He got into bed and was careful not to disturb Molly, but she stirred, nonetheless.
“There you are,” she said, sounding sleepy.
“Here I am.”
She snuggled up to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “Was about to send a search party for you.”
“Your dad got the whiskey out. It was downhill from there.”
“How many times did he use the word ‘impertinent’?”
“Only four or five.”
“So it was a good night.”
“It was a great night.”
“I’m glad he agreed to stay tonight, too, so he could have a nightcap with you.”
“Me, too. I think he wanted to stay close to make sure I’m all right, which I appreciate so much.”
“He loves you.”
“I know, and I love him right back.”
She smothered a yawn. “Did you get a chance to read the Christmas letter from Joseph and Keisha?”
“I did! Jalen is going to be a judge. That’s incredible.”
“And Jasmine being the national president of an accounting organization.”
“I’m glad Keisha finally talked Joseph into retiring at the end of the year.”
“Maybe now we can get them back up here for another visit.”
“Or meet up with them somewhere.”
“That sounds good, too.”
He ran his fingers through her hair. “I still can’t believe what Cam and the others did while we were gone.”
“I know! I was so thrilled. I’d been trying not to think about how I was going to pull off Christmas after being gone the extra day. They made it so I didn’t have to worry about a thing. Best Christmas ever.”
“It really was. Our amazing kids fell for some equally amazing people.”
“They sure did. And just think, it all began at a bus station in Mississippi.”
“Best day of my life.”
“And mine. Do you still love me more than the Beatles?”
“Always and forever.”
“Sing me our song.”
In a soft whisper, he gave her the opening notes to the song that had gotten them through the best and worst of times. It had become especially poignant after the split with his family, when Molly and her family had opened their arms to him and welcomed him into their fold. “When I find myself in times of trouble…”
Let it be.
Let it be.
Epilogue
Two days after Christmas, Linc slid into their regular booth at the diner, where his father-in-law was already nursing a cup of coffee. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Everything all right?”
“My sister called to tell me my father passed away overnight. She said his passing was peaceful, and they were all there with him.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Linc.”
“Thank you, but it doesn’t really feel like my loss, you know?”
“I understand what you mean, but still… Give yourself a minute to feel it.”
Linc nodded and smiled when Megan came over with coffee. “Thanks, honey. How’re you doing?”
“I’m still recovering from Christmas.”
“Right there with you. Thanks for all you did to help make it happen.”
“It was fun and gave us something to do while you were gone.”
“You’re done after this week, right?” Elmer asked.
“Yes, sir. My temp replacement is due to start later this week so I can show her the ropes.”
“No one can replace you,” Elmer said.
“Aw, thanks. I’ll be around, and I’m sure I’ll be here every day with the baby. I won’t know what to do with myself.”
“Megan,” Butch called from the kitchen. “Order up.”
“Duty calls.”
The door jingled, and Linc’s nephew Grayson Coleman came in, smiling when he saw them.
After Grayson hung his coat on a hook by the door, Elmer moved over to make room for his grandson.
“What’re you two up to?” Gray asked. “Solving the world’s problems as usual?”
“Mostly still recovering from too much Christmas,” Elmer said.
“That was a throwdown and a half,” Gray said. “Thanks for including us and the rest of the Colemans.”
“Of course we included you,” Linc said. “And I hear there’s more partying in store on New Year’s Day at your mother’s.”
“That’s right. All the Colemans will be there, or so I’m told.”
“Did you ever hear from Noah the other day?”
“Nope, he was a no-show for Christmas and wasn’t answering his phone. I went by his place, and his truck was gone, but I saw it at the inn this morning. Wherever he went, he’s back to work today.”
“Our international man of mystery,” Elmer said.
Megan brought Grayson a mug that she filled after setting it on the table. “Breakfast?”
“Yes, please,” Gray said. “I’ll have the usual.”
“Coming right up.”
“How does she remember everyone’s ‘usual’?” Gray asked.
“It’s her special gift.”
“So I did hear one thing about Noah that you might find interesting,” Gray said.
“What’s that?” Elmer asked.
“One of the guys who works for him is a high school classmate of mine. I ran into him at the grocery store two days before Christmas. He told me that Noah and the architect that Mrs. Hendricks hired to redesign the inn have been locking horns big-time. Like full-on screaming matches right in front of everyone.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep, and… The architect is a woman named Brianna, and according to my friend, she’s, as he said, ‘a smoke show.’”
“Translation, please,” Elmer said.
“She’s hot.”
One of Elmer’s white eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “Is that right.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Well, it might be time to stop over at the inn and ask my grandson to give me a tour of the progress.”
“I’d be happy to help you with that,” Linc said.
“Figured you might, but if this turns into something, it goes in my column.”
“Have you two stopped bothering to try to hide the fact that you’re minding everyone else’s business?” Grayson asked.
Elmer gave him a blank look. “We have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Grayson lost it laughing. “Whatever you say, Gramps.”
Watch for Noah Coleman’s story, COME TOGETHER, out on July 13, 2021!
Three years after his marriage ended in dramatic fashion, Noah Coleman has one goal—to steer clear of romantic entanglements. In fact, he steers clear of most human interaction, studiously avoiding his large, meddling extended family, working until he’s exhausted and then repeating the pattern day after day. His strategy has worked well for him for years, keeping him sealed off from anything that can cause him pain or angst. Or it was working for him... before his company was hired to rebuild the Admiral Butler Inn after a fire reduced it to rubble, and he was forced to co-exist with the exasperatingly difficult, gorgeous architect the inn’s owner, Mrs. Hendricks, hired to oversee the project.