The Librarian of Boone's Hollow - Kim Vogel Sawyer Page 0,131
a cookie—a Christmas miracle, Addie declared to herself.
Emmett mingled, exchanging a few words with each family that came through the doors. Although he wandered the floor, somehow every time Addie looked up, she spotted him no matter where he stood in the room. Her heart gave a little flutter when his head turned and his blue-eyed gaze connected with hers.
Someone tugged her sleeve, and she looked to find Dusty standing close. He quirked his finger for her to bend down. She leaned close, and he curled his hand along her jaw. “Guess what, Addie?” His warm breath tickled her ear. “My paw is Santa Claus. The real Santa Claus! But don’t tell, okay? It’s a secret.”
She tapped her finger to her lips and winked, and he scampered off with a cookie—maybe his sixth?—in his hand. She chuckled under her breath. Dusty would never forget this Christmas. And neither, she ventured to guess, would Mr. Tharp.
As Addie had predicted, Emmett planned correctly. They had enough books to go around, with three left over, but all that remained on the cookie trays were crumbs when the last family departed with cries of “Merry Christmas!” Glory helped Alba stack the cookie plates and carry them out. Addie took a broom and began sweeping up the cookie crumbs and discarded bits of wrapping paper. Bettina and Nanny Fay blew out all the candles and then headed for the cabin Bettina now claimed as home. Addie called after them, “I’ll be there after I’ve finished sweeping.”
But as soon as the door closed behind them, Emmett plucked the broom from her hand. “You’ve done enough.”
She pointed silently to the crumbs littering the floor.
He shook his head, smiling. “It’ll keep. Maw said she’d help with the cleaning tomorrow. Don’t you need to pack for your trip to Georgetown?”
All at once the joy of the evening faded. Addie wanted to see her parents and Preacher Finley and her friends from Georgetown. But leaving Emmett, Nanny Fay, Bettina, and the other girls—not to mention several townsfolk—for even a short time would hurt. She’d truly grown to love all of them. She swallowed a knot of sorrow. “I can’t pack until I have the Santa costume from your paw.”
“Well, then, let’s go to my folks’ place and get it. I reckon he’s out of it by now. He said it was itchy. Then I’ll walk you to Nanny Fay’s.” He paused, a bashful grin twitching on the corners of his lips. “If that’s all right?”
She’d never turn down time with Emmett. She nodded.
He helped her into her coat, and they set out. The town was quiet, but lamplight behind windows in every house and cabin gave the mountainside a cheery glow. The breeze had calmed, and although the air was cold enough to show their breath, she wasn’t uncomfortably cool. But some of her warmth came from within. She enjoyed walking by starlight with Emmett.
He led her across the street and followed the pathway behind the general merchandise store. Emmett gestured to the Barr place as they passed it. “I’m sure glad Jennie brought her youngsters to the party. Those books are probably the only presents her kids will get this year.” He smiled down at her. “Your mother is wonderful. Please tell her how much I appreciate her.”
“I will.” Addie pushed her hands into her pockets. “I won’t be surprised if she sends me back with more books and magazines. Since word got out, people who don’t even attend church with her and Daddy have made donations. Even in these hard times, people want to give. It’s love in action, and it’s such a beautiful thing to see.”
“ ‘Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt’ ”—Emmett’s eyes glittered—“ ‘I love.’ ”
A chill wiggled down her spine, hope rising at the meaning behind his words.
“Shakespeare’s statement from Hamlet could be your mother’s.”
Disappointment fell. “Yes. Yes, it fits her well.” She shifted her attention to the pathway leading to the Tharps’ cabin.
Damaris opened the door to them and greeted Addie with a big hug. Then she pressed the neatly folded Santa costume into her arms. “You have a good Christmas, Addie. We’ll see you after the first of the year.” Mr. Tharp also wished Addie a merry Christmas, and she and Emmett set out again.
The walk to Nanny Fay’s took them through the trees, and it seemed cooler there. She hugged Daddy’s velvet costume for warmth. The smell