Christmas With Carlie. Julianna Morris

      “Well, I—”

      “Papa, why does Carlie have to call you Mr. Forrester?” Beth interrupted.

      “Uh, she doesn’t.” He focused on Carlie. “That is, please call me Luke. I’m afraid I spilled coffee on our list of activities for today. I came to get another copy.”

      Spilling coffee was such a human thing to do that Carlie grinned. “No problem—we have plenty. Just give me a moment.” She went to the reception desk to fetch another list. She returned and held it out. “Here you go. Annie and Beth may also enjoy seeing how much snow has been made since last night. The temperature is still below freezing, so the machines should be operating.”

      Luke looked down at the cream-colored paper with holly decorating the edges. He appeared more rested than he had the day before, but whether it would have a positive effect on his mood remained to be seen.

      “Just in case, I also got you another copy of the events planned in the next week,” Carlie added, giving him a second sheet. “Those are just the activities that have been scheduled. Other things occur spontaneously.”

      He frowned. “How can the girls join in if we don’t know what’s happening?”

      What part of spontaneous didn’t he understand?

      “Don’t stay in your suite,” she replied. “Go sledding. Come out to the events. Then if something happens, you’ll have a fair chance of getting involved.”

      And don’t spend all your time working, she told him silently.

      After getting home late the night before, she’d researched Luke Forrester on the internet. She’d felt guilty because it had seemed like reading petty gossip, but she’d figured that knowing more might help her deal with the guy. Descriptions like brilliant, decisive and confident had been mixed with less complimentary labels, such as ruthless and arrogant. While she certainly agreed with the arrogant part, he also appeared supremely confident.

      Not surprisingly, numerous pictures of his wife had also popped up and she was as beautiful as Carlie remembered. Society shots showed her in elegant evening gowns and expensive gems, while others were of her in uniform. She’d been stunning, even in military fatigues. Erika Forrester would have intimidated most women, no matter how sound their egos might be...and Carlie’s ego wasn’t particularly sturdy after the way Derek had treated her.

      She glanced at Annie and Beth. In her brief acquaintance with them, she’d noticed they almost seemed disconnected from their father. There were few of the unspoken signals that usually flowed between parent and child. If she’d seen them somewhere and didn’t know the family, she wouldn’t have thought they were related.

      Was it grief?

      Tessa and Uncle Liam had grown even closer when Aunt Meredith died, but Tessa had been an adult. The girls being twins might change things, too.

      Carlie checked the clock on the wall. She needed to be out, circulating through the different areas to be sure how the various activities her staff had planned were going. “Annie, Beth, would you like to start by making paper chains?” she asked encouragingly. “We’re giving prizes for different designs.”

      “Goody,” cried Beth, while Annie nodded.

      Carlie led the twins outside, assuming Luke would follow. Poppy Gold was abuzz with activity in the early-morning light. Mother Nature was cooperating when it came to the skating rink and sledding hill. Other than the rain forecast for Monday or Tuesday, the weather was supposed to be dry and unseasonably cold, which was ideal.

      “Some of the kids’ activities are in the concert hall today,” she explained to Luke as they climbed the steps of the hall.

      Only after Annie and Beth had begun work did Luke say something. “Paper chains?” he asked with eyebrows raised.

      “It’s a good holiday craft for young children.”

      “I guess. I just haven’t seen anybody make them since I was a kid.”

      Carlie cocked her head. “Not even your daughters?”

      “No, we have professional decorators. Ordinarily they come on November 30th and do the house inside and out.”

      A wry comment threatened to break through Carlie’s diplomacy, so she pursed her lips and went over to check on Annie.

      * * *

      LUKE FOCUSED ON his daughters as they sorted through containers of colorful paper strips. He appreciated Carlie’s restraint in not pointing out that he’d expected Poppy Gold to be decked out several days before when his own house would have been decorated.

      Christmas music was playing, and despite the early hour, quite a few children were in the room, cheerfully making their chains. Lighted “pine” garland entwined with strings of silver beads and red velvet ribbons had been put up the day before. Each corner of the room had an enormous decorated tree, covered with twinkling lights and ornaments that fit the quaint, historic atmosphere.

      He shifted uncomfortably. What had possessed him to come to California? He didn’t do quaint. He didn’t do charming. He didn’t do cute. Erika hadn’t, either.

      Yet Beth and Annie seemed to enjoy that kind of thing, possibly because of their nanny. Dacia was from Kilrush in Ireland and he sometimes thought he caught the lilt of her accent reflected in his daughters’ voices. When he’d interviewed her for the position, Dacia had announced she didn’t hold with not telling young ones fairy tales, so they should expect her to share the old legends and myths with their girls.

      Though Luke had appreciated Dacia’s forthright honesty, Erika hadn’t been as certain since she didn’t want her daughters becoming fanciful. Yet even as infants, Beth and Annie had responded to Dacia far better than the other applicants. In the end, that had counted for more than anything else.

      Luke read through the two activities lists. There were carol-singing parties, craft workshops to make Christmas ornaments, holiday scavenger hunts, a nightly parade of lighted historic vehicles and much more.

      With any luck, the girls would react well. Otherwise, there wasn’t any point to visiting Glimmer Creek in the first place.

      His phone rang and he stepped into a quieter spot to answer. “Hey, Nicole. How are you feeling?”

      “Much better. The doctor thinks I can fly Monday. What’s going on there?”

      He glanced around the room. “Quite a few things. They call it Christmas kickoff day, which means the entire historic district is being decorated. They surround it with activities and serve hot drinks and snacks at different locations. Last night they even made a production out of starting the snowmaking machines. There were treats and singing. Very...traditional.”

      “It sounds like fun,” Nicole said, sounding wistful.

      “The girls seemed to enjoy themselves. At the moment they’re making paper chains.”

      “How are they doing?”

      “It’s hard to tell—with Annie at least. Right now she might be on the verge of tears,” Luke said, worried again. “The activities director is talking to her. By the way, the tutor I hired couldn’t come. I have an interview set up with a retired schoolteacher instead.”

      * * *

      BACK IN AUSTIN, Nicole pressed a finger to her forehead. She wasn’t great with children, but she certainly could have tutored her nieces. Why had Luke invited her to go with him to California if he didn’t want her to help out?

      “Maybe I could do it,” she suggested.

      “No, getting someone else will give you time to enjoy yourself. But be prepared. Glimmer Creek is even smaller than I thought. There isn’t much shopping or other services.”

      “I don’t have a problem with small towns.”

      “You’ve never spent