”
She reached out and gently wrapped her fingers around his forearm. “Come on. Let’s create something nobody’ll ever forget.”
He knew she meant the benefit, but his mind slipped back to Storm and an image of another little girl who had yet to be. He clasped Misty’s soft, warm hand with his bigger one. “I’m ready when you are.”
He led her out to the sunroom. Christmas lights illuminated the area. He checked to see if the Gladstones were still on the swing, but they were gone. Most likely they’d taken a drive to look at Christmas decorations around town. He hoped they weren’t at the gazebo.
Misty tugged him over to the back sliding door, dropped his hand, and stepped outside.
He joined her. “Cooler this evening.”
“Surely this heat wave will break soon.” She started down the lighted brick path.
“Did you shop in Old Town today?” He wondered if she’d bought the dress there as he followed the seductive sway of her skirt.
“I drank tea with Hedy in her wonderful store.”
“That’s when y’all cooked up this benefit?”
“Right.”
When they reached the gazebo, he checked around for the Gladstones, but he didn’t see them anywhere nearby. He didn’t hear them either. The only sounds that broke the silence of the night were the trickle of the spring and the wind in the pines. He smelled pine and dry grass, maybe a little dust from the drought, but that was about all.
“It’s so pretty here.” Misty set her mug of cider on the table, then reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out her phone. She set it on the table beside her mug.
“Yeah.” But he was thinking about her, not the gazebo. He set his mug down across from hers. He didn’t want his phone anywhere near the water, so he took it out of his back pocket and set it on the table.
“Before I leave Twin Oaks, I want to put on a swimsuit and take complete advantage of this pool.” Misty kicked off her sandals and walked over to the water.
“Let me know when and I’ll join you.”
She chuckled as she pulled up her skirt, sat down on the edge of the pool, and put her feet in the water. “Feels wonderful. Come on and join me.”
He just shook his head as he watched her. She had no idea how everything about her was affecting him. He didn’t want to talk about the benefit. In fact, he didn’t want to talk at all.
She moaned in delight as she kicked upward with one foot and a spray of water sparkled in the white fairy lights.
That did it. He toed off one boot, then the other. He stuffed his socks in his boots, rolled his jeans up to his knees, and sat down beside her—close enough to feel her body heat. He eased his feet into the warm water.
“Wonderful, isn’t it?” She raised her foot and let water drip down from her toes.
“Nothing better, well—almost nothing.” He glanced sideways at her. She was better, no two ways about it.
“So much happens around here. I feel as if I’m bouncing from one major crisis to another every day.” She reached down and let water flow through her fingers. “Know what I mean?”
“A lot is going on. Christmas is a great time of year, but it’s a tough time for some folks, too.”
“Like strong emotions?”
“And loneliness.”
She caught her breath on a slight hiccup and struck the water hard with the heel of one foot.