Chapter 46

forty-six

PAUL

I closed the back door of Special Agent Lydia Knox's SUV. "That's everything."

Lydia held a box of gingerbread men in one hand and Amy's hand in the other. "We were lucky to find a parking space right outside the candy store."

I stepped onto the icy sidewalk. "Someone must have been looking after us. I can't believe how many people are in Sunrise Bay today." The drive into town had been slow. Even though the road had recently been plowed, black ice made the surface slick and dangerous. Thankfully, Lydia was used to driving on roads that were much worse.

The special agent had arrived yesterday, just before Liam left for the airport. She seemed like a nice person. Liam had assured me that, with Lydia's experience in the FBI and in the Los Angeles Police Department, we were in good hands.

Jonathon opened the door of his candy store. "That was great timing. Let me help." He took a box out of my hands and smiled at Lydia. "Hi, I'm Jonathon."

"I'm Lydia Knox. "

"Lydia's a friend of mine," I said quickly.

Jonathon didn't seem concerned about the extra visitor. "It's good to meet you. Come into the store. It's freezing out here."

We walked through to the kitchen. The smell of cinnamon and chocolate made me smile.

Jonathon placed the box on the counter. "I'm surprised you made it into town. There's been an accident on the main road."

"Was anyone hurt?" I asked.

"Not that I know of, but the road's blocked in both directions. It could be a long afternoon for the people visiting Sunrise Bay. Where's Liam?"

"He had to go away," Amy said sadly. "But he's coming back."

I took Amy's red hat off her head. "He had some work to do in Boulder. He should be back by Monday night."

"That's a shame," Jonathon said. "He'll miss the lighting of the Christmas tree."

Amy climbed onto a kitchen stool. "We have a Christmas tree. It's really pretty."

"This one's twenty feet tall. It's higher than the roof of the candy store."

"That's tall," Amy said.

Jonathon made a fresh pot of coffee. "The mayor will officially wish everyone a Merry Christmas at six o'clock tonight. Before then, there are lots of activities to keep everyone busy."

I opened one of the boxes I'd brought into the store. "Is that why the farmers' market's on today?"

"Exactly. As well as delicious organic food, there are so many craft and jewelry stalls that you won't be able to decide what to buy. It's only two blocks away in the high school gymnasium."

Amy unzipped her jacket. "Can we go? Just for a little while?"

The small shake of Lydia's head gave me the answer to Amy's question. "I'm sorry, Amy. We don't have time today. But we could make Christmas cupcakes when we get home. I'm sure Lydia would like to try some."

"I certainly would," Lydia said. "Especially if they're vanilla cupcakes. They're my favorite."

"We make vanilla cupcakes all the time."

I smiled at my niece. "I bet you could almost make them without the recipe book."

Amy nodded confidently. "They're real easy." She slipped her backpack off her shoulders and smiled at Lydia. "I could draw you a picture of how we make them."

"I'd like that," Lydia said. "I just need to have a quick look outside."

"Okay. I'll stay here."

Jonathon silently watched Lydia leave the kitchen. "One day you need to tell me why Liam and Lydia are so interested in the back of my store."

I sighed. "I wish I could tell you now, but I can't."

"Don't worry," Amy said as she took a pink crayon out of her pencil case. "We're safe and that's all that matters."

Jonathon's eyes widened. "Now I'm really worried."

"You don't need to be," I reassured him.

"Liam said if you worry too much you get gray hair and wrinkles." Amy picked up another crayon. "I like gray 'cos it's the color of Aunty Millie's hair."

I smiled. My mom's sister had beautiful hair and said it was the best thing about turning sixty.

While I unpacked the trays of gingerbread men, I only half-listened to Amy's chatter. Over the last couple of days, I'd thought long and hard about Jonathon's suggestion of working from Sunrise Bay.

There were so many reasons why it was the perfect time to move, but what if it wasn't a good idea? I really needed to focus on my business, and I wasn't sure Sunrise Bay was the place to do it.

Amy loved living here, but a big part of that was because of Liam. If he was willing to move to Milwaukee, would he move to Sunrise Bay? It wasn't far from Boulder, but his job took him all over the country. Would we be enough for him? Would I?

Jonathon handed me a cup of coffee. "You look as though the weight of the world is sitting on your shoulders. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm a good listener."

Tears stung my eyes. "Thank you." I took a sip of coffee and tried to think of something positive to say. But after living in Sunrise Bay for the last few weeks, I was emotionally drained. The constant worry about the terrorist group finding us was bad enough. But discovering my entire childhood was a lie had been worse.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jonathon asked.

I forced a smile. "I'll be all right. Tell me what you think of the gingerbread men. We iced them with red, green, and white frosting. The buttons are made from candy-coated chocolate."

"We baked lots," Amy said excitedly. "And they taste extra yummy."

Jonathon smiled at the trays I'd placed on the shelves. "They're perfect. They'll look wonderful in the cellophane bags I bought. And to finish off the festive look, I'll tie some red and green ribbon around the top of each bag."

I looked around the kitchen. Jonathon must be working long hours to have so much candy ready for the store. "Would you like us to help wrap the gingerbread men?"

"I can't ask you to do that. You've already done so much."

Lydia walked into the kitchen. "Everything's okay, except for the main road out of town. The Highway Patrol expects the road to be closed for at least another hour."

I turned to Jonathon. "That gives us plenty of time to wrap the gingerbread men."

"I'd really appreciate the help, but only if you're sure it's okay."

"It's more than okay," I said with a genuine smile. "If you get the bags and the ribbon, I'll start right now."

Lydia sat beside Amy. "I can help, too. We'll have your cookies ready in next to no time."

As I placed the first gingerbread man in a cellophane bag, I thought about how much our lives had changed.

Before Liam arrived on my doorstep, my main focus was Amy and making sure she was happy. It wasn't until our lives were threatened that I'd appreciated just what we had. And now, sitting in Jonathon's warm kitchen, I realized there was another person whose happiness I had to work on—mine.