One Snowy Night (Sweet Home, Alaska #1) - Patience Griffin Page 0,99

of distress. “Tell me.”

“It’s a surprise Thanksgiving dinner for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s to thank you for remodeling the lodge and hardware store. For bringing jobs back to town. For giving them hope.”

But what he was doing wasn’t altruistic. He was doing this to honor his grandparents . . . and to make a buck.

Hope studied him for a long moment. “Just so you know, it was Ella who suggested this whole thing. Apparently, she overheard a couple of workers saying they were going to have a better Christmas because they’d been working at the hardware store.”

“Ella?” he said in wonderment.

“Yeah, your daughter. You better come inside and say hello to everyone. And just so you’ll be prepared, Piney brought you a hefty dish of her tofu turkey.”

“Thanks for the warning.” But he had a stupid grin on his face, one he was sure wouldn’t leave for the rest of the day. He held the door and they stepped inside.

It was like stepping into the lodge twenty years ago. So many smiling faces, especially the familiar smiling faces like Mr. Brewster, Miss Lisa, Aberdeen, even Jesse Montana and his brother Shaun . . . It was so surreal; Donovan wouldn’t have been all that surprised if Nan and Grandpa walked through the front door and knocked snow from their boots. With everyone here, a piece of his youth had returned—the loving arms of community—and he hadn’t realized until this moment how much he’d missed it. He hadn’t experienced real community—Sweet Home, Alaska type community—since the day he’d left.

Men slapped him on the back and women squeezed his arm. Cries of “Happy Thanksgiving” created a racket. Oh, how he wished his grandparents were here to see this.

Hope laid a hand on his back. “Go sit. The food’s on the table.”

Piney appeared with Bill by her side. “Bill is mighty glad for this shindig. He’s fond of a real turkey leg.”

Bill—always a man of few words—gave a slight nod.

Ella appeared again, this time with Lacy at her side. “Boomer keeps sniffing around in the kitchen. I bet he can’t wait for scraps.”

Aberdeen carried in the monster-sized turkey and shyly set it on the table to a round of applause. “I was glad to do it.”

“Make room,” Piney commanded. “Donovan has to be hungry after working all day.”

When everyone was gathered around the table, they joined hands.

“Donovan, you say grace,” Piney said.

Donovan obediently bowed his head. “Father, we thank you for this meal we are about to eat, for good friends to share it with, and for our time together.” That nearly encompassed all the warm feelings he was having, so he continued, with the blessing he’d said around this table as a child. “Bless us, O Lord”—others joined in with him—“and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.” Donovan finished with the sign of the cross, as others did as well.

They all tucked in to the turkey, moose ribs, and smoked salmon pâté. It was a noisy affair and so much more fun than coming home to an empty house.

Donovan stood and raised his glass. “I’d like to propose a toast. To Sweet Home. For sharing this marvelous food.” Everyone raised their glasses and drank. Donovan remained standing. “It wouldn’t be a proper Thanksgiving if I didn’t share how thankful I am for all of you.” He glanced over at Hope and Ella, mentally giving thanks specifically for them. Though Hope said this was Ella’s idea, he knew it was Hope who had pulled it off. Later, he would get her alone . . . and thank her properly.

Piney stood next. “To our loved ones lost. To Charles and Elsie Stone.”

“To Charles and Elsie,” the crowd said.

Donovan added his own private toast, To Beau and Izzie. He couldn’t help but glance at Hope, wondering if she could read his thoughts. She was staring at him until his eyes reached hers and then her gaze darted away.

Mr. Brewster stood next. “To Donovan . . . for coming home.”

“To Donovan,” the crowd said cheerily.

They were acting like he’d come home for good. But Alaska wasn’t his home anymore. He would have to let it slide today, but as soon as he could, he was going to have a serious conversation with Mr. Brewster again, and make him see the truth.

When the pumpkin, salmonberry, and blueberry pies were served, Piney called out to Donovan, “Your grandfather Charles always cut down his Christmas tree the day after