Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses(88)

“Thank you, Richard,” Robin said, and Richard left the room.

“Show me what else you’ve done!” Robin said, walking over to Abbey. “This house has been transformed! I haven’t been here since Sarah had it decorated with all her things. The whole house has a different feel now. It’s so…” She looked around the room as if trying to find the right words. “So, comfortable. You’ve really given it a personality. It’s just lovely.” She grabbed Abbey’s arm. “Show me the rest! And where’s my grandmother? I’m dying to see her! What does she think of all this?”

“I’m just going to take Thomas to get a snack,” James said to Robin. “Max, would you like to come too?” Max looked over at Abbey for approval and she nodded. She was so glad to have someone here now to give Max a little attention.

Abbey watched as little Thomas ran and slid in his sock feet just like Max had done. Max, delighted by the sight, joined him. It made her think of Nick. She pushed the thought away, the worry about Max’s disappointment if he didn’t show at school still lurking in her mind.

Abbey led Robin upstairs. “Caroline is probably in the living room,” Abbey said. “That’s where I left her just before you came. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.” They walked into the first bedroom. The enormous four-poster bed warmed the room, the oversized linens and navy and white throw pillows anchored the space, and drew in the deep blues of the bedside lamps that were casting a glow around the room. Abbey looked down at Robin’s boots, wishing she’d kick them off and feel the softness of the rug underneath them.

Robin took in a breath of excitement as she pushed her shiny hair behind her shoulders, her bright red nails revealing themselves between the strands. “I want this room! I’m staying in here,” she called. “I love it! Where’s my grandmother staying? Certainly, she can’t get up all these stairs on a regular basis.”

“There’s a small room at the back of the house downstairs. I believe Richard had it made up as her room with the things from her house. I’m going to check it out and make sure it’s suitable for her. I helped her bring most of it over and we left it with the staff. I’ll put the room together for her if they haven’t.”

“Good, good,” Robin said. “Show me the other rooms.”

Abbey walked her down to the room with the picture she’d taken from the closet and then through the rest of the rooms.

In the last one, Robin sat down on the bed. She patted the spot beside her, asking Abbey to sit. “I hope you have some free time in your decorating schedule,” she said, “because I would love to fly you out to New York. I have several friends who were just asking for interior designer recommendations. You’d be perfect.”

“I’m not a full-time decorator.” Could she be? Robin was lining potential clients up for her. She decided tonight she was going to begin to research small businesses and find out what she needed to do to make this happen. Her dream was right at her fingertips. Perhaps she could decorate a few more homes for Robin and her friends, add them to her portfolio, and then begin doing it full time.

“Well, we could work around your schedule. Are you booked up?”

Abbey chuckled. “No. Not at all at the moment, although I’d love to do it full time. I’m a nurse. I care for your grandmother.”

“Wait. You’re the same Abbey who is the in-home nurse for my grandmother? She loves you! She talks about you all the time!”

“Yes.”

“Well that would make sense.”

“It would?”

“Nick has nothing but wonderful things to say about you too. And not just your decorating.” She winked. “I’ve heard about your Mexican dancing,” she said laughing. “I wish you would’ve recorded that. I’ve never seen Nick dance in my life.”

Abbey’s face was suddenly on fire.

Robin laughed again. It was a light, giggling laugh. “Nick has a crush on you. He told me! He tells me everything.”

He’d told her that? she thought. Abbey caught herself smiling and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop.

Robin stood up and started to leave the room so Abbey got up too, trying to iron out her expression so she wouldn’t look like a crazy person. “Any word on when Mother’s planning on coming?” Robin asked.

“I haven’t heard,” Abbey said.

“Who knows with her,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s funny: she and Nick were always so close when we were kids. They got along famously. But after Dad died, it was as if she couldn’t be near him because he was so much like his father that it kept her in some sort of depression. She moved to Colorado not long after my father passed. I wish she would’ve stayed, though, to see how well Nick has managed everything. He’s so hard working. Persistence is one of his talents.”