door?”
Kaylee smiled. “At least through Christmas, so you can be here in your town, near your friends and your school, until the right place is found. We can play it by ear; it can last longer if we like it. I want you to always have choices. If it doesn’t feel right, you should tell me. Or Mel. But I have a feeling you’re going to like it. Let’s try it through Christmas and New Year’s. We should try to have a nice Christmas for our mothers. If you want to.”
“Does Landry say it’s okay?”
“Absolutely. I asked him first. This is his property and it’s where he grew up. I thought maybe we could help each other get through that hard part of losing our mothers. And we can do it with trips to the library, watching movies, reading together and training the dogs. Lady is very well behaved but she could use a little training. We’ll have our friends nearby. Your friends are welcome to come over, too. You might want to invite some of them.”
“Do you want me to stay with you?” she asked.
Kaylee nodded. “I do. I think you’re very good company. But the most important thing is if you want to. If you don’t, I understand. This is a tough time of year for some people.”
“I could try it,” she said. “I could see Landry make pots.”
“And if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can call me,” Mel said. “I can always think of something. Your mom asked me to look out for you and I promised I would.”
“I think this would be okay,” she said.
“Then Landry will bring your bedroom furniture from your house and put it in the spare bedroom. And we can start to dream up what kind of things we want to cook and bake for the holidays, and I bet you’d like to do some shopping. I think we’re going to be very busy.”
“Will we bake cookies and things?”
“Would you like to?” Kaylee asked. “I have to admit, I haven’t had much practice...”
Mallory gave her an impatient look. “If you follow the directions, it comes out good. If you cheat the directions, not so much.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Kaylee said.
* * *
If there was one thing Kaylee hadn’t expected, it was how the people in Virgin River, her new friends, responded when they heard the news that she’d taken in Mallory. The generosity they displayed was unimaginable. It was almost as if they were showing their appreciation. Jack was probably responsible for getting the word out because he and Mike and Preacher helped Landry move Mallory’s bedroom furniture the very next morning. Mallory spent one more night with Ali until then.
Kelly Holbrook brought over a large basket of scrumptious baked goods, and Jillian brought some squash and onions and peppers from her winter garden. Paige and Preacher hand-delivered a large basket of brisket and salmon, prepped for the freezer, for their future meals together. Vanessa and Paul brought two pies and a dozen cookies, which was a lifesaver because Kaylee’s first attempt at baking Christmas cookies didn’t go that well. Then there were many packages left on the porch with no card. There were gifts of banana, zucchini and cranberry breads and a tray of cinnamon rolls. Not only were the gifts of food plentiful and in a great variety, there were other gifts—hand-stitched Christmas place mats and napkins, garland left decorating the front porch rail, a wreath for the door and a holiday basket filled with ornaments.
“I guess we’ll have to put up a tree,” Kaylee said.
“That shouldn’t be too hard since we live in a forest,” Landry said.
Kaylee called her father and surprised him by inviting him to Christmas Eve dinner. “Really?” he asked. “Of course I’d like to come! What can I bring? Where should I reserve a room?”
“Life has become very interesting here,” she explained. “I’m fostering a little girl who just lost her mother, she’s ten, and she’s staying with me. Landry said you can have his room.”
“Where is Landry going to stay?” Howard asked.
“I’m sure I can make room for him somewhere in my little house, but he has the larger dining room and kitchen, so we’ll be cooking there.”
“I guess things are progressing nicely,” Howard said.
“There’s a gathering in the town at Jack’s Bar and it spills out around the tree. I hear there’s food, drink, carol singing and in general a town party. I’m told it usually starts around six when the