Bonnie Winn - Jingle Bell Blessings

“Now, this limestone’s been weathered a long time, about a hundred and forty years. That’s why the color’s different than the new vein. Subtle change, though. Takes stone thousands of years to form, sometimes more to change.”

Jimmy’s big brown eyes grew even larger. “How do you grow more, then?”

Evan’s mouth curved as though about to smile. As quickly, he pulled his eyebrows together in a serious expression. “We can’t. Have you heard about taking care of the environment?”

Solemnly, Jimmy nodded. “Daddy and Mommy said we have to take care of the earth. That it’s our job, so that’s why we have to use green things.” He looked up at Evan. “That doesn’t mean the color green.”

“So I’ve heard. Which is why we use every part of the stone we dig up. After the big slabs are cut, we use the small pieces for all kinds of things—cement, mortar, it even goes in toothpaste.”

“We brush our teeth with rocks?” Jimmy asked, forgetting his fear, completely intrigued.

Evan’s lips definitely twitched. “Helps that they flavor it with mint. Oh, and bubble gum for kids.”

Bubble-gum flavored toothpaste? Funny thing for a single man to know about. Mr. Wainwright had told her that Evan was an only child. So no nieces or nephews. Of course he could have seen the product in a commercial.

Chloe had wondered if Evan’s stubborn refusal to even consider taking Jimmy in was because of being an only child. Never having to share. Maybe he hadn’t left the trait behind with his childhood. Maybe he didn’t want to share his life, either.

She found that terribly sad. Even though Chloe had felt the impact of financial problems for years, she wouldn’t trade caring for her mother. Not for a zillion dollars. But the money Holden Wainwright had promised her if she succeeded in placing Jimmy with the Mitchells would change their lives. There would be no more angst-ridden moments of worrying whether she would be able to pay the rising costs of the care facility.

“Are most of the rocks for toothpaste?” Jimmy was asking Evan.

“Nope. Most of it’s used in architecture. Have you heard of the Great Pyramids? They’re in Egypt where your grandparents are. Anyway, they’re made of limestone.”

“I didn’t know that,” Chloe blurted out, belatedly realizing she had verbalized her thought.

“Castles in medieval times were made from it, too.” Evan replied, unperturbed by her question.

“With dragons?” Jimmy asked with the first note of genuine, full-out excitement she had heard in his voice.

Evan scratched his head. “Hard to say. We don’t carry dragons at our quarries.”

Chloe nearly giggled aloud, not something she would have ever anticipated doing with Evan.

The thought had barely formed when he turned around. “I have to get back to the office soon. Where did you leave your car?”

“The house,” she admitted, belatedly realizing that hadn’t been a well-thought-out plan.

Evan glanced at his watch, then scowled. “Have to head back now, then.”

By the time they returned the cart and switched back to the truck, Evan was impatient to get to his meeting. He pulled into the driveway at the house, leaving the engine running. Jimmy hopped out immediately. Chloe started to follow, but Evan caught her arm.

“We have to talk. Soon.” He met her eyes, his own making her shiver unexpectedly. “When we’re alone.”

Alone. Evan waited through dinner, then coffee and cake in the parlor. Chloe had managed to keep someone within a foot of her the entire time. He wouldn’t be surprised if she super-glued Jimmy to one of her hands.

And his head was throbbing. The meeting with the bank president had gone so poorly he didn’t expect a follow-up visit would change a thing. Evan, like the rest of his family before him, had kept his business with the local bank. No connections to any of the large multinational banks. He couldn’t blame his local banker. Loans, especially big commercial loans, still weren’t the flavor of the day. And Mitchell Stone had been operating in the red for the last three years.

It hadn’t helped that during the meeting, he couldn’t forget his other immediate problem. Sending Chloe and Jimmy back to Milwaukee. The boy resembled Spencer too much, making him remember too much…about too many things.

A sudden image of Sean seared his thoughts. His son would be seven now, too. Sean should have been the one sitting in the cart beside him as they toured the quarry, learning as Evan had, from a young age to appreciate both the family business and the blessings of the earth, what it gave up to us.

Sean had wanted to learn—every waking moment of every day. What kind of bird nested in the tall oak out front? Why did Grandpa’s hair turn gray? How did the dew form on the grass? A million questions, he had thought at the time, hoping he wouldn’t run out of answers. He had never dreamed it would be Sean who would run out of time.

And his beautiful Robin… The Lord had never made a sweeter woman. She had lived her life for her family, and ultimately died trying to save Sean. If only…. If only he hadn’t chosen Hawaii to vacation. But Robin had always wanted to visit there and he had delighted at the surprise on her face when he had given her a dream vacation for her birthday. She and Sean had counted the days until they flew to the beautiful islands.

Evan would give anything to turn back the calendar, to change that one dreadful decision. He swallowed, knowing life didn’t work that way.

“Son?” Gordon repeated.

Evan shook his head, then lifted his gaze. “Sorry, Dad.”

Gordon’s eyes filled with empathy and understanding. “I’m going to teach Jimmy how to tie some flies. Thought we’d go fishing Saturday. How does that sound?”

Like another painful reminder. “Whatever you want.”

Concern lingered in Gordon’s eyes.

And Evan didn’t want to worry his father. “Be good to go before winter sets in.” Thanksgiving was right around the corner; Christmas would descend in seeming days.

“That’s what I was thinking. Chloe says her father used to go ice fishing up in Wisconsin. Makes my bones shiver to think about it.”

Evan glanced in her direction. “Doesn’t your father ice fish anymore?”

“My dad died when I was in junior high school,” she explained. Although Chloe’s voice was steady, he glimpsed a flash of pain in her eyes.

“Sorry.” Evan knew the words were inadequate. He had heard the phrase often enough in the past two years.

“It’s been a long time.”

But never long enough. Time heals all wounds. He had heard that one so much it made him sick. That and the Lord never gives us more than we can bear. But there had been no reason to take Robin and Sean. Again his throat swelled and Evan couldn’t speak around the lump it caused.

Chloe glanced down, then patted Jimmy’s knee. Clearly, she knew that the discussion could upset him, might have already done so.

Evan wondered how Wainwright had found this woman. Someone as pugnacious as a bulldog, yet obviously sensitive to a child’s needs.

Gordon stood and clapped one hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “Let’s go in the den. Those flies aren’t going to tie themselves.”

They had barely begun walking from the room when Chloe rose. When she passed his chair, Evan snagged her arm.

Startled, Chloe pulled back, her hand immediately brushing the spot where he had touched her.

Funny, he felt a strange tingle at the touch himself. Ignoring it, Evan waited until Gordon and Jimmy were out of hearing. “We need to talk.”

“In here?” she asked weakly.

“No. Too many interruptions.” He stood, grabbing her hand. Again the feeling shot clear through his body. Again he ignored it. He led her through the kitchen, out the back door. The wide, wrap-around porch was lit by soft gas lights.