Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove #8)(69)

“I’m sorry,” she said again. Changing the subject, she asked, “How’s Mack?”

“Fine. He’s settling into his job with the fire department. He seems to be enjoying it.”

“I knew he would,” Linnette murmured.

“I had a surprise for you, too,” her mother lamented.

“A…surprise?” Linnette felt guilty enough.

“Yes. Bob Beldon got your father and your brother parts in the live Nativity scene at the church.”

Linnette could hardly believe it. “You’ve got to be joking! Dad—and Mack, too?” She could imagine Mack enjoying such an event, but it must’ve taken some fast talking to get her father to agree.

“Mack’s playing a shepherd and your father’s one of the Wise Men.”

Linnette giggled, thinking she’d love to see that. “How did Pastor Flemming and Mr. Beldon convince Dad to do this?”

“Don’t ask me, but whatever they said worked.” Her mother finally seemed to relax. “You should’ve seen Mack chasing sheep at the first practice,” she said with a laugh.

“Real sheep?”

“Oh, yes. We’ve got a camel, too,” Corrie bragged. “I have no idea how Pastor Dave managed it, but he found a camel for your father. Roy’s going to lead him—or is it her?—around the stable where Jesus, Mary and Joseph are on display.”

“Dad…and a camel?”

Pete’s eyebrows shot up and Linnette sent him a smile.

“Camels can be nasty. I don’t think anyone but your father could handle him.”

“I hear they spit and bite,” Linnette said, enjoying this.

“Oh, yes. You heard right.” She paused. “Gloria and I laughed ourselves silly.”

“Dad must’ve been seriously annoyed.” The image of her father in robe and sandals struggling with a recalcitrant camel almost made her rethink the possibility of going home.

“We were going to surprise you,” her mother was saying in that wistful tone.

“Promise me you’ll take lots of pictures.”

“I will. In fact, I bought myself an early Christmas gift—a digital camera. I can even take movies. Your dad’s showing me how it works.” Linnette knew that her father, as a private investigator, had used one for years.

“I’ll e-mail you a movie of the Nativity scene. Or,” she added dryly, “I’ll get Roy to send it for me.”

“Mom, please do. I want to see it all.” Linnette suddenly felt more homesick than she had the entire time she’d been here. This would be her first Christmas away from her family.

“What’ll you do about Christmas if you won’t be home?” her mother asked.

Linnette turned to Pete and apologized that this conversation was taking so long. She gestured for him to continue eating his lunch, which he did. “I’m spending the day with Hassie Knight. We’ll make a small dinner and play cards.” Hassie owned Knight’s Pharmacy and was the inspiration behind the medical clinic. She’d formed a committee that included Linnette and several local businesspeople; they were working with state agencies and applying for a grant.

“You won’t be with Pete?”

“I doubt it, Mom. He has his own family.”

“You’ve mentioned him quite a few times now. But I’m glad to see you’re sensible enough not to get serious about this farmer.”

“It’s too soon.” She didn’t have to say any more than that; her mother knew what she meant. Linnette’s relationship with Cal Washburn was over, and she didn’t need a rebound romance. The last news she’d received was that Cal and Vicki were now married and had moved to Wyoming. She wished them every happiness—and she was sincere in that.

The funny thing was, she didn’t feel any lingering pain over losing Cal. In retrospect, their break-up was probably for the best. She and Cal had been too different in both their interests and expectations. She’d loved him, and she’d been devastated when he ended the relationship, but as with most life experiences, Linnette had learned valuable lessons.

“Cal’s in Wyoming,” her mother said, as if reading Linnette’s thoughts.

“I know,” she said without emotion. “How’s Judge Griffin doing?” she asked, moving to another subject. During their previous conversation, her mother had told her that Olivia had suffered a medical setback.

“Much, much better. She’s home from the hospital and the infection’s under control.”

“I’m so glad.”

“It’s been very hard for her husband,” Corrie said. “Oh,” she added, “speaking of Jack Griffin, he wrote a hilarious piece on the Nativity scene. There was a practice with the animals—they’re being kept at Cliff Harding’s place,” she said quickly, and Linnette suspected she was worried about referring to Cliff’s ranch, since Cal had lived and worked there, and Linnette would always associate it with him.

“Send me the article, okay, Mom?”

“I will.” Her mother sighed again. “I do wish you could come for Christmas.”

“Mom, please. Don’t make me feel worse.” Any more of this and she’d start to cry. “The airfare is outrageous and it isn’t safe for me to be driving all that way by myself in winter.” She looked out the window, her gaze falling on a two-foot-high bank of snow.