He smiled at her. You got that right. He turned back to Priscilla. Not something you see every day.
No. I heard that she has several custom blankets to keep her warm. The local knitters made them for her.
Gotta love the town. Did you know about the camel?
Theres a camel? Chloe asked eagerly and tried to see.
Kenny picked her up as if she weighed nothing. Her daughter pointed and laughed.
Mom, look! Theres Reno the pony and a camel. Theyre dressed as elves.
Bailey waited until that part of the parade came into view. Sure enough Priscilla had her elf friends with her, along with wagons from Castle Ranch.
Ive never seen a camel dressed as an elf, she said, shaking her head.
A couple of fire trucksall decked out for the holidayswere next. There were small trees and lots of stars, including several Jewish stars.
An hour later, the parade had ended and the three of them made their way back to the apartment. The smell of turkey greeted them as they entered the living room. Chloe carefully hung up her coat before heading to the TV to find the replay of the Macys parade. Kenny helped Bailey out of hers.
Was it her imagination or did his hands linger on her shoulders? She knew the answer, of course, but a girl could dream. And when the man in question was as good as this one, she supposed dreaming was inevitable.
* * *
THE FINAL PREPARATIONS for dinner went as smoothly as Bailey could have hoped. Kenny wasnt just a guy who knew how to make a pie, he was also an expert turkey carver. His skill made her wonder about the other women in his lifeboth who they were and the actual number of them.
The cheese biscuits and sweet potato casserole went into the oven at the same time. She stirred the gravy while Kenny poured wine for the two of them and sparkling apple cider for Chloe.
The table was big enough to seat six. Bailey put Kenny at the end. She sat on his right while Chloe was across from her on his left. Their place settings were surrounded by bowls and platters and steaming stacks of delicious food.
When theyd taken their places, Kenny surprised her by reaching for her hand and Chloes, then saying grace.
When theyd filled their plates, she turned to him. You really learned how to bake pies in Sweden?
I did. He passed Chloe the stuffing. My mom worked for the State Department. We lived all around the world until I was twelve.
Did you miss your friends? Chloe asked.
I made new friends.
Her eyes widened. Was it hard?
Sometimes. Especially if I had to learn a new language. But I was used to it. He looked at Bailey. We moved back to the States when I was twelve. My parents wanted to settle in one place so my sisters and I could have continuity.
How many sisters? she asked.
Three. Im in the middle.
That must have been nice, she thought. She would have liked siblings. And for Chloe to have had at least one brother or sister. Although the odds of that were getting more unlikely by the year.
Id like a sister, Chloe said. I guess a brother would be okay, too. Daddy always told me... Her voice trailed off as she stared at her plate.
What, honey? Bailey asked gently.
Chloe raised her gaze. He said that no matter how many other kids you had, that I would always be his best girl. Because I was first. She worried her lower lip. I feel sad because I dont remember him so much.
Bailey reached across the table and touched her daughters hand. Before she could figure out what to say, Kenny spoke.
It sounds like he really loved you.
Chloe nodded.
And you loved him.
Another nod.
Isnt that the most important part? Knowing you loved each other? He reached for the sweet potatoes.
Chloe looked to her for confirmation. Bailey nodded.
He lives on in your heart. All the people we love do.
For always? Chloe asked.
For always, Bailey promised.
* * *
AFTER THEY FINISHED DINNER, Bailey kept waiting for Kenny to leave. But he stuck with them through the second half of the football game and Chloes movie pick of the evening, The Muppet Christmas Carol. About eight-thirty, her daughter finally wound down from the excitement and zonked out on the sofa. Bailey tried not to let her heart get all twisty when Kenny carried Chloe to bed.
But there was something magical about a big, strong guy carrying a little girl. So it wasnt completely her fault that she was both breathless and hopeful when they returned to the living room.
He was going to leave, she told herself. It was time for him to go. They were only friends, so she would be very, very foolish to expect anything other than a handshake. And while she didnt expect more, she was willing to admit she wanted more.
But instead of leaving, Kenny returned to the sofa. Bailey settled on the opposite end and faced him.
Your pie was delicious, she said into the silence.
Thanks. The whole meal was great. Thanks for inviting me.
We had fun. Youre good with Chloe.
Instead of smiling, he stared past her, as if seeing something she couldnt. I like kids.
Do you have any? she asked, realizing how little she knew about his past. She really had to spend some quality time on the internet, using Google to do some research on him.