The Best of Times: A Dicken's Inn Novel by Anita Stansfield Page B

her children had arrived, and the food was being set out on the table. He noticed Charlotte putting a bottle of wine out, and Chas brought in a glass pitcher with some kind of juice that was a similar color. She told him to sit down at the end of the table, across the corner from Granny. Charlotte got her children seated, then she and Polly took their chairs. Chas brought in the turkey, and they all cheered as she set it in the center of the table.
    The children were obviously impressed with the way Chas carved beautiful slices off the side of the turkey, but Jackson was more impressed with Chas. He wondered if what he was feeling was mostly due to the ethereal surroundings and storybook circumstances of the moment—or if it was because of her. He tended to believe that he would have been drawn to her under any circumstances. All he knew for certain was that he’d never felt this way before, and he didn’t know what to do about it. There was only one woman he’d ever claimed to love, but when she’d broken his heart, he’d closed it off. He’d never had trouble admitting that his heart was more frozen than warm, and he’d learned to invest any emotion he might feel into his job and the people with whom he worked. But Chas was cracking the ice without even trying. He couldn’t come up with one practical reason to think that she would ever see in him what he saw in her, or that they could share anything that wasn’t temporary. But right now he could only see them wrapped in this magical cocoon with scenes that had been grossly absent in his childhood.
    When there was enough turkey cut to get the meal started, Chas sat down next to Granny, across the table from Jackson. She smiled at him before saying, “It’s tradition for Granny to say the blessing.” He nodded, but was surprised when Granny took hold of his hand on the table. Everyone joined hands, and this sweet elderly woman offered a sincere prayer, offering thanks for all the good things in their lives. She asked for blessings upon those in the world who were suffering, and for those serving in the military, as well as their families. She thanked God for the beautiful meal and for the effort that had gone into its preparation, and she specifically thanked Him for Chas and all that she did for her and for everyone else who knew her. Jackson added his firm amen along with the others, and the feast began.
    The food was as delicious as it was beautiful, and Jackson mentioned it more than once. He couldn’t deny that Charlotte’s rolls were heavenly, and he told her that as well. He was relieved at how relaxed he felt with these people, and to find that he was really enjoying himself. Charlotte’s children, Karlee and Logan, were just childish enough to be entertaining, and well-behaved enough to not be annoying. He noticed that Chas and the children drank the juice that was in the pitcher, while the rest of them enjoyed the wine Charlotte had brought. But they all used the beautiful goblets.
    When they were finished eating, Chas actually let Jackson help carry things back into the kitchen, but when the table was cleared, she insisted that he needed to let the women hurry and do the dishes, and then they were going to play some games. Noting that the children were impatient for the games and in the way, he offered to entertain them. His only experience with children had been in the homes of coworkers, and in dealing with those who had been affected in one way or another by a federal crime. Unfortunately, he’d had way too much experience calming down and communicating with traumatized children. In comparison, this was easy.
    It was Logan’s idea to build a snowman on the front lawn so that people coming to the inn would see it, but Karlee was equally enthused, and Jackson helped bundle them up. While they constructed Mr. Frosty beneath sunny skies, Jackson learned that Karlee and Logan had different fathers and different last names. He was amazed at how much