“The police haven’t been able to find her car, so she’s not stranded on any of the highways. Where could she be? It took me forever to get Lamar and Adam here, and she does a disappearing act. This isn’t like her.” Richard turned to Reed. “She didn’t say where she was going?”
“I’ve already told you, Father. She said she had somewhere to go and that she’d be back for dinner.”
“Why the hell did you allow her to go out in this weather?”
Reed’s eyebrows darted up. “Allow?”
“She’s not strong like you. She needs protection.”
“I—”
“Lay off Reed, Richard.” Medium height with blond good looks, Vanessa Preston crossed her legs and smoothed her silk skirt over her knees. “You’re missing the obvious, as usual.”
Richard glared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Me, Richard. She’s avoiding me.”
“That’s absurd. Marisa’s gotten over the past.”
“Mother might be right,” Reed said. “Marisa was very nervous about something, and Cari…” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. I interrupted Cari and Marisa talking, so she’s either with Cari or Cari knows where she is.”
“Call her,” Richard ordered.
Reed dialed Cari’s number and she answered on the second ring. “Cari, this is Reed Preston.”
“Hi, junior, what can I do for you?”
Reed’s mouth tightened. “I’m looking for Marisa.”
“Isn’t she at home?”
“No, and it’s late and we’re getting worried.”
“Oh, no.”
“What? Where’s Marisa?”
“I’m not telling you anything, junior.”
Reed took a deep breath. “In this weather she could be stranded somewhere, maybe needing medical attention. Please tell us where she went so we can check on her.”
Reed listened for a few seconds, then said a curt goodbye and hung up. He stared at his parents.
“What?” Richard demanded. “Where is she?”
“She…she went to see Colter Kincaid.”
Silence.
“Oh, my God,” Vanessa muttered.
“No, no.” Richard shook his head. “She wouldn’t do that, not after what he did to her life.”
Reed shrugged. “That’s what Cari said.”
“Richard, do something.” Vanessa twisted the pearls around her neck.
“I will,” Richard said. “I’ll make sure that man never hurts my daughter again.”
THE FIRE BURNED BRIGHTLY, enclosing the room in its inviting warmth. Marisa stared into the darkness, listening to the howl of the wind and the icy refrain of the storm, but she wasn’t afraid. Oddly, she experienced a peacefulness that was comforting.
“Are you asleep?” Ellie whispered so Colter wouldn’t hear.
“No,” Marisa whispered back.
“Me, neither.” Ellie scooted closer. “Are you married?”
Marisa smiled. Ellie remembered she hadn’t responded to that question earlier, and it seemed Ellie needed an answer.
“No. I’m not married.”
“Daddy’s not, either.” A slight pause. “He’s handsome, don’t you think?”
At seventeen, she’d thought Colter the handsomest man she’d ever met. Her opinion hadn’t changed. “Yes. I suppose.”
“Did Santa Claus send you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, you see, I wrote Santa for a mommy, and you appeared out of nowhere, so I figured he answered my letter.”
Marisa hated to disappoint Ellie, but she couldn’t lie. “No, sweetie. Santa didn’t send me.”
“Oh, gee, that’s not fair. Why can’t I have a mommy?”
“You have your father,” Marisa reminded her, not sure how to handle this conversation.
“Yeah, and he’s the best daddy in the whole world, but he doesn’t know any girl things.”
“Like what?”
“Well, my friend Lori has a sister. Her name’s Ashley, and she started her period. Lori and me didn’t know what that was, so her mom explained. When I got home I told Daddy, and his ears turned red. He said I was still too young, but it happened to all girls and when it did I was supposed to tell him and we’d buy what I need. That’s gross, though. Aunt Becky said she’d come and help me, and Lori’s mom offered to help, too. But I don’t want Aunt Becky or Lori’s mom. I want my own mommy. She’d know all about things like that.”
“I’m sure she would.” Poor Ellie. Clearly she wanted a mother any way she could get one. “But you have to leave that up to your father.”
“Oh, no. My mother broke his heart and he’s never falling in love again, but I’m not giving up.”
Colter had been in love with Shannon. She couldn’t believe how much that hurt—and it shouldn’t. She’d left him, so he had had every right to get on with his life. How she wished she’d been able to do the same.
“Lori and me heard Santa’s coming to Dalton’s Department Store, and I’m going to see him. I want to ask him why he hasn’t sent me a mommy. I’ve asked a bunch of times. Lori says Santa Claus isn’t real, but I believe in him. Do you believe, Ms. Preston?”
Ellie’s words danced in her head with childish candor. “Yes. I believe.” She believed in anything that made another person happy, and believing in Santa made Ellie happy—that was obvious.
“Since I work at Dalton’s, I’ll make sure you get a private sitting with Santa. How’s that?” Colter wouldn’t like her interfering, but she couldn’t help herself. She certainly wasn’t telling Ellie there wasn’t a Santa Claus.
“You do?” Ellie sat up, her voice excited. “That’s awesome.”
Colter lay listening to the conversation, biting his tongue and clamping his jaw so tightly his head hurt. If he stopped Ellie, she’d just start again with the questions. They’d been through this many times, and Ellie never gave up. He didn’t understand her strong desire for a mother. He’d done everything he could to fill that gap, but he’d failed. And he had never felt that more than he did at this moment.
The menstrual cycle talk had caught him off guard. Considering the nature of the subject, he thought he’d done a good job. Clearly he hadn’t. He wasn’t even aware his ears had turned red.
Ellie needed a woman to discuss things with, that was very plain now. However, Marisa Preston was the last woman he wanted Ellie talking to.
“Are you sure Santa didn’t send you?”
“Ellie Kincaid, go to sleep this instant.” Colter’s voice shot through the darkness, and Ellie dived beneath the covers.
“I gotta go to sleep before Daddy has a coronary,” she said. “That means a heart attack—Tulley told me.” Then she whispered in Marisa’s ear. “I’ll be at Dalton’s.” Ellie snuggled against Sooner and silence prevailed.
Marisa