A Christmas to Remember(73)

“I’ll just go check on her,” he said.

Eric was generally quiet, not one to lead a conversation, but there was something about him that was so strong. Maybe it was the way he took care of his wife, the way he kept it all together when she couldn’t, or the gentle manner in which he dealt with the situation. He was always there supporting her, helping her, making her feel better. It had to be hard work, yet it never showed on his face. Whenever she saw him, he was pleasant, smiling, helpful. Carrie hoped that Sharon realized how much of a family she had right now. Eric was lovely to her.

She looked up at the top of the staircase, and Adam was standing there looking down, smiling. “Hey,” he said, and she felt like she was going to fall over. He hadn’t ever said “hey” to her like that before. It was the same “hey” he’d used on the phone with Andy. It was an informal, friendly, relaxed “hey.” He was so handsome standing there that she was having trouble getting anything to come out of her mouth.

“Hey,” she said back, the word rolling off her tongue like she said it to him all the time.

He started down the stairs, not breaking eye contact. “You look nice,” he said when he got to the bottom.

It was the first time she’d had a chance to get a little dressed up, and she had on her favorite sweater and skirt. She was wearing jewelry, which felt a little weird since she didn’t wear it much, and she’d spent time on her makeup tonight. It had taken a little extra time, but she’d curled her hair and styled it as well. She wanted to look nice for the play, but there was also a part of her that wanted to look nice for Adam. It was silly, really, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to look pretty for him, so his compliment made her cheeks feel warm.

Joyce came around the corner, holding Olivia’s hand, Bruce following along with David. Behind them all was Walter, hobbling in on a cane. Walter moved around the group until he was facing Carrie and Adam. “You two look fantastic tonight,” he said, winking at Carrie. She felt the flush to her cheeks again and prayed that the splotches wouldn’t come. Sharon and Eric emerged at the top of the stairs. “Are we all ready to go?” Walter asked. The group murmured in agreement as Bruce opened the front door, letting in a blast of icy air. They all went outside, leaving Carrie and Adam in the foyer with the kids.

Adam cleared his throat. “I’ll see you there,” he said, the sound of the car engine purring in the background outside.

She wished it could be her riding with him, but his car was already full. “See you there,” she returned. He grabbed the knob of the door, holding it open for her. As she and the children walked onto the stoop, they shared one more smile, and he closed the door.





Chapter Twenty





Appreciate yourself for the person you are. That was very difficult to do when faced with this situation. One of Carrie’s jobs was to be sure that David and Olivia got to the play. And now, having dropped the kids off with their teacher in the classroom behind the sanctuary of the church, she found herself getting anxious about seeing Adam and, as he’d mentioned at lunch, one of his work colleagues. The bulky, velvet curtain was still pulled closed on the stage as she got situated in an empty seat in a row with enough chairs for Adam’s family, the room around her nearly pitch black because her eyes hadn’t adjusted yet. Walter took a while to get in and out of the car, but she hoped for him to be with her soon. His jovial nature would ease her nerves.

She blinked to try and correct her vision, apprehension creeping in even more, as she eyed the empty seats beside her. She was having trouble getting comfortable in her chair. She shifted her weight, crossing her legs. In mere minutes, those seats would be filled by Adam’s family, Adam, and a man named Robert and his wife. She’d worried herself silly with thoughts of meeting this person. She discreetly turned and glanced at the door behind her. It was still closed. A woman with a floral dress and cardigan walked onto the stage, her heels clicking over the muffled chatter of the crowd. She began speaking into the microphone just as a beam of light crawled along the aisle floor beside her.

Carrie turned to look, and she saw the silhouette of a cane and a man leaning on it—Walter. She wanted to sit by Walter tonight. He would make her feel good about herself despite the intimidating person she was about to meet. She didn’t want to be caught after the play in a conversation about the brewery, having to smile and nod even though she had no idea what they were talking about. She didn’t want to be the one who didn’t get the office joke, the one who didn’t know the latest on the expansion or the figures for the new building Adam was buying.