Chapter Sixty-Six
The family’s short winter holiday in the Massachusetts forests was amazing. While Sophie and Fernando met with Max at his historical law office in the heart of Hickory Falls, Sophie’s parents took Javier sledding down the hills in the town commons and fed him hearty meals in a diner over a hundred years old.
Later, they traveled a steep and winding road in their rented four-wheel-drive SUV to reach Sarah’s home, which was hidden deep in the forest at the top of a mountain.
Her door was answered by a man larger than Fernando had ever seen... and his brother Gabriel was massive. No sooner was the door opened than an auburn-haired beauty holding a baby gave him a gentle shove. “Stop scaring the guests.”
The man grimaced and glared but stepped back, allowing Fernando and Sophie to enter the cozy and delightfully warm cabin.
“Welcome! I’m Sarah, obviously, and the grumpy mountain man still holding the door open is my very protective husband, Eric. ”
Before she could continue, the door slammed shut, startling the child.
Glaring at her husband, she handed him the crying infant, which instantly calmed her.
“Thank you for coming. As you can see, the personal business I was dealing with when we first spoke was the final trimester of my pregnancy and the growing pains of having a newborn in our life. Come, sit. Would you like coffee or hot chocolate?” Sarah asked, heading towards the kitchen.
“Coffee would be lovely,” Sophie answered. “How old is your baby?”
“Three and a half months and growing like a weed. She was in a hurry to meet everyone and came a bit early, which caused a bit of excitement, but now that she’s here, we are figuring out the whole parent thing. She just started to sleep through the night, so this was perfect timing. I might actually remember what we discussed and stay awake through the entire conversation,” she said, laughing softly.
“I remember those early days. My son cried incessantly, and I couldn’t figure out why. An older woman finally told me it was likely one of two things if the doctors ruled out colic. One, he wasn’t happy being out in the big scary world and was telling everyone who could hear him that he wanted to go back to the warm, dark cocoon he had liked much better. Or two, my new mom’s nerves were scaring him, and I needed to work on controlling my emotions. She said I could help with the first by swaddling him tighter, and the second, I would need to work on, but that a crying baby didn’t mean the end of the world, and I needed not to let it upset me,” Sophie shared.
Sarah returned to the living room with a tray of steaming mugs. “That is pretty much the advice we’ve received as well. I don’t understand why they don’t tell you all of that before you leave the hospital. It seems like a lesson all new parents have to learn, though. How old is your son?”
“Javier is six and in first grade,” Sophie answered.
“I didn’t realize you had a son,” Sarah said, glancing over to Fernando. “I guess we have a lot to learn about each other if we are going to be literary partners. I only know what I found on the internet, which was clearly not accurate, and you shouldn’t know anything about me at all.”
“My son is a new development as we just got engaged and will marry on January 1 st ,” Fernando confessed. “I would love to learn more about you. Your brother Tom has made it very clear I’m not to ask any questions, though, so you’ll have to volunteer any information you feel comfortable sharing.”
Sarah turned to glare at her husband, reclining comfortably in his chair with his daughter resting peacefully on his barrel of a chest, her entire body covered by his massive hand. He shrugged and returned his gaze to his sleeping infant.
The afternoon passed quickly, with plenty of stories and laughter between the three of them. Sarah’s husband observed the scene with penetrating green eyes but didn’t say a word unless addressed directly by Sarah.
As they prepared to leave several hours later, Sarah warned them, “In case no one told you, there is a Christmas Eve party at Harrington House where you are staying. The committee should have been preparing today while you were out, but tomorrow morning, we will all be there getting the final touches done, so it may be noisy starting quite early in the morning. With the time difference, it may seem like the middle of the night to you.”
“Max invited us to the party tomorrow night. Thanks for the warning; we’ll be sure to go to bed early. I’ve never stayed in historic lodgings before and was worried we wouldn’t sleep well, but Harrington House has the luxury of a five-star hotel with the charm of a Gilded Age Georgian mansion. It has been a quintessential experience, and we will not hesitate to repeat it in the future as our partnership develops,” Fernando assured.
“Oh, good. I’m so glad you’re enjoying your stay. Our friends Harper and Zach will be happy to hear the accommodations are comfortable. They have been working really hard to get the Bed and Breakfast ready for guests, and to be honest, you are the first. Nothing like a dry run with an internationally famous billionaire to evaluate your quality. If you come down for the party tomorrow, you can meet the hosts, Zach and Harper, my brother Tom, and his wife Natalie.”
Holding the door open for Sophie to exit first, Fernando added, “We’ll be there. It was good finally getting to meet you. Thank you for allowing us in your home today. I can see why you’re hesitant to leave it. It’s so peaceful.”
“We love it here in Whispering Pines, and Hickory Falls is a great small town to be a part of. You’re welcome anytime. Now that you have passed all the safety measures, we’ll be talking regularly and seeing more of each other. Soon, we’ll be great friends. I’m looking forward to all that this new partnership holds. See you tomorrow. Watch the ice on the mountain road. It can be a little more dangerous going down the mountain. It’s a good thing you grew up in New York; snow isn’t new to you. I lived in the desert then Florida before moving here a couple of years ago. I won’t even admit out loud how many times this poor man had to come to pull me out of the trees that first year. Now he takes my keys away after the first snowfall.”
They were all laughing as they parted ways, and as they headed down the mountain, Fernando released a long breath. “That started out awkward, but in the end, I can honestly say I’m looking forward to working with her.”
“Agreed. She is a lovely woman, and that baby is just so cute! It makes me want another one. Did you see the tattoo on Eric’s forearm when he pulled up his sleeve to wash the dishes?” Sophie asked, looking out the window at the winter wonderland all around them.
“No, I missed that. What was it?”
“He was an Army Ranger. I recognized it from a group of guys Santi used to hang out with. I bet that man has survived some pretty horrific events to be that surly on the outside but tender on the inside. He clearly adored his wife, and he watched his daughter like she would disappear if he took his eyes off her.” Reaching for Fernando’s hand, she continued, “I know that getting to this point was frustrating, but I know in my heart this is going to be a good thing for us. These are the types of people we need in our lives. After that initial moment at the door when Eric couldn’t decide if he was going to let us infiltrate the security of his home, I felt completely safe. I’m looking forward to meeting her brother Tom tomorrow.”