A Christmas Blessing

realized how very little he actually knew about Jessie. He’d fallenin love with the woman she was now. It had never crossed his mind that he might want tobe acquainted with the child she had been or the lonely teenager who’d longed todiscover her real family.
“I don’t know,” he confessed finally.
“You’ll have to find out something or it’ll be a wasteof my time and your money,” the private investigator informed him. “Withwhat you’re giving me, I can’t even narrow the search down toTexas.”
Luke sighed. “I appreciate the honesty. I’ll see what I canfind out and call you back. Thanks, Jim.”
“No problem. If I don’t talk to you before, have a Happy NewYear, Luke.”
“Same to you,” he said, but his mind was already far away,grappling with various ideas for getting the information he needed about Jessie withouther finding out what he was up to. He didn’t want her disappointed if he failed tofind answers for her.
To his deep regret, he could see right off that there was only one way. Hewould have to follow her to White Pines. The only way he could ask his questions wasface-to-face, dropping them into the conversation one at a time over several days so shewouldn’t add them up and suspect his plan. If the thought of seeing her again madehis palms sweat and his heart race, he refused to admit that his reaction to theprospect of seeing her had anything at all to do with his decision to go. The trip wasan expediency, nothing more.
For the second time that morning, Luke made a call he’d never in amillion years anticipated making.
“Hey, Daddy, it’s Luke.”
“Hey, son, how are you?” Harlan asked as matter-of-factly asif Luke initiated calls to White Pines all the time. If he was startled by Luke’scall, he hid it well.
“I’m fine.”
“What’s up?”
He drew in a deep breath and finally forced himself to ask, “Can yousend the plane for me? I’m coming home.”
Dead silence greeted the announcement, and for the space of a heartbeatLuke thought he’d made a terrible mistake in calling, rather than just showing up.It had been less than twenty-four hours since he’d flatly declared hewouldn’t be coming to White Pines. If his father started one of his typical, ifsomewhat justifiable, cross-examinations, Luke didn’t have any answers he waswilling to share. He waited, unconsciously holding his breath, to see how his fatherwould handle this latest development in their uneasy relationship.
“I’ll have the plane there in an hour,” his father saidfinally. It was as though he’d struggled with himself and decided to give his sona break for once.
Luke heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” Harlan said. He paused, then added, “Butif you go and change your mind on me, though, I’m warning you that you’llpay for the fuel.”
Luke laughed at the predictable threat, relieved by it. Obviously Harlanhadn’t mellowed that much. “That’s what I love about you, Daddy. Younever allow sentiment to cloud your thinking about the bottom line.”
* * *
By the time Jessie got downstairs for breakfast on the morning afterChristmas, only Mary remained at the table. She looked as stylish and perfectly coiffedas she had the night before, despite the fact she couldn’t have had more than afew hours sleep.
Last night, surrounded by family and old friends, by the famous and thepowerful, she had been in her element. She was equally at ease at the head of the tablewith only her daughter-in-law to impress. Jessie found that polish and carefullycultivated class a bit intimidating.
Her reaction to Mary Adams had a lot to do with the older woman’sunconscious sense of style. In fact, Jessie couldn’t ever recall seeingErik’s mother in anything more casual than wool slacks, a silk blouse and oodlesof gold jewelry. Nor had she ever seen her with a single frosted hair out of place. Maryeyed Jessie’s jeans and pale blue maternity sweater with obvious dismay.
“We must take you shopping,” she announced, without a cluethat her expression or her innuendo were insulting.
“I have plenty of clothes,” Jessie protested.“Unfortunately, the baby arrived before I’d planned, so I didn’t bringanything except maternity clothes along. The pants can be pinned to fit wellenough.”
“Not to worry,” Mary said cheerfully. “I’ll askHarlan if the plane’s free. The pilot can take us over to Dallas for the day. Wecan shop the after-Christmas sales at Neiman-Marcus. I have half a dozen things that Ineed to return and you certainly won’t be needing those new maternity outfits wegave you now.”
She shook her head, an expression of tolerant amusement on her face as sheconfided, “Harlan hasn’t gotten my size right once in all the yearswe’ve been married. I’ve become used to these post-holidayexchanges.”
Jessie tried again. “Maybe another day,” she said a littlemore forcefully. Deliberately changing the subject, she asked, “Where are Jordanand Cody this morning?”
“Jordan’s already flown back to Houston. He had business toattend to, or so he claimed. He’s probably chasing after some new woman. I thinkCody is off somewhere with his father,” she said without interest.
She regarded Jessie thoughtfully. “That shade of blue isn’tquite right for you. I believe something darker, perhaps a lovely royal blue, would beperfect with your eyes.”
Jessie had been so certain she’d ended the subject of the shoppingexcursion. Apparently she hadn’t. “I’m not sure I have the energy yetto keep up with you,” she confessed as a last resort.
Finally something she’d said penetrated Mary’s self-absorbedplanning.
“Oh, my goodness, what was I thinking?” Mary said, lookingchagrined. “Of course, you must be exhausted. I remember when the boys were born,I didn’t even leave the hospital for a week and here it’s only been a fewdays since Angela was born. How on earth are you managing? Young women today are muchmore blasé about these things than my generation was.”
Since Mary’s question seemed to be rhetorical and she appeared tohave fallen deep into thought, Jessie concentrated on spreading jam on her perfectlytoasted English muffin. She’d once wondered if the kitchen staff at White Pineshad been told to toss out any that weren’t an even shade of golden brown. Her ownsuccess was considerably more limited. She burned as