usually spent the day cleaning her closets and putting together donations for Goodwill. Now she had someplace to go, something to do, and a wonderful man to do it with.
“I haven’t watched football in years,” she confessed as they settled on his couch with chips and salsa and soft drinks.
“Not into football?” He looked almost wary.
“Would that be a deal breaker?” she asked.
“Not at all. I happen to like the game. Was hoping maybe you do, too.”
“I used to watch with my husband. He graduated from the University of Washington and was a big fan of the Huskies, so we watched a lot of college football. After he died I guess my interest in the game died right along with him.”
“Think we can revive it today?” Ellis asked.
“I think so,” she said. “I’ll be happy to host Super Bowl parties.”
“All right,” he said eagerly. “Your place or mine?”
“I guess that depends on how many people we invite.”
“Speaking of houses, do you want to keep yours?”
“I was just thinking about that last night. I love my house,” she admitted. “It felt like home the minute I walked in the door. But your place feels like home, too, and now that we have two families to blend maybe we should be in a bigger house.”
“More house to take care of,” he said.
“I don’t mind. I enjoy taking care of houses. And people.”
“I like the sound of that,” Ellis said.
So did she.
He didn’t waste any time getting her a ring. Come January second, they were at the jeweler’s.
“That diamond’s not big enough,” he said when she pointed to the one in her ring size that she liked, an oval halo pavé in yellow gold.
“It’s plenty big enough,” she assured him. “May I try it on?” she asked the clerk.
“Of course,” he murmured, taking it out of the case.
She slipped it on her finger and held up her hand, admiring it. “I love it. It’s beautiful.”
“Just like the woman wearing it,” said Ellis. “Okay, I guess we’ll take it.”
They left the store hand in hand. She felt sixteen again.
“Think your girls are going to be happy?” he asked.
“I know they will. They’ve been nudging me in your direction ever since we met. How about your kids?” His daughter had certainly been welcoming when Mel met her at Thanksgiving.
“Oh, yeah. Now my daughter can stop worrying about old Dad bumbling around the house with no one to watch over him.”
“Bumbling?”
He shook his head. “My kids think I’m old.”
He wasn’t as old as her. A sudden moment of panic hit her. She’d never told him her age.
Her concern must have shown on her face because his brows pulled together. “What?”
“You’re not even sixty yet,” she said.
“I keep telling my kids that. I’m still in my prime.”
“I’m not,” she said softly. “Ellis, I’m older than you. By several years, I think.”
“Is that what’s bothering you?” He smiled and shook his head. “At this point in life, who cares? I’m bigger than you so it all balances out.”
“Are you sure?” She was into her sixties and he hadn’t yet hit the big 6-0. She confessed her age and waited for him to tell her the deal was off.
“That’s not much difference at all. Besides, I always wanted to be a boy toy.”
She frowned. “I’m not that much older.”
He chuckled, raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “You’re right, you’re not. You’re beautiful and I love you. Come on, let’s get something at Good Times.”
Nora was happy for them and offered them free hot chocolate on the house. “What do your girls think?” she asked Mel.
“They don’t know yet,” Mel said.
“I bet they won’t be surprised once they hear,” Nora predicted.
Mel decided that, rather than call her daughters and tell them, she’d invite them over for dinner and see how long it took them to notice her new jewelry.
Celeste had been too busy getting Edie’s snowsuit off and then settling her in the highchair Mel kept at the house to notice anything, and Jenna had been only half-present. She’d made an effort to enter in, but Mel knew she been struggling to find the happy in the holidays.
Suddenly she felt guilty over being so happy when her daughter was so miserable. If only Jenna could find a true and lasting love.
Henry was the first to notice Mel’s ring when she passed him the plate of French bread.
His eyes got big and he looked at her questioningly. Something new?
Celeste was next to catch on. “Oh, my gosh! Mom!”
Jenna