Christmas With Carlie

She nudged Annie, who wiggled her fingers in a small wave.

“It’s great to meet you both. I’m Carlie.”

“Excuse me, you haven’t explained why you weren’t ready for us when we arrived,” Luke Forrester interjected impatiently.

Carlie fixed him with the steady gaze she’d cultivated dealing with newspaper reporters at her old public relations job. It was never easy for her to stay calm, though. She had a terrible temper.

“Mr. Forrester, I’m very sorry, but check-in time is 4:00 p.m. We had visitors at the John Muir Cottage last night. They left on schedule and our housekeeping staff is working to get everything ready for you. In the meantime, there’s a special luncheon being served down the street. You and your daughters are welcome to eat as our guests while you’re waiting.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw and she expected further demands, but he finally said, “Fine,” in a sharp tone.

Carlie glanced at Bill Blalock. He was excellent with people, so it was unusual for him not to be able to handle a difficult client. Of course, no matter how skilled he was, a few guests always insisted on speaking to someone with more authority. In most cases, she’d discovered they’d caused their own problem and didn’t want to take responsibility.

“Bill, please call me when Mr. Forrester’s accommodations are ready,” she asked, giving him a significant look that suggested putting a rush on the cleaning crew.

Poppy Gold Inns allowed guests into their rooms early when feasible, but first they had to be properly prepared and approved by a housekeeping supervisor. While Carlie didn’t believe that bad manners and arbitrary expectations should be rewarded, the Forrester family was obviously under a great deal of strain. Quickly getting them into their suite would be best all around.

“I’ll take care of it,” Bill promised. “Don’t be concerned about your luggage, Mr. Forrester. We’ll secure your bags here and deliver them later.”

* * *

LUKE NODDED CURTLY.

He still questioned whether this trip to California was the best idea for the girls, and being told the house wasn’t available hadn’t helped. A part of him knew it was unreasonable to be upset, but nothing was going well.

Flying at night was his preference since it saved time, but the jet’s copilot had been rear-ended while driving to the airport. Though she’d escaped injury, Luke had insisted she take a few days off. Not wanting to wait for a replacement, he’d taken the copilot’s seat himself rather than working during the flight as planned. He held a pilot’s license for emergencies, though this had mostly qualified as an inconvenience.

His sister was still in Austin; she was being treated for an ear infection and couldn’t fly until the doctor said it was okay. Luke had hired a backup copilot and sent the jet back to Texas so Nicole could come once she was well enough for travel.

The limousine service had been late meeting them at the airport and the drive to Glimmer Creek on the small curving roads had upset Annie’s stomach. She’d cried and gotten sick, only to push him away when he tried to help.

On top of everything else, the private tutor he’d hired had canceled just hours before their departure, so now he’d have to get someone local.

A polite throat-clearing sound drew his attention. “This way, Mr. Forrester,” said Carlie Benton.

She was holding Beth’s hand, and though her expression was pleasant, Luke suspected she wasn’t impressed with him. That was okay. He hadn’t gotten where he was without making a few enemies.

“Do either of you skate?” Carlie asked the girls as they walked down the front steps. “Ice skating, I mean.”

“Yes, but not like Aunt Nicole,” Beth told her. “She’s awfully good. She can spin and twirl and everything.”

“Aunt Nicole was s’posed to come with us in Papa’s jet, but her ear got sick,” Annie half whispered, making Luke’s eyes widen. Annie was shier than her sister and rarely spoke to strangers.

“That’s too bad. Is she coming later?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m glad. We have a skating rink starting tomorrow after the water freezes, so you’ll have a chance to skate if your papa doesn’t mind.” Carlie stopped and pointed across the street to the park. “It’s going to be right over there, past that little white bandstand. And you know what else we’re having this year? A sledding hill. That is, we’ll have one when the temperature is cold enough to make snow.”

“Yippee,” cried Beth.

Carlie grinned at both girls and continued walking. Down the street was an attractive building with a historic marker on the front lawn saying Glimmer Creek Concert Hall. It reminded Luke of the concert hall at the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

Where he’d stayed with Erika on their honeymoon.

Hell, how long would everything remind him of what he’d lost?

Frustrated, Luke directed his thoughts elsewhere as they climbed the steps. On the pillared veranda, he read a freestanding sign next to the door. “Creative Turkey Bites?” he asked wryly. “So your ‘special’ luncheon is recycled Thanksgiving leftovers.”

“We don’t serve leftovers at Poppy Gold,” Carlie said, her blue eyes glittering coolly. “The meal showcases the ways leftover turkey could be made into something new and different. In addition, traditional Thanksgiving dishes are provided for people who still want them. But everything is freshly prepared.”

Inside, there was a buzz of conversation and Carlie was greeted by one guest after another. She introduced Beth and Annie by their first names only, for which Luke was grateful. While it was entirely possible nobody would recognize their names, he preferred to avoid awkward moments. Privacy was important, particularly for his daughters.

A barbershop quartet in red-and-white-striped jackets was entertaining in the front of the hall, their mellow tones resonating around the room. While pleasant, the decorations were still autumnal in theme and Luke worried the girls would be disappointed. He’d told them that spending the holidays in California would be like going to a Christmas wonderland. When would he learn not to promise something he couldn’t control?

“Good afternoon, Sarah,” Carlie said to a slender blonde woman wearing a chef’s apron. “This is Luke and his two daughters, Annie and Beth. They’re Poppy Gold’s guests today for lunch.”

Sarah beamed. “Welcome. Just get in line and tell the servers what you want to try.”

“Thanks.” Carlie crouched so she was level with Annie. “Would you like to wash your face before you eat?” she asked gently.

“Okay.” Annie put her fingers in Carlie’s outstretched hand.

“Is that all right?” Carlie queried, looking up at him. “I can take her through the food line when we get back. Just let me know if she has any allergies.”

“It’s fine. Neither of the girls have allergies.”

Yet Luke was perturbed as he watched his daughter leave with her. Damn it, he was Annie’s father, but she’d refused to let him help her, either in the limousine or after they’d arrived.

Sometimes he questioned whether Beth and Annie blamed him for their mother not being there. Sometimes he even wondered that himself. If he hadn’t been so open-minded about Erika staying in the service, she might still be alive.

Open-minded?

He snorted at the thought. Hardly. More than anything he’d wanted to keep Erika at home. Even the media had known he wasn’t open-minded. What was the headline that had become so popular...the Beauty and the Autocrat?

It hadn’t been fair to his wife. While beautiful, she’d also been a brilliant, decisive army officer. Luke didn’t see himself as autocratic, either—he just tried to make sure the people he cared about were safe and didn’t lack for anything. There was nothing wrong with that. Nonetheless, he’d wanted to be supportive of Erika’s career choice.

The irony was that his wife had raised the question of resigning her commission after the girls were born. He’d tried not to influence her, so now he would always wonder what might have happened if he’d followed his instincts and asked her to stay home.

* * *

“IS THAT BETTER?” Carlie asked Annie, drying her cheeks with a towel.

The youngster heaved a sigh. “I guess. But my eyes are scratchy.”

“You’ll probably forget about it when you eat.”

They were in the lounge area of the restroom and Annie patted the cushion she was sitting on. “This couch is funny.”